Renegade- Elysium Chronicles #1

Rating- 5/5
Summary (Goodreads)- Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all

Wow, I don't even know what to say. It was just so awesome that I'm having trouble to describe it...
So, this is another dystopian novel where there is a secluded society where the people thinks it's perfect, when it actually isn't. The fact that Elysium is underwater was already interesting. Whoa, it's like imagining that Atlantis exists.

I loved the plot, it was just really interesting. The mystery and twists were awesome. They weren't confusing, but there were just enough clues left for me to actually understand everything at the end. I must say from the very start, I knew that there was something horribly unsettling about the laws of Elysium. I mean seriously, Mother kills a person just because he touched Evelyn. No, he didn't hurt her or have sex with her. He just touched her. That is really creepy! And I find the whole idea of Coupling and that people has to have the perfect genes equally unsettling. In a way Mother's view is like that of Hitler. Mother wants to create a perfect society where people has to have pale skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. Sounds familiar to Hitler's views? I guess if I was born in Elysium, I'll be dead instantly huh?

I also loved the characters. Evelyn was interesting. There was always something wrong with her from the very start. Like how she would repeat the phrase over and over again. It's like, sometimes it seems that she's not acting or speaking as herself. I knew that she must've forgotten something about her past, but honestly I didn't expect what her past actually is. At the start, Evelyn did come across as a little selfish and bossy. But then as the book progressed, she was actually very brave. She was still bossy, but she was also very protective. And she's also the type of person to follow her instincts. Anyway, I really liked Evelyn.

Gavin was also quite awesome. He was kind from the very start, like although he didn't trust Evelyn, he didn't act horribly towards her. Although, he did trust her pretty fast. He must be a very trusting person. I love how he's Evelyn's protector, but more in an emotional/mental kind. Most of the time, it's Evelyn that did the saving, not him entirely. However, he seemed to always protect her when she was feeling very emotional. For example when they went to Macie, and when they found out about her past. He was a very loyal and loving person. He didn't even hesitate and stayed with Evelyn 'till the end. I'm not saying that he's weak, because he's not. It's just that the way he's portrayed is not exactly the protector who always saves the girl. Like Evelyn said, "he's her knight in a not-so-shining armor".

I must say Mother was also a very interesting character. I really disliked her from the start, but I still do want to find out more about her. She had developed this idea of 'perfect' people and that the Surface is dangerous. It must've been because of the war at the time, but I wonder what actually made her this way. I mean, it's obvious that she's not even sane. She's quite scary actually. She's like a double faced person. She appears sweet and loving to everyone, but the moment someone betrays her... well yeah. Anyway, I really hope to read more about her.

I also liked the way the book is written. It was simple enough that I don't need a dictionary next to me. It wasn't filled with prose or metaphors, but it still kept me interested.
I just can't believe the ending!! Ugh, I don't really want to give it away though...
I'll tell you one thing though- Evelyn and Gavin did not die. But I was still devastated about the ending! You'll just have to read it to find out what I mean~

I really, really hope that there is going to be another book. It seems like it, since it is a chronicles afterall. I hope that the second book is released soon though! I really want to continue reading and find out what happens with Gavin and Evelyn next! T_T
I also want to know what they're going to do about Elysium. I mean, they can't exactly abandon everyone else right?

Anyway, I really recommend you to read this book. I mean, the fact that I finished it in 2 hours should convince you that I really liked it right? It's a really good dystopian book, that is unique. I know that sometimes people (including me) thinks that all dystopian books are the same. However I assure you that this story is pretty original, and you should really try reading it~
And lastly, since today is the last day of 2012.....I want to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope everyone have a great 2013, and I hope that there would be a lot of good books published in 2013! ^^

Elemental Reality- Elemental#1

Rating- 3/5
Summary (Goodreads)- When Callie Pierce was ten, her mother disappeared without a trace. On the eve of her disappearance twelve years later, the earth seemingly comes alive. The elements speak to Callie, and that's only the beginning. Everything she has ever known was a twisted fabrication to protect her. Now the truth is set free. Callie and her sister are more powerful than any Faerie ever born. Now they have to use their powers to save their mother and family from the evil hands of fate that threaten to tear them apart. Welcome to her elemental reality.

Well to be honest, I'm not quite sure what to think about what this book. I'm not sure that I really liked it...
The plot itself was interesting at the start. It seemed quite mysterious with how Callie's mother disappeared and it turned out she was protecting her kids from Demons. However, I think it kinda dragged on a little bit, and some things didn't need to be there. I thought that after Callie and Lola found out about her powers, they would pretty much go into battle straight away. I mean, wouldn't you expect most of the story to be some kind of  confrontation with the Demons? Well yeah they did confront Cayden, Apryll, and Mia, but it wasn't really much of a confrontation. I understand that these girls are very powerful, but I found it a bit unbelievable. Maybe it was because of the way it was described? I'm not sure...
And the battle scene? I mean come on~ The battle itself was only for like....2-3 pages! It's like, Callie found out the truth about Cayden, tried to trick him, he hits her, they lost, Callie and Oli were left behind. There wasn't any cool moves, tricks or display of power happening. For someone with extremely powerful abilities, they were definitely beaten very fast. After reading all about them training, finding new powers etc, I expected much more of a fight. So yeah, I was disappointed~

The characters themselves are alright. However, I didn't feel like they developed very much. I liked Ady and Emery as they were very good best friends. Even though they just found out Callie's not human, they stayed with her and supported her. They also believed her when she found out about the Elders, and comforted her. So yeah, I liked them. Callie herself was alright. I think she developed in regard of her powers and knowledge, but not so much in her personality. Honestly, I'm not even sure what to say about her. She's not a bad character, but she's definitely not my favourite heroine either. I also found Lola very confusing. It's just that....well is she good or bad? Although it said that she was possessed by demons, why is it that she's the only one? Why not Callie? Or Oli? Or their Dad? Wouldn't it be much better to possess people that the girls loves? And that thing at the end? Yeah I'm confused.... I think I need more clues to figure out all these puzzles. Cayden was very confusing too! At first he seemed bad, then totally good, then suddenly he's all evil. Uhmm is he the main antagonist? I don't even have the slightest clue about his motives, and it confused me even more. And who is this Keaton? If he really is the evil, Demon leader, shouldn't we see more of him? Yeah maybe the author is saving him for the next book, but I just think he should've appeared more. I mean, it's not exactly clear at the moment who is the leader of the Demons....

And one more thing about Lola. I'm guessing her soul mate is a Demon huh? To be honest, that might be kinda expected... ~sigh~ I just wish there are more clues to who this 'soul mate' is. Perhaps I do have an idea, but... I don't know~

Anyway, overall it wasn't a bad book. There were just things that confused me, and I felt that it wasn't developed very well. Also, I'm annoyed with the fact that the battle scene is so short! When I read a fantasy/adventure book, I expect lots of battle scenes, not merely a few pages. So yeah~
If you like faerie stories then maybe try to read it. Don't have a high expectation though, or you might not enjoy it.. I still want to read the second book, and I hope it will be a much better one~

Finding Casey

Overall rating- 4.5/5

Summary (Goodreads)- Glory Vigil, newly married, unexpectedly pregnant at 41, is nesting in the home she and her husband Joseph have just moved to in Santa Fe, a house that unknown to them is rumored to have a resident ghost. Their adopted daughter Juniper is home from college for Thanksgiving and in love for the very first time, quickly learning how a relationship changes everything. But Juniper has a tiny arrow lodged in her heart, a leftover shard from the day eight years earlier when her sister Casey disappeared-in a time before she'd ever met Glory and Joseph. When a fieldwork course takes Juniper to a pueblo only a few hours away, she finds herself right back in the past she thought she'd finally buried. A love story, a family story, a story of searching and the bond between sisters, Finding Casey is a testament to human resilience. This completely stand-alone novel, featuring beloved characters from Solomon's Oak, will charm Mapson's readers and move her into a larger sphere.

Before I start, I just want to point out that the version that I've read is the 'Uncorrected Proof Copy' which I've received from a giveaway at Goodreads.

