Review - PRODIGY by Marie Lu

TITLE: Prodigy (Legend 2)

AUTHOR: Marie Lu

GENRE: dystopia

PUBLICATION DATE: May 22nd 2012

SOURCE: own

BLURB:

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.
But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

REVIEW:

I read a lot of the recently published YA over the course of last year and I can admit that Legend was – and still is – one of my favorites. Needless to say, I was both anticipating and dreading the day I could finally read the sequel, Prodigy. Turns out I shouldn't have been so afraid – I'm happy to tell you that the second book in the trilogy definitely lives up to its predecessor!

Prodigy picks up almost exactly where we left June and Day in Legend. They're going to meet the Patriots in Las Vegas. Marie Lu doesn't let her characters – nor us – catch any breath before we're thrown into the world of conspiracies, murders and revolution. We get to see both sides of the coin. On one hand, there are Patriots who are fighting against the oppression of the Republic's government. On the other hand, a huge part of the book is dedicated to June getting to know the new elector, who doesn't seem to be as bad as the Patriots paint him... What is wrong and what is right? Will June and Day make the right call? Answer to this question, and many more, is in Prodigy, and hopefully in the next book.

Just like Legend, Prodigy is an action packed, emotional roller-coaster. The world building improved and Marie Lu's writing style is more mature, more seasoned. To be honest, I was scared for a second there that the writer's going to take the love triangle route. The possibility of that – rather disliked by the readers – trope still remains, but I have faith that Marie Lu will surprise us in this department too.

Compared to the Legend, the voices of the two main characters got definitely stronger and a bit more distinctive. I enjoyed both point of views, with June's astute attention to detail and Day's confusion.

The secondary characters are probably the only thing I had an issue with. They felt paper thin, one dimensional, expendable. Other than Day and June and partially Kaede, I didn't care about anyone in particular. It's a shame, really, because good secondary characters could liven up the plot and dialogues with the diversity of personalities.

Big props to Marie Lu for including LGBT hints! Not only does she mention a crush one of the resistance boys has on Day, but also dedicates an entire subplot involving June's brother and...

But let's not spoil the fun, shall we? All I will say is that I like how it's not a big deal in Legend's world. Love is love, regardless of the gender. I feel like it should be something explored more often in futuristic YA books.

To sum up, it's a great sequel! Definitely worth reading and I don't feel disappointed. All that waiting had paid off and we got a riveting book that is hard to put down. I recommend to read it in one go, because you will be unable to stop.

Be prepared though, everybody. The ending will shatter your hearts into smithereens.

Overall:

REVIEW - Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

TITLE: Dark Kiss

AUTHOR: Michelle Rowen
GENRE: paranormal romance

PUBLICATION DATE: May 22nd 2012

SOURCE: NetGalley

BLURB:

I don't do dangerous.  Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back. Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... NIGHTWATCHERS When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising..

REVIEW:

I'm not really experienced when it comes to angel/demons books. In fact, I tend to avoid them. The only time I actually wanted to read an angel story was when I picked Angelfall, and I ended up not knowing how to really rate it.

My approach to Dark Kiss was... careful, to put it mildly. But I started reading it after the disaster that was Glitch and I was surprised how much I liked it! Dark Kiss is actually everything I could ask for when it comes to paranormal romance. Strong, witty heroine, a few hot guys, quickly developing but detailed plot. Despite the cover, which suggest a dark story with brooding characters, Dark Kiss is a light, fun read. Really!

Samantha is your ordinary girl next door until she gets kissed by this mysterious boy. The kiss changes her. Actually it... steals her soul. And now she's able to feed on other people's souls too. The whole city is in danger, soulless people are roaming the streets like zombies. The only one who can actually save the day is... Samantha. She decides to help Bishop, a boy she 'accidentally' finds when she walks home. And when it turns out that the boy is an angel, dangerous one on top of that, there's no returning.

