Review: Legend

Title: Legend

Author: Marie Lu

Rating: 5 Stars

The Blurb:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

The Review:

I love a good dystopian book and I've heard great things about this one so I was really excited to start reading Legend. 

This story is told from the POV of two different characters; one character is June, a fifteen-year-old prodigy who aspires to be a great military hero just like her brother Metias. The other character is Day a fifteen-year-old delinquent who just so happens to be the country's most wanted criminal. June and Day's worlds collide when June's brother Metias is murdered and Day becomes the main suspect.

The catalyst in this story is Metias's death. I knew his death was coming but that didn't mean I wasn't sad about it. I would've loved to see more of him.  It would be nice if there was a short story told from Metias's point of view, maybe when he finds out his parents died and that he would become the guardian for June. I think that would be an interesting story to read. He seemed like a genuinely good guy. I also felt awful for June because he was the only family she had left after their parents died long ago of a mysterious car crash. After her brothers death June is determined to find Day and bring him in.

Day has problems of his own. While on the run from the law he continually checks in on his family and makes sure they have enough money and food to live on. One night he finds out that his younger brother is sick. Day then goes on a mission to steal a cure from the hospital. He isn't a killer, but that doesn't matter, the government wants him caught and they'll do anything to catch him.

On the surface June and Day couldn't be any more different; June grew up in a wealthy district and never had to worry about food or sickness; while Day grew up extremely poor with no access to medicine or health care. The more you learn about them though the more you see that they have a lot in common. They're both smart, capable, and they both have loving families.. While they both have completely different lives and pasts once their lives converge it's interesting to see how much they are alike.

I don't really have any complaints with this book, it was well written and the characters were all really interesting. The plot line is solid and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a great book with great characters. This book is a must read and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Don't forget to leave a comment about what you thought of Legend or of the review. I love feedback :)

Review: Freak of Nature

Title: Freak of Nature

Author: Julia Crane

Rating: 3 stars

The Blurb:

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

The Review:

I was really excited to read this book about a girl who has had her life turned upside down because she decided to donate her body to science. A story about a girl who one day wakes up to find she has no memory of her old life and that she is now half robot. 

I was somewhat disappointed to find out this book put pretty much all of it's focus in the romance. I really would have liked a bit more science in this science fiction book. I was also disappointed because Kaitlyn, one of the main characters, was a bit dull. Yes she is a robot who has emotions that she has to hide, but those emotions were mainly just romantic ones. I would have liked her to have more feelings because she honestly just wasn't very interesting. 

I did however love Lucas, the other main character and the scientist who helped turn Kaitlyn into what she is. He was so much more complex and conflicted. He had terrible guilt over what he had done to this girl. He also felt awkward because he was developing feelings for her. If the whole book had been told from his POV it would have been a lot more interesting.

I feel like Kaitlyn should have been more focused on escaping the lab but she was to embroiled in her romance with Lucas to even entertain that idea. It also bothered me how she was totally fine falling in love with someone who helped turn her into this "freak of nature." Even Lucas felt guilt over what he had done, it just seems more logical that she would have to work through her emotions to finally be able to love him. 

The ending was wrapped up a little too easily for me. It was like the author couldn't think of a way to end the story so she took the easy way out.

This book was a fun read. It's not the greatest book, but it is worth checking out. If you're looking for a book that doesn't have too much substance then I would recommend it.

Don't forget to comment on what you thought of the book or what you thought of the review! I love feedback :)

Review: The Darkest Minds

Title: The Darkest Minds

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Rating: 5 Stars

The Blurb:

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

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

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

The Review:

This book starts out when the main character, Ruby, is ten. there is a mysterious disease that is killing the world's children, but the government isn't worried about that, they're worried about the kids who survived. The kids who survived now have powers, some of them deadly. The children who survived the disease are sent to camps so the government can try to rehabilitate them. The camp separates the children into five different groups; the blue and green groups have the least amount of power and aren't considered to be much of a threat. The yellow, orange, and red groups are the most dangerous and after a while they are disposed of. When Ruby gets to Thurmond, her rehabilitation camp, we discover that she has the power to take away the memories of those she touches. This power is considered dangerous and Ruby should be placed in the orange group, fortunately for her she is able to take away the sorters memories and she lands herself in the green group.

One day Ruby is told by a doctor that Thurmond has discovered that She's actually an orange. Ruby is terrified because this means that she will be killed. The doctor, Cate Begbie, offers to help her escape. After Ruby has finally escaped Thurmond Ruby discovers that Cate has an alternate agenda. Cate wants to use Ruby in her fight in a war. ruby sees that she won't be free with Cate so she runs away and runs right into three kids. Liam, Chubs, and Zu have been on the run for a while now. When they meet Ruby Chubs is hesitant to let her into the group, but majority rules as Liam and Zu vote her in. Soon the four of them are off on an amazing adventure full of mystery and daring. It is with this group that Ruby begins to realize that she doesn't have to feel so alone.

