This book showed a lot of potential. Tahir has created a very interesting new society. It has war, conquerors and the conquered. It has revolutionaries, soldiers and refugees. It handles very real human issues of division among races and wars attributing superiority and political powers to certain groups. But mostly, I was intrigued by Elias and the masks (cold-hearted Assassins!!!). Unfortunately, I can't say that it met many of my expectations.

One of my biggest problems was that I couldn't get behind Helene. I feel like her bullheaded focus on keeping faith just didn't sit well with my own beliefs and my expectation of loyalty to friends. Finally, the ending act with her swearing fealty to that son of a twin-killing gun was disgusting and I refuse to fall into the narrative of making her act appear like the ultimate sacrifice; it was a bullshit selfish cowardly act of a woman who refuses to see the truth of her society, who has flourished in its suppression of others and who has only ever wanted to join the ranks of the suppressors.

Laia's plot with Mazen and the Resistance was cute (I kept internally telling her to run!!!), her attempt to save her brother was very noble and the resilience and strength she showed under such duress was commendable. I want to strangle Mazen for her struggles, but also am glad for him because her experiences definitely made her stronger and they let her meet our leading man, Elias!

I love Elias. I really enjoyed reading from his point of view, his indecision and genuine contemplation of his actions were interesting. After all, he is one of them, he is not being surpassed (tortured maybe) but he is not a slave, yet he doesn't like his life and he wants to change it even though those around him try to break him, and try to dissuade him. There is more I want to know about him, I would appreciate more information on his relationship with his mom (terrible) and grandfather (I really loved this guy) and even his adoptive family. I feel like they all contributed a lot to his personality and knowing more about them would help the readers know him at a more personal level.

Although, I liked the two main characters on their own and I liked them together as well but their relationship did feel very much "written on the cover". This book made me think of the YA beautiful female lead syndrome and wish that Laia wasn't one of them. But, she is and that's literally why Elias notices her. Hopefully, in future books their relationship can grow to something less superficial.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy the overall plot, it was well thought out and executed though not as complex as I wanted it to be; it was fun. The trials were an interesting addition that I wish were larger and with more bulk, I realize this would make this already giant book even larger, but apparently I don't mind.

Comments:

1. 1) I don't give a damn about Keenan and I wish he would disappear because I'm really not down for a 3rd wheel and the drama sequence that is sure to come with it.  
2. 
   
3. 2) As, I stated before, I'm really interested in Elias' grandfather and his legacy. I want to know more about their family and their house and how Elias' actions is going reflect on them and what their stance is. 
4. 
   
5. 3) Laia's family sounds amazing! I wonder if Laia will join the revolution and maybe surpass her parent's legacy.

Finally, some predictions and conclusions:

1. 1) The Augurs are the original scholars that figured out the secret of the jinn and started the whole mess. This would be awesome as it would come back to the fact that this group of scholars are responsible for their own peoples torture and I would be really interested to hear the explanation for it. (I hope it's not that they thought the scholars were to weak to fight.) 
2. 
   
3. 2) I wonder if Elias' father will show up in the future. I am assuming that he must be a good person to make Elias' witchy mom hate him so much. 

-MARI

One Life to One Dawn.
In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.
Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

My Review

Author: Renee Ahdieh

Pages: 388

Publication Date: May 12, 2015

Source: Library

If only this book could have continued the way it started.

I have to give Renee Ahdieh credit for trying to bring together a very complex culture, one not well explored in YA. If my ancestors didn't hail from the ancient Persian country of Khorasan, I doubt I would have known about it so it's great to see it be explored for once. I do have to say that the amount of exploration was quite limited. I don't have any image beyond a grand palace in my head but to be fair most of the book was set in this palace. Still, it leaves more to be desired.

Come to think of it, many aspects of this story leaves more to be desired. For the first time in a long time, a debut novel blared its imperfections and roughness to me. It caught me off guard, especially with the rave reviews everyone's thrown around about this book.

First there was the jumping narratives. I'm a sceptic with narratives that jump between more than 2 people so it's understandable when I wasn't enjoying them. But by the end, I didn't even understand the reason for them. Jahandar and Tariq were these two stubborn, dull and flat characters that embody the YA character version of men who think they know what is best for a woman. Neither had much backstory to even deserve a portion of the narrative and their great quest ended in an anticlimactic 10 page abrupt end. Ugh, that ending.

