Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Insurgent by Veronica Roth


This review may contain spoilers of prevoius books in the series. 

Summary:(from goodreads) One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.
Review: This is the second book in the Divergent trilogy and although I didn't love it quite as much as the first book, I still really enjoyed it. This book is over 500 pages but i never thought it was boring or slow. I liked that there is a little bit more information about how people in the other factions live. This book really started to expose the many problems with this society. Based on the way this book ended, I am very curious as to how ths series is going to wrap up. I can't wait to get my handson the next book. Tris did some things in this book that I thought were kind of annoying. Allthough Overall, I do really like her and Tobias. I love that all of the characters are so complicated. No one is wah they seem at first. This is one of my favorite dystopian series that I am reading right now.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Summary:(from goodreads) No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. 
Review: After hearing so many good things about this book I decided to give it a try, and I was not disappointed. I loved the premise of this book and thought it was executed very well. The plot is character driven but never seemed slow or dull. What really makes this book so special though, are the characters. Noah ad Echo are both such awesome main characters. The book switches perspective between these two and it made me love them both. They are both dealing with so much you can't help but root for them to get through it. Noah is is quickly becoming ne of my faorite book boys ever. His love and determination make me love him so much.  I can't wait to read the next book in this series. I love books with substance and drama thrown in but this is one of the best i have read in a while.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:(from goodreads) When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.And then he opened his mouth.Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me.You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is. 
Review: I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. The plot was pretty well paced although not a lot happened until the second half. The world building was also well done. I liked that it is something a little different as far as paranormal romance goes. I appreciated the fact that the romance was a little more slow moving. The characters in this book were really awesome. i thought Katy was a great main character and I enjoyed the fact that she is a book blogger. Overall, she is just a pretty tough girl. Daemon and Dee were my favorite. Dee was fun and quirky and Daemon was just absolutely awesome, even when he was being a jerk. The wa the book ended made me excited to pick up the next one in this series. Anyone who is a fan of paranormal romance should give this one a try.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.

Summary:(from goodreads) So what was your name before?" I say, and she freezes, her back to me. "Before you came to the Wilds, I mean."For a moment she stands there.Then she turns around."You might as well get used to it now," she says with quite intensity."Everything you were, the life you had, the people you knew... dust."She shakes her head and says, a little more firmly, "There is no before. There is only now, and what comes next."After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the "cure" - an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love - but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.  

Review: This is the second book in the Delirium series and I liked the direction this story took. The plot was a little bit slow moving in parts but I liked the alternating timeline. I thought it kept thing interesting. There was a lot of build up in this book leading up to the more exciting parts in the second half. It ended on a cliffhanger that makes me so excited to get the next book. Lucky for me the wait is not  much longer. I am really curious to see how the final book will play out. I liked Lena a lot in this book. Even though she did a few things that annoyed me, she had a mind of her own and is determined to do what she wants. There are also a lot of new characters introduced in this book. Raven was probably my favorite of all the new characters introduced. Another thing i liked was that in this book we get to see a lot more of how things really are in this society and what this resistance is doing. overall, i liked this book and am excited for the sequel .

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Tempest by Julie Cross

Summary:(from goodreads)  The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world. 
Review: I was a little bit hesitant to start this book because I don't read a lot of scifi books. However, I thought this one was really good. The plot was pretty fast paced especially in the second half. I was immediately drawn in to the story. A few times while I was reading it was hard to make myself put the book down. I just wanted to keep reading until I was done. I was pretty surprised by the turn the plot took in the middle. I added a new dimension of excitement and intensity. The way things ended was sad and I am looking forward to seeing how things play out in the sequel. I also loved all  the characters. Jackson was a really great narrator. I loved his determination to try to fix things, no matter what. Adam and Holly were great as well. i have to admit I am a little bit in love with Adam. i am so excited to read the sequel and find out how this crazy story continues.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Crash by Nicole Williams

Summary:(from goodreads) Jude Ryder and Lucy Larson are this generation's Romeo and Juliet: Explosive. Sizzling. Tragic.A steamy summer encounter with bad boy Jude means trouble for Lucy. Her sights are set on becoming a ballerina, and she won't let anything get in her way . . . except Jude.He's got a rap sheet, dangerous mood swings, and a name that's been sighed, shouted, and cursed by who knows how many girls.Jude's a cancer, the kind of guy who's fated to ruin the lives of girls like Lucy—and he tells her so.But as rumors run rampant and reputations are destroyed, Lucy's not listening to Jude's warning. Is tragedy waiting in the wings? This racy romance is hot, hot, hot. 
Review: I was excited to read this book because i had heard a lot of great reviews of it and I  can see what they hype was about. This was a really good romance story but it also had a lot of substance to it as well. It wasn't all cutesy and light which can get kind of annoying after a while. The plot was well paced and I was sucked in to this story right from the beginning. I think the best part of this story is the characters. Lucy and Jude are both very well developed characters that I  couldn't help but fall in love with.  I loved that Lucy was strong and determined to follow her dreams. Jude was also a really complex character. At first he appeared to be stereotypical bad boy but he is really a lot more than that. Both characters also had a lot of emotional baggage that they were carrying around. This is essentially what drove the plot and I really liked both of them. I was surprised to find out that this book has a sequel because I don't think it really needs one. However, I am glad it does because I am not ready to give up these characters yet.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Summary:(from goodreads) In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.
As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.
Review: I was excited to read this book, but after finishing it my feelings are somewhat mixed. I liked the idea and I think for the most part it was played out pretty well. There was one plot twist towards the beginning that annoyed me and I thought was kind of unnecessary. Overall, the plot was that of a fairly typical dystopian. The characters in this book were well written. Zoe and Adrien were my favorites and i liked getting to know them over the course of the book. I thought Max was annoying and am curious to see what he is up to in the next book. Molla is another character that has an interesting story line that I am anxious to see play out. Overall, I did enjoy this book and I think fans of dytopian novels should give this one a try.

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.

Summary:(from goodreads) Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.Henry's first wife, Persephone. 
Review: This is the second book in the Goddess Test series and I thought it was pretty good. The plot was paced well and a lot more happens than what the summary explains. There is a lot going on in this book which kept things exciting.  The cliffhanger ending made me really excited to find out what happens in the next book.  I am curious to see how everything can be wrapped up in only one more book. I really like all the characters in this series. Kate and Henry, although they both annoyed me at times,  are awesome and I am rooting for them to make it work. James and Ava are my other two favorite characters. They both add a lot to the story.  I am excited to read the final installment in this series and find out how things end for these characters. The one thing that started to annoy me was how whiny Kate was in this book. She was constantly worrying about how Henry felt about her even though every single person told her she had nothing to worry about. Although by the end it seemed like they had started to overcome that issue, I hope it lasts.