My Favorite Books of 2013!

It's the last day of 2013 and in Louisiana we only have about 1 hour and 45 minutes until 2014 officially begins. I'm very excited for 2014! I'm looking forward to moving forward with my life and to all the things 2014 has to offer. I'm also very excited for the books that are coming out, especially one book that made my favorites list that I finished today!

I saw so many great posts about wrapping up the year and I'm not that original when it comes to creatively drawing attention to my blog my participating in tons of questions. They looked fun, but I would have cheated on them and made an entirely long post that no one would've bothered to read. So without further ado, here are my favorites of 2013. I listed done my favorites books and I've come up with 25 books that I really want to get more people to read. I'll leave links to my review of the book if my small comments peek your interest.

25.
Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon surprised me by being an incredibly awesome book with an interesting plot and dinosaurs! How could you pass up an offer like that in a book?! My review
24.
Insomnia by J.R. Johansson is  about a boy who enters the dreams of the last person he touched that day and it's causing him to die. I thought it was a really awesome concept! While I loved it, others not so much, but it's an acquired taste. Yes, the main character becomes a stalker, but it's a psychological thriller and if he hadn't become truly crazy it wouldn't have been believable. My review
23.
Night by Elie Wiesel was my first memoir and first ever school read that I enjoyed. Elie's tale of the horrors in Auschwitz broke my heart and made me weep for humanity and the cruelty that people can so easily inflict on one another. I hold this book dear to my heart as a reminder of the horrors that can happen so easily occur and I can't stress enough how important it is to read this book to fully understand the impact of the Holocaust and its victims. My review
22.
17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma is a haunting account of a girl obsessed with the missing girls that has a shocking revelation at the end. I adore Suma's writing. Imaginary Girls was beautiful and I was so happy to have won an ARC of 17 & Gone. It's a truly haunting book. My review
21.
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton comes out March 25, 2014 and I suggest marking your calenders! I was truly captivated by the lives of the Roux women and I can't wait to write my review and share it with you guys. It's an amazing story that has an air of beauty and sorrowfulness around it that fits the title perfectly.
20.
Shadows by Paula Weston was an awesome kickass angel story written by an Aussie. How could it not be awesome!? An Rafa stole my heart.♥ My review
19.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater was a book I would've never expected to find on my favorites list. I started this book in 7th grade and left it abandoned halfway through, not because I hated it or was bored, but because I was distracted. Earlier on this year or maybe it was late last year I promised the lovely Wendy Darling over at The Midnight Garden that I would read and finish Shiver by 16th birthday. And I did! It was so good! I adored it and Sam slowly stole my heart and just... it was such a beautiful story and it had one of the most beautifully done endings. Review to come soon!
18.
Darkhouse by Karina Halle was a deliciously spooky story and I adored Perry's attitude and Dex slowly got my attention and I'm hungering for more of him. I'll be reading Red Fox soon and I can't wait! My review
17.
Gated by Amy Christine Parker is about an occult! It's so awesome and heart stopping. I was thrilled and had an adrenaline book rush. I'm not sure if I want a sequel, but I'll definitely read it! My review
16.
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta was my favorite Marchetta book I read out of the two I read during the summer and it was a truly beautiful tale of a broken Australian family. I was so captivated by Marchetta's beautiful style and Tom and his aunt, Georgie, were an interesting duo. My review
15.
Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi was the point of Warner, the villain of Shatter Me, and OH MY GOD! Can I say swoon? Warner had my insides in a twist and my heart-aching for him. I love him and Juliette doesn't want him I'll take him! My review
14.
Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh was my first book of 2013 and it didn't disappoint, but it was also a very dark tale and it's the fourth book in the Guild Hunter series. I don't suggest reading it out of order, but since this is a different character from the first three books it wouldn't affect it too much, but you would be confused. Dmitri's tale was truly dark and horrifying and this book left me emotionally cripple for a few days. My review
13.
Fearscape by Nenia Campbell was a horrifying look at a girl who falls in love with the worst kind of guy... a psycho. It was horrifying and captivating. Nenia can write gold (and she's awesome!). I can't wait to start Horrorscape! My review
12.
Catching Fire & Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and all I can say I know what took me so long to complete this amazing trilogy. Well, fear my friends. I have a fear of finish good series. I finished Vampire Academy and I hate that I did even though I adore it, but it wouldn't be the same if I returned to the world. I have gotten over this fear and I finished Catching Fire before I went see it for the opening (the movie was amazing) and then divided right into Mockingjay. I will write reviews for these as soon as possible!
11.
Divergent by Veronica Roth was my favorite school assignment ever! I'm so in love with Tobias and this awesome world. I can't wait to read Insurgent and Allegiant (even though I know what happens). My review
10.
This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers was a horrifying tale of deciding whether to live or die in the zombie apocalypse. Summers is one of my favorite writers and she is just a captivating and beautiful writer. My review
9.
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma was one of the most heartbreaking stories I've ever encountered. You thought Flowers in the Attic was messed up with incest, well this was worse and I wanted Lochan and Maya to be together no matter how wrong it was. My review
8.
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost was so kickass and Bones. Bones. I love Bones! I want him and I need him. My review
7.
Just One Day by Gayle Forman was just so good. There's no other way to describe a Forman book. She's a truly amazing writer and I become Allyson for the short while that Just One Day captivated. Williem, you and I will meet when I get my hands on Just One Year. My review
6.
Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas I'm not sure what to say. I loved this book so much and I shouldn't because the subject matter is disturbing and sick, but I like Emily couldn't live without my Comfort Food and my need to find out what happened to her and her sick kidnapper. My review
5. 
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky was a book almost a book I never read and I'm glad I did because it was beautiful and can I just say that it is also one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen. My review
4.
The Devil's Metal by Karina Halle was a true rock-n-roll tale and I devoured it. Plus, TDM is scary af. Sage, you are my rock book God. My review
3.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green was another book I was late to getting to, but Augustus you broke me. If asked if you should read this? I say most definitely. I do, Augustus. I do. My review
2.
Obsidian, Onyx, and Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout is one of the best YA series I've read. I adore it and Opal has left me broken and screaming inside. Thanks, Armentrout. My (Obsidian) review (Onyx)
1.
The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead is amazing and I love Adrian and Sydrian is almost as amazing as Romitri. I love Bloodlines so much!Just read these books they are amazing! My review

