The Wicked Awakening of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe

Warning! The Wicked Awakening of Anne Merchant is the second book in the V Trilogy.  The first book has a plot twist that will probably be revealed below, so please visit my review of The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant instead if you haven't started the series!

If I were to use one word to describe this book, it'd be "dark."  Wow, this book takes things to a whole new level of dark!  But now that we know that all the students are dead and that the faculty are devils and demons from hell, that really shouldn't surprise us, should it?  Anne is back on Wormwood Island after her escape attempt, and is back in the running for the Big V.  Whereas in the first book, Anne discovers secrets about Cania Christy and her fellow students; in this book she discovers secrets about herself that could change her life forever.

So, as I mentioned:  dark.  This is not a feel-good book.  Even the "good" characters feel somewhat tainted, when seen through the lens of the Cania Christy atmosphere.  For example, one of Anne's friends is pretty eternally optimistic, but the other girls (and even Anne, to some extent) really look down on her for her lack of competitiveness.  Even the literal atmosphere, the setting, is dark:  the bulk of the story takes place over winter and early spring, and the island is described as being damp, foggy, overcast, cold, windy, snowy, rainy.   If I remember correctly, it's raining for the first three chapters or so.

But let's look on the bright side:  girl has gained some major confidence!  At the beginning of The Unseemly Education, Anne is so very low on confidence.  You can imagine her walking around a little hunched over and very quiet.  Now, Anne is taking control!  She is not going to let some demons decide her and her father's fates!  And that, my friends, takes a lot of confidence.  In this book, Anne discovers a strength within her that will help her as she plots to overthrow the status quo.  No more singular Valedictorian each year!  Anne wants every student to win the grand prize, and she'll stop at nothing to give it to them.  She shows herself over and over to be selfless and confident (even if sometimes she seems to be almost self-destructive in her pursuits).

Another bright side:  romance!  If you're looking for some truly angsty teenage romance, this is the book for you.  The "will they won't they" is drawn out to it's very limit, but not beyond.  This sub-plot definitely kept me coming back, to find out how the relationship between Anne and Ben would (or would not) continue to grow.  The poor pair; they just want what every teen couple wants:  some dates, some kisses, maybe some love notes back and forth.  Instead, they often have to table the relationship to deal with the Big V competition or demons.  And the threat of not winning the Big V is always hanging overhead.

Speaking of romance, though, there is a slight advisory with this YA book:  there are some questionable sexual situations, so I'd only probably hand this book to older teens.  No spoilers, but there's sexual come-ons from an older man to a younger girl, and some physical descriptions that would make some teens blush.

Just like The Unseemly Education, The Wicked Awakening ends on quite the cliffhanger!  This is not a bridge book; it does have it's own plot that wraps up nicely, but then a twist!  And guess what?  The third book, The Twisted Deliverance of Anne Merchant, won't be released in America (where I am) until 2017.  :( :( :(  So if anyone in Canada (where the author is) wants a new best friend, you can totally hook me up with a copy of the third book when it's released there in January 2016.  :)

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by Tynga at Thursday, September 10, 2015

 BenBella, boarding school, demons, Gifted, Joanna Wiebe, Love amp; Romance, Noir, Psychological Thriller, Review, The V Trilogy, vivification, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Honestly, this is not my usual kind of read, but sometimes I find it refreshing to read a book outside my comfort zone. I would categorize this book as a thriller but it's also a YA contemporary because of all the boy drama. Right after finishing the book, I have this weird love/hate feeling about BLACK ICE. I really did enjoy it because it was captivating and had me hooked until the very end. On the other hand, I didn't really connect with the main character because of so many bad decisions she made.

It all starts off as Britt and her best friend Korbie make their way to Korbie's family cabin in the mountains but never reach it because of very bad winter weather. Snow prevents them from continuing on in the Jeep so they decide to hike a little and find warm shelter. I think this is their first big mistake because they could have easily taken the new hiking gear they had just purchased and make camp to wait out the storm. Unfortunately the first thing they can think of is running off into the woods with no idea where they are in order to find help. And help they did not find. Instead they get kidnapped by two guys who want to use Britt to get off the mountain because of her apparent knowledge of the area. And I say apparent because throughout the whole novel, it felt like she had no clue where she was going.

The romantic tension that develops between Britt and one of her captors, Mason, is very annoying. She just came out of a relationship with a jerk called Calvin and it's almost as if she's trying to replace one bad boy for another. If there were one good example of Stockholm Syndrome, this would be it. I wanted to roll my eyes every time Mason said something remotely nice. The guy just kidnapped her, prevented her from getting help and just because he says something about getting her to safety she immediately believes him. Britt supposedly trained many month for this hiking trip of hers but it seems like she knows nothing about surviving in the woods. Well, she knows a few basics but relies a lot on Mason to do the work. She thinks she's a strong and independent person but she relies so much on Mason that it's impossible believe.

I think most of what I don't like about the book springs from my inability to connect with Britt. She thinks she knows a lot about hiking and survival but when it comes to applying her knowledge, everything seems to go wrong. So many bad decisions were made from her part and instead of proving herself to everyone (especially her ex, Calvin) she would have been better off going to Hawaii like some of her other friends. Not only do I not agree with the decisions she makes during this ordeal, I also think she made bad decisions in staying in a relationship with Calvin for as long as she did. Also, Korbie sounds like a girl that could have been cast in the movie Mean Girls because there's nothing remotely nice about this girl expect for giving Britt so many things, and then rubbing it in her face later on.

