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Review: YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Jun3

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett WrightYOLO Juliet by Brett Wright, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on May 26, 2015
Pages: 112
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
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five-stars

Romeo and Juliet, one of the greatest love stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Two families at war.
A boy and a girl in love.
A secret marriage gone oh-so-wrong.

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, checking in at certain locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. And Romeo & Juliet is by far one of the most well-known of Shakespeare’s plays. There are so many retellings and adaptions based off it – not to mention the fact that the concept of “star-crossed lovers” pretty much originated with Romeo & Juliet and can now be found all over the place in books, movies/TV shows and plays.

With that said, YOLO Juliet was hilarious and entertaining. I sped through it in roughly an hour and a half. It took something complex and broke it down into an easy-to-understand language that teens today will be able to connect with. It made Romeo & Juliet fun to read, even with the tragic events that take place in the play. My brother teaches English and he definitely wants to add these to his classroom library – something I think every teacher should do! It will make teens WANT to read the classics because they’ll be entertained and amused, rather than bored and confused.

Also, can we talk about how hilarious and ironic that title is, considering how the play ends?

So, whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Romeo & Juliet in the same way, ever again! And you’ll enjoy reading it!

five-stars

Review: Killer Within by S.E. Green

May18

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Killer Within by S.E. GreenKiller Within by S.E. Green
Series: Killer Instinct #2
Published by Simon Pulse on May 19, 2015
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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five-stars

In the heart-pounding sequel, teen vigilante Lane must face the secrets and unexpected consequences that arise in the wake of her first kill.

It’s been three months since the sadistic Decapitator’s demise, and Lane feels both closer to and more alienated than ever from her united, grieving family. Haunted by conflicting memories, she resumes the role of Masked Savior vigilante—but her heart just isn’t in it. For Lane now knows the rush of deeper thrills. Darker thrills. And a growing part of her wants to revisit its seductive power.

To Lane’s chagrin, the Masked Savior inspires its own fan site, where groupies gather online to praise, document, and debate each delivered act of justice. But then one of Lane’s secret admirers becomes a cunning copycat, assaulting the defenseless with escalating violence. And Lane suspects someone is spying on her, edging closer to making contact-someone who knows her secrets.

Will Lane be able to stop the copycat and keep her identity protected? Or will she give in to the thrills that tempt her? Because as her life continues to unravel, the revelations shake Lane to her core.

I read Killer Within in roughly six hours. I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t go to sleep without knowing how it ended. It captivated me just as much as Killer Instinct did, if not more. My brain still hurts from all the epic twists and turns. This incredible sequel had characters we know and love from the first book, plus some new ones that drew our attention for both good and bad (creepy, suspicious bad) reasons; and it had an epic plot that will keep you guessing until the very last page – and long after you close the book!

Once again, Lane was fascinating and creepy. She doesn’t have a huge amount of character development throughout the book, but I can definitely tell she’s a different person from who she was at the end of Killer Instinct – which is completely understandble given the things that happened to her and the things she did. I like the way she tries to stay connected with her stepdad and siblings. I love that one of the few things that grounds her is working with animals. She’s still a thrill-seeker dealing with urges she doesn’t completely understand and she’s a bit impulsive and reckless at times, which led her down some scary roads in this book. She’s blunt and hilarious and the flashback scenes were pretty creepy. My heart broke for her at the end.

I loved Daisy’s character development. She was like a whole new person in Killer Within. It’s sad that it took a tragedy to make it happen, but that tragedy made her re-evaluate her life choices. I loved her relationship with Lane in this book and their continued relationship with Justin. The revelation with Daisy was shocking and I’d love to see what – if anything – comes of that, so I’m definitely crossing my fingers for a book three!

We didn’t see as much of Reggie in this book, which made me sad because I adored her and was hoping to see more of her, not less. It saddened me the way she and Lane fought, but I can see both sides of the argument: On the one hand, Lane wasn’t a very good friend and she could have tried harder. On the other hand, Lane had a lot going on in her life and, if Reggie were a true friend, she would have understood that. I really, really want a book three because I’m crossing my fingers for a reconciliation between Lane and Reggie.

Zach’s an intriguing character and I never know if I should be praying he and Lane make-up or if I should be handing Lane pepper spray to keep him away! There were times when he really had me suspicious of his behavior. Especially after his ordeal in Killer Instinct. It makes sense that he’s traumatized and I expected that to effect him in profound ways. Dr. Issa was another one that had me dancing between heart eyes and suspicion. His personality and attitude in Killer Instinct always had me suspicious, but I never expected what happened to happen.. I mean.. Whoa… And… *Zips lips* Read the book!!!

I never trusted Catalina or Tommy. They were always behaving oddly. Catalina was like a mirror image of Lane in many ways. And Tommy was just as big a thrill-seeker as Lane. I knew nothing good could come of either character/story line. The only thing with Tommy, though.. As much as I love Zach and ship him and Lane, I also really shipped Tommy and Lane. Though I’m still convinced Zach is her perfect match, I think Tommy is more the yin to her yang. And the way the Catalina story ended… Whoa…

And then there’s the Margie story line. Holy crap, that was intense! And… I can’t say much more than that..