I loved Finding Casey, I though it was a wonderful book. I actually haven't read Solomon's Oak yet, but I'll definitely look it up.
Just a warning, there will be spoilers included in this review, so do not read further if you don't want to read them.

It is a story set in Santa Fe of Glory Vigil who had just become pregnant at the age of 40. That is quite an old age to be pregnant, so we see her worries and difficulties. This book changes perspectives, from Glory, Juniper or Laurel to other characters such as Joseph. I did not mind it as I though it was particularly interesting to see things unfolding slowly, and I could see the puzzles piece together one by one. The perspective is mostly from Glory but the most important plot is that of Laurel or as later revealed- Casey.

I loved to way it is written. It's not an overlly descriptive book and it's not filled to the brim with prose and metaphors. I can't quite explain it but the way it was written kept me glued to the book. I loved the different characters too. They all had interesting personalities that are quite funny too at times. I also loved how everything came together at the end. Although I knew Juniper would eventually find Casey, it's just unbelievable how it happened. I mean she just happened to buy a pot that was unknowingly made by her missing sister! Whoa, what a small world huh?

Glory is a kind, gentle and protective mother. I know that she's going to be a good mother to her new baby. However, pregnancy at 40 truly worried her, as it should be. It could be quite dangerous and she did express her worries at times. I loved how she looked after everyone, especially Juniper. She truly is a wonderful woman. I liked her relationship with Joseph too. They are so cute together!! Joseph is such a nice guy! He takes care of his wife very well and I love the gestures he makes such as buying her chickens. It might sound weird but it makes Glory happy so it's so sweet~ And he would go to great lengths to make Glory happy like travelling far even with his injured back. He's just so nice and they're perfect together.

I really felt bad for Laurel. I kinda knew that she was Casey from the start but it was still unclear how she ended up with Seth and having Aspen. She must've been so scared when she had to Outside as it was a very unfamiliar thing for her. I understand why she was so cautious with everyone. She's like a fish that had been taken out of the water. Not to mention she was so worried about Aspen. When she started telling the story, at first I did think that it was just a made up story. However as the story progressed, I realised that it was Casey's personal story. It was quite heartbreaking imagining what happened to her. I was so happy when she met Juniper again at the end.

Juniper was also an interesting character. I was sad when I found out that she got involved in things such as drugs in the past. I loved how close she is to Glory and Joseph even though they aren't her biological parents. It really shows her gratitude and how meeting them is what had changed her to be a better person. When I first 'met' Topher, I instantly did not like him. I don't know why, since it's not like he's described badly. There are just actions he did that made me dislike him. Such as lying, pressuring Juniper to have sex etc. From the very start I truly wished for Juniper to break up with him and find a better guy. I was so happy when I 'met' Chico near the end. He was a guy that's not like what girls would imagine their boyfriend to be like. He's not drop dead gorgeous, rich or play music and even had a slightly hostile attitude. However I liked him from the very start. It's like Topher is a perfect but plastic guy, while Chico is a real guy with faults. I was so~ happy when they ended up together at the end!!

I'm pretty sure that there's going to be another book coming out. There are still things left unfinished like where Seth is and more importantly, Glory's baby. I truly cannot wait to read the next book. I think Jo-Ann Mapson is a wonderful writer, and I'll be looking out for her other books~ ^^

Bitterblue- Graceling Realm #3

Overall rating- 4.5/5

Summary (goodreads)- The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

Now, if you've read Graceling and Fire but haven't read Bitterblue, you really should! This book ties together everything from those books, in a way that's simply amazing. And some characters from the other two books appears as well, along with of course, exciting, new characters.

Again, it is another fantastic book by Kristin Cashore. I just love the way she brings all the 3 books together. I must say, my actual rating would be 4.5. That is purely because it took me longer to get into this book. This is because this books talks a lot about politics, and frankly, I find politics very boring. However, it was an amazing book.

I was so happy to find that Katsa and Po also appears in this book. I just loved them from the very start, and even now they are still my favourite characters! Their love are so cute and passionate at the same time, it was awesome. Katsa and Po are both quite stubborn characters who fought a lot. And yet, every single time, they managed to find their way back to each other. Even when they had their biggest fight in the book, they eventually forgave each other. It was such a sweet relationship ^^

I find Bitterblue quite an interesting character. She is quite a strong and independant character, which is good. I also found her relationship with Saf interesting. It's like they're on the very edge of being friends or lovers. It was kinda sad to find out that Saf leaves, but I think that eventually he'll return, and perhaps ends up with her ^^

I was also very excited when Fire appears again. I can't believe that she's an old woman now! I just can't imagine her being old....she must still be quite strong though, to be able to travel far away. I wanted Bridgan to be there too....but oh well~ (I can't imagine him being old either!)

I love how this book brought a lot of twists, like how Bitterblue's advisors were the ones who were responsible for the crimes. I liked Thiel, and I was sad to find out that he died :( I also find the use of codes interesting....and Kristin Cashore found a clever way to weave the Dellians into Bitterblue's life. Because they're from a seperate place entirely, it was clever to create a language for them. And such a clever way of inventing a new alphabet! It was awesome!

Overall, even though this book lacks the many adventures Graceling and Fire has, it was still worth reading! This book has found its way to my favourite list~

Stormdancer - The Lotus War #1

My overall rating would be 4.5 /5.

Summary (Goodreads)- Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shogun, they fear that their lives are over. Everyone knows what happens to those who fail him, no matter how hopeless the task.

But the mission proves far less impossible, and far more deadly, than anyone expects – and soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. But trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and Buruu soon discover a friendship that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on the brink of collapse. A toxic fuel is slowly choking the land; the omnipotent, machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure; and the Shogun cares about nothing but his own dominion. Yukiko has always been uneasy in the shadow of power, when she learns the awful truth of what the Shogun has done, both to her country and to her own family she's determined to do something about it.

Returning to the city, Yukiko and Buruu plan to make the Shogun pay for his crimes – but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?

First of all, I just love the idea of a japanese steampunk novel. This is the first novel I've read of this genre and it didn't disappoint. I loved the overall plot of it with youkai such as storm tigers (griffin) being weaved into the story. There were also a lot of Japanese culture that was put into this book such as their religious beliefs. I also liked the setting of feudal Japan. It made it realistic and possible to add  things such as samurai and emperors, that wouldn't be realistic for a modern setting. Therefore, it also made the story more interesting.

I also liked the main characters Yukiko and the storm tiger Buruu. Yukiko is only 16 years old like me, and yet she's involved in such astounding and dangerous adventure. It's just...today girls of her age would be at school, worrrying about grades and boys, not hunting a mystical creature for a horrible ruler. I liked Yukiko because she's also one of those characters who are not perfect. I've said this many times, that I find characters who are perfect and invincible boring. Let's face it, no one is perfect. I like characters who has a strong personality and yet still has flaws. Yukiko is not physically strong, however she doesn't hide behind Buruu but instead tries to help him to the best of her ability. I didn't mind that she wasn't strong, she was still brave and isn't afraid to risk her own life. She also was not fearless. She agreed to do what seems like impossible things such as killing Yoritomo, but she still showed how she's afraid to do it. It doesn't make her a weak person, but instead a much more admirable character. Becaue I believe a person is not strong because they have no fears, but because they are able to overcome their fears.
I also liked Buruu. He was also an interesting character, especially because being a storm tiger means that he doesn't understand the humans' actions. It makes him able to point out things that Yukiko never actually noticed before such as how the humans are poisoning their environment. It also made him very funny at times. For example when Yukiko was thinking about Hiro. Buruu mocks her, telling her she doesn't understand why humans fusses so much with their "coupling". He obviously doesn't understand the idea of romance, and his comment horrified Yukiko with the term "coupling". Haha I could just imagine how flustered she must've been when Buruu told her that. I suppose that means Buruu doesn't understand romance huh? XD
One character that surprised me greatly was Hiro. I had thought that he was just a guy who had been raised a certain way his whole life. I thought that he sincerely loved Yukiko, but he's just very loyal to Yoritomo. I really thought that he was a kind person, and that he would have a relationship with Yukiko. So imagine my surprise when he betrayed her! It's like his whole personality changed then and he became a character that I disliked. I just couldn't believe that he actually thought of Yukiko as "trash" and that I'm assuming, he actually didn't love her. I'm sure there's more into his personality, reasons to his actions, but I guess we'll never know huh?

