Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Author: Holly Black

Genre: Modern Fairytale/Fantasy

Book Blurb: 

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

Review:

What a queer, queer book. I am not quite sure how to begin this review. Hell, I'm not even sure how I would categorize this book. Is this a fairytale? Well, yes, it does have some fairytale aspects. Is this fantasy? Um yes, but not in the "slay the dragon and find the rings" sort of way. Is this about character development? Yes, that too, it's a bit of a coming of age story. Is there a mystery? Yep. Romance? Yep. Oh, and did I mention all of this takes place in the modern world in a quaint little town named Fairfold?

This book was so bizarre it was strangely satisfying. I loved the whole setting of Fairfold...it kind of reminds me of the town in The Scorpio Races (can't think of the name right now). I think setting and world building was probably one of my favorite aspects of The Darkest Part of the Forest. Holly Black has a vivid imagination that translates well onto paper. And mind you, these aren't nice fairies you're dealing with--these are cruel, manipulative faes.

Much of the book is told from Hazel's point of view, with a few chapters from Ben's (her brother) and the "the horned boy". I really enjoyed Hazel's character--she grew up on a healthy diet of fairytales splashed with reality. Somehow, she managed to maintain that wonder as she grew into her teen years, though she does develop a sense of cynicism as well.

I guess I should also mention there's a lot of flashbacks going on--so readers who despise them, be warned! I personally didn't mind the flashbacks for most part, because they revealed more about the characters. I only got annoyed when the flashbacks got a bit too long (so over 2 pages, by my books.)

Okay, last but not least: the plot. The plot the plot the plot....I think it's both the strongest and weakest point of the book. The thing is, there really is no clear plot/goal for the first 1/2 to 2/3 of the story. You know how in most books you know the main story arch once you're about a 1/4 in? (ie. the hero must save the girl. the girl must escape the school. MC must survive the hunger games...) Yeah. That didn't happen here. The thing is, the entire storyline is so strange...it's almost as if this book was broken up into "movements" (musicians, ya'll understand me here.) The first "movement" was setting the scene, the second is about the "horned boy mystery" and flashbacks to Hazel's past, and the last movement is the "action" portion--you know, all the kick ass monster fighting stuff.

As for pacing...don't read this book if you're looking for a past page turner. Do read this book if you want to get immersed in a strange but familiar world.

Rating:

Book Review: This Shattered World

Title: This Shattered World

Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Genre: YA Romance/Sci-fi

Book Blurb:

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel b ase together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

Review:

Oh my god...this was book beautiful. I am starstruck by Kaufman and Spooner's writing. I loved how the book merges the two old characters from book one (These Broken Stars) into the second book of the trilogy oh so flawlessly. But seriously....the feels!!

Jubilee Chase, aka Lee, is probably one of my favorite characters I have read about so far (right up there with Day and June from Legend.) She has so much backstory (which the authors cleverly portrayed through little snippets at the beginning of each chapter) and I thought her character was very well fleshed out. If you're a big fan of the "tragic hero", I think you'll love Lee. Although she bears a heavy burden,  her snarky/sassy comments lightens up the mood so that it's not depressing :-)  The fact that Lee is a total badass doesn't hurt either. Thinking about it now, Lee reminds me of Adelina from The Young Elites.

Flynn was quite an interesting character as well. Even though the book blurb describes Flynn as "rebellious", in truth, he is considered the "pacifist" of the Fianna--the rebel group living on the planet of Avon. However, that doesn't mean he won't shoot (as he does shoot Lee when they first meet).  I thought Flynn nicely balanced out Lee.

Onto the plot--the pacing starts out pretty fast, then it slows a bit as Flynn and Lee's relationship develops, before picking up again until the very end. Plot wise, the story was pretty simple: Flynn suspects somebody is tampering with the terraforming developments of Avon.  Lee begins to suspect there is something unnatural about the Fury that makes off-worlders go mad when they visit Avon.  They eventually overcome their differences and unravel the mystery of Avon, with a little help with Tarver from book one.

I personally felt that the plot was weaker in This Shattered World compared to These Broken Stars because readers could more or less predict the cause of the Fury. I think the real gem of the story lies within the characters.

