This book was super strange. I don't know if was meant to be a thriller, but I can tell you that I never felt any creepiness or suspense at all. And yThis book was super strange. I don't know if was meant to be a thriller, but I can tell you that I never felt any creepiness or suspense at all. And yet, there were super graphic grisly murders throughout the book. It reminded me of an episode of Scooby Doo, but with bloody murders.
[image] Yeah, like that.
The book is all about Alcatraz 2.0 where killers are sent to be killed by serial killers while being filmed and shown on the internet. Everyone is addicted to watching the gore. Our heroine is a teen who was wrongfully convicted of killing her step-sister. Well, who doesn't want to kill their step-sister? I think that even if she was guilty, they should have let her go. Have you ever HAD a step-sister? They are pure evil.
[image] Huh. And, I just learned that step-sisters are slutty too. According to the place where only facts are printed - the internet.
This all sounds like a cool, scary premise, but the problem was that every single character was a bad caricature of OTT villains. The serial killers were all some sort of theme, like: Prince Charming who dresses the girl victims up like Cinderella and kills them Gucci Hangman who uses fashionable, Gucci, ties to hang people Robin Hood who talks in ye old language and shoots them with arrows Gassy Al uses poison gas Hannah Ball cooks people and eats them ...etc...etc... A bunch of "characters" who are more ridiculous than scary, and they are even called "The Painiacs".
[image] Yes, it's as stupid as jazz. And, jazz-hands.
And, the heroine makes a bunch of friends on the island and they are called "The Death Row Breakfast Club" and they are all caricatures too. Plus, the president of the United States is named "The Postman" and he is in charge of this computer show. Nobody has actually seen his face.
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*sigh* On the plus side, if you read it as a silly parody with the bonus of gross murders, you will like it. But, if you are looking for a new Hunger Games - keep on looking.
I both loved and hated this book, so I waffled between giving it one star and five stars, and then I realized I was hungry and ate some waffles which I both loved and hated this book, so I waffled between giving it one star and five stars, and then I realized I was hungry and ate some waffles which made me feel generous and settled on the four. But, if I get cranky again, when my waffles are gone and all that is left is the sticky plate and shame of eating too many waffles, I might go back and bring it down a notch. We'll see...
[image] Okay, maybe I won't be that ashamed if shame is graded on a curve.
So, here's the deal - Holly Black writing Faerie stuff is amazingly awesome. She writes gritty, imaginative, interesting creatures that give us the reason that the Fae were considered scary and not cute. In other words, thanks a lot, Disney, for taking the creepiness out of fairies.
[image] Much better - I like where this one is going. Now, let there be fae revenge from the pixies.
So, the world is amazing. AND we get to have some of the characters from Holly Black's earlier series, Tithe and Ironside. I love Roiben and Kaye.
[image] If you haven't read that series, you really should. It will make this one even better.
The storyline is that we have Jude as our protagonist. She is a human that was raised in Fairie by a Redcap who killed her parents (not a spoiler, it is in the very first pages). The Redcap is the leader of the King's army and raises Jude and her sisters as his own. He treats them well, but he is fae, and they are a bit on the cruel side and don't respect mortal humans. Jude loves Faerie, but longs to be one of them. And, she deals with bullying at Faerie school because of her mortality. Typical YA stuff, but it isn't too teenagey to be unenjoyable for adult readers. Jude knows she is fighting a losing battle to be accepted and equal to the Fae.
A faerie telling her how it is: "Do you know what mortal means? It means born to die. It means deserving of death. That's what you , what defines you - dying...."
Jude knows how she is considered and she tries to protect herself from the cruel games of the Fae, but she is like a fly trying to fight a dragon. She is outclassed and outmatched in every way. They can do anything to her if they want, and yet she determines to take on the Prince of Faerie as her enemy because he is "mean". Well, Jude, they are all mean, and deciding to get in a war with this guy is like a mouse teasing an eagle. It's not brave, it's stupid.
Jude makes a ton of idiotic moves, which drove me crazy. But, I still could have liked her if she was a likable character because young adults sometimes make stupid choices. I'm remembering a bad perm... *shudder*
[image] Well, okay. It could have been worse. I feel a lot better now.
The reason I didn't like Jude, though, was because she was so power-hungry, bloodthirsty, and ambitious all while thinking she was this noble person. I don't mind the power-hungry, bloodthirsty, ambitious people if they own it. Some of my favorite book characters have been anti-heroes. I'm thinking of Meda in Cracked, she was awesome. But, Jude was annoying. She whined constantly about being human and powerless. Then, she whined about how cruel and horrible the fae were.... all while she acted just like them.