I thought the twists and turns in Killer Instinct had me going crazy, but they were NOTHING compared to the twists and turns of Killer Within. I mean, like I said, I read this book in roughly 6 hours (Less because about 1.5 hours of that was a dinner break) and I stayed up till 3am reading, knowing there was no way I’d be able to fall asleep until I found out the truth. Every time I thought I had nailed down a suspect, I was wrong. And every time someone was “cleared,” I let my guard down with them and then… BAM! Something would happen and I’d suspect them again. S.E. Green is such a master of red herrings! Plus, she does an amazing job with her endings,, They’re quick and precise and the “reveal” and final scene get wrapped up in just a few pages. With other books, the ending would feel rushed. But Green does such a wonderful job, it doesn’t feel rushed at all.

Overall, this book was deliciously creepy, epic and intense. I can’t even properly put into words how much I enjoyed it, though I’m sure you can guess from my fangirl review! S.E. Green is definitely one of my new favorite authors. My fingers are crossed she writes a third book in this series, or at least a book similar to it, within the same genre. As with Killer Instinct, I highly recommend Killer Within if you love psychological thrillers and books with epic plot twists that leave you guessing with every flip of the page.

five-stars

Review: A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin (Blog tour + Giveaway)

May12

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin (Blog tour + Giveaway)A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
Series: Stranje House #1
Published by Tor Teen on May 19, 2015
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts...

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

 
School Unusual Girls Banner 
Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin! I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! I absolutely loved this book and I hope you enjoy my review!

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When I first heard about A School for Unusual Girls, I convinced myself it had supernatural elements in it – likely because I read the synopsis wrong. Though some aspects of the book could be considered borderline-supernatural, it’s really more of a contemporary historical novel. And you know what? I loved it! I love historical books with supernatural elements in them, but I’ve read so many supernatural/paranormal books lately, it was really refreshing to read a straight up historical fiction. And it wasn’t just any historical book – it was an historical book set in an alternate nineteenth-century Europe. Couple that with an intriguing plot and awesome characters, and this book was one epic win!

I love Georgiana – a.k.a, Georgie. She was defiant, refusing to confirm to society. Her parents are cold and cruel towards her, having no use for a daughter who can’t be married off due to her stubborn, unusual personality. I wanted to smack her father for the majority of the book. Her mother wasn’t much better. Georgie has three older brothers and, of course, the one that adores her isn’t in the picture, which made my heart ache for her. But Georgie was strong in the face of everything her family threw at her. She refused to bow down and give in; she loved math and science, not needlepoint, and she refused to change her mind because others told her to. She constantly asked questions, demanded answers and took charge of her responsibilities. Basically, she was epic and I adored her.

Miss Stranje was an interesting character. She always seemed to know what was going on, even when she didn’t appear to be around to witness the events happening in Stranje House and elsewhere. She was a bit scary, but also the mother that the girls of Stranje House desperately needed. She provided support and discipline, balancing love and affection with rules and etiquette. I also absolutely adored her relationship with Captain Grey and totally shipped them.

The other girls at Stranje House – Tess, Jane, Seraphina and Maya – were all awesome and unique in their own ways. Sometimes Tess was bold and brazen; sometimes she was stubborn and rude, just barely toeing the line. But she was fierce and strong, independent and willful. She didn’t let people push her around and she protected herself when she needed to. I’m really excited that we’re getting her story in the second book in the series. I can’t wait to get to know more about her, especially since I’m curious about her dreams and how they work. Overall, Tess knows what she wants and knows what she needs to do to protect herself and she’s completely unapologetic about it.

Seraphina (Sera) was an intriguing character and probably my second favorite of the Stranje Girls, right after Tess. She was quiet and a little bit shy (or so she let us believe), with impeccable attention to detail. Her ability, similar to Tess’s, was intriguing and I’d love to learn more about it, since all we really know is that she “sees what is” and knows things she couldn’t possibly know, just by assessing people, things and places.

Maya was the diplomat of the group, the voice of reason – literally. She could talk anyone into doing anything. As with Tess and Sera, I’d love to know more about her background and ability. And lastly, there was Jane, who I think we learned the least about. She was calm and reasonable with a penchant for picking locks. But that’s about all I remember about her. So I definitely hope she gets her own book in the future – I really want to know if she has any special abilities, aside from lock-picking, and what her background story is.

Lord Sebastian Wyatt was a frustrating character. I shouldn’t like him for the way he treated Georgie in the beginning; he was rude and arrogant and so full of himself. He dismissed her and her knowledge simply because she was a woman. I don’t often use this word, but he came off as being very sexist. But as the book went on and he opened up to Georgie more, I really started to like him. I think he did the things he did because he didn’t want to form attachments of any kind. He’d been hurt too many times and didn’t want it to happen again, nor did he want to drag her into his life and the dangers that entailed. But by the end of the book, I fully shipped him and Georgie and I hope we see more of him in the next book!

Lord Ravencross was another frustrating character. He was so, so rude to Tess – borderline nasty, even. But he was a complex character with a painful past and I think he had just hardened his heart to everyone and everything. I also think his bickering with Tess was his way of pushing her away but, deep down, he truly cared for her. Like with Sebastian, I shouldn’t have liked Lord Ravencross for the things he did in the beginning of the book but, as the story went on, he opened up a lot and I ended up liking him and shipping him and Tess completely! I especially loved their back-and-forth banter, which was hilarious and had me grinning like an idiot!

I never liked Lady Daneska and I never trusted her. Right off the bat, I got this weird vibe from her that I just couldn’t shake throughout the book. She was uppity and haughty, acting as if she were better than everyone. Lady Pinswary had a similar, stuck-up attitude, though Miss Pinswary wasn’t that bad. Away from the influence of her mother and Daneska, I think she could be a very nice person. By the end of the book, Daneska had proven that she was worse than I had first assumed and I was right to be wary of her.