Unfortunately, Jahandar and Tariq weren't the only pointless and bland side characters. All of the side characters were 8 by 11inch paper flat. Shiva who's death sparks the whole entire plot was a distant ghost of a friend who stood by our protagonist when her mother died. Great. Lets all repay our friends with our lives since we have many of them. To make me even more agitated, Shahrzad's plan of attack was to find a plan of attack... so exciting.

Then comes the bane of my existence characters: Jalal and Shahrzad's handmaiden who's name slips my mind and who's importance ranks below a google search. These two were the most obviously positioned and "tell not show" developed characters I've read in a while. They had convenient positions in both Shahrzad and Khalid's lives to drop unmasked revelations that were used as plot progression tools.

After that little rant it may surprise you if I said that I was actually enjoying this at a 4star level up to around 70% of the way through. Most of this is attributed to Shahrzad and Khalid, who I actually liked. I loved the story telling addition which was done really well and one of my complaints is that it wasn't continued. For a story of 1001 nights, the story telling ended way too early.

Also, something that really stood out for me was the incorporation of marriage and its consummation which I thought Ahdieh did a really good job handling.

Overall, I'm quite broken up about this book. I have so much to complain about because I felt like my enjoyment level was inclining and then suddenly it plummeted. Also, what the heck was that ending? Action action, the end. Meh.

-MARI

The girl known as Gretchen Whitestone has a secret: She used to be part of Adolf Hitler’s inner circle. More than a year after she made an enemy of her old family friend and fled Munich, she lives with a kindly English family, posing as an ordinary German immigrant, and is preparing to graduate from high school. Her love, Daniel Cohen, is a reporter in town. For the first time in her life, Gretchen is content.
But then, Daniel gets a telegram that sends him back to Germany, and Gretchen’s world turns upside-down. And when she receives word that Daniel is wanted for murder, she has to face the danger she thought she’d escaped-and return to her homeland.
Gretchen must do everything she can to avoid capture and recognition, even though saving Daniel will mean consorting with her former friends, the Nazi elite. And as they work to clear Daniel’s name, Gretchen and Daniel discover a deadly conspiracy stretching from the slums of Berlin to the Reichstag itself. Can they dig up the explosive truth and get out in time-or will Hitler discover them first?

Goodreads 

My Review

Author: Anne Blankman
Pages: 406
Publisher: Blazer + Bray
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
Source: Library

I've come to realize that besides having enchantingly woven an intricate mystery within the boundaries of real historical events Anne Blankman also has the best Author's Notes. Seriously, I almost couldn't help myself from skipping to the end and reading them, as they are always so riveting.

Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke takes place a little while after the events of its predecessor. Daniel and Gretchen have now settled in England but things aren't as cheery as Gretchen would like to believe.

Gretchen and Daniel are one of my favourite literary couples. They are so realistic in the ways that they go about their relationship. They love each other but they are also best friends. For sure there is a lot of forever talk but who doesn't fancy themselves a forever relationship? Even still, they went through a lot of turbulence during this book trying to figure out how to coordinate their love with their differing interests and the obstacles imposed by the political state of things.

Blankman's pre-WWII Germany was as enthralling and as alive as ever. I'm not a visual reader but my history sensitive mind was jumping for joy with all the details. I could imagine the burned Reichstag, red faced Hitler and the party men busting down doors arresting people. The number of characters was also much higher in this book as Gretchen and Daniel struggled to find new allies. I did find some minor issue in remembering all the names starting with G: Goring, Gennet, Gerlich...

Everything about this book was well done which is something I've come to expect from Anne Blankman in this quick time. However, when compared to its predecessor, I felt like this story lacked magnitude. Gretchen was quite realistically walking on glass in the first book. Questioning her upbringing, her friends, her family and their sanity. Gretchen was still finding herself and coming to terms with her new situations and new truths, however I just wish the central conflict was larger- more world changing.

A commendable sequel in a wonderful historical duology. If you are a fan of history, psychology, mystery, or interested in world war two like me than pick this series up.

-MARI

When high school senior Kelsey's identical twin sister, Michelle, dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.
As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.

My Review

Author: Lara Avery
Pages: 320
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Source: Library

I honestly don’t even know why I’m so angry. Actually, I’m nauseated. I cannot deal with how this story progressed.

