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

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

My review

Author: Libba Bray
Publication Date: September 18 2012
Pages: 578
Source: Library

I can't tell you how I finished The Diviners. I really can't. The story was lukewarm for me, and it felt like it was dragging on and on and on. The overall premise was interesting to me, but there is building up tension slowly, and then there is the snail's pace that was The Diviners.

The pace was terrible. It was so slow, and full of completely unnecessary details. Some character development, or world explanations are necessary for fantasy/urban fantasy, and I'm generally very open to a little more detail. The Diviners, however, had too many completely irrelevant, meaningless plots. I was curious, and I felt persistent so I finished. But, I feel like a good 100 or so pages could have been cut and the story would not have suffered at all.

Because nothing happens.

Or, excuse me, very little happens.

This is the part that disappointed me the most. The Diviners is building up several storylines when there is only one that really matters to this book. It's annoying because I was expecting everything to get to a point where a singular story could begin to unravel, and that didn't happen. We don't need to know the perspectives of many of the characters in The Diviners because they are utterly irrelevant to the climax, or the resolution. In fact, it feels like some characters are introduced ,and we are told they will be important and have to make tough choices, and then nothing happens. Their individual plotlines lack the direction to make up a contemporary, so there ends up being endless prattle about characters that do. not. matter.

Evie is the only character that really necessitates a POV. Multiple POVs are used when explaining intricate storylines that have many moving parts. This was not an intricate storyline. At least, not yet. Indubitably, Libba Bray plans to get to that point. But, until she gets to that point where all the characters actually matter to the overall plot, the reader does not need to know so much about these characters.

I think that's what disappointed me most about The Diviners: the promise, and then the failed execution. I loved reading about the flappers and the historical aspect of the story. I loved the language that was used to convey the era, and the attitude of the era in New York City. Everything was glittering and bright. There was oppression, and repression. There was the fear of the Bolsheviks. There was hope in the future fuelled by the marvellous advances of industry. I've read a few books about the 20s and Bray's has my favourite depiction thus far.

I guess my hope for the rest of The Diviners, which I may or may not read, is that Libba Bray starts the action and cuts out the preamble. I want to see stuff happening, and I want there to be much better pace. The book needs more purpose, and some more creativity when it comes to the story. The evil ghost plot was not the most exciting, to be very honest. I know all about ghost stories. I've watched 10 seasons of Supernatural, in addition to devouring most paranormal reads.The murders were gruesome, but I never felt scared because it was such overkill. For me, I think the fear of the unknown is the scariest part of a ghost story, and so the murder scenes bits took away some excitement because I was waiting for Evie to catch up.

Due to most of the characters' utter irrelevance in the overall storyline of The Diviners, I couldn't really care much about them either. They have potential, I guess.

Tldr: the pacing killed this story, even though it has promise.

-P.E.

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....

My Review

Author: Morgan Rhodes
Pages: 412
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: December 11 2012
Source: Library

Falling Kingdoms lacked the depth requisite of truly great fantasy.

It appeared to me as if the story relied on a few too many cliches, and failed at creating something new. The motivations behind the characters actions were bizarre, and it was tough to know which of the characters I would root for because every single one of them made the sort of mistakes that are hard to get past.

Magnus, the Prince, could have possibly been sympathetic as a child born to an abusive father and an unloving mother, in love with his sister. He is probably the character that will most swing to the side of villain, and the possibility of Magnus redeeming himself, or choosing to be as vicious as his father was a major part of his storyline. Except that Magnus disgusted me from the start when he took advantage of servant women so that they could spy for him. In general, he used women, and I could have considered this to be part of his character, except that it played into the whole "Everyone loves a bad boy!" trope wherein all these female characters seemed to have fallen in love with him, and there's apparently many of them. One is mentioned by name, and her characterization was so weak, that it really felt like Magnus is an extremely gross predator. It's tough to feel too much sympathy to a man like that, regardless of circumstances.

Cleo was someone constantly referred to as fierce. She did prove that later on, but this was repeated so often, with one of the characters actually thinking of her as some sort of vicious snake or something, that I felt more irritated that I had heard about Cleo being fierce from other characters rather than seen it from herself. I mean, the very first time we meet Cleo, she is a bystander to something terrible. Then, she is forced into marriage. The only points where one sees Cleo's fierceness is when she's whining to her sister, who seems somewhat saintly, and her father, both people that love her. Of course, she does show a little more "fierceness" with a particular choice later on, but I'm still trying to get over just how terrible of a choice that was.

Jonas is a rebel that is understandably distressed because his kingdom is treated like shit by the other two, Limeros and Auranos, and he also witnessed his brother's death at the hands of an arrogant Auranian that was trying to take advantage of his father. So okay, I understand, Jonas is in a bad place. I wish this would have been further explored-- Jonas' feelings-- because what eventually occurs is no shock and I can't imagine why Jonas, an otherwise reasonable character, would have missed it. But hey, he's the least annoying of the bunch, except again there is a male character supposedly irresistible to other females that he doesn't really care about. Do these guys feel no sympathy about playing with and using people like that?

