Original review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: Review copy provided by Clean Teen Publishing for the blog tour.
What I Liked:
It's set in a different country other than the US – No offense whatsoever to fellow US peoples, but I'm kind of a bit tired of reading books near the same settings over and over again when it comes to futuristic-like novels, despite the fact I love them all the same. The Woodlands being set in a different country (not the UK either) is a nice, new refresher in terms of setting.
Rosa's character – I don't know why I find female main characters having a bit of an attitude appealing. For some reason, it just makes the book more interesting. Rosa also undergoes major changes throughout the story; from a closed off troublemaker/rule breaker/rebel to someone who's more open and letting others in.
What I Didn't Like:
Not so appealing – Let's just say I was expecting a tad bit more than George Orwell's 1984 (oh, and I can't wait until we move on from that in English soon) style in a way that's thankfully appropriate for a YA audience (but then 1984 isn't YA in the first place. Though in terms of relation to 1984, I meant the Superiors remind me of the Party and Big Brother. Thankfully, The Woodlands isn't as awkward and doesn't make me squirm uncomfortably as 1984 does. It's also a bit... slow paced.
A little confused – I am so confused about her father/stepfather. Rereading the parts over and over again after finishing the book unfortunately didn't shed any further light either. And I had a little over an entire week to ponder on it. But still... over a week. That's usually enough time for a light bulb to illuminate in my mind and for me to come up with a reasonable bridge to gap my confusion and wrap my mind around it.
Overall: Pretty cover, good idea, nice setting refresher, but I think I may have overestimated my thoughts on Taylor's debut novel. Though for a debut novel, it honestly wasn't that bad. I found it okay-ish, but The Woodlands didn't exactly make a majorly grand impression for me in the end.
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
When there's a bit of hoopla and excitement going about a book (even it's the sequel), I always tend to be curious as to why everyone loves the book. I'm literally asking, “What's so great about it? I want to know!”
And then my TBR list grows by a book.
But Under the Never Sky is about a girl named Aria who lives in a futuristic world of Pods and Realms. In that world, she's never seen what's outside the Pods aside from the stories she heard – everything is basically in virtual time. She gets kicked out one day and meets an Outsider named Perry who teaches her the basics to surviving the outside world and needs her help as well.
I like the concept and general idea of the book. Pods? Realms? No one gets hurt in the Realms and you can see your friends without even moving at all with a cool gadget called Smarteyes? Sounds great.
But... I didn't really like it. I was pretty bored from the end of Chapter One and probably would have stopped reading the book from then on out. But there was something there, and I decided to read on to see if my boredom status changed by a magnitude. I was hoping that between the end of Chapter One and the end of the book, my opinions would be a whole lot better.
It didn't change that much, unfortunately. It was just... insipid.
Another thing that I didn't really like? The romance between Aria and Perry. It was too fast.
No, scratch that. Actually, allow me to backtrack by two sentences, before “It was too fast.”
It was perfectly paced for about 80% of the book. But then about 7% or 4 chapters later away from their first kiss, it was just simply too fast for my taste. Much too fast.
Overall, I liked the concept, but Veronica Rossi's debut novel just isn't very right for me and I don't think I'll be continuing on with the next book in the series, Through the Ever Night.
Though I am a bit tempted to.
Convince me well enough to do so and I'll think about it? But the cover is pretty.
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsOriginal Rating: 4.5
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
Disclaimer: The authors provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
Basically from the first chapter, I was pretty hooked. Actually, I would say the first sentence, but that could have changed from sentence two or even sentence three.
Though if I said I nearly chucked the book across the room after sentence one, I would be telling a white lie.
So I actually did like Dance in Shadow & Whisper. Really liked it. And I pretty much believed I was in for a good read from sentence one. In fact, I would have recommend it to my school book club but due to language, I would probably get whacked in the head. Literally.
Yeah. Not happening. I'm the last fan of migraines and headaches (and bruises). I'm pretty sure the lot of us are as well.
But here are a few reasons why I really liked the book and labeled it potential book club recommendation:
1. I think this tends to be the very obvious in a lot of books I read: the idea. Demons vs. Vampires. Finally vampires have a new group of people they don't really like that aren't called werewolves.