Right off the bat, we have a very touchy topic. Kelsey’s sister Michelle dies while her boyfriend, Peter, is deployed. Struggling with the loss of her twin, Kelsey responds to Peter’s Skype and decides that she has to act like her sister to get Peter through the deployment and things get complicated, of course. 

What happened to Michelle was sad, but I didn’t feel the brunt of it because I didn’t even know her and she died in the first few chapters. Instead, I was left with an immature Kelsey who threw all her friends, boyfriend and family away to then toy with someone’s feelings. 

I think, Kelsey is sick. Very sick and struggling severely with Michelle’s death. Her lack of regard for others’ time, money and emotions was beyond my comprehension. How blind, self-centered and grief-stricken do you have to be to ignore right and wrong? 

As for Peter, he was sweet, the perfect forever boyfriend type but he didn’t have any growth and wasn’t very interesting. In fact, all of the secondary and tertiary characters were flat. Non-existent parents except for in the background and to preach in the end, non-existent school  except to fill in the time-slot in a day, and the predictable role set out for Peter’s sister was unrealistic. 

Stories about basically catfishing someone are hard to swallow but I was ready to if there was more of a story arc with Peter and Kelsey as themselves coming to terms with Michelle's death, Kelsey's catfishing, and Peters military duties. Instead, lengthy duration of the cat fishing exceeded my tolerance level and I can’t forgive Kelsey. She had several chances and she blew them with weak excuses. In the end all of the falling action, growth and preaching was condensed into maybe 20 pages, resulting in lost realism and notching my enjoyment level down dramatically.

-MARI

Twenty-six-year-old Elsie Sherman has had a crush on her brother’s best friend, Henry Logan, since she was twelve years old. Unfortunately, Henry—now an Air Force officer—has only ever treated her like a younger sister, stepping into her brother’s shoes after he was killed in action.
That is, until the night when one dance ignites a sensual fire between the two, leaving Elsie aroused and confused. Is she allowed to lust after her surrogate big brother, who also happens to be her roommate? As the passion between them crosses the line into a territory that teases with the forbidden, Elsie decides to give herself to the man she has always desired. But Elsie is not prepared for where the relationship will take her.
Henry has been harboring two secrets. One can bring them closer together. The other will tear them apart. Now, with each startling new revelation, Elsie realizes that only she can decide if the past can ever be forgiven—and if a future with Henry is worth fighting for.

My review

Author: June Gray
Pages: 384
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Source:  Library
Contains 6 novellas

My obligatory man in uniform romance fix was almost overdue and I'm quite happy that I picked this one up. I refuse to view this novella collection as a novel. But I do see many instances in which the author could have made these novellas into a real book, story wise.

The whole thing felt very choppy and light so much so that it was almost superficial. Elise and Henry had a cute past that lead up to their relationship, but their relationship in the present didn't have much depth beside the physical type.

There was also the tidbit where I didn’t realize this was an erotic romance when I picked it up. Do I mind? Not really, but I did feel like the story could have been much stronger if there wasn’t a sex intermission in between every important conversation. That's just my opinion and obviously the book gave sufficient hints that it wouldn't be like that. Even so, I found this to be quite enjoyable. 

I did decide to stop reading after novella number 3, Retreat because the story had done what I needed it to, get me out of my slump and I no longer enjoyed the direction it was taking. All in all, an enjoyable romance, really light, sexy and feel good but also heartbreaking as is usually the case with military romances. Recommended for an adult audience.

-MARI

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home

GOODREADS

My Review

Author: Katie McGarry
Date of Publication: May 26, 2015
Pages: 496
Source: Library

Saying that I really wanted to like this book is an understatement. Or maybe, it isn't because I couldn't make myself finish it.

Katie McGarry and I have a 2:1, love:dislike ratio. Not bad. And everything in Nowhere But Here's premise, cover and early reviews pointed to an updated 3:1 ratio. Obviously, something went sour.

From the very beginning this books was weak. Emily is obnoxious, inconsistent and annoying for lack of a better word. She is introduced as this perfect good girl who is so high and mighty that she doesn't give her biological dad the light of day when he comes to visit every year. Such a chore. When suddenly thrust into his crowd she doesn't waste time to a) slut shame b) grandma shame "grandma's don't swear" and c) look down on Oz and then mentally undress him. There were also several moments when she would talk about her courage at looking these wild people in the eyes and the next second she'll be barfing her guts up on someones shoes. No, she didn't impress me.