Finally, there is Lucia, who could quite possibly be the most disappointing character of them all. Lucia is probably brainwashed, and she is Magnus' sister. She has lots of power, although we barely explore it. What is ridiculous about Lucia is that she appears so saintly and wonderful except then she does something with so little thought just for the people she loves, and I really don't know how people go into a decision as big as hers so easily. Especially when she is potentially harming innocent people.

I'm sorry for the long write-ups about all the main characters, but all of these things were abundantly clear to me while reading and they affected my enjoyment of the story. I think you'll notice a few times that what I probably truly wanted was for Rhodes to further explore these characters and this world so that what the characters are doing and who they are makes more sense. As it is, the lack of detail almost feels like Rhodes didn't put in thought to the story.

Even the world building is really simple. There seem to be only three countries, and a common mythology shared by all of them. There is a lack of real details that I need to enjoy a story because otherwise, the story does not feel real to me. Falling Kingdoms suffered from that.

Now, after my long diatribe on the problems with Falling Kingdoms, there are two things to note: the ratings on Goodreads for the first book in the series are about 3.85, and the next jumps up to like 4.2 This is a significant increase and some of the problems I had with Falling Kingdoms are eerily similar to those in Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. We all know how that turned out. So, there is a real hope that the sequels are much better and that Rhodes has adjusted her writing a little bit.

The other thing is that despite all the issues I had with the characters, the world, and the writing, something pushed me to finish Falling Kingdoms. It was still a surprisingly entertaining read, especially the end. In fact, I think the ending of the story sets the story into a really interesting path and I do want to know what happens next. I like the ending and how bloodthirsty Rhodes was. The dynamic of her next book could be really awesome, and Goodreads says it is. That's enough to get me to consider continuing with the series, despite the flaws I felt were in the first.

What do you think? Should I continue? 

-P.E.

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

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

My review

Author: Julie Kagawa
Pages: 449
Publication Date: October 28 2014
Source: Library


Talon was not what I was expecting. It was so much lighter than I thought it would be, and surprisingly, I did not despise that. I say "despise that" because I don't actively seek out light books. In fact, I actively avoid them. I don't have anything against them except that my tastes are somewhat extreme, and I would like extreme stories.

Now, as far as light books go, because I have read a few, I liked this one. It had a very different mood from the other Kagawa books I've read. (I suddenly have an urge to continue with her vampire series, which was darker.) There is a lot to like in Julie Kagawa's writing, from the importance of family, and the fact that her characters have friendships that matter to them. Ember herself was a character that stuck me as quite immature, but in an incredibly lovable way.

Gosh, I would love to be friends with Ember. Ember is honest and fierce. She says and does what she wants, and she seems to be oblivious to the consequences of her actions. Ember is that friend that has great stories and is always passionate about everything. She rants and squeals and her emotions are always quite obvious. She is not always reasonable and sometimes you feel like telling her to grow up, but like my little sister, she is lovable anyway.

The entire story seemed to be fun and exciting. The dragon mythology was pretty light and basically, Talon is an evil corporation-like entity committed to the preservation of dragons. Now when I say committed, I mean that they are creepy fanatics that are willing to do terrible things to accomplish their goals. And there's another group, St. George, which are a bunch of dragon hunters committed to the extinction of dragonkind. Dragons in Talon like shiny things, are predators that breathe fire, but also possess a human form where they are incredibly beautiful so that they can better manipulate human emotions.

It's all entertaining and fun, and there is nothing wrong with that. It's just not my type. I think Talon skews towards younger YA because it is surprisingly sweet, and it lacks some of the details of older YA. Ember's naivete is a strength, but I think I've read this story of wanting to be normal a billion times and so it didn't stand out to me. I'm more curious about Ember's brother, Dante, who is the 'good kid'. You know, the one that does what he is told and does not get into trouble. I don't understand Dante and that's probably because Ember is pretty self-absorbed. Dante is interesting because as Ember is truly enjoying the human experience, Dante is more committed to Talon's cause. And I don't really want to talk about the plot because it was a classic buildup-until-the-end-where-there-is-a-cliffhanger, and I don't feel like saying for the billionth time that I wish there was more stuff happening throughout the story.

In general though, I don't feel like Talon really brought anything new to the table. Nothing about the world or characters has intrigued me enough to follow up with this series and I think I'm being quite nice in my review of Talon because I think this book will be excellent for some audiences, and I see some MG crossover. This was not what I was looking for in a book, and I am disappointed in that. However, I suppose if I'm going to have to be surprised and read a really light, younger YA type read, then this one is not the worst in the world. So, there's that, I guess. #glowingenthusiasm

-P.E.

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive -- alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.  The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

My review

Authors: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Pages: 390

Publication Date: December 23 2014

Source: Library hardcover (it's so pretty!)

Well then.

I was excited for These Broken Stars for so long and I believe that my excitement peaked the first time I started reading the book. I don't remember the exact date, but inevitably, it was during a vacation from school. Every time I came back home, I would go splurge on books at the library, and indubitably, I would have been extremely excited to see one of the best Cover Wars feature covers in person. So I started reading These Broken Stars a while ago. However, I never finished it and it was returned to the library unread.

