Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is an absolutely amazing story that is unique to anything I've ever read before.

In this world, there are people who are "Graced" with special abilities like fighting, mind-reading, swimming, running. These Gracelings are marked with two different coloured eyes. This story follows the life of one remarkable Graceling girl, Katsa, who's ability is difficult to pin down because she's great at many different things, especially fighting through brute strength.

One day Katsa seemingly meets her match, Prince Po, and they go on an incredible adventure to discover, and kill, a seemingly corrupt king.

I must admit it took me a while to finish this book because it did have moments where the story seemed to drag on and I got a little bored. But, overall this is definitely a book I would recommend to everyone. The reader is taken along with Katsa as she discovers that she's not just an unbeatable fighter; she's capable of so much more. And I think that element of discovery, and how she evolves is what makes this such an epic story.

Nothing but love for this book.

XVI

XVI by Julia Karr was fantastic! It has renewed my faith in teen dystopia novels.

It's the year 2150 and the world is completely different, at least in the way that women are treated. On a girls 16th birthday she is required to get a tattoo on her wrist, a XVI, to let people around her know that she is "legal". Originally, this law was passed to protect girls but now the tattoo is a free pass for men to do what they want to these girls, no matter what the girl wants.

Nina, a 15 year old girl, is dead nervous about turning sixteen, or as the other teens call it, sexteen. But, with her birthday looming, it's not the only thing she has to worry about. Tragedy strikes her family and as she slowly begins to discover family secrets she realizes her life is in danger.

What I absolutely love about this book is how SMART Nina is. Unlike other female protagonists in dytopia novels, Nina isn't convinced she needs to deal with all of her troubles on her own. She seeks the help of her friends and family, making sure they know what's going on. Also, even though she does have a love interest in this book, Nina doesn't drop her entire life to be with this guy, she doesn't even drop her less than sensible best friend. This is the strong heroine that's been missing from the last few books I've read.

Great book. Great characters. Ending leaves a little to be desired. But, of course, there is a sequel.

Shapeshifting for the Win

My opinion of Shapeshifting for the Win by Ellie Greene and Jacquline Carrera is divided. Some aspects I loved and sometimes I felt like the book couldn't end soon enough.

The story is about a girl named Brianna who accidentally gets infected with werewolf blood and subsequently begins to transform into a werewolf. She might be able to manage it but she finds out that Conner's (her boyfriend's) mother and father are werewolf hunters!

When Conner realizes that Brianna is turning into a werewolf he enlists the help of his brother, Evan, to help her get through what's happening to her. Then all hell breaks loose.

Written from the point of view of three different characters; Brianna, Conner and Evan, the story is action packed and very detailed. That being said, I found myself getting frustrated with the constant switch in story line.

Overall, this book isn't great or terrible.. but the ending gives the impression of a possible sequel so as the story develops it might get better.

3/5 stars? yeah.

Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver was alright. I'm not going to say it was the best book evarrr but it wasn't the worst either.

The story takes place in an undisclosed future where the US government has found a cure for LOVE! They call the love "disease" Delirum and while there isn't much of an explanation of what the cure is exactly, it seems to be some sort of incision.

Since love was banned there hasn't been any war or hate because you can't hate something unless you love something else. The government dictates your life mate, the number of children you have, where you will live and where you will work because after the cure you don't seem to care about that stuff anymore.

Lena, almost 18 and closing in on cure day, meets a 19 year old boy named Alex who she originally thought was cured but then finds out he isn't! He introduces her to the world beyond the walls she was caged into her whole life.. blah blah blah.

This same situation has been repeated so many times it's getting a bit annoying. For once I would like the heroine of one of these stories to not vow to give up her entire life to be with this one guy she meets? It's a terrible message for young girls reading these stories. Where are the Lyra Belacquas and Katniss Everdeens in these stories?

Anyway, while I do have issues with this book, the concept is pretty interesting and the story ends on a major cliff hanger that makes me want to pick up the next book in the series Pandemonium which is set to be released on March 6th.

Should you read it? Yea, give it a go.

Awaken

The fact that the title of this book is Awaken is amusing to me because, despite a few instances, the best way to describe this book is Sleepy.
The story has potential to be a great series but this first instalment is just not that great.

The story takes place in the year 2060 and follows the life of a eighteen year old girl named Madeline. In this future, computers have taken over our lives; people go to school, hang out with friends and go on dates via Internet connection. After retaliating once against this type of living and getting burned for it, Maddie has stayed within the confines of computer life. Then she meets Justin, a boy who refuses to live his life through a computer screen and her life is turned upside down.

Maddie falls head over heels for this guy and 90% of the story is about how she can't stop thinking about /looking at his lips and his perfectly messy hair... Yet there's an "analog revolution" happening around them and she doesn't really seem to care.
I realize the author probably did this because she intends on making a sequel and the plan is to develop the revolution more in the next book but it just ended up making me dislike Maddie and Justin's relationship and hope that it doesn't work out.

Overall, this is an okay book. The writing is good and has promise for a good sequel but I think I'll hold off on the recommendation until I've read book two because really, nothing has happened yet.

The Death Cure

Oh. My. GOD! This book is amazing. No, this entire trilogy is amazing.

The Death Cure by James Dashner picks up a few weeks after the end of the second book, The Scorch Trials and it is just one adventure after another. Super fast paced with zero down time, as I read this I couldn't help but feel like I was running along side Thomas, Minho and Newt the entire time.