~ ABOUT TIME – in my very humble opinion. Not that anyone cares because they're probably too busy screaming “Team Jacob!” or perhaps “Team Teen Wolf!” (I probably made the Team Teen Wolf up. It is about werewolves after all.
2. I loved almost all of the characters' personalities, in which most are humorous and witty. But I particularly liked Kali, who is the main character in the book and seems to be a really fun person to be around (pigtails, lol).
3. Even though there are a few different POV changes throughout the book, it's easy to tell who's POV it is when it's not Kali.
4. The ending. Literally. If I say why I like it, I'll spill the milk and I might get haunted in the middle of the night. Because really...
It was flawless in the transition. That's all I'm going to say about the ending. But now I'm in another waiting room... just keep waiting.
That's all I'm going to say and I refuse to say any more. But for Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis's debut novel, Dance in Shadow & Whisper is definitely worth a read.
Original Review posted at Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
Matched, the predecessor to Crossed, didn't exactly make a remarkable impression in my mind 3 years ago when I first read it or I wouldn't have needed to take a one day mini skim-a-thon.
Though it must have made a bit of an impression if I still remember the title and author. Why, yes. I do forget the little things. What's y = mx + b? Sorry for throwing a lovely little equation there. You don't have to answer that.
Or maybe it was simply Walmart's book/magazine section.
But speaking of Matched and Crossed, after reading the sequel, I personally think Matched was better and more interesting.
Or maybe it's the fact that dystopian sequels are usually well... the part before the actual rebellion and that's what makes the first book even more interesting. Because the first book is the part where you're fully in the world (and totally oblivious to how corrupt the government is getting).
So... why did I prefer Matched over its sequel?
Basically, Crossed is set a few months – more or less – later after its predecessor ended, and Cassia Reyes, our main character, is looking for Ky now in the Outer Provinces away from the Society. I won't say how it came to that though. And we get to shuffle through Ky's mind this time instead of just Cassia's.
Both POVs (Point of Views) have new characters introduced and new adventures in store for them, but despite all that... I just think the book is more about Cassia and Ky's romance and both of them trying to find each other than other stuff.
Yet there's this something about the last few sentences of both books in the trilogy that's practically urging me (okay, not really) to read on in the series and to the final book in the series, Reached.
Speaking of lasting impressions.
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: The author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
Well, I can definitely say I'm a big fan of Megan Joel Peterson's editing skills because I can go focus on the book more rather than complaining about edits (definitely a bonus).
Anyhoo, Taliesin Ascendant is Book Two in the series, The Children and the Blood, with the previous title being the exact same as the series name, so I suppose I don't need to say it twice without sounding like a robot.
But then again, no one actually knows that I sound like a robot when writing or if I'm being serious or whatever tone I intended to write in.
So here are a few things you should know about Taliesin Ascendant, aside from the very obvious:
~ Starts off straight from where The Children and the Blood ended. In other words, we get a few answers from the lovely little cliffhanger that we all love/hate at the same time (I don't about you guys, but I'm just both). I would highly recommend you don't decide to jump into book two without reading book one first, though I'm pretty sure no one does that anymore these days...
Although... I still have no clue what Bartlow did. I might have a slight idea now, but maybe I'm just a naïve little duckling, it's right in front of my face and it hasn't clicked yet. It probably won't until later in the far future. Of course, that might just result in a facepalm if it's that obvious.
~ A lot of new characters, though a few old ones do return. I do miss some of the old ones though... but they're pretty much in “space.” (Yes, there's a hidden meaning in the word). And most of the ones that do return are more mature than when we last saw them, particularly the main characters (Ashe, Lily, Cole, Harris – I think that's all of them but there might be more).
~ More action packed than its predecessor (sweeeeet).
~ I loved the ending before the epilogue this time... though the epilogue doesn't have one this time. It's a nice feeling of Taliesin Ascendant ending on a satisfactory ending where the reader doesn't just scream in frustration because you have to wait for the next book to come out. Not that I would scream. I would only scream if a nasty, icky, yucky, repulsive spider (or bug) decides to come crawling... *shudders* Ew.
Yeah, I think I'm going to stop talking now.
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: The author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
Well, I can definitely say I'm a big fan of Megan Joel Peterson's editing skills because I can go focus on the book more rather than complaining about edits (definitely a bonus).
