Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi: I'm the Only Person on Earth Who Wasn't Obsessed With It

ISBN: 9780062072092
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Series: Under the Never Sky #3
Length: 392 pp
Released: January, 2014
Goodreads  |  B&N

     SUMMARY

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do—and they are just as determined to stay together.
Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.
Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival--he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

     REVIEW

This is going to be one of those reviews where all of you are wondering what book I read because it obviously wasn't the same one you did. You all probably adored this book, gave it eleventy-three stars as compared to my four. And my four was a grudging four. I was leaning toward three and a half but I knew there was no real reason for me not to love it. It just felt like something unnameable was missing from the story for me.

After reading Through the Ever Night, I felt a little disenchanted with the whole thing - the sparkle of the first book had worn off for me. I mentioned in my last two reviews of this series that I wished the story had explored the Realms more. I enjoyed the world building of the outside, the "Deathshop" as it's called in the first book, I really did. But it just didn't expand enough on the things I really wanted to know.

The story itself was just fine. Enjoyable. There's no logical reason not to have loved it. So really, I'm just going to cut it short by saying everything was great. Just great. Why didn't I absolutely love it? I'm not quite sure. I guess I lost interest and it didn't make me need to read it or know what happened. The ending at least was satisfying, I will admit that. Nothing went quite the way I expected but I was happy with it nonetheless and all in all, it was a great series.

RATING: ★★★★ - Enjoyed it

I liked Into the Still Blue. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, especially Roar, who was the source of about 80% of my emotions with this book. Aria and Perry another 10% and Cinder the rest. (Cinder <3) Something was definitely missing for me in this book and the last one. I enjoyed the first one so much and then the rest of the series went off in a direction I just wasn't interested in.

Like I said, it wasn't a bad book. It was great actually and I liked reading it. But I didn't love it. That doesn't mean you won't! Actually, most of you probably have a heart, so that means you probably will love it. I definitely would recommend this series to YA and dystopian lovers. It was incredibly unique considering how much dystopian has flooded the market and I think it's something a lot of people would enjoy (because tons of people already do!)

Have you read Into the still Blue? What did you think of it as a series ender? It was good but fell a little flat for me. Did you love it or was it a little meh for you as well? And what did you think about the series as a whole? Loved? Liked? Hated? I'm really interested in hearing from someone who didn't like this series since most of the world absolutely adores it.

Can't wait to hear from you!
A.

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

ISBN: 9781595143976
Publisher: Penguin Group [USA] Inc.
Release Date: January 11, 2011
Series: Across the Universe #1
Page Count: 417 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

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.

      REVIEW:

WHAT I LIKED:

• I was drawn in by the story within the first few pages and I was hooked the whole way through.
• The writing, plot, characters - everything - just flowed so perfectly together.
• The futuristic words, e.g. "frex", "shite", "uni", "brilly", "vits", etc. At first I wasnt sure how I felt about them because they seemed a little silly, but I think they made the story unique and added to the world building.
• Many people complained that the cover of the book and even (somehow) the blurb made this seem like an epic romance. I went into this expecting the opposite because of reviews and the cover, and I didnt miss the lack of epic romance one bit. The story was perfect without it.
• Full of social and political issues. Some may think this is a flaw because not everyone wants politics in their for-fun reads, but in this day and age and the way the world is changing, its refreshing to see a young adult book that addresses some issues like race, religion, government, war, etc.
• Revis was extremely detailed, even in the sickest, most disturbing scenes. She is a master writer and though some of it made me sick to my stomach, I am still in awe.
• The world building by Revis is something to be rivaled. I am so fascinated and intrigued by life on Godspeed that instead of reading a new book from a different series, I've decided I'm powering right through this trilogy and starting book 2 tomorrow.
• This book delivered surprise after surprise after sur-freaking-prise. I can honestly say that this one was throwing me curveballs until the very end.
• Character development? What!? Loved Amy and Elder, even Eldest was a great antagonist. I love that Revis gave us some insight into minor characters as well. Oh... Harley. :/
• Last but not least, and I just wanted to throw this little one in - Revis' writing is so amazing. She even somehow made me feel sympathy for one of the antagonists! How?! How Beth Revis, do you do this to me!?