At one point, the pacing of the book slowed down considerably. There were a lot of secrets and a lot of “Figure it out for yourself/figure it out as you go along” moments that were very frustrating. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just explain everything to Georgie right away? And if not right away, at least at some point, once she proved her loyalty? It seems that all the secret keeping in this book complicated things more than necessary. Some secrets added intrigue, while others just caused more problems than they solved. But while some of the secrets/twists were predictable, others took me by surprise and pushed the story along.

I loved the writing and attention to detail in this book – it made up for a lot of the pacing issues. I got a little bit confused by some of the chemistry talk between Georgie and Sebastian, but otherwise, the writing flowed really nicely and all the descriptions and details made the story feel that much more real. I love reading books set in the nineteenth century and all the detail the author put into the story really made it come alive. I also loved that it was an alternate history of the nineteenth century, asking all these “What if?” questions and showing the domino effect that can occur from one small decision or mistake.

Overall, I loved this book, the plot and the characters. I’m very excited for book two and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I’m excited to see the continuation of the story from a different character’s POV, especially since I’m so intrigued by this other character (Tess) and can’t wait to see into her mind and learn more about her. I think Kathleen Baldwin is an amazing writer and creator of epic characters. She’s definitely going on my Auto-Buy list and I’m excited to see what she does next, both in and out of the Stranje House series.

I highly recommend A School for Unusual Girls to those who love historical fiction, alternate history stories and books with spies and intrigue!

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And now for the giveaway! 10 winners will receive a finished copy of A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS. US Only. To enter, complete the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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KB Author PhotoAbout the Author:
 
“I love adventure in books and in real life. I’ve roamed the Rocky Mountains, wandered the desert, enjoyed way too many classes in college, was stalked by a mountain lion, lost an argument with a rattlesnake, fell in love at least a dozen times, finally met and married my very own hero, and together we’ve raised four free-spirited children.”

Award-winning author – Kensington published four of Kathleen’s Regency romantic comedies, including MISTAKEN KISS, a Holt Medallion finalist. DIARY OF A TEENAGE FAIRY GODMOTHER, was a Golden Quill finalist. Her upcoming Historical YA series with TorTeen, A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS, is a Junior Library Guild Selection and won a Marlene.

News and more at: www.Kathleenbaldwin.com

Website | Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Tour Schedule

Week One
5/11/2015 – Two Chicks on Books – Interview
5/12/2015 – Pandora’s Books – Review
5/13/2015 – Her Book Thoughts – Guest Post
5/14/2015 – Pretty Little Pages – Review
5/15/2015 – Chapter by Chapter – Interview

Week Two
5/18/2015 – The Book Belles – Review
5/19/2015 – Alice Marvels – Guest Post
5/20/2015 – Bumbles and Fairy-Tales – Review
5/21/2015 – Bookish Things & More – Interview
5/22/2015 – Wishful Endings – Review

four-stars

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

May5

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. MaasA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Published by Bloomsbury Children's on May 5, 2015
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

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

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

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

A Court of Thorns and Roses had my name written all over it from the very beginning. A Sarah J. Maas book? Yes, please! A Sarah J. Maas book that blends Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore? HELLZ YES, PLEASE! After binging Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire AND The Assassin’s Blade all in September, I was dying to get my hands on this beautiful book and it didn’t dissapoint! If anything, it exceeded my expectations and made me DESPERATE for book two – which is a loooonnngggg ways off! *Sobs*

In typical Maas fashion, the main character, Feyre, was a strong, independent, capable heroine. She has two sisters who really don’t care about her (though one does more than the other) and a father who tries, but fails, to support his family and understand his daughters. Thanks to a death-bed promise, Feyre feels responsible for her family’s welfare, though it often means sacrificing her happiness. Basically, Feyre is self-sufficient, willing to do whatever she has to in order to survive. And the twist at the end? Epic, epic, epic! I can’t wait to see what it means for Feyre in the next book!

Also in typical Maas fashion? A Court of Thorns and Roses had a TON of swoony boys! I was swooning over Tamlin before we were even officially introduced to him! He was incredibly scary and mysterious in the beginning, but as we got to know him, I fell hard for him. As the “Beast,” he tried so hard to be romantic with Feyre and just failed! He sort of reminded me of Dorian from the Throne of Glass series. In my review of Throne of Glass, I said Dorian was, “a bit stereotypical, in that he was intimidating, as the crown prince, yet also laid back in his demeanor and not as scary as he seemed. As is typical of YA lit, he also despised his father and the things his father stood for.” And that really describes Tamlin pretty well, honestly. The only difference is Dorian was a bit better at flirting than Tamlin! Tamlin’s attempts at flirting had me laughing so hard!

And then there was Lucien… Oooohhhhh, Lucien! Psst, don’t tell Morpheus, but Lucien won my heart! He was hilarious, sarcastic and so, so full of himself – but in a playful, adorable way. To put it into the same context as I did with Tamlin, Lucien reminded me of Chaol! He was strong and proud, a fighter. He was so serious and cold in the beginning and I completely understand why, but it was nice to see him thaw out as the story went on. I loved the tension between him and Feyre, especially in the beginning. The progression of their friendship felt very real and believable, as did the progression of the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin.