Next is Oz, swoony not Oz...  His chapters weren't as disagreeable. The little that I read about the motorcycle club was interesting. But there was nothing about Oz that really captured my attention enough to make me want to stay. His frequent sexual comments about Emily's appearance weren't very enjoyable to read about either.

I could go on and write about my thoughts on the writing, plot, and such but I only got to about 30% of the book. McGarry is a great writer but this book's issue, in my opinion, was the story. Not much interesting had happened in the first 30% and for a book this size 30% is a lot of pages for me to make a decision. Definitely not for me.

-MARI

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.
As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

GOODREADS

My Review

Author: Marie Rutkoski
Date of Publication: March 3, 2015
Pages: 416
Source: Library
Book #2

I regret having decided to read this book when I did. With my mood, I couldn't at all realize from it any of the joy that the previous instalment gave me. I read it quickly and usually that would signify interest, however, I retained little and that saddens me.

The Winner's Crime was definitely a great sequel; well written and intricate. I remember being wowed by the mind games and deceptions in The Winner's Curse. My mind was so frayed whilst reading this one that I spent a lot of my time pondering if a certain passage meant what it was supposed to mean or if there was a hidden meaning behind it. I exhausted myself and I never got my answer, though the ending of the book was satisfying and well executed.

Kestrel who I adored for her wits, was a bit of a mess in The Winner's Crime. I wouldn't blame her, but feeling as lost and confused as I did in my own head whilst reading her point of view did little to make her decisions relatable. I could see her slip in her games and I cringed. The lying and withholding of information was also annoying though the climax was brilliantly done. I felt like I was there in the audience, my head turning ferociously from one character to the next to try and gauge all of their reactions at once.

Arin's chapters weren't my favourite. I like him, I do, but his storyline was slow and uninteresting. I would be lying if I didn't admit to skimming his chapters in the second half. Arin was just so blind to the truth and it infuriated me.

I don't have much else to say, I finished the book 10 minutes ago and I'm already starting to forget the details. Like I said, it's not all the book's fault as my mood was a big determinant. Even still, here is something to go by, I finished it in two days and two sittings. It's a gripping read.

P.S. I'm not giving it a pity 3 star. There was a lot of a good: well written and executed plot, interesting new characters like the King, and the Herrani minister of agriculture.  My review just explored more the dark side.

-MARI

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

GOODREADS

My Review

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Date of Publication: May 5, 2015
Pages: 416
Source: Library

Despite my previous blog being The Book Faerie, I've never been a fan of YA faeries. Until now; until Sarah J. Maas.

I think Maas brings to faerie stories what not many other do; she creates her own mythology or builds on previous ones in a way that sets her story apart. Many books assume that everyone knows about the 'general faerie mythology' like the Unseelie and Seelie courts. I don't, not really, and so I can be easily put off by books like The Iron King by Julie Kagawa which everyone, but I, liked.

Beyond being a book about faeries, ACOTAR is also a retelling of beauty and the beast. Maas took an interesting path with the old tale and spun it to encompass a magical world filled with warring species of humans, fae and a not-so-beastly Tamlin.

Tamlin is not your conventional beast. Sure he has claws and a beast form, but his curse isn't one of such an obvious nature. No, Tamlin was charming to say the least. His and Feyre's gradual friendship or rather courtship was very sweet to read about. My only struggle with Tamlin was that he didn't give away much about himself which makes it harder for me know and understand him.

On the other hand, Feyre was an open book, which probably has a lot to do with her being the narrator... Seriously though, I adored her. She was a strong girl who had to grow up fast in order to take care of her family. But inside, she was still just a girl who wanted enough food and some paint.

The first half of the book was slow winding but enjoyable as we watched Feyre explore the fae world and come to know Tamlin better. However, what blew this book away for me was the second portion which I literally read in one night. One word: Rhys.

Everything up to then was good and interesting but Rhys, he brought something completely different to the table. Otherwise known as Amarantha's whore, Rhys was dark, handsome and cunning. He played the games that faeries are credited with and he played them well. It felt like in the first half I'd been under a glamour and Rhys turned it off. I also like to think of him as the unlikely hero who needs to be given more credit.