I really liked this book. The premise was really interesting to me (I love books where people get mysterious powers). I also liked the emotional aspect, so much has happened to these kids that you can't help but be drawn into the story. The romance in this story is really sweet. It isn't an instant love, it builds naturally over time and I really liked that. there are also multiple villains which is exciting. You have Cate's group and the PSFs (the government).

Ruby is a pretty interesting character, she develops from being this scared girl who is afraid to use her power to someone who is brave and who will fight for herself and for the ones she loves. She has a truly terrifying power. When we meet the sixteen year old Ruby she is closed off, she doesn't talk to anyone and she doesn't touch anyone. She has made mistakes in the past and she doesn't want to repeat them.

Liam is Ruby's love interest and he is a really sweet guy. he is always trying to do what's best for the group and he would do anything to make sure they all survive. He has some secrets about a past that he isn't proud of, but the group loves him no matter what.

Zu is a young girl who is a yellow. She has an intense and dangerous power that she uses to save the group time and time again. She is also mute meaning she doesn't talk. She has other ways of communicating and the rest of the group understands her just fine.

Chubs is the skeptical one in the group. He is cautious and he isn't quick to trust. I love Chubs, he is easily my favorite characters. He sees things for what they really are and he stands his ground. While he initially didn't trust Ruby they were eventually able to form a close bond.

This book was a really great read. It was compelling, scary, and full of energy. The characters were great and fun. The story line was well though out and overall it was a really well written book. I can't wait for the next in the series to come out.

Don't forget to comment on what you thought of the book, I love feedback :)

Review: Indigo Spell

Title: Indigo Spell

Author: Richelle Mead

Rating: 5 stars

The Blurb:

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch—a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood—or else she might be next. 

Review:

I bought this book at midnight the night it came out because honestly I feel like I have been waiting for this book for years and I really didn't want to wait until morning to read it. I finished this book in two hours and forty-seven minutes. I can 100% say that those two hours and forty-seven minutes were amazing!!

I don't want to go into too much detail in this review because this book has only just been released. What I can say is how much I absolutely loved this book and I'm already clamoring for more. Richelle Mead has said that this is the hottest book in the Bloodlines serious and I wholeheartedly agree. It was so passionate and  I was swooning and squealing all throughout this book, and I'm not ashamed to admit that. There were so many moments where I was audibly gasping and being amazed at what was happening. There was also a lot more magic in this book which was great. I feel like the more Sydney uses her magic, the more confident she becomes in thinking for herself about what's right and wrong. It's good for her to reevaluate certain aspects of her life.

Some things I can talk about that aren't too spoilery are the characters: 

• Sydney was always a great character but in Indigo Spell she really starts to shine. She really starts to think a lot more for herself in this book which is something that I really love. She also seems to finally be stepping up and taking control of her own life. 
• Adrian is as swoon worthy as ever, if not more so. I didn't realize how much I had missed his flirty/snarky comments until I started reading this book. He is in fine form with his witty one liners and romantic comments that could make any girl weak in the knees.
• There has been a lot of speculation about Marcus Finch and I can't really say that I've decided on how I feel about him yet. He will certainly bring some interesting story lines for future books so I am excited for that. Until then I just can't say what I think of him at the moment because he's too new so until I have decided I'll just say I'm cautiously optimistic. 
• Jill obviously still has the bond with Adrian which always makes what happens between him and Sydney interesting on a whole different level. I sometimes like to think about what's going through Jill's head when those two are off on an adventure. I'll say this for Jill; she sure is good at keeping secrets. 
• There is also still a love triangle going on between Jill, Eddie, and Angeline. There's not a lot of time spent on this triangle, which is understandable, but that's not to say that nothing happens with it.

The ending to this book was really surprising to me. I honestly didn't see it coming at all and I'm so excited to read the next book in the series The Fiery Heart. Unfortunately we won't be able to read that for another agonizing ten months! That awful thought aside this is by far the best in the Bloodlines series and I can't wait to read more.

Don't forget to leave a comment about what you thought of Indigo Spell I love getting feedback :)

Review: Reaping Me Softly

Title: Reaping Me Softly

Author: Kate Evangalista

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Blurb:
Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she's learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she's had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clarke, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn't mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne's world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne's life. But will Niko break his own Reaper's code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

The Review:

When I first read the blurb for this book I got really excited because I really love the whole reaper mythos. I just think it's so interesting and full of story potential. This story is told from two different points of view which is always interesting because you can see how each person is feeling about the other and you can see how things can be interpreted differently. The two points of view we get is from Arriane and Nikolas.

This story started out a bit strangely for me. We meet Arriane, a girl who can see dead people, telling her best friend Ben about her mysterious powers. I'm so used to books where the lead character debates on and on about whether or not they should tell anyone about their gifts so it was surprising to skip all of that and start right where she tells him her secret. Regardless of this I have to say I really enjoyed this book! I like Arriane as a character, she is smart, nice, and caring. She has also been in love with Nikolas Clark (AKA Niko) since he moved to her hometown freshman year. That's not all that's going out in her life though, she also has a sister in the hospital with kidney failure.