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: (at this point, is there even anything? I feel like I am grasping at straws)

• This is labeled as a young adult book, but the only reason I think it is is because it has teenagers as MCs. Some of the themes in this book are pretty adult, which is okay for some teenagers, but there were some scenes, vividly described, that even I had to put the book down for a few minutes. So parents, be careful before letting your teenager read this one.
• When Amy wakes up from being frozen (not a spoiler, she obviously cant be frozen the whole book), she describes the inhabitants of Godspeed as having a strange accent. In my head it is a mix between gibberish and an Irish lilt to their voice. Can anyone help me? The book does NOT describe this very well, so if anyone has any idea of what it actually sounds like - please enlighten me.
• There were a few times - and only a slight few - that Elder seemed weird to me. Maybe it was his dialogue that was a little off. Or his reactions to certain things. Maybe it was just me. It was only a few times, but the rest of the book was so well put together that it was enough make me wonder, but not enough to make me drop the rating by any means.

     DISCUSSION:

Normally this section is called "Summary" because I usually just take a few sentences or a paragraph to sum up my thoughts. I only changed the title for this review because I am afraid I may begin to ramble or go on for much too long. For this, my friends, I apologize. :)

When I picked up this book off my TBR shelf, I only grabbed it because I really couldnt pick anything else to read. By page 5 I was so pleasantly surprised and 4 days later, I was shocked to my core. I havent felt this way about a book in quite a while - I had been steadily losing steam and only reading out of duty. I wasnt truly enjoying reading so, thank you Beth Revis for nudging me back into my love of reading all over again.

I guess I never really realized how much I liked sci-fi. And I mean really extra sci-fi novels. Like The Giver, which is one of my favorite books. I love that book and I dont know how I didnt know this was a love of mine. So many people were upset about the lack of romance. It was somewhere around the last chapter of the book when I finally found myself wishing for some romance. The entire book wouldve been perfectly fine with me if Elder and Amy had no prospect of romance. That is how awesome I think this book was that I dont think it needed the cliche love story.

Also, this is a very political read, bringing up the likes of population control, birth control, promiscuity, "monoethicity" or a master race, etc etc and et.cet.er.a!!! Oh, am I gushing now? I must be, at this point. I am not one to gush, I dont think so anyway, but upon finishing this book I was laying in bed beside my fiance and I kept putting the book over my face and saying "wow" or "oh my God, is this happening?" It is not often that a book makes me even speak out loud or marvel at the occurrences in a novel.

This book was so much more than what I was expecting. Thank you Beth Revis - thank you, thank you!

     RATING: ★★★★★

I absolutely loved this book. Dont get me wrong, there were some (though few) things I disliked about this book, but they were inconsequential to the fact that I literally read this book during every free second I had, and I havent finished a book this fast or enjoyed one this much in months. Loved it! I cannot wait to start reading the next installment, A Million Suns tomorrow and then finally Shades of Earth within the next few days. I recommend this to sci-fi and dystopian lovers who dont need a romance to complete a story for them.

Have any of you read this book? I know many readers loved this, but also some did not mainly because of the political aspects and the lack of epic romance as portrayed on the original cover. Did you like it or dislike, agree with me or disagree? I would love to hear from you on this one!

A.

Review: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

ISBN: 9780385736008
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Release Date: May, 2007
Series: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1
Page Count: 375 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

     REVIEW:

WHAT I LIKED:

• I love myths and legends, and this book is full of them!
• Though much of the book revolves around myth, all of the characters except the teenage MCs existed at some point.
• Very detailed. I never felt like I couldn't picture a scene or something that was happening.
• A few Greek mythology characters were mentioned in the books. Some of you may know - I am a sucker for Greek mythology.
• The POVs were not only from the teenage main characters. Scott switched from the twins to Flamel, to Perenelle, to Dr. John Dee (the bad guy) to Scathach. I liked having the protagonists' and antagonist's view.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

•  The writing was a little awkward. The dialogue was unbelievable at times; however, the writing did begin to flow slightly better about a quarter of the way through the book.
• There was so much information. Lucky for me, I read a ton of mythology books, including educational ones, so I knew some of this information already. I think this is a con, though, because some... or most readers... wouldn't know a lot of that information and would have a hard time keeping track.
• Really slow until about half way through the book, and even after that point, it wasnt that exciting. I found my self struggling to stay interested.
• Most of the myths are sort of just thrown in together with the explanation that all the Gods were the same all over the world just by different names. Again, I love mythology, but this began to get confusing. 