Anyhoo, Taliesin Ascendant is Book Two in the series, The Children and the Blood, with the previous title being the exact same as the series name, so I suppose I don't need to say it twice without sounding like a robot.
But then again, no one actually knows that I sound like a robot when writing or if I'm being serious or whatever tone I intended to write in.
So here are a few things you should know about Taliesin Ascendant, aside from the very obvious:
~ Starts off straight from where The Children and the Blood ended. In other words, we get a few answers from the lovely little cliffhanger that we all love/hate at the same time (I don't about you guys, but I'm just both). I would highly recommend you don't decide to jump into book two without reading book one first, though I'm pretty sure no one does that anymore these days...
Although... I still have no clue what Bartlow did. I might have a slight idea now, but maybe I'm just a naïve little duckling, it's right in front of my face and it hasn't clicked yet. It probably won't until later in the far future. Of course, that might just result in a facepalm if it's that obvious.
~ A lot of new characters, though a few old ones do return. I do miss some of the old ones though... but they're pretty much in “space.” (Yes, there's a hidden meaning in the word). And most of the ones that do return are more mature than when we last saw them, particularly the main characters (Ashe, Lily, Cole, Harris – I think that's all of them but there might be more).
~ More action packed than its predecessor (sweeeeet).
~ I loved the ending before the epilogue this time... though the epilogue doesn't have one this time. It's a nice feeling of Taliesin Ascendant ending on a satisfactory ending where the reader doesn't just scream in frustration because you have to wait for the next book to come out. Not that I would scream. I would only scream if a nasty, icky, yucky, repulsive spider (or bug) decides to come crawling... *shudders* Ew.
Yeah, I think I'm going to stop talking now.
Oh boy. School literature. *gives a really lame woohoo for required reading*Well. Let's see how it goes. Oh... and since it says Adult here... I won't be reviewing it on Bookwyrming Thoughts (well, it is a YA blog... :p).
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: The author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
What I Liked About the Book:
The Cover – It's sooo pretty and beautiful. The artist is definitely extremely talented. I know I'm not exactly the person who judges a book by it's cover, but... I'm just attracted to them. And then the synopsis gets the glory.
Great Potential – Quite different from other fantasy books, which is a nice breather. I'm sure there are the books out there that have something to do with crystals, but as I rack my brains and shuffle through its files virtually I haven't exactly read a book about crystals yet.
Diversity of Characters – I, for one thing, am always glad you can distinguish the characters' personalities enough that if The Keepers were written in multiple POVs, it would be pretty distinguishable. There are always going to be characters that we dislike and like, but at least they're not all... the same.
But... there's just one problem that's breaking the mold for a potentially good book. I'll let you go on down to the not so very pleasant parts of the review.
What I Disliked About the Book:
With Pros, comes Cons. Now you're probably wishing you're living in a utopia. If only life was that easy, I wouldn't be so blunt in the next bullet. Because I was honestly hoping that with a pretty cover, the story would be really good and I'll be hopping on over to my book club and recommend the book within the next few months (oh, I do that. I refuse to tell most people so. >:)).
Errors – I don't usually talk about editing, grammar, spelling and the whatnot when it comes to self published books unless it's a pro, in which I'll probably be squealing in delight behind the screen and doing a seriously lame cheer because I certainly won't pass into the cheerleading team (I'm not interested in cheerleading either). But in this case, I feel like I just might have to mention it because... yikes. They were simply A LOT. And they were quite the distraction.
I can probably go on about errors all day, so I'll just say there were a lot and go on with the review. They irk me and drive me up the wall after the amount reaches a certain amount of capacity. My teenaged brain can only handle so much before I do something really... regrettable later (such as turning into Crabby Daughter without eating a single Crabby Patty or a Crabby Reviewer, which I'm sure no one wants). I did however... nearly chuck the book across the room due to the errors. Not that I can chuck an ebook across the room without breaking my precious laptop, because that will simply lead to a turmoil of other consequences.
But that was pretty much the only thing I disliked about the book.
Overall Thoughts: Not so great book, really good potential but like I said. I can probably go on about how much I dislike errors all day. There were just... a lot. I think I need to grab a thesaurus now; I'm using too many “a lots.”
