Review ~ Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)
by Kresley Cole
YA Post-Apocalyptic 
Published: October 2nd 2012
Goodreads Link

Blurb: 

She could save the world - or destroy it. 

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future-and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone. 

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.

My Review: 

**2 Stars**

So, what is Poison Princess about? 1) There are these people (ok... teenagers) who are like living Tarot cards. They can communicate telepathically and need to find each other to save the world. 2) There was a solar flare that destroyed every living thing on earth, except a few people who were "lucky." All the water is gone... except for the water in a few deep wells. 3) The flare somehow created Bagmen - slobbery, brainless.... ok, ok.... zombies.

If that wasn't enough for you, then throw in a spoiled, selfish, annoying, rich brat main character and a juvenile delinquent handsome bad boy who is equally annoying. Aside from all this, the 2 cores of the story were actually interesting. I just wish it would have stuck to either magic/arcana OR post-apocalyptic. It just didn't quite work well combined.

I don't think I will be reading the rest of the series. I might pick it up in the future, but probably not.

Review ~ Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)
by Sarah J. Maas
YA High Fantasy
Published: August 27th 2013
Goodreads Link

Blurb: 

An assassin's loyalties are always in doubt. 
But her heart never wavers. 

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown - a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade-while pretending to do the king's bidding-will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin's loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

My Review: 

**4.5 Stars**

Perfection!!! I always get nervous when reading the 2nd book of a series... but Crown of Midnight delivered! I really feel bad for Celaena. She is on her way to winning her freedom, but of course the *&@*$&% king does not make it easy for her with his assignments and threats.

So much happens in this book that I don't even know where to begin. We delve into the magical mystery even more in this one, and it is fascinating. Also... CHAOL!!! Oh yes, there was more Chaol... and FINALLY some Chaol and Celaena. We don't really see much of Dorian, which I'm not sad about. He was not a favorite character and I didn't miss him. There was so much more going on to focus on.

Even with some of the horrible that happened, I look forward to getting my hands on the next book. I cannot wait to see where the story will take us and Celaena. Why do I have to wait????

Review ~ No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy **Adult Novel**

No Country for Old Men
by Cormac McCarthy
Adult Suspense
Published: October 9th 2007
Goodreads Link

Blurb: 

In No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy simultaneously strips down the American crime novel and broadens its concerns to encompass themes as ancient as the Bible and as bloodily contemporary as his morning's headlines.

My Review: 

**2.5 Stars**

This is a really short review, but there isn't too much I can say about this book. I will start with the good.... I really liked the story of the book. The whole man-hunt with the different perspectives was great. I know I would have liked it a lot more if it wasn't for all the bad.

Now, for the bad. The writing style is HORRIBLE. Everything is so disjointed and there is little to no punctuation. It made it very hard to tell who was speaking and when, and what was just thoughts vs. speech. The writing honestly gave me a headache.

I do plan on watching the movie so I can see the story without all the headache writing.

Review ~ The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3)
by Rae Carson
YA High Fantasy
Published: August 27th 2013
Goodreads Link

Blurb:

The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorn trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of ht enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

My Review: 

**4 Stars**

Not as good as the first two. Although, I can't believe it is over. The book was very slow in the beginning. It was a lot of travel, and not much going on otherwise. I do like how we bounced between Elisa's and Hector's point of views. It really added something to the whole story. The ending was very exciting though, but I wasn't happy with how Elisa acted towards her friend and sister. But, I understand her reasoning and need behind it.

Ahh... finally... Hector. There isn't anyone who didn't see this coming, but that doesn't mean it wasn't welcome. I am so very happy they ended up together. It was a much needed "happy" in a book filled with wicked secrets. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Mula. I saw her addition to the group coming, it was obvious when we first met her. She did grow on me though. The completion of Elisa's purpose was anti-climatic. But, then again, I guess it is supposed to be as we don't know the real purpose at this time.

I still can't believe the series is over. I look forward to reading whatever Rae Carson decides to write next... (I hope it is another awesome high fantasy).

Review ~ The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson **Adult Novel**

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1)
by Stieg Larsson
**Adult** Contemporary Mystery
Published: September 16th 2008
Goodreads Link

Blurb: 

Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch-and there's always a catch-is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

My Review:

**2 Stars**

This is the second time I have read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and hopefully the last. I dreaded reading it again, and was wondering why on earth I had given it 3 stars the first time.

The writing is way over done. The author goes into too many descriptions that he doesn't need to. I don't need to know that her office is 10x6 and every little thing that is in it. Too much info just made the book boring. The story does pick up around the middle and the descriptions do get a little less.

The locked room mystery is really interesting to try and solve and that is the only reason why this book got 2 stars in the end. The reasoning behind the mystery is horrifying and all the sexual abuse in the book is awful. I really don't want to read about that when I pick up a book.

Honestly, not a book I would recommend to anyone. I don't know why it is a best seller, but maybe it is the shock value that makes it popular. The is definitely not a book for younger audiences.

Review ~ The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)
by Rae Carson
YA Fantasy
Published: September 18th 2012
Goodreads Link

Blurb: 

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.