I picked it up again this summer, and continued where I let off months earlier. I struggled to establish an emotional connection and it might be because I had wrecked the mystique of a book. I read books extremely fast, and that's because I don't want them to drag out. I want to be fully engrossed in the story, and I took a long break between starting These Broken Stars and finishing it. By the time I reread the story, I wasn't all that invested.

I guess the story just wasn't for me. I think that's the best way to explain it. I didn't find it very interesting. Even the supposed major twist was not enough. These Broken Stars is a romance, and I've never been interested in romance as the main plot point. It was a well-developed romance that took its time, and there was a lot to like about it technically, except that at best, I like romance as a side dish. There was the other plotline of survival, but it is extremely clear based on these little interview-like segments with Tarver later on that the characters would survive. So really, where is the intrigue in a survival story without the potential for tragedy?

I guess the fact that the Icarus became shipwrecked should have fulfilled my tragedy metre, but it's not like I knew most of the 50 000 people on board. And to be very honest, it happened so early onto the story that the only sadness I could feel was through Tarver and Lilac's reflections.

Now, besides the fact that I could be in a reading slump, or I left this book alone too long, or whatever the reason for my lack of interest, I can admit that I did think Tarver was a good character. Tarver is extremely gentle and sweet. I think this is underrated, and I liked that he was considerate. He usually takes care of everyone around him, and that's kind of adorable. He was like a teddy bear, and I appreciated his empathy.

I was very conflicted about Lilac early on, but grew to grudgingly respect her. Lilac alternated between clever and fierce to astonishingly annoying in the beginning of the book. I think was annoyed me was her arrogance. I think this was intentional because Lilac is supposed to be arrogant. She has grown up with privilege and has never been in danger. She believes that her father and he name, Lilac LaRoux, can protect her from everything, and so she does not listen to Tarver. I hated that she was a little bit manipulative, especially because I felt like he was so sweet. But in saying this, I never thought her characterization was flawed because I would expect this from her. She can't be perfect, and she shouldn't have to be sweet. Characters need to make mistakes, and I guess watching her grow was an important part of the story.

Now, the real question: will I continue with this series? I think that very much depends on the reviews for the next book. I'm not into starcrossed lovers romance stories, and the major plot twist in this book didn't really intrigue me. I don't think I would continue These Broken Stars because, despite the writing which is quite nice if not long, the story was not to my tastes. Frankly, I'm not sure where the series will go because I feel like this could have easily been a standalone. An overall story arc has not been introduced, so if I start reading that the next book is amazing and exciting and fierce, I could continue. Who knows what can happen?

Update: I read this book so late that I never realized the sequel, This Shattered World is already out. And based on the synopsis, I don't think it's for me. Apparently, the entire Starbound trilogy revolves around starcrossed lover stories which erm, are not for me. I need more action not centred around romance. So, unless This Shattered World has a lot of action and plots outside of the romance, I don't think this series really works for me.

Still, I can always be convinced otherwise. Give it your best shot in the comments and maybe this'll get a Celaena Sardothien-like revival. :p

-P.E.

Author Dan Wells is back with the sequel to the sci-fi blockbuster Partials, which Pittacus Lore called a "thrilling sci-fi adrenaline rush, with one of the most compelling and frightening visions of Earth's future I've seen yet."

After discovering the cure for RM, Kira Walker sets off on a terrifying journey into the ruins of postapocalyptic America and the darkest desires of her heart in order to uncover the means—and a reason—for humanity's survival.

Dan Wells extends his richly imagined, gritty world and introduces new memorable characters in this second installment in the Partials Sequence.

My Review

Author: Dan Wells
Publication Date: February 26 2013
Pages: 576
Source: Library

Dan Wells' writing style, something I didn't have too much of a problem with in Partials, irritated me in Fragments. It is needlessly long because it is full of unnecessary explanations. 

Let's say that Kira, the main character, is alone in the strange hallway of a desecrated building. She is about to walk into the room. The reader knows Kira has not been here before and she is on a hunt. The reader knows that either the room will have what Kira wants, or not. The reader knows the consequences of both. The reader knows the importance of finding this thing, and the reader should have some sense of how likely it is that this thing will be in this room. This is all especially true if this is the main plot of Kira's story thus far. 

Dan Wells wrote every single one of these things, and it really burdened his writing because so much of this was completely unnecessary. An author should trust the reader to keep up, to some extent. Some mentioning of the stakes are valuable, but it should be more subtle, because I felt like I was being bludgeoned by the "obvious hammer" with paragraphs of explanations that added nothing to the story. Maybe, there would be a simple line of character development through that, but I felt what was really weird was that Wells would later write about the characters being in emotional distress, and I would suppose that this is the moment where he should overexplain and talk about the characters' feelings and maybe write about how they were feeling, and instead we get a simple line of "Kira was sobbing" or something, and the story would end. 

This writing style made so little sense to me because I cared about why Kira felt the need to sob, and whether she was a heavy crier, and I already knew just how imperative it was to find whatever she was looking for. The argument against sci-fi books are that they are too inaccessible, and it's hard to keep up with the storyline. Maybe Wells was trying to make his book easier to understand, but what he did detracted from his fascinating world building and story because it was the equivalent of what they tell us to do in business class presentations: say you're going to say something, say it, and then say what you said. It's the holding your hand approach to writing, and maybe that works for some readers, but it was too much for me. 

