Movie Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

*SPOILER ALERT* If you have not read Fifty Shades of Grey, the book, or already seen the movie, please be aware that there will be spoilers throughout the entire review.

Going to see Fifty Shades was a very last minute decision for me. I've never reviewed the book on this blog or any other blog for that matter, but many of you may know that I did not love the book. While I found it intriguing and at times was sucked in by the intensity of the story, I did not find it to be a good book for many reasons that will have to be saved for another post or some discussion later on.

With that being said, you all should know I'm a book-to-movie junkie in the worst way and I literally couldn't resist the opportunity to review this movie upon its release. I had a lot of preconceived notions about the movie going into it but then again, who didn't? Whether you thought it'd be good or bad or were waiting to see it to deem it worthy of watching, we all had expectations. I can honestly say, Fifty Shades of Grey The Movie was not what I expected. It was slightly better than I would have guessed, but I think that's because I disliked the book so much and I expected to absolutely abhor the movie. To the contrary, at times it was  enjoyable (though at other times somewhat unenjoyable(... just not what I expected.

Let me point out before I delve any deeper that I do have some issues with the plot, the characters, etc., of the book since before making it into a movie was even a thought. Here are the things I didn't like about the movie that are not attributable to the actual movie, but to the book itself:

Christian is a little bit of a psycho and watching that come to life on the big screen was creepier than ever. I think I could totally be into Christian as a character and even root for him if his brokenness was more a focus than his possessiveness. It was just too much and that wasn't Jamie Dornan's fault. I blame E.L. James.

It's hard to disagree with people who think the book/movie promotes or glamorizes domestic abuse or at the very least, unhealthy relationships, when you watch how Christian manipulates Ana and uses her, leaving her a crying, hurting mess because he wants his to have his way or else.

To clarify, do I personally agree that this movie promotes domestic abuse? Not necessarily unless you consider the fact that it's been made into a huge movie as "promoting" in which case, every movie ever depicting something bad has been promoting that bad thing, yes? No, obviously not - I'm being sarcastic - but what I'm trying to say is that if you've read the book or even pay close enough attention to the movie, you'll see that Ana does eventually stand up for herself (so what if it's after a particularly bad scene that had me holding back tears? Whatevs). I think the movie (if not so much the book) clearly shows that Christian's manipulation and obsession isn't a good thing - it hurts Ana, he hurts Ana, and there's nothing glamorous about it. In either event, though I don't think the movie promotes or glamorizes domestic abuse, I still think E.L. James wrote us a creepy little character that is Christian Grey and I really wish he was less of an obsessive control freak maniac and more of that broken vulnerable Christian we see at the end of the movie because... yum.

Now, as far as the movie itself goes, completely mostly separated from the book, here's what I thought:

Firstly, and above all, the most important (and my least favorite) aspect of the movie was the excessive amount of nudity. I basically took my 18-year-old sister to a soft core porn at the movies. Now, now, before you begin to rant at me for being dumb enough not to expect some nudity - remember, I did read the book. I expected nudity but I expected it to be just a tad more tasteful. I have the image of Dakota Johnson's breasts forever imprinted on my brain. I will never forget what that woman's nipples look like. And I'm not glad about it. I'm all for a good, hot sex scene, and in this case, I expected several good, hot sex scenes but really, poor Dakota! My sister and I overheard two girls says "Too much boobs! Not enough Jamie Dornan's ass!" after the movie let out, a statement with which I concur, but seriously, why so much breast, Fifty Shades? WHY?! There were just too many gratuitous boobie shots and I was sincerely hoping that the movie would take the book to the next level and make it less about the actual sex scenes and more about the intriguing world that is BDSM and the budding relationship between Christian and Ana. Needless to say, it did not, and I was disappointed in that regard.

Also, It really sucked that the script used lines directly from the book, or at least it seemed that way. I haven't read the book since the original Fifty Shades phenomenon a few years back so I can't say that with too much certainty, but the stilted, awkward delivery of the lines was enough proof to me that this was coming directly from the mind of E.L. James. It sucked. If there was ever a time I was hoping for a bit of artistic license in a book-to-movie adaptation, this was that time. Other parts of the movie flowed so well (thanks to Dakota Johnson,), but then we came to those lines and it felt like I was jolted right out of the story that I was actually beginning to enjoy and thus reminded of why I disliked the book so much.

Anyway, as uncomfortable as it was for me to watched poor married-with-a-child Jamie Dornan sticking his head between Dakota Johnson's legs while we are blessed with focus after focus of her naked breasts, I don't know that I could do it again. I'm completely content with Ana just leaving Christian's crazy ass and that being the end of the movie franchise because I don't know if I can sit through two more hours of this next year. Maybe if they promise less boob, because really, the novelty has to wear off at some point, right?

Now, I'm sure you're wondering if I liked anything at all about the movie and the surprising answer to that questions is: YES! There were actually a few high points and I, of course, will tell you all about them.

By far, the single best part about the movie was not having to be in Anastasia's head like we did in the book. If I had to sit through the movie listening to this chick talk about her "inner goddess" I probably would have walked out. Ana was a much more likable character without having to listen to the running commentary on her lady bits and "oh crap" and sighing and muttering every goddamn thing and oh my God I'm so glad we didn't have to listen to that nonsense. With all of that out of the movie, it was marginally better and much easier to watch than it was to read.

