Bloomsbury, 336 pages
Purchased
Having read some of Lisa Klein's books before (Ophelia and Lady Macbeth's Daughter) and having loved them, I couldn't wait to pick up this book! I waited for quite a long time to read this since it's release date was in 2010 and I waited for it to be initially released, and then waited for it in paperback. In order to completely enjoy this book like I did, I feel like you really need to love historical fiction. If you don't, I don't necessarily see anything exceptional about this book that would make it a must-read. But, in the YA historical fiction genre, I certainly think this book stands out. I loved how a solution was presented for the mystery of Roanoke Island, especially because it is pretty plausible. The main character was great to watch grow into herself while the rest of the characters really rounded out the cast wonderfully. If you like historical fiction, make sure you check this out!
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
Margaret K. McElderry, 592 pages
Purchased
All I have to say is... WOW! Can I just reiterate how much more I like The Infernal Devices than The Mortal Instruments?! While I love both, there simply isn't a comparison, in my mind. First of all, The Infernal Devices isn't dragged out, making each moment in the series much more significant. That being said, this book IS the end of this series, unlike City of Glass (which we all thought was the end of The Mortal Instruments). This means we won't have a "City of Heavenly Fire" problem for The Infernal Devices, thank god. Clockwork Princess was simply amazing at every moment. And, let me tell you, Cassandra Clare has written her best ending to a book yet! I simply didn't see THAT coming and I was so content that I was on the verge of tears. This book has been my favorite read of the summer, hands down. If you were thinking of starting The Infernal Devices, do it!
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
Little Brown, 528 pages
Purchased
Laini Taylor is the master of the epic angel and demon love story. What really makes her books stand out is the writing, no question. It seems so effortless and lyrical that my eyes just drink it in. The world of her books is so intricate, but everything seems to have been carefully thought out. Flashbacks, history, and present day are so masterfully woven together that the changes between the settings aren't jarring at all. The story is equally achingly beautiful and horrifying that I can't wait to see how the entire epic is going to end. While some books seem to strive for that epic feeling so much that it is obvious, it seems like this book simply had the epicness grow naturally from within the pages, making you feel like you are reading something incredibly precious. I highly suggest you give this series a try, starting with the first book, Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
HarperTeen, 336 pages
Purchased
I read The Elite immediately after I read The Selection, so I felt that the first chapter was quite boring because Cass pretty much reiterated everything that happened in The Selection word for word. Ugh, talk about a boring way to recap. Anyways, besides sometimes wanting to punch the main character in the face, I found the book to be a worthy sequel. It had the same glamour that initially attracted me to The Selection, but it certainly had a dose of reality this time around. Things are heating up in the castle, and I don't only mean the competition... things are starting to get REALLY fascinating, so I am excited to see what happens in the next and final book, The One!
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.
Bantam, 835 pages
Purchased
A Game of Thrones definitely deserves all of the attention it has been receiving, that's for sure. I actually watched the TV series before reading the book, but after the reading the book, the reader/viewer is sure to understand each and every character much more than they would by simply watching the TV show. The relationships between characters and the history of the entire Game of Thrones's world is explained in much more detail in the novel. Thus, I still found myself finding new tidbits of information throughout the book despite already having watched the show. It's simply a marvelous and smart fantasy world to immerse yourself in and I absolutely suggest reading the novels even if you typically aren't inclined towards this genre. And for the record, I am quite impressed by how accurate the TV show has been considering the length and depth of the novels.
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
Hyperion Book CH, 368 pages
Purchased
For a while the Blue Bloods Series was becoming a little dull... I think this might have been due to the fact that the series has been going on for a long time now. My interest was waning in the series, and with each book, my memory of what happened in the previous book progressively got worse. One thing Melissa de la Cruz is really bad at is briefly reminding us what happened in the previous books. Which sucks. Because the books take so long to be released. While this is annoying, once I remembered what happened, the book was actually pretty fast paced and has a great twist ending.
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.
Harlequin Teen, 304 pages
Purchased
Recently there have been two YA adaptations of the Persephone myth, Abandon by Meg Cabot and The Goddess Test Series by Aimée Carter. While I greatly dislike the Abandon adaptation, The Goddess Test has been a fun and fascinating read! I am so glad that someone could do a little bit of justice to the ever-fascinating Greek mythology. Goddess Interrupted shows what married life is like for Kate Winters, and let me tell you, it isn't all delicacies and ambrosia! A main conflict is introduced in this novel that is semi-consistent with mythology, and the conflict has continued into the final novel, The Goddess Inheritance, which I am currently reading. The series is an entertaining read, and I am proud of University of Michigan alum Aimée Carter making such fun novels!
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth borrowing.
Dutton Juvenile, 320 pages
Purchased
Let me just say that this book is partly responsible for my newfound wanderlust, especially when it comes to my European adventures! Having absolutely fallen in love with Forman's If I Stay and Where She Went, this book was a must-read for me. While at times it felt like I was reading a book by a completely different author (because of the lack of such tragic material), I could still hear Forman's inspirational and moving voice throughout the novel. And, being an English major and Shakespeare fanatic, I loved the references to Shakespeare! This book is a great read for any first year college student, and I felt like I could really identify with the main character while she was adjusting to the college experience. Can the next book just come out already?!