The plot is attractive. And yet the book is almost 600 pages. Almost 600 pages, and very little happens because of this convoluted writing style. I have nothing against the length of a book because I usually love it. The author can offer a more complete story, but I think Fragments was unnecessarily wordy, and that was frustrating.

Perhaps Fragments also suffers from middle book syndrome in the sense that it's all building up to one reveal, and reveal is pretty cool, but the journey there is not that interesting. Still, the ending does set up the next book nicely, and I will still read the sequel. 

Another interesting aspect were the morality questions. I liked that Dan Wells challenged the reader and his characters to make tough decisions. While reading Fragments, I was firmly on the side of Team Human, but I remember seriously pondering the lines I would cross and wouldn't cross for humanity. It's quite obvious that Dan Wells is a smart dude who likes to include big questions in his writing, and his writing is full of good ideas. I just generally felt like the style of Fragments was too much of a drag. It's tough to balance the line between storytelling and explanation, and I didn't have any problem with Partials, so I'm hoping Ruins works for me. 

-P.E.

Author: Josin L. McQueen

Pages: 403

Publication date: April 23 2013

Source: Library ebook

No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be. 

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?

Arclight's saving grace was that it was a quick read. Otherwise, Arclight was a decent book, but not one I think I particularly enjoyed.

I always wonder, why do I continue to read books like this? This time, it was because it was so short and required very little effort. I've barely read any books this year, so even reading an okay book is worth something. And I hate to act like this was a terrible story because by all means, it was certainly not terrible. It had its fascinating scenes, and an interesting concept. It just wasn't exciting enough for me. I'm a little confused that this is part of a series because it could have easily been a standalone. I thought the story was resolved, and I liked that the story didn't take more time than it needed. 

I sometimes complain that some books start at the wrong places. This was one that started right in the middle of the action. This made Arclight more about the constant thrill, with very little rising action. The first scene was literally during a break-in by the Fade, and it was a really important plot event. It was a long action-ish scene that had very little reflection, and it was stylistically a little different from most books that try to introduce the world first, then get to the plot. Perhaps I continued reading Arclight because I was impressed with this creativity. 

I do think the characters fell extremely flat. It was hard to tell how old they were, and it was hard to really care too much about them. I don't know why, but maybe it was because I never had time to learn to love Marina and the rest. Marina had, what felt to me, like a very cold narrative perspective. She was curious and acted so detached, which made sense because she couldn't remember anything from her past after she was pulled out of the Dark, but I thought there could have been a little more profound focus put on what it means to live without a history. The author mentioned it, but it was more like a brief skim. Maybe such descriptions just don't work in a story that was all about action?

While the plot was reasonably fascinating, I guess I wasn't blown away with the eventual premise. I think it brings up some cool philosophical questions that were softly touched upon, but I think this kind of book just touches on stuff without really exploring it. That will appeal to some readers, especially those that don't like as much detail in their books, but it will make other readers like me feel somewhat dissatisfied. 

One thing I must note about Arclight is that it was actually a story in which adults existed. Often, in YA, the teens are going off and doing things to save the world and it seems like the adults are utterly clueless, incompetent fools. In Arclight, the youth was taken care of and guided by the adults. That just felt like such a surprising difference. I don't remember if the particular age of Marina was mentioned, but she and her friends are quite young, and so I'm glad they did have adults there that looked after them. 

Overall, I think there wasn't too much to the story and it was reasonably simple. This is a lighter dystopia that is novel because it is written a little differently from typical dystopias, and it is ideal for people that might not desire too much detail in their books. It's a very quick read, and okay, apparently Goodreads says it has 400 pages, which in fairness is quite short when you compare it to The Bone Season and Heir of Fire, which I had read before this. But it feels quick. Promise. 

-P.E.

Author: Cristin Terrill
Date of Publication: September 3 2013
Pages: 360
Source: Library

What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it... at least, not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Review:


I am officially in a reading slump. It probably has something to do with the mood I am in, but it could also have to do with not finding a book that clicks with me very well. All Our Yesterdays is a decent book, except that I had very little interest in it.

I remember the hype when Terrill's book came out. I was convinced I would like it. It's been quite some time since that hype, so I can say that most of it wore off. I was ready to enjoy All Our Yesterdays.

The simple truth is that the we never clicked. The sort of story told in All Our Yesterdays does not get along with me. I didn't care for any of the characters and I thought the book was quite long for something with what I thought was a small span of actions. All Our Yesterdays never surprised me. I expected the story to have the ending that it did, and I think I didn't pick up on the urgency.

Em and Finn are in a horrific future but for me, there was a little too much of "this future is horrific" versus showing me this world and allowing me to convince myself of its horror. Because, as it stood, hearing about wars with certain countries did nothing but pique my interest, and that's only because I'm possibly minoring in political science and I'm interested in the breakdown of state relationships. So, the buildup of tension didn't work for me.

I don't know why I didn't like the characters. I think it's because they bored me. I'm sure Marinas, or rich kids with insecurity issues and awful parents exist, but I got that character all out of my system in seven and eighth grade. I didn't have strong feelings about Em or Finn, and James' character, well, let's say that I needed to know a little more. His story arch is another one of those things I'm really fascinated about, and would have liked more development for because it's something I have trouble believing.

