Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Finished on: January 27, 2013
Released:  November 15th 2011 by Harper
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 3/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Okay, I gave this a rating of 3 out of 5 on January 27 when I finished reading. Looking back, I really don't remember why only 3. If I were to rate it now after letting it set for almost a month it would get at least a 4. It was definitely a memorable story with memorable characters that I know I really enjoyed. There must have been something off for me at the point when I rated, but considering I can't remember whatever the flaw was, shows it wasn't too big of a deal.

Honestly, it was probably the repetitiveness and crossing out of words that brought the rating down. For me, it took away from the flow of the story. Other readers may really enjoy this type of writing style. I will admit it added a touch of a poetic flair.

I found the storyline to be most engaging the middle. It built up, peaked, then declined again. Oh, but I quite enjoyed the last few chapters also which built up to the next book in the series. It was the characters which really made this novel. Each character was developed so beautifully and each came into there own so well. There's few books where I enjoy each character for their own traits so much.

I have to add that I really enjoyed the romance, too. (:

I'll be looking forward to Unravel Me!

“I spent my life folded between the pages of books. In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.”

Book Review: L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

Title: L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
Series: L.A. Candy #1
Finished on: January 21, 2013
Released:  June 16th 2009 by HarperCollins
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life:
 
Hot clubs, cute guys, designer...everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.
When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!
Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara-free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres-and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.
In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

Let's be clear right now, I'm a huge fan of The Hills and Lauren Conrad so that may impair my judgement just a tad bit, but I'm trying my best to be completely impartial and give an honest review of the book.

For the first half I really didn't know how I felt about L.A. Candy. By the end I was completely hooked and almost skipped everything else I had scheduled to read the sequel.  This was an addicting read that I flew through in just a few hours.

The main character, Jane, is very likeable. You want everything to work out for her. Yet somethings that happen to her are very undeserved and I totally felt for her. And of course there are spoiled mean girls at play who deserve a good kick.

Yes, the writing is a bit more simplistic than a lot of other books out there, but honestly, it's realistic of the demographic that is portrayed in the novel. This is definitely a YA "chicklit" and perfect for a reader looking for something very light. Maybe as a refresher after a heavier read? Beach reading material for sure. Lots of drama, fashion, and parties; a very girly novel.
Anyway, this is a must-read for fans of Lauren Conrad, MTV, or reality TV in general. I don't know how much of it is actually true, but it could provide a lot of insight of what goes in behind-the-scenes of so-called "reality" shows.

Oh, and heads up for anyway planning to read L.A. Candy, we're left with a total cliffhanger, guaranteeing you'll want to read the next installment.

Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Title: Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Series: Across the Universe #1
Finished on: February 9, 2013
Released: January 11th 2011 by Razorbill
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

I fell so in love with this story.

Let me first say that this was my first venture in anything remotely science fiction. Seeing this label made me hesitant to pick up this book because I wasn't sure if I'd be into the genre or not. As it turns out, Across the Universe is one of my favorite reads so far this year.

This story had me going, 'What the heck is happening?!" the whole time, but in a seriously good way, not in the bad, lost kind of way. For a person not used to science fiction, this had so many surprises and twists and interesting details.  It's also an extremely quick read. I got through it in just a few hours; a definite page turner. I was so into this book and something was always happening or leading up to something else making it was extremely difficult to put down without reading one more chapter, then one more, then one more...

Of course, great writing and great characters. The author uses dual-perspective alternating between Amy, a "technical" new-comer to the ship and Elder, who grew up on the ship. This worked excellently giving different views about the things going on allowing the reader to learn so much more. I loved the characters that were meant to be loved and hated the ones meant to be hated. It was interesting going on Amy's journey as she wakes up in an entirely different world.

I definitely look forward to reading the second book in the series.

Book Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched by Ally Condie
Series: Matched #1
Finished on: February 7, 2013
Released: November 30th 2010 by Dutton Juvenile
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Love.Love.Love.

Let's start with the setting. I adored it. Condie did an excellent job creating a whole new world. She's just descriptive enough that the reader has no problem losing themselves in the Society, but without the story getting bogged down in world-building. I'll admit that I even kind of liked the Society through the first few chapters. It started off so much less typically "dystopian" at the beginning, though it doesn't take too long for that to change. I found myself very interested in how everything was set-up and how it worked with the Matching ceremony, the elderly, artifacts, the "greatest 100" of everything etc... The concept of choices have pretty much been all but eliminated, which seems like that would make living so much simpler, but really this world is so complicated. Condie is fantastic as getting every detail down in a natural way that doesn't include page after page of "this is how this works".

