Book Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

December 17, 2012 by 8 Comments

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Release Date: December 18, 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: BEA 2012
Rating: ★★★★★ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living. – Goodreads

Review:
Haunting. Bleak. Devastating. I think it’s safe to say that I’ve grown too used to a lot of the lighter “dystopian” books out there because I was unprepared for the heartbreak contained inside the pages of Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds. In this world, children either die from a mysterious disease, or they survive but evolve with unexplainable abilities. The unexplainable is always accompanied by fear and, in this case, the children are rounded up and locked up in “rehabilitation” camps. From the first page, Alexandra Bracken offered a tense — and often draining — reading experience but I must say it was a welcome departure from a lot of the fluffier dystopian fare I’ve read.

Just as her world was richly detailed, Alexandra Bracken’s characters were also layered and multidimensional. It would have been so easy to make Ruby such a miserable character to read about, but instead she grew throughout the course of the novel. She endured a lot, struggled with herself and what she could do (and did do), but she was also admirably resilient. Liam, Chubs, and Suzume are the three other core characters and it was so interesting to learn their backstories and abilities. I must say that the bond that Ruby forms with them was the highlight of The Darkest Minds for me. It was so organic, from the initial mistrust to the gradual acceptance, and I loved the heavy focus on their dynamic.

As I reached the conclusion for the book I was pretty much this in real life, no joke. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, ALEXANDRA BRACKEN?! The sequel is now easily one of my most anticipated titles for the new year. The Darkest Minds will make you sad and break your heart, but it’s so perfectly paced and you will grow so attached to the Black Betty gang. This is definitely a book worth your time.

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Book Review: The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

November 5, 2012 by 3 Comments

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. – Goodreads

Review:
Oh man, after all of the glowing reviews for Cassandra Rose Clarke’s The Assassin’s Curse I was really excited to read it because it sounded like my type of read. Feisty girl pirate, an assassin, a curse, and a reluctant alliance between them? I was sure there would be hearts in my eyes for this book. It looks like I set my expectations a bit too high, though, because The Assassin’s Curse only turned out to be an okay read for me.

First, there was so much going on and yet I never felt truly invested in Ananna and Naji’s journey. There was a lack of urgency, and despite their ups and downs along the way, and the attacks they encountered, I didn’t feel the danger. I also didn’t feel any romantic chemistry between Ananna and Naji. Friendship? Sure, but I expected more unresolved sexual tension. Instead I only encountered Ananna’s growing feelings — which didn’t make too much sense to me — while Naji was just…there. Speaking of, I wish I had gotten a better grasp on his character. I’m all for the mysterious type, but he lacked development to truly make me care for him. Maybe next time.

I did, however, like Ananna, the main character. I loved her vibrancy, her intelligence, and her determination. She refused to let her future be controlled and I admired her independence. The inclusion of magic and pirates was also great. I was totally into discovering more about the mythology of Ananna’s world and I’m glad Cassandra Rose Clarke spent a good amount of time with those elements.

While I didn’t quite love The Assassin’s Curse, I think the last few pages are setting up for an excellent sequel and I definitely plan on returning to read it. There’s so much potential and I’m curious to see where Cassandra Rose Clarke takes Ananna’s story next.

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Book Review: Rebel Heart by Moira Young

October 26, 2012 by 9 Comments

Rebel Heart by Moira Young Rebel Heart by Moira Young
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Source: ARC for review
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion. – Goodreads

Review:
Ouch, it actually hurts me to write this review because it’s not a very positive one. As you may or may not remember, I absolutely loved Moira Young’s Blood Red Road. It was one of my favorites from last year and Rebel Heart, even with a cover redesign that I did not appreciate, was one of my most anticipated books of 2012. The first book packed a punch with its energy and fast pace and I had grown to love the characters so much; I was really looking forward to a reunion with Moira Young’s world. Unfortunately, Rebel Heart took on another direction and I wasn’t much of a fan.

As mentioned above, Blood Red Road kept its momentum going with its fast pace and the adventures Saba set off on. With Rebel Heart, that wasn’t the case. To be fair, it started off on a great scene with Jack and it looked like Rebel Heart would take things up a notch. Instead, however, it dragged for me. It felt like Saba and co. were just traveling around aimlessly because I didn’t feel the same urgency that I did when she was trying to find Lugh in the first book. Considering how much I love Jack I feel that I should have been more invested in Saba’s possible reunion with him. Jack aside, though, I found myself feeling pretty bored with a good portion of the book. I didn’t get caught up in the danger or excitement. It was all just sort of MEH.