Admittedly, a lot of this dissatisfaction is based on my personal world view and parameters of what can or can't happen in the world. You can easily chalk this up to mood. I'll try to focus on some positives now.

There was a strong friendship. The story was non-linear, and I always like that. It was creative.

Eh, I think I'll just call it quits. All Our Yesterdays did not work for me, but maybe it will work for you.

-P.E.

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Date of Publication: April 26, 2013
Pages: 328
Source: Library

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

GOODREADS

Review:
I don’t know what to say. I want to say that I enjoyed it but that is not completely true. I did however feel inclined to finish the book because of some story lines that broke my heart.

I’ve been curious about Rainbow Rowell’s work for some time and despite my curiosity, I felt a little like her books aren't for me. When I saw the audiobook available from my library e-catalogue I thought it was time I answered that question once and for all. 

Eleanor and Park is a love story but it is more a coming of age story and a story about family and friendship masked under a very youthful portrayal of first love. It was realistic in all the cute and clumsy ways first love can be. Eleanor is unattractive, but she is also unique. Park is biracial in a place where that isn’t a normal but he is twice the man many of his other friends will ever be.

Reading about the two of them was cute. I liked the awkwardness. But when they fell in love, I didn’t. I felt like the older sister watching as my little brother fell in love in a completely childish way. To me, Eleanor and Park were best friends who hit puberty and rushed into a romance. That’s not a bad thing though, its very much real life.

The highlight of the book for me was their respective families. Park’s parents were a dream team. They loved each other despite the differences of culture and the sacrifices that had to be made like the fact that Park’s mom had to leave her family behind and adjust to a whole different world. 

Park’s family was a foil to Eleanor’s. Where one had the average 2.2 kids the other was swarmed with red headed children. Where one had a loving parental unit, the other was composed of two divorced and selfish parents. My heart went out to Eleanor in this area. She was strong and brave. She did stupid things but she was a child.

When it comes down to it, I understand why everything happened. I feel like the things I had a problem with were intended by Rowell. The romance was intended to be clumsy and awkward, because this isn’t a romance, it’s more than that. Still, I felt that it was very slow. My fingers itched to click the next button and skip the chapters as the words drawled on and the plot progressed at an ant's pace. 

Eleanor’s push and pull and severe anxiety and self image problems were hard to deal with. She dished all her drama onto Park who only asked something simple. It bothered me that she made a big deal about the simple idea of getting a makeover. No having some makeup on doesn’t change who you are and even if it did, it’s not a bad thing. No one is trying to change you.

Overall, it was cute and probably what many people would like from it but for me I noticed the good but I also was annoyed by a lot of the things going on. Eleanor was my main problem and I couldn’t completely connect with her despite how much my heart went out to her.

-MARI

Author: A.S. King
Date Published: October 22, 2013
Pages: 368
Source: Library Ebook

Gerald Faust knows exactly when he started feeling angry: the day his mother invited a reality television crew into his five-year-old life. Twelve years later, he’s still haunted by his rage-filled youth—which the entire world got to watch from every imaginable angle—and his anger issues have resulted in violent outbursts, zero friends, and clueless adults dumping him in the special education room at school.

Nothing is ever going to change. No one cares that he’s tried to learn to control himself, and the girl he likes has no idea who he really is. Everyone’s just waiting for him to snap…and he’s starting to feel dangerously close to doing just that.

In this fearless portrayal of a boy on the edge, highly acclaimed Printz Honor author A.S. King explores the desperate reality of a former child “star” who finally breaks free of his anger by creating possibilities he never knew he deserved.

My Review

This was a book I didn't hear too much about in the blogging world, but I knew about A.S. King since Lauren Oliver recommended her book in an author event. The majority of the reviews for Reality Boy are sparkling, and I'm sad to say that I don't feel like I really "got" the story.

My biggest comment is that this was not a book that ever interested me. Gerald never resonated with me. His character is traumatized from the time he spent on reality TV on one of those nanny shows, Network Nanny, but also his life with his family. Gerald's family is screwed up and I guess my major issue is that while I saw Gerald as a real character, he wasn't someone I could really relate to. Not even because of the experiences, but I feel like we act differently. I couldn't understand why Gerald did what he did for so much of the novel, and rather than enthrall me, his character confused me over and over again.

So Gerald didn't really work for me. I can't say he's a bad character. He's well fleshed out with interests and hobbies. He has a lot of background and that plays a role in who he has become. His family is awful, and there were points where I was absolutely outraged at them for what they did. He even had a pretty nice narrative style, with some wit here and there and an overall realistic portrayal of teen-speak. I just didn't feel like his story resonated with me, and that could be a complete personal issue and that's okay.

The plotline in Reality Boy was again, not my type. It's so slow and a lot of the story comes through the details rather than specific events. There's a lot of conjecture about the past, and frankly, the recollections of Network Nanny were my favourite parts to read. So much of the story is character development which can sometimes work for me, but in this case didn't. I just felt like the characters didn't endear themselves to me.