It might sound as if I didn't like BLACK ICE but while my main issue is with the characters, many other things about this book were done right. The pacing was perfect since things were revealed little by little, keeping the tension to the maximum throughout the whole story. The author also kept me guessing throughout the majority of the book, even though I guessed who the real "bad guy" was some time before things were revealed. I wonder if this book would have been better as a non YA book. Instead of writing about unrealistic teens, maybe the author might be better off writing about adults. I don't think I would recommend this book to anyone, but I honestly don't regret having read it. The suspense was good even if I was a little disappointed with the ending.

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by Tynga at Sunday, November 16, 2014

 Becca Fitzpatrick, Gifted, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Thriller, young adult  5 People left their mark

✎

Twilight by Meg Cabot

I was really worried about this book because this is the end of the series. It can either be really amazing because everything I wanted to happen occurred or it could be really bad because the opposite of what I wanted happened. Well, everything I wanted to happen and more occurred in this book and I found myself crying happy tears at the end of this novel because I was beyond satisfied by this series as a whole. It's been a while since I have been so immensely satisfied by a series before. And now I am doubly excited for future Meg Cabot books because she has announced a book seven for this series! My nerves are coming back only because I was so satisfied with the ending. I don't want anything to mess up my happiness. But, if there's anything I learned about Meg Cabot, it's that she always delivers a happy ending.

The romance was do or die in this book. What shocked me about this series is that I became so heavily invested in this romantic relationship. While I love romance, I can live without it, so it's huge for me to become so invested in a ship. But I wanted this ship to set sail and dock successfully. While I can't tell you the fate of Jesse and Suze, I can tell you that I am overall satisfied with the tale, even though there was a lot working against them in this (previous) final installment.

The plot in this one is just as crazy as the love story. Picking up a few weeks after the ending of book number five, Suze is still learning more about her abilities through an uneasy truce with Paul that is more out of necessity than it is desire. He's a little more bearable, though, so that's a plus. However, Paul made a huge discovery in this book, one that can alter the universe and Suze's life as she knows it. Determined to change his fate against the warnings of all his peers, he explores this new-found talent and puts everyone in jeopardy. Against her better judgment, the hero in Suze is determined to follow Paul into the unknown to save her family, her life, and her love. It's all very dramatic really, but dramatic in the best possible way. It had me flipping pages at a lightning fast speed and holding my breath in anxious anticipation.

All of these aspects combine to make the perfect ending. I couldn't have asked for more suspense or romance, nor would I change a thing. It is a rare moment that a book truly leaves me speechless. Take note, people! While I think this series ends perfectly, I am already counting down the (many) months between now and the eventual release of the much anticipated book seven!

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by Tynga at Thursday, July 31, 2014

 Avon Books, Fantasy, ghosts, Gifted, Harper Collins, Meg Cabot, Review, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Haunted by Meg Cabot

If you haven't figured it out, I LOVE this series. If you haven't read it yet, you are seriously missing out!

Suze is beginning her junior year of high school in book number five. Obviously, that means a ton more shenanigans are about to ensue. With Suze, nothing is ever easy. However, she's really preoccupied with the fact that Jessie, the murdered ghost that resides in her bedroom that she has actually fallen in love with, has not kissed her yet. I mean, hello! This boy is the love of her life and he hasn't kissed her yet. I'd be a little preoccupied if I had an attractive ghost living in my room, too. But I mean, it's Jesse we are talking about. I have yet to encounter a soul who does not like Jesse and I am pretty sure that I will never actually encounter someone that dislikes Jesse because he's impossible to dislike.

The book immediately starts off with a twist because someone who she encountered in book four is now attending her school. This pace does not let up throughout the entire book. It seems that there simply cannot be enough mediators popping up all over Suze's world! However, this person is both essential to learning what she is capable of and annoying as an individual can be. There's some sort of a love triangle in this book, except we all know that nobody can beat Jesse. This doesn't stop the new "love interest" from attempting to win Suze's heart at any means necessary. He is so arrogant and pigheaded that he can't imagine anyone being with her but him. There's some testosterone flying in this book!

CeCe, Suze's best friend, makes another appearance in this book, so it's really great to watch even further character development between Suze and the people who have been in her life from the very beginning. Jesse and her new family are great, but CeCe knows more about her then nearly anyone else in the series. Except, of course, that she can speak to ghosts. So watching the two of them further their friendship and Suze open up about certain things she never opened up to CeCe before was great and super well done.

But the ending! The ending made me so happy! It will definitely satisfy any fan of the series. If you're anything like me, you will immediately run for book six because, boy, that was perfect. The romance in this series is always perfect, even if you want to throw your book at the wall sometimes. Cabot does everything for a reason, even if you don't realize it until you look back in time. Read this series, guys. Read it! Just trust me and read it. Perfect for humor fans, romance fans, and fantasy fans alike.

