Archive for the ‘ Reviews ’ Category

Review: Destined by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and she is working with Klea to conquer and destroy Avalon. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares for a fight she never thought she would have to face.
Filled with heart-pounding action, sweeping romance, and higher stakes at every turn, Destined is the series conclusion that readers have been clamoring for—with a twist that will leave them breathless.

    

Rating: ★★★★★

Cover Art:  Gorgeous cover, probably my favourite due to the beautiful blue colour.

Source: Received an ARC in a GoodReads giveaway hosted by Harper Teen. Thank you!

Release Date: May 1, 2012 by Harper Collins

Review: 

[Book 4  in the Wings Series]

The final book in the series was a great one. I’m glad it ended on such a strong note. This fourth and final book is filled with action from cover to cover. The battle travels across the worlds and into Avalon where there are surprises, heart-wrenching moments, and page-turner after page-turner.

I’m happy to say I have no real complaints about this book and how it ended. The action scenes and thoughtfulness were well developed and easily conveyed. The writing was simple, but it was easy to imagine Pike’s words come alive. As for the romance, yes, Laurel eventually chooses. The romantic scenes were interspersed between all the action and war, which was a good change in my opinion [the last two books being romance-heavy]. But, to contradict myself, I had hoped for a little more character-character interaction.

At the end of the book, there is an epilogue of sorts. A letter from one of the characters to another. So sad. That is all I’ll say.

The book [and series] ends on a good note. Definitely will recommend this series for those who love paranormal-romance, action, and beautiful world building. All four books are fun, fast reads.

2012
04/25
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Review: Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.
But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

    

Rating: ★★★★☆

Cover Art: Continuing with the pretty flower theme and glowing title. Not a fan of the colours though.

Review:

[Book 3 in the Wings series]

Drama, action, romance, mystery, twists and turns… Illusions was awesome and had a bit of everything for everyone. It picks up where Spells (Book #2) left off and continues the story from there. I have to admit, the middle of the book was super slow for me. Possibly because nothing other than typical-love-triangle-drama happened, which is something I don’t particularly care for. Nearing the end of the book, I could not stop reading until I hit the inevitable cliff-hanger.

I absolutely loved the fact that Tamani was brought to the “real world” to live in the same day-to-day life that Laurel does. Parts of the book is also told from his point-of-view (as opposed to strictly Laurel as in the past two books) which opens up much more of the story and its background characters. Shar, for instance, is one of the characters we would not have been privileged to see develop if Pike had not opened up Tamani’s point-of-view. And I’m so glad she did. I love Shar and his serious-but-not-around-Tamani personality. We also get a glimpse into his story that I hope we get to continue in the next book. The intro of Yuki was unexpected but loved how she contributed to the plot.

Oh the plot. SO much going on this book, I almost wished some of it was pushed into Spells so I didn’t have to give it 3/5 stars. But the plot development was what made this book great. We finally see where the troll debacle is leading to, some suspicions are examined and mysteries uncovered. Of course, this all happened in the last 1/3-1/4 of the book, and the slow beginning is probably why I knocked one star off of my rating. Too much romantic drama. Laurel is so indecisive and the boys’ interactions with each other almost always end with Laurel yelling at them both to quit their testosterone-jealous-inducing-tactics.

Anyways. Enough about them [there was certainly more than enough in this book]. I can’t wait to read Destined. I am hoping the conclusion to the series won’t disappoint and will bring all the loose ends together.

~C

2012
04/22
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Review: Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.
When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

    

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Cover Art: Flowers are quaint and appropriate for the series. Like how the typeface of the title has a little glow to it.

Review:

[Book 2 in the Wings series]

Oh, what a different feeling from when I finished Wings, the first book in this series. I can’t quite place a particular moment when the book started going downhill for me, but I can point out a few [quite a few] moments where I was tempted to skim through text just to reach the end a little faster, if not to relieve my boredom.

First of all, the beginning was well done and piqued my interest. It starts off essentially where the last book left off. Laurel is off to Avalon to start her faerie training. This beginning was what kept me reading. It was different, fantasy-filled, and creative [guess those words can be seen as synonyms]. The world Pike built for the faeries was amazing. The class structure, the school, the familial structuring… I was impressed with almost everything. Even the ongoing love triangle didn’t bother me at this point in the story.