This is a love triangle story. Cassia is trying to decide between her long time best friend Xander, who she was matched with and Ky, who she wasn't technically matched with, making a relationship between the two unheard of. The way the two boys where portrayed made it difficult for me to choose one that I'd like Cassia to choose. We get to see a lot more of Ky and learn much more about him then we do about Xander though.

Overall, this read like a first book in a series. Not entirely too much action and the reader learns so much about the world. It never dragged or became too slow for me though. There were enough little hidden mysteries to keep me quickly turning pages until the end. I'm very anxious to find the time to finish the other books in the series.

Book Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Title: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Series: Perfect Chemistry #1
Finished on: February 3, 2013
Released: December 23rd 2008 by Walker Books for Young Readers
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

I really enjoyed this one. I held off reading it for the longest time thinking that it probably wasn't my type of thing, but it was. 

The use of short, dual-perspective chapters made it a very quick read that consistently held my attention. I loved reading about both Brittany's and Alex's back stories. They come from very different backgrounds but when they come together they find they aren't so different after all. They both find themselves trying to portray a certain image to the world; images that don't exactly match who they really are. Together though, they don't have to hide or pretend.

This was a very sweet, but roller coaster of a story and I was rooting for them the whole time. I'll definitely find time to read the next two in the series. Sorry for such a short review, but some time has passed since finishing this one. Just one to put it out there that it is an enjoyable story and perfect for those readers who enjoy a good contemporary love story.

Book Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Title: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #1
Finished on: January 20, 2013
Released: August 23rd 2011 by Razorbill
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

It took me way too long to start this series. I was so hesitant because I absolutely loved Vampire Academy and Rose, Dimitri, and Lissa so darn much and thought I'd miss them and their stories too much. I eventually went into it with the mindset that it's two separate series meant to be enjoyed for their own unique qualities. I really was not disappointed.

Sydney is such a different narrator then Rose. While Rose was such a physical character, Sydney is much more mental... if that makes any sense? She's a very smart girl and it's so interesting to watch her grow and see the changes in her as her world gets turned around and her beliefs shaken.
And while I miss Dimitri, Adrian isn't so bad. Really, he's not. (; Actually I love all of his scenes and found myself waiting for them.

This is one of the longest (lengthwise) books that I've read so far this year, yet it took the shortest amount of time. It's such a smooth read that flows right along and makes you not want to put it down. While I didn't fall quite as deep in love with Bloodlines as I did with VA, it was only the first in the series and I'll definitely be reading the next!

 

Book Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits #1
Finished on: January 12, 2012
Released: July 31st 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I hurried to read Pushing the Limits, because I'm super interested in the Katie McGarry's Dare You To. With all the amazing reviews I read of Pushing the Limits, this really wasn't what I was expecting. I know I have a definite minority opinion with a 3.5 review, but I just couldn't get super into it.

That isn't to say I didn't like it, because I did, but it was in a ebb and flow pattern. There were times where I didn't want to put it down and times where I struggled to want to pick it up again. I don't even know what to pinpoint that made me not love it. The story was interesting and so where the characters, I think it just slowed down a little too much at times. I couldn't quite get into the dual perspective, either. I found myself so much for interested in Echo's point-of-view over Noah's.  Every time it was an Noah chapter I just wanted to get back to Echo. I really, really liked Noah as a character and as the male love interest, just not so much as a narrator. Echo's story with her parents and her history absorbed me more than Noah and his brothers. But I must say, Noah is definitely one of the more realistic and true-to-real-life male characters in contemporary.

The secondary characters were also great. I loved Lila as Echo's best friend and Isiah and Beth as Noah's. And apparently Dare You To isn't Beth/Isiah: ohmygoshwhat?! I trust that Katie McGarry knows what she's doing though!

Overall, this was a very well-written emotional contemporary with some touching and heart-wrenching moments. I definitely recommend it because like I said before, I can't even explain exactly what made me not love it. Most likely, I just wasn't in the mood for this kind of story at the time. I'm still really looking forward to Dare You To. (:

Book Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Series: Stand-Alone
Finished on: January 14, 2012
Released: August 26th 2008 by HarperTeen
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham 17, finally confronts her past. Hannah, the closest adult she has to family, disappears. Jonah Griggs, moody stares and all, is back in town. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.

For the first little bit of this book I didn't know what the hell was going on. Fortunately, I was aware of this from other reviews and decided to push on. I am so glad I did because Jellicoe Road has earned its spot as one of my favorite books ever. By the time things all began to clear up and click, I couldn't set this book down. I was up until 3am finishing it.  I really am shocked by how much I ended up loving this story.

