Review: Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J Redwine

Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J Redwine
Publisher:  Balzar & Bray
Publication date: September 1st, 2012
Number of pages: 403 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Book World Australia

Rachel’s world is confined to the protective walls around her city. Beyond them are violent wanderers, extreme terrain, and a danger straight out of legend: a beast called the Cursed One that devastates everything in its path.

When Rachel’s father goes missing, she is desperate to search for him. But her attempts to flee the city bring her to the attention of its overbearing ruler. His efforts to control her make the world within the walls seem as dangerous as that outside.

Her only chance at escape is Logan. Once her father’s apprentice, and now her only protector, he feels that helping her might mean losing her completely. But if he can put his feelings aside, they might be able to save more than Rachel’s father. They might be able to break down the walls, and set their people free.

Defiance is the debut novel for break-out C.J Redwine. She successfully carves a delicious and enticing story about one girl's hopes to find her last living family. A story based on hope, despair, faith and love.
This is a book which surely you would put on your to-read list, right? *waits for nods all around.*

Rachel lives in Baalboden, one of the few places deemed livable, where everything else was cut off and called The Wasteland, where there is nothing but a monster lurking abouts devouring everything out there. Baalboden is a civilised community where Rachel's father works as a courier, not to mention being the best tracker out there, but when one day he does not return from a trip, Rachel starts to get worried.
The longer he is gone, the less people think he would have survived. Rachel is adamanent. She fully believes he still lives, even if the city now has deemed him legally dead, and her protectorship has been transferred from her father, to... the boy she wished she never could see again.

Meet Logan. The boy of Rachel's dreams and nightmares. The two share a complicated history that she doesn't want to think about for fear it will dread up all the embarassing thoughts from that time of her life, but when Logan suddenly becomes her protector aka guardian, she is forced to spend more time with him than she would have liked.
But that doesn't stop her from wanting to escape his clutches and go search for her father, but unbeknowest to Rachel, Logan also is planning on searching for him as well... when the time is right.

Rachel is really a strong and kickass character.  She is seventeen years of age, a few months from being deemed an adult and no longer need a protector if she so wishes, but until then she doesn't have much of a choice.
The fact she does not give up hope on finding her father and fully believes he is still alive out there, even though everyone else has written him off as being destroyed and killed out in the wastelands, she does not give up on hoping. I admired that about her. 
Logan is also an amazing strong character. He comes from a background he isn't proud of. He has had a hard life since his mother was taken away from him as a child, and had to live on the streets until Jared, Rachel's father took him in and gave him a job. I can imagine he felt like he was giving a second chance at life and didn't want to ruin that by doing anything that would put that in jeopardy. 

This story is written in both Rachel and Logan's POVs. It's interesting to see things from both of their perspective, as they deal with the same, and different things at the same time. You can understand where they are both coming from. They are alike and yet so different. They hope. They love and they fear, and not all in that order.

The relationship between these two was probably one of my favourite things about this book, if not the favourite thing. It was so real and honest. So hard and yet so heartbreaking. The love story these two have going on didn't just start. But it's from this point forward when it starts to progress into something that is worth fighting for.

If you are interested in a story about love, mystery, loyalty, family with kickass characters in a heartbreakingly dystopian world, then this is for you.

I look forward to August when the sequel comes out. I can't wait to see where Rachel and Logan's story goes to next.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

 

Review: Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L.Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication date: April 4th, 2013
Number of pages: 343 pgs
Format: E-format
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

From the moment we were left with that agonizing cliffhanger in Deity, I have been itching to find what was coming next. The novella, Elxir did provide a little comfort and gave me hope for the future, but of course, I wanted more.
Jennifer L.Armentrout has proved time and time again the ability to deliver in her stories, characters and world-building, but in the second to last book of this heart-thumping series comes so many twists and turns you won't see coming. It will leave you hanging after each single page.

When we return with Apollyon, we have Alex who is now off the Elixir, but still connected to Seth via the bond.  It started to get annoying after a while as she called him "Her Seth" it was like.. you know, she was sired or something /crackjoke.
But as the story progressed throughout the book, Alex soon was able to break the bond and return to her former self, thank goodness. I'm not sure how much I could  take with the way she was being. And there was so many other important things she had to do.
Now that Alex is one of two Apollyon's, her concerns start to be focused on what happens when Seth gets his hands on her and possibly then turning into a God Killer. The thoughts and ideas are so unimaginable to think about. They just better hope that does not happen, because if it does... then God help them all.