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
So the light has finally shined a little on why Will is just a nasty person from the prior book and a little of Clockwork Prince. Yay. I was actually hoping there's a nicer person and a very good reason right under that layer of nastiness that explains it all...
But I still don't like him. I might feel sympathy or pity toward him, but his overall personality is still... meh. Though I do like his ridiculous poems and songs, particularly the one about demon pox, which is now making me picture him as a leprechaun wearing Victorian clothes instead of the regular green outfits leprechauns, blue eyes and black hair with no beard and not standing at the end of a rainbow with a pot of gold at the end while dancing in circles....
Sorry for the image in your minds now. x)
Unfortunately, the song is sort of stuck in my head like “Call Me Maybe.” *grits teeth* I wouldn't worry about me, not really. It'll be out the other ear within the next few hours and replaced by Selena Gomez's “Come & Get It” or another song entirely. Hopefully.
And then I don't really get that Tessa would actually be agreeing to Jem when really her heart is with someone else... or maybe I do. Sort of. :/
But before I start going into a really long post about a “million” stuff about the characters, what I dislike (well, that's explanatory. There's always that one character in the book one dislikes) and what I like about them and what not...
Clockwork Prince is more fast paced than its prior book, Clockwork Angel (in my very humble opinion that many fans will probably disagree). The characters are more understandable, though I think that's been around since book one, the plot is a whole lot more interesting (Shadowhunters, Downworlders, Mortmain, oh my! – wait, that didn't make sense, did it? *frown*), and I thoroughly enjoyed reading another one of Cassandra Clare's works.
Oh hey, I just realized. City of Bones is in theaters tomorrow. I haven't read it yet... but I want to see it. Unfortunately, my attempts of convincing my mother to let me go has been futile (boo but even if I did succeed... demons might make certain peeps squeamish. Another sad story). I guess I'll go rent it from Professor Netflix or Redbox one day in another 6 months or so. So... who's excited? And don't give me spoilers please – I just warned that I didn't read the book yet, didn't I?! But you can look forward to it sometime in the future, near or far. ;)
Hmm. 6 months. I'm sure that will give me plenty of enough time to actually read it.
On the bright side... I don't exactly have to tap my fingers or toes and wait for the next book in the The Mortal Instruments series, City of Heavenly Fire to be published in 2014. I kind of need to do quite the catching up before I go into the “waiting room.”
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
I should warn you. It's a really long post. So feel to scroll on down to the After Reading part if you want to. :3
Before Reading:
Wowzers. The Eternity Cure must be popular at my library (YAY!). Apparently I went crashing into dead ends (I even lost count of them) since who knows when (April, May) with so many holds (that includes ebook lend on Overdrive and whatnot but those holds weren't me) and FINALLY I have my hands on The Eternity Cure.
Imagine my reaction after that. Happy dancing. Of course. VICTORY! (Yeah... I'm glad I placed a hold before the last copy got taken...)
And then mom drops the bomb. Yes, a bomb. A verbal bomb. The one shatters your dreams (okay, not exactly dreams) into a million pieces and you can't put them back together, like Humpty Dumpty (poor Humpty...), who unfortunately has fallen off the wall.
“Returning book on Saturday.” (or something of the similar sort).
Time for another reaction.
*gawk* Jaw drop. Faceplant on the wall (no one saw it; it was virtual because I don't want a big purple bruise and questions...). Victory dance stops and then someone gets stared at as if they had grown three heads (no, I didn't actually do it, because then everyone at the library will be the ones staring at me as if I had grown three heads).
Expected to read an almost 500-page book in a few days? (It's not even a week.)
It's Julie Kagawa! Challenge Accepted, mother.
Gives mom a thumbs up.
Nods with a very confident (and possibly self-satisfied that says I can do this!) grin at her.
Turns off computer.
Becomes hermit crab for the rest of the week or however long I finish this book. Because I'm not planning to read halfway through and then return it (it's not my style. Once I start, I must finish or there's something that stops me. And by then... there's gotta be something that makes me want to chuck the book across the room – of course... I might have to pay $30 dollars. Not exactly worth it. But I can imagine it being chucked.)