I didn't give this book 5/5 because of two things- the use of Japanese and the very detailed descriptions. Sometimes things such as towns are described to a very great detail. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but I often found myself lost in the words. I would forget what I had just read, and I had to read it slowly. The second is the use of Japanese terms, especially 'sama' and 'hai'.
In Japanese, 'sama' is a suffix that is used with a person's name (e.g Yukiko-sama) to show respect for someone of a higher status. However, it was often used by itself in this book, which felt weird for me since I've studied Japanese for a few years. 'hai' is also used in Japanese as an agreement or a response to a question (it means yes). However, it cannot be used as a question, as it sometimes appeared in this book. These things didn't bother me too much though, and they still get the point across anyway. Regardless, I still enjoyed this book very much.

So, if you're a fan of anything related to Japan, or is looking for an exciting steampunk novel, you should check out this book. It has interesting magical creatures, an adventure, and a strong but not perfect female protagonist~

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Overall rating- 4/5

Summary (Goodreads)- Narrated as 1991 diary/letters by depressed first-year high-schooler Charlie, counselled for fighting bully and for lost trauma memory, seven when "best friend" Aunt Helen died. Sister has secret abortion, he drives. Girl Sam drives pickup truck through tunnel for restorative screaming, standing like in film Titanic, gently awakens his virginal romantic dreams and body, shares drugs and Rocky Horror Picture Show. After pal Michael suicides, awake but non-responsive Charlie hospitalized, and horrifying memory surfaces for his restoration to health. Now a movie..

I really liked this book. I actually wanted to watch the movie, since Emma Watson is in it. Yeah, I'm a fan 'cause of Harry Potter..lol :P
Anyway, I then realised that it's also a book. I usually don't like reading a book after watching the movie, so I decided to read it first. And yeah, I wasn't disappointed. Being a teenager myself, I can
see some of the issues in this book happening in real life. Although I don't think it was actually said, I think that Charlie has autism. Which explains why he was so oblivious to many things, such as drugs or sex. At first I thought he was like 17 or 18, but then I found out he was 15! Oh wow, he's younger than me! It's kinda scary when I read about things he experienced such as being given drugs, going to parties, smoking etc. I just found myself thinking, does this actually happen to people around my age? Because I just can't imagine it happening to me. But then I guess because I read this book, it kinda warns me that there are many bad things in the world. We have to be careful who we hang out with, where we go etc. Like when Charlie never realised that the brownie given to him at the party was filled with drugs. And I can't believe his sister got pregnant! I know that happened to a lot of teenagers, but really why can't they be careful at the start? They only realise the consequences when it actually happened. I think it's sad, especially since Charlie's sister aborted the baby. I was just....speechless. I guess, I can never imagine taking a life, especially a baby, even though it was only a fetus.

I didn't give the book 5/5 because at parts..I was quite uncomfortable of reading it. Not that it's a bad writing or anything, it's just that the issues addressed are quite intense. It's like all the problem teenagers can have dumped into one book- drugs, pregnancy, parenthood, violence,smoking etc. It can be quite overwhelming all at once. The writing itself was very good. I loved the style of making it entries/letters. It was interesting and I could imagine Charlie writing it down, but I could also imagine the events happening. I don't know how to explain it, but it was just really cool.

I liked the characters too. They were very interesting, and had a lot of depth in their characteristics. Even extra characters had depth, not just randomly existing like in some books/stories. For example, Charlie's grandmother. I could understand how she must've felt being betrayed by the men that sheloves, being abused. I could imagine how her trust slowly wastes away until she gives up on men altogether. I could imagine how that somehows also happens to her daughters, as if it was inherited. It was sad, and I could understand that all from I think it was 1 or 2 entries. It was amazing, how developed all Chbosky's characters are. And of course, I love the main characters too. Charlie was just ....hard to define I guess. He was obviously socially immature, as what would happen with people suffering from autism. And yet, even though he probably doesn't realise it, he was also very mature in some levels. He can understand and notice things that most people probably won't. Although he might've not understand it, even the fact that he noticed these things were amazing. Like for example he noticed that his sister was abused by her boyfriend before their parents did. There were also many things in Charlie's life that would've brought him down, but he endured them and got back up. I really admired that characteristic of his. Especially the secret that was revealed at the end. Can you imagine that happening to a young kid? Someone who doesn't understand how wrong it is? I wasn't surprised that Charlie buried  the memories. If that happened to me.....ugh, I'm just glad it didn't. And yet, Charlie was able to get up again at the end. Even though his life didn't become perfect, and it wasn't happily ever after, I think what's important is that he didn't give up. And well, he has his loving family and friends who would be there for him. Yup, I admired Charlie... ^^

One thing that was in the discussion at the end of the book was whether Charlie actually sent these letters or not. And whether it makes any difference if he didn't. I don't know if he did, there's actually a chance that he didn't. And yet, I don't think there's a difference. The point of it was that Charlie wrote down what he felt. It's like he poured down his feelings in his entries. That's much better than bottling it inside right? Besides that what I, and I'm sure many people, do. And just the fact that he wrote them down, was all that mattered.

Now, I REALLY want to watch the movie. I hope that it'll be really good as well. Although, books are always better than movies don't you agree? I really recommend this book to everyone. And not just teenagers either, even adults should read it I think.

And lastly, I end this review with an awesome quote from Charlie-
"things are good with me and even when they're not, they will be soon enough..."

The Gatekeeper's Challenge- Gatekeeper's Trilogy #2

Overall rating- 4 /5

Summary (Goodreads)- Ten agonizing months have gone by since Therese faced off against her parents’ murderer at Mount Olympus, and she suspects Thanatos’s absence is meant to send her a message: go on with your life. She tries to return Pete’s affections even though her heart aches for the god of death, but when Than shows up to take her hamster’s soul, she becomes infuriated when he says he’s “been busy.” In cahoots with her new friend, who's gotten in with the Demon Druggies at school, Therese takes a drug that simulates a near-death experience, planning to tell Than off so she can have closure and move on, but things go very, very wrong.

Eventually she learns Than has been busy searching for a way to make her a god, and he’s found it, but it requires her to complete a set of impossible challenges designed by Hades, who hopes to see her fail.

So, honestly I enjoyed this book much better than the 1st one. I enjoyed seeing the different gods and goddesses, and how they act in this book. I actually don't like some views that the gods and goddesses have. Like for example how they think Therese's weak for not killing the killer from book 1. Personally, I think that makes her someone with compassion. I mean, I value life and I don't think I could ever kill someone no matter what that person did. And how Aphrodite said that beauty is pretty much better than love. Hey, that's not true! Love goes way~ deeper than beauty. Or it should anyway. Haha but I guess even from the myths, the gods and goddesses aren't very likeable characters anyway~ haha :D
But still, I liked how they were described in this book. I think Eva Pohler had done a good job with that.

Oh, and I understood the character better. (YAY!)
I guess I understand the reasons of their actions. Like Therese and Vicki taking drugs to see their loved ones. I understand that they must've missed their loved ones so much, and just wanted to see them. But, it doesn't mean I agree with their actions!! No, in fact that was kinda annoying. Yup, don't ever take drugs for any reason! See what happened with Vicki? Not such a good result after all huh?
And I was annoyed with Therese for being so angry at Than and trying to love Pete. Yeah, again I understand that she thought Than doesn't love her anymore. She must think that he forgot about her, especially since they had no communication. That must've been pretty devastating for her. But it still annoys me! While Than is doing dangerous things, she's off kissing Pete! How could you! Haha, have you ever had the urge to jump into a book and just smack the character on the head?