Might I add that Dakota Johnson is an amazing actress?! I was actually anti-Dakota Johnson at first. I remember seeing her on Jimmy Fallon the week before the movie premiered and I was just like, no. No, no, no, no, no! In my mind she was just not Ana but then she tripped her way into Christian Grey's office last night and I was hooked. She did the awkward so well, and as uncomfortable as the sex scenes were, she did them really well, too. Most of all, she was so funny. She was downright hilarious and I definitely think she brought the entire movie up a notch in my opinion. Jamie Dornan, who I adore in real life (that accent, though!) wasn't bad but he was no Dakota. That girl just really stole the show.

And as far as that last scene goes - you know the scene - the painful one where he's hitting her with some object in the Red Room of Pain and its like the worst moment of her life and the worst moment of their relationship by far... as horrible as it was to watch, I think it was superbly done and I was definitely holding back tears for Ana by the end. You already know how I feel about the abuse topic so I won't go there again but I will say, I am in no way, shape or form against BDSM. While being a Dom or a Sub may not be my thing, I respect that it is other people's thing. I actually found some of it kinda sexy, if not awkward to watch with my sister and a theater full of strangers. 

RATING: ★★★ 1/2

So... 3 1/2 stars. Yup, I said it. It was pretty enjoyable considering what I'd originally expected it to be. So you want to know if it's worth seeing?

My answer is contingent upon your open-mindedness and how you feel about watching porn with strangers. LOL, just kidding... sort of.

If you've read the book and liked it or at least tolerated it enough to be curious about the movie - go for it, with the warning that you'll be seeing lots of Dakota-boob.

If you haven't read the book, I would only recommend seeing it if you are not a Judgy McJudgerton and just enjoy the movie for what it is. You don't need to go in with guns blazing, ready to fight for or against Christian and Ana and their sexual choices - because let me remind you, manipulating as Christian may have been, give Ana a little credit here. She enjoyed everything Christian did to her with the exception of the last scene. I understand and agree that it just wasn't what she was into, but she consented and was pleasured through all of it. The parts she hated were how Christian treated her outside of their time in his playroom and his obsession with her being his Sub rather than being in a relationship and BDSM just being something they did sometimes. So if you are okay with all of this, and really just curious about this "taboo" lifestyle and wanna see what all the hype is about - go for it.

If not, please, please wait for DVD or just don't see it at all. Let the people who like Fifty Shades enjoy the damn movie. If it's not for you, that's cool and I don't blame or judge you, but leave the rest of us here in the non-judgmental community alone.

Whew... Excuse me, I'm getting a little tired climbing on and off this soap box of mine. So anyway, now you know what I think and if I think you should go see it. Now go see it (or don't) and tell me what you think!!!

A.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry: That Time I Was So Let Down by a Favorite Author

ISBN: 9780547995687
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover/eBook (alternating)
Series: The Giver Quartet #2
Released: January, 2000
Length: 241 pp
Goodreads  |  B&N

     SUMMARY

It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.

     REVIEW

I remembered from long ago... back in the day (am I old enough to use "back in the day" now? Do I have a "day"?) picking up this book in the book store back home. I was probably around 12 or 13, and I was excited that there was a (supposed) sequel to my favorite book at the time! I also remember being pretty disappointed. The thing I didn't remember was why.

I went into this one after re-reading The Giver, which is still one of my favorite books of all time, a bit apprehensive because I knew from some vague experience that I didn't love this one. Not to mention the the ratings for this one were quite a bit lower than they were for Giver. The first few chapter dragged, though I think that was all in my head. I had been psyching myself out so I'd totally given myself bad juju where this book was concerned.

Eventually I forced myself to dive in and actually found myself enjoying the novel. I finished the more than half that was left in one sitting. The book gave me a similar feeling to when I read The Giver, in the sense that I was interested in what was happening, I was intrigued by this new world Lowry had created and I cared about Kira, the main character, and her little companion Matt.

Then... (cue dreadful sound drum sound) I got to the ending. And I was like... what? I kinda sorta didn't exactly remember the twist that was coming, but I kinda sorta did, so I wasn't necessarily surprised by it, but I was surprised by the way it was handled. Basically: WTF?

Kira, the main character, was pretty passive and naive on some important things in the novel, but she was strong and resilient, enough that I didn't mind it. I took her passiveness as a trait she'd grown up with and wasn't something that would be easily changed.

So anyway, when we get to a mostly predictable but still pretty great plot twist - Lowry does nothing with it!! It was like the inconclusive ending to top all other inconclusive endings. I know what you're thinking - why am I so mad when Giver had a hell of an inconclusive ending? NO. Giver was totally different and you know it! (This is where I stomp my feet and call you a poopie head. This book put me in full on tantrum mode). In The Giver, Jonas did something, something was happening, we just didn't know what he fate was after he did.

Kira, in Gathering Blue, was given this news, a sort of solution to the problem that had been building for most of the book, and instead of doing what I expected her to do (which still would've been pretty lame and the easy way out, though she would have at least been doing something), she did nothing. I guess she technically does something but it is literally in no way shape or form explained. We can make some sort of assumption, but it's not even like with Jonas in Giver where the conclusions are nearly drawn for you and you just have to pick which one to believe. No. We just seriously don't know what the point of Kira's decisions are because it isn't explained well.

Damnit. I sound like I really hated this book, don't I? I didn't, but I really hated the ending. The only saving grace is that there are two more book in the series. Thank God I'm reading them now when they're already published. These books were released years and years apart. Imagine the immense frustration after reading this one if I had to wait five years for the next book to come out!?

Either way, the writing was simple but wonderful as always and Kira was a character I ended up caring about. I loved Matt, the main character's young friend, especially, and the world-building, while not terribly in-depth, was sufficient - until the ending! Grrrrr. Okay. I'm done now.