What I think I loved the most about Dark Kiss were the characters. It happens definitely too often that I hate the main character. You have to agree with me that there's a tendency in YA books (especially paranormal) to make the heroine to be a supposedly strong protagonist when she is, in fact, nothing but a whiny, irritating damsel in distress, in need of saving her all the time. Fortunately, Samantha is not one of them. She can manage just fine on her own, she is witty and sarcastic but not to the point when you think it's fake. By the way, it amused me greatly when I got a bit angry that all the demons and angels in the team were boys, when Sam burst out that it's sexist. Seriously. Greta minds think alike.

Bishop and Kraven. An angel and demon. I liked both of them, although I have to admit Kraven and his inner demons (pun intended) were just a tad bit more interesting. There's plenty of back story to be explained about Bishop in the next books though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I also liked Sam's best friend, Carly, and the rest of the angel/demon team, especially Zach. Even if we didn't get to know the team too well because of the constant action and the fact that the last member of the team was found just by the end of the book... I'm pretty sure there's more waiting for us.

As for the love story and what can possibly turn into a love triangle in the future - I am kind of anticipating it! If you read the book, you will see that this love triangle, if happens, can become something deeper, complicated, twisted, because of the connection between Bishop and Kraven. It reminded me of The Vampire Diaries (the tv show) a bit, back in the day when I loved that show. In Dark Kiss Sam has her eyes only for Bishop. But you never know.

Sure, there were plotholes. Sure, it's not a perfect book. But it's an intriguing start to what might be an awesome series, so I'm definitely looking forward to it. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Overall:

REVIEW - Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

TITLE: Endless Summer
AUTHOR:  Jennifer Echols
GENRE: contemporary, romance

PUBLICATION DATE: May 25th 2010

 

BLURB:

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.  Lori can’t wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she’s turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that’s not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori’s romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

REVIEW:

Endless Summer consists of two parts – The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer, and it’s a quick, entertaining read. An absolute ‘must-read’ for summer!

Lori is a girl who grew up surrounded by men – her father, her brother and the boys who live next door. She’s tougher, rougher and less girly than any of her female friends. Whom she doesn’t have that many. It’s only a matter of time she falls for one of the boys next door, though. Which one will that be? Sean, the boy she believes her mother picked for her or Adam, the boy she is friends with since forever?

The characters Jennifer Echols created are extremely likable and alive. And, above all – Lori and Adam are barely sixteen years old and they act like it. I was quite tired of the books with very mature teenagers that are filling YA books nowadays. I wanted something silly but adorable, and Jennifer Echols gave me that.

Adventures that Lori and Adam are a part of are completely ridiculous. Their plans to get together or mischievous plots to outsmart their parents make you literally face-palm and laugh out loud, because – yes, because they are so adorable while doing so.

I absolutely adored Adam – he makes mistakes (many of them – he can’t probably spend five minutes without making one) but his heart is made of gold. Even though he’s the scapegoat of his older brother’s wrongdoings, the reader knows who is the real villain here. And it’s definitely not Adam.

All in all, I can recommend Endless Summer to everyone needing some entertainment, hot guys, characters that make you fall for them in a blink of an eye and teenagers that don’t have the whole world to worry about, just their tiny, serious teen problems. It was my first – and definitely not last – book by Jennifer Echols.

Overall rating:

4.5 stars out of 5

 

REVIEW #21 - Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

 TITLE: Looking for Alibrandi
AUTHOR: Melina Marchetta
GENRE: contemporary
PUBLICATION DATE: Dec 18th 2007

SOURCE: library

BLURB:

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it’s just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it’s her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn’t be any stricter—but that doesn’t seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life.

Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will be the year she falls in love, the year she discovers the secrets of her family’s past—and the year she sets herself free.

Told with unmatched depth and humor, this novel—which swept the pool of Australian literary awards and became a major motion picture—is one to laugh through and cry with, to cherish and remember.