Rating:

Book Review: Beyond the Ocean Blue

Title: Beyond the Ocean Blue

Author: A.G. Smith

Genre: Fiction

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb: 

An archaeologist has found a book which tells of a fallen civilization called America, so he sets out to discover its remnants, though fears he may only find the air of myth.He reaches a foggy shore patrolled by ghost crabs. It feels like a dead continent….

Review:

Okay, I’m going to dive right in and mention that the writing was excellent. Word choice and whatnot really keeps the reader’s attention and it was an easy read for the most part. In connection with this, I actually felt an emotional attachment to a house that I’d never seen just from the way the house was described through a character’s view. It was amazing, I really appreciated the ability of the author to create that feeling.

Book Review: Here Lies Love

Title: Here Lies Love

Author: Dan Thompson

Genre: NA Dystopian

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb: 

Would death be less painful than life?

When she is sold by her father, Abbey discovers that nightmares can occur when you’re awake. Trapped inside a wooden cage, Abbey is forced to listen to the horrors and atrocities above; time ticking down until it is her turn. But Abbey isn’t prepared to become a victim; she will escape.

Although, what Abbey isn’t prepared for, is how harsh and unfair the world can be. With the sun turning its back on humanity long ago, life gives no opportunity. The only thing Abbey can do is learn to survive. To exist. And that means stealing any opportunity that comes her way. Haunted by the unpleasant memories bestowed upon her only nurtures Abbey’s paranoia, until she realises that to truly live in the world, she must confront the person who was responsible for her misfortune – her father.

Here Lies Love is a New Adult tale of actuality, of facing up to the fact that love comes in many guises. Can Abbey find the one glimmer of hope or will she be overcome with the darkness of revenge?

Review:

So, let’s get this out here now. Here Lies Love is a very dark novel. It deals with many things that are not nice things at all, and in fact deserve a trigger warning. This is very different from many of the novels that I typically read. In fact it may be different from many of what you all read. But it’s different and this is good. While the situations that take place are not good and in fact extremely terrible it does deal with these difficult issues realistically. And I did enjoy that aspect. Not necessarily that these issues were there to be dealt with.

The author also used words that captured the reader's attention. I know that I was hooked because the word usage and style of writing was very good, and well done. So I applaud the author for that.

Book Review: Tectonic

Title: Tectonic

Author: Heidi Hutchinson

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

No matter how solid something seems, if enough pressure is applied, hearts and lives will shift.Shane Brookings, passionate surfer and accomplished athlete, was not a rock star, as much as he tried to represent himself as one throughout most of his adulthood. Mostly, Shane had always been kind of a jackass. A talented jackass, but still. So it really came as no surprise to him that the only two women he had seen a future with, chose actual rock stars to hitch themselves to.

Feeling cold and hollow, he returned to California to focus on growing his brand. Determined to now stay serious about his life choices, he never anticipated Greta O'Neil's blatant shove into his life.

Greta O'Neil, avid artist, surfer chick, and baby sister to a rock star, had a life that was anything but boring. Having a knack for pulling sad men out of their funk, she sets her talents on Shane Brookings. She has no intention of breaking her rules, which include getting too close, letting him in, and accidentally falling for the guy.

But Shane is not like her other projects. Not only is he built like a Greek god, he's hardworking, passionate, clever and heroic. (Not that he believes any of those things about himself.) The rules she has so firmly set down to protect herself, are more than shaken up with Shane's every push into her life.

Even as they both compromise to make room in their hearts for the other, outside forces put pressure on their burgeoning relationship. Shane's dream is put into jeopardy, ex-lovers surface at the worst moments, and their own faults threaten to violently tear them apart

Review:

Tectonic starts out a bit differently. And that's new, and good as well. Especially because we're given a familiar character and I was glad that Shane got his chance to have his story told. Even though he didn't have the best first impression, I've grown a bit attached to him. At least enough to know that he'll get his story and hopefully his happy ending.

Throughout Tectonic, you obviously get a more in depth view of Shane but it does nothing but prove that really, after he changed, he's an amazing guy. And that was great. Not to mention that we got peeks of some of the band members but they weren't the focus. Which was a really good thing considering it's Shane's book and while he does have connections with the band, he's also not part of the band.