RATING: ★★★ 1/2 - Liked it

Despite the crazy rant I just went on, I actually liked this book. Lois Lowry has a beautiful writing style and she builds unique worlds that I feel like I just need to know more about. She just has this special talent for using her fictional worlds to help others understand our real one.

Though the ending was the complete and total opposite of what I deem to be satisfying and acceptable, it was a good addition to the Quartet and definitely made me think about what I value in life and whether I'm placing importance on the right things.

Have you read Gathering Blue? It definitely doesn't hold a candle to The Giver which is one of my favorite books of all time, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and look forward to continuing the series. Did you enjoy it? Who can resist Matt? I mean come on!

Tell me what you thought!

A.

Under the Never Sky Novellas: Roar and Liv & Brooke by Veronica Rossi: Where Roar and Liv Break My Motherlovin' Heart

ISBN: 9780062239556
Source: Purchased
Format: Kindle eBook
Series: Under the Never Sky #0.5
Released: October, 2012
Length: 68 pp
Goodreads  |  Amazon

     SUMMARY

After a childhood spent wandering the borderlands, Roar finally feels like he has a home with the Tides. His best friend Perry is like a brother to him, and Perry's sister, Liv, is the love of his life. But Perry and Liv's unpredictable older brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the Tides, and he has never looked kindly on Roar and Liv's union. Normally, Roar couldn't care less about Vale's opinion. But with food running low and conditions worsening every day, Vale's leadership is more vital—and more brutal—than ever. Desperate to protect his tribe, Vale makes a decision that will shatter the life Roar knew and change the fate of the Tides forever.

ISBN: 9780062305442
Source: Purchased
Format: Kindle eBook
Series: Under the Never Sky #2.5
Released: November, 2013
Length: 82 pp
Goodreads  |  Amazon

     SUMMARY

The only fight she can't win is the one for Perry's heart. Following the stunning climax in Through the Ever Night, the Tides have been forced to seek shelter from the Aether storms in a dismal, secluded cave. But Brooke's memories of the cave go back much further, to when she and Perry used to come here together. That was before Perry fell in love with Aria and before Vale's dealings with the Dwellers altered the course of the Tides forever.
Now, with her sister back from a haunting year in captivity and Aria lying unconscious in the sick bay, Brooke struggles to put the pieces of her life back together. Without Perry, who is she? And what is her role in this frightening new world? As these questions swirl about her, an old threat to the Tides resurfaces, and Brooke is forced to put the lives of her people before her own. But in taking this step outside of herself, Brooke may finally discover what she truly wants.

     MINI REVIEWS
*Please note, these mini-reviews do contain spoilers for the previous books in the series. Click here for a spoiler free review of book 1, Under the Never Sky*

     ROAR AND LIV

Roar and Liv is a novella that takes place right before the happenings in Under the Never sky. In UNS we hear a lot about this mysterious Liv, but we don't know much. Instantly when reading the novella, I loved her. I loved her and Roar together and her and Perry's relationship. The actual story told in this novella basically tore me apart, in case you were wondering.

I'm not a big fan of novellas. Often times I don't feel as though they actually add anything to the story (except in the case of the novellas for Throne of Glass. That is the absolute exception to the rule), but I had been enjoying this series well enough and felt like I needed to know more about Roar's love. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer, but I suppose that defeats the purpose of a novella. Roar and Liv, in its short 60-something pages, wrecked me, and it was definitely one of the best novellas I've ever read. It actually added something to the story that was definitely necessary.

     BROOKE

I don't think I'm the only person who couldn't have cared less about Brooke in UNS. Actually, I kind of despised her, just on principle. She hated on Aria for no rational reasons other than jealousy and "heartbreak" that Aria herself did not cause. I didn't fly through this novella like I did with the last. It was actually really slow going and annoying and I had to force myself to get through it.

By the end, I didn't necessarily hate Brooke anymore, and the conclusion to the novella was pretty adorbs, but I in no way suddenly decided Brooke was great or felt like I understood her. I felt bad for her - what girl hasn't had their heart broken? I empathized a bit, yes - if I was in a similar situation, I don't think I would necessarily like my ex's new girlfriend, but Brooke was downright nasty to Aria and by the end of this novella I had not forgiven her for that.

I also didn't think Brooke added anything to the series as a whole like the Roar and Liv one did. Like I said - I'm not big on novellas to begin with and this one kind of reminded me why. It was good, but I definitely didn't need to read it, and realize that it was a bit of a waste of time. She totally could've written about someone way better - specifically, Cinder. Because all I want is to know more about Cinder!!!

RATINGS

Roar and Liv: ★★★★★ - Absolutely Loved It!

Brooke: ★★★ 1/2 - Liked it

A.

Review: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

ISBN: 9780152061548
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Series: The Last Survivors #1
Released: 2006
Goodreads  |  Amazon

     SUMMARY

High school sophomore Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, like "one marble hits another." The result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun? As August turns dark and wintery in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

     REVIEW

Life As We Knew It is kind of like a car crash you can't tear your eyes away from. It's horrible and turns your stomach but you just need to know what happened. That's kind of how I felt reading this book. Actually, I think I only picked this book up out of morbid curiosity.

Oddly enough, this book is set in Pennsylvania in a town not to far from where I actually live right now. Not to mention that an apocalypse of this nature is one of my biggest mostly-unrealistic sources of anxiety. In this book, the moon, which has been hit by an asteroid or something, the size of which has been greatly miscalculated by scientists, is knocked out of orbit and is now much closer to Earth, throwing everything out of whack.