Faerie might be beautiful, but its beauty is like a golden stag's carcass, crawling with maggots beneath his hide, ready to burst.
Yeah, well, you should see where I live. If my house burst open there would be a dog hair mushroom cloud. No place is perfect.
[image] Sounds about right.
So, I found myself really loving this book while still finding Jude to be annoying as hell. I think if she just takes the whining down a notch in the next book I will be happy. Overall, though, I would highly recommend this one to anyone who likes Fantasy and Y.A.....more
I'm not going to rate this because I only made it about halfway through. It's not the book's fault, on the contrary, this seems like a good YA book abI'm not going to rate this because I only made it about halfway through. It's not the book's fault, on the contrary, this seems like a good YA book about a girl who picks up ghost hitchhikers. The problem is the timing for me. I'm leaving on a week long cruise tomorrow morning and I've been too busy and distracted to really give this book a chance. Maybe I'll get back to it someday.
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Don't let the cover of this book throw you off. It is not sci-fi but paranormal. Think "teens with powers" like X-Men.
Okay, so this author asks me to read and review her book and I say "yes" only because it sounded interesting to me. But, once again, she didn't even tOkay, so this author asks me to read and review her book and I say "yes" only because it sounded interesting to me. But, once again, she didn't even try to bribe me for a good review. What the hell? Who do I have to bribe to get someone to try and bribe me? I just want to be bribed once in my life. Is that asking too much?
But, then I give the book a 4-star rating, and it LOOKS like I've been bribed. When I haven't!! Dammit! If I give the appearance of a bribee, shouldn't I get the pay-off?
[image] gimme, gimme, gimme
*Sigh* Anyway, this book is a vampire Hunger Games, but don't expect too much of the Hunger Games or you might be disappointed. It's almost cruel to try to say that a book is like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games or any of the other huge best-sellers because not many books live up to those standards. That's why they were so successful. BUT, this book is definitely entertaining and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
[image] Just be careful. You want to avoid a disaster like this. That haircut with those color choices? Please! Everyone knows that blondes have a winter color story.
The story alternates first-person narratives between Edward and Bella Varick and Selene. Selene is chosen to play in the Hunger Games V Games, which is basically a survival game with people watching and betting while vampires try to kill them. The girls are all chosen from prisons and if any of them survive, they are promised freedom and the memory of their crimes wiped-out from the minds of people around them.
And, these girls show us that not all killy prison chicks are that street smart. You actually believe that you will have an inside look at the sick fuckery going on and then will just be allowed to go free?
[image] um.. yeah... sure...
Varick is the vampire who takes care of the girls during the games. The people who run the show are some sick assholes named the Helsing family. Yes, that Helsing. Not Joe Helsing who has a tire shop in Alabama. They keep a bunch of starving vamps on this island where they run these games and allow Varick to be their house-slave-vampire by feeding him occasionally to keep him in line. Varick finds out that Selena has special blood. Her blood makes him all thirsty and shit. Like more than he's ever felt before. It's magical blood. Her smell is so enticing that he can hardly stand it.
[image] Yes, it's hold-your-nose good. mmm!
Oh, there will be insta-love between a teenage girl and hundreds-of-years-old vampire. Bet on it!
So, how does a book that has any resemblance to Twilight at all turn out to be an enjoyable read? Well, this thing was fast-paced, bloody, and imaginative in the game portion of the story. And, that was most of the story. It was great fun watching the girls get killed, the girls killing the vamps, and all of the accidental death and killing. It's was stabbingly fun.
I had to give it 5-stars. Neil Shusterman is the king of cool ideas for creepy YA dystopia. His Unwind series was seriously a twisted idea. This one iI had to give it 5-stars. Neil Shusterman is the king of cool ideas for creepy YA dystopia. His Unwind series was seriously a twisted idea. This one is definitely in the same class. But, it is YA, so don't expect it not to have that feel. You know, angsty teens and all... You can't have teenagers in any scenario without the angst.
[image] The angst is strong in this one. It transcends galaxies.
So, we have a future world that we all expect and are waiting for: a robot is ruling us all. I mean, we all know it's coming, right? Might as well get used to the idea.
[image] Your tax dollars at work...
Thankfully, the robot overlord is good and kind. His name is Thunderhead, and I have to wonder if he got his name from one of those Facebook posts where you are supposed to get your stripper name from the last sound you hear plus your favorite body part. Anyway, Thunderhead is in the house, and he has solved all of life's problems. There is no more sickness, famine, or death. People are free to pursue their dreams without fear of anything standing in their way.