REVIEW:

Originally published in Australia in 1992, Looking for Alibrandi is Melina Marchetta's debut novel. It's my first book by this author and I can tell you one thing - she's lived up to my expectations. All the praises are fully deserved, as Melina Marchetta skillfully navigates between smaller story of just one family and a larger, global problem of cultural, ethnic and generational differences.

The plot revolves around Josephine Aribaldi, 17 year old Australian girl with Italian roots, raised by his single mother. As she uncovers the story of her mother and grandmother, their secrets and life aspirations, she discovers not only a deep bound connecting the three woman but she finally realizes who she really is.

It's a great coming-of-age book, with great both main and secondary characters. Josie is lost and still searching for what she really wants from life, but readers can tell she's on the right track. I liked her especially for her fierce attitude and the fact she wasn't afraid of speaking her own mind.

What I also liked was that there were big declarations, conversations about love and marriage, but it ended just like almost every teenage crush ends. 

You won't find epic car chases and epic fights in Looking for Alibrandi. You won't find sugar-coated half truths. But if you're looking for a smart, deep book that deals with a lot of problems of teenage girl who is different but wants to fit - this book is definitely for you.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW #19 - Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

 

TITLE: Awaken

AUTHOR: Katie Kacvinsky

GENRE: dystopia

PUBLICATION DATE: May 23rd 2011

SOURCE: ARC 

 

BLURB:

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.
Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.
In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

 REVIEW:

 

After reading this book I'm surprised to see so many mixed or outright negative reviews of this book. It's one of the best, most intelligent dystopias I've read in a while.

In fact, I think Katie Kacvinsky's idea in her debut novel is the most intriguing and plausible at the same time among the dystopias. Let's face it - the genre is becoming more and more far-fetched, as the authors struggle to fit in because of the trend. Awaken stands out with a world not really different from ours. It takes place only 50 years in the future, but the society has changed. Every person in the country has an access to free education - they attend so called Digital Schools via internet. Everything happens online - there's no point in even going out of the houses anymore, as people can order whatever they want, they socialize, relax and study in front of their computers.

I liked how well-thought this book is. The reasoning behind every change in the society is well explained and I found myself nodding at some of the ideas. The government had a good reason to enforce DS on the society, as well as society had a good reason to fight it later.

The main character Maddie is no damsel in distress. She can think for herself and despite her not being street smart, she learns quickly. There's a huge character development throughout the book, but you can't really pinpoint certain points in her change - the transition is smooth. The reader can see that it was building in her for quite some time. Justin is just as fascinating character. Easy going and friendly, he's got his own demons.

I absolutely loved how INTELLIGENT the dialogues were. Especially between the main characters, Maddie and Justin. These two actually talked with each other and built a solid base for their later romance.

There were some minor issues like continuity errors, a few awkward phrases that (hopefully) were gotten rid of in the finished version of the book. I think I was also a bit annoyed by the tug-of-war Justin was playing with Maddie - the constant "You're too good for me, you deserve better" was a little overdone.

Overall, it's a good, thought provoking read. Not for everyone, but if you enjoy dialogues that don't seem forced, dystopias and likable characters, I'm sure you will love it. I can't wait to read the sequel!

4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW #17 - Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

 

TITLE: Catching Jordan
AUTHOR: Miranda Kenneally
GENRE: contemporary
PUBLICATION DATE: Dec 1st 2011

SYNOPSIS:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

I have a confession to make.

I'm European and yet I love American football. I'm not crazy about it and I know next to nothing about it, but I love movies and tv shows about it. Yes, I am a Friday Night Lights fan, how did you guess? You can't blame me for loving Garrett Hedlund in the movie and Taylor Kitsch in the tv show though.

That was the reason I've always wanted to read Catching Jordan, even if the synopsis didn't appeal to me all that much. I read it and I don't regret it. All the rave reviews the book is getting - totally deserved!