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

4 stars
Sloane Emily Jacobs used to be the best figure skater her age and then she choked and suffered an injury that’s crippled her career. Her mom is gunning for a comeback and shipping her from the ever watching eye of paparazzi in Washington, D.C. to a camp in Canada. Sloane Devon Jacobs is an ice hockey player who has had one too many penalties. After a coach threatens to bench her next season, her dad decides that she has one last chance at redeeming herself and he’s already talked to the coach. She finds herself shipped off to Canada and with bags that have her name on them but are way too fancy to be born. When the two Sloanes meet Sloane Emily proposes they switch places and it just might be what they need.





The main female characters, Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon, are both strong characters that have a presence. Both of their POVs are entrancing and the worlds of ice hockey and figure skating are done wonderfully. As a child I went through a brief obsession with figure skating and loved to watch the competitions during the Olympics or whenever they were on TV. Sloane Emily’s transformation from broken, figure skater who does things to please her parents to someone who finally does what she wants and needs were well done. Sloane Devon’s transformation from rebel with extreme anger problems to someone who can take a breath and let things go. Both Sloanes have a lot of family problems and they were touched on perfectly. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of both girls and they went from being people who were handicapped by personal problems to people who were able to cope with their problems and embrace them knowing that they would get better.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: Sloane Emily- 8 Sloane Devon- 8

The main male characters are Matt and Nando. Matt and Sloane Emily got off to a bit of a rocky start and I loved it! Their small budding romance was my favorite of the two. It was so sweet and I could feel the chemistry between Sloane and Matt. Sloane Devon and Nando’s romance wasn’t as captivating, but it was still sweet. I honestly don’t think Sloane Devon’s story needed to have a romance part in it. I do like Nando and Sloane and Nando knew each other as children, so it wasn’t completely random, but I feel like it just wasn’t necessary.


Swoon Worthy Scale: Matt- 8 Nando- 7.5
The Villain- There wasn’t really a villain. Just more of a girl who enjoyed ruining Sloane Devon’s life when thinking she was Sloane Emily. It was actually interesting. The drama was melodramatic, but interesting nonetheless.