However, as soon as the main character went back to the “real world” the story just did not seem as interesting [huh, guess I do know when the downhill drive started]. There was a lot of conversations between girl and boy #1 then conversations between girl and boy #2. These conversations were not as character building as I would have liked. They were simply conversations that contained too much love/jealousy/angst to see anything built beyond that drama. The dialogue was boring and repetitive and I just wanted to skip over it. But! I absolutely love the character Chelsea. I hope to see more of her and her refreshing personality in the next book.

The action in Spells was not significant, I’m sad to say. The baddies were dispatched within a chapter and the introduction of the new character was a little unnecessary and seemed like an easy out, but maybe there’s more to that in the next book. Yes, I am planning on reading it [since I already have it]. I’m hoping it will be better than this one was.

~C

2012
04/19
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Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words.
Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.
In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

     

Rating: ★★★★★

Cover Art: Cute. Very appropriate for the book content.

Review:

[Book 1 in the Wings series]

This is the first fairy/faery book I have read. Such a fast read [finished in one day] and I very much enjoyed it overall. The book is cute [sometimes sickeningly cute] and definitely geared towards younger readers with its simplistic story and language. If a complex plot is what you’re looking for, this may not be your best choice. However, I do recommend this book if you want a quick, fun read.

The story starts out introducing us to a 15-year-old girl who develops a blossom on her back and finds out she is a faery. Intriguing concept and I have not heard anything like it before. Laurel, the main female protagonist, is cute [so much in this book can be classified under that adjective] and definitely acts her age [girly, annoying, bratty, boy-crazy]. Not much I can say about her, though she did annoy at times, at others she had a surprisingly bad-girl side. The boys, David and Tamani, are complete opposites. On one hand, you have the nice, perfect, boyfriend-material boy. On the other, you have the mysterious, spark-inducing, soldier-from-another-world boy. I know who I’m liking more [*cough* Tamani] but I felt the character lean towards the other direction… for now. Typical love triangle thing going, so if you’re not into that, well… let’s move on.

What I especially liked is the mythological aspect to this story. The faery race was not what I was expecting [Tinkerbell-like pixies who sleep in flowers and spread sparkly dust to make magic]. I really appreciated the creativity and development that went into this totally new world. Plant-faeries? What? So original I just want to read more.

Definitely already started [by the time this is posted] the 2nd book, Spells. The last two books are already waiting in the wings [haha, sorry for the pun].

~C

2012
04/16
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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

alternate text

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Rating: ★★★★★

Cover Art: Not a fan of the text in the blue background. Too simple, could have had more to it. I do like the typeface of the title and author.

Review:

This is the first John Green book I’ve read. I have heard a lot of great things about John Green’s books, so picking this one up was a no-brainer. The book itself is a quick read. It delves into the lives of teenagers dealing with their diagnosis of life threatening cancer. Is it sad? Yes, of course. However, I did not cry. Nor did I get the least bit choked up. Does that make me a robot or did I not invest enough into connecting with the characters or was the book too short for that to happen? I don’t know the answer(s), but I am giving the book five stars, so this non-crying issue has little to do with my review.

I enjoyed reading the characters, their conversations, their interactions, their personalities and quirks. Hazel and Augustus connected so well for me. I loved that they had such great vocabulary and spoke in such “weird” ways to each other. Sure they’re only teenagers, but in my opinion, good vocabulary can only make the story easier to connect with and create imagery that common words can’t. John Green does this very well, and I am going to pick up another of his books just because of that. [Suggestions?] Even his minor characters [Peter Van Houton, Isaac, Hazel’s parents] were really well written. Their personalities were different and each of them had their ‘moment’ in the story and the reader can easily feel for these characters.

The book was written so well, with such great vocabulary, and the diseases were real and not “fluffed up” – I really appreciated this fact and these were my main reasons for giving it five stars. However, a few minor issues with the story. I didn’t feel as if the ending worked for me [too short? no closure? something about Hazel having a story but does not end up telling all of it?.], Augustus and his cigarette “theory” was unbelievable [stupid], and the physical relationship between Augustus and Hazel [wasn’t expecting it, did not like reading about it, tainted their characters and the relationship development in my opinion].

All in all, such a good book, super fast read, and if you like contemporary novels, this book will hook you in.

~C

2012
04/03
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Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Cover Art: The mockingjay soaring through a clear blue sky? What an opposite to the story held within the cover.