While we do see Seth here and there, more than in the previous one that is for sure. In feel there is still some hope that he can be saved. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, and I am sure will be discussed in the final book in this series coming later in the year.
But the romance between Alex and Aiden goes form strength to strength. There is nothing he wouldn't do for her, and I love how much they have gone through and come out stronger on the other side. I knew from the beginning these two would be a love like no other. It would be tested and tried, but usually those kinds of romances come out on top by the end.

I'm counting down the days until Sentinel is released. I can't wait to see how everything all ends for this story.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review: The Forsaken by Lisa M. Strasse

The Forsaken (The Forsaken #1) by Lisa M. Strasse
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication date: August 2nd, 2012
Number of pages: 432 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Book World Australia

Alenna Shawcross is a sixteen-year-old orphan growing up in a police state formed from the ashes of Canada, the US and Mexico after a global economic meltdown.

But when she unexpectedly fails ‘the test’ - a government initiative which supposedly identifies teens destined to be criminals - she wakes up alone on a remote island reserved for the criminally insane.

Terrified and confused, she soon encounters a group of other teen survivors battling to stay alive, including Liam, a boy who will become her love... and her lifeline.

Soon Alenna makes the terrifying discovery that there’s more to the island (and her past) than she could ever have guessed... But who can she trust? And can she ever escape?

Lisa Strasse has come up with a imaginative story to dig into, as we find ourselves in a government funded dystopian novel. This genre has exploded since the arrival of The Hunger Games. I know that I was very hesitant to get into this kind of thing back then, but since those books.. I have discovered a crave for this very genre moreso than any other.
There have been so many books I have read, while some more similar than others, but each have their own individual spin on this dark, haunting and devastating world.

Welcome to the United Northern Allegiance; formally known as The United States, Mexico and Canada. 
We're introduced to Alenna Shawcrossed, who after losing her parents (not by death, but by disappearance) at a young age, becomes an orphan. At age sixteen she takes the compulsory test every student takes that will determine whether or not you have rebellious tendencies toward criminal behaviour. Most people pass... and some, don't.  Aleena never thought much about not passing because she couldn't harm a fly even if she tried, so when she does fail by whatever means she can't believe her luck.
After failing, Aleena finds herself being shipped off to a prison camp alpha where the life expentancy for each 'unachored soul' is eighteen years of age.
After she and another person wake up on 'The wheel' for which the inhabitants call it, since it's split into different sections, they try to find their way out. When they are caught for being in a section they shouldn't be in, Aleena and the other newest recruit to The Wheel need to try stay alive before they end up dead.

I was very impressed with this book. I had a feeling I would enjoy it, but never imagined how much. While things do start out slow... when things start to reveal themselves, it takes on a whole new meaning.

While there is romance in this book it doesn't take up the main plot, or does it overtake it. I know some may not like the way it happens, but I found it rather cute. It's not the earth-shattering love, nor is there a love triangle (thank goodness).
I love the friendships Aleena makes during her time on the island. Not only with Liam, but with the other people in the tribe which take her in.
There is certainly one surprise that I didn't see coming and makes for some interesting story.

The end...while leave for more story-telling, but I don't think it is as bad of a cliffhanger as I have seen in other books. It's good enough though to make me want to know more. To see where things will progress.

Bring on August.

Rating:  4.5/5

Teaser Tuesday 23

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Want to play along?

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers
• Share the title and author

I still can't get over Saving June Hannah Harrington. It was just full of amazing. Plus Jake was pretty much perfect.

 “He leans close and says, "It matters to me," right against my mouth, and then kisses me like he means it.
I've thought about what it'd be like to kiss Jake over the past few days, way more than I'd care to admit. But I don't even have time to register the firm press of his lips against mine, without breath, before he pulls back.

Blog Tour: Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington - Interview + Giveaway

We would love to welcome Jess Shirvington, for the very first time. We couldn't be anymore excited to be part of this blog tour.
Jessica is absolutely one of my favourite authors, Aussie no less and I was thrilled when she announced she had a new book planned. I love her Violet Eden series, but at this point, I'd read anything this woman writes.
We decided to dig a little deeper in terms of research and the technical side of things, rather than plot. So we asked her a few questions which plagued us, and here is what she had to say....