Overall, ACOTAR is definitely one of Sarah J. Maas' better books which is saying something as I've enjoyed all of her books. What I am noticing, however, is that she manages to visibly grow as a writer in each book. So while I may have had minimal to zero issues with her previous works, she still manages to increase the quality of her stories and I'm impatient to see how amazing her future works prove to be.

-MARI

From Allison van Diepen, author of Snitch and Street Pharm, comes a sexy, dangerous novel about a teen who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in the seedy world of Miami’s gangs.
Maddie Diaz never should have taken that shortcut through the park. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have seen two members of the Reyes gang attacking a homeless man. Now, as the only witness, she knows there’s a target on her back.

But when the Reyes jump her on the street, Maddie is protected by a second gang and their secretive leader, Lobo, who is determined to take down the Reyes himself. Lobo is mysterious and passionate, and Maddie begins to fall for him. But when they live this close to the edge, can their love survive?
On the Edge is a compelling story about fighting for what’s right and figuring out where you belong. The novel showcases a gritty, realistic voice and earth–shattering romance that will intrigue readers of Simone Elkeles and Paul Griffin and captivate fans of Allison van Diepen's other novels.

GOODREADS

My Review

Author: Allison Van Diepen
Date of Publication: November 26, 2014
Pages: 304
Source: Library

On the Edge has one of the best openings that I’ve read this year. The first 30 pages, or so, of this book do everything right. They don’t only catch the reader’s attention and absorb you into the drama playing out on the pages but also set up all the background information almost inconspicuously.

On a midnight stroll home after seeing her friends, Maddie becomes a witness to a horrible gang related crime and she talks. All of a sudden her life is upheaved, she is no longer just the smart girl with the scholarship and editor of the school newspaper but now she is also on the Reyes gang’s hit list.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Van Diepen and I think she is one of the best when it comes to writing about gangs. I recollect having read something about her having lived and taught in Brooklyn, NY, which lead her to come in contact with some students involved in gangs. I think this personal experience translates well onto the pages of her books. She writes gangs at a realistic level. They aren’t all heroes or villains; they are lost people who got involved with the wrong things. A villain may lead them and if they don’t take care, they may become villains themselves; as the gang members in the beginning of this book did.

I saw this book as very character run. There are so many that I want to talk about starting with Maddie herself. Maddie was a strong and righteous character. She did somethings that really took guts and I wonder if I would do the same if I were in her place. I liked how vulnerable she was but she struck to her beliefs and her sense of ethics. However, some of the things she did in the end, while fun to read were also extremely rash and she really got lucky with their results.

 Although this guys was probably not even a secondary but a tertiary character, he kind of stole the spotlight in my eyes. Manny is a guy from the hood who also works at the McDonalds that Maddie works at. He comes off as a harmless flirt and his banter with Maddie is cute, but he is also one of the first people to stand up for Maddie when she is in danger. I want to devote a song to him, because hell he was so sweet. Too bad he didn’t get much page space.

Van Diepen also featured Julia and Eric the protagonists of Snitch. I thought this was a nice addition, as it’s always nice to see how old protagonists are doing in their life.

Julia and Maddie’s friendship was also nice but a little unrealistic. Julia, who had heard a bit about Maddie, decided that she wanted to be friends and their friendship jumped from an introduction to romantic set-ups in 2 paragraphs. Julia also has a knack for dishing wisdom from her own experiences. I personally wouldn’t have been as open to such comments from new friends as Maddie was, which made their friendship suffer a bit as it seemed superficial to me.

On the Edge also features some failed ambiance. There was supposed to be this mysterious hero feel, and I, along with everyone else in a one-block radius, guessed the identity of this “mystery” person in seconds. Of course our protagonist took her sweet 100 pages but even still, she figured it out by mid book. I think the ambiance wasn’t done well and it would’ve been fine if it were left out completely as well.

This definitely wasn’t the perfect read. Somehow Van Diepen managed to find my pet peeves but when I finished the book after only 2 sittings, I wondered if it deserved a 5 star. Despite the things that peeved me, the book itself was enjoyable. There was a good main conflict, I managed to forget my issues as I read the book and the ending was satisfying. It was all in all, enjoyable. Not the best thing I’ve ever read but that’s a pretty tough pedestal to reach.

-MARI

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Date of Publication: June 5, 2012
Pages: 368
Source: Personal Copy

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

GOODREADS

Review:
I probably acknowledged this book and my eventual plans of reading it a thousand times. A thousand fake acknowledgements later, I'm here to say how much I enjoyed it.