"People can read anything, but no one does. All they do is play games and watch cat holograms.”
Okay, so people are people. Funny kitties will always be more entertaining than just about anything else.
The only problem with this society of eternal health and goodness (aside from the fact that it's boring as hell) is that the population is getting too big since nobody is dying. Now, an obvious answer would be to do some sort of population control by not allowing more children. But, that's not creepy or sadistic. This is the future, dammit, we need something that makes all of us present-dwellers happy that we are stuck in the time without flying cars.
[image] I'm satisfied with our choices...
Enter Scythes!! They are some creepy-ass people who get the job of culling the population. That's right, serial killers wearing robes who walk around killing people in whatever way they want to. Of course, they are supposed to be all compassionate and professional at doing their jobs, but you know some of them get a taste for their work. After all, it isn't work if you enjoy what you're doing.
[image] I love workplace humor!
So, we have the "good" scythes and the "bad" scythes. One of the good ones picks two teenagers to be his apprentices and learn the art of compassionate killing. Only one of them will get the job at the end of their training. And, of course they are a boy and girl, so KNOW they must fall in love with each other, right?
[image] First date conversation for scythes...
Well, the good news is that there is absolutely NO chemistry between the boy and girl - no kissing or anything remotely romantic happens in the story. The story was focused on them learning to kill. But, the bad news is that we are supposed to feel chemistry between them. I just never did.
[image] Maybe this would spice things up for them too...
Anyway, some of the sadistic scythes come up with the idea that whichever one of these teens gets the job will have to kill the one who doesn't. Talk about adding incentive to the application process!
[image] Always butter-up the boss
This book had a great world. It was interesting and complicated. I loved that the robot overlord was actually a good guy. That's new. Although, he could get a little annoying, in my opinion:
(browsing on the internet): the Thunderhead would invariably intrude, saying something like, I see you are searching for a gift. May I ask for whom? Perhaps I can help you find something appropriate.
Remind you of anything????
[image] Fuck you, Clippy!! Go away and die!
The characters were mostly interesting and likable. I liked the boy, Rowan, but found the girl, Citra, to be annoying. Like one of those girls in high school who was so super involved and constantly trying to get YOU super involved? Just go away and die. Follow Clippy!
All together, this was a great YA sci-fi and worth reading if you like YA worlds. Shusterman has done it again....more
“God bless the book people for their boundless knowledge absorbed from having words instead of friends.”
Yay! That's us!! I for one, am proud of m“God bless the book people for their boundless knowledge absorbed from having words instead of friends.”
Yay! That's us!! I for one, am proud of my no-social-life/amazing-imaginary-life status.
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When I saw the cover and read the blurb on this, it looked like a funny/cute rom-com. It's not! Beware if you are looking for that because this book will kick your emotions' ass.
Things like: physical abuse, suicidal thoughts, racism, ableism, and misogyny are all over the place.
So, we have Henry as our hero. He is bisexual and a party-boy. He is setting off on a "Grand Tour" with his sister and bestie when the book begins. He is supposed to get cultured and learn to man-up during this time, but he thinks it will be an endless party of debauchery.
“What’s the use of temptations if we don’t yield to them?”
“That’ll be chiseled upon your tombstone.”
Henry isn't the most likable of protagonists. He is selfish and seems narcissistic, but we quickly learn that he is also hurting inside and uses alcohol and philandering as a drug and/or self-inflicted punishment. So, he grows on you.
I should have fought myself harder, kept it all better penned. Shouldn’t have wanted to act on my unnatural instincts.
His bestie, Percy, and sister, Felicity are fighting their own demons. Percy is not only half-black, but he has a condition that is bad news for that time period. Felicity is a woman in the days when that meant we were chattel, and were expected to be pretty, quiet chattel who can embroider something.
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Their Grand Tour turns into a Grand Nightmare pretty quickly, but that's kind of good news. Who wants to visit historical sites when you can get captured by pirates. From everything I've read in romance books, pirates are sexy beasts with hearts of gold. Right?
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This book is a journey of self-discovery. And, no, I don't mean that! Boys don't need to leave their houses for that kind of self-discovery.
"if the Good Lord didn't want men to play with themselves, we'd have hooks for hands"
Hmm, now I'm thinking about the pirates again...