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by Tynga at Thursday, July 03, 2014

 Avon Books, Fantasy, Gifted, Harper Collins, Meg Cabot, Review, supernatural, The Mediator, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

At first, I wasn't sure if I should published this review on the blog because it's not at all supernatural, but I enjoyed it so much that I had to share my thoughts about it with as many people as possible. It is however set in the future, and could be qualified as a dystopian novel. While not completly dystopian, it does have some elements like being set in the future and citizens of the USA are very restricted in their every day life. Set in 2083, imagine a world where caffeine and chocolate are illegal substances (although alcohol is not at all monitored, even young adults can drink), and natural resources are so limited that everything is rationed, including, but not limited to water, paper, and even paper towels! Personally, I don't think I could live without my morning coffee and my evening tea. I don't think a government banning caffeine is at all realistic (imagine the Starbucks led riots!), but I think it's the symbolism behind it that makes you think. Whether it be caffeine or alcohol, banning or restricting things only leads revolts and angry citizens. Contraband also means the creation of new black markets demand and mafias that push the product.

Anya Balanchine (or Annie to some friends) is caught up in a family mafia because she was born into it. Before her father passed away, he was the owner of a chocolate empire, called Balanchine Chocolates, which continues to produce the illegal substance, even after it was banned. Anya couldn't care less about the chocolate. Orphaned at nine years old, now in her junior year of high school, all she cares about is passing her classes and taking care of her older, but simple brother, and younger sister. But being born a Balanchine makes things complicated because everyone knows she's the daughter of the infamous dead mob boss. Things couldn't get any worse when she's suspected of poisoning her ex-boyfriend (with contraband chocolate, no less!), and sent to a horrible underage detention center.

The novel might center around chocolate and the danger it poses for Anya and her siblings, but I think the real message behind the novel is growing up despite how difficult it might be, and taking care of those you love and care for. Anya's enemies (or those who fight against what she stands for) might be numerous, but the few friends she has are worth keeping. Trouble tends to follow Anya around and she needs as many friends as possible to bail her out, or simply to support her. One aspect of the book that I really enjoyed is the presences of Anya's father. Although he was murdered when she was young, his wisdom lives on and Anya remembers the wise words he told her when she was younger t,o guide her in her difficult decisions.

Overall, this is definitely not the book I was expecting but it was surprisingly really good. It might be more suitable for mature young adults because of some of the more harsher subjects (we are dealing with mafia!) but the scenes are not all that graphic. The writing is very easy to read, and although I'm not crazy about narrators that uses the "you" in the narration, I was able to get passed that because the story was so engaging. The author has a lot to say in this novel but she finds a way to say as much as possible without getting too much into the descriptive details. Anya's story is a heartfelt one because of her selflessness, her caring nature, and all the difficult things she had to go through during her junior year. Although this book doesn't necessarily finish with a happily ever after, as a reader you're hopeful she'll find a way to pull through. A completely original take on dystopia, fans of the Delirum and Whither series will enjoy ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE.

Read an excerpt

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by Tynga at Sunday, June 29, 2014

 Birthright, Dystopian, Farrar Straus and Giroux (BYR), Gabrielle Zevin, Gifted, Macmillan, Review, young adult  11 People left their mark

✎

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

I picked this book up because I wanted a cute, refreshing retelling. I went into it knowing it would be for younger audiences, however I thought that all ages could read it. My mind immediately compared it to the Percy Jackson series that can be enjoyed by all ages. And while I have to admit that THE SINISTER SWEETNESS OF SPLENDID ACADEMY was slightly too young for me. For example, I loved that there were pictures in this book. They were adorable! But the rational part of my brain was telling me that there were pictures in this book and that may be the cause of why I was rolling my eyes every now and then. This book is truly meant for younger audiences. It's a good read to share between mother and daughter.

As far as the plot goes, it was definitely cute. I think it could be more appreciated by younger audiences, but I recognize the potential. Our main character is a smart girl, but she wouldn't have come to half of the conclusions she eventually came to if not for Andrew, the overweight classmate that most people made fun of. She harbors a huge amount of guilt because her mother passed away from cancer earlier and she felt she helped accelerate the process of her death. Why she believes this is something that you'll have to discover for yourself, but there is a surprising amount of depth to this tale. It's about forgiving oneself and realizing that because you do something wrong, you're not an evil person.

All plot issues aside, the retelling nerd inside me is extremely satisfied. This is a really unique twist on the HANSEL AND GRETEL fairytale. Essentially, these witches opened up a school where there are no rules and snacking on candy is encouraged. The bowls fill themselves and lunch is an infinite helping of deliciousness. There's several snack times a day and if you're not eating, the teachers get mad. See, they've got to fatten up the kids one way or another. This is their house of candy that attracts the children where they can slowly fatten up to prepare for their magnificent feast. I absolutely adore this entire idea. And I can't complain about execution because I know that, in the end, the age level chosen for this novel was what the novel demanded.

I can't complain about the novel because I went in thinking that, as a middle grade lover, it would be a level I could read. I didn't realize it was for younger middle grade readers, but I still found the overall tale to be adorable. Some characters are extremely frustrating, like the evil step-mother that didn't have to be evil but was made evil for the purpose of the retelling. Even our main character is slow to catch onto things at time. But, in the end, this novel was satisfactory. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. It is simply okay.