Review:

[Book 3 in the Hunger Games Trilogy]

Hmm, was that the end? Somehow I feel like the end didn’t “end” properly. I feel like there are loose ends hanging on the end of the Mockingjay’s tail. Things didn’t wrap up like I wanted them to. Yes, I had my own speculations about the ending, but even if they were wrong, I was expecting what was actually written to go beyond the details of my feeble imagination. It didn’t, in my opinion. It felt… rushed. Yes. I’ll go with that as the main reason for knocking one star off of the rating.

But! The story leading up to the ending was a great read in itself. The dynamic of the book changes to a full-on war setting. The beginning sets the scene,  slow to start, yet again. Once the action appears, it’s page-turner after page-turner and I loved how the action sequences were written. The writing is detailed and specific – and that, to me, is what makes a book worth reading – when I can form pictures in my mind and play it in my head like a movie going along with the text. This book, like the rest of the series, fulfilled that imagination-inspiring requirement.

The characters… sigh. I was hoping for more from the characters, to be honest. Yes, Katniss had been through a lot, but she goes back and forth in her stability as the female protagonist, and that did not appeal to me at all. I was expecting her to grow and develop more strength after what she had been through. Her character is still fiery, the interactions with other characters are on par, and she is still strong in a sense – just that setback that I was not expecting of her. Peeta, well, I can’t say much about him. Just a surprising turn in his story. Getting more of Gale’s character was good. Learning about his thought processes and decisions was disconcerting, but I can’t fault Suzanne Collins for that – that was more of my own expectations of Gale [Hohum…]. His character’s story ending was one I didn’t get closure on -sigh again-. Also, who she ends up with at the end? I guessed it, but that wasn’t the path I was expecting. I wanted Katniss to CHOOSE him, not…  [Blarg! (sound of frustration)]

New characters were hard to connect with. Yes, they were minor minor characters, but this was very unlike the first and second book to the series. Characters died. I was sad. I was sad because when the characters died, that was that, and the story moved on. Too quick for my tastes for one/two/some of those deaths.

Overall, the book is great. Action, adventure, war, more twists and surprises. I know it seemed like I was complaining for most of the review, but as human nature goes – the bad stuff sticks the most. I had fun reading it and I’m sure the majority of readers will enjoy it as well.

~C

2012
03/23
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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

Rating: ★★★★★

Cover Art: Loving the fiery colour and the token mockingjay on the front. Simple yet it works with the story itself.

Review:

[Book 2 in the Hunger Games Trilogy]

Can I just say ‘O-M-G’ and leave my mouth hanging open for a second?

…

Ahem. Excuse the internet slang and slack jawed moment, but this book is full of chapter endings and page turning scenes [and eventually the ultimate cliffhanger] that force your face into expressions such as these. I think what drew me in to this book was all the action-packed chapters, twists, and turns in the plot and character development. I could not put this book down and even if I had to I was literally dreaming about what would happen next.

The characters, both new and old, I am loving. Katniss, Peeta, and Gale are still, well… there. Not meant to sound disappointed. Their roles are the same, just some new additions to their story: Katniss is in heaps of trouble, Peeta’s along for the ride, and Gale’s developed into a much more rounded character. But as for the new characters that make their appearance, I just love the different personalities and conversations they have. They are so much fun and it makes going through the book an adventure where the reader can get attached to even these ‘minor’ characters. The relationships, glimpses into their back story, the dialogue, oh… essentially everything! And… I’m not sure what to think of the “triangle” thus far. It isn’t getting out of hand, that’s for sure, so I’ll leave it for now. I do have my own opinion as to who Katniss will end up with, but I’ll keep that to myself. And, I have to say, Finnick is awesome. That is all.

As for the story development… well who didn’t see that coming? Not the thing at the end, but ultimately the whole… thing. Anyways, if you read the book, you probably know what I’m talking about. I’m liking that it is going in this general direction and makes for the next book to be action-packed for sure. Catching Fire may start out a little slow, but it builds quickly and essentially stays in the ‘climax’ zone for much of the ending. I say the build up just makes the rest of the book that much more satisfying to read. No resolution to this book at the end, but I suppose that’s what Mockingjay is for.

