The One

The One (The Selection #3)

by Kiera Cass

3.5 stars

323 pages
Published June 5, 2014 by HarperCollins Children's Books  
 
I'm glad this series is over. It ended well, too, which was nice. It even had an epilogue! I love epilogues.

I'm not sure there is much depth to this series, but if you want a mindless, entertaining beach read, this is a great choice.

Graduation Day

Graduation Day (The Testing #3)

by Joelle Charbonneau

3 stars

304 pages 

Published June 17, 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers

 

Meh. Not great. Too many questions in the prose: "Should I do this?", "How can I do this?", "Who can I trust?", etc. Too distracting.

I'm just glad this trilogy is over. It wasn't stellar - more of a Hunger Games meets whiny girl meets Rage Against the Machine. If I had to do it again, I probably wouldn't waste my time.

Steelheart

Steelheart (Reckoners #1)

by Brandon Sanderson 

4.5 stars

386 pages

Published Sept. 24, 2013 by Delacorte Press 

 

I admit, I love superhero movies - but not books about superheroes. They're just so cheesy. I've tried.

BUT ...

I loved, loved this superhero book! It's a totally new take on superheroes ... they're EVIL! And regular people have to figure out their weaknesses and take them down so protect all the other regular people.

The first part of the book is pretty disturbing and violent. Actually the whole book is filled with fighting and violence and death, so I won't be letting my 10-year-old read it for a couple years. But as an adult - and maybe I'm desensitized - I could overlook it a bit and focus on the plot and the struggle for freedom from tyranny and fear.

The writing was fantastic and in places, quite witty. There was little to no swearing and no sex. Just a thrill ride from start to finish.

Based on this book, I'm going to find other books by Brandon Sanderson. And I will definitely be reading the next in line in this series.

Well done, Brandon!

Champion

I've been out of town for a week - hence the lag in posting. But I'm back!

Champion (Legend #3)

by Marie Lu

4.5 stars

369 pages

Published Nov. 5, 2013 by Putnam Juvenile

I was sad when this series ended, because overall it was a well-written, exciting dive into a post-apocalyptic, dystopian society. I was happy though, that most, if not all the loose ends were tied up nicely - if a bit too abruptly. But I can't complain too loudly when an author doesn't neglect her duty to satisfy readers' needs for closure.

The ending was happy, with a touch of sadness - lots of room for hope and healing. I enjoyed that very much.

No swearing, but one slightly glossed over sex scene.

I'd love to see a spin-off of this series set in the world of Antarctica. That place was intriguing.

Good job, Marie Lu, I like your style!

The Bitter Kingdom

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3)

by Rae Carson

4 stars

448 pages 

Published Aug. 27, 2013 by Greenwillow Books

This is the way a trilogy is supposed to end. Happy, with all loose ends tied up and the main character ending up with the guy she's supposed to end up with. Throughout the trilogy you see the queen grow from a wimpy, but intellectual, girl - into a strong, fierce woman. And likewise, the author Rae Carson has matured and developed into a competent and exciting storyteller. She figured out pacing and plot. She developed deep characters with myriad facets to their personalities. It was a delight to read her literary journey.

I hope Carson keeps writing, because I'll keep reading her stuff.

No swearing and just one glossed over sex scene.

Can recommend!

Crown of Midnight

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

by Sarah J. Maas

4 stars

420 pages 
Published Aug. 27, 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

What a fantastic sequel to the Throne of Glass. We find out more about who Celaena really is and how she works. I especially appreciated the subtle Star Wars moment.

One thing bugged me, though, and that was the unnecessary swearing. This is a fantasy book - swearing should have no place in this world. And the horrific killings committed by Celaena. That was disturbing - but she is an assassin, so I guess that's expected.

I can't wait for the next book to come out.

The Fall of Five

The Fall of Five (Lorien Legacies #4)

by Pittacus Lore

4 stars

352 pages

Published Aug. 27, 2013 by HarperTeen

 

Again, the fictional author Pittacus Lore has written another pulse-pounding novel in the Lorien Legacies series. This time we see betrayal plague the Garde.

I almost wish the title was a little more vague. It basically tells you the plot of the entire book. The only thing you are left wondering is HOW.

Despite that, the book is well-written, clever, and full of action. We also are treated to a few more clues to how the story will end. But nothing too much.

I, of course, will be reading the next in the series.