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by Tynga at Thursday, June 26, 2014

 fairytale, Fantasy amp; Magic, Gifted, nikki loftin, Penguin, Razorbill, Retelling, Review, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Darkest Hour by Meg Cabot

This is my favorite book so far in the series. It took Suze's ability to mediate and brought it to an entirely new level because this was all angry ghosts. And they're not your typical angry ghosts, they're the angry ghosts from Jesse's past. Yup, you heard me, the main focus of this book is Jesse and his death and his past and I am one very happy reader despite the fact that this book was, at one point, emotionally traumatizing to me. I could not have asked for a more delicious reveal to his story (though I already suspected most of it) but the modern day plot twists and the revelations of the past were superb. Just wow, I am very happy with this one and I think it's perfection. If I had to describe it in one word it would be "epic."

What I found to be most interesting about this book was the introduction of a new mediator, Jack, who is only a young boy. Jack is, well, adorable. He's spent his entire life being scared of ghosts because nobody saw what he could see and he was constantly in and out of therapy because of this. And then Suze came along and realized what he was while babysitting him. She pretty much changed the poor kid's life and helped him out greatly by explaining things to him and helping him. Unfortunately, this made him a very young and impressionable individual that could easily be manipulated. And, boy, was he manipulated by other evil forces. With Jack came his older brother, Paul, who I hope to never meet again. Seriously, that guy has way too many unanswerable questions and he deserves to have the word "creep" branded all over his body. It's a shame that the pretty ones are never pretty on the inside too.

I don't want to elaborate on the plot too much with this one because it was taken in so many different directions. There is Jesse and Jesse's past and Jesse's present and Jesse's unknown future. There's his dead body, there's his enemies and his friends. There's people trying unravel his mystery that are dropping like flies and a mystery force that is out to ruin Suze's life by turning her beloved organic orange juice into bugs. It's all rather supernaturally traumatizing and it truly is an emotional roller coaster.

There was a point in this book where I put it down and took to twitter to scream at Gillian and Christina for making me read this because my heart was shattered on the floor. I was looking at it while my cat decided to sit on it. It was just that bad. I couldn't bring myself to read on because this book elicited such an intensely sad emotion from me. But I was forced to read on because Meg Cabot brings the fluff and I'm thankful I did because this one was a doozy. Suze went places that she never fathomed she could go and Father Dominic, our lovely priest mediator, even accepted the fact that exorcisms and kicking butt is sometimes the way to go! Hold the phones and stop the presses! That is a miracle within itself!

All in all, the best book yet. With two more books to go, I hope that this series continues to be this awesome because Cabot seriously took this one to an entirely new level. I am fangirling and screaming and crying and laughing. I'm doing everything simply because Cabot has created characters that I'm so attached to I can't bear to see them hurt and I just want to see them triumph. Now...onto book five to see them triumph once again!

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by Tynga at Thursday, May 08, 2014

 Avon Books, Fantasy, ghosts, Gifted, Harper Collins, Meg Cabot, Review, The Mediator, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

Reunion by Meg Cabot

Cabot introduced a new element to this story by having Suze's best friend from New York, Gina, come visit her for a week since it was her Spring break. I have to admit that I was excited for this and I enjoyed a lot of the shenanigans that ensued between the two long-time friends, but I hated the cliches that Gina brought with her. It seems that Cabot is drawn towards stereotyping and cliches. I mean, suddenly every single male in the book aside from the ones too young to understand the female anatomy was tripping over themselves to impress the Amazon-look-alike goddess? I'm over it. Was not a fan of that.

I did, however, think that the RLS Angels plight was interesting. At first, I really hated them. Four rich kids that model, captain athletics teams, and win elections because they've got the looks, the muscles, the money, and the connections to get everything they want. They die in the middle of the night because they're driven off of a highway at a sharp turn, go over the guardrail, and plummet hundreds of feet to their death. Not a nice way to go out, if you ask me. They're bent on revenge because they're determined that their deaths were the product of a deliberate murder, not a car accident, and they're bound to extract revenge on the boy who they think prematurely ended their lives: Michael Meducci. Michael flew under Suze's radar at school as a shy and awkward nerd, but he's suddenly thrust into the spotlight because a month after his sister was put into a coma, he was involved in a car accident that took the lives of four of the areas most high-profile rich kids. But something's off about Michael, and it's up to Suze to figure out what that is.

The mystery evolving around this case was superb, much stronger than the one that I struggled with in book two. I have to say that the perpetrator outted themself after directly threatening the lives of those close to Suze. Not a smart thing to do when girl's got some serious scheming and fighting skills, you know? There was a lot of unraveling of lies and even a few moments that had my heart stuck in my throat as I tried to flip the pages at a rapid speed. And though I hate people like the RLS Angels and am not a fan of some of their methods, I can understand where their rage came from and they earned some brownie points from me for stepping aside and attempting to allow Suze to do what she needed to do. With that in mind, Suze made some not-so-wise decisions in this one that had me cringing, but she learns a lot from her mistakes and had me praising the fact that it's not easy to kill a mediator.

And then there's Jesse...How can I not talk about Jesse? Some serious plot development occurred in this book. No declarations of feelings and no intimacy of any sort, but something so miniscule occurred that made my heart burst in my chest because this is Jesse and Suze and things are never easy with them. I mean ah! My inner romantic is so happy and anxious for book four right now. Book two was definitely a small bump in the road and we're back and better than ever with book three!

Now, if you excuse me, I've got some serious reading to do for book four!