What I loved the most in this book were the characters and their relationships. Jordan is a great main character - very unique in her aspirations and tomboy attitude. Many books these days display a female main character that is supposed to a) be a tomboy b) go through a metamorphosis. While Jordan is definitely a), there's no b) and I loved it so much. And her being a tomboy is totally different than girls in the other YA books, where the girl wears sneakers and old jeans and doesn't wear make up and suddenly she's such a tomboy. You can tell this annoys me a lot. But Jordan is a tomboy with her whole being. She hangs out with guys, she thinks a lot of things that girls do are weird/disgusting/silly. Of course, deep down, she just needs a girlfriend to talk to, but it's like her hidden identity. 

Other characters were just as lovely - I don't think anyone could hate Sam Henry, even if he had some flaws. I liked Jordan's family, her friends (especially Carter, but JJ was awesome too). As for the romance - I didn't expect that. I really didn't, which proves I'm as dense as Jordan. ;) For a while I hated what was happening in the book BUT after some time I realized it's more like real life than anything. Small complications that lead to a bigger thing. And that not always we're supposed to stay with the same person, because he or she is not right for us. I liked it.

What I didn't like was that Jordan was very quick to judge. I know the cheerleader stereotype is alive and well in the US (and as a consequence, all over the world), but does that mean that every cheerleader is bitchy and/or stupid? Come on. I'm glad there were characters like Marie and Carrie, who dulled my disgust a bit, showing that cheerleaders can be fun characters as well.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind reading a book about cheerleaders. Their practices, contests, joys and hard times. It could be quite a good book!

This book is hilarious, it's witty, it's fun. I usually read on the bus, so passengers were a little shocked to witness my snickering and giggling when I did so.

Overall, it's a fun, quick read that a lot of you will enjoy. It's not necessarily deep nor makes you think, but it's good to read something light and funny from time to time, right?

Overall rating:

4 out of 5 stars.

REVIEW #12 - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

TITLE: Lola and the Boy Next Door

AUTHOR: Stephanie Perkins

GENRE: contemporary, romance

PUBLICATION DATE: Sept 29th 2011

SYNOPSIS:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

REVIEW:

First thoughts
ST. CLAIR!!! Oh God, that is so not what I wanted to say. But... St. Clair!
I rushed to read this book as soon as I finished nna and the French Kiss and I heard that certain characters will be making appearance there. ;)

Cover

Again, not really my type. I like this cover a lot less than the Anna and the French Kiss cover too. 

Plot

It's a bit like a role-reversal in Lola's case, compared to Anna.The story is heartwarming and full of funny situations too, but this time it's the girl that is taken and, dare I say? She is kind of the bad guy here. I loved watching here grow enough to come to a serious decision about her relationship(s).
The romance was cute (as always in Stephanie Perkins' books, it seems!) and it was such a quick and enjoyable read I haven't even noticed when I finished it!

Characters

First of all, let me tell you: THERE'S ST. CLAIR. And Anna. But. St. Clair is here! And I might have melted a bit when he and Cricket became buddies. The image in my head was so cute I almost swooned in real life!
Now, the main characters.
Lola is a very complex character and while I enjoyed reading about her, I couldn't pin for her as much I did for Anna. I don't know if it was caused by the fact I'm closer to Anna (personality-wise) or that she felt more mature than Lola? Still, Lola is a colorful and likable character who's not without flaws.
Cricket! Let's stop here for a second and look at the twins' names. Cricket (Graham) Bell and Calliope Bell. Oh my. I usually roll my eyes at very extraordinary names, but in that case, they really fit!
So Cricket is this nice guy next door, and I think it's actually my favorite kind of a guy. I liked everything about him - his looks, the little details like the rubber bands and his hair sticking up, his insecurity, living in the shadow of his sister or how upset he was once he learned the truth about Alexander Graham Bell.
But my two favorite characters from the book? Andy and Nathan, Lola's dads. They were amazing. Not stereotypical (I snorted when Andy said at one point "I'm trying very hard not to use the word fabulous", which was awesome in the context) and utterly lovable. Both rather strict and both loving Lola very, very much. I think it was impossible not to love them - they were the "spine" in Lola's life and I'm glad she had them.