Next, the characters didn’t quite grab my attention either. Maybe I needed to re-read Blood Red Road before diving into this one, but I found it difficult to keep track of who some of the side characters were. My feelings towards the core few (i.e. Saba, Lugh, Emmi, etc) ranged from annoyance to straight up “JUST STOP.” I feel like Saba lost a lot of the fire that I loved so much in the first book and that was the saddest part of this sequel for me.

Rebel Heart took on a few unexpected directions and I’m not quite sure what to make of them. I was really thrown for a loop and I’m sure many of you will experience the same, “WHAT?!” reactions that I did. I’ll be interested to see how certain things will play out but, I won’t lie, I’m nervous about a few others storylines. While I’m sure many of you will enjoy what’s within the pages of Rebel Heart, I’ll have my fingers crossed that Moira Young will be able to turn this series around for me in the final book.

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Book Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

October 23, 2012 by 4 Comments

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC borrowed from Linda
Rating: ★★★★★ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next? – Goodreads

Review:
WHAT WHAT WHAT.

If you’ve read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer you know exactly how twisty Michelle Hodkin can turn a story. In the first book there were deaths, hallucinations, a lot of paranoia, and plenty of moments where Mara (and us as readers, really) had to freak out and wonder, “What’s real?! What isn’t?!” If you were into the thrilling ride that was the first book, worry not, Michelle Hodkin takes it up a notch in The Evolution of Mara Dyer.

There’s a lot that I could highlight, but I feel that I could get pretty spoilery so here are a few general points:
• Michelle Hodkin develops Mara’s character beautifully. She continues to go through plenty of terrifying events, and Mara does doubt herself, but she’s also very strong through it all. As the book title states, she’s evolving and it’s going to be an amazing third book with her.
• I loved the family dynamic in the first book and Michelle Hodkin was able to continue with that in this book with the genuine worry, dedication, and love that Mara and her family feel for each other. Obviously Mara’s family doesn’t know everything she’s gone through, as they only have select information about her situation, but I love the support they had for her, even though they did have to make some very difficult decisions.
• Of course, there’s Noah. Would it be sufficient to leave this little section full of exclamation points? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their closeness grew closer because of their trust in one another and it’s so, so good.
• For a lack of a better word, I described The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer as a “mindfuck” in my review. And, yup, that is the case in the sequel, too. Like its predecessor, this book messed with my mind and gave me the scary type of chills. The anticipation built throughout the book and it was so easy to be consumed.

Michelle Hodkin absolutely delivered with The Evolution of Mara Dyer and will no doubt succeed in making your heart race if you loved the first book.

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Book Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

October 10, 2012 by 4 Comments

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★★★★ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone’s power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy. – Goodreads

Review:
As you might remember, Rae Carson’s The Girl of Fire and Thorns was a perfect fantasy read for me. I screamed, I squeed, I cried, I fangirled…I was pretty much the physical embodiment of exclamation points over it. Yes, it WAS that good and The Crown of Embers immediately became one of my most anticipated titles of 2012. Friends and I tried to track it down at BEA, I missed it at ALA by a day, and then, when I actually got the book in my hands on release day, work and real life got in the way so I didn’t get the chance to read it until recently, TWO WEEKS later. Agony, let me tell you! Anyway, enough personal anecdotes, The Crown of Embers was astonishing and, hello, yes, much gushing ahead!

First off, Rae Carson’s pacing was so energetic and intense. A LOT happens in The Crown of Embers, and it was easy to see that the stakes were much higher from the first chapter. From there on out, it was a complete adventure with Elisa, Hector, and everyone else and, HOLY CRAP, things got crazy! There were twists and turns, political drama, and so much danger. I was glued to the pages and only stepped away from the book when absolutely forced to. Needless to say, The Crown of Embers had my heart racing with every page turn.

Next is Elisa. MY QUEEN. I am so, so proud of her growth. She has so much weight on her shoulders, and it would be so easy for her to crumble under it, but instead she grows and matures. She demonstrated so much determination and courage, both in standing up for herself and her kingdom, and I continue to look forward to cheering her on. Trust me, Elisa is a character to admire.

And then, of course, there’s the romance. I won’t say a lot about it, but excuse this outburst here and now: OHMYGODOHMYGOD, SUCH PERFECTION. No, really, Rae Carson knows how to build a relationship based on mutual respect and admiration and I was completely crazy over it. I held my breath during their scenes because their chemistry was so palpable and, gah, more of this in my reads, por favor.

Basically, The Crown of Embers is such a quality read and I wish I could put this series into the hands of everyone I know. If you haven’t read it yet, please do so that I can have more people to gush with. Filled with great writing, adventure, romance, and a fierce heroine, this is one fantasy series that I cannot recommend enough.

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