     SUMMARY:

I did enjoy this read, however I didnt love it as much as I really, really hoped I would. I adored Percy Jackson, and I thought this would be slightly reminiscent of the same. I was a little disappointed. I love informational reads that make you think, but I also like to be kept interested with action or something happening. Things did happen, but it never felt exciting. I will eventually read the next installment because I am curious on how this continues, but I'm not exactly rushing out to get it.

     RATING: ★★★

I liked it, but I didnt love it. It was an interesting read but not exciting.

EDIT (9/10/13): After many months and many books in between, I decided not to go forward with this series. I have very little interest in it and decided to spend my time reading something I'll enjoy more.

Have any of you read this one? Do you agree or disagree with the points I've made? Love hearing from you guys!
A.

Review: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

ISBN: 9780385730587
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: September, 2001
Series: The Sisterhood, #1
Page Count: 294 pages

BOOK BLURB:
 "Once there was a pair of pants. Just an ordinary pair of jeans. But these pants, the Traveling Pants, went on to do great things. This is the story of the four friends - Lena, Tibby, Bridget and Carmen - who made it possible."

REVIEW:

What I liked:

• Very easy read. Short, well written and interesting. Easy to get into and get through.
• A very honest portrayal of the characters as human beings, as teenage girls. Often, main characters are GOOD, with a few minor blips along the way. This book showed imprefect girls (like in real life) and their mistakes and what they learned from them.
• Connected to each story, found myself crying through out some of the scenes or laughing out loud while reading in public.
• Each character was distinct, I always knew which point of view I was reading from.
• Just a great feel good, girly book. That's not always my favorite kind of book but its good to  have one every once in a while!

 What I didn't like:

• Being told from four points of view, I wish each part throughout the book was longer than a page. Sometimes it was hard to just jump from PoV to PoV from page to page.
• Carmen was just an awful character. I felt sorry for her but she was just a pain in the ass, borderline BAD kid. She was manipulative and rude and dishonest. I know this isnt a flaw of the book - this is obviously what the author intended - I just DIDNT like this character.
• The ending was sort of unexpected and anticlimactic. I expected more I guess. I was getting closer and closer to the end and started thinking - ok, when is it going to start to wrap up?

   
   SUMMARY:

It occurs to me that I was 12 years old when this book was released. And here I am, 23 1/2 years old FINALLY getting around to it. I was already fond of this story going into it, having seen the movies and having read the 4th book (I know, randomly out of place), so it was clear that I was going to like this one. I really enjoyed it, minus some minor hitches throughout, such as the sucky character Carmen that I wanted to slap and tell to grow up! At least she knew she was being a brat. Anyway, I liked this one and I'm surprised because I generally... okay, NEVER read contemporary YA, or chick lit or whatever you want to classify this. I guess I've realized that the disdain I had for contemporary was unfounded and I can definitely start giving more of it a try.

   RATING: ★★★★

I liked this one a lot and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA, contemporary, chick lit, or just saw these movies and enjoyed them. They are cute and fun and enlightening and address difficult subjects in an easy way.

Have any of you read this or at least seen the movies? Do you agree or disagree with the point I've made? Love hearing from you guys!

A.

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

ISBN: 9780373210268
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: April, 2011
Series: The Goddess Test Series #1
Page count: 304 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

"It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

If she fails..."