I also liked the challenges that were given to Therese. It's interesting that they're challenges that are listen in greek myths. I mean like when she had to give the box to Persephone without opening it. Yup, in the greek myths, that's Psyche's challenge when she wanted to stay with Cupid/Eros. And Therese completed it! Whoa, she must have very strong will! I guess I expected her to fail one way or another though. I mean, since most gods hated her, they wouldn't make it easy for her. They would do everything they could to stop her. And yeah, she failed the last challenge. It was kinda sad though, who knew falling in love can be so hard huh?
But whoa, so they decided to do it...I guess illegally? Oooh~ they're so gonna be in trouble! I liked how Than also burned himself with Therese though. That was so sweet! I mean, he's immortal but it must hurt really bad! 

Anyway, ohh I wonder what's gonna happen in the next book~
So according to the little preview, Persephone and Demeter are in trial. Oh and Therese and Than ended up in the court surrounded by the gods and goddeses! Whoa, intense~

Haha, anyway yeah you should check it out! Especially if you like greek mythology~ :]

Cover reveal- The girl with the Iron Touch

OMG. Yay, it's out!!!!
Wow that's such a beautiful cover! I love how Emily looks there, it totally fits my imagination.
I can't wait to read it now!! Ahhh must have it soon!
It just look so awesome! I wonder what it's about!~ So I'm guessing Emily's kinda the main focus of this book??

So anyway, this is the third book of Kady Cross' Steampunk Chronicles. It's an amazing story set in Victorian London, laced with magic, love and adventure. I truly recommend this series, it's very good!

Here's the summary for this particular book (according to goodreads)-

Finley Jayne, Griffin and their crew are stunned when one of their own is kidnapped. Emily has a way with machines—she can literally talk to them. But the automatons who abducted her aren’t ordinary machines. They’re almost human—and they want Emily to do something as horrifying as it seems possible.

To save Emily, Finley must contact the highly unsettling Jack Dandy and face her feelings for two vastly different men, even as Griffin’s nightmares threaten to turn into a reality that might just end them all..

It's coming out on 21st May 2013. Can't wait!!!! :D

Skylark- Skylark #1

Wohoo I finished it! I'm really happy to say that it was a really good book! Overall I gave it somewhere between 4-4.5/5.

Summary (according to goodreads)- Sixteen-year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.

Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.

Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret—but can she stay alive long enough to find them?

When I started reading this book, I was reminded of the book 'City of Amber'. Lark lived in a city that's protected by a Wall. Everyone believed that they were the only humans left and if they leave the city they would die. But, this book is quite different as it revolved around magic. I loved the whole idea of it. At first it was confusing in a good way. It made me want to keep reading, so I would understand. When the Institute kept harvesting Lark, I knew that they're not good guys. I also think that everyone else always forgets what happened during the harvesting. That's why no one ever talked about how painful it was. I loved how the 'outside world' was described in the book. I thought the idea of the shadow people were very scary but clever. And the whole idea of magic turning them back into humans is just awesome. Lark was alone for quite a while, so there were hints here and there that seemed unimportant at the start. The writing was quite descriptive. I liked how Lark's reaction to seeing new things were described. Such as the sky, bees etc. It was believable, like it wasn't too much or too subtle either. The whole use of magic weaved into what I imagined to be the futuristic world, was very creative. So yeah, I quite liked the writing style of this book.

I loved the characters. At the start, Lark seemed to be a kinda weak and needy girl who's very curious. But then you realise that she's also very brave. I mean, if I was in her place, I don't know if I'll be brave enough to escape. I think her adventure outside the city also made her more matured. She learnt how to survive in the wild, which must be very hard. I loved Oren too. He was very mysterious, and he intrigued me. Obviously he had been out in the wild for many years. But how come? How is he still alive, was a mystery. I was very surprised when I learnt the truth. I just never expected THAT. I was saddened when he left without Lark. Well it's more like she told him to leave. I really, really hope that they'll end up together in the next book~
There was also a tiny hint that this could've been a love triangle with Kris. I mean, Lark trusted him at the start, and he did help her. When they met again, I really thought that might happen. Even from the start, I must admit I didn't like Kris. Something about him made me dislike him. But I honestly thought he was a good guy! Apparently not though! I was very surprised when he betrayed Lark. Like....wow what just happened?!

So, overall it was a very good book. I can't wait to read the next book. I really want to know if Lark and Oren are going to meet again, if she finds her brother and many other things!

Clockwork Prince- Infernal Devices #2

Summary (according to Goodreads)- In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart

Wow that's a long summary. Haha anyway, I love this book!! It was a very easy 5/5 rating. I actually read this book at the start of this year. It was a school holiday and I went to Indonesia (I was born there). And I was at the airport, waiting for the plane to go to Bali. So, I decided to go to a bookstore there, and buy a book to read at the plane. When I found this book, I haven't actually read the 1st book, Clockwork Angel. However, the cover looks awesome, and it sounds very interesting. So I bought it, and read it while waiting for the plane. And I just couldn't put it down.
I read it during the flight (about 3 hours), when I got to the hotel for a few hours, and the next morning. And you know what, I finished it in that next morning. Yup, if you count the hours only, it was less than a day! I just couldn't believe how amazing it was.

I love the characters, and my favourite is Will. Oh yeah, I'm totally Team Will by the way. I don't want Jem to die, but I want Tessa to end up with Will!! Will is the kind of guy who you would think is arrogant and rude at first glance. But then if you dig deeper, he's actually just a lonely guy, who's trying to protect everyone. I just couldn't believe how miserable his life must've been. He was cursed by a demon when he was a kid, so that everyone he loved would be killed. How devastating is that?! I nearly cried though when I read the twist at the end...
I was so heartbroken when Will confessed to Tessa, but she told him that she had just accepted Jem's proposal! He seemed so sad, but he didn't want to hurt Jem so he hid his emotions. I just loved how loyal Will is to his friends. He seemed aloof and uncaring, but he just proved how much he loved Jem. He was willing to give up Tessa (whom he loves) so Jem can be happy. Ahhh just where can you find a guy like that in real life?!

Hehe sorry for ranting about Will, but he's my favourite character so yeah~
I loved the other characters too. Jem is very kind, and obviously he loves Tessa dearly too. Tessa was also an interesting character. She was brave, and she's not the kind of girl who needs saving 24/7. Which is good! However, she is also not scared to ask help when she needs it. I also loved the other characters such as Charlotte. I loved the descriptions in this book. It wasn't overly descriptive, but I could picture everything in my mind. I could imagine London, both in the Shadowhunters view and the 'normal' London. I haven't been to London myself, but if I do, I'm sure I'll be imagining the Shadowhunters' world as I explore it. The demons were also well described. Such as the vampires, werewolves, demons etc. They weren't the main plot or anything, but it was still interesting to see them weaved into the story. And hey, I love Magnus Bane!! Haha such an interesting and somehow funny character. He's quite kind too, as he was willing to help Will.

I'm just very annoyed with the love triangle though. Have I mentioned how much I hate love triangles? I'm totally in Team Will, but so far it seems like Tessa's going to end up with Jem. Oh please Cassandra Clare~ Somehow make Tessa end up with Will! He needs something happy in his life!! And Tessa makes him happy so yeah!

I really can't wait for Clockwork Princess to come out!! According to the official website, it's coming out on the 19th March 2013. So long!! Especially since I finished this book on January this year! I really hate waiting 'cause I just want to know what's going to happen~ :(

I'm sorry by the way, it's not a very long review. As I've said, I read this book a while ago, so I can't remember every single detail that happened. But anyway, if you love adventure, magic and heat-wrenching romance, read this book! I'm sure that you won't be disappointed! ^^

The Gatekeeper's Sons

Firstly, I just want to say, it was awesome when I checked my email one morning and found out that Eva Pohler had followed me on twitter. Wow, a published author followed me on twitter!! :O (@EvaPohler)
Unfortunately though, I haven't read any of her books, so I decided to check it out.