Villain Scale: 6

I really liked Sloane Devon’s skating partner and their friendship was funny and light. (I forgot his name since I read this book in November. Oops!) I also like the characters that Sloane Emily had to face like her roommate who didn’t like her and the college scout dropping by. Everything was interesting and it flowed well.


Character Scale: 8

Being Sloane Jacobs was a fun story with a fun swap and great character growth. It was never a dull moment when reading and I’m definitely going to check out Morrill’s other works.


Cover Thoughts: I adore the cover! It’s cute and fun and the colors are just so perfect. It’s what made me want to read it!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

P.S. It was my bday yesterday and I'm officially 16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cat Calls by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cat Calls by Cynthia Leitich Smith

2.5 stars

Tiffany works at a carnival. Her grandmother is a fortune teller and she's leaving Tiffany on her to discover what she's capable of. Of course, fortune telling may not be the only thing in Tiffany's future. Well this one was rather a let down. Of course, I wasn't expecting much from something so short, but this one was just... weird. I don't mean the concept was weird. No the writing was completely weird. It felt stilled and forced. Just off. It made the story very un-enjoyable. I also had the strangest sense of deja vu when reading. It was just strangely similar to a short story I read in Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction. At least at first it was and then it went in a good direction. I think this would've been better if it was longer and had more depth. More time to really flesh out and create a solid short story or novella.


The main female character is Tiffany. I don't really like her all that much. She calls herself a flirt and does stupid things to mess with the guys at the carnival. It's just weird and I don't think it really needed to be mentioned at all. I wanted to see where the story with her grandmother and father could've went. There was room at the end to have an explanation at some point by her grandmother about who her father was. Really Tiffany was just so underdeveloped that she didn't know who she was or where she came from and since it wasn't touched on, it made Tiffany seem like more a placeholder than an actual character.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 5

Then there was just some random guy who looked like a cowboy named Trevor. He, like Tiffany, had a lot of potential of character development if this would've been longer.

Swoon Worthy Scale: 5

The Villain- 

If you've read the story this makes total sense.

Villain Scale: 0

So overall it's a quick and easy read. It's free on Kindle Amazon and if you (like me) want to hurry up and complete your 2013 reading challenge this is a quick read that is under 30 minutes.


Cover Thoughts: It's simple and nothing special. Just a basic black cover with the title.

Shadows by Paula Weston

Shadows by Paula Weston

First in The Rephaim series

4.5 stars
Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die in a car accident a year ago. She’s moved to a new town, but she can’t escape her grief or the strange a violent dreams featuring an incredibly handsome guy. One night at bar with her friend she meets Rafa, the boy from her dreams and he claims to have known her brother. Meeting Rafa unlocks all kinds of secrets and Gaby is feeling left in the dark in her own life. What is she and what happened the night she almost died and her brother did? I went into with pretty high hopes. Not exceedingly high because angel books can be tricky. They can either be great, good, or horribly bad. Shadows was pretty excellent. It’s never a dull moment in the uncovering of Gaby’s past and who she is. The writing was captivating and the story entertaining. One thing that is extremely disconcerting is the amount of angel information. I wouldn’t call it info-dumping because it wasn’t that bad, but there is a lot of information to take in about angels and their background. My brain was slightly overwhelmed.


The main female character is Gaby. I immediately loved Gaby. She was awesome in all the right ways and then all of sudden she just kept making stupid decision after another. When a hot guy shows up at your door claiming to have your best friend, why would you happily go with him? In what world is that a good idea? Really Gaby went from having common sense to being an idiot in a small time period. She does eventually collect her marbles and isn’t as much of an impulsive idiot. By the end of the book I liked her again, but I don’t appreciate the writer making Gaby a sudden poor judge of character. Gaby isn’t the best judge of character because people seem to house a thousand secrets, but it seemed like Weston purposely changed Gaby’s personality to fit the story and that’s not okay. At least she can handle herself in a fight.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 8.5

The main male character is Rafa. At first Rafa seems like a jerk at first, but I quite adored him. By the end of the book he stole my heart. Rafa doesn’t pressure Gaby and he’s quite the gentleman. He can be a jerk, but he’s a jerk with sweet moments. I hate how he keeps secrets though, but I understand why he keeps them in some weird way. I look forward to seeing more of him.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 9

The Villain- I actually like where Shadows went with the villain(s). It wasn’t shocking, but it fit well to the story. It made the battle scene awesome. It wasn’t a boring scene to read about in the least.