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by Tynga at Thursday, April 24, 2014

 Avon Books, Fantasy, ghosts, Gifted, Harper Collins, Meg Cabot, Review, The Mediator, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Karou lives a double life. Her official persona is an art student who lives in Prague with very few friends and an annoying ex-boyfriend. What people don't know is that she is also an errand girl for a paranormal creature living in a parallel world. How badly her best friend would freak out if she ever found out?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a truly original and highly engaging read! I've had this book on my shelf almost since its release and I can't believe I had not read it yet. The novel was split in roughly three parts. The first one we get to know Karou and her world, the second part we witness how she deals with the destruction of her world as she's always known it and the last one, she discovers who she really is, at last. I truly enjoyed all three parts, but I have to say, the last part was by far my favorite!

Laini Taylor has an awesome talent when it comes to keeping us in the dark, yet feeding us enough information to keep us railed in. It takes a long time to really know how Karou came to work for Brimstone, why does he need her to gather all kind of teeth, what are the angels up to, what really is going on and what the lore behind it all is. The mystery kept me glued to the pages and when the facts were revealed bit by bit I basked in the information! This is mostly why I enjoyed the third part so much, because everything makes even more sense then I gathered along the treacherous way.

The lore was especially rich and colorful and I will refrain from giving you any details because it would spoil everything but know that everything that's happening is about a distant war between angels and chimeras. It's honestly the first time I came across chimeras in a novel and I really liked it.

The characters proved to be engaging and I liked every one of them. Karou is colorful (her hair grows blue!) and spontaneous, making for an highly interesting protagonist! Brimstone is shroud in mystery and the desire to pierce the fog kept me awake at night. Akiva turned out to be more than I expected and I really love him to pieces. Despite all this love fest, Madrigal turned out to be my favorite, and I'll let you discover why :)

Needless to say to conclusion was of epic proportion and I am really glad I have the second book already sitting on my shelves. With the third and final book in the series releasing on April 17th, it's the perfect time for you to pick up this amazing YA trilogy! Its originality will surprise you and I'm sure you won't be disappointed :)

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by Tynga at Friday, April 18, 2014

 Angel, Daughter of Smoke amp; Bone, Gifted, Hachette, Laini Taylor, Little Brown, Magic, Paranormal, Review, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Ninth Key by Meg Cabot

I'm on the fence about book two in this series. While Suze is still an amazing wise-cracking heroine that's trying to deny (and failing) her feelings for Jesse, the overall plot of this one did not impress me. However, I still loved the little things--especially Jesse's "accidental" interferences with Suze's potential new love life.

Suze meets a guy that is finally interested in her for her, despite some terrible rash, and that is Tad Beaumont. I have to admit that when I first met him I laughed hysterically. I mean...Tad?! I'm giggling simply by writing his name. Poor boy. Anyway, shortly after getting involved with Tad, a ghost of a woman whose death is suspiciously linked to his family crashes into Suze's life and she simply has to uncover the mystery. And while I admire Suze's "go for it" and "head on" take for solving mysteries, I seriously feared for her life a few times with this one. I felt like an old man on the verge of having a coronary. I understand how Father Dominic is always freaking out now, poor man has a lot to deal with in regards to Suze's stubbornness.

Things definitely took an unexpected turn with the plot, but I can't say I was mesmerized or entirely pleased. While it was unique, it didn't wow me. Let's just say that I like my vampires darker and sexier and not, well, the way that Cabot chose to present them. Again, it was a very unique plot twist but it simply was not done well enough in my eyes. It just helped me release that this book is cutesy more than anything else. It can't be as dark as it has potential to be, and I tend to prefer darker and grittier stories when you introduce dark and gritty elements. With that in mind, I can't wait to continue this series, I hear it only gets better.

My biggest complaint with this book is that it is very repetitive. Descriptions from book one seemed to have been lifted out of that book word by word and placed into book two. It was entirely unnecessary. All of this could be apparent to me because I'm reading the entire series back to back, but it bothered me how repetitive it was. I often found myself at the most random times rolling my eyes because I knew what the book was trying to tell me for the fifth time because I read that exact same explanation so many times in book one. I'm hoping that this habit dies down later in the series.

I'm still loving what Cabot has to offer me, I just think that book two may suffer a little with sequel syndrome. It's a six book series so there's a lot to come, but my gut instinct is telling me this is a small lull in between book one and book three to set up something big. What that big thing could be is beyond me, but fingers crossed that I'm right and I will be exceptionally impressed with book three. Onwards!

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by Tynga at Thursday, April 10, 2014

 ghosts, Gifted, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Meg Cabot, Paranormal, Review, The Mediator, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

Shadowland by Meg Cabot

This book was (very nicely) forced upon me by my friends Christina and Gillian after they heard that I'm not the biggest Meg Cabot fan. See, what observation was based off of me reading a single one of her more recent publications and disliking it greatly. So, I came home from college for Christmas break and found a box from Christina with this entire series waiting for me. And, boy, am I happy that she did this because I am absolutely adoring this series.

What I've discovered with Meg Cabot is that she has found the recipe to success. A kickass heroine with a snarky attitude plus a dreamy boy that creates a delicious romantic tension equals a series that Lili (and many other readers) are bound to pick up and love. In this instance, she can't let anyone down.