REVIEW:

     WHAT I LIKED:

• This book gripped me emotionally within the first 10 pages and I was hooked.
• Carter's writing is beautiful. I read a few reviews on this one saying her writing was elementary and too simple. I thought it was more along the lines of straightforward and I connected very well with the story.
• I liked that though Kate was "broken", she was the stronger one in this story - emotionally, I mean. Henry was the vulnerable and wounded one though many feared him. It's nice to see a female character who pursues a man (one that isn't a cheating, lying asshole - cause girls pursue guys all the time. Just not the right ones.)
• This book was based around Greek mythology, but I connected to the characters as separate people, as humans, not just Gods and Goddesses.
• I also saw a few reviews saying that none of the characters acted like their godly counterparts and they couldn't tell who was who. I beg to differ - I knew James, Ava, Diana and Phillip immediately, and only had to look in the back to verify or check for a few of them. Though that may be because I spent so much time researching while reading the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.
• Henry's attitude toward Kate. I know, I know, shouldn't I hate him because I feel bad for Kate? For some reason, it seems realistic to me and that's what made me like it - not necessarily the pain or heartache between them or whatever. Do you know how many people out there spend their lives with one person while very well knowing that there was once a person they loved much more? Its sad and horrible, but I think some of you may know I dig the difficult subjects and things that tug at my heartstrings, such as not-quite-requited love.
• Unpredictable but not in a bad way. I was able to tell who was who and I wasn't so confused by the God/Goddess thing that I couldn't keep up, but there was still the element of mystery. I'm usually good at figuring out whodunit long before the book is over, but this one kept me guessing almost until the very end.

     WHAT I DIDNT LIKE:

• Kate was just all of a sudden okay with leaving her whole life behind to live with Hades, and though she recognized that it was crazy, she kind of just went along with it. It didn't seem totally realistic.
• I was confused throughout the whole book as to whether the characters that I knew to be Gods and Goddesses also knew who they were. I had a sneaking suspicion that things would end up the way they did, but it was confusing trying to figure it out throughout the book.
• I did lose a bit of my connection in a small part in the middle of the book, mainly when Kate is studying and the weeks are skipping by as she spent time with Henry. I think the book could've been a little longer and Carter could've spent more time on showing HOW Kate and Henry connected and ended up at the point they did.
• I don't like the way the book ended in that James told Kate that things would "be different" between her and Henry, James, friends, etc. I know that they get to act like Gods/Goddesses now, but I liked them as they were!
• The seven deadly sins thing - I think it was cool and clever - just weird when mixed with the whole Greek mythology thing. It almost didn't fit.
• I didn't like the concept of the Underworld in this book as compared to the "real myth" if that makes any sense. Though, in theory, I like the idea of the "real" afterlife being so open to interpretation, I like my mythology to be pretty straightforward, and I think I accepted enough deviation with the Gods/Goddesses being so different to begin with. I'm not sure why but that aspect kind of ticked me off.

SUMMARY:

I can honestly say I cried from like page 1 to page 50 consistently, and if I hadn't been sitting in front of a couple of my fiancé's co-workers when I finished this book, I would've been crying also. It gripped me right from the beginning with the impending loss of her mother and kept me hooked most of the time with her growing relationship with Henry.

I would also like to give a whopping THANK YOU to Rick Riordan, the author of the Percy Jackson series for introducing and so accurately teaching me about Greek mythology. I wouldn't have understood this book so well if I didn't know what the hell was going on, and though I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't know anything, I was pleased. I didn't like the weird changes to the Underworld as described by Henry, but I liked the story of what happened to Persephone as it was a believable continuation to what the myth says happened.

There were some things that annoyed me but I couldn't put this one down and I was rooting for Kate and Henry the whole time, hoping Kate could be the one to heal him. Damn you Persephone! All in all, this was a great read and I really want to read the next one to see what happens with Kate and Henry.


RATING: ★★★★

I enjoyed this story very much and I cant wait to read the next one. I would recommend this to any one who likes YA fiction or unique retellings of Greek mythology or any mythology at all, really. Great read!

Have any of you read this? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree with my opinion?

A.

Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn

ISBN: 9781423139935
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Release date: March, 2013
Series: Stand alone
Page count: 288 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. 

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses. 

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? 