There are tsunamis, volcano eruptions, earthquakes, horrible storms, massive blizzards, etc. Enter Miranda, young girl struggling to maintain some semblance of normalcy when the world seems to be ending. I kind of hated Miranda for most of the book for not taking the whole thing seriously until shit got really bad for her family. I won't go into more detail because the horrible little things this family goes through is kind of what makes the book to begin with.

I'll admit that I didn't like the story being written from the perspective of Miranda's diaries. Sometimes I felt the scope was too limited and sometimes I felt like Pfeffer went outside that scope with her dialogue and whatnot which was a little weird.

This book gave me such anxiety and such bad nightmares while reading it. I think LAWNI is even better (or worse...?) because of how possible these things are. I mean, do I think our scientists would completely miscalculate the size of an asteroid or meteor set to hit the moon? No. But I think a giant asteroid or meteor could hit the earth and our scientists would know about it and the world would be in a state of absolute chaos and everything would go to shit. It's pretty terrifying, honestly, and I'm glad the book is over. I don't think I'll be reading the next few books in the series either because I can only take so much.

RATING: ★★★ 1/2 - Liked it!

Life As We Knew It is a chilling apocalyptic tale that is rooted in real possibilities, making things all that much scarier. It was bleak and scary as hell, but it was pretty good all around (despite a whiny MC). I don't think I'll be reading the next few books but I would recommend this one because... you just have to read it and find out for yourself. It's just too crazy to pass up.

Have any of you read Life As We Knew It? What did you think of it? Does it freak you out because of how realistic the possibilities are? Or are you completely unaffected by the potential of a disaster like this effectively ending the world? Okay, I think the real question is, am I going to be one of those people who absolutely loses their mind and starts eating their own body parts for sustenance if the world ever ends?

Let's talk books!


A.

Review: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

ISBN: 9780141382890
Source: Purchased (re-read)
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3
Release Date: April 24, 2007
Goodreads  |  Amazon
See my reviews for previous books in this series

     SYNOPSIS

IT'S NOT EVERYDAY YOU FIND YOURSELF IN COMBAT WITH A HALF-LION, HALF-HUMAN.
But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.
Oh and guess what. The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...

     REVIEW 

Can I be totally honest here? Besides Percy and Annabeth, who will always hold a place in my heart, my favorite parts about this entire book were Artemis and Apollo. Other than Athena, they are my absolute favorite of the gods and I really enjoyed having them be a part of this story (especially Apollo who I imagine being really hot).

We are introduced to some new characters in this book who (kind of spoiler alert?) end up being really integral to the series later on: Bianca and Nico DiAngelo, young demigods who are found at a boarding school by Grover and saved by Annabeth and Percy. I had a hard time finding sympathy with Bianca and I can say she wasn't one of my favorite characters, but... oh Nico. I remember the first time I read this series, I had a hard time connecting with Nico, so I took some time to really focus on him while reading this book, and I connected with him a lot more, if not exactly as much as I'd hoped to. Really, my problem is that I had a hard time with his "development" at the end of this book and into the next, but I suppose that is a story for another review.

I thought the pacing was a bit off in this book in that it seemed to start off slower than the others. Honestly, all of the books start off real slow, spending a lot of time building up to real action and plot resolutions, but this one seemed to take the longest. With that being said, we see a lot of set up later in the book for some major things happening later in the series, and with the characters maturing and the writing somehow getting better, it was pulled off very well, all in all.

RATING: Pretty Good! ★★★ 1/2

Books 3-5 of this series are where things really start to get good. I especially think so because the characters are getting older, and apparently the older I get, the harder time I have connecting with MG (who woulda thunk?!). While a bit slow (as usual), I really did enjoy The Titan's Curse and can't wait to talk to you about the next two books in the series, which I especially love.

Have you gotten this far in the series yet? What did you think of The Titan's Curse? Let's talk about it!

A.

Review: A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

ISBN: 9780553579901
Source: Purchased (e-book)
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire #2
Release Date: November 16, 1998
Goodreads  |  Amazon
See other posts for this series
*This review may contain spoilers for the first book in the series*

     SYNOPSIS:

A comet the colour of blood and flame cuts across the sky. And from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk at night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

     REVIEW:

To refresh my memory of A Game of Thrones, I re-read my review of that book and ended up kind of laughing at myself over it. In one of my closing paragraphs I said, "So if the next book is slow to some, it probably wont be to me...". Seriously, I said that. Apparently I underestimated Martin's ability to dig DEEP into this world. So, for the record: this book seemed slow to some. It was also slow for me.

That's not to say I didn't like or enjoy this book, because I did. There were some parts that I didn't enjoy reading, mainly because they were long and incredibly tedious, and to be completely honest, impossible for me to understand. For example, there is one entire chapter that is supposed to be describing a particular battle, but it is told from the point of view of someone on a ship. So this person goes on to talk about many, many ships, by name, and in the jargon of someone familiar with ships altogether. I, however, am not familiar with ships at all. So, while I read it and just barely managed to understand what was happening (for the most part), I was incredibly bored by the "ship-talk" because it went on foreverrrr.

I thought that because I didn't remember some of the minute details from season two of the show, it would be especially cool to read the book (such as it was with book one-season one) and have it answer some of the questions about things I couldn't quite grasp, e.g. Bran's little excursions into the brain of his wolf and who the hell Meera and Jojen were! While it did answer many, many questions that I had, I still had a hard time getting through this one. In fact, it took me an entire six months to finish reading this book. It was especially hard because by the second book, we have so many story lines going that by the time you get back around to reading a story line that began seven chapters ago, you've kind of forgotten what even happened before, especially if you had a hard time getting into that story line to begin with. Make sense?