Then there was Greta. She was spunky and entertaining without making it seem difficult(Which is a lot harder than it looks). Although her need to fix men who have had drops in thier confidence confused me. I didn't really understand why she did that until we were given something at least to explain why she needed to fix these men. Not that someone can't want to help others but it seems like an odd way to go about helping them.

What was also really cool was that the title seemed to be more and more relevant as we got into the book and you understood a bit more why it was chosen. 

There was also a bit of a refresher on some of the characters which really helped me out. As bad as it sounds, I honestly didn't remember who Cody was until it was mentioned in the book about what she had done. And then it clicked for me. So that was great.

There were lots of sweet, sighworthy moments in Tectonic and while it was different from the other books, it also seemed to fit well and the writing was similar as well. 

I really loved this book as well as this series, and you should give it a chance. 

Rating:

Book Review: Eon

Title: Eon

Author: Alison Goodman

Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Blurb: 

Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life

Review:

Did you read the book blurb yet? If not, go read it and then come back--don't worry, I'll wait. Did you do it? Good. Now you'll understand my initial reaction after reading the backcover of Eon.

Yep--the whole set ups just screams "Mulan"! (Which, by the way, is one of my Disney faves)

Before I continue this review, let me clear up some confusion. This book is published under three different titles: Eon, Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, and Two Pearls of Wisdom. No, I do not know why the same book has three different titles...but for the sake of simplicity, I'm just going to refer to this book as Eon in this particular review.

A quick back story (feel free to skip this if you would like.) My sister read this book many months ago and said it was really good. I took one look at the book and said, "Cool" before going back to (re)reading Legend.  Fast forward to present day. I went to the library with my sister and she saw this book and wouldn't stop pestering me, trying to get me to read it. So, in order to shut her up (and I say this as lovingly as possible), I decided to give Eon a whirl.

I'm glad I listened to her. (I'm pretty sure she has a "told-you-so" expression on her face right now)

Eon is unlike anything I've ever read before. It's a thick book (500+ pages) and I read it in two days (but I'll count it as 1 day since I only read 30 pages the first day.) Right away, Eon(a)'s character intrigued me. Eon(a) has to watch her every move, careful not to do anything that might give her gender away, which immediately made even the most simplistic tasks a challenge/interesting. Plus, did I mention she's a cripple? An "accident" (you later learn it really was no accident--but I won't spoil it for you and say what really happened) crushed her hip, leaving one of her legs next to useless.  As a cripple, she's often considered bad luck and is ridiculed. The only reason why she was considered a possible candidate to be a Dragoneye apprentice is because she could see the dragons at will.

Let me explain the dragons (cause this is a fantasy novel after all.) The kingdom (which is suspiciously like ancient China/Japan) is ruled by the emperor who takes advice from the Council. The council is comprised of 12 members, each a Dragoneye--someone who can connect with a specific dragon (12 in total--one for each of the zodiac animals.) The Dragoneyes have the power to bring rain, change the tide, move mountains, etc...basically their job is to help the kingdom prosper. 

The book starts out pretty slowly for the first 100 pages or so. It doesn't really pick up pace until your about 150 pages in and then by the end of the book (last 100 pages) your zipping along like nobody's business.  But honestly, the first 100 pages was rather tedious. There was just so much bloody details details details. I like details--they keep things interesting--just not that much details. Think the beginning of The Hobbit or one of those really long monologue paragraphs in Eragon dedicated to details and you have a pretty good grasp of what I mean.

A word to the wise before you start reading this book: there is a lot of...um, gender conflictions? I don't know how to quite word this. I think these 3 main characters can probably sum up the message I'm trying to get across. Eon--girl who dresses and pretends to be a boy. Lady Dela--a man who has a "woman's" spirit and dresses like a lady. Ryko--dude who can't, um, reproduce due to earlier life choices made by free-will. These are just a few examples. I don't mind stuff like this--it just kind of caught me off guard.

***SORT of SPOILER***

What do I mean by sort of spoiler? Well, I thought the "plot twists" were kind of obvious...I predicted the outcome 200 pages before the big "secret" was revealed. Let me give you the info provided to readers within the first half of the book. The Mirror Dragon has been missing for 500 years, but chooses to reappear when Eon(a) vies for the Dragoneye apprentice position. Eon(a) can sort of see the Mirror Dragon, but finds that her ability wanes when she starts taking Sun drugs (think steroids).  Hmm...can you put two and two together?