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

REVIEW:

**I'm actually going to try a different review method to try and shorten things up so you all don't have to read my ramblings that you probably don't care about. Please let me know what style you prefer or think works better, be it the bullet points or my long (though in-depth) reviews**

     WHAT I LIKED:

• It was a cute, fun read with lots of wit and sarcasm.
• The pig thing - just adorable! I actually hated the pig idea in the beginning, but it turns out the pig, though she didn't have a huge part, ended up being on of my favorite parts/characters.
• This book didn't drag on or linger on unnecessary parts of the story. It was a short, swift read with lots of silly, quirky fun.
• There wasn't a horrible insta-love. Maybe an "insta-like", but the story didn't end with a "I've known you for a week, lets be together forever," thank GOD!
• The potioning was interesting, and though I would've liked to know more about it, it was pretty bad ass that Kyra was a "master potioner."

     WHAT I DIDNT LIKE:

• The writing was very simple. I know this is a young adult novel, but it feels like a book that was more meant for children rather than teens/young adults - you know, except for the parts that seemed borderline adult or sexual!! I'm not even going to bother elaborating, just know that some of it seemed too adult for the context the book was written in and it was almost uncomfortable. Super weird. In any event, the writing wasn't bad, don't get me wrong, but not great.
• "Major revelations" in the story came out of  nowhere and seemed out of place or not explained very well.
• The world building was sort of... non-existent. I didn't understand the Kingdom of Mohr at all, and sort of going along with the major events being out of place, it just seemed poorly put together.
• It was more silly than I found acceptable. I thought it was a little too lighthearted in spots that it should've been just a bit more serious, considering the lives of the entire kingdom were at stake!!!! I don't know - that just annoyed me immensely!
• I was almost a little bored by it at times and found myself only reading dialogue or skimming over parts that didn't seem important.
• It was supposed to be set in what seemed like a historical time of some sort, but other than the absence of cell phones and skinny jeans, it seemed a little modern... or at least not "historical" enough.

SUMMARY:

I saw a lot of 4 and 5 star ratings for this book, and I read a few of them, and the readers/reviewers liked the same things I liked, but maybe didn't dislike the same things I disliked and saw fit to give a 4/5 star rating. I initially picked this book up because of the higher ratings and (I regret to admit) because I noticed the author had passed away before her book hit the shelves and I thought it would've been nice to support her and the family even after her passing. It seemed like a cute, fun read and I liked the cover art.

I almost feel bad about the fact that I didn't really like this book. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my cup of tea. But I don't think I should say I like a book simply because the author was taken from the world too soon. I think a true artist such as herself would appreciate constructive criticism. I think I'm just trying to make myself better. So end of explanations and excuses. I simply didn't love it.

All in all, I didn't love this book, and I am pretty glad it was short, and though I liked that it was a change from what I usually read (dark, painful dystopian novels), it just wasn't for me. I didn't necessarily dislike it, but I definitely cant say I liked it either.

RATING:  ★★ 1/2
Two and a half stars, because as I stated before, I'm sort of in between not liking it, and liking it enough for a three star rating. I'm glad I got to read it and experience it for myself, but it seems like I'm a fan of the slightly more serious YA novels, and this book helped me to figure that out.

I'd recommend this to anyone who might enjoy a fantasy book that is more geared toward adolescents and enjoys silly, fun storylines with not much death and doom involved.

Have any of you read this? I'm expecting an onslaught of criticism for my almost-dislike of the book. Go ahead, tell me what you really think, I'm open! Am I being too harsh, or do you agree with me?

A.

P.S. I know I tried to shorten up my review but it doesn't seem like I did, haha. Maybe just simplified my ramblings by adding bullet points? Well anyhow, what do you think as compared to my last review? Please be honest!
 

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

ISBN: 9780312642969
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release date: February, 2013
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2
Page count: 452 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

"Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner."

IN-DEPTH REVIEW:

I usually take notes while I read books, because lets be real, can you always remember what happens throughout the whole 400+ pages of the books you read? Most likely the answer is no. Or a lot of times for me, I will hate/love a book in the beginning and then feel the exact opposite at the end and its hard for me to remember why I felt a different way 400 pages ago.