Suze, short for Susannah but you better not call her that, is one of my favorite heroines that I have come across, perhaps ever. Not only is she snarky, but she's intelligent and fiery. She's not scared to open up a can of whoop ass on evil ghosts, which is pretty awesome if you ask me. She's quirky and obsessed with fashion even though she'd be the last person you would think would be. And, in all honesty, I think she is a bit insane, but that just made me love her more. Though she has a hugely sarcastic demeanor, Suze is instantly likable and you immediately feel for her. Most importantly, Suze is a mediator, meaning that she is the liaison between a ghost and their ability to move on. Some ghosts hang around the real world after they die because they have some things to finish, Suze gets the job done so that they can move on and she can stop being haunted by creepy people. It's a win/win don't you think?

If I was getting shipped away from my best friend and the wonders of New York City to live with three step brothers in California, I can't say I would be beyond pleased, so it was interesting to see Suze's transition. However, watching her family dynamic change and see that she really does care for some of them was great. I especially love her soft spot for her nerdy little brother who she affectionately nicknames, Doc. The brother that's slightly older is Sleepy, who I enjoy at times, but I have to admit that her stereotypical dumb-jock-that-hooks-up-with-everyone brother, Dopey, annoys me a lot. I hate the stereotypes and wish more went into his characterization.

And then there's Jesse. He's not really human, he's just the ghost that inhabits her new bedroom because he died there somehow 150 years ago and has yet to move on. I love Jesse and I can see some amazing plot points happening with him later in the series. And I seriously hope their romance continues because it's not only unique, but meant to be. At least...in my eyes.

As far as the plot goes, the synopsis pretty much covers it. I find the fact that Suze goes to school in a Mission to be very entertaining. And even more entertaining is the fact that the first ever mediator she ever comes across happens to be a Priest and her Principal, Father Dominic. His characterization is superb. He is bound by his oath, but he's got a very tiny rebellious streak in him that's constantly battling his commitments and what society expects of him. Together him and Suze (and by default, Jesse) make an amazing team.

All in all, very easy to get through. A quick read that's slightly predictable. Our main ghost in this one is beyond childish and reminds me of a petulant rich girl who does not get what she wants. I genuinely believe that some of Cabot's characterization can be made to be more complex instead of stereotypical and annoying. Hopefully this is a problem that will get better down the line. Despite the fact that these books are on the elder side, they're not the least bit dated and I recommend that everyone gives them a chance--no matter what the age. I feel as if anyone can appreciate them. Suze's attitude is simply unparalleled. Onto book two!

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by Tynga at Thursday, March 27, 2014

 ghosts, Gifted, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Meg Cabot, Paranormal, Review, The Mediator, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

Unhinged (Splintered #2) by A.G. Howard

I can't even explain to you all the ways in which I loved the first book in this series, Splintered. It was dark and twisted and absolutely fascinating. Every plot twist and event all came together to end with a huge mind-blowing awesome-ness that I was completely in love with. I was bummed to learn it was a stand-alone novel, but also at peace because A.G. Howard did such a fabulous job wrapping it all up.

But then a sequel was announced, since all of us grabby Splintered fans were begging for more. And I was both overjoyed and a little hesitant. What would it be about when Splintered was already amazingly wound up?

Unhinged had the same sense of darkness and skeletal visions of Wonderland that I love. In Unhinged, Red is back, and wants revenge on Alyssa, but Morpheus is determined she claim her rightful place on the throne and get rid of Red once and for all. It was really amazing to get to catch up with Jeb and Alyssa, and even though his character was as muddy and confusing as ever, I also liked getting to hear from Morpheus again. (Team Jeb!) I tore through the book, and hoped that the epic battle that early hints seemed to be pointing towards would be as detailed and perfectly plotted as what I was used to - but, it just fell a little flat for me. I love the characters, I love the world, I love the relationships between them and the way that Alyssa is so torn between the two sides of who she is; and yet, Unhinged lacked some of the brilliant tie-ins and mind-bends that really made Splintered stand above all others for me in 2012.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great read. It was exciting and interesting, and the creatures that A.G. Howard comes up with in this Wonderland will give you some totally-worth-it nightmares for days. But it was missing the wow-factor that really put Splintered on a pedestal for me. The way that Unhinged ended hinted at another book for the series, and that really excites me. I think now that the story has been taken down another track, with future books and story lines starting to be structured from it, we've still got a lot more amazing stuff heading our way from this series. It just had to get through a few growing pains in Unhinged.

 



 

 

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by Tynga at Thursday, February 13, 2014

 A. G. Howard, A.G. Howard, Amulet, Fantasy, Gifted, Review, Splintered, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

I've been sitting on this review for a while. And by that, I mean since the day after this book came out. It's hard to say good-bye to a beloved series, especially one with a love triangle that makes you so attached to both sides. I dreaded reading this book because I knew that one of my two favorite love interests ever would have to lose the fight, and I didn't want that to happen.

Because of this, this review is going to be slightly different than my usual ones. It's hard to sit here and analyze the characters because they're all amazing and awesome. Will is just as passionate and fiery as ever. And Jem is never short of superb. Together, the two of them plus Tessa literally cause you emotional trauma with this book. I'm telling you, read at your own risk. Break out the tissues and bottle up all of your emotions because they'll explode with this one. While I've struggled with recent installments in Clare's Mortal Instruments series, she's held me captive with this one and has even turned it into a favorite of mine. And for that, I have to admit, I'm very happy she took advantage of our emotions and connections to the characters to take us on one last roller coaster ride. The character growth in this one because of the do-or-die decisions they had to face was extremely well done.