It was an action-packed, but still thoughtful story with plenty of laughs to lighten the mood when needed. Just go into it understanding that it is much deeper than the title implies and you will enjoy this book. ...more
At first I was like, um... high school students? Thanks, but no thanks. But, when I realized they would be dying in a plane crash and dying in the rainAt first I was like, um... high school students? Thanks, but no thanks. But, when I realized they would be dying in a plane crash and dying in the rain forest, I was like, you had me at 'dying'.
Just kidding! Sorry, kids. I actually liked my teenagers....
In the first few pages, we meet the lone survivor of a plane crash, Emily. She is in the hospital and has major PTSD and is supposed to write her story down so that she can sort through her feelings and move on with her life. So the story goes back and forth between her memories of the crash and survival and what is happening now.
Let's just say that I am very much interested in NOT flying for a while.
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Emily survives the crash, along with a few other teens from the school field trip. Immediately, they make the exact wrong decision and start heading away from the wreckage. This makes no sense because they later speak about the 'black box' which means they should know that the search will go there. But, they decide to head into the rain forest instead, to find a town.
[image] I'm sure they are heading into the city to do some shopping.
Um, yeah. Darwin at work here. Let's weed these dumbasses out of the future gene pool.
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And, in typical teenage fashion, they bring high school drama to the rain forest. BUT, luckily, things take a very dark turn - which are the best kind of turns really.
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This book was super engrossing and the writing had the perfect amount of atmosphere without being overly descriptive (which drives me crazy). It also did a great job of having a couple of surprising moments at the end that really made me happy. Also: Great last line, James Morris! Loved it....more
I am having a hard time rating this one because I think it would be a great book for young kids, but it didn't work for me personally. I admit that I'I am having a hard time rating this one because I think it would be a great book for young kids, but it didn't work for me personally. I admit that I'm not the target audience, but some YA novels can be just as entertaining to adults as non-YA. This just isn't one of those, IMO. I think the audience for this one is Middle School. In that age-group, this book would be amazing.
It is very much like Red Rising Jr.. The being-in-space thing isn't that important in this first book because the entire story takes place in a spaceship that could very well be a gymnasium and campus with dorm rooms. I don't think these kids even look out the window of the spaceship.
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So, we have this group of kids who are competing to get a job mining the equivalent of Flubber on another planet. The Flubber is a magical substance that can do anything and be transformed into anything with just a thought. Why will kids be the miners? Because the aliens like kids and are less likely to kill them.
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Our narrator is an African American boy from Detroit who was dirt-poor and needs the job to provide for his dying mother and over-worked father. He is a likable kid and it's easy to root for him to get his spot. The other kids are from everywhere on Earth. It is a virtual diversity-dreamland on this spaceship.
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So, they set-up a diverse group of kids who represent humanity to fight each other for a limited resource (the jobs) in whatever way possible without having to worry about being "fair". Sounds about right...
[image] Okay, that's freaking adorable.
They don't actually get to kill each other, though I would have liked that better. I could just see them arriving to the new planet with a spaceship full of children's corpses. That would scare those damn aliens into giving us what we want... But, it didn't go that route. Too bad the author didn't take notes from me.
Anyway, the book is basically a competition book. It was original and would be very exciting for younger audiences. I could see 13 year old boys really enjoying this book....more
This book totally surprised me. It was the Donald Trump of books because it really grabbed my attention and wouldn't let it go.
[image] *whispers* neverThis book totally surprised me. It was the Donald Trump of books because it really grabbed my attention and wouldn't let it go.
[image] *whispers* never let me go...
If you were a fan of Red Rising, you will really like this one. It has the same feel with a fake identity, court & political intrigues, twisty turns, lots of bloody death, and a bunch of insanity. There were so many times when you weren't sure who was trying to kill who. I loved that!
Our heroine is Nemesis, who is a genetically engineered bodyguard. She protects the daughter of a senator who has pissed off the evil emperor. Because the emperor is so evil, he decides to take the daughter hostage to keep the father in line. Of course, the parents have no intention of sending their daughter to the emperor's court, so they give a makeover to Nemesis and send her in the daughter's place.
Open the beauty parlor!
[image] She's going to need that knife at court
The "court" where all the political players are assembled is something out of the Capital from the Hunger Games. Insane style's, complete debauchery, and serious danger. The emperor is a sadistic bastard, so this book isn't for the faint-hearted. There is a lot of cruelty and bloodshed. In other words, it's a lot of fun to read for a bloodthirsty person like myself. :D
[image] real life picture of me as a youth. Stupid dinosaurs had it coming.