What I'm trying to say is that for some reason, I only have about four lines of notes on this book so I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts on the book in its entirety into words. It took me three long weeks to read this. I dont want to be unfair, though, because the main reason it took me so long is that I have been very distracted with my recent engagement and I've been obsessed with all things weddings ever since. I finally finished Scarlet at work today, then OF COURSE I found myself wishing it didnt end.

As I stated before in my review of Cinder, Meyer's writing is fantastic. Not once did I encounter awkward wording or things I couldnt picture in my head or understand based on the way it was written. It came alive and I connected with the story, felt like I was with Scarlet and Cinder on their adventures.

I do have to say that I don't think I connected as much with Scarlet as I did with Cinder, and it was throughout the first half of the book that I found myself just reading about Scarlet and hoping and hoping for more about Cinder. I just felt like Scarlet's story took too long to develop into an actual adventure to save her grandmother. Then the romance started between Scarlet and Wolf, the mystery "Loyal Soldier to the Order of the Pack" with the sexaayyy eyes. Yeah, uh, boo to you Wolf, for all of that! I wont say more for fear of spoilage. But keep in mind that at one point, I wasnt sure if Wolf was gonna pull through as a good guy for this one.

Anyhow, I hate to be the girl who didnt like the book until the characters made kissy faces at eachother, and I do feel like the actual romance was a little much, but it still finally made things more than just mildly interesting. Needless to say, by the end of this book my heart ached for the two of them and I hated Wolf no more!

Cinder is my absolute favorite, her sarcasm, wit, badass-ed-ness, I just love it all, and with the long stretches of several chapters about Scarlet, I wanted to yell at the book and ask Cinder to come back. I once again loved the charming and clever way Meyer added the original fairytale of Little Red Riding hood into the story without being boring and still making it absolutely different. Also, I have a lot of questions about Thorne Carswell. He's gotta have something going for him, right? I mean, did he only serve the purpose of the "lumberjack" that saves Red Riding Hood aka Scarlet, or is he gonna be matched up with the chick from the next book? Like, what's his deal? You know authors dont waste attractive and funny character on secondary spots.

I really dont have much more to say about this book because I already love the series. It is so fresh and unique and so unlike any other dystopian out there, and I am sad that I will have to wait until next year (I mean come on, REALLY?!) to read the next one.

SUMMARY OF MY THOUGHTS:

Not suprised to have loved this one. Certain parts moved a little slower for me at first and I didnt connect as easily with the new characters, but by the middle of the book everything moved much quicker and I loved the new characters (almost) as much as I love Cinder, Kai and Iko! I would recommend this book (or the series itself) to dystopian lovers who are getting tired of the same old stuff. This is a fantastic and unique retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and I cant wait for the next to be released next year.

RATING:  ★★★★ 

I give this second installment of the Lunar Chronicles four stars because I loved it and the only thing that made it a little below amazing was that the first half was a little slow.

Have any of you read Scarlet by Marissa Meyer? If so, do you agree or disagree with my review? If not, do you plan on reading it? Love hearing what you all think

A.

Mini-Reviews: Delirium Stories: Hana, Annabel & Raven by Lauren Oliver

ISBN: 9780062267788
Publisher: HarperCollins
Released: March 2013
Series: Delirium Trilogy (#0.5, #1.5, #2.5)

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

Hana is told through the perspective of Lena's best friend, Hana Tate. Set during the tumultuous summer before Lena and Hana are supposed to be cured, this story is a poignant and revealing look at a moment when the girls' paths diverge and their futures are altered forever.

Lena's mother, Annabel, has always been a mystery--a ghost from Lena's past--until now. Her journey from teenage runaway to prisoner of the state is a taut, gripping narrative that expands the Delirium world and illuminates events--and Lena--through a new point of view.

And as the passionate, fierce leader of a rebel group in the Wilds, Raven plays an integral role in the resistance effort and comes into Lena's life at a crucial time. Crackling with intensity, Raven is a brilliant story told in the voice of one of the strongest and most tenacious characters in the Delirium world.