Final thoughts: This was definitely a gripping book with several "cringe" moments. Although the plot was rather predictable (and I didn't even get to talk about the Prince--another kinda major character who I predict will play quite an interesting role in the sequel--in this review!) I still thoroughly enjoyed Eon. I would recommend this book if you liked The Demon King, Eragon and historical fiction/fantasy cross overs.

Rating:

Book Review: Half Bad

Title: Half Bad

Author: Sally Green

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Book Blurb: 

You can't read, can't write, but you heal fast, even for a witch.

You get sick if you stay indoors after dark.

You hate White Witches but love Annalise, who is one.

You've been kept in a cage since you were fourteen.

All you've got to do is escape and find Mercury, the Black Witch who eats boys. And do that before your seventeenth birthday.

Easy

Review:

This book probably belongs in its own genre. Yes, it contains magic (thus automatically making it "fantasy" in my books) but it's also so much more.  This isn't your typical novel about a hero trying to reach a goal. Half Bad deals with a much darker subject: nature vs nurture and the impact of growing up in an environment in which you are not wanted/mentally-and-physically abused, hence why I gave Half Bad the honor of being "dark chocolate" in this Chocolate Book Tag.  

Book Review: Learn to Fly

Title: Learn to Fly

Author: Heidi R Hutchinson

Genre: YA contemporary

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

Lenny Evans felt like her life was suffocating her. She would do just about anything to change that, which is how she ended up taking a job that landed her on tour with the biggest rock band in the world.

The plan was simple: get a job, get out of town, don't get attached. But Lenny has never met anyone like the members of Double Blind Study and they easily adopt her into their makeshift family. Now, Lenny finds herself caring far too deeply for these tattooed misfits, daily bringing them closer and closer to revealing Lenny's true past and everything she's running from.

Sometimes crashing headlong into the unknown isn't the worst thing.

WARNING: contains foul-mouthed rock stars, irritating exes, loud music, an overworked tour manager and random shenanigans.

Review:

The prologue of Learn to Fly threw me for a loop. I wasn't quite sure what it was for, or why it was there but it was quite emotional. However due to the fact that I didn't know what relevance it had to do with anything I found myself curious to find out more. That was part of the reason I continued reading. And I found my answer later in the book. It satisfied me to know that the Prologue actually made sense to understand why Luke felt a certain way towards the band. It's an interesting dynamic and one that works. Luke was a great character. He was really well written and I immediately fell in love. 

Then there was Lenny, desperate to run but from what we're not certain until later in the book. I found myself curious about Lenny but I didn't really understand her so I didn't feel a connection with her until later in the book. But the dynamic between her, the band and her boss was funny and fun to read about. It seemed as if they were best friends and didn't seem to hold any of the employer/employee lines intact. But it was fun to see those lines really destroyed. And for them it worked. Clues were being dropped about Lenny's background but it didn't really seem to make sense. You knew small things that seemed inconsequential and they added up. I didn't really get the full picture until the author revealed everything. It was great to see Lenny's past finally come to light. 

Throughout Learn to Fly we are also given some text messages. However many of them make little sense at the time. It isn't until we gain insight to Lena's background that suddenly you go back to read the text messages and realize what they're talking about and who the characters were as well as their importance.

The plot had kinks and characters that readers just have to hate. That certainly was a contributing factor to what kept me reading. I was wondering what new secret would be revealed, when Luke would get his head out of his bum and what they would say next. It was just one great big mystery and I was one curious reader. 

Towards the end of the book, I wanted to slap both main characters. They were being frustrating and stupid. I honestly felt like calling them out and telling them they were acting like five year olds. (Really, I took a minute and just vented about what they were doing wrong....I think my friend thought I was nuts.) But when they finally get things together you can't help but sigh. 

Seriously, Learn to Fly was an amazing book about a band that's more family than anything. Even as it focused more on Lenny and Luke.