Writing

I think Stephanie Perkins restored my love for contemporary books. Flooded by dystopian novels, I've completely forgotten that I do, in fact, love normal teenage romances too. ;)

Overall

Loved it.Not as much as Anna, because I couldn't relate to the characters as much as I did in Anna's case. But still, it's an amazing, fun read I would recommend to everyone!

Rating

4.5 stars out of 5.

REVIEW #9 - Wither by Lauren DeStefano

TITLE: Wither

AUTHOR: Lauren DeStefano

GENRE: dystopian

PUBLICATION DATE: March 22nd 2011

SYNOPSIS:

At age 16, Rhine Ellery has four years to live. Thanks to a botched effort to create a perfect race, all females live to age 20 and males live to age 25. On the cusp of her 17th birthday, Rhine attempts to flee, but what she finds is a society spiraling out of control.

REVIEW:

First thoughts:
I don't know if it's the fact that I read Wither just after I finished Matched (which I disliked, to put it mildly), but the book impressed me. I've seen some mixed reviews and I was afraid that the book won't live up to its hype, but I was proved wrong.

Cover

Another stunning cover and also one of my favorite. The girl looks ethereal and a bit out of this world, which fits the story perfectly.

Plot

Imagine a row of beautiful porcelain dolls on a shelf. They're all dressed in expensive, frilly dresses, their hair is draped in fancy curls. But after some closer inspection you discover that all of the dolls are broken, shattered, destroyed and only their clothes keep them from falling apart. It's a world where everything looks pretty behind the glass.
And this exactly is the world presented in Wither - pretty on the outside, rotting inside. It's a world where repulsive things pass as normal. I found it fascinating and disgusting, but that's what kept me turning the pages.

Characters

After meek and bland characters I met in a few dystopian novels, characters in Wither felt really refreshing. I really liked Rhine and her act, Jenny and Cecily. The fact that the plot was driven by those three female characters was also a novelty - majority of YA novels stick to he+she+sidekicks formula. After reading Wither I could tell how much I grew tired of it, and how much I liked the female characters being the most important part of the story.
Every girl was a different personality, background and behavior and that's what I loved. The story wasn't focused on the romance between Rhine and Gabriel at all and yet there wasn't any insta-love.
Of course there was also a villain - I still can't decide who I hated more - Vaughn or Linden. I think that excusing Linden for his actions just because he was living some kind of fairy tale is absolutely unforgivable. Especially after what he did to Cecily. Just... no.
On a side note, I also liked the character that never once made an actual appearance in the book - Rowan, Rhine's twin. He only appeared in Rhine's memories, but he was a full-fledged and well-rounded character.

Writing

Rhine's first person point of view. I found her POV engaging, and there were some nice quotes, for example:

"I always knew I was an excellent liar; I just didn’t know I had it in me to fool myself."

Loved it.

Overall

Although I've seen a lot of complaints that the story lacks depth, it didn't feel like that to me. I admit that I felt the story lacking a bit in emotional department (that's why the rating is a bit lower), but it was a part of the act of the main character.

Rating

4 stars out of 5.

REVIEW #3 - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

TITLE: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

AUTHOR: Laini Taylor

GENRE: paranormal romance, fantasy

PUBLICATION DATE: Sept 27th 2011

SYNOPSIS:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

REVIEW:

Cover

I found it quite intriguing. It didn't take my breath away or anything, but the blue on the cover is exactly what I have in mind when imagining Karou's hair.