And then there was Rhys.. Whoa… I should NOT like Rhys, but OMG, I do! *Fans self* He’s dark, sarcastic, cocky, dangerous… And yet I love him. I ship him with Feyre. I can’t wait to see his character development in book two!!! And I want to know what happened at the end, dammit! Why did he… Well, I won’t spoil it! But, wow, that ending!!!!!

I love, love, love the world Maas created in A Court of Thorns and Roses. The world-building, the mythology, how perfectly Maas blended Beauty and the Beast into a story about faeries, the faerie lore she created… It’s just all amazing. Maas is a gorgeous writer and a beautiful story-teller. She has this way with words and characters that just pulls you in to the story and refuses to let you go. Honestly, as much as I loved the Throne of Glass books, I’m pretty sure I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses even more! I LOVE retellings and I LOVE faeries and I LOVE Sarah J. Maas and her books, so A Court of Thorns and Roses basically combined everything I love into one book. I read this in December 2014 and I originally wrote this review in January; now that it’s May, I can officially say that ACOTAR is definitely my favorite book of 2015!

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from my super fangirly review, I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses beyond words!! ALL THE STARS! ALL THE HEARTS!! ALL THE FEELS!!! Seriously, if this isn’t on your TBR, it NEEDS TO BE! If I could give this book ten million billion x infinity stars, I would! Loved doesn’t even begin to describe my feels right now. Maas is on my Auto-Buy Author List, now and forever. I can’t wait to read Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) and A Court of Thorns and Roses #2 and everything else she ever writes, ever. Period. End of discussion.

five-stars

Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

May4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon ThomasA Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
Series: A Wicked Thing #1
Published by HarperTeen on February 24, 2015
Pages: 337
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of Sleeping Beauty and what happens after happily ever after.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead. Her "true love" is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Rhiannon Thomas weaves together vivid scenes of action, romance, and gorgeous gowns to reveal a richly imagined world … and Sleeping Beauty as she’s never been seen before.

On the surface, A Wicked Thing is everything I love in a book: It’s based on a fairy tale, part retelling and part continuation; it’s what happens after Sleeping Beauty is kissed awake by the Prince. I should have loved it! Sadly, this glorious-sounding book deceived me and I didn’t love it, as I had hoped to. The plot was intriguing, but I couldn’t connect with the characters and the pacing was slow – borderline boring, even. Though I was tempted to DNF, I pushed through to the end. Though the plot and pacing picked up at one point, I still never connected to the characters and never ended up fully embracing the characters or the story.

Aurora was awesome in the beginning. Or maybe I judged her to be awesome too quickly. In the beginning, she felt like a real person with real conerns and real fears. She’s in a strange place, surrounded by strangers and all her loved ones have are long dead. I loved that she didn’t fall in “love at first sight” with the prince. She balked at the idea that this stranger was kissing her, that she was destined to marry him. And really, who wakes up after 100 years, finds out their family is dead and they’re going to marry a stranger and says, “Yay! Okay!” So that was awesome, since it challenged every fairy tale that ended just like that (or similarly). After awhile, I realized I just wasn’t connecting with Aurora, no matter how I felt about her at the beginning of the book. And as the book continued on, that feeling of disconnect grew. I didn’t necessarily dislike her, but she definitely annoyed me. Internally, she would curse everyone who annoyed/upset her, the way things were run and her helplessness. But… she really never did anything to change what was. Not until a devastating tragedy near the very end.

Rodric just… was. I mean, he had some moments where he was kind to Aurora. He obviously loved Isabelle, his little sister. And he seemed like he would turn out to be a fine king someday. But in the present… He kind of just went through the motions. Honestly, I was reading the eBook and it took until 95% (the second to last chapter, I believe) before he did something that made me really like him a lot. So… Took him long enough…?

I really, really liked Isabelle. She was so innocent, with such a bright future. I loved her interactions with Aurora. But then that ending… That was probably the only huge, shocking plot twist in the whole book and the only moment when I wanted to scream and throw my iPad across the room.

The King seemed fair but firm in the beginning. But as the book went on, he definitely showed signs of being power hungry and cruel. He definitely reminded me of King Henry from Reign. So, of course, I saw the Queen as Catherine from Reign. She was strong and regal, firm in her beliefs. She never did anything without a good reason, though not necessarily with good intentions. Her main goal was to keep her family safe. So, of course, my heart broke for her during That Part.

Tristan was such an odd character… He was heavily present in the first half of the book, but almost completely disappeared in the second half. I expected him to be the third member of the love triangle and I think he was in the beginning… I don’t know how I feel about him, since we didn’t see enough of him. But honestly, I’d prefer if Finnegan (who I’ll talk about in a second) was the third member of the love triangle.

If I had to pick a favorite character, I’d have to say Prince Finnegan. He reminded me 100% of Narcisse from Reign. He was cocky, ambitious and full of himself. But it was clear that, very deep down, he was actually a great guy. I definitely wouldn’t fully trust him, since power and politics fueled him, but he seemed like a loyal man who wouldn’t go back on a deal, once that deal was signed and sealed.

As I mentioned previously, the pacing was super slow in this book. The first 60% was boring and stagnant. Almost nothing of interest happened. Finally, around 63%, it seemed like things were finally picking up and I was really excited. Unfortunately, the pacing fell flat again around 76% and the ending dragged. I was originally under the impression this was a stand-alone and, if that was the case, the ending was an incredible disappointment; it was unfulfilling and too many things were left unanswered. But now I see this is listed on Goodreads as a series – or at least a duology. With that in mind, I’ll cut the ending a small bit of slack. Except this book REALLY doesn’t need to be a series. I think it should have been wrapped up at the end of book one and that’s that.