Villain Scale: 8

Maggie is a really good friend to Gaby. I didn’t like her a lot because I feel like she wasn’t developed enough for me to like her, but she was a good friend to Gaby. Jason, Maggie’s boyfriend, was someone who I called out for having more secrets than being truthful. He was sketchy. Of course, he turned out not be what I thought he was and I like the shocking revelation he brought to the ending. Simon is a bartender that has a thing for Gaby and I wish he would just go away. He is just such an annoying character. He tries to be the hero and it just makes me want to throw him to the hellions. I don’t like Daniel or really any of the angels from Sanctuary.


Character Scale: 8

Shadows has faults, but they aren’t extreme and they are easily overlooked. Overall Shadows was a really good read and I can’t wait to read the sequel!


Cover Thoughts: I love the cover. I think it’s brilliantly done and the wings have a really good effect of being not completely there (much like Gaby’s angelic abilities).

Thank you, Netgalley and Tundra Books for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Merry Christmas & a Christmasy Post!

Merry Christmas, my lovely followers! I was going to write a review and I'll probably post one tonight, but I thought I would do Christmas post in the spirit of Christmas.

Things I love about Christmas:
 Candy canes

I love colorful candy canes. I don't like peppermint very much and the sweeter the candy cane the better!

Food
 
I love holiday dinners. They are the best and they always leave me feeling like I ate a whole turkey even if I've only had a bit.

Presents

Who doesn't love getting gifts? I love getting them, giving them, and even wrapping them.

Movies


 
I love holiday movies, even if they are terrible.

Family
Nothing is better or more important to me than spending time with family and I spent a wonderful day with them and it made me appreciate them even more.

I'm so very grateful for all the fantabulous things I've encountered this year. Thank you for following me, commenting, and reading my posts and reviews. You guys are the best present a blogger could ask for (besides more books;)).

Merry Christmas! 

Red Riding Hood by Lydia L. Very

Hi, guys! Sorry for my absence. I had computer problems and midterms! I'm so excited that Christmas break is here! So many things to look forward to! I'm so happy to be back and I will go back to stalking the blogosphere.:)



Red Riding Hood by Lydia L. Very

3 stars

Everyone knows the tale of Red Riding Hood. It is a story my mom used to read before bed and it was one of my favorites. There are many different variations and retellings of this famous fairy tale. I have read many and seen many films based on it. Red Riding Hood is a childhood favorite and I like retellings. This is a really short story and it took me under twenty minutes to read. I wouldn’t call this retelling a story; it’s more of a poem. Well, actually it is a poem. I quite like it. The writing flows nicely and it doesn’t feel choppy like some poems do.


“The tall old trees above them
Their winter fire supplied
When Autumn’s flaming sunsets
From their red leaves had died.”

I particularly like this quote. It’s all very well written. There are a few grammatical errors that wouldn’t have bothered me if they weren’t such elementary mistakes. I stress that writers and editors should know the difference between bye and by and faggot and fagot.


Red Riding Hood is quite naïve. She is the representation of every child. One who listens to their mother, does good deeds, and doesn’t question the world.
“And beautiful as good,
With daily acts of kindness,
Little Red Riding Hood.”
Red Riding isn’t the smartest child in the world and she is all too trusting of people, but I like the simplicity of her character and her representation of all children.


The wolf is quite creepy. He probably wouldn’t have bothered me if he hadn’t said, “Take off your clothes my darling.” (Of course, Red Riding Hood does.) I don’t really care what he represents other than the fact that he creeped me out and I wouldn’t have stuck around long enough to take off my clothes.


“And she said the fright had taught her
To mind her mother dear.
Then listen, all ye children,
And mind you mother’s word!
For the great WOLF, men call EVIL
Is prowling round unheard!”


I think I’ll listen to my mother more often.

Book Blogger TMI Tag

I've never participated in a tag before and I've wanted to for a while. Summer from Miss Fictional's World of YA Books tagged me (and her blog is amazing so follow it!).

How old are you?