I was told by many that this book was going to be one of the hardest and that it really served to connect books one and three. While I haven't read book three yet, based on what I saw of season three, I believe those statements wholeheartedly. I believe I am going to enjoy A Storm of Swords a lot more than I did A Clash of Kings.

The A Clash of Kings started to get more interesting around the 80% mark (I read these on my iPad because they are so long, and a book that big just won't fit in my purse with all the others), and I was able to sail right through the end while finally rekindling my eagerness to read this series. What I love most about this series - aside from the fact that I have never read a series as in-depth, fleshed out, well written, amazing, and GAHHHH - is that I find myself loving characters I know I should hate, or being annoyed at characters I know I should like. There is never a clear cut definition of "good and bad" in this series. A Song of Ice and Fire is one big gray area and honestly, I don't even know who to "root" for or if I can root for anyone. I'm basically content to sit back and watch it all unfold and though I know some of it will kill me (I speak from experience of watching the last few episodes of season three), I am ready because I know Martin won't steer us wrong... I hope. He should just keep writing until he runs out of material for this world. I say this because I have deemed it impossible to run out of anything for this world and that means he will have to write forever.

     RATING: ★★★ 1/2

All in all, I did find this book to be a lot slower and much harder to get through than the first book. It was long and tedious, but the world-building and development of this saga was wild. It's hard not to be in awe of it all and even if I didn't love this one, I am so looking forward to reading book three, A Storm of Swords, and genuinely hoping it doesn't take me six months to read that one.

Have you read A Clash of Kings? What did you think of it? Did you think it was long and tedious or did you enjoy every bit of the world building and development packed into that 700+ page book? Let's talk books!

A.

Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

ISBN: 9780786838653
Source: Purchased
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1
Release Date: March 21, 2006
Goodreads  |  Amazon

     SYNOPSIS:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

     REVIEW:

I've realized, after re-reading and reviewing the Harry Potter series over the last few months, that it's hard to review books that you've already come to love despite their faults, etc. Percy Jackson is one of those series for me. After re-reading it, I did realize that some of the action scenes lacked a little bit for me and that yes, these books, at their core, are middle grade fiction. They are fun and silly, but for children nonetheless, so just a bit simple at times, too.

The world building is awesome and not only to we get a mythology lesson, we learn about Percy's new world, his new life at Camp Half-Blood. Though simple, the writing is great and easy to understand and fly through. The characters are hysterical, and I love Annabeth and Percy's dynamic and how they help each other grow, as regular kids and as demigods. Its hard not to love a series you can just get lost in... not to mention the fact that I have an unhealthy obsession with Greek Mythology, so that also bumps the entire series up a whole lot (as if it needed a bump).

     RATING: ★★★ 1/2

A fun, clever start to an awesome series! The rating is relative and the book gets a 3.5-4 from me mostly because I know how much better the books get and they are a little a lot juvenile at first. Not to mention it being 5 years since the first time I read them. It doesn't make much sense to say that the later books are better, but rate them all with a 5, right? I especially enjoy the books when Percy and friends mature a bit, so though this is a great start to one of my favorite series, it's definitely not my favorite in the series.

Have any of you read this book (or the whole series) yet? If so, what did you think!? If not.... well, what are you waiting for!? Can't wait to hear from you all!

A.

Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

ISBN: 9781595141750
Source: Christmas Gift!
Series: Vampire Academy #2
Release Date: April 10, 2008
Goodreads  |  Amazon
*Please note: this is a spoiler free review, however there may be spoilers for the previous book in this review*
See my posts for previous book in the series for a spoiler free review

     SYNOPSIS:
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

     REVIEW:

Even though the writing has improved since the previous book, I still have a have a hard time getting past the "info dumps". There's definitely still too much tell and not enough show. Actually, I think this aspect of the writing has gotten worse since the last book. For example, during the narrative portions of the book, you will see (several times, might I add), "As I've noted before..." Why are you noting things!? You are a fictional character. You are not an author/narrator talking to the reader. It wouldnt matter so much if that was how the book was set up - as if the narrator was talking to the reader. But its not. And it annoyed me. Rant over. Ugh.

As a whole, the writing did get much better... or maybe I just got used to it because the plot became so much stronger and the characters so much more awesome. We are introduced to some new characters... some of which I didn't really like that much.. but I connected with the existing characters much better this time around. Rose is much less annoying, and I respect her for the way she is... she cares what people think, but she cares about herself and Lissa more. She does what she wants, when she wants to, but she also takes care of her responsibilities.

About halfway through Frostbite, I decided to look at reviews for the next few books, and I was pretty pissed when I came across some spoilery reviews that gave no warning! So in reality, I knew how this book was going to end, which really, really sucked. With that in mind though, even though I didn't feel the impact of the events, it was still very well done and probably would have made me cry had I not known what was coming.

Overall, this second book started off a bit slow, and the writing still isn't wonderful, but it was a whole lot better than the first one. About halfway through, things really started to pick up and I couldn't put the book down. Frankly, Mead does romance and action scenes really well. Her dialogue is actually pretty great too. My problem is with the narrative, Rose's stream of consciousness, which is what ruins things for me. By the time I was done with this one, I was itching to go out and get the next few because I truly do believe the books will get better - there is just so much potential here! Actually, as I'm writing this, I am in the middle of book 6 (the final installment) and I can tell you that the next few are even better than the first two. Anyways, I enjoyed this one well enough, and can't wait to talk about the rest of the books in the next few weeks!

     RATING: ★★★ 1/2

After feeling rather "meh" about Vampire Academy until the very end, Frostbite did a much better job in keeping me interested. The writing was slightly better and with Rose's little bit of development since the previous book, it was easy to like her and care about her more. The romance was.... perfect, for lack of a better developed thought, there. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once.