Overall, while the plot intrigued me and I managed to push through and finish this book, it took me almost three weeks to do so and I’m still wondering if it was worth it. A few interesting things happened and I guess those parts made it worthwhile. I’m honestly really sad I didn’t enjoy this more, since Fairy Tale Retellings are my Book Drug of Choice. I highly doubt I’ll bother with book two and if I do, it’ll only be out of curiosity and a desire to get answers to all these unsolved questions that were left dangling at the end of the book. Would I recommend this? I’m hesitant to, since my feelings seem to be on par with how the majority of readers/bloggers felt about this book. But you never know, maybe you’ll love it where I didn’t? If you do decide to read it, I truly do hope you love it!

three-stars

Review: The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine

Apr29

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Secrets of Attraction by Robin ConstantineThe Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine
Published by Balzer + Bray on April 28, 2015
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the author
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Set in the same world as The Promise of Amazing, this smart, surprising, and romantic follow-up to Robin Constantine's debut novel follows two New Jersey teens as they become friends and fall in love. Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Mlynowski, and Jennifer E. Smith.

Madison Pryce thinks she's got everything figured out—she's working on a portfolio for a summer art program and hanging with her friends. Plus she has her hot boyfriend, Zach. But then a visit from a family friend turns Maddie's life upside down.

Jesse McMann is still reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band. Then pride (and some goading from his bass player and fellow barista) forces him to find a new drummer—and the inspiration to write music again.

Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett, who tries out for Jesse's band, and whose girlfriend is BFFs with the cute girl who orders a chai latte after yoga every Thursday: Maddie. What Jesse and Maddie thought they knew about the secrets of attraction and the rules of romance changes once they start falling for each other.

I absolutely adored Robin Constantine’s debut novel, The Promise of Amazing. So when Robin approached me about reading/reviewing The Secrets of Attraction, I pounced! The prospect of jumping back into this world was too enticing to pass up; We could delve deeper into the mind/character of Maddie, while still seeing old favorites like Wren, Grayson and Jazz. We also met some amazing new characters. And, as expected, Robin Constantine created a gorgeous plot with epic characters.

I liked Maddie in The Promise of Amazing because she was a good friend to Wren, but that was about all I had to say about her. It was interesting getting to see things from her perspective this time around. She’s dealing with a lot of stress, from family drama to love life drama to summer design school program drama. She also has a major, shocking revelation to deal with. She’s hilariously blunt almost all of the time, but she can also be pretty harsh at times. She was a really impulsive, emotional character; something would happen and she would make a snap judgement and just be angry at everyone instead of trying to talk to them rationally. At times, her snap judgements really ticked me off. I get that she was going through a lot, but a few times, if she had just talked to the person she was upset with, a lot of drama could have been avoided.

Jesse was hilarious, adorable and totally broody. I’m a huge Gayson fan, but man, Jesse was an epic, swoony love interest. I loved all the crazy nicknames he gave people! There were a few moments throughout the book where I wanted to smack him upside the head for the way he behaved, but most of the time, I just wanted to smack some sense into Maddie for pushing him away. His grand, romantic gestures made me swoon!

I loved, loved, loved Jazz in this book. I feel like we learned a lot about her and I’m really hoping we get her story next! I also loved seeing Wren again, though since this wasn’t her story, she was definitely more in the background.

Tanner was a frustrating character. Sometimes he was gross and annoying, sometimes he was a horrible friend to Jesse (though Jesse wasn’t always a great friend to him, either) and sometimes he was this amazing guy who came through for everyone in the end. I loved his interactions with Jazz! It was also great seeing Grayson again! While it felt like Wren was always in the background, we saw a lot of Grayson and I loved it!

The Hannah/Duncan story line is hard to discuss because I’m still conflicted with how I feel about the whole thing. On the one hand, you can’t help who you do and don’t love and it wasn’t fair of Jesse to be so angry. On the other hand, Duncan was his friend and he basically betrayed Jesse. I felt bad for Hannah in the beginning, too, but by the end, I was a bit frustrated with her.

Though I’ll always ship Wren & Grayson the most, Maddie and Jesse made an adorable couple. They’re both artists in their own right and they complement each other perfectly. And though the plot of The Promise of Amazing was definitely closer to my heart and more personal, The Secrets of Attraction was amazing and the plot was really intriguing. Maddie and Jesse both had their trust broken and it took a lot for them to come together. I also love when a book is narrated by an artist – be it an artist who draws/paints, a musician or a writer; they see the world in a different light and it’s always interesting to see things from their eyes. Also, the yoga scenes kind of made me want to take up yoga, haha.

Overall, this was a really awesome, adorable and enjoyable book by an author that I absolutely adore! my fingers are crossed for a Jazz book and I can’t wait to see what else Robin writes in the future! So if you loved The Promise of Amazing, I definitely recommend The Secrets of Attraction! And if you haven’t read The Promise of Amazing, I highly recommend that, too!

four-stars

Review: When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez

Apr16

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. RodriguezWhen Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on February 10, 2015
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher
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five-stars

13 Reasons Why meets the poetry of Emily Dickinson in this gripping debut novel perfect for fans of Sara Zarr or Jennifer Brown.

A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her. Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl, with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel normal. Both girls are in Ms. Diaz’s English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson’s poetry as their guide, both girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy.