I'm almost 16! Whoo! I'll be sixteen on December 29th and I can't wait!

What book are you reading?

 

I'm one of those weird people that multi-read. I recently picked up the habit last year when I was balancing an adult book and a YA book at the same time. I prefer to read more than one book at once now. I'm currently reading:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (pleasure read)

Shadows by Paula Weston (for review)

Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie (random Kindle read)

What are you wearing?

I'm wearing pajamas because I'm lazy and didn't do anything for Thanksgiving, but stay home and eat.:D

OTP?

Dimitri Belikov and Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy series. I love them so much and I can't wait to see them on the big screen.

Blogger or Wordpress?

I use Blogger.

Going outside being active or staying in and reading a book?

I prefer to read, but I do enjoy reading outside as well.;)

What is the last book you read?

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. I'll be posting a review of it soon. By soon, I mean whenever I finish my backlog reviews or when I finish Mockingjay, whichever comes first.

What is the book you're going to read next?

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I made a promise to a reviewer last year to read it before my sixteenth birthday. I started it in seventh grade and read half of it in one sitting then didn't pick it up again because I'm lazy.

eBooks - yes or no?

Yes! I love them. I have a free Kindle download addiction. I download anything that's free.

Where do you prefer to read?

In my bed.

Who is the last person you tweeted?

I don't know and I'm too lazy to look.

Whose blog did you look at last?

Once again, I'm too lazy to look. Technically Summer's who I linked above. So look at her blog, too.:)

Who is your favorite blogger?

Kat from Cuddlebuggery. She always makes me laugh and I love a lot of reviewers, but she's the one to always bring a smile to my face.

Who is your favorite booktuber?

CassJayTuck. I don't remember when I stumbled upon her, but she always has the funniest comments and she's just awesome.

What do you do when someone tells you reading is boring?

I hit them. Just ask my best friend. He gets beat up almost every morning on the way to Spanish class.:3

Who is the last author you spoke to?

Courtney Summers via Twitter. It was a life changing moment. I love that woman.

Who is the last person you texted?

 

My best friends. We love to group text.:D

Who is your all-time favorite book character?

This is a tough one... I don't know. I don't know. Don't make me choose. I can't do it. I can't choose.

UKYA or USYA?

I don't read a lot of UK YA, but it is always good. US YA has a lot of flop writers. So, UKYA.

What is your preferred drink whilst reading?

Dr. Pepper. I'm insanely unhealthy person.

If you hated reading, what would you be doing instead?

Color guard all day everyday. I already do that, but reading is what I do when I'm not doing color guard.

How many bookshelves/bookcases do you have?

One. I'm hopefully going to build some when I get to redo my room!

If you had the choice to meet all of your favourite book bloggers or all of your favourite authors, which would you pick? You can only pick one.

I think book bloggers because then I can make friends in person.:) I love friends in person!

Insta-love- yes or no?
 

Kill it with fire!

Favourite author?

Richelle Mead for YA and Sherrilyn Kenyon for the adult books.:D

What is the number-one book on your wishlist?

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead. I haven't bought it yet and I need it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you prefer books with female or male protagonists?
 

I like both. I actually prefer alternating POVs with male and female characters.

Which is your favourite book-to-film adaption?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I don't need to say anything else. I love the book and I adore the movie to bits.

What is the last song you listened to?
 

Until the End by Asking Alexandria I love them so much. Like I can't even describe how much I adore that band. Danny and Ben are just perf.

Which do you enjoy reading more - negative reviews or positive reviews?
 

Negative because I can rage and put gifs. Positive reviews are hard because it's just fangirling.

Who are you going to tag?
I'm tagging:

Stephanie at Inspiring Insomnia

Keertana at Ivy Book Bindings

Lectus at Lectus

Delaney at The Awarkdness

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

5 stars
Thomas Mackee has been handed a rough life the last few years. He’s lost his uncle and watched his family slowly fall apart. Tom quit school, stopped playing music, and left behind everyone that mattered to him. Tom has hit rock bottom and his pregnant aunt comes in to pick up Tom and force him to get back on his feet. I’m not really sure how to describe The Piper’s Son. I loved it so much more than Jellicoe Road. This is probably blasphemous in the book community, but The Piper’s Son stole my heart. I haven’t read Saving Francesca and didn’t realize that it was a spin-off of sorts. As I got to know the workers of the Union pub, I realized how I definitely need to pick it up. Too bad I came to that conclusion in July and haven’t picked up a Marchetta book since. Oops! I love the alternating points of view in The Piper’s Son. Tom and his aunt Tara were brilliant characters with both equally heartbreaking stories. I enjoyed every minute of the ride. I’m a slow Marchetta reader, but while it took me forever to read Jellicoe Road because I didn’t love it to bits, my slow progression of The Piper’s Son was due to me not want it end.