Set in a Russian-esque backdrop, Shadow and Bone tells a story of fantasy and magical powers that is unique and fascinating. Bardugo’s Grisha are glamorous, revered and feared in their brilliant Keftas. The description of Grisha life has me awed and envious of the beauty and splendour that Bardugo created in her world. I sure wouldn’t mind a midnight blue Kefta of my own. 

At points in the plot I noticed some parallels to one of my favourite books, Eon by Alison Goodman. Alina reminded me of Eona, at the beginning of her journey. Like Eona, Alina is the only one of her kind and has a lot of lives resting on her new found talent. Similarly, Alina starts out as a weak, intimidated young girl and manages to grow and strengthen as a character. I can’t say she’s reached Eona’s level of growth at the end of the first Dragoneye novel, but that’s why this is a trilogy and I look forwards to seeing more of Alina. 

As for everyone’s favourite, the romantics of Shadow and Bone. I’m pleased to say that I adored it. Going into the series, I was quite cautious of how Bardugo was going to manage the romance between best friends. It’s not every book that the protagonist starts the story with a male friend that she actually has romantic attachments to. 

I thought Mal was fantastic. The flashes to Mal and Alina’s childhood were sweet and great ways to help the reader understand a relationship that has been there far before the start of the book. 

Alina also meets many new characters. Her new Grisha friends were interesting to read about though Geyna may have been the only one with much of a personality. I do wish that Bardugo spend some time fleshing out the secondary or even tertiary characters like Alina’s colleagues at the Little Palace: Marie, Nadia, Sergei, Ivan, David etc. 

The Darkling was a mysterious characters as I’m sure he was meant to be. His power fascinated me and his relationship with Alina did give me some conflicting feelings. He is already someone I hate to like but like to hate... Or I just don’t know how to feel. 

For all its amazingness and intricate world, Shadow and Bone did suffer from a minor case of debut noveltitis. There were some awkward scenes and dialogues, mostly between The Darkling and Alina, that I wish were done more smoothly. The Grisha terms were a little alien and hard to remember as well.

Nevertheless, Shadow and Bone has the workings of a great series. The book itself is fast-paced, interesting and well written. It is also a very quick read, clocking in at about 350 pages, and I flew through it. Fans of fantasy, Eon by Alison Goodman and good books, I think you’ve found the next best read! 

-MARI

Author: Laura Thalassa
Date of Publication: April 21,2015
Pages: 329
Series: Book 2  of The Vanishing Girl 
Source: Net Galley - Thank you!

When eighteen-year-old teleporter Ember Pierce wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, she remembers only the basics: she’s been trained by the government as a spy, she’s sent on dangerous missions, and her last assignment—the one that landed her in the hospital—was a setup.
Caden Hawthorne has spent the past ten months of his life grieving Ember’s death. So when she shows up in his room like an apparition, he can’t believe his eyes. But this Ember is different. Her hair is longer, her skin is paler, her gaze is haunted. She tells him what he’s already begun to suspect: someone he trusted betrayed her.
Now, uncertain who is friend and who is foe, Ember and Caden face the toughest mission of their lives—to stay together and survive, as they run from danger toward an unknown future. 

GOODREADS

Review:
I read this one before exams as a stress reliever and as a method of procrastination. It definitely helped with the latter, but the former’s results are inconclusive. 

Fast paced thrillers like this are beginning to reveal themselves as my guilty pleasure reads. They are just so riveting. Like a rollercoster ride.You hold on tight because you know the accelerator isn’t being released any time soon. 

Set 10 months after the events of the previous book, Laura Thalassa wastes no time with raising the stakes. Weak, drugged and angry, Ember is set to GTFO. Excuse my language. 

I really appreciated the active planning and executing of said plans by the protagonists in this book. Ember and Caden received a real lesson in the consequences of waiting too long to react in the previous instalment. This time they were more proactive and Caden was also more involved. 

Despite having learned some lessons, one lesson that Ember and Caden seemed to have missed, again, was open communication. It is so infuriating as a reader to watch characters withhold information from each other, which then screws them over in the long run. Still, I couldn’t fault them fully for doing so, especially as honesty might not have gotten much done. I do look forward to a different method of conflict building in the next book.