Summary (according to goodreads)- Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Thanatos, the god of death. She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world. 
Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her.
The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive

Alright, well I gave this book 3/5. It was an interesting idea, linking greek mythology to modern life. I've always been intrigued with greek mythology, that's why I decided to read this book. I liked the whole idea of the girl being able to control her dreams, although it was confusing how and why she was able to do it. I liked how she described the Underworld, and the author did include a lot of other gods and goddesses as well. I don't know why though, but this book just didn't 'grab' me. The way it was written wasn't bad, but unfortunately it wasn't amazing either. I think it needed a bit more descriptions, and there were some mistakes that I found (I think so anyway). The characters were alright, but I didn't think there was enough depth to make them particularly interesting. For example, Therese. Her parents had just died, so I expected some kind of....change in her personality. However, I didn't even think she was sad enough. I just felt that something was missing in her 'grieving'. I also didn't like how she suddenly kissed Hypnos and Than at the start. Okay, she thought it was a dream. But still, I just couldn't understand why she would do that. I mean, they're strangers and Than was taking her parents to Underworld. If I was her, I would try to stop him instead.... I'm sorry but I just didn't understand. There were also a lot of characters, which makes it kinda hard for me to remember. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I've always find it hard to remember characters' names..

When I first read the summary, I also though that it was going to be a love triangle. I was preparing myself to be annoyed once again...(I hate love triangles). However, surprisingly it wasn't. Well there was a tiny hint that it could be, but it was obvious that Therese chose Than. Which is good. Thank you Eva Pohler for saving me from another love triangle! ^^

Anyway, the whole mythology twist in the book was interesting. I loved how the Furies tortured those bad guys. Scary, disgusting but kinda funny in a way. (Don't ask why, I don't know!)
It was a pretty good book, so check it out~ :]

Incarnate- NewSoul #1

5/5 rating.

Summary- For thousands of years every single person have always been reincarnated. To new bodies, but intact memories of their past lifetimes. Until one day, a new soul was born. Ana was born, except that she had never been born before. When she was born, another soul had vanished, and they blamed her for it. Even her own mother hated her, and her father had abandoned her. Finally sick of her life, Ana decided to leave her mother, in order to find out about her past. Why she was born. She decided to go to Heart, hoping she can learn more about her strange existance. But Ana's presence wasn't welcomed by everyone. In fact, it might threaten to hurt her, and other people in her life. And what if, the promise of reincarnation...was slipping away?

Firstly, I must say that the cover is just stunning. Don't you agree? It was what attracted me to this book afterall. It was a really good book, with an original plot. I loved the idea of everyone always being reincarnated, and yet here's a new soul. Someone who had never been born before. Can you just imagine, being born over and over again? Having to remember evernts of you past life, the way you died? Personally, I would hate it. I felt sorry for people like Sam, who are tormented by things from the past. Like dragons. Yeah if I was killed by a dragon 30 times, I would have nightmares too. And yet, I also felt sorry for Ana. It must've been absolutely terrifying for her. Being the only one who's different, and not knowing why that was. I mean, her father abandoned her, and her mother hates her. Parents are supposed to be there for their children, not make their life hell. Well I guess, I felt sorry for everyone in the book one way or another. Except maybe Li. I just don't like her.

The characters are also good. They're described nicely, but none of them are perfect. I really hate it when characters are described as 'perfect'. Let's face it, no one is perfect. Ana is a bit naive and insecure, but that's to be expected due to the treatment of her mother. And besides, she's only 15! But, she's also brave and loyal, which are very good characteristics. Sam is a kind, loyal guy who will do anything for people he cares about. He's also brave, and yet he also has fears of his own, which added a depth in his character. The other characters are also cool, such as Stef and Li. Well, I hate Li. What kind of mother treats her daughter like that? But still, her character was described nicely. Even from the start I knew that she wasn't exactly a good character. Stef was also cool. She was funny, and seems kinda like an older sister figure for Ana. I find it kinda funny how people can be reincarnated as a different gender...haha.

I also loved how the Ana is not a character who always needs saving. I really hate books where the girl appears weak and whiny. I mean yeah, she was saved and taken care by Sam. But she also did the same for him, so it was good. And well, those two are really cute :P
I just loved how they brought music to express their..love and life in general. I don't play any musical instruments, but I can imagine them pouring their soul into their music. And having the name 'Ana Incarnate'. It's pretty isn't it? And obviously, it was significant as she had always been called a no soul. I can just feel how much it must've meant for her.

My favourite part was the masquarade. I loved the idea of it, the celebration, the costumes. They were awesome. And I can imagine that Ana's costume must've been stunning. Personally I think a butterfly symbolises a new person, like a change in a person or metamorphosis. I think it suits Ana, though not the way she thinks it does. Ana thinks that she's a butterfly because she's fragile, as she was young. But I think that a butterfly symbolises how she's a new soul, which obviously is a change in their society. And I don't think that it's a bad thing. I just loved how Jodi Meadows had written this book.

Overall, it was a really good read. I just couldn't put the book down, and I had to finish it. There were still some questions left, like would the souls that died at the end be reborn? Or would there be more new souls? I really can't wait to read the next book which is coming next year.
It was a good utopian novel that definitely deserved a 5/5 rating. ^^

The Lost Prince - Call of The Forgotten #1

Whoa, I finally finished it. I was so excited when I found out that Julie Kagawa wrote another Iron Fey book. I loved the original series. It was interesting, original and fun to read. Not mentioning the forbidden love that's totally romantic... :]

So, the summary- this book is about Ethan Chase, who if you've read the other books, you should remember. He is the Meghan's little brother, who was kidnapped by the Iron feys in 'Iron King'. He has now grown up (17 years old), but he has also grown bitter. He blames his sister for the state of their broken family- with Meghan being the Iron Queen. He also hates the feys, whom always tried to get him in trouble, especially in school. However, as one day a half-blood named Todd, disappeared, Ethan is dragged back into the world he had avoided for so long. Along with the human Kenzie, the mysterious faery Keirran, and the Summer faery Annwyln, Ethan now has to deal with feys who have been long.....forgotten.

Okay well, unfortunately I didn't like this book as much as the previous books. Overall, I rated it 3.5/5. Perhaps it's purely because it's Ethan's story. I'm just not used to reading it without having Meghan, Ash or Puck in it. Well they were in the story, but just barely. Ash and Puck came out twice, and Meghan only came out once. I've just gotten used to the original characters, that it was weird to read about someone else.

It was a very interesting idea though. Meghan's brother, who had been able to see feys since he was small, is now trying to avoid his sister's world. It was interesting to see how Ethan would react to the Meghan's world, as he was very young when it happened to Meghan. Obviously the fact that Meghan doesn't age, and hardly sees her family anymore puts a strain in their relationship. I also liked the idea of The Forgotten. If you've read Iron Knight, surely you would remember them from Ash and Puck's journey. They are from that ghost city that they visited in that book. The moment I saw the title, I knew it was going to be about them. Obviously, the Forgottens doesn't want to disappear, so this whole disappearing mess is their fault. I kinda feel sorry for them, being left to vanish, and only able to live if they steal other faeries' glamour. Sad, don't you think?