The other thing is that the story made me really sad. There's a lot of really horrible issues that are touched upon, and it was just so bad to go read about how some people can feel so trapped by the life they live. A lot of emotions from Reality Boy are meant to be inferred. The entire story is well written (if not over-written) and has a lot of showing. It's pretty easy to see why so many people like Reality Boy because all the technical aspects are there.

I kind of feel sad that it didn't work for me. I think it's because I never really bonded with Gerald. Sure, I felt sad for him, but also incredibly distant because he's so different and I had a hard time understanding his personality. I didn't feel very much through Reality Boy and because I was so disconnected to Gerald, who is really an essential to this story, every other part of the book suffered. The other characters didn't interest me too much although their interactions with Gerald seemed real. The whole story was so awkward with so many events happening just like life and I would recommend taking Reality Boy slow and really thinking about what is being read.

I did think the plot was not interesting. In fact, I was pretty bored by it. I didn't have any epiphanies like Gerald and I find the ending of the story kind of strange because it seems like I never realized at what point everything changed.

Although I wanted to like Reality Boy, the store has done very little for me except force me to reconsider those shows with the nannies I used to watch. I think there's a reason why Reality Boy has so many fans, but because this is my review, it is about my enjoyment. And that is 2 stars, which is neutral/average.

-P.E.

EPISODE 1 REVIEW:

I've been curious about the novel The 100 by Kass Morgan for a while but I've been hesitant to pick it up due to the mixed reviews. This show was supposed to help me decide and it did for the most part.

The 100, is a post apocalyptic sci-fi show taking place after a nuclear war that killed all of Earth's residents and left the planet in a state of radiation. The surviving humans, who had settled in The Ark, a space station orbiting the earth, continue to hope for their return. However, the space station has a maximum capacity and it's quickly exceeding it. A quick solution is drawn up, 100 of the juvenile criminals, 'whose crimes have made them expendable' will be sent to Earth as lab rats to test the situation. If they live, then humanity can return but what happens when the kids slowly start being picked off by Earth's new residents and eachother?

For the most part, I was interested while watched The 100. It has an interesting plot and story but I can't say the same for the execution. 

We get introduced to our protagonist early on, Clarke Griffin portrayed by Eliza Taylor, is the daughter of high ranking parents, an engineer and a doctor. Charged as an accessory to the crime done by her father, Clarke is sentenced to solitary confinement and after a year of imprisonment she is suddenly and forcefully whisked away to Earth. 

I thought Clarke was 'ok' as a character. She was smart, and honest; a noble character. Her downfall was trying to be a leader. Leadership is a quality that one is born with and it was obvious that Clarke wasn't born with it. She tried to tell people to do things but no one listened. It ended up feeling like she was a whining child trying to get people to listen but no one gave her the light of day. 

Finn is Clarke's love interest, a shabby-haired fun guy who got himself put in jail for going on an illegal spacewalk and using up a month's worth of oxygen. I didn't like him. He was way too one dimensional and uninteresting. I don't look to kindly on his character given that he put others lives in danger for some moments of idiocy. 

A lot of the issues I had with these two character were also a result of the script which I did not like. On TV and in movies, the script is all we have to build the characters and when the script fails, the characters drown. Finn's role was filled with flat one liners. The actor tried to be mysterious and interesting but he just wasn't.

Despite all the negatives I did enjoy the show. My favourite part was learning about the world of The Ark. It was interesting to see the restriction they had put in place to sustain everybody. For example there is a certain amount of blood and drugs allowed per person and one can not exceed that limit or they are charged criminally. Also, all crimes are punishable by death, unless the perpetrator is under 18. I also enjoyed the interaction between the 100, at least the civilized interaction because there were some. It was cool to see them exchange stories. 

Bellamy Blake, is the only character that stood out to me. I don't like his unexplained revolutionary status at the moment, but I see what might have happened to shaped him into the person he is. I adored his relationship with his sister who he obviously loves dearly. He is also the most talented in leadership skills, so I look forward to what he does with the 100.

Overall, from what I saw in the first episode the show was very similar to other post-apocalyptic shows. I didn't see many things that blew my mind away in terms of plot and story. For the most part, I felt that it was enjoyable but not notable. I would compare it to Revolution, so if you enjoyed that show maybe you will enjoy this one.

-MARI

Author: Ken Baker
Date of Publication: April 22 2014
Pages: 272
Source: For review

"Thick. Heavy. Big boned. Plump. Full figured. Chunky. Womanly. Large. Curvy. Plus-size. Hefty." To sixteen-year-old Emery Jackson, these are all just euphemisms for the big "F" word—"fat." Living on a Southern California beach with her workout fiend dad, underwear model sister, and former model mother, it is impossible for Emery not to be aware of her weight.

Emery is okay with how things are. That is, until her "momager" signs her up for Fifty Pounds to Freedom, a reality show in which Emery will have to lose fifty pounds in fifty days in order to win the million dollars that will solve her family's financial woes. Emery is skeptical of the process, but when the pounds start to come off and the ratings skyrocket, she finds it hard to resist the adoration of her new figure and the world of fame. Emery knows that things have changed. But is it for the better?

Review:

First off, I think this cover deserves a lot of credit. A full handful of people asked to see the book, so it's obviously a great cover because it attracts peoples' attention.