Oh, have I mentioned that all of this is set in space? Yeah! Cool! We have one scene where our girl travels to a planet for the first time and she is absolutely disgusted by all of the germs, messiness, and weather. Also, the sky freaks her out. In other words, a heartless killer is afraid of mosquitoes. And, they aren't even Texas mosquitoes.
[image] We could use them as free public transportation. Well, you do pay. In blood.
I got this book in my cool Birchbox for books package (https://quarterly.co/products/literar...) and it even included a bunch of notes from the author. That part of it was awesome because the insights in those notes made me understand a lot of the choices that were made. I think all authors should give us notes on what they were thinking when they write certain things. Some of them have some 'splainin' to do. (Tris dying? Prim dying? Bella being interesting enough for a book? SMH) ...more
You know how I feel about extremely wordy books: bad.
[image] I know, right, Yoda? The author needs to take some lessons from me!
And yet once I forced mYou know how I feel about extremely wordy books: bad.
[image] I know, right, Yoda? The author needs to take some lessons from me!
And yet once I forced myself to sludge through the thickness of this story, I really enjoyed it. It had just enough blood and depravity to suit my needs, and also had a lot of unexpected humor.
So, you know the basics of the story from the blurb and other reviews, but don't get fooled into thinking this is like the Hunger Games or other YA's. I don't even think it's YA at all. Too much sex. But, being an adult and all, I could handle it. These teens have to prove they have murdered someone by presenting a body part to enroll in this school. I don't know if it would fit for them to be awkward virgins who blush and giggle about the opposite sex.
[image] Yeah, you shouldn't read this book, Lady.
The story is complicated because it is fantasy - another thing I rarely read. I usually have a rule that if the beginning of a book includes a map with weird-ass names for everything, I'm out. And, this book had two pages of maps. TWO PAGES.
They didn't even call the days, weeks, months, etc.. by those words - another of my usual no-no's.
Also, there were footnotes to give us the background information about all of the names, places, slang-words, etc.. Footnotes!!
I mean, seriously, I have no idea why I read this thing. I must have been drunk or something. Oh, but don't try to read this drunk. You need complete focus to keep up with what the hell is going on. Notes might be a good idea because there is a hell of a lot of names and places to keep up with.
[image] uh, yeah. ha. good one.
Again - why did I read this?
Oh yeah. It was really good and I actually loved the footnotes the best because they were extremely colorful stories with a snarky narrator telling us the deal. Don't skip over the footnotes (see? how often would I say that? never.). The footnotes are delightful.
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The bad news, and why only 4-stars? First, there were a couple of draggy moments. Secondly, it's not your feel-good book. I'm old, dammit! I need some happy diversions when I read to keep me from focusing on my imminent death. Hey, I've done my time. I read all of the required classics in my youth. The dinosaurs ate my homework occasionally, but still. I also reread and read more of them when I homeschooled my kids. I paid my dues with the depressing, symbolic, weird, and Shakespeare. Now, it's some ME time. And me wants funny, happy, and a bit bloody with an occasional dash of smut. Is that asking too much? No.
Overall, though: read this book. Just be ready for it and have a nice, light, happy book on hand for when you are done.
Wow!! I flew through this book. It was unputdownable!
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Imagine the Hunger Games, but instead of only one group of kids a year having to go, everyWow!! I flew through this book. It was unputdownable!
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Imagine the Hunger Games, but instead of only one group of kids a year having to go, every single teen has to go at one point. And, instead of fighting each other to the death, there are ugly, twisted, vicious monsters chasing you down to torture and kill you. You only have to survive the day, but only 1 in 10 makes it out alive. And, even then they are not without emotional and physical scars.
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It was brutal. Dark, bloody, sadistic... yeah, really good. The back cover says that this book is a "must read for anyone who's been sleeping too well at night". I have to agree. Unless you are a bloodthirsty reader with a heart of stone, like me. I'll be sleeping fine. But, I loved this book.
I have to think about how to review this one because I'm torn.
On the one hand, there were a lot of convenient things that happened to make this turn I have to think about how to review this one because I'm torn.
On the one hand, there were a lot of convenient things that happened to make this turn out all sunshine and lollipops.
On the other hand, there were a lot of convenient things that happened to make this turn out all sunshine and lollipops.
And, really, would it have been so awful if Alina had just gotten together with the Darkling in the first place, unified their power to stop all of the war, and maybe she could have brought out his humanity with her light to his darkness? It would have saved a LOT of lives.