Did any of you who read Vampire Academy decide to keep going and read book 2? What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Still kind of meh? Let me know what you think!

Get a second opinion

Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell [2 of 5]
Effortlessly Reading [3.5 of 5 stars]
Blog of Erised [5 of 5 stars]

P.S. Did you hear!? The release date for the Vampire Academy movie got pushed forward and will be released on February 7, 2014. Just so happens to be my anniversary (7 wonderful years, might I add..) and I'm forcing my awesome fiance to take me to the movies to see it that day (I'm sure you can imagine how thrilled he is about that one, haha). I still think the movie is going to suck but as I get more into the series, the more excited I am about it, regardless. Your opinions on the movie? Talk to me!

A.

Review: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

ISBN: 9780385521222
Source: Purchased
Series: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #5
Release Date: January 1, 2011
Goodreads  |  Amazon
See my reviews for other books in this series

     GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.
Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

     REVIEW:

I was so super excited to read this book and find out what happened to four of my favorite fictional girls.... I must tell you... I must warn you - this book has left me traumatized and I will never think of the series the same again. I probably can't even re-read them at some later date. How am I going to let my future daughter(s) read them, knowing what they are getting into with book five?! Sigh...

I'm not saying it's bad. It isn't. It was actually pretty good. Except for the fact that I was basically crying the entire time and every time I even look at the cover let alone think about what actually happened I get that ache in my chest (you know, the one that normal people get for real tragedies and we nerds get for fictional characters?) and want to cry a little bit more.

I will say that I was not a fan of the fact that the book was literally depressing almost in its entirety. I think I might have cracked a smile somewhere within the last 50 pages, which was promptly replaced with tears again. It's hard to endure several hundred pages of depression and find something to enjoy about it. I also think that the same issue with the dialogue that I had in book four was present in this book also. It was a little awkward and stunted.

The book was a little long for my tastes and it dragged a bit in the middle, but I was completely committed to this series so I was also able to look past that and finish the whole damn thing in two days. The ending was a little too tidy for me, and thats something that I was not able to overlook, but I suppose I was satisfied nonetheless. I guess after five books, one of which rips your heart out and stomps on it repeatedly, the series is entitled to a tidy ending, bow and all.

Overall, I enjoyed the read and even with how depressing it was, it gives us a glimpse of the truth of growing up - that not all "grown ups" are living the happy lives they once thought they would. They lose touch with their friends and sometimes even with reality when they realize that things aren't quite going the way they expected. A touching and beautiful (yet incredibly sad) story about everlasting love and friendship, Sisterhood Everlasting was a decent ending to a series that will always hold a place in my bookish heart.

     RATING: ★★★ 1/2

Have any of you read this last installment? I know many people have read the first four but never made it around to this one. Let me give you this advice: If you wish to preserve the fond memories of the series as it stands, don't read this book. This book will change the way you look at the previous four. Maybe not in a bad way, but it kind of sets a sad overtone for it all and I can't quite look at it as happily as I would have before I read it. Even still, I'm glad to have closure and glad I read it.

I'd love to hear from you on this one! Have you read it? What did you think? If not, have you not read it because of things (like this review) that you've read about it? I'm interested in everyone's opinion of this one..

A.

Review: Finding Home by Lauren McKellar

ISBN: 9780857990914
Source: Netgalley/Publisher
Format: eARC
Series: No, Stand-Alone
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Find it on Goodreads
*Disclaimer* I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

     GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

When Amy’s mum dies, the last thing she expects is to be kicked off her dad’s music tour all the way to her Aunt Lou in a depressing hole of a seaside town. But it’s okay — Amy learned how to cope with the best, and soon finds a hard-drinking, party-loving crowd to help ease the pain.

The only solace is her music class, but even there she can’t seem to keep it together, sabotaging her grade and her one chance at a meaningful relationship. It takes a hard truth from her only friend before Amy realises that she has to come to terms with her past, before she destroys her future.

REVIEW:

For those of you who know my reading tastes, you know I have a very hard time getting into contemporary reads. I can dig romance (because I'm a sap), but regular old contemporary novels are usually not for me - with the exception of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, which I'm enjoying very much. I didn't think I would like this one very much, but I was interested in the description and was able to get a review copy through Netgalley, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I didn't necessarily love this book, but I enjoyed it for being something out of my comfort zone. It was a pretty dark novel - Amy was falling into alcoholism after her mother's death several months before. There was some sex, which usually I am okay with in YA novels because I like books that can portray true young adult relationships, but the descriptions took it a little far for me. Trust me, I've read wayyyy worse (e.g., Fifty Shades), but I wouldn't exactly be giving this one over to a young teen, say 13 or 14.

I liked Amy a lot (except for when she was being boy-obsessed, ugh) and I think watching her downward spiral then eventual rise above her circumstances was fascinating and inspiring. I also enjoyed Nick though he didn't get a lot of time, considering how obsessed she was with another boy throughout the better half of the book. Unfortunately, I didn't really like any of the other characters. Amy's best friend was a snot, her other "friends" were not very nice to her, her aunt and dad were barely even in the book. The book was extremely short, and had it been lengthened, it would've been nice to have a little more development in the other characters. Don't get me wrong, I like that the characters had their imperfections and the novel was a darker one on the YA spectrum, but I didn't like that some of the bad decisions the characters made were never acknowledged, rectified, apologized for... they were sucky people and everyone was just okay with it.

RATING: ★★★ 1/2

I enjoyed reading Finding Home, getting a taste for a darker YA novel and watching Amy overcome some very huge, very real obstacles teens face today. I wish the supporting character development and writing had been a little better but overall a pretty good contemporary read.

