Waiting on Wednesday 10.31.12

  

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

I can't wait for...

London, 1894. Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns her father is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Juliet is accompanied by the doctor’s handsome young assistant and an enigmatic castaway, who both attract Juliet for very different reasons. They travel to the island only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: he has created animals that have been vivisected to resemble, speak, and behave as humans. Worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape the island, even though her horror is mixed with her own scientific curiosity. As the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

[summary is from Goodreads] 

What are you waiting for this week?

Book Review: Glass Heart by Amy Garvey

You can read my review of Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey here.

Title: Glass Heart by Amy Garvey
Series: Cold Kiss #2
Finished on: October 29, 2012
Released: September 18, 2012 by HarperTeen
Source: Won through EpicReads.com
Where you can buy: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | IndieBound
[add to Goodreads]

Summary from Goodreads:

Wren can do things that other people can only dream of. Make it snow on a clear, crisp day. Fly through an abandoned tunnel. Bring a paper bird to life.Wren knows her abilities are tinged with danger--knows how easy it is to lose control--but she can't resist the intoxicating rush. And now that she has Gabriel by her side, someone who knows what she can do--what she "has" done--she finally feels free to be herself.

But as Wren explores the possibilities of her simmering powers, Gabriel starts pushing her away. Telling her to be careful. Telling her to "stop." The more he cautions her, the more determined Wren becomes to prove that she can handle things on her own. And by the time she realizes that Gabriel may be right, it could be too late to bring him back to her side.

I adore Amy Garvey's writing style. And this book had me literally laughing out loud many times. But I think Cold Kiss should have been left as a stand-alone. The only real purpose I found was to tie up the loose ends from Cold Kiss. We also see Wren learning about and trying out her magic a lot more. (Robin, too!)

I still love Wren and her two friends, Darcia and Jess, but something about how Gabriel is portrayed in Glass Heart made me like him a little less. We do get about three significant new characters in this on but since they are not mentioned in the summary, I'll leave you to meet them on your own. Let's just say I only like one out of the three. Robin, the mom, Aunt Mari, and Mr. Purrfect are still awesome, too.

Three stars because I really love the characters, the writing, and the humor. No more than that because I didn't connect with the plot. Cold Kiss was such and intriguing story, but nothing in Glass Heart really left an impression on me. However, it was a really quick read and it was nice to get a ton of questions answered.  Because of that, if you really liked the first one, please read this one!

I don't know if there is anymore about Wren, Gabriel, and their friends coming, but if there is I will read it. And I can't wait to read more from Amy Garvey.

RATING: 3/5

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
Finished on: October 24, 2012
Released: April 28, 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Public Library ebook
Website
Where you can buy: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | IndieBound
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Summary from Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her

 

Warning: Read this on a day off. You won't want to put it down.

Divergent had all the usual qualities of a dystopian while still giving us a unique and engaging story. Roth did a wonderful, wonderful job with the world-building and anyone who knows anything about Chicago will easily be able to picture this new society and how it has changed. The only thing I could have wished for is some more background on the factions: the hows and whys. The writing and the descriptions are beautiful. This one is definitely action-packed and suspenseful with very little lag time.

I like the main character, Tris. However, she just had something missing. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I couldn't fully connect with her. She didn't become one of my unforgettable book heroines.
Not only did I not connect with the main character, but I didn't connect with any of the other ones either. I cared what happened to Tris and Four but I didn't find myself caring about any of the others. Out of all the characters, Four turned out to be my favorite.

I give Divergent a four out of five. The writing was amazing and the actual events that take place are intense and intriguing. I was super absorbed in every taking place.The plot alone would earn a five, hands down. The only reason it loses a point is my lack of connection to the characters. (Then again, I just came off of reading the entire Vampire Academy series. Six books to develop a bond to the characters.That could be swaying my opinion.) If you are a fan of The Hunger Games or Delirium, I definitely recommend this one. Though, I don't think it's fair to compare any of them to each other too deeply. They all have their strong and unique elements.

I would have gone deeper, but I think anyone reading this for the first time should go in not knowing the plot points too well. It's a wonderful experience just letting the twists, turns, and little surprises happen.

 

Rating: 4/5