1. How difficult was it adjusting to writing a stand a lone book than one in a series? What made you want to write a stand alone book instead of starting a new series? 

Not difficult, but it takes time and consideration. The way you pace and plot is different and you need to be very aware of your end point. I really loved the challenge and that was part of the reason I wanted to write Between the Lives. Also it was between books in my series and I felt, as a writer, that it would be good to work on something else and take a break from the series so that I could go back to it with a fresh perspective.

2. With writing this book plus having the Violet Eden books, did you ever confused key plot lines or events? Or even came up with an idea for one book but decided it was better suited for the other? 

No, there was never confusion. I was worried a little at first, that I might lose touch with Violet (the protagonist in the series), but realised very quickly that it wasn't going to be a problem. The books and worlds are very different so there has never been any crossover in story or scenes so I haven't struggled with that. Actually, it all went quite smoothly this time.

3. The Violet Eden books are about angels and deals with a lot of mythology. This one doesn’t seem to have any supernatural creatures in it. Did you have to do any kind of research?

It wasn't the same kind of research, that's for sure! The Violet Eden Chapters involves a lot of digging. Sometimes I'm not sure what I am looking for until I find it so that means I spend a lot of time looking at things I never use. For Between the Lives it was different. The things I researched were in direct relation to scenes or story concepts that I had already committed to so it took less time. That said, due to some of the scenes and confronting themes that run through this book, a loot of thought went into how exactly I would handle them and how much i would put out there. I spent a lot of time talking with doctors and other medical professionals to ensure I was comfortable with the content.

 Was it easier to write a story and not having to deal with a lot of mythology?

Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that I wasn't bound by it and the research was a little more straight forward. No, in the sense that mythology leads to a lot of great story threads and it can anchor a story very well for readers. Not having that was a new experience. I like both ways!

4. What interested you about someone living two separate lives, and how you if you were in that position would tackle a situation like that? How did you come up with this idea?

I like exploring concepts that can seem enticing or fun from a surface perspective but when you then dig deeper you can discover all the problems. This was one of those situations. The more I thought of it, the more I realised how awful it would be and that intrigued me from a story point of view. The idea itself developed from many small ideas all merging together rather than one lightning bolt moment. But the bottom line is that I wanted to see if it was possible to explore the darkness of suicide but from the point of view of someone who was desperate to live.

5. What are you currently working on, and is there anything you can share with us about it?

Right now I am working on EMPOWER, the final book in The Violet Eden Chapters. I can't share too much just yet since I have been sworn to secrecy! But I can say it will be the last book in the series and a lot of questions will be answered. Apart from that I have another book that is a little different again and will be part of a duology scheduled for next year. It's about one girl's fight against a private corporation who have introduced a new technology allowing people the ability to rate anyone they come into contact with and know if they are a potential match (friendship, lust or love) or if they are a negative (to just that person or to everyone they come in contact with). :-)

Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.
Until now, that is…
For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life – a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.
With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted… But just what – and who – is she really risking?
Goodreads | Book Depository | Book World

Giveaway

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Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds) by Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Publication date: December 11th, 2012
Number of pages: 488
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Book World (Aus)

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

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now on the run, she is desperate to find East River, the only safe haven left for kids like her, and she joins a group of other runaways who have escaped their own camps. Liam, their brave leader, is falling for Ruby, but she can′t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all Liam. But there are also other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government.

Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice - and one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.

From the very first instant I heard about this book I knew I wanted to read it. The world building that Alexandra Bracken has created in this novel is simply divine. It's a class act of just how brutal a post-apocalyptic world would be.
Tragic. Horrifying. Dark and real.

The moment Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday she knew something was different. She didn't understand how different until she was then shipped off to a government 'rehabilitation' camp. After being one of the few kids who survived the epidemic illness that killed off the majority of her classmates, Ruby knew there was a reason she was left alone.
Just when she begins to think she has made a friend in such a lonely world she and these new kids have found themselves in; Ruby does the impossible: she erases her best friend's memories without even realizing it.
Thurmond is split up into different colours depending on what sort of risk they think you are or might be in the future.
The treatment of these kids are so horrible. It becomes to the stage where you are not afraid of the adults --- they are afraid of YOU.