Have any of you read this one yet? What did you think?

A.

Review: Pawn by Aimee Carter

ISBN: 9780373210558
Source: Netgalley
Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #1
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Page Count: 352 Pages
Find it on Goodreads
*Disclaimer* I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed, and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

REVIEW:

Have any of you read Carter's Goddess Test series? I've read the first two and an e-novella and am currently reading the last one in the series. I wasn't a huge fan of the series, though I did enjoy it enough to finish it, but I've come to realize that writing adaptations of Greek myths is a tough one and its hard to judge an author on something like that. With that being said, I only found some similarities between The Goddess Test series and and Pawn, and I think Carter's writing was much stronger in Pawn.

I love the premise for this series - a society based on an IQ test of sorts. It's an idea I had toyed with in the past, though not to this extreme. In the world Carter creates, people are given the life they "earned", and hey, if they are average or below average in intelligence, then they work crap jobs, aren't allowed to buy certain luxuries such as oranges (crazy, right?!) and only are allowed one child. Talk about population control.

I liked Kitty well enough as the heroine, though I think she was a little too focused on her boyfriend Benjy, considering every decision she makes in the book comes with the prerequisite "how will this affect Benjy" inner monologue. I also liked that Carter made Kitty unable to read... probably dyslexic from what I can tell. Kitty was a smart, self-sufficient, caring, and kind of bad-ass heroine who was not perfect. She couldn't read, but she still managed to score a III (out of VI) on her aptitude test, which may sound horrible to her, but at least she wasnt sent Elsewhere. I don't even want to get into Elsewhere, which I found to be a a lot creepy.

This novel was very character- and relationship-centered, as there wasn't a ton of plot movement, though there was some. However, Kitty did spend most of her time in the Somerset mansion (just like Kate does in The Goddess Test) and that kind of keeps the plot stagnant.

As far as world-building goes, I think there was a good amount of it right at the start of the book, then we see some information interspersed throughout the book, but with such an promising world to work with, I wish there had been more.

Its hard for me to say if I feel more than just... *shrug*... about this book, because everything was kind of so-so on the Amanda-ratings scale. The world building, when it was there, was good and fresh and unique. The characters, when they did develop, it was interesting and they were strong, but then they kind of went... flat. Plot... moved along well enough, but there was only so much action before Kitty found herself sitting around somewhere again. Not to mention Carter skimming over some parts of the plot that I felt she definitely could've gone into more detail with, like the speeches Lila gave.

Also, and though the dialogue itself never came off as awkward or unrealistic, there were times when I felt myself saying "huh?". I felt as though I had missed something important in the dialogue or plot movement and found myself confused about what was going on a couple of times.

I do have to say though, by the end of the book I was gasping and slapping my forehead in surprise at the twists the story took and I think Carter did a good enough job setting up for what has the potential to be a very good series.


RATING: ★★★ 1/2

I enjoyed this well enough and thanks to a couple of good plot twists and a world with a ton of potential, I think I'll be coming back to read the next one when it is released, probably some time next year.

Have any of you read this book? If, so what did you think? If not, will you be picking up a copy when it is released on November 26? I'd love to hear from you!

A.

Review: Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

ISBN: 9781442480612
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Series: Internment Chronicles, #1
Page Count: 356 pages
Find it on Goodreads

     GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.
Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

     REVIEW:

I received this book as part of my birthday haul a few weeks ago. I had  been waiting for this book for months and was thrilled when I finally got it. The second I had a chance to read it, I made it happen. About 50 pages in and after realizing I wasn't captivated by the story quite yet, I set it down for a few days to finish up some other stuff and when I picked it back up, it hadn't been any more exciting than it had when I first picked it up. 

This book didn't call to me, but the world did. DeStefano's ability for world building is wonderful and she does a fantastic job of showing me exactly what Internment is all about. The premise for the book has so much potential yet I feel as though DeStefano only touched on some of it. I'm not going to lie, I was somewhat bored with this book. The pacing, while slow, seemed to flow okay, but the plot was almost nonexistent until the last 50 to 100 pages. Distefano spent most of her time building her world and probably setting up for the next two in the series. I have read her previous series, The Chemical Garden Trilogy, and it seemed to follow that same pattern. The first book in that series, Wither, was not very exciting and I didn't love it. The second book was okay, and the third was great.

Something else I like in this book other than the world building was that it does not follow the standard set of rules for romance in young adult novels. There is already a developing romance between Morgan and Basil because they have been betrothed since birth, but I loved them that much more for developing their already established romance rather than throwing in a love triangle or something to spice it up. Add in the fact that Lauren DeStefano's prose is beautiful and regardless of her plot, pacing, world building, or character development, she writes beautifully.

Speaking of character development though, I feel as though I didn't connect with Morgan even by the end of the book. I think I enjoyed Pen her best friend, and Basil much more. I even loved Lex and Alice. Wait, especially Lex and Alice. I'm hoping that I connect with Morgan a little bit more over the next two books, but that girl was lacking some serious character development. In her last series, DeStefano gave us a main character that I didn't necessarily connect with that much either, apparently it's a going trend. 

I've noticed that a lot of people who read this book said that the second half of the book was better than the first. I will admit that it was more exciting than the first half but the book took a turn that I was not expecting at all and I wasn't necessarily sure that I liked it. I surely was not expecting the book to end the way it did -  not that it ended badly - but it definitely was not what I was expecting. I do want to see what happens next and I want to know more about Internment. I hope DeStefano keeps her level of world building while picking it up in all the other areas.