But, whatever, this ending was fine too. I guess....more
A second book that is better than the first? Oh, yes it is. And, why, you may ask? Because of the addition of one seriously hilarious, sarcastic, and A second book that is better than the first? Oh, yes it is. And, why, you may ask? Because of the addition of one seriously hilarious, sarcastic, and crazy pirate (or "privateer" as he would say).
Mal crossed his arms and considered the privateer. "I can't decide if you're crazy or stupid."
"I have so many good qualities," Sturmhond said. "It can be hard to choose."
Sturmhond, the pirate, has been hired by the Darkling to take Alina and Mal out to look for another mythical creature that will increase Alina's power, along with the Darkling's hold over her. Fortunately for them, the pirate isn't exactly the kind of guy who keeps his word to anyone, so it is possible that the Darkling shouldn't have trusted him.
I gaped at him. "You betrayed the Darkling for money?"
"Betrayed seems like a strong word. I hardly know the fellow.... Besides, I like to have powerful enemies. Makes me feel important."
See? I really like this guy! He's much better than both Alina and Mal. He might even be better than the Darkling, but he's kind of hard to beat. The Darkling is nice and evil in this book. He has built an army of horrible dark creatures that bite you and leave bite-marks that never heal. Also, he has found a way to visit Alina so that only she can see him. He shows up in her room at night and watches her sleep. Isn't that romantic?
[image] something about bad boys....
Okay, maybe the watching her sleep is a little creepy (you hear that Edward? It's creepy, dude!), but the Darkling is so much better than Mal. Mal freaks out over the changes in Alina. He would rather she stays all sickly by not using her magic because it makes him uncomfortable. The Darkling wants her to embrace her magic, be with him, and together they will be the most powerful evil overlords benevolent rulers of the universe. Why wouldn't she want that?
[image] See? The Dark Side is definitely more attractive!
But, instead Alina's like blah, blah, blah...no evil guy for me. Boriiing! She's going to go to war with the Darkling and try to defeat him instead. Sure, he's hundreds of years old, more powerful than anyone has ever been, and you have to wear mirrors on your gloves to make your magic work - the magic that you've learned to use in the past few months. Good luck with that!
[image] yeah, Alina. I'm sure the Darkling is shaking in his sexy sexy boots!
So, most of the book is building up to this war between Alina and the Darkling. But, it is really good because the characters are awesome and there is quite a bit of action. I don't care for the Alina/Mal love story too much because it is a bit too angsty for me, but they aren't sappy so it helps. They can be quite sarcastic, which I love.
I grinned. "Are you saying you want to be the captain of my personal guard?"
Mal glanced at me, his lips quirking in a smile. "Do I get to wear a fancy hat?"
"The fanciest," I said. "And possibly a cape."
"Will there be plumes?"
"Oh, yes. Several."
"Then I'm in."
Wait, did they mention a cape? You know who else wears a cape?
[image] not so sure about the hat, though...
[image] yes, I would like that...
Why do I feel like I've gotten a bit off track? Oh well. This book was better than the first, but it is definite YA fantasy so it is similar to many of the other ones like it.
I made it through about 75 pages before I DNF'd. It wasn't the book's fault. It is well-written and seems to have a good story. It was me. I just coulI made it through about 75 pages before I DNF'd. It wasn't the book's fault. It is well-written and seems to have a good story. It was me. I just couldn't seem to get into it. I actually started nodding off twice while reading it. That never happens. I realized I was trying too hard to read the book and wasn't enjoying it.
I would recommend this book for people who like 80's pop culture and/or video games. Unfortunately, that just isn't me....more
Teen angst - check. Insta-love - check. Super-hot guy falls for the outsider girl - check. Horrible adults, including parents who are way more immature tTeen angst - check. Insta-love - check. Super-hot guy falls for the outsider girl - check. Horrible adults, including parents who are way more immature than their kids - check. High school stereotyping and bullying - check. True love at 16 - duh!! checkity check check
Okay, so I don't have much patience for books like this. I mean, come on! What kind of disappointment are we setting our teen girls up for if they think these kind of things happen? Ugh!
But, I do admit that I really liked the character of Levi. And, who wouldn't? He was written as the perfect boy. Super good-looking, understanding, compassionate, totally hates the 'popular kids' and prefers the 'weird ones', all while feeding deer in a meadow and taking care of his cancer-ridden father. Plus, he is a super-genius. Oh, and a music virtuoso. I love this kid!