It seems like I have read almost every book ever about reality tv. It's something I've read some about, so I know a lot of the tropes, and Ken Baker did use some of them. That doesn't mean that How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love didn't have some twists.

The main story arc of Skinny is Emery dealing with her weight. Emery is obese and she has always lived that way. Her relationship with food is complex, and her relationships with her family, including her dad, the motivational speaker and ex-NBA player, her mom, a former actress, and her skinny, model sister Angel, were all damaging. Emery had a lot to deal with but her life wasn't all that bad. She still had Ben, who was sweet and supportive and always awesome.

What I had to do in order to enjoy Skinny was accept that I did disagree with Emery on some things. I didn't like her attitude, which was rude and condescending. Emery always acted like she was the smartest person in the room. She was also extremely self righteous. Emery honestly believed that she was in the right for thinking, for example, that shaving hair is a freedom (as a proponent of long hair, and someone that does like my hair, no thanks). In fact, I couldn't relate to Emery sometimes because I don't have the same relationship with food that she has (I actually like healthy food!), and frankly weight loss isn't an issue for me. Do I like Emery as a person now? I don't know. I believe she is flawed, but who isn't?

I think that, although I didn't connect with Emery as much as I could have, Emery's characterization was strong. By the end of the book I was sympathetic to Emery and her plight. Emery was informed and snarky, and I feel like if we met we would either hate each other or adore each other because a lot of the things I don't like about Emery's personality are traits in myself I try to control. Emery was an active citizen and person, and her take was always fascinating.

The writing succeeded in capturing my attention. There were many pop culture references, but somehow Ken Baker made it seem natural. I loved seeing Emery's schedules and lists. Changing the writing style once in a while never hurts. It's extremely clear that Ken Baker knows a lot about the reality TV business and the pressures that come with maintaining that ideal body.

For the rest of the book, my review depends on how I look at the story. If I'm considering this book as more of an exploration of a theme than a story, then I say mission accomplished. Emery was truly obese and had multiple issues. She remarked a lot about how words like "fat" were hurtful, and I think that just being in her head was insightful.

On the other hand, the storytelling was very weak. The plot took a while to get going, and then it promptly stopped. The ending was a little bit of a cop-out because it felt like Ken Baker knew his message was communicated, so he shut the story down. Up to that point, there had been slow characterization for the secondary characters and I was curious to see how everyone would reconcile their issues. They didn't. In some ways, I don't mind because you rarely see this in a book, a story ending with so many open plots just ignored, and I think the shock factor is pretty good.

On the other hand, I can see how if you were really invested in Emery, this kind of ending could piss you off because it's not final at all. In fact, this could be the ending of a chapter. The reader doesn't know if Emery will be okay, or if Emery actually makes lasting progress with her family, or anything. There's a little hopeful burst and the story ends.

A lot of the story and plot is underdeveloped, and that's probably because this book is about the idea of living with obesity, and what kind of impact weight actually makes on freedom.  Now, that being said, I think I liked it. It's refreshing to read a short, yet entertaining book with a very ambiguous ending. I feel like the rest of the book could be clichéd if Baker had continued, but he stopped for some reason and the story is over.  And, somehow that works.

Books are weird. This one is between 2 and 3 stars, because the story was underdeveloped but also entertaining. Hard decision, but I'll stay consistent and go for 2.

-P.E.

Author: Anna Jarzab
Date of Publication: October 8 2013
Pages: 428
Source: Library

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

The first book in the Many-Worlds Trilogy, Tandem is a riveting saga of love and betrayal set in parallel universes in which nothing--and no one--is what it seems.

Review:

The very end of the book said something along the lines of "this is just a beginning, it's not the end". That, I think, is a pretty succinct description of Tandem. I think Tandem is such a beginning that it feels too long. It's not until the end that the major plot really seems to fly by. I also can't help but wonder what if the story instead started after the end of Tandem. What happened in Tandem was necessary for the overall story arc, but I think it was a little tedious to read about. It's what happens next that fascinates me.

I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. They weren't irritating, but the emotional bond was weak. I also thought that the author didn't do as good of a job at really defining each character as she could have. They felt like characters from a book, rather than real people. I feel like I've read of several Sashas, Thomas' and Callums before, and that kind of sucks.

There was one character whom I did find fascinating: Julianna. I felt this less by the end, but I couldn't help but be fascinated by this lonely girl who is willing to forgo all of her duties for freedom. I feel like Julianna's story is really the fascinating one, and I think this story could be incredible if the author puts the right emotion into it. Basically, Julianna's mother is exiled, her father is injured and bedridden, her stepmother despises her, she's worried one of her father's friends will kill her, and she is set to be betrothed to the prince of the enemy of her country in an alliance that will result in a peace treaty that could end the generational war with Farham. But somehow, Julianna is running away from all that. I feel like expanding on her character will (because I hold out hope that this will happen in future novels) just bring the emotional connection Tandem lacked. I mean, Julianna's life is a tragedy! And since Melina Marchetta, I have an enormous appreciation for emotional fantasy.