Also, can I vent for a second? I absolutely hated the prince and princess. Not their actual characters, because you barely get to know them at all - but has anyone noticed how awful the dialogue is when the prince and princess are in the scene? It's so overly obvious and obnoxious, and I suppose maybe she wanted them to come off that way, but it didn't work. The scenes where the prince and princess were present and dominating the dialogue seemed almost like they were written by someone else because of how awful they were. For those of you who have read this book or anything by Lauren DeStefano, you know that her writing is not awful. But somehow these parts of the book just stuck out like a sore thumb... I don't know what she was thinking..

On another positive note though, can anyone else tell me if they get the tinglies when they look at the cover and the inside of the book? I marveled over it for quite a while... it is absolutely gorgeous!

     RATING: ★★★ 1/2
                                                   (3.5 stars)

All in all, I love DeStefano's idea for Internment and I'm so intrigued by the world- she has a talent for the intriguing and amazing. I just wish the plot was more exciting. The pacing, as with her previous novels, is slow. It works for some of them, and it almost worked for Perfect Ruin, but I hope she picks up the pace in the next one. I need some action and this series has so much potential for it.

Though I'm only rating this with 3 1/2 stars, I really did enjoy it and the world-building hooked me. I cant wait until the next one eventually comes out next year!

Have any of you read this one yet? What did you think? Do you agree or did you love everything about it (or hate everything about it)?

A.

Review: The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

ISBN: 9780062026545
Page Count: 448 pages
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Series: The Girl of Fire and Thorns, #3
Find it on Goodreads
See all my reviews in this series

     GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

"Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most."

     REVIEW:

WHAT I LIKED:

• Rae Carson's writing is 110% better in this book than it was in the first. It flows so well and kept me hooked the entire time.
• This series is very character driven and the characters all grow so much by the end of this book. I'm amazed at how different Elisa is, but she's still Elisa... does that make sense?
• The main character, Elisa, is such a strong heroine, even with having her weak points. She is the QUEEN, and she damn sure acts like it. Rule that kingdom girl!!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

• I was expecting something awesomely epic and for the first half of the book, I was pretty bored. It just was... not great, not horrible. Just blah. And every time I though it was picking up, something would stop the progression and it'd be back to blah.
• It felt broken up - the plot I mean. It felt like several different stories all mashed into one, or several different plot points that were supposed to run one right into the other except it didnt work out that way.
• Just like in all of the books, some big revelation or action-y scene happens and then right after, it falls flat and the characters are not acting the way you'd expect. *sort-of spoiler* e.g. someone is attacking you, you go out, trick them... then tell them to leave? And they listen? Something not right here...*end sort-of spoiler*

RATING: ★★★ 1/2

I was slightly disappointed by this book after reading Crown of Embers, which I thought was the best book in this trilogy. I was expecting something beyond epic, and don't get me wrong - Carson threw me for a loop a couple of times, but I was just expecting... more. However, the book was still great, even if some of it was "off". I enjoyed seeing Elisa grow and that was one of Carson's strongest points in the series - the monumental growth of her characters. As a whole, the series was great, if not fantastic, and I will enjoy reading it again one day. 

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

ISBN: 9780062026484
Release Date: September, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Fire and Thorns, #1
Page count: 432 pages

     GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

     REVIEW:

WHAT I LIKED:

• The Spanish-influenced culture in the story is fascinating. I am Hispanic, so its nice to see something other than regular old America or a European country. I'm interested to do some research on where she got it all from - the language, etc., since I was able to understand most of it.
• Elisa wasn't perfect. OK, I think she talked about eating just a little too much in the story, but I liked that she was a big girl and I liked that even when she lost weight, she wasn't suddenly skinny or hot nor did she stop wanting food, she was like an average large teenager.
• Elisa developed a lot from a childish scared girl to a confident, powerful young woman. You go girl!
• Elisa's king wasn't perfect either. I actually kind of disliked him a little but that was more realistic for me. Not every girl gets married off to a handsome, loving king.

WHAT I DIDNT LIKE:

• A lot of the plot twists came from no where in a way that some of it didn't make sense or was something that never was alluded to at all  before. At least give me SOMETHING to go on.
• I wish the world-building was a little more in-depth. I want more history about the Godstone, about the history of the kingdoms, about Elisa's life. I just felt like there was some stuff missing and I wanted more.
• I was super interested at first but it slowed down in the middle for me while Elisa was in the castle and I was just a little bored. Maybe this is attributed to me reading more than one book at a time and all of my attention wasn't focused on this but I enjoyed this one, just didn't love it.
• Some of the time was skipped over and characters developed feelings for others and I just couldn't see the connection, because it felt like they came from no where. I wish these formations of some relationships were explored more rather than just say "so and so likes so and so now because they were in such and such place for a month".
• Bad things happened to Elisa or characters close to her and the reactions of the characters didn't seem to match the bad things. ***spoiler***Basically, how can you like your kidnappers and instantly become friends with them and want to help them?***end spoiler***
• I hated how the characters gasped and grinned at everything at inappropriate times. I don't think people grin or gasp that much. Maybe that's just me though.

RATING: ★★★

I enjoyed this book, but surprisingly it didn't move enough for me. I know Elisa went all over the place and didn't stay anywhere, but I felt like this was a set-up book, for all the crazy stuff that might happen in the second and third. It set Elisa up as a queen, as a more mature young woman, giving us a story as to how it all happened, rather than having to imagine it. I'll admit the book wasn't as awesome and exciting as I wanted it to be, but I think I will enjoy the next two books even more. Im looking forward to reading them soon and finding out how Elisa completes her service as the Bearer.

Have any of you read this book? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree with what I thought about this book?

A.