So, now the characters. I really wished Meghan, Puck and Ash came out more!! Puck certainly haven't changed, and I kinda wished he can bring more humour into the book like he did with the other books. There wasn't much of Meghan, but I don't think she changed too much. Certainly being the Iron Queen made her stricter, but I think she's still the same Meghan. Ash obviously changed the most, but that's to be expected. He did nearly get himself killed to be with Meghan you know? But it seems like to other people, he's still the same cold, intimidating faery. Ethan....well I don't like him much to be honest. I understand that he's angry at Meghan for leaving him. But really, sometimes his actions are just plain annoying. Like when he snapped at her the first time they met in this book. Clearly she was only trying to protect him, but he acts as if she's trying to prison him or something. As the book progressed though, Ethan started to understand why Meghan hid things from her family. The Fey world is dangerous to humans, so she was just trying to protect them. Keirran was kinda interesting. I knew from the start that he was Meghan and Ash's son. Well Ash did have a vision of him in Iron Knight. Obviously, Keirran had more features of Meghan than Ash. Including his personality. He tends to do things without telling others...dangerous things. He's also quite kind, and I knew that he would have the blood of all the Courts. Summer, Winter and Iron. Certainly makes him interesting, and dangerous too don't you think? He's also like Ash in the sense that he's attracted to forbidden love. Geez, what is it with them? haha :D His love interest is an exiled, Summer fey named Annwyln. Funny, considering his Dad was also in love with a half human, half Summer faery. Who ended up being the Iron Queen! Julie Kagawa certainly makes interesting forbidden love stories~


I liked how we also see other original characters such as Leanansidhe and Grimalkin. Those two certainly have not changed. Honestly, this book does kinda remind me of the other books. Keirran and Ethan are kinda like Ash and Puck. And what do you know, Grimalkin are with them as well. Funny how history repeats itself ^^
The ending was kinda unexpected. I hope that nothing bad happens to Keirran regarding his promise to the Lady. I also wonder how he's going to sort out his relationship with Annwyln. I laughed when I read the part at the end. How Ash pretty much sighed when he saw that his son is in love with a Summer faery. Must've reminded him of himself huh? I don't think it'll be easy for the two of them to be together though. Also Ethan and Kenzie's relationship. It also won't be easy for them, so I'm looking forward to knowing how that's going to work. Uhh yeah, the ending pretty much shows that there's another book coming. There's still things left unanswered, so... I can't wait! I hope I'll like the next  book better. Perhaps if it was written in Keirran's point of view?? :P

Goddess Inheritance Cover Reveal

So, are you aware of the series- Goddess Test? It's a really interesting series. If you like stories revolving around Greek mythology (specifically Hades and Persephone), you should check it out!
Anyway, so the 3rd book of the series (not including the novellas) is going to be released next year. February 26th 2013 to be exact, according to Aimee Carter's website (the author).

Well, I though I should share the cover of the this book- 'The Goddess Inheritance'
This cover was actually released awhile ago, but I've only seen it now...so~ yeah a bit late I know :P

Moving on, I like the cover. It still looks similar enough to the other two books. Like, it's following the same pattern (which is good in this case). As you can see, it's a picture of Kate (the main character) lying down on...grass I suppose. I think she looks pretty, fits the descriptions of Kate from the book. I also love how it says Immortality or love. But you can't have both on the bottom. It certainly sums up the main plot of this book. As you would know if you've read the other two books. I can't wait to read it....hopefully it'll be a really good book~! :]

Losing Lila- Lila #2

So, as I've said earlier, here's the review for Losing Lila. The summary is -
Following the events of Hunting Lila, Alex and Lila are now on the run. Alex wants to keep Lila as far away from The Unit as possible. However, Lila wants to save her brother and her mother whom are held prisoners by The Unit. However, Lila finally decides to stop running, and fight instead. She persuaded Alex to join Desmos' team, who she now thinks is family. Lila plans not only to save her brother and mum, but also to completely destroy the Unit and everything it stands for. But the plan requires Lila to return to California alone, and to make friends with the enemy - and in doing so, she risks losing everything: Alex, her family… even her life.

Yup, I've rated this book 5/5. See, even though the 1st book wasn't spectacular, this book was way~ better. I loved the story line (as usual), and I felt that the characters are more developed. Often with series, I find that the 2nd book is not as good as the 1st book. However, it was the opposite for this series. Losing Lila pretty much jumped staright into action, which had me hooked.

Lila is no longer the girl who only thinks about Alex. Although, she still thinks about him a lot. Alex meanwhile, is no longer the perfect-but-unrealistic kind of guy. Which for me, is awesome. He now gets angry too and he does get into fights with Lila. Overall, I liked him way better than from the 1st book.

Now, to the story itself. I loved it. The solution to the problem with the whole drug thing was kind of random, but if it works...then what the hell.
As for surprises, I suppose I pretty much expected them. Firstly, with Jack being Demos' son. Okay, I don't know why but since book 1 I had a feeling that Demos was somehow related to Jack and Lila. Don't ask me why, I just did. Maybe it's from Demos' actions, or maybe it was just an instinct kind of thing...
Secondly, with Sara being one of the bad guys. Now, this I totally expected. I was mentally screaming, that I got it right. At the start, I liked Sara and I thought that she was a really nice girl. But then at the end of the 1st book, somehow I just had a feeling she isn't exactly a good person. Both me and my friend had this feeling, we even talked about it. And what do you know, we were right!

Anyways, it was a really, really good read. If you enjoy adventure, action, mixecd with romance, you should definetly read this book!

I'm wondering though, if there's going to be a 3rd book. The ending in this book resolved most problems, but there were still some puzzles left unsolved. For example, where the heck is Richard?
Am I the only one who's thinking that he's somehow going to come back???

Hunting Lila- Lila #1

So, this is another great adventure romance story. So far two books have been released for this series- Hunting Lila and Losing Lila. I will do a separate review for Losing Lila.

Firstly, the summary-
So, Lila is a 17 year old girl who discovered that she had an unusual power. She is able to move things by looking at them (telekinetic). She had been living with her father, but when she discovered her power, she decided to move to her brother's house. Her brother Jack lives in South California with Lila's childhood friend and love interest, Alex. They work for a secret organisation called The Unit. As she lived with them, she found out that the two had been looking for the man who murdered her mother 5 years ago. However as she digs deeper into The Unit's secrets, she found out that not everything is as it seemed to be...

So overall I gave this book a rating of about 3.5- 4 out of 5. I really liked it, it was a good book but there were some things I didn't like in it. Let's go to the good things first.

It was an interesting plot, something that's not very common. That's good because I really hate it when all books are about the exact same thing. I liked the idea of The Unit. It was interesting, and believable. I guess you can think of them of like...the FBI or something~ So I liked that this book was set in today's time. It's kinda cool as I read, to think that whoa...maybe there are people around me with that kind of powers? Haha it was cool. Alright, before I go to the things I didn't like, please keep in mind that I'm just being VERY critical. I read this book with very high expectations, so I kinda noted pretty much every single thing I didn't like about it. However, this doesn't mean it's a bad book. In fact, it is a very good book. And well, the second book is even better (as I will write in my next review :] )

So, in this book I didn't like Lila's personality. She just seemed kinda whiny for some reason. I hated the fact that everything with her revolved around Alex. I understand that she has liked him since like.....forever. But seriously, there are other things to worry about you know~ It was up to the point it was getting very annoying. During most of the book, Lila mentioned Alex one way or the other. I just felt like, 'geez think about something else already'. She hardly even thought about Jack, who is her brother. Secondly, I didn't like Alex either. Nah, he's a good guy...in fact he was kinda too perfect. He's good looking, strong, works in a secret organisation, smart, kind etc. Yeah that's very great, but really no one is perfect. Alex was too nice in this book, that it felt fake. I felt that there were many times where he should've gotten angry with Lila, but he didn't. I mean he was trained for The Unit, but he was so~ kind. Kinda unbelievable to me.
Before I go on, this third thing is a spoiler, so don't read further if you don't wanna know.

Okay the third thing I didn't like was the fact that Demos' group turned out to be good, but The Unit is the bad one. I'm not sure if I liked that idea. Sure, it was a great twist, but I don't know.......
They just seemed way too nice for people who did some heavy crimes. Yeah they're good at heart, but they are still criminals. Some of their personalities I think were just way too nice for a criminal group. The way that Lila believed them was way too easy. I expected something more. I guess it would've been nice to think that Demos' group are bad just for a little bit longer.....

But anyway, as I said before, please don't straight away think that this is a bad book. It's a great series, and I really, really recommend it. Especially, since the second book gets way~ better than this one! :]

Another love triangle?! NO!!!!

I can't believe I'm doing this again!! Another book with a love triangle! T_T
Aww I've only started reading, and I'm already in love with the guy that the girl doesn't end up with! This happens EVERY TIME! (well, nearly every time)
This is exactly why I try to stay away from love triangle!! Agh, I want Calla to end up with Ren!!! I don't care about Shay! (Ugh I do, but Calla still should end up with Ren!)
How am I gonna survive reading the series, knowing she won't end up with Ren?! Damn it!