The main male character is Tom. Tom is an ass. It’s that simple. I hated him with a passion at times, but I loved him as well. Tom is a complex character who had me laughing at his comments of internal dialogue and giggling at his external comebacks. I cried for Tom, too. Tom is a very broken character. He went from being a normal happy teenager to watching his family apart at the death of his beloved uncle. It was truly heartbreaking and I shed a few tears.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 8.5

The main female character is Georgie or Aunt Georgie. I really enjoyed Georgie’s story. Not only does she face the heartbreak and loss of a brother, but the destruction of her own marriage. She finds herself pregnant with her ex’s child. This creates quite a bit of tension between Georgie’s friends and herself. Georgie also must find a way to cope with the hurt her ex inflicted upon her. Georgie was my POV of the story. I’m not sure why, but something about her spoke to me and I sympathized greatly for her.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 9

The Villain- I’ve said this before in a previous review of a contemporary novel, contemporaries rarely have an actual villain. The real villains in most contemporaries are internal and must be faced with looking inside one ’s self. I think it's one of my favorite things about contemporaries, especially The Piper's Son.


Villain Scale: 8

There is such a large array of characters. Each and everyone stole my heart in some way. It was quite easy to feel a part of Tom’s family or a member of the Union bar. I loved that feeling. Not very many books can create that atmosphere for me, but Marchetta did. I loved all the characters. No matter how brief their role was.


Character Scale: 10

This book is truly beautiful. It’s not an intense read, but a read about forgiveness. That seemed to be the biggest role in The Piper’s Son. Tom and Georgie both had to forgive somebody. They both make amends differently, but they do forgive and the Mackees come together. This book made me happy cry for a good while. I truly enjoyed The Piper’s Son and I can’t recommend it enough.


Cover Thoughts: I don’t really the cover I had. It was just… unfitting. The black-and-white cover is my favorite and I wish I had read that one.

See, it’s perfect.



Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!! I'm thankful for all of my lovely followers and the comments you guys leave! Thanks for rocking!:D Hope you have a great day!

The Turing Test by Beth Revis

Read the short story free here!



The Turing Test by Beth Revis


3.5 stars


Elektra Shepherd takes the Turing test to determine if the subjects, Blue or Red, are human or A.I. (robot).  I personally think that if Revis wrote as entertainingly as she did with this short story, I would've immensely enjoyed Across the Universe. My problem with Across the Universe was predictability and Revis's writing lacked in capturing my attention, but this short story is absolutely stunning. It's probably one of the best short stories I've ever read. It's brief, but thought-out and thought provoking. Questions are asked repeatedly throughout that pose interesting possibilities and I loved the ending! I wish the other Revis book I read had been this good, but since I haven't read the other two in the trilogy I have hope that her writing is this entrancing and heart pounding.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

First in the Divergent Trilogy

5 stars

Beatrice Prior lives in Chicago, but her Chicago isn’t like ours. Her Chicago is divided into factions and she resides in Abnegation, the selfless faction. The problem is Beatrice doesn’t feel selfless and she’s always in a constant waging war within herself. The Choosing Ceremony is finally upon her and she can finally make her decision, but her test results come out inconclusive. Instead she learns she’s Divergent and she must keep it a secret if she wants to survive. Especially when she chooses to become Dauntless and she becomes the person she has always wanted to be, but there are traitors and betrayers in every faction and she’s never safe.


What to say about Divergent? I love it and it’s just that simple. I have about twenty pages of notes on everything in Divergent. For once I was completely excited to read a book for school. This book was just so awesome and it was more amazing than I thought it would. The writing while chopping and basic at times was completely engrossing and I was on a whirlwind adventure in the dystopian streets of Chicago. I absolutely love Chicago and having visited it not even a year ago was one of the best trips of my life. It was magical and to see it deteriorate into a shell of itself was captivating. The descriptions of certain places brought back memories and even if slightly different I felt comfort in it.