Rise

Rise (Eve #3)

by Anna Carey

3 stars

310 pages

Published April 2, 2013 by HarperCollins

Sooo ... I liked this book. Mostly. There were some things that I would have changed or included, but on the whole it was a decent ending to the Eve trilogy.
One thing that bugged me was the abruptness of how the book ended. I got down to the last 20 pages or so, and said to myself, "How is Carey going to end this book in 20 pages? Maybe there is another book?" There was just too much going on to be able to satisfactorily finish the series in just 20 pages. I was right. The blunt ending left me turning the page, and say "Where's the rest of it???"
I hated the fact that we never find out what happened to the girls who were locked away pregnant. Or to the children of those girls. What happened to Charles? The women in Califia? The boys in the dugout? Or any of the other characters we met throughout the series??
An epilogue would have greatly enhanced the book. It would have left the reader with a better taste in her mouth. The one I have now is slightly bitter.

The Testing

The Testing (The Testing #1)

by Joelle Charbonneau

3.5 stars

336 pages
Published June 4, 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

(Mild Spoilers)

Is this a The Hunger Games knock-off? The odds are ever in your favor ... so yes. It absolutely is. A completely unabashed, blatant knock-off.

That being said, it is a good knock-off. I enjoyed it thoroughly once I accepted the similarities between the two books. The plot is basically the same as Hunger Games - except in The Testing, the applicants want to go to the Testing (Hunger Games) because if they pass, they can go on to University and their families back home get compensation.

The main character - Cia - is a clever, resourceful, smart, lucky, strong heroine who falls in love with her travel companion/fellow applicant. Sound familiar? I know, I know. But just as I loved Katniss, I thought Cia was awesome. Slightly flat at first, but she is developed further as she loses her innocence during the phases of Testing.

The majority of the book is focused on the 4th phase of The Testing, which makes sense, because it is the most exciting and longest test the applicants must go through. Traveling in a designated area, they must reach their goal any way they can. Killing is neither encouraged nor discouraged. Some applicants are good. But most turn vicious. It's sad that the author decides to put forth the theme that people are intrinsically bad - and will revert to base instincts whenever possible. I agree there is evil in the world, but I have hope that people at least have the desire to be better and to do better things. Am I naive? Probably. But I still lock my doors and keep my wallet safe. I ain't stupid.

There is some mild swearing and some violence (obviously, since it's Hunger Games reincarnated).

Anyway ... if you liked the Hunger Games, you'll probably like this. It's basically the same. Hopefully Number Two in this series will go in a different direction than Catching Fire did. I'll read it when it comes out and let you know.

Broken Stone

Broken Stone (Souls of the Stones, #3)

by Kelly Walker 

3.5 stars

 
Published by Kelly Walker and All Night Reads (first published May 31, 2013)

 I was a bit sad when this trilogy ended, which I read in its recently published Souls of the Stones Omnibus form. I was fully intrigued and invested in the lives of Emariya and Torian, along with their faithful and loyal friends.

Right from the start, I was launched into a plot filled with good pacing, quick action and political intrigue. The bad guys get what they deserve (although it would have been cool if those scenes were drawn out a little more); and the good guys prevail. A happy ending - my favorite.

I also appreciated the epilogue. I love epilogues and this one was especially good. It outlined where everyone was 15 years later. So, thank you Kelly Walker!

There is some mild swearing and very glossed-over married sex.

Thank you NetGalley.com and All Night Reads for allowing me to review this book.

Second Stone

Second Stone (Souls of the Stones #2)

by Kelly Walker
4 stars

337 pages

Published Feb. 15, 2013 by Kelly Walker and All Night Reads

This, the second book in the Souls of the Stones series (which I'm reading in the recently published Omnibus), was thankfully a step up from the first one. More action, more character development, better pacing. Stuff actually happens in this one. Yay for stuff!
I quite liked it. Whenever I had to put it down, I found myself itching to get back to it!

I can recommend to everyone! No swearing or sex, and the main characters respect and love each other - that can be rare in YA literature today.

Thank you NetGalley and All Night Reads for the opportunity to read this book!

Skin

Skin

by Donna Jo Napoli

2 stars

Published Aug. 6, 2013 by Amazon Children's Publishing

I've read a number of Donna Jo Napoli's books and have enjoyed them, so when I had the chance to read this book, I jumped! Her writing is usually spot-on for the YA genre and audience.

The theme of "Skin" - overcoming anxiety and anger about being and looking different - was stellar. A 16-year-old girl discovers she has a skin condition called vitiligo, where patches of skin lose their pigmentation. It's mostly cosmetic - but to a teen (or anyone else, for that matter) - the stigma that comes with vitiligo - of looking different - is challenging and scary. I appreciated the journey that Pina had to go through. And I enjoyed reading about how her parents and friend supported her and gave encouragement, even when she was depressed and angry.

In that regard, this book would be perfect for any young adult going through a tough time in life. But unfortunately, there are aspects of the book that preclude me from being able to recommend this book with a whole heart.