Rating:

Book Review: Dream

Title: Dream

Author: Kyra Selby

Genre: YA romance

Book Blurb: 

The last thing seventeen-year-old Ava Evans needed was boy trouble. Moving from the bustling New York City to a small town in Oklahoma, all Ava wanted was some peace. Not the glare of certain dark eyes. But this wasn’t just any typical teenage boy trouble. This was downright bizarre and though she would never admit it aloud, intriguing. 

And charming and popular and not too bad on the eyes. Yes, eighteen year-old Miles Greyson seemed to be your typical All-American boy, beloved by his many friends and the residents of the small town he lived in. And he got along with just about anyone and everyone. 

…Except Ava. Their first disastrous meeting ending in a bloody nose and a trip to the hospital leaves Ava thoroughly confused. Because Miles seemed to hate her even before all that. Upon first glance to be exact. 

Trying to navigate the nefarious world of high school with mean girls, new friends, and awkward unrequited crushes, Ava begins to slowly unravel the mystery that is Miles Greyson while doing her best not to get distracted by Miles himself. 

All the while Miles is unraveling her, leading them both to a startling revelation that changes everything. Impossible dreams, enchanting feelings, and the whisper of a magical wish..

Reviewer: Amanda

Review:

Miles has been having dreams of Ava for literally four years. The dreams started when she was twelve, and he fourteen. They have never met before, so the day they meet, he becomes different. After they realize that they have mutual friends, the shock wears off and they become best friends, and are later inseparable.

Book Review: The Spectacular Now

Title: The Spectacular Now

Author: Tim Tharp

Genre:Young Adult Fiction

Review: Lauren

Book Blurb: 

SUTTER KEELY. He’s the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.

Until he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. and a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time . But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

Book Review: The Exiled Queen

Title: The Exiled Queen

Author: Cinda Williams Chima

Genre: Fantasy

Book Blurb: 

Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean that danger isn't far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own. There, Han meets Crow, a mysterious wizard who agrees to tutor Han in the darker parts of sorcery—but the bargain they make is one Han may regret. 

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna runs from a forced marriage in the Fells, accompanied by her friend Amon and his triple of cadets. Now, the safest place for Raisa is Wein House, the military academy at Oden's Ford. If Raisa can pass as a regular student, Wein House will offer both sanctuary and the education Raisa needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen. 

Everything changes when Han and Raisa’s paths cross, in this epic tale of uncertain friendships, cut-throat politics, and the irresistible power of attraction.

Review:

I have come upon a self revelation: I love dramatic irony! Take Legend for example--the fact that I know that Day is who June is hunting after but she doesn't know who Day is kills me. Same goes with The Demon King and The Exiled Queen (The Exiled Queen is the second book in the Seven Realms series--The Demon King is book one.) The fact that Hans, the one of the main character, doesn't know Raisa is the Raisa in line for throne is like exquisite torture. Oh man...the suspense...me waiting for Han to find out who Raisa actually is (and he was so close so many times!)....Gah!

Okay, so in case you haven't guessed, this review is going to be all over the place. I've actually read the entire Seven Realms series just 1-2 years ago. And then a few days ago I got strange urge to reread them because they're so good. And no, not even their daunting page numbers could turn me off. Cuz that's what long weekends are for, right? (reading long fantasy books)

Be like Hermione. Undaunted by big books.

Ahhhh! I absolutely love (how many times am I going to use that word in this review?) Han Alister, aka Cuffs. He's like a cross between Day from Legend and Jaron from The False Prince. He has the sarcasm and sharp tongue of Jaron and the nimbleness of a runner. Plus he's a rummy slide-hand! (I also love how the author creates a unique dialect within the novel! ie. slide-hand=pickpocket rummy=really good)

Book Review: The Shadow Throne

Title: The Shadow Throne

Author: Jennifer A Nielsen

Genre: Fantasy

Book Blurb: 

War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does.

His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighbouring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?

Review:

It's official. I've finished the trilogy.  And now it's time for me to wave goodbye to this unforgettable cast of characters *sobs a bit*

Jaron, you are one helluva of a character. As usual, I loved his sass  and how he applied his sense of humor at the right time and places. Yes, there are some serious parts in this book, but it never gets too serious thanks to his snide remarks that had me laughing. And yeesh, Jaron really gets beat up in this book...but he survives and once again proves that he also has a plan up his sleeves.