I’m not sure what to cover and what to say because there is so much I want to say and not enough space or time. I could go on for hours about Divergent and trust me, every other sophomore and I have. This is a book that has become the talk of the school, everyone wants to get their hands on a copy because everyone feels left out when people talk about it. Divergent is the talk of my school. I absolutely adore Divergent and I sped through it when reading. I remember sitting in English class and I was just getting to the famous capture the flag scene and then I would be 80 pages ahead by the end of class. This book is just a fast read, but there are snags. Divergent can get boring at times, but it is just so good at others. I guess I’ll talk about the characters before I move onto other aspects of the book.

The main female character is Beatrice, who later becomes Tris. Tris is such a better name and thank God she changed into something actually cool and not downright silly. I liked Tris for a great portion of the book. I think she’s a strong character, who grew into herself and became her own person, but she’s also a bitch. There was that one scene after [the beating and she refused to forgive Al and even after his suicide was okay with his death. (hide spoiler)] I don’t like that at all. I get she was hurt, but what the hell? You are supposedly ranked into Abnegation (Divergent is Dauntless, Abnegation, and Erudite) and yet you can be a bitch like that. She did redeem herself because I eventually understood where she was coming from, but still. It’s easy to like her, but she also easy to hate.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 8.5

The main male character is Four, which is an incredibly stupid name and I will continue to call him Tobias in this review and the rest of the books. Tobias is just absolutely…


No words can describe my complete fangirling  that I experienced when reading Fourtris parts. He was just so perfect and I loved him. Tobias, if you turn into an ass in the next books I will go Dauntless on your ass.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 9.5

The Villain- RAGE! RAGE everywhere! Pretty much a good portion of the ending was just me feeling angry towards the Erudite and the leaders of Dauntless. They are all stupid idiots and I will personally inject Jeanine with her own control serum.

Villain Scale: 8.5

I love Christina, Will, and Al.  Christina came off as a bit of a bitch at first, but she grows on you and she easily became one of my favorite characters. Will isn't really as present as some of the characters, but I still loved him. Al, poor Al. Uriah is one of my favorite of all the minor characters! He's just so awesome. Caleb, Tris's brother, I can see through his BS and I know that since he's Erudite he shouldn't be trusted. Peter is nothing but trouble, but adding him in at the ending proves for interesting future moments.


Character Scale: 9

I love the idea of the factions. I think it is just absolutely fascinating and it’s interesting to see how easily people will allow be categorized into a group and following them like sheep. It’s incredibly interesting. Candor is obviously my favorite of the factions; because that was my faction I received after the Faction Quiz. It fits me though. I’m always honest and that’s probably why a lot of people don’t like me. Abnegation is the one faction I could not deal with being in. Amity is just there, but I know that they have more presence in the next book. Dauntless was my favorite before the end of the book and Erudite can just go die in a whole. My thoughts aren’t really intelligent at the moment and I’m easily distracted. Think of this review more as my brain throwing up fangirl thoughts, much like how Twilight was written.

I can’t wait to continue reading about Tris, Tobias, and the whole crew. I’m anxious for more! The movie looks like it will be awesome and I just can’t wait!

 

Cover Thoughts: I love the cover! It’s one of my favorite dystopian covers, but I must say that the Allegiant cover is absolutely stunning in comparison.

 
 

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

First in the Burn for Burn series

4 stars

Jar Island seems like the perfect place. It’s a safe little beach town and everyone seems to live a perfectly charmed life. But like every good town there are good girls… and bad ones. Lillia has been hurt by the people she trusted most and she’ll do anything to protect her sister from the same fate. Kat is the poor girl stuck in a rich town where she is the butt of the joke. Tired of her ex-best friend ruining her life she decides to finally teach her a lesson and she’ll need another old friend’s help and a new girl who seems to have more secrets. Mary left Jar Island because of a boy and she’s changed. She wants revenge and she’s finally found a way to get it. I read this book back in August and still when I think of it I’m left in a thought process with a thousand questions. This book was a good book and not just any good book but a good revenge book. I love revenge books. They are always so scandalous and I love the thought process of the hurt getting revenge on the wicked. Of course, in all revenge books the line between good and wicked becomes blurred. It was blurred here, but I’m not gonna lie this book is full of secrets. I enjoyed every single second of it. I went from reading a chapter to reading the whole thing before I went to bed. The drama in this book is delicious and the secrets are overflowing. I loved the alternating points of view. It created suspense and made me want to find out each girl’s secret.