Still, the story has me on the edge of my seat as Ember and Caden ran or tried to run for their lives. My heart kind of broke for them as I watched them struggle. I honestly couldn’t think of a better plan to help with their situation so I enjoyed reading them trying to execute their flawed plan and face trouble when it came at them instead of twiddling their thumbs and waiting.

Once again, Thalassa managed to build up to another striking ending. I feel sorry for Ember and Caden but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the struggle. 

-MARI

Author: Veronica Roth
Date of Publication: October 22, 2013
Pages: 526
Source: Personal Copy

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningliess. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend to complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

GOODREADS

Review:
I'm heartbroken. I loved this book, but I also felt like there was something integrally wrong with it.

Many of the reviews I've read and comments from friends said that the book was boring, hard to read and not entertaining. Personally, Allegiant was an easy and interesting read for me. I was absorbed and interested the whole way through. As a book, it was a good one, I think its problem was living up to the standard set by the previous two books.

I really enjoyed finally getting some answers to my questions albeit not liking these answers. (Really Veronica Roth?) The familial relationships like Tris and Caleb, Tobias and his parents, Zeke and Uriah, were the real story. The book explored central themes introduced in the previous instalments like family, belonging and sacrifice.

"I don't belong to Abnegation, or Dauntless, or even the Divergent... I belong to the people I love, and they belong to me- they, and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could." (Tris, 455) There were many such lines. Inspirational and heart warming but also borderline preachy. It sometimes felt like the rising action and climax had occurred in books 1 & 2. Allegiant was falling action from start to finish.

Allegiant incorporates Tobias' point of view, which I had previously read in Four, the companion novel, and thoroughly enjoyed. I can't say the same about this narration. Tobias felt different, his actions weren't the kind I'd come to expect from him. While this book explores his faults and insecurities, I felt like it ignored his strengths often.

I've always loved the partnership between Tris and Tobias. I thought of them as two people who, when they come together, things exploded, then rekindled and everything was just better. Their relationship was so strained in this book. I never got a chance to love them together. Instead, both were busy colliding for all the wrong reasons. Also, Tris took over the story. She was the righteous one, the one Four should follow. Nothing like the partnership I loved.

As for the ending, I was numb to what happened. I predicted it and when it finally happened I only felt mild surprise that my guess was right on. Looking back, I can't say I appreciated it much.

Divergent was my favourite of this series. And while I managed to enjoy Allegiant whilst reading it, the aftermath of finishing it has left me with a sting of disappointment. The relationship I loved did not get any of the limelight and the explanations given were insufficient.

-MARI

Author: Amie Kaufman , Meagan Spooner
Date of Publication: December 23, 2014
Pages: 390
Source: Library

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

Goodreads

Review:

I’ve been sitting on this review for a while. It’s one of those times when you come out of loving a book and feel at a loss for words to express yourself. Even so, this may not be anything new but it is how I feel and it’s long overdue that this books get credit on The Sirenic Codex. 

There are loads of sci-fi reads, the genre is so huge that sometimes one can get lost trying to find something that fits their needs. Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman’s work in this series is quickly becoming the place I go to get my sci-fi fix. 

In This Shattered World, we are introduced to a small planet on the edge of the universe, Avon. Avon has basically failed terraforming and is left in a stalemate as a wetland. Despite it’s perceived failures the natives are fierce and loyal to their planet and it’s sovereignty. 

Enter Flynn, brother of the former rebel leader, and stone-cold cold Captain Lee. What a duo. Initially out to get each other only to end up enlightened to other side of the story because there is always another side.

In These Broken Stars, I loved the romantic history the characters had, in this one I really appreciated the familial history. While the first book was more about survival in isolation this one was about war and the effects it has on a person's sanity, family, friends and home. 

This book also built further into the universe created in This Broken Stars. Not only was it set in a different planet but the characters stories of an ancient Earth and the colonization of the human race in different planets were a fascinating addition especially with the aspect of ethnic diversity that was done very well. For instance, Flynn was of Irish ancestry while Jubilee came form an asian background. 

Overall, this was a very easy book to get engulfed in. It’s action packed, intelligent and contains two very relatable and courageous protagonists. As if those aren’t good enough on their own, Spooner and Kaufman have weaved a full story into this book, independent of the previous and forthcoming instalments. Definitely, recommended. 

-MARI