Book Review: Mila 2.0

Title: Mila 2.0

Author: Debra Driza

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Book Blurb: 

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity-style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

Review:

Wow....I completely devoured Mila 2.0--a 470 page book--within a day. In one sitting. On a school night. Needless to say, I stayed up quite late catching up on homework (actually, I just finished an essay ten minutes ago that I should've started working on last night but didn't due to my little book indulgence...but that's besides the point.) If there is one thing I can praise about Mila 2.0, it would be Mila, the main character, herself.

Where do I begin to describe Mila's awesomeness? I simply loved her voice and narration! And watching her grow and change throughout the novel was amazing. At the beginning, Mila's just a normal teenage girl trying to survive high school.  Then she discovers she's a cyborg of some sorts...and the knowledge that she's not human is something that plagues Mila for much of the novel.

Throughout the book, readers will question themselves,

Book Review: The Eye of Minds

Title: The Eye of Minds

Author: James Dashner

Genre: Sci-Fi/ mind-blowing-twist-ending

Book Blurb: 

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.

And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.

But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever

Review:

That ending! That ending! Mind=imploded.

Just finished The Eye of Minds about ten minutes ago and I am reeling with emotions. I'm going to start this review off by discussing The Ending. 

 ***Spoiler Alert...Scroll Further Down for the Spoiler Free Zone***

How could Michael be a Tangent?! (A Tangent is someone who is created by computer programs and exists in VirtNet, kind of like an online world.) How did I not see that coming?! AHhhhh.....*runs around screaming*

Book Review: The Diamond Thief

Title: The Diamond Thief

Author: Sharon Gosling

Genre: Steampunk

Book Blurb: 

No one performs on the circus trapeze like 16-year-old Rémy Brunel. But Rémy also leads another life, prowling through the backstreets of Victorian London as a jewel thief. When she is forced to steal one of the world’s most valuable diamonds, she uncovers a world of treachery and fiendish plots.

Meanwhile, young detective Thaddeus Rec is determined to find the jewel and clear his name. Will Thaddeus manage to rescue the jewel? Or is it really Rémy that he needs to save?

Review:

An insane lord. An ingenious professor. A thief. A policeman. Add them together and you have the adventure of the lifetime. Let me introduce you to the cast:

There's Remy, aka Little Bird. She's a trapeze artist by day and a jewel thief by night. There's Lord Abernathy, a seemingly harmless lord who lives a double life as well. There The Professor. He's a guy with a good heart, master of all things steampunky (ie. any steam powered machine) and caught up in a sticky web of secrets. And of course, there's Detective Rec, a young member of the Scotland Yard police force. Unfortunately, he isn't exactly the most respected police on the force due to his background. Orphaned on the streets at a young age, Rec was lucky enough to meet the Professor who gave him an education and a chance to be someone more than a beggar.

Book Review: Proxy

Title: Proxy

Author: Alex London

Genre: Sci-Fi

Book Blurb:

Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

Review:

When I first read the description of this book on Amazon, my first thought was This whole proxy/patron scenario sounds like The Whipping Boy (another book I read in middle school.) And indeed, the whole proxy-patron relationship is virtually identical; the only difference is that Proxy takes place in the future.

The action...it was a helluva of a ride! It was quite litereally nonstop action from page one till the very end (more about the end later because that ending requires a whole paragraph to itself.) So yeah, basically the entire book was like an intense roller coaster.

The world building was simply I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E. All those flashy, high tech gadgets really stretched my imagination, but are still totally plausible at the same time. And I loved the idea of integrating computer code into human DNA. All the citizens have computer codes running through their bloodstream, a constant stream of data flowing through them. I personally just find that idea mind boggling. I also loved how it is possible for someone to write out a computer code and then inject it into themselves and *bam* that person could start glowing in the dark, change eye color, etc, depending on what was written in the computer code.

Book Review: Independent Study

Title: Independent Study

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Genre: YA dystopian

Book Blurb:

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her

Review:

Whew! My feelings regarding this book is quite mixed. But this I can say for sure: I enjoyed Independent Study more than The Testing. Okay....just give me a minute to organize my thoughts....