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 304 pages
ARC Courtesy of Random Buzzzers
I was so excited to read the conclusion to The Iron Codex Trilogy, but when I pulled the book out of it's mailing package, I was a bit dismayed by how thin the book was compared to the first two, which both were quite lengthy. So, going into the book, I was worried that it simply wasn't going to be as good.... and I was right. But, the book was still a decent conclusion to the series! It just was missing something that made the first two books so special. It seemed that all of a sudden Aoife could solve her problems so quickly when they were so problematic in the first books. That might have something to do with the length of the novel. I just wish Caitlin Kittredge had spent a little more time writing a novel that was consistent with Aoife's struggles. But, overall, a good novel.
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 432 pages
ARC Courtesy of Random Buzzers
The Nightmare Garden is certainly one of the better sequels I have ever read. I really enjoyed the first novel, The Iron Thorn, but I must say, The Nightmare Garden is what made me fall in love with the series. For one, the relationship with Dean and Aoife is finally fully fleshed out. And, guess what? NO love triangle! Thank you, lord! Aoife's journey of self-discovery is what makes the series, and let me say that this book still has many secrets to reveal that the first one did not. I can't believe that I procrastinated to read this sequel for so long. It was a fantastic read!
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
Putnam Juvenile, 384 pages
Purchased
I devoured this book in one day. It picks up right where Legend ended, and from page one, the action doesn't stop. This book reminds me quite a bit of The Hunger Games, and I mean it as a complete compliment. It is very political and I love reading novels about how a younger generation can change their society for the better. I personally thought this sequel improved upon the first novel, and that's saying a lot considering that I thought the first novel was really good as well. While Legend clearly had inspiration from Les Miserables, I felt like the influence has mostly disappeared in the sequel and now is completely original in its concept. I can't wait to see what fate Marie Lu has in store for her world that she has built.
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
HarperCollins, 432 pages
Purchased
I really don't understand what happened with this series. The first book, Delirium, was outstanding, the second book, Pandemonium, was pretty good, and this book was simply mediocre. I honestly felt like not much happened until the last third of the book. And I can't STAND the love triangle that Oliver presented. I typically hate love triangles anyways, but Oliver's love triangle really made me angrier than usual. And the ending of the series is the sorriest excuse for an ending that I have ever read. It was awful. Besides these negative points, the story was still interesting to follow to see how everything panned out, but otherwise, this book was a let down for a conclusion.
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it. Worth borrowing.
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 272 pages
Purchased
This is supposedly the final book in The Lacey Chronicles, but I really wish it wasn't. Seeing as how each book follows a different brother, I don't understand why Eve Edwards won't write a book about the youngest brother, Tobias. Anyways, The Rogue's Princess lived up to all of the expectations I have for any book written by Eve Edwards. Historically accurate, beautiful writing, and super romantic. While this book is my least favorite of the three in the series (I blame this on the fact that the main character was a Puritan, thus, not very relatable to myself.), it still made for a great historical fiction read. It was certainly a different perspective of the Elizabethan court, and I really enjoyed reading about this.
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.
HarperTeen, 352 pages
Purchased
I must say, I was hesitant to start this series because it was incredibly hyped up before its release, but then it received many mediocre reviews. And I now understand why. For one, let's be clear that I don't think it is because of the storyline that the book received mediocre reviews. The concept was incredibly fascinating, and for me, it didn't disappoint. What was disappointing, however, was the writing. At times, especially at the beginning of the novel, the writing was cringe-worthy because it was so cliched. The writing didn't get significantly better (It did a little!), but lucky for Cass, the story was strong enough to survive on its own. I was very entertained with this book, and that's all that matters when it comes down to it!
Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 384 pages
Purchased
What really made me love this conclusion to the Chemical Garden Trilogy that started with Wither and Fever, was that it truly makes you realize that not everyone and everything is what they appear. Things and people can change and you never truly know a person until you talk to them one on one. Also, this series is a prime example of there being more than one side to every story. Lauren DeStefano creates a hauntingly real world that makes you contemplate where our future is heading. In particular, I found this book a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. There are several surprises that you don't see coming, but each one happens with a reason. The ending is fascinating because it's impossible to decide if it is happy or sad. Either way, the book was beautifully written, as always, and the ending was very real and eye-opening.
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
Simon Pulse, 384 pages
Purchased
Wow, I didn't see this book being as awful as it was. I was so excited to read this because I love Shakespeare adaptations, and when I found out that this was a modern adaptation, I was even more excited. Rosaline's story? Yes please! Unfortunately, I just couldn't like this book at all. Granted, it wasn't completely awful that it would receive one star from me, but still. What I couldn't stand was 1) all of the teenager cliches and 2) the reason for the feud between the two families. Ok, if I had to hear one more time about when a girl was going to start having sex with her boyfriend, or who she was going to homecoming with, or how awesome their clique was, I was going to puke. If all teenage girls sounded like that, I would have bitch-slapped everyone in high school. And let me just say that the reason for the family feud was pathetic. Really? I find it hard to believe this issue was a big enough motive for what happened at the end of the book. Needless to say, don't fall for the great summary and just choose to skip this one.
Rating: 2 stars - I didn't like it. Barely worth borrowing.