In an emotionally taut novel with a richly diverse cast of characters, readers will relish in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and be completely swept up in the turmoil of two girls grappling with demons beyond their control.

Warning: This review/book could be a Trigger for depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide, etc. Please read with caution.

When Reason Breaks was a heart-wrenching, realistic portrayal of two girls fighting to stay in control of their lives while battling depression. This book pulled me in from the very first page and refused to let me go until the very last page. My emotions were all over the board with this book – I laughed a few times, grinned like an idiot a few times and, of course, cried for nearly the entire ending. It had a wonderful, highly important plot and a definite must-read. You’ll feel for the characters and race through the book until you find out which character was in that first, heart-breaking chapter.

Emily Delgado and Elizabeth Davis were two very different girls on the outside, yet both were hurting on the inside. Emily was the quiet popular girl with a big group of friends, good grades and a seemingly perfect family. She was really good at hiding her depression and faking a smile. Elizabeth was the quiet outcast who spoke her mind, dressed the way she wanted and didn’t care what others thought – at least, on the outside. On the inside, she was dealing with a broken family and feeling lonely and depressed. This book breaks every stereotype known to YA literature, just by proving that what someone shows the world on the outside, doesn’t always match how they feel inside.

Abby and Sarah, Emily’s friends, were tough to like, especially Abby and especially in the beginning. But as I kept reading, I realized something: Sometimes, some people who are depressed are so good at faking a smile, even their close friends and family can’t tell how they actually feel. So maybe Abby and Sarah can’t be blamed for being so oblivious – Emily was just really good at keeping them in the dark.

I adored Kevin. At first, he seems like the stereotypical popular guy, but then he broke every high school relationship stereotype and proved that good guys do still exist. He loved Emily and wanted to be with her for all the right reasons. Even when she flipped out on him a few times, he didn’t throw his hands up and walk away. Rather, he calmed her down and spoke to her, gave her space when she needed it. But he never gave up on her. I thought Kevin and Emily were adorable together and completely shipped them.

I really liked Tommy. He was the friend Elizabeth desperately needed. I hated the few times they fought, especially that moment near the middle/end that set things in motion.. It was incredibly sad and frustrating. When they weren’t fighting, they were so sweet together.

The social interactions in this book were epic, as well. There weren’t any obvious cliques, though you could tell who would be in what group if there were. But otherwise, everyone kind of hung out with everyone and everyone had friends that crossed the invisible cliques. Best example: Elizabeth is the tough-girl outcast who skips class and Emily is the relatively normal popular girl, yet Kevin hangs out with Tommy and sits with him and Elizabeth at lunch, instead of sitting at the “popular” table.

I loved Ms. Diaz. She was the kind of English teacher I would have loved. She reminded me of some of my past english teachers, as well, so I could picture exactly what class with her would have been like. Although if I had actually had her in high school, I probably would have been mentally checked out and overwhelmed because even though poetry is beautiful, I never understood it or could analyze it.

As a little (random) side-note, I have to say that Cindy Rodriguez did a wonderful job of capturing high school life. I didn’t realize at first, but I was actually picturing my 12th grade English classroom as Ms. Diaz’s classroom. Also, the hallway outside that classroom. So when she stood at the door to greet the students, I pictured the characters walking down the hallway in my high school and entering my old classroom, etc. Random, I know, but I wanted to throw that in there. It just shows how realistic and well-done this book was and how much it spoke to me.

Throughout the book, there were letters, class assignments, etc, that were meant to show us which girl was suicidal and why. Though I had a very firm opinion about this before I even started reading the book – based on the synopsis and what I’d heard from other people – Rodriguez did an incredible job of keeping which girl it was a mystery until the very end. The build-up to the reveal and the moments after were heart-wrenching, emotional and intense. I pretty much couldn’t stop sobbing throughout the entire ending, from the build-up to the very last page.

The message that I took from When Reason Breaks is that you never know what someone is feeling, just by looking at them. They might look “normal” on the outside, or they might seem like the “outcast.” But you can’t judge someone based on the face they show the world. Because inside, they could be hurting. They might be surrounded by people all day, yet still feel alone. But the bottom line is, you’re never as alone as you feel. And there’s always someone who cares.

Overall, even though I don’t think my review adequately expresses how this book made me feel, I loved it. It was sad and emotional and difficult to read, but it’s definitely a must-read. It’s an important book in the mental health discussion and I highly, highly recommend it.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please speak up. Speak to an adult you trust.

Important Links:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website
Stop Bullying website
NOH8 Campaign website

Heather Brewer, a young adult author and a big advocate of mental health and bullying prevention, has a special message for you, too. Check it out here.

five-stars

Review: Catalyst by Lydia Kang

Apr15

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Catalyst by Lydia KangCatalyst by Lydia Kang
Series: Control #2
Published by Kathy Dawson Books on March 24, 2015
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

For fans of Uglies and The Maze Runner comes a complex, thrill-filled love story that will make you question exactly what it means to be human

In the past year Zel lost her father, the boy she loves, her safety, and any future she might have imagined for herself. Now she, her sister, and the band of genetic outcasts they've come to call their family are forced on the run when their safe house is attacked by men with neural guns. But on the way to a rumored haven in Chicago, Zel hears something--a whisper from Cy, the boy who traded himself for her sister's safety. And when she veers off plan in order to search for him, what she finds is not what she expected. There's more to their genetic mutations than they ever imagined...aspects that make them wonder if they might be accepted by the outside world after all.