Plot

Whoa. That was something different. While at some point it became rather clear and straighforward tragic romance, it sure kept surprising me. I wasn't really convinced at first - the weirdness of it all, the created world reminded me a bit of magic realism, which is one of my least favorite genrs out there. But, thankfully, it's not the case at all.

Besides, half of the book happens in Prague. I've been to Prague two times, each time really sick and with high fever, so it's all like behind thick fog for me, but I remembered the details through Karou's eyes.

Characters

Karou is one of the best female lead characters I've read in a while. She can manage on her own and her badassery is showing (the scene at the bearded guy's shack was one of my absolute favorites!), even if she can be quite helpless at times.

Akiva is described as "so beautiful to the point of overdoing it" and I had to smile at that. He's troubled, he's got some problems with trying to be funny, which in turn IS funny - I'm not the one to fall for perfect angelic main characters, but this time, I couldn't help it. ;)

Other characters - Zuzana (you know, the bickering bff type, but I appreciated her awesome sense of humor), Brimstone (LOVED the guy, another Gandalf type but not quite) and even Thiago (our bad guy) were really well executed.

Writing

Nonlinear narrative was refreshing, but a bit confusing at times. While I appreciated that it's not first person POV, I was kind of lost sometimes. Especially when it became clear to me that the narrator is omnipresent. It hopped from Karou to Akiva to other characters almost from sentence to sentence and it took me a while to get used to it.

But it's not a disadvantage of course. The writing flowed nicely, and, what I appreciated a lot, there was humor present. It made me laugh out loud a few times, which happens rarely when I read paranormal romances these days. Yay!

Overall

A must-read! I added this book to my favorites and I can't wait for DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT, which is a confirmed title of the sequel.

Rating

4.5 stars out of 5.

REVIEW #2 - Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

TITLE: Shattered Souls
AUTHOR: Mary Lindsey
GENRE: paranormal romance

PUBLICATION DATE: Dec 8th 2011

SYNOPSIS:
Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

REVIEW:

Cover
Just look how gorgeous it is! It drew me in immediately. I just knew I had to read it, and luckily, I wasn't disappointed. It doesn't really matter that the cover has no connection whatsoever to the story. Who cares, pretty!

Plot
The concept seemed really well thought and I could sense that the author put some real brainstorming into the idea of soul-sharing. Add reincarnations, evil spirits, a bit of history and a Gandalf figure (I call all of those old, wise, Dumbledoresque guys Gandalfs) and you get Shattered Souls.
I absolutely loved the idea of Speakers and Protectors! It gives a lot of possibilities and I feel the author used the idea quite skillfully.
The pacing was just right, I wasn't bored. And during the climax I couldn't put the book down!

Characters
I was surprised to discover that Lenzi is a likeable character. I'm not used to liking female main characters, especially when the story is told from the first person perspective! Lenzi is resourceful, she thinks about the pros and cons, she can properly evaluate a situation based on observation. Whoa! And she's even got some sense of humor. I loved it.
On the other hand we have Alden, our main male character. He's just lovely, funny, and completely in love. He's neither a weakling nor macho type, and that's why I loved him so much. I'd describe him as a boy next door. And who doesn't like boys next door? I was totally bought during that scene between Alden and his little sister, too.
Other characters were fun too (mentioned Gandalf figure, or other Protectors). I had a major issue with Zak, though. Even if the story he was involved with became quite relevant to the plot, I wasn't entirely convinced it had to be described the way it was. I'm not spoiling the story to you, dear readers, but tell me what you thought about it, too!

Writing
As I mentioned earlier, the pacing was flowing quite nicely. I'm not a native English speaker but I didn't find the language Shattered souls is written challenging. I appreciate the humor though. A lot of YA novels lacks humor these days, focusing on angsty turmoils of romance or the horrors of awful dystopian reality.

Overall

Nice surprise! I recommend it to every fan of paranormal romance and to anyone who wants to read something light and entertaining, with fun characters, cute romance and a bit of humor.


Rating