Compared to Julianna, Sasha is pretty, uh, mundane. I know not everyone is a princess with emotional barriers, but there was nothing that called me to Sasha. Her parents died and she lives with her grandfather, which is pretty cute. I guess the weird thing for me is that Sasha doesn't seem like a person. She has her grandfather who is sweet, and whom she loves. Her parents died when she was young (I suppose I should feel sympathy, but this is too common in YA) and she likes books. She's supposed to be sympathetic but her character doesn't really come to life.

Thomas is very similar. I like him more than Sasha, but he didn't endear himself to me. He's a guy that moved up the soldier's ranks pretty quickly. He has integrity, and he's good, but reserved due to a terrible upbringing. He's someone Sasha shouldn't be with but they can't help but fall for each other... I can't help but think that the believability is lacking. He's a nice guy and stuff but what makes him fall for Sasha? The romance was a plot I was completely apathetic towards. I skimmed through some of the kissing scenes because I honestly didn't get into the story.

I think I've been pretty lukewarm in my description of Tandem, and that's how I feel about the book. It starts off with some action and promise, and then it's really slow as Sasha begins to adapt to taking over Julianna's life. There were some cool bits with Sasha wondering if she was losing herself because almost no one knew who she was, and I was really excited about that bit, but it got swept under the rug. Tandem has a lot of things: a romance, action, fantasy, but I don't think it manages to pull them off impressively.

I guess that's my thing: Tandem is okay. At its core, it's a fascinating story. The plot was exciting and the politics of the war, the different world's, and the predicament the book ends in, all of that was fascinating. Tandem just wasn't a story that captured my attention too well, and it felt very slow as well. I wouldn't have minded if there was much more action and actual stuff happening. I think the real kicker is that I totally plan to read the sequel. The ending of the story was interesting and I think (or hope) that Tandem is heading in the right direction. Tandem set up a foundation. It took a really long time, but the foundation is set. Now I'm really hoping that Tether takes the next step and the story really begins to shine.

So Tandem is probably a two star book, because I thought it was an average read, but I would say it's definitely on the higher scale of two stars. If I still gave half stars, Tandem would get them. But, I don't, so 2 stars it is.

-P.E.

Author: Josephine Angelini
Date of Publication: March 21 2013
Pages: 421
Series: Starcrossed #3
Source: Library

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

Review:

Reading Goddess was a strange experience because I was about a third of the way through when my elibrary copy expired, and it wasn't until two weeks later that I managed to check it out again and finished it. I remember being excited before that Goddess' pacing was faster than the previous Starcrossed novels. In the end though, I can't say I'm really happy.

The writing (i.e. the execution) was never the strongest part to Josephine Angelini's work, and I always accepted that. For Goddess, I couldn't. So much was touched on but not expanded. There was at least one new character introduced who barely influenced the story. There were so many storylines and none of them were detailed. I know I prefer the general type of stories, but this was to a whole new level because most of the time, I had no idea what was going on because prophecies and events kept surfacing and being disbanded.

The series was concluded, but not tidily. I feel like the story bounced all over the place and so many events happened that deserved a greater emphasis. Goddess was too quick and random and so I had no emotional connection to anyone. I remember adoring Orion in Dreamless, but about halfway through the book it felt like his story was completely abandoned. He went from being one of the most important characters to more of a secondary character.

Goddess was a series of flashbacks and "I'll tell you laters". I honestly think the story became too big. I'm a little surprised that, considering all the information that was necessary for the reader to absorb, the series didn't have better pacing because this was too much for a finale. I'll never stop thinking Angelini's story is compelling, but I can feel like it was executed weakly, can't I?

One part that genuinely irritated me was the characterization. The badass dudes were not truly badass. The good guys were a little vanilla. And the betrayals were so stupid (this is my angry fan opinion). There is one story line featuring one character that results in this character acting in a way that I honestly could not believe. I was blindsided by some characters' betrayals and their motivations were so weak that I was a little disgusted in the pettiness Angelini's characters possessed.

Or how about the fact that so much conflict could have been avoided if everyone thought rationally and stopped making impulsive decisions? I guessed a lot of the story and it was weird that the characters never talked to one another after some point. Helen's choices in particular were so random that I was confused. Who was this girl? And I suppose Helen was supposed to change after taking on all the power, and this was something I was looking forward to: Helen's character development. Sadly, there was really only one incident and then Helen's character never changed. Also, in times of danger, I can never imagine making out with my true love when people need me. *groans*

Now that we got that out of the way, I'll be a little more positive. Although there was a certain whiplash I felt trying to navigate through all the storylines, and although some showdowns were anticlimactic, and maybe I wouldn't have minded more description of the fight scenes, I think Angelini has an incredible imagination. The ideas were plainly fun to read about, and I don't think she wrote the best book, but this is honestly a world that touches on so many facets of Greek mythology and manages to make it semi-coherent. I feel like this entire trilogy should be in a different format, like a tv show, because it is overwhelmingly plot and idea based. Add the right music and acting and this could do very well.

The flashbacks were also very amusing. I loved seeing the characters in the past in Troy and comparing them to the present. It was so fascinating that at some point I wished that was the story instead of the jumbled present. Greek mythology is super cool and Goddess makes me want to read more of it.

Unfortunately, Goddess was not the story I had hoped for because I feel like it was weak in the technical aspects of writing. It did manage to capture my interest and entertain me, so I'm giving it 2 stars.

-P.E.