Initially, I was reluctant to read Catalyst. I wasn’t a huge fan of Control (which was disappointing, since I had hoped to love it!) and it took me a few weeks before I decided I was ready to pick up Catalyst. Though it wasn’t without its faults, I definitely enjoyed the plot, connected more with the characters and felt satisfied with the ending.

Zelia ended up having a lot of character growth in the end, which was nice since she didn’t have too much growth in Control. She had a lot of personal revelations and a lot of things she went through in Control, don’t get me wrong. But she didn’t grow much. In Catalyst, I felt like she had to focus and take charge more. She couldn’t make the rash decisions she made in Control. More people were depending on her this time around.

Once again, I feel like we didn’t see much of Dyl. Though we saw enough for me to know she also had some character growth, I can’t say how much or exactly why. I was really hoping to see more of her in Catalyst, but I enjoyed the parts we did see her in. First of all, she was in a better, safer environment. So her health was better, as was her mental and emotional state. She was very focused on the tasks given to her and she had to be incredibly mature to get through some of the revelations that were thrown her way.

Once again, Cy annoyed me for the first half of the book. He refused to open up to Zelia and seek her help. He kept everything to himself, believing it would somehow protect her. I’m so sick of male love interests who think they can “protect” someone by keeping secrets. And even once he started “opening up” and being kind to her again, I still had a hard time liking him because I couldn’t get past how he treated Zelia previously. Again, re: Arin from The Winner’s Curse!

I know we probably weren’t supposed to like or trust Caliga, but I definitely felt sorry for her and she definitely grew on me. Of all the characters, I loved her growth the most. She became one of my favorite characters. On the other hand, Micah was.. Frustrating. Every move was calculated, meant to put him on the winning team. I wanted to like him so, so much. But I just couldn’t trust him, so I could never fully like him. But then that ending.. Wow.. I really didn’t expect that.

And then there was Blink. Well. I never liked her and I never trusted her. And I’m not entirely shocked by the way things ended with her.

The revelation with Kria didn’t surprise me at all. I think that reveal was supposed to be A Big Deal. But it felt really anticlimactic, honestly. And the revelations with Zelia and Dylia’s father.. That made me sad, too. But I loved, loved, LOVED Marka and who she was to all the kids in their little group. She was the mother figure they all needed and I adored her.

The plot was definitely more intriguing in Catalyst than it was in Control. Catalyst is broken down into three parts – Part one was my favorite. I loved the events in part one, as well as the excellent pacing; part one just flew by! Part two had some interesting revelations and a few intriguing events took place. But otherwise, part two was my least favorite; it was slow-paced and it dragged. Finally, while part three was better than part two, it was still a bit meh. The idea of Wingfield was awesome in theory, but poorly executed. And in the end, it was a moot point.

The ending felt a bit rushed but it was interesting. I know this was the end of the duology, but I’d kinda like to know what happens next, see how things turn out for everyone. I don’t know if a third book is necessary, but maybe a short sequel novella or something. I’d definitely read that!

So, with all the negatives listed above, I’m sure you’re curious why I rated this 4-stars. Because, despite some complaints, I really did enjoy Catalyst a LOT more than Control. The plot was more intriguing, the pace picked up (especially in part one and part three) and I connected a lot more with the characters, even when they frustrated or annoyed me. I still liked them and felt for them, way more than I did with Control. And despite the rushed ending, the ending was very intriguing. Though I still have questions and would love to see what happens next, the ending felt like it wrapped up in a realistic way that was appropriate for the characters and where their story was by the end of the book.

If you loved Control, you’ll definitely enjoy Catalyst. And if you were on the fence about Control, then I’d definitely give Catalyst a chance – It just might surprise you!

four-stars

Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Apr9

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky AlbertalliSimon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Published by Balzer + Bray on April 7, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: the publisher
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four-half-stars

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is the epitome of epic and adorable. Right from the opening line, I was hooked. Save for a handful of moments in the first half of the book when I felt a bit of a disconnect with the characters and the story, there was nothing about this book that I didn’t love. With real, relatable characters, an adorable coming-of-age/coming out story and Becky Albertalli’s gorgeous writing, this is a must-read for everyone!

Also, just so we’re clear, there’s no way this review can possibly do this book justice. It’s just one of those books that you have to read and see for yourself! But I’ll do my best to put the awesome into words :)

I loved Simon! He was adorably awkward and his internal monologues/one-liners were hilarious. Some of my favorite quotes in the book come from him. Albertalli did an incredible job capturing Simon’s voice and personality. I felt like I was right there with Simon, living and experiencing everything he did. He would bring up middle school and I’d instantly be back in middle school, remembering all the awkwardness. His fears and insecurities were spot on.

Martin was … Well, I don’t really know how to describe Martin because I’m still trying to figure him out myself. He had no problem with Simon, he just saw an opportunity and went for it. I hated him for the things he did to Simon and the way he treated him. But as the story went on, I also started to feel for him a little bit. Not as much as I did for Simon. But Martin showed he had an okay side at times and I like what he did in the end.

I loved Simon’s group of friends: Nick, Abby and Leah – Nick and Abby especially, though. Even though Abby was a new friend in his life, she was an incredible friend and I loved their dynamic. My heart broke for them near the end, but all ended up being well, thank goodness. Nick was just really cool and I loved the way he stood by Simon. As for Leah… I loved her in the beginning and I understand why she was so hurt in the middle/end, but… I hated her attitude and I felt so bad for Simon. It really changed my opinion about Leah. I get it, I do.. But she just annoyed me.