Jellicoe Road alternates between two different storylines: the main one that includes our main character, Taylor, and her peers/friends and a secondary one where we see bits and pieces of a manuscript that Hannah is working on. I really enjoyed both, but honestly, I couldn't get enough of the manuscript. The characters in it really reached out and made me connect with them from the beginning. I didn't begin to connect with Taylor and co. until about half-way through. But when I did, I loved all of them very much, too.

As for Melina Marchetta's writing: absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to dive into more of her books! I can't believe how deeply this story touched me. It's one of those books that I'm going to have a hard time picking up another too soon, because I know it probably won't reach the level Jellicoe Road did. It's one of those books where I was so disappointed it was over because I really, really wanted more. I wasn't ready for these characters to be gone yet. Jellicoe Road is definitely one of those books that I will go back and re-read again, probably a few times.

This is a hard reviews to write, just because I don't want to give too much away, which is probably pretty easy to do. If you've been wanting to read this one for awhile and haven't yet, I urge you to clear your schedule for a day and just do it. The biggest thing I can say is this: if you're not super into it at first don't.give.up. Jellicoe Road is worth the finish.

“It's funny how you can forget everything except people loving you. Maybe that's why humans find it so hard getting over love affairs. It's not the pain they're getting over, it's the love.”

Book Review: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Title: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines
Series: The Vincent Boys #1
Finished on: January 5, 2012
Released: October 12th 2011
Source: Owned for Nook
Rating: 5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

There was something wicked about Beau that drew me to him. What was wrong with me? Why did I want to sin so badly?

Ashton is getting tired of being good, of impressing her parents and playing ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is perfect, a regular Prince Charming, but when he leaves town for the summer, it’s his cousin Beau who catches Ashton’s eye. Beau is the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, and even though he’s dangerous, Ashton is drawn to him.

Beau loves his cousin like a brother, so the last thing he wants to do is make a move on Sawyer’s girl. Ashton is off-limits, absolutely. That’s why he does his best to keep his distance, even though he’s been in love with her forever. When Ashton wants to rekindle their childhood friendship in Sawyer’s absence, Beau knows he should say no.

Ashton and Beau don’t want to hurt Sawyer. But the more they try to stay away from each other, the more intense their urges become. It’s getting way too hard to resist...

 Ooh, what is there to say about The Vincent Boys except that I loved it. This was my first book by Abbi Glines and as soon as I finish The Vincent Brothers I won't hesitate to read more by her. This was everything I look for in a great contemporary. Great characters, interesting storyline/setting, super cute boys, and an awesome romance.

This was another one of those addicting stories that I read through in one sitting. The pace was perfect and never slowed down, keeping the pages turning. There are some issues explored here that don't sit well with many people i.e. cheating, but the way Abbi Glines handled it, I was fully able to understand how and why it happened. I couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken for the sweetie that is Sawyer Vincent, but at the same time I know he's not a good match for Ashton.

But what really makes this book is the characters. They are all awesome and well-developed. I really liked Ashton and she was easy to relate to. And, of course, any girl would absolutely love both of the Vincent boys! Even the secondary characters, like Lana, are great. 

I recommend this to anyone looking for a well-written, guilty-pleasure,  YA contemporary.

Counts as 3/21 for the 2013-TBR-Pile-Challenge

Book Review: Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Title: Remembrance by Michelle Madow
Series: Transcend Time Saga #1
Finished on: January 4, 2012
Released: July 27th 2011 by Dreamscape Publishing
Source: Owned for Nook
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

And yet, another book in which I was pleasantly surprised with just how good it was. I wasn't blown away or anything, but it was enjoyable and addicting; a book to read in one or two sittings.

The writing was very well-done and flowed nicely. The overall story was unique and kept me guessing as well my attention from beginning to end. The relationship was as epic as you'd expect from soulmates that have transcended time, but sweet nonetheless.

We get a good cast of characters here. The main character is likeable and easy to relate to. She's just your average high school girl: not too much of any extreme. You can tell that Drew is handsome and sweet: the kind of guy any normal high school girl would become infatuated with. Chelsea, the best friend, is a copy of any other typical best friend. All the formulas for a cute romance are at work here. Nothing is too overdone, however, nor does it become cookie-cutter. Michelle Madow gives us everything we typically want in a romance while still giving us a unique and refreshing premise.

I'm not over-excited about Remembrance, but I did enjoy it as a quick read and I'll be checking out the next installment in the series. I hope to see the romance develop a bit deeper. I want to truly believe Lizzie and Drew are soulmates! (:

“But it was time to realize that I wasn't Cinderella, and no matter how hard I wished it were true, life wasn't a fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after.”

 

Counts as 2/21 for the 2013-TBR-Pile-Challenge