But what I want to focus on is the ending. Who doesn't, really? I have to say that I'm very satisfied. I seriously dropped the book and gaped like a fish and shed a few tears in those moments leading up to the end. It broke my heart into pieces and then put it back together. I have to say that it's both lovey-dovey and hurtful. It's sort of perfect. It's not an extreme happily ever after, but it has remnants of it. While I can see some readers hating it, I can see others loving it. I just considered it to be rather perfect regardless of whatever team I'm on. Hell, regardless of your team I guarantee that this ending will be satisfactory.

With that being said, the ending did leave me with one major question. There's this huge revelation with a character that shall not be named and when asked what exactly happened we got one of those responses that said he'd tell us later. Of course, since this is the last book, we can't find that out. Which means that Clare is most likely writing another series after this. And while my curiosity is extreme in this one regard, I won't be continuing onto that series. I love these characters and I don't want to see them overused to the point of annoyance. Instead, I'll just sit here and stew that she threw perhaps one of the biggest plot twists ever my way and didn't bother to explain it, instead optioning to take the easy way out. That, my dear friends, is one of my very few issues with this book.

In the end, I say give it a try. I have enjoyed this series more than her Mortal Instruments series. While littered with cliches and not consisting of complex writing, it is very easy to connect to the characters, overall super enjoyable, and it's a great ride. Definitely my favorite piece of Clare's work thus far.

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by Tynga at Thursday, September 26, 2013

 Cassandra Clare, demons, Fantasy, Gifted, Historical, historical fiction, Review, Romance, steampunk, The Infernal Devices, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

Now that Calaena is the King's Champion she has to face the responsibilities going with her title. He has a never-ending lists of man for her to dispatch, sending her on missions to spread his wrath. It doesn't mean she's ready to trade her soul for her freedom though and she finds original ways to convince the King of her loyalties.

Crown of Midnight was simply amazing and in perfect continuity with the first book, Throne of Glass. Miss Maas created an awesome world and I felt right back home when I launched beside Calaena into her new adventures. Filled with hidden magic, conspiracies and passion in a medieval setting, I had everything I like in a novel to be completely engrossed.

Despite its awesomeness, the world building isn't everything and the characters are definitely the main reason I love this series so much. Each character is so rich, full of life and mysteries, you really have to pay attention to the subtleties if you don't want to miss out on some very important nuances.

Caleana herself is a big secret to unveil. Who is she really? Where does she come from? Why won't she face her past? Why keep everyone at arms length? A lot of answers are provided in this novel and I have to admit I was completely shocked. Yes, I knew there was some big secret, but I never grasped the extend of it and now that I know, I feel this strong urge to re-read the book and see which clues I missed, and I MUST read book three ASAP or I'll go nuts. I want to know what happens next *cries*

Chaol and Dorian are both amazing for their own reasons. Dorian is a bit left behind in this novel mostly because Calaena broke things with him and despite his wanting to move on he is having a hard time and can't help but wanting her from afar. He isn't a groveling mess though and he isn't a fool. He stepped up his game by the end of the novel proving to be a very important element to the plot's progression and I applaud him for that. Go for boys handling their own! Chaol simply broke my heart for so many reasons. First, because he is intentionally blinding himself from his real feelings for Calaena and when he FINALLY decides to give in, because yes he does!!, I had to *awww* in an extremely girly moment. He is such a romantic under his thick armor, it's very endearing. He isn't perfect though and makes mistakes that will hunt him for the rest of his life, hence the third reason he broke my heart.

The plot proved to be everything I desired and then some. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the romantic aspect, but the conspiracies and the action completely satisfied me. Everytime you think you have everyone figured out, something happens and blurs the cards. Maas never allows you to sit back and be confident in your knowledge of the characters because she drops a game-changing bomb every once in a while and you are forced to reconsider everything.  The plot is so intricate, the possibilities are mind-boggling!

If you haven't read this series yet, I strongly urge you to do so, starting with the 4 e-novellas available (I still need to read the 4th one).  They will give you a great background on Caleana and even though they are not exactly mandatory, she refers to those events a lot in the two actual books so I think you would enjoy your experience more if you did read them.

Read an Excerpt

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by Tynga at Friday, September 06, 2013

 Assassin, Bloomsbury, Fey/Faeries, Gifted, High Fantasy, Magic, Review, Sarah J Maas, Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass, young adult  5 People left their mark

✎

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

I picked up this book expecting an intense werewolf novel. And while it was intense, it is perhaps the most unique werewolf novel I have ever read. At its heart, this story is a psychological mystery that had me begging for more. The story is honest, it’s powerful and harsh and true. It deals with insanity and problems and the concept of werewolves on top of everything in a mere 220 pages. It makes you want to bawl your eyes out when you turn the last page and the beautiful writing style really resonates with you. But it leaves you with a lot of questions and ninety percent of the time you have absolutely no clue what is going on. Sheer curiosity is what kept me going--that and the beautiful writing style--but if you don’t have a keen sense of curiosity and a desire to read perhaps one of the most unique books I have ever come across, this can easily be a DNF for some.