And, our girl, Aria, (how convenient that she has a musical name for the musical boy?) is an artist, a pregnant teen who refuses to tell anyone who the father is (nobly, of course), and only has one friend - her geeky guy-friend with OCD. Sigh.
The book was also super angsty. These kids had every single bad thing going on in their lives possible. It was like several After School Specials at once.
What did I like? Well, there is a lot of talk of artists, which is interesting if you are an art person. The boy character was homeschooled. I homeschooled my sons, so there's that... It wasn't hard to read, or offensive. ...That's all I got. Oh, it sounded like Aria's hair was cool. Although, for a girl who didn't want to be noticed, having brightly colored hair that is shaved on one side is not the best way to go about it.
I read this book as part of my 2016 MacHalo Reading Challenge: Read a book that someone else picks. (My friend who picked it out loves the sweet YA romances. It's not her fault, it's me. I'm way too cynical for books that are supposed to evoke feelings and such.)
Hey, I made it through over 100 pages. But, that was all the self-imposed torture I had in me.
Seriously, why? Why the hell did this book ever get writHey, I made it through over 100 pages. But, that was all the self-imposed torture I had in me.
Seriously, why? Why the hell did this book ever get written, published, or even thought of in the first place?
[image] Oh yeah, that's why...
Stephanie Meyer mentions in the beginning of the book that she did this for a fun project and only expected to write a couple of chapters. But, then it was so much fun, and so easy, that she decided to write the whole book. Lucky lucky us!
In other words, she took her Twilight copy and did a "replace word" command with the characters' names and sexes, and called it a new book. And then: [image] I mean, come on, the poor woman probably worked a half day on this. She deserves millions of dollars.
So, what exactly is wrong with the book? I can honestly say that if you love Twilight and have read it so many times that you can quote it, you might actually enjoy this as a little change of pace. But, if you are looking for something fresh from the Twilight world- uh, no... keep looking. And, if you were at all annoyed with Bella's lack of enthusiasm, personality, ability to not fall down or walk into things, or complete obsession with Edward; you aren't going to find what you need here.
[image] Beau has the personality of a meat smoker. Really, you are better off if you "move along."...more
This book is a fast-paced fun-filled ride that had me laughing quite a bit. It's YA Urban Fantasy, and there is a very special snowflake, but it is stThis book is a fast-paced fun-filled ride that had me laughing quite a bit. It's YA Urban Fantasy, and there is a very special snowflake, but it is still a burrito of awesomeness smothered in that red sauce and cheese. Oh, with guacamole and sour cream.... hmmm, I think I'm hungry...
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Okay... I stopped for a snack for a minute. I'm back. So, we have Aurora, our special snowflake. She can see demons and has spent all of her teen years running away from them. She was attacked badly, by humans, and her family moved her to their old hometown to get her away from the city. There, she meets up with her old friends from childhood - a group of guys. Sexy sexy boys, who happen to be demon hunters.
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They are known as the "Hex Boys" around school and they don't hang out with anyone but each other, and they don't date. But, Aurora is super clumsy and special. The sexy boys save her life.
Sound familiar?
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The great logic is that one of the sexy boys will 'pretend' to be her boyfriend so that she has a steady guard around her at all times. Of course, two of the sexy boys are fighting over this honor.
"Oh. My. God," Luna blurted from Ayden's back seat. "It's a love triangle... It's just like in my book. Two guys after one girl and-"
I groaned. "That's ridiculous, Luna, this is not a love triangle."
"Says the girl in the middle of a love triangle... I've got to call Danica. Oooo," She squealed. "We could have teams. Team Ayden and Team Blake." With T-shirts and buttons and --"
[image] What a fresh idea!
But, here's the thing. This book is so good! The action, the wittiness, the characters are all so much fun that I never minded the special snowflake. I even liked her! I know! Crazy! I even have a strong feeling that I know where things are going with the "romance" angle, and I still don't mind. So, either I have a brain tumor, or this was just an entertaining story. Either way, I'm happy....more
You live, you die, and then you come back to life, get up, and shamble around trying to eat your former friends and loved ones. That's the way it iYou live, you die, and then you come back to life, get up, and shamble around trying to eat your former friends and loved ones. That's the way it is for everyone.
This book actually made me almost cry. That is truly a feat because I don't even usually get close to tears unless I'm cutting onions. And, yet I only gave it a three star rating because I would say I didn't care for the main story too much, but fell in love with the relationship between the main characters. So, I figured it deserved a middle rating for my love/hate relationship with this book.