~sigh~ It is a good book though, so I am gonna read it anyway... (soon perhaps :P )
Sorry for this short, pointless post, but I just had to get this out! I'm already thinking about writing/finding fanfictions where Calla ends up with Ren! Pathetic huh?

Oh, do read the book though!! It's pretty good ! I'll post the review as soon as I can bring myself to finish reading it....

For now, excuse me while I go and be bloody miserable about this...

Storm- Elemental #1

 

Summary- One day Becca Chandler saved the handsome and popular guy, Chris Merrick from being beaten up. Because of that they got close, and she was introduced to the Merrick brothers. They're good looking alright, but not all of them seems to like her. If anything, they seemed suspicious, not that she understood why. But she doesn't know either that these boys are Elementals. They each could control an element- Fire. Earth. Water. Air. But having power doesn't come without a price. They are being hunted by the mysterious Guides, and somehow Becca is caught in this battle. Not mentioning, the new, hot guy in her class- Hunter. He seems like the safe option, not confusing like Chris. But it doesn't mean that he doesn't have his own secrets....

 



Uhh yeah...if you haven't realised yet, I've read the 2nd book first before this one~
But ehh it made sense. Anyway, I liked this book too, but it wasn't as good as the 2nd one. I'll probably rate this one 3.5/5. Yeah not bad, but it's just that there's a love triangle. And if there's anything that I hate in a book, it's a love triangle. So well, I kinda skimmed some pages just to avoid it :P

So well, you know what? This series actually remind me of the Nickelodeon series- Avatar. Not the James Cameron movie, but the cartoon one with Aang. Yeah, I totally love that series :D  So what, if it's technically for kids? It's still really awesome. Anyway, back to this book. So now that I've read the 1st book, some gaps in the 2nd book made more sense. Like what happened to the Merrick brothers' parents. I feel sorry for them actually, (I know they'll hate me for that) because they're still young, yet they had to live by themselves. The characters are pretty cool as well, although I still like Gabriel and Layne better. I really feel bad for Becca with what happened in her past. It must be very hard for her to go to school after that event... (yeah I'm not going to ruin it for you :P )
But I think Becca is also strong in her own way, especially because THAT happened to her. Ehh I don't think I can blame her for choosing Hunter at the start. He was like the easy and safe option for her. I know it sounds bad, but Chris wasn't exactly an easy guy to like. Haha he was quite complicated I guess~
It still doesn't change the fact that I hated the love triangle! :(
I'm glad at the end she ended up choosing Chris. Because if she didn't....I'll metally kick her! Haha but she did choose him, so good for her!! ^^

Well it was a good read too, and I really want to read the 3rd book now~ It's coming out next year and it's about Hunter!!

Potential actors for Tobias (Divergent) ??

So, here are 4...pretty good looking guys who Summit Entertainment is thinking of choosing to play the lead male- Tobias (Four). So if you don't know who they are, from top left we have Brenton Thwaites, then Jack Reynor. Then from the bottom left there's Lucas Till, and Luke Bracey.

Well, who do you think would make a good Tobias? I personally don't think Lucas Till or Luke Bracey would. Not that I don't trust their acting abilities...it's just that they kinda don't fit the image of Tobias that I have from reading the books. Personally, I think Brenton Thwaites would make a good Tobias. I am kinda excited that they're making Divergent into a movie, but I really hope they don't ruin it. Oh and please stop comparing it to other books like Hunger Games! I like Hunger Games, but they are two different books! It's not fair, if people keep saying that it's the next Hunger Games or something. Because personally, I like Divergent better! :P

Along with that, although it is unofficial, it seems like they've chose Shainlene Woodley to play the lead character- Tris (Beatrice). So...what do you guys think??

Spark- Elemental #2

Wow. That was a seriously good book. My friend recommended this series to me, said it was really good. So, I decided to request it from the library. And after my bio exam today, I went to the library to pick it up, and meet one of my friend. Well I was waiting for her, so I decided to read a little bit, see if I like it or not. And I just couldn't stop.

So the summary is that the Merrick brothers are Elementals, which means they can control an elemental each. This book is about Gabriel, who can control fire. Well, really he was learning how to control it. Then an arsonist started setting fires around the town, and there were evidence pointing to Gabriel. No one believed him, except a smart, kind girl in his maths class named Layne. It started with Layne helping him with maths, but ended up with more than that. And well, Layne had secrets of her own...

It was just really...addicting. This book realy hooks you. I love the plot too, how Gabriel could control fire. I like these kind of stories, if they're written well. But what hooks me is the personality of the characters. There was just so much angst in the book. Gabriel envies his twin brother Nick, who is always good with everything. It's like he automatically thinks that he's the 'bad' brother because of his envy. No one in his family actually thought that, but he did anyway. He was also expected to be like a bad boy or a troublemaker who sleeps with pretty much everyone. Just because he's good looking and is in the top basketball team. Yeah I wonder if that kind of thing happens in real life, or maybe just in America? Ehh I don't know. But anyway, really Gabriel is not like that at all. He's just..really guarded I guess. He doesn't like telling people about his secrets, and he becomes defensive. And Layne, was actually kinda similar to him. Not so much to the point that they just don't match though. Layne is struggling with the expectation of being 'perfect'. Her parents are rich, but she doesn't like people to know that because of her mother's expectations. Her mother always showed off how Layne is smart, good at horse riding etc. But in reality, Layne doesn't like being perfect. So, kinda like Gabriel, she becomes closed off in her own way. Personally, I think I understand what these characters feels. Sometimes in life, people expects really great things about you and it just...strangles you inside. For example, if you're asian, people automatically thinks that you must be like a genius in maths. But really, not everyone is like that. Expectations, especially from parents, can actually hurt people badly, especially teenagers. I think that this is an issue that many teenagers faces. Personally, I think that no one is perfect. Each and every one of us has flaws, and it's good that way. I mean, I don't really want to look exactly the same as everyone else...
And I also hate perfection in its own way. I think it's good when people makes mistakes, because we learn from them. So really, there is no need to be perfect.

Anyway, sorry for rambling there. I also loved the chemistry between Gabriel and Layne. It's cute, frustrating and also..nice I guess. They kinda kept having arguments, but slowly they started understanding each other. And well, they accepted each other's secrets. I think that's great. And well, I must admit the kissing scenes were also sweet XD

Haha, so, this is a book that you should definitely try to read. I don't think you'll regret it~ ^^

New Release- Black City

Hey, hey, look at this book! Doesn't it look awesome?? It's a new release book, that seems pretty interesting~
So, this is the summary according to Goodreads- 

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

See, it sounds pretty cool right? So far, it has been getting pretty good reviews on Goodreads as well. Hehe, I better request it soon.....

Iron's Prophecy (Iron Fey 4.5)

OMG.
How did I not realise that this book came out?! Man, look at how awesome it looks! Ugh yeah...actually the snake's a bit creepy, but anyway~

I can't believe I never knew this book came out until today!! I've just started reading The Lost Prince (which is pretty cool), and I saw a pic of this book on the back. And it came out like 2 months ago!
Aww man...

Anyway, this book is like a sequel to the other stories, but it takes place before The Lost Prince. The story is about Meghan's life after the events of Iron Knight, and a prophecy that a seer told her. Well I can't say much about the summary since I haven't read it yet...
But, I did read a preview of Chapter 1 and it looks pretty awesome! OMG Ash is in it..a lot! He seems a bit different but that's undestandable since he's got Meghan now. But oh, Meghan and Ash....EEP! I really gotta read it!! By the way, if you want the preview, check it out here- http://www.theironfey.com/IronsProphecy.html

This book is also a part of this special book, called Iron Legends. I guess it's kinda like a fan book where all the extra stories are located. Here's a picture of it-

Doesn't it look cool? I really, really want it! If you're an Iron Fey fan, you should get this book. I'm so gonna look for it in the holiday.. ^^
Oh and if you haven't read the Iron Fey series, you really should! It's a really good book!!

Anyway, I better finish The Lost Prince soon... :)

The Fault in Our Stars

 

Alright, the review's finally here! Yup, I just finished reading this book, and I must say it's just......wow. 5/5 ratings definitely.