~C

2012
03/19
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At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks

There are a few things Jeremy Marsh was sure he’d never do: he’d never leave New York City; never give his heart away after barely surviving one failed marriage; and never become a parent. Now Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, engaged to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the start of their family. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, a mysterious and disturbing e-mail sets off a chain of events that will change the course of this young couple’s relationship. How well do we really know the ones we love? How do we handle the inevitable doubts, fears concerning parenthood, and stumbling blocks that are sometimes placed in our way? Continuing the story of the young couple introduced in Sparks’s bestselling True Believer, this novel captures all the heartbreak, tension, romance and surprises of those who are newly wed. An astonishing tale about the love between a man and a woman and between a parent and a child, At First Sight is about endings that bring new beginnings . . . tragedies that lead to unexpected joy . . . and, most of all, the magic of everlasting love.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Cover Art: Nothing too special about it – typically Nicholas Sparks~

Review:

I had only read Sparks’ Message in a Bottle and picked this up on a whim from the library. I only found out after reading a couple of the reviews here on Goodreads… some indication that the story was continuing from True Believerwould have been nice~! [Most likely will not read that book now that I’ve essentially read the ending]

The title of the book suggests that the characters fall in love at first sight. And though the story indicates that they did, there were hardly any “lovey-dovey” scenes that are to be expected when a couple first gets together. The story begins with the plan that the characters get married. The planning process is supposed to be a happy, exciting event, but all I felt that was conveyed through the characters was stress and regret. The story has its ups – like those random short sweet moments that actually happen in life. But all in all, there were more sad and angry moments than I expected. Unfortunately this was a book I could put down before finishing.

As for Sparks’ books in general, all I can say is “Next!”

PS: Am I starting to see a pattern to the endings in Nicholas Sparks’ books?

~C

2012
03/13
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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.

Rating: ★★★★★

Cover Art:  The simple design works great for the book; gold mockingjay pin on a black background. Nice.

Review: 

[Why did it take me so long to pick this book up?]


This story is filled with action, character development, twists and turns. Everything I love about books is included in The Hunger Games. It’s violent, yes – but that just puts it on a different shelf apart from books that are all lovey-dovey, sweets and candy. If you don’t want to read about violence, don’t pick this book up. Simple as that. Is it predictable? Yes. But really, it’s a series of three books, what did you expect? Is the writing imperfect? Yes. But it’s written from a teenager’s perspective. How many teenagers have a writing/English/journalism degree?

The book is a capturing read in spite of all the “issues” that, if you are completely immersed in the story, you will not notice. Suzanne Collins develops the setting in such a way, that nearly all elements of today’s world are gone and something completely new has emerged. Details, creativity, new ideas… She developed the setting very well and the reader can easily jump into the novel with Katniss and the others.

The characters are nicely developed for the first of three books. I wasn’t expecting much out of character development, but what did show, was that each of them have their own unique personality. Katniss is a great female protagonist. She’s strong-willed, clever, and puts her heart into everything she does. [Plus, those archery skills? Pure awesomeness.] I was really rooting for her to do more than she did in the book, but what happened was semi-satisfying in the end. Peeta and Gale, the boys of the story, have yet to be more developed, I hope, by the end of the series. I think characterization is a huge part of what makes the story something worth reading.

The action in this book, however, happens when you least expect it. It’s hard to empathize with Katniss, seeing as none of us have ever been in that type of situation. But it’s easy to imagine her fear, the conflict, what she is seeing, and what she is feeling because it’s written well. The suspense can make your heart beat faster and you just want to keep turning the pages to see what will happen next.

It ends on a cliffhanger [of course], but I’ve already opened Catching Fire, the second in the series. I have a feeling I’ll need Mockingjay, the third book, awaiting on my shelf as well.

~C

2012
03/08
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The Power by Rhonda Byrne

Without The Power, you would not have been born. Without The Power, there wouldn't be a single human being on the planet. Every discovery, invention, and human creation comes from The Power. Perfect health, incredible relationships, a career you love, a life filled with happiness, and the money you need to be, do, and have everything you want, all come from The Power. The life of your dreams has always been closer to you than you realized, because The Power - to have everything good in life - is inside you.



Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Cover Art: Nothing extremely special about the cover. Pretty script, pretty colours…

Review:

This book was sent to me by Simon & Schuster Canada through a GoodReads FirstReads giveaway.

Relatively interesting. I honestly do not have much to say about it. It’s one of those “either you love it or hate it” types of books. I would say that the deeper thoughts under all the over-whelming, emotional, statements have some substance. Further than that, this book is too “extreme” for my liking. I suppose this is why I don’t read any self-help/motivational books. It always sounds like the author is dictating what to do, how to do it, and why you’re doing it.

Like I said, I believe in the basic principles and reasoning that the author writes about. The book was just too difficult to finish without skimming through a lot of “pushy” text.

~C

2012
03/07
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