Thomas and the boys escape the clutches of WICKED with the help of Brenda and Jorge only to find themselves thrown full fledged into the real world of Cranks. Through the entire book Thomas is having a hard time figuring out who he can trust. Is WICKED actually good? Should he go back and help them discover a cure to the Flare? Who should he believe? Brenda or Teresa?!

What I absolutely loved was the inability to guess the ending of this book. Since the entire series had so many plot twists, I couldn't even guess what was going to happen next. I don't want to give too much away because you just have to read this book for yourself!

If you like action, adventure, suspense, thrills and..bromance? (lol) then you will LOVE this entire trilogy.

GO READ IT!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares

Yes. It's October. And yes, this is a Christmas book. But I loved it anyway.

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a cute story about two seemingly opposite teenagers conversing solely through a red Moleskin notebook. Obviously, this causes them to make a lot of assumptions about the other one and it's funny to see how wrong, and yet how right the assumptions are.

Dash, described as Snarly, seems so mature and knowledgeable but has so much more to learn still.

Lily, descried as Shrilly, is so use to maintaining her childish ways that even she's taken aback by how grown-up she can be when she needs to.

When they finally do meet, it's funny how awkward they are. I just love it!

This book is full of adventure, hilarity and romance. It's a great book to read a few weeks before Christmas, when your snuggled up near a fire place and looking for something magical and inspiring!

I don't know if this book will be turned into a movie, like Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist but if it does, I'll definitely go see it.

Read this book, LOVE this book! NOW!

Where All Things Will Grow

The fourth book in the Old Wounds series by N.K. Smith is amazing. Brilliant ending to a brilliant story.

Sophie and Elliot come to realize that they love each other so much but they've been using each other as emotional crutches and that's not healthy for either of them. After a scary altercation between the two of them, they break up and go their own way for summer break.

Elliot checks himself into an in-patient program and with the help of Dr. Emmanuel he comes to terms with his feelings for his mother, father and brother. In that time Sophie learns a lot about herself too and opens up to her dad more.

But then Sophie falls into a coma and when she wakes shes not the same. She and Elliot have yet another obstacle to tackle, but they overcome it together.

I absolutely loved this series and the ending of this book was perfect, any other ending and I would have hated it. So much love and hatred, fear and strength wrapped up in 15 chapters is unbelievable. I definitely recommend this book, and series, to anyone with a heart.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan was not the greatest book I've ever read but it wasn't the worst either.
The story follows the life of a young woman named Mary. Mary lives in a small, highly religious village within a forest. Sounds simple enough except that the village is gated off from the forest. Why? Because the forest is invested with zombie-like "Unconsecrated".... oh my.

Mary grew up with her mother telling her stories about what the world was like before the Unconsecrated took over and forced people to stay in the village. Stories about buildings that touched the sky and water that went on for miles and were unbelievably deep. Mary always thought of these wonders but it was not until she was betrothed to a man she didn't like and the man she did like was betrothed to someone else that she started to question her continued existence in the village. (hmm...)

The book is filled with romance, mystery, suspense, action, murder and so much more but yet it feels like it was lacking something, I don't know what... maybe it was how INFURIATING Mary is.

There are so many instances in this book where I found myself mentally screaming at Mary to stop fussing over whether Travis loves her and pay attention to what's going on! Also, even though the author tries to make the ending suspenseful (Will she live? Will she end up with Harry or Travis?!) I knew how it was going to end at about the middle of the book.

That said, it's still an interesting story that's worth the read, I guess. If you like the Peeta-Katniss-Gale esque kind of romance and you're into zombie and post-apocalyptic stories - then this is for you!

The House of Tomorrow

The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni is a story about Sebastian Prendergast; a boy who lives in a glass dome with his eccentric grandmother who he calls Nana. Nana kept Sebastian quite separated from the outside world because she wanted him to help fulfill the visions of the futuristic philisopher R. Buckminister Fuller. But, after Nana falls ill he finds himself pulled into the lives of the Whitcomb family which consists of a overstressed mother named Janice, a son named Jared who just recently had his heart replaced and a daughter named Meredith who has slightly whorish tendencies.

This book is a great read. If you’re looking for humorous book that has a lot of heart then this is the book for you. The characters are so well developed that by the end you can’t help but feel personally connected to them all. I especially love Jared Whitcomb; he is the most blunt and unintentionally funny character I have ever encountered in a book.

All I can say is; if you read it, you’ll love it.

Weight of the World by N.K. Smith

Weight of the World, N.K. Smith’s third novel in the Old Wounds series continues with the heart wrenching story of Sophie and Elliot and their attempts at acquiring some type of normalcy in their lives. Sophie has made some progress by refraining from drugs and sex but struggles to deal with her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Through Sophie’s increased closeness with Elliot, it becomes clear that Elliot has a lot bottled up inside of him that is boiling to the precipice.  

Elliot opens up a little to Sophie and tells her about living with his overly religious, brutal father but holds back from telling her the whole story. Through the author’s switch of narrator from Sophie to Elliot, the reader is allowed to step into Elliot’s mind and understand him better.

Sophie has found herself in a new position where someone in her life needs her for more than just her body and she’s not sure how to handle it. She chooses sobriety and self control for Elliot’s sake, begins to love him and hate herself for not being “right” for him. Meanwhile, she continues to deal with her father’s attempts to patch their relationship and her therapists’ attempt at getting her to talk about subjects she’d rather bury.

The end of this novel left me with an aching heart, a few tears in my eyes and a deep need to find out what happens next. There is so much more to uncover about Sophie and Elliot and their seriously disturbed childhoods. I truly look forward to reading the next instalment of this amazing series.