MINI-REVIEWS:

     HANA (#0.5): ★★★★
     I felt very comfortable reading Hana, since Requiem was half-told in her POV. I'm glad I read this (and all of them) short story after reading the trilogy instead of before them or in between each one. Its interesting to look back, knowing what you know, you can see all of the little secrets and surprises Oliver gave us, such as the fate of several background characters in Delirium. One thing that I keep thinking is that I never felt any connection with Hana in Delirium. She was totally flat - but so were all of the characters in my opinion in the first book. But in Requiem and Hana, even though she was not a GOOD person, she finally did something and meant something, and I think it was good that she had her own story and a chance for us to know what was going on on the other side. The end of her story is especially powerful, where you can feel the ugly feelings Hana feels pulsing through the pages. Though the story was just a way for readers to hold on a little longer, I still loved it. Great job, Lauren, and thanks for the wonderful story!

     ANNABEL (#1.5): ★★★★
     From the very first page of this story, it was exactly what I was hoping for. An insight into Annabel's life before Lena. Not because I particularly cared but because it also gave an insight into what the world was like when the cure came about, which I find very interesting. I also like how Oliver used the "then" and "now" chapters like she did in Pandemonium. This is also a short story that doesn't move the trilogy forward in any way, but it gives insight to the mystery woman missing from Lena's life for so long. This story mostly served to make me sad, and feel pity and heartache for Annabel, a woman who loved deeply and couldn't be loved back, not the way she deserved. Annabel also made me wonder: Oliver talks about how the cure wasn't mandatory in the earlier days and and people "flocked to it." You tend to wonder if that would happen in real life. If they all of a sudden offered us a way out of the pain, the hurt, the feeling, would people do it?. I think people would do it. I honestly do. Hell, I might even think about it if something like that were to ever happen. But I guess you don't know what you have until it is gone, including the freedom to love. Again, though this one didn't do anything for the story itself, it was a great addition and added some depth to an otherwise static character.

     RAVEN (#2.5): ★★★★★
     Raven was just what I expected - sassy and sarcastic right from the beginning. Straightforward and to the point, just like the star of this short story. One thing I have to say after reading this short story is that Oliver is an amazing writer. I mean, I knew this, but this just cements it. Many times, an author has one voice and tells different stories from different POVs with the same voice. This is not the case with Lauren Oliver. You can always tell the difference between who is speaking at any given time, especially with Raven because she is such a strong character. I was engrossed in this story, having just read the final installment in the trilogy. The way Oliver ties everything together with this last short story.... I cant even explain to you the emotions going through me while reading this last story. I wanted to laugh, cry, hit something, hug someone. All of it.
I remember reading a few reviews about the ending of Requiem and how Oliver left some readers feeling bereft, empty. I beg to differ. I read Requiem and I was not thrilled with the ending, but I got through it okay. After reading Raven, I'm done. Emotionally DONE. I now feel EMPTY. I literally just want to lay down and cry. I wish I could go into more detail because there is so much more I want to say. Even thinking about it right now makes my heart literally ache in my chest, and I almost cant take it. This short story was slightly more beneficial to the trilogy and helped with learning about where Raven came from, why she was the way she was, and learning about the beautiful love she shared with Tack that we don't learn too much about in the main books.

Thank you Lauren Oliver for a few GREAT ADDITIONS to a fantastic trilogy.

Oh, but there is a bonus:

     ALEX:
     We wont rate this story on a star system because it was an addition to Requiem only in the first printings and it was 10-15 pages long at best (I don't know exactly). All I can say is that this little addition shows why Alex was acting that way when he returned in Requiem. Also, I think this story helped me understand Delirium a little better. I never felt a connection with Lena and Alex in Delirium and I think its because Delirium didn't give me enough to go on. I felt like I never got a chance to see WHY Lena loved Alex so much. This story showed me their relationship in a new way that I can appreciate and maybe I can see why some people are on Team Alex and not on Team Julian. I'm not changing my mind though. But....maybe Alex isnt all bad.

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★ 1/2
Thank you Lauren Oliver for an amazing ride!! I might not have loved Delirium that much but after reading the rest of the trilogy and these wonderful add-ons, I am sad to say goodbye. Though I felt the first two stories didn't serve much purpose, they were still a great way to add some depth to the characters that held some mysteries.

Have any of you read these? What did you think?

A.