After managing to escape from Thurmond, Ruby finds herself on the run until she stumbles upon a group of other runaways just like herself, others who have each escaped from camps just like she did with Thurmond. They are on search for East River, which is rumored to be a safe place for kids like themselves.

Not only is this an action-packed story full of surprises at every end, it's also very character-building. You begin to understand what lies beneath the heart of Ruby. Why she doesn't want anyone close to her and how she will protect those she does care about to the very end.
She doesn't start out as a strong character.... but it's something that gradually grows into something so much bigger than an outright kickass heroine.
Ruby is someone I think we can relate to. A scared girl who was taken from her family at a young age and is trying to find her way in the world. A place for someone like her can belong.
It's also with the help of Liam, the leader of the runaways can she truly see what is worth living for. Slowly, the more she is around him... she begins to open up her heart in a magnificent way.

I definitely look forward to the second book in this series... especially with we are indeed left with a cliffhanger that makes you yearn for more.
I enjoyed this book so much, and I thank goodness I found this story in my life.

Review: 4.5/5

Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Publication Date: May 1, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen Australia
Number of Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one — so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going — California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down — again.

Harper's older sister June is the perfect child. It was a complete shock when June committed suicide two weeks before her high school graduation. Harper decides to honor June's only dream by taking her ashes to California. Enter mysterious bad boy Jake Tolan who has a mysterious connection to June.  He insists he has to go with Harper and  her best friend Laney and even offers to drive them. There's instant attraction between Jake and Harper, even though they have nothing in common.

This book is filled with music and music references. Usually it bugs me when a book is filled with detail music references, but it works for this book. Harper can tell Jake is hiding something from her about June. But he refuses to talk about it.

With many detours, this book is more about Harper grieving for her sister and coming to term. Even though I understand that's what the book is about, I wished it had a little bit more romance for Harper and Jake. I just couldn't get enough of them. And when they do finally get together, it's my favorite scene in the whole book.

Beware, the book is a tear jerker, and pretty much the whole book is sad. I hate that this was a stand a lone book. Which is why I usually don't read them. I only want more. I spent days after reading this day dreaming about Harper and Jake. The end of the book, it felt like there were room for more. Everything was resolve, but there were so much more room to write a few more chapters.The only thing I didn't like about the book was the aspect of religion. Harper has decided she doesn't believe, but she has a very big religious aunt. And it's the stereotypical christian who pushes their ideals on everyone and is close minded. Not to mention the bible thumpers at a protest they attend. I feel like the author was on the verge of bashing it. Or how at the end of the story Laney is pregnant but it's convenient taken care of. The plot made no sense in the book, only to show that Harper puts those she loves and care about above her own feelings and needs.And Jake's secret? I felt disappointed. I didn't see the big deal and I thought the connection between him and June would of been something more. Seemed like the whole plot was headed towards this huge climax and then there were nothing. I do wish we learned exactly why June decided to take her own life.

In a few words this book is AMAZING! Definitely one of my favorites. I encourage everyone to give it a shot.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1) by Katie McGarry
Publication Date: July 31, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Number of Pages: 392
Format: Hardback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
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"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Oh not sure why I've been on a contemporary YA kick lately. But this came highly recommended by a friend. The book was ok, not the best.

Echo used to be one of the popular crowd. But one night changed everything, only if Echo could remember. All she knows that she woke up in the hospital with scars all over her, knowing her mother tried to kill her. For the past two years she's kept a low profile, but her dad and step mom won't tell her what really happened that night. But seeing a new therapist might just change all of that. Not to mention the moment Noah walked into her life nothing will be the same again.