This book is told between alternating past and present perspectives of the same boy, but it is blatantly obvious that he is living two completely lives. Andrew Winston Winters is both Drew and Win. Put the two together and you have one seriously messed up kid whose story is captivating and his blatant desire to allow his inner wolf and darkness to escape is astounding. Drew is a young boy who is overwhelmed with anger and dark, inappropriate thoughts when he spends the summer with his older brother and cousins with his grandparents. Win is a lonely teenager at a boarding school who is hiding dark, horrifying secrets that shaped who he is today because of his unsettling childhood. He’s intriguing, complex, and disturbing--all of which combine to create this deliciously dark character whose mind is so interesting to be inside.

Never have I tackled a book who handled insanity in such a way. From the very beginning it’s clear that he’s disturbed and insane. He’s struggling blatantly in so many different ways. But you have to sit throughout the book and piece through his past and present, his odd memories and even stranger dark urges in order to figure out what is going on. Is this the way he was born? Does he have a real issue? Is the werewolf inside him waiting for his proper moon to come out turning him into a ruthless being? Is his life full of hallucinations or dark truths that nobody else is willing to acknowledge and conquer?

The entire point of this story is to discover who Andrew Winston Winters is. Boy, werewolf, psychopath, struggling and lonely teenager. So many different sides to dissect. And all the confusion and insanity found in the beginning of the book comes together in the very end to tell us who he really is, and it is shocking. It is earth-shattering, breathtaking, the tears are a-flowin’ unexpected and powerful. Andrew Winston Winters is one complex being and the eventual discovery in the last few chapters makes the confusion of the beginning so, so worth it. All questions are sufficiently answered and, boy, do you want to feel for this kid.

This book is one to look out for if you can handle a psychological mystery that can pull your heartstrings in all different directions. I was perhaps slightly put off at moments because I wasn’t expecting how dark this book could get. I had to put it down at times to ease my beating heart and take a few deep breaths because of the pain I felt for these characters. But, wow, is this a brave and unique debut. It will stand apart from so many other novels. And though it’s just short of perfect in my eyes, it was damn amazing either way.

The ending, guys. The ending of this book is what makes it unforgettable.

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by Tynga at Sunday, July 28, 2013

 Gifted, Mystery, Paranormal, Psychological Thriller, Review, St. Martin's, stephanie kuehn, werewolf, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Fairytale retellings have been quite popular these days, and it seems like each and every one of them are original, despite them being about similar stories. DUST CITY is no exception and it’s without a doubt inventive and one of a kind. Robert Paul Weston did a wonderful job in inspiring his novel from the fairytales of the Grimm Brothers. Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Giant Bean Stock and Humpty Dumpty are a few tales that appear in this novel. I really admire how easily Weston included these into his story because even as you read, you don’t automatically realize that new fairy tale details have made their way into the novel.

At first, I was a little confused when it came to the animal characters of the story. I understood that the population of the city was divided into two major groups, the animalia and the hominids. I guess, before even starting to read the book, I  assumed that the main character was a werewolf, however, I was completely wrong. Henry, is in fact a sentient wolf, with only the one shape, the shape of a humanlike wolf. He still has fur, claws, paws and a tail, but his hands and most importantly his mind, work a lot like human ones. It took me a few page to realize this, but still, it really did confuse me a little in the beginning.

The setting is the most notable aspect of the book, in my opinion. A city where animalia and hominids live together, but in fear of  one another isn’t all that fantastic. The prejudice that still exists in our world today because of how people look is very similar to the prejudice encountered in DUST CITY. It’s a reality we try to ignore in our own world, but the fact is, some types of prejudice will always be present whatever the society. Another similarity to our world is the use of fairydust. In the novel, fairydust is used in mostly as medication but some versions of the dust is used as drugs and enhancers. It’s a very sensitive issue to write about, especially in a YA novel, but I think the author did a wonderful job to show the devastating effects of recreational and unknown drugs.

Henry was the perfect narrator for this book. He’s not an overly confident wolf, nor a very street smart wolf, but he does have the heart to do the right thing. When he sets out to find the truth about the disappearance of the fairies, he does it in a manner in which he makes sure will hurt the least amount of people. He’s a selfless young man/wolf that would do everything to help those he loves, even his dead beat dad who’s in prison telling extraordinary and unbelievable tales about the reason why the fairies are gone and why he killed two people in the first place. When he meets Fiona, another young wolf, it’s almost as if he found a reason to start searching for the truth and do whatever it takes to get to it.

DUST CITY is not the type of story made for a series. It stands on its own and entertain a wide range of readers. Robert Paul Weston did a great job in inspiring his story from the Brothers Grimm tales. I’m glad he didn’t expand too much on the fairytales, but simply limited himself to a few notable characteristics here and there. The fairydust will enchant you and the characters will captivate you. While not being my favorite novel about fairytales, it’s still a very entertaining read. Anybody who’s a fan of the Grimm Brothers, and fairy tales in general, will have to read DUST CITY and see a whole new version of the tales.

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by Tynga at Sunday, July 21, 2013

 Fairies, Fantasy, Gifted, Penguin, Publisher, Review, Robert Paul Weston, werewolf  4 People left their mark

✎