I loved Niko, the handsome gentlemanly reaper. He was just the right amount of being a complete sweetheart and being a total badass. When we first meet Niko he's going through an existential crisis of sorts. He feels like his life has no meaning and he starts to let himself fade away much to the chagrin of his boss, Death. When he finally meets Arriane in his chemistry class he is shocked that he hasn't noticed her for the past three years.

Another thing that I found surprising about this  book was that the Reapers are actually allowed to have relationships with humans. In most books like this it is forbidden to have any sort of romantic entanglement with a human. I really liked that the author went this direction, it was refreshing. I was also surprised at Death himself, I was expecting him to be a terrible guy but when he actually said that Niko's love for Arriane "delighted" him, I couldn't stop myself from saying "aw I love Death" and then feeling super awkward about it...

Things eventually take a turn for the worse when Niko unknowingly reaps the soul of someone very close to Arriane's heart. The actions that take place after that one event threatens to tear them apart while also threatening they're lives.

One thing I found a bit odd about this book was the bully Darla. She appeared to have the whole school wrapped around her little finger, even the teachers. This just wasn't realistic to me and I know that talking about realism while reviewing a book about reapers sounds a bit odd, but something about it really rubbed me the wrong way.

This story had a bit of a cliffhanger at the end so I really hope the author continues writing this series. It was a fun read and the characters were great.

Don't forget to leave a comment on about what you thought of either the book or the review. I love getting other people's opinions :)

Review: Eve

Title: Eve

Author: Anna Carey

Rating: 5 stars

The Blurb:
Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

The Review:
This is a book that I had thought about reading for a long time, I just never seemed to have enough time to get around to it. When I finally did read it I could have kicked myself for waiting so long!

Our titular character is Eve who lost her mother to the plague when she was five years old. Now as a teenager she is attending and about to graduate as her class valedictorian from an all school where the girls are well taken care of. Eve believes her impending graduation to be a great thing, she believes that she will get to go off and learn a trade for four years and then be off to the city of sand where she would become a great artist. She believed all of this was going to happen, until she ran into her rival Arden who has plans to escape the school. Arden tells Eve that all the graduates are going to be used for breeding purposes to get the world's population back on track after the plague killed so many. Eve doesn't believe her  even though her gut is telling her otherwise, she decides to go looking for proof. Eve sneaks her way to the trade school hoping that Arden was mistaken but to her horror she discovers that Arden was telling the truth the whole time. Eve has no choice but to escape and try to survive on her own in the real world.

I really loved this book, it was really well written and the characters were very relatable. At times Eve could be very naive and a bit careless, but that stems from her being essentially brainwashed by the adults who run the school she was at. Once she got farther away from the school and got a little life experience under her belt she began to understand what the world was about. That's not to say she didn't make mistakes every one in a while but if she was perfect, this book would have been really boring. Eventually she meets up with Arden and although they didn't like each other at school they quickly learned to depend on one another. After a few days on the road together they both go hunting and separate for a bit, Eve is a terrible hunter but I can forgive her for that because she has spent her whole life in a school not being allowed out in the real world. While "hunting" Eve stumbles across a bear cub (this is one of those moments where Eve doesn't totally think things through) and starts to pet it and play with it. Unsurprisingly the cub's mother isn't far off. As Eve prepares to be mauled something unexpected happens; she is saved by a boy. Now, the school has taught Eve to be fearful of men. She was always told that they were brutal and how dangerous love was. Eve was reluctant at first but given a choice between being eaten by a bear and going with a boy the choice was obvious. Caleb, the "dangerous" boy takes Eve and Arden to his home. His home is a cave in the mountains where he lives with many other guys. Eve befriends some of the young boys and starts to teach them to read. This part sort of reminded me of Wendy telling stories to the lost boys in Peter Pan. As the weeks go by romance begins to spring between Eve and Caleb despite her initial fears of men. Eve and Arden still aren't safe though, they discover that Eve has a bounty on her head and it doesn't seem like the leader of all the boys likes having them around.

I loved the characters in this book, even if they weren't in it for a very long time there was usually something about them that made me want to get to know more about them. I particularly enjoyed how Arden went from being harsh and bitter to being able to really open up to Eve and become her friend. Caleb is the quintessential sweet guy that every girl wants to be with. He is smart, sweet, and brave. The little boys that Eve teaches to read are just adorable and so sweet. I would love to know more about them. I would also like to know more about Eve's friends back at school. I felt so bad when Eve didn't have time to warn them about their awful fate.

My one and only complaint is that this book felt so short and I really just wanted it to keep going. I can't wait to read the next one in the series and continue on this adventure with Eve.

Tell me in the comments what you thought of Eve, and if you haven't read it maybe you could suggest a book that you really loved. I love getting comments and feedback :)