This story is set 20 years after the zombie apocalypse through the eyes of three 20-something bloggers. Blogs are where people get their news now because people have basically had to retreat to living in isolation and fear since the zombies are always a huge threat. Everyone carries the virus that makes them turn into zombies upon death, and there is always the chance that the virus will spontaneously take over and someone will just turn zombie at any time. So, large crowds, or small crowds, are things of the past. It isn't safe to be around a group of people anymore.
Our bloggers are Georgia - our main narrator, Shaun - her brother and bff, and Buffy - their friend and colleague. They run a blogging news site and have been picked to follow a presidential candidate as part of his team while he makes the run for office. It is a big opportunity for them to make a name for themselves. We have their adventure told to us through blog entries and Georgia's narration.
The thing is, we get a LOT of info-dumping. We learn extensively how the virus of zombism came to be, how it works, and statistics like crazy, and then we learn more about journalism than I've ever wanted to know. On top of that, since they are following a presidential candidate around, we also get tons of political talk. I just found all of that really boring. Really boring.... I almost DNFed the book a couple of times because of it.
But, I didn't DNF because of the relationship between Georgia and Shaun - the brother and sister. They had the sweetest sibling relationship that I have ever read in a book. Often, in books, we get sisters who are super close, or brothers, and often twins, but we rarely get a brother/sister relationship that is as close as same sex siblings. And, since I had such an amazingly close relationship with my own brother, it was awesome to read about one. My brother and I were best friends, and sometimes people acted like that was weird, but it was awesome to have that. As I have mentioned before, he died a couple of years ago of AIDS, and I was the one who inherited everything he had. It was bittersweet to find a necklace that had an angel stamped into it with my name on it that he carried around as a good-luck charm, but that was how we felt about each other. I felt like the relationship between Georgia and Shaun captured the closeness, protectiveness, and friendship that siblings can have. And, I really related to them - Georgia, negative and practical, and Shaun, gregarious and protective. I remember when we were little and moved to a new home and my brother went up to some girls my age and asked them if they would be my new friends. ;-) And, I was the one who took him to his doctor's appointments when he was at his sickest.
Georgia:Maybe it's geeky for a girl my age to admit she still loves her brother. I don't care. I love him, and one day I'll bury him, and until then, I'm going to be grateful that I'm allowed to watch him talk.
So, this relationship made this book for me. It was special.... and then.... let the crying begin...
(view spoiler)[Shaun: Sometimes, I was able to forget she wasn't there anymore. For minutes at a time, even, it seemed like the world was the way it was supposed to be.
Omg! That description of grief hits hard in the feels because it is so true. I also just lost my dad a few months ago and it tilts the world. Those moments when you, for a minute, think the person is just a phone call away and they are still there... And, then that moment that hits when you remember that they aren't there anymore. Ouch! (hide spoiler)]
Okay, I'm off to read something to make me feel something along the lines of happiness again. ;-) ...more
The author described this book as a cross between "Legally Blonde" and "The Terminator", and that is a good description. I would have used "Legally BlThe author described this book as a cross between "Legally Blonde" and "The Terminator", and that is a good description. I would have used "Legally Blonde" and "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" myself, though. This is a seriously fun book!
Our hero is Harper, a proper southern belle. She is an over-achiever and completely in love with herself. At first, she is a little annoying, but once you get to know her better, you end up loving her. It just has that funny, quirky feel when there is this girl in pink suddenly becoming this magical Paladin (a guardian for Oracles).
Harper has a nemesis: David Stark. He and Harper have hated each other since grade-school and do everything they can to upset the other one. David is a total hipster, and Harper hates the way he dresses:
David stood there, dressed in a yellow sweater and his green corduroy pants. He looked like he should be on PBS, talking to a puppet about the alphabet.
The problem is that when Harper realizes she is a Paladin that is supposed to guard someone with her life, she finds out that David is the person she is supposed to guard. Not cool!!
David is the first male oracle in a century, and unfortunately for him, that means there are a lot of people who want to kill him. And, according to his vision, shit's gonna go down at Harper's cotillion. Yes, cotillion. It's a southern thing...
So, Harper is trying to juggle all of her over-crowded schedule with a boyfriend, and do this Paladin thing. It doesn't go well....
All together, this story, and the characters, is really cute and funny. I loved Harper and David, and all of the quirky characters in between - like Harper's very old, very adorable aunts. I would suggest this book to anyone who is looking for a light and fun read, and liked Buffy. I would especially recommend it to anyone who lives in the south because it hits the nail on the head in that regard! ...more
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