The main female characters are Lillia, Mary, and Kat. Lillia is a huge focus of the novel. She struggles with hurting a friend, but it is later revealed that her revenge on her friend isn’t just for her sister. Lillia is the golden girl and everyone on Jar Island loves her. I don’t particularly like her. She loved her sister, but at the same time she was cruel and downright hateful to her. She made parts of her view frustrating and I wasn’t a fan of how she was constantly changing her mind. Mary was my favorite of the girls. Mary has had it rough. I cried for her after hearing why she left Jar Island and why she was getting revenge. Out of all the girls Mary has been handed the short end of the stick and has went through more heartache than any of them. Kat was the mastermind behind the plans. I really liked her. She was funny and sarcastic, but the thing I liked most about her was that she still missed her old friend, even though she was cruel to her.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: Lillia- 7.5 Mary- 9 Kat-8.5

The main male characters are better left unsaid because they are just jerks. I mean is there something in the air that makes Jar Island boys jerks?


Swoon Worthy Scale: Jerks everywhere!

The Villain- For once, I’m just not going to say anything about the villains because it would give away everything!

Villain Scale: 9

I really liked Lillia’s sister and I wouldn’t mind seeing her POV added in future books.

Character Scale: 8.5

That ending! It was like Carrie all over again, but not as scary. Just thinking about that ending even after reading it months ago has me in an angry pile of questions and screaming. This book was so good! I haven’t gotten my hands on the sequel yet, but I can’t wait to because I’m left with so many questions.


Cover Thoughts: Look at that cover, it’s flawless. The girls just look like they have so many secrets and they actually fit the character descriptions, I love it!

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

4 stars
Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother on the Jellicoe Road when she was eleven. Taylor struggles with depression and is haunted by questions of her mother. Hannah was the person who found her and she’s the closest person she has to family. Then she goes missing and to top it all off, Jonah Griggs is back in town and he’s the last person she wants to see. I started this book in June and finished it at the beginning on July. It almost took me a month to read Jellicoe Road. I’m trying to be honest here, but it’s hard because I’m not a hundred percent sure how I feel about this book. I loved the writing, but I didn’t always love the story. I always felt confused and suffocated with questions, a lot like Taylor. If that was the feeling Marchetta was going for she nailed it, but I don’t particularly like feeling like I’m drowning so it made parts of this book unbearable and frustrating. I know that so many people praise this book, but I’m disappointed by it. I finished this book months ago and I’m just now reviewing. I still don’t know what to say or how to say it, but I’m tired of it staring at me every time I look at my to-review shelf.


The main female character is Taylor. I never really liked Taylor all that much. She was tough for me to like for a good portion of the novel. I did eventually like her, but looking back I still don’t think she was a remarkable character. She does have a few redeeming qualities and she is easier to like towards the middle of the novel, but I personally thought she was too selfish for a good part of the novel. Her selfishness can be justified, but I can’t be bothered to care.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 7
The main male character is Jonah. I liked Jonah quite a bit. I didn’t swoon completely over him, but there were moments when Jonah had me feeling like I was on character cloud-nine. He was what made the story enjoyable when it hit snags.




Swoon Worthy Scale: 8.5

The Villain-
This cat did it. He’s evil. 


Villain Scale: 0
I did enjoy all the supporting characters. They were all funny and all had qualities that made me like reading about them. Not one character in this story was unnecessary. Santangelo and Raffy were my favorites.


Character Scale: 9

This novel can be frustrating. There’s a mystery and questions upon questions about the past and present. While this story had flaws, I did enjoy it. I just wish I would’ve enjoyed it more. The last 45% (around page 180) is where the story picks up and once you get to that point the book becomes much better and it is hard to put it down.




Cover Thoughts: I love the cover. It’s so pretty and different from most covers I usually pick up. It’s way better in person.