First, the language is very rough and vulgar. Admittedly, I am on principle very anti-cursing, and I tend to lose respect for books that use excessive amounts of these words. But I understand that sometimes these types of words are used to enhance the story - although this technique is used successfully very seldom. In this book, it was not.

I lost count of how many f-bombs there were. I don't usually read past the third f-bomb in a book, but since this is a review I had committed to, I felt a responsibility to finish the book, and so I forged ahead. I realize that teens speak like this - but does that mean that books have to sink to that level? I don't buy it. YA writers have the unique opportunity to introduce creative word use to an audience still forming and learning their vocabulary. Why not improve their language instead of debasing it?

Second, teen sex. There was way too much of this. Some of it graphic, too. One of the characters admits to having sex at 14, and the other character thinks that's OK! That is insane. These are 16-year-olds having sex in the back of her mom's car and while she's baby-sitting. Classy.

Third, the way that Pina finally comes to grips with her condition and accepts it is very abrupt and lacks believability. Literally, one day after months of anger and depression, she decides she's "coming out." And she's OK - happily ever after. That doesn't ring true to me, especially for a teenager. There is more to it than that.

So, if you don't mind crass language and loose morals in favor of a decent coming-of-age story, by all means, read this book. But it likely will not be one I can recommend to my friends.

Towering

Towering

by Alex Flinn

2 stars

293 pages 

Published May 14, 2013 by HarperTeen

I am pretty bummed I had to give this book so few stars. It had such potential - part love story, part paranormal mystery - but the execution was lacking.

"Towering" is touted as a modern re-write of the Rapunzel tale, but the only tie-in the book contains is that one of the protagonists has long hair, which she cuts to make a rope so she can escape her tower prison/safe-house. The rest is an anti-drug PA (which I'm all for: Drugs=Bad!), but it just didn't jive with the spirit of the original Rapunzel tale. That, paired with poor character development, uneven pacing, and too many unanswered questions at the abrupt and unsatisfying ending made this book an unfortunate and forgettable work.

I did dig the book cover, though.

Sorcerers of the Nightwing

Sorcerers of the Nightwing (The Ravenscliff #1)

by Geoffrey Huntington

3.5 stars

421 pages

Published June 18, 2013 as an ebook by Diversion Books (originally published in 2002)

  

So I got done reading this a few days ago, and it’s been stewing in my brain ever since – invading my dreams (nay, nightmares).  I’m trying to figure out just what I liked so much about this book, since it’s not the type of book I read regularly. It’s all dark and twisty and slightly disturbing. But occasionally, I am in the mood for something like this, especially after reading something super-saccharine, like Debbie Macomber.

This edition is a re-release of  the 1^st edition, published in 2002 – and the cover of that book is deeply disturbing (and the reason I hate clowns). Had I seen that cover first, I probably wouldn’t have picked up the book. The revamped cover is less disturbing but still has a good creepy vibe to it – it will attract more readers, in my opinion. 

Sorcerers of the Nightwing is YA horror/paranormal at it’s best. The gloomy atmosphere, gross (but not gory) corpses/ghosts and town names like Misery Point add to its appeal. 

 

Teens who grew up on Goosebumps and who want a little more “creep factor” in their books will find this novel to their liking. It’s the next step in the horror progression, with Stephen King as reigning king. It is NOT a Juvenile Fiction book, though. It’s targeted towards older teens.

So a solid 3.5 stars – I docked it because pacing was a bit slow at times and the ending was confusing. Plus, a bit more background/development of the characters would have been helpful. But it is #1 in the Ravenscliff series, so more of that is probably in the successive books. Also, I HATE cliffhanger endings.

Thank you NetGalley and Diversion Books for the opportunity to review this book.

If I Should Die

If I Should Die (Die for Me #3)

by Amy Plum 

3.5 stars

405 pages

Published May 7, 2013, by HarperTeen

A satisfying, if predictable, ending to a well-done trilogy.

Classic themes of redemption and good conquering evil encapsulated in good writing and a sweet love story. And some awesome mortal combat! What could be better?

The reason for the 3.5 stars is because the Champion could have been more Champion-y. Better, stronger, more powers, etc. But the champion, when it shows up, is just like any other revenant, except for some pumped-up "perception," which is cool, but just not enough. I wanted a super superhero!

There were some loose ends, too, that were not tied up at the end. Some characters were left with unresolved stuff.

Also, I dropped stars for teen sex. Teens have enough to worry about in this era. They don't need to be thinking sex is all OK, then getting pregnant.

Now I'll remove myself from my moral soapbox.

I am glad that I read this trilogy. It was satisfying and original and had all the elements of a good YA book. I can recommend!