I'm pretty sure I'll fail at staying off though. Because even if the computer doesn't have internet connection...
it's the epitome of procrastination (you know, files to organize, chess to play – yes, girls play chess, making extremely lame movies from MS Paint stick figures, that type of stuff).
At least for me. I should ask someone to lock it up for me. Or ask them to toss me in a place that's so boring, I have nothing to do but to read. Oh, and be sure to remove any magazines, or put some dreadfully boring ones on that coffee table in the corner.
But still. It's Wednesday. I'm closed. Come back another day and see if the sign changes.
Because it won't change. Not until I savor every moment I have left with Allie, Zeke, and any other [lovable] characters that may return (and possible new ones as well).
(Holy monkeys, that probably sounded like a monologue. Sorry if you're bored, or if you think I'm insane by now and don't want to read my thoughts after I come out of hermit-nation in a few days.... because I know I talk too much when I write. Oopsies.)
After Reading: - A Few Days Later...
Well. I'm out of my little hermit shell now. “Justin Time.” So...
It's been a few months since Allie the vampire left Eden, and there's a new not-so-very-pleasant surprise popping up around the corners. She's more mature now, and when a certain character by the name of Zeke comes around from the previous book, he's also more mature.
Remember Jackal from The Immortal Rules? He's not that bad after all, though he reminds me of a certain arrogant vampire from...
The Vampire Diaries.
Actually, that certain vampire popped up in my head every time Jackal spoke, despite the fact both vampires look different.
In fact, Mr. Raider King is actually a pretty likable character. But Jackal actually has humor. Considering the fact he seemed like the person to take over the world... I didn't exactly find that he would make wisecracks here, there and everywhere.
I think you've figured out which vampire I'm talking about now. *neutrally cheerful voice* Go Daemon.
But about the ending...
O___O
You're kidding me.
O___O
That didn't just happen (or should I say, I did not just read that). I couldn't have read that wrong, could I?
*rereads*
Nope. Definitely didn't read it wrong.
And now you're making me wait for another year or so to find out what happens. >__<<br/>
But I'll wait... because I have plenty of other books to keep me company... and the only way to come up with a good story is to patiently wait... and wait... and wait. In which I'll happily do while stalking the county library catalog as soon as it's published.
Oh... and the after part is shorter because well... you're already stuck reading 500+ words from the Before Reading. I figured you don't need to read another 500+ for the After Reading. I mean, you might be bored of me talking too much by now...
I hope no one minds? :3?
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming ThoughtsNote: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
Stravaganza. Just another one of those series I apparently enjoyed and then abandoned and then realized that I need to go read the other books in the series... and also realized that I read one book ahead and skipped the fourth book. Whoops. I think I'll thank Goodreads when I checked. :p
No wonder I didn't know who Matt was when I read City of Ships (aside from the very obvious...). Another whoops.
And yes, there's a third oops (or whoops). I'm sure I looked odd sticking my nose near the computer screen at home doing a quick read for a refresher, so sorry Mom if I've been crabby (no claws) for a few days. Though, I must say, getting me the tenth book in some series when I haven't read even the first book is a very bad idea. Good thing the eight-year-old me was pretty naive and didn't complain.
So, aside from totally neglecting a series (speaking of neglecting... I do have quite a few that I need to get back to one day...) for at least 2-3 years... it's nice to go back to a series that involves time travel and Italy. Because Italian cuisine can be on the menu. ;)
But first off, the new covers are ah-mazing (I know I'm years late to say that, but don't they say 'better late than never?'). I apparently have a better view of the characters in my “complex” imagination of a mind.
Second, my attempt in trying to read Dethridge's Elizabethan English is apparently as terrible as me trying to learn another language. I hate saying this, but I can read Shakespeare without stumbling... (sort of).
And third, though I really think the di Chimici need to find other things to do than trying to take over Talia and Mary Hoffman should probably write about something other than trying to capture Luciano (or something that does him harm...) or the Stravaganti or trying to find some way to take over the independent cities (okay, that pattern has repeated quite a few times in the prior books of the Stravaganza series)....
I still find myself a bit drawn to the books like I am to dystopian fiction (though in the case of dystopia, I'm a moth and there's a light. Go shape-shifting).
I think Italian culture is getting to me. *puts on a Venetian mask* Masquerade? :p