So, the general summary is about a 16 year old girl named Hazel Grace who is suffering from thyroid cancer. She has been diagnosed when she was 13 but she's on a fictional medicine that lengthens her life for an unknown amount of time. Then one day she meets Augustus Waters, a 17 year old boy who suffered from osteosarcoma and had his right leg amputated because of that. They got to know each other through books, poetry and their similar views on life. Eventually, they both went through a journey to figure out the meanings of life.... (Or at least that's what I 'saw' them doing)

Anyway, so reasons to why I love this book. Firstly, I just love how John Green had written it. It was like I'm listening to Hazel actually telling her story. Like, I'm hearing her voice and to me, that was very, very cool. I also totally loved the characters. From the kinda moody, in-between girl Hazel, to the sad old man, Van Houten. It was just amazing.

 I especially loved Augustus. He's just...I don't know. I loved how he incorporates everything into metaphors- like smoking an unlit cigarette. I mean, can you imagine walking down a street and seeing a 17 yr old guy does that? And his reasons are just...wow. He's also such a kind and interesting guy. Although he was nice though, it's like underneath all those sweet words, he actually had a hatred for the world. Just like Hazel. For example when he refused to wait at the waiting room in the airport, and instead sat somewhere else. It shows that even though he's not as obvious as Hazel, it is clear that he also hates how his disease makes people treats him differently. (Well in some cases it was helpful to them though XD) Even now I'm not 100% sure of Augustus' character, and that makes it kinda cool too. I'll definetly re-read it again.

Hazel's character meanwhile is more of a character who's kinda...I guess still figuring out what it means to be alive. I mean, of course having cancer would probably make you hate the world. It's devastating! But, I think at the start she didn't realise how fortunate she is to be given that time. Meeting Augustus and experiencing all those times together really helped her I think. She realised that there were still people who would treat her for who she is. Not like a fragile glass that could break any second. Her experience in Amsterdam and meeting Van Houten I think also helped her. I think after finding out that he's just this sad, old man who had become a drunk, it made me realise something too. Sometimes we have this perfect view of something, whether it's a place, a person or anything. We don't realise that in this world, everything has flaws. Nothing is perfect, and well...that's just the way it is. We have to learn to accept that, we have to also learn to accept that we are also not perfect. We often want to mould ourself into this 'perfect' idea, but that's not gonna happen. You just gotta accept sometimes that well, there are people who are smart, there are those who are not so smart. There are those who are rich, and others..not so much. There are people, who are kind and yet are crap at writing, and there are those who are mean, and yet is a great writer. (if you've read it, well...you'll understand what I mean).

*Warning, don't read this part if you don't want any clues about the ending*

The end of the book just....killed me. In a good way, if that makes sense. I just wanted to cry, though I couldn't. (I was at school :P) It was just so bittersweet. Even though I knew it'll probably happen a few chapters earlier, I still couldn't accept it. Even when the words were glaring at me. I was just like, "what is this!!". But no, this is not a criticsm at all. Because well, even though it made me sad, I completely believe that it was the perfect ending. The letter at the very end was just....I don't know, it's indescribable. It was just so like Augustus and Hazel. All their feelings just came out, and I could feel them as well. I was also glad that finally, Hazel found that something which makes her appreciate the world more. Although we don't really know what happens with Hazel afterwards, I personally thinks that she probably eventually died. The choices are open, but there are just hints that points to that direction.

This book definitely thought me many lessons about life. I'm not gonna list them all here because well....I could write an essay about it. But, it's just that kind of book which sticks to you because it really relates to you, and everyone else- especially teenagers. I just, gosh if you're still wondering whether you should read it or not, just go and do it! You won't regret it!

Wander Dust

Firstly, if you're looking for the review of 'The Fault in Our Stars', I'm sorry but I haven't finished reading it yet. I've been trying to study for my exams, and I also want to do other things too you know...XD I can tell you though, that it's really interesting so far.

So, this post is gonna be for a book that I read a while ago. It's called 'Wander Dust'. Unfortunately though, this book wasn't particularly my favourite book.

Don't take me wrong, it wasn't bad. It just didn't hook me all the way, so it took me a while to finish it. I actually had high hopes for this book, especially because I really like the cover.

The main summary is that Seraphina realised one day that she had a special power. One that scares her, but could potentialy help her in getting what she wants- to see her mother again. However, she is being followed by the Lady in Black, the Grugy Gang, and a mysterious, yet very handsome boy. One day Sera moved to Chicago where her aunt lives. Her aunt then revealed to her a family secret that led her to an adventure filled with choices and surprises...

Yup, it is a pretty good plot right? That's why I got it out at the first place anyway. I loved the superpower idea because it's not just the cliched ones. I liked how they had to be a team, and how Sera's team members are all so different to each other. The idea of a Protector, a Seer and a Wanderer confused me at first, but I slowly understood it. (If you haven't read it, then you won't understand 'till you actually do). So, those parts intrigued me at least. The characters are alright. I liked them, and I was surprised at the end (I won't write what it is). It is kinda hard to judge each character's true intentions, because there is no clear black and white.

Anyway, what kinda brought the book down for me was the pace of the story. I really hate slow paced books, and this book is one of those books. I understand that some events were necessary to be included, but they could've been simplified, and unnecessary stuff should've been cut out. I don't know if other people who've read this book felt the same way, but I thought that pretty much 1/2 of the book was quite slow. It only got really interesting in about the last 100 pages. For a book of fantasy and adventure, I expected there to be a lot more actions or adventure in it.
However, please don't think that this book is horrible just because I wrote this. If you're interested in these types of stories, then definetly read it! I am looking forward to the 2nd book afterall. Hopefully, it'll be more interesting than this one..

The Fault in Our Stars

I'm so excited!!! Yesterday, my cousin gave me this book as a late birthday present. I've been wanting to read this book, but there are lots of requests at the lib. I'm not completely sure what it's about, only that it has something to do with cancer. I wanted to read it because my friend said that it's really good, and the book has high ratings on goodreads.
Oh and it's also the hardcover copy! I love hardcover books because they last longer and they're just cooler XD

Anyway, this is gonna be a short post sorry, but I'll definetly write a review as soon as I finish it!

Tiger's Saga- Tiger's Curse

This book is one of those books where I've been wanting to read it for ages, but only got around to it recently. I was interested because lots of my friends said that it's a really good series. And I must say, it is pretty good!

 

So, the main plot of the story is that long ago there were 2 Indian Princes. One of the princes, Dhiren was betrayed by his brother Khisan. Khisan was in love with Dhiren's fiancee and he plotted with the girl's evil father so that he can be with her. Dhiren was kidnapped and both brothers were cursed as a tiger. Years later, Kelsey Hayes is spending her summer holiday working at the circus. She became facinated and attached to one of the animals- a white tiger whose name is Ren. One day, a man came and said that he would be buying Ren to India. However, he offered Kelsey to go with them as kind of an experience journey and to spend her summer holiday there. Kelsey agreed, not knowing how much this journey would change her....

 

I really love the characters in this book. Kelsey is an all right character though, as sometimes she can be a bit annoying. However, she likes Shakespeare and that makes me like her! Hehe, not many people appreciate Shakespeare anymore....

Anyway, my favourite character would have to be Ren. He's really interesting and so cute. I guess he really trusts Kelsey as he pretty much attaches himself to her all the time. Not in the annoying way, but guys aren't usually that comfortable around girls. Well I guess, it's also due to the fact that he didn't have much interaction with girls/people before~

I also really like Mr.Kadam as he is very supportive and wise. He's like the missing parent figure for both Kelsey and Ren, and he helps them along the way. I just think that he's a great guy, and well yeah...

 

Another thing I love about this book is the way they used Indian culture. It is very creative, and I love learning about other cultures. The languages and traditions are very interesting and I really enjoyed it!

 

Now, I'm really looking forward to reading the other books. I guess I gotta quickly catch up since the 4th book is already out and I'm only on the 1st book. I have exams soon though, so afterwards....