My Review: 

**4.5 Stars**

Oh boy, oh boy. What a great continuation. It is filled with just as much adventure as  The Girl of Fire and Thorns was. Elisa goes through even more in this book, and once again becomes stronger for it. She is now tasked with ruling the country of her former husband, the King. The council around her isn't making this task easy and you want her to just kill them all. To quote Sweeney Todd... "They all deserve to die."

Yes! Sorry, I will try not to give anything away, but what Elisa says to Ximena... AWESOME and FINALLY!!!! I know you always saw her as a friend, but come on. How much does she have to keep from you before you snap? I am also happy that the author broached the topic of birth control. Many books leave you wondering why no one gets pregnant when they don't mention BC. I always assumed it was a plant, but Rae Carson actually does a good job of creating it in her book. Oh... don't worry, still teen friendly - nothing graphic, or really anything at all.

Oh Hector and Elisa... you both need to Open. Your. Eyes! It is so obvious that they love each other, yet they keep hiding it. STOP!

I finished the book and immediately reached for the next one. It leaves readers with such a big cliff hanger that I am glad I had the last book ready and waiting for when I finished this one.

Review ~ For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars #1)
by Diana Peterfreund
YA Dystopia
Published: June 12th 2012
Goodreads Link

Blurb: 

It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong cause the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society... or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

My Review: 

**3 Stars**

Even though I do not like Jane Austen's books (any of them), I decided to give For Darkness Shows the Stars a chance. Parts of it were better than expected, and parts were just as confusing and boring as any Austen novel I have read.

I couldn't tell if this dystopian society was formed from our world, or a magical made up land. I guess we will probably learn more in the next book, but it would have been nice to see in this one. I really don't understand how the Reduction really happened. It was very confusing to follow. I understand the Posts, but how the Lost became the Reduced (not why - I get that) in the first place was just confusing.

I like Elliot and I don't. She is a great character, but very stupid for most of the book. Also, how did she create the new wheat if there was no genetic instructions anywhere anymore? Did she figure it out herself? And if that is the case, wouldn't it have taken years and years, even if she was a genius? Kai... oh how I hate Kai. Yes, he comes around towards the end, but I still don't like him. He hates Elliot for making the right choice and he knows it was the right choice. He was just being selfish, childish, and stupid.

I was invested enough to want to continue the series. I am sure a lot of questions will be answered and we will see more inventions, lands, and exciting new adventures.

Review ~ Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance (Defiance #1)
by C.J. Redwine
YA Fantasy/Dystopian
Published: August 28th 2012
Goodreads Link

Blurb:

While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.

When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan - the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

My Review: 

**3.5 Stars**

Don't let the 3.5 stars fool you. This is a good book. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the rest of the series, I just had a few problems with the book. First off was the horrible treatment of women. I understand why it was in there. The book seems almost set in a Medieval-ish period. Except it is dystopian, and there may be no electricity - but there are some fancy gadgets being created that far outstrip anything we have now. So, why no electricity?

The main character, Rachel, is written really well. She is a very strong anti-heroine/heroine character. (Sorry, it can get confusing because she is really rebellions - hence the anti). Logan is also a good character, but I think I'll like him better in the next book. He just seemed... off in this one.

I really look forward to reading the next book and continuing the series. I hope to actually see more of what has become of the world outside the city walls.

Where I have been

Ok, wow. I am sorry I have not been around for a while. I am going back to school and had to take a Pre-Calc class. It took up most of my time as I never went past Algebra in high school (some 13+ years ago).

I am back, and have a back-log of reviews to post.

I will also be attending the Boston Book Festival this weekend and hope to have a fun post or two upon returning.

Happy Reading everyone!

~* September Review Recap *~

~* September Review Recap *~

Shadowlark (ARC) by Meagan Spooner 
    ~ 4.5 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 Sequel Challenge (book 20 of 15)
    ~ Dystopia Reading Challenge (book 17 of 24)

A Midsummer Night's Scream by R.L. Stein
    ~ 1 Star Review (Link) Did Not Finish
    ~ Does not meet any challenges

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
    ~ 4.5 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (book 16 of 30)

Hysteria by Megan Miranda
    ~ 2 Star Review (Link)
    ~ Does not meet any challenges

Reached by Ally Condie
    ~ 3.5 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge (book 18 of 24)
    ~ 2013 Sequel Challenge (book 21 of 15)

A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron (Blog Tour)
    ~ Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 Sequel Challenge (book 22 of 15)

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
    ~ 1 Star Review (Link) Did Not Finish
    ~ Does not meet any challenges

Gravity by Melissa West
    ~ 2.5 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge (book 19 of 24)

Legend by Marie Lu (Re-read)
    ~ 4 Star Review (Link)
    ~ Does not meet any challenges

Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards
    ~ 4 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge (book 20 of 24)
    ~ 2013 Sequel Challenge (book 23 of 15)

Prodigy by Marie Lu
    ~ 4 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge (book 21 of 24)
    ~ 2013 Sequel Challenge (book 24 of 15)

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
    ~ 2.5 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (book 17 of 30)

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
    ~ 4 Star Review (Link)
    ~ Does not meet any challenges

Undead by Kirsty McKay
    ~ 3.5 Star Review (Link)
    ~ 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (book 18 of 30)

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson
    ~ 4 Star Review ()
    ~ 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (book 19 of 30)