The book is broken into Echo and Noah's POVs. I couldn't stand reading Noah's POV. Writing in a guy's POV in YA is tricky, and very rarely can you find someone who can nail it. I'm sorry I don't want to read about a guy staring at someone's ass or telling her to shake it. Not to mention the over use of calling Echo a siren. Not only did I hate his POVs, I didn't connect with Noah, and ended up not liking Noah. Once a golden boy his life was turned upside down when a fire killed his brothers. Thrown into foster care and labeled trouble, his life was never the same. Now he uses girls and smokes pot. Now at almost 18 he's determined to win custody over his two brothers when he graduate. Since he was label trouble and unstable after his first foster home, I'm curious though. Why was he separated originally from his brothers? I know it happens but to just separate one brother from the family? Not to mention his brothers has been with the same family from the beginning. This is when I really can't stand Noah. This family is wealthy. His brothers can have a life that Noah can't provide for them. Not to mention he still smoking pot. What sense does that mean? Not to mention he claims they are abusing his brothers and there is no proof of it, nor any reason for him to accuse them of it.

The book is pretty dark and deals with some heavy stuff. I think the book would of been a lot better if it was solely in Echo's POV. I loved the ending. Overall the book was pretty good. Just didn't interest me enough to continue with the series.

Rating: 3/5

 

Review: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Forget You by Jennifer Echols
Publication Date: July 20th, 2010
Publisher: MTV Books
Number of Pages: 292
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
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There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.  But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all--the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug--of all people-- suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life--a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

This book sounded so good, but it came out on the disappointing side. I should of known better since it's published by MTV. I loved the plot, it had the potential to be amazing but the actual writing sucked.  I felt like I was reading something written by a 14 year old. Not to mention the use of old phrases such as parking and petting. Or even using the word ugly to describe how a person is talking, acting, etc. Even use the phrase blank is my dearest friend. Who really talks like that?

My impression from the description that Zoey and Brandon were a serious couple. I was thrown through a loop when Brandon turns out to be a player with a new girl every week, and started out as really good friends with Zoey. But after Zoey's mom has a breakdown, she decides to sleep with Brandon. And even though knowing how he is with girls, Zoey immediately thinks this means they are dating. Even though it's pretty clear he's not boyfriend material, and he never calls/texts her or even comes to see her.

Zoey's dad is an asshole. I couldn't believe someone would wrote a character that mean and harsh towards his own daughter. The author could of tone him down a notch or two. And the whole mystery...I knew exactly what happened that night. And what is the hang up with the deer? Zoey is in a head on accident because both cars swerve to miss a deer and all she can do is keep asking if the deer was ok. Really?! Does she realize how lucky they all are?

Now Doug. Oh Doug how I love you. He's the best thing about this book. The little twist at the end, I just wanted to slap Doug. But for majority of the book I just wanted to hug him.

Overall the book wasn't that bad. I just wished the book was done better.

Rating: 3/5

 

Review: The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: April 23rd, 2013
Number of pages: 323pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Book World Australia

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Iléa.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Everything begun with The Selection. America went from not wanting anything to do with it, to a point where she decided it was where she wanted to be.
The first book in this amazing trilogy introduced you to our beloved characters, plot and the world which Kiera created. It was the book in which I fell in love with this story. Not only for America & Maxon, but also because I knew there was trouble  rumbling deep down in the rebellion. Not everyone is happy....

In The Elite, America finds herself competing, in the real sense for the affections of Maxon. But along with the competition, America finds out some interesting things about her country, how it was formed and how some change has to come into affect at some point.
Not everyone is happy about the way things are done. The fact this competition is even around. And those people start to become more of a threat than they were before.

What I loved about this book was that it got a bit more darker than the previous. More attacks. More rebellion. It also had more romantic moments, with more than one boy. But I think America had made her choice very early on... and even though some things have challenged that decision., there is no doubt it sticks and will continue to do so throughout the final book.
I know there are many people who didn't like some of the things, actions that took place... but when I actually thought about the reasons.. I understood why they did the things they did, and I forgave them. They are still... after all young people trying to understand the laws of nature and find their place in the world.

While the actions of both America and Maxon could sometimes get on your nerves, in the long run.. I don't think those problems will cause any affect.


There are some characters like Aspen and Celeste who got on my nerves. Celeste, well.. nobody likes her and she has always been on my last nerve since she was introduced...but Aspen, I felt was in the background and really didn't serve any purpose apart from being in this so-called triangle. Although, toward the end.. I did feel a bit of a hint that he might be able to move on.. with someone else *cough*.

WHY does THE ONE have to be a year away? Since Kiera just announced it won't be released until May 6th, 2014! Ahh.. well, she better give me plenty of AM stuff to tease me with until it comes out.

Review: 5/5