I loved that Simon had an awesome, supportive family. I loved that Simon’s parents were THERE. Unlike so may YA books where you never see the parents and wonder if the main character even has any, Simon’s parents were there for him and they set boundaries and rules and punished him when he did something wrong. But they were also fair. Simon got along with Nora and Alice, his sisters, for the most part. They didn’t always get along 100% and they sometimes had small fights, but nothing crazy or explosive. I’m so tired of YA novels where the siblings despise each other and are mean to each other and where the parents are practically invisible. It’s just not realistic and it was so refreshing to see something more realistic and relatable.

Also, another notable “character” that deserves a shout-out is Bieber the Dog! As a dog lover, I really just wanted to cuddle with Bieber! And I never thought I’d say “cuddle” and “Bieber” in the same sentence, but there ya go! I also liked how Bieber was always involved. Like, some authors mention the family has a pet and then the pet is never around. When you own an animal and it bonds with you or someone in your family, it’s ALWAYS around and ALWAYS wants attention. So I loved that Albertalli never forgot Bieber and he was interactive in the scenes at Simon’s house.

Simon and Blue’s emails were the actual best thing ever. They were my favorite part of the book and so adorable and sweet and real. Honestly, the whole book could have been made up of their emails and I wouldn’t have minded. I wish we’d had MORE emails. I grinned like an idiot for most of the email chapters. And a few times, they made my heart break. But they were the absolute best part of everything and I adored them. I especially liked the autocorrect fail Simon experienced near the beginning! Bahahaha!!!

When it came to Blue’s identity, I had three main suspects in my mind. One would have ticked me off, one wasn’t completely practical and one seemed really possible, if not a bit far-fetched. Roughly half-way through the book, I formed a very solid theory. Once in awhile, something would happen and my theory would shift among the main three suspects, but I mostly stuck to the belief that my original theory was correct. And, you know what? It was! And when we finally discovered who Blue was? I grinned like an idiot and pumped my fist and swooned! Because it was absolutely perfect and epic and I loved it and I could keep going on and on, so I’ll stop now… ^_^

My only (half-joking) complaint is that I would have LOVED more Simon & Blue (post-identity reveal) together time! They were adorable together and I wanted more of them!!! So.. Hey, Becky? Sequel, please?!?!? Or.. belated epilogue? Or deleted scenes? SOMETHING?!?!? *Puppy eyes*

So yeah… If you couldn’t tell from my gushy, fangirly, nonsensical review, I adored pretty much everything about this amazing, adorable, epic book. We need more diverse books and we need more books like this one. You just really need to read it cause my review didn’t do it justice. I recommend it to everyone. I will shove it into people’s hands if I have to. It’s a MUST read!!! I seriously can’t wait to read Albertalli’s next book! And every book she ever rights, period.

four-half-stars

Review: Awakening by Shannon Duffy

Apr7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Awakening by Shannon DuffyAwakening by Shannon Duffy
Published by Entangled Teen on April 7, 2015
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

A thrilling, futuristic sci-fi novel set in a unique and thought-provoking world, from author Shannon Duffy.

Desiree Six (because she was born on a Friday) believes in everything the Protectorate stands for. She likes the safety and security of having her entire life planned out—her career, her mate, even the date of her death. She doesn't even think to question when Darian, her childhood friend and neighbor, is convicted of murdering his parents. They had seemed like such a loving family. But if he was convicted, then he must have done it.

Then Darian shows up in her room late one night. He has escaped from the Terrorscape—a nightmare machine used to punish all Noncompliants—and needs Desiree's help. What he tells her rocks her world to its core and makes her doubt everything she's ever been told. With this new information, will Desiree and Darian be able to escape the Protectorate before it's too late?

Awakening really took me by surprise. It started out like every other YA Dystopian. But then I realized, at this point, it’s almost impossible to come up with an original Dystopian plot line, so I let it go and just tried to enjoy the book. Boy, was I wrong! While some parts were definitely cliche, the overall plot of Awakening was epic. It took awhile for the story and characters to grow on me, but once they did, I was hooked!

There wasn’t really anything special about Desiree, especially in the beginning. Like all Dystopian heroines, she believes the government is good and all-knowing. She believes their methods and rules are all meant to keep them safe and protect them and she has no desire to step out of line. But slowly, her world starts to unravel and she realizes that the Protectorate has been manipulating and brain-washing everyone the whole time. And, like all good Dystopian heroines, she decides she doesn’t want to do as she’s told and she refuses to go down without a fight. She didn’t have a ton of character growth throughout the novel, but she definitely had some. I liked the way she refused to sit on the side-lines whenever she was told to. Instead, she always pulls her weight when she needs to and she doesn’t complain – much – even when things look grim.

I didn’t like nor dislike Darian. Again, he was pretty much a typical Dystopian hero: He didn’t believe for a second that the Protectorate was trying to help the people and the things he told Desiree were the first step to her realizing that not all was as it seemed. I liked how fierce and protective of Desiree he was. I had trouble shipping them in the beginning, but by the end, they were really starting to grow on me.

I was pretty indifferent to Asher in the beginning, as well. It was really hard to like him after the way he treated Desiree when they were kids. And I expected more to come out of him and Mallory, though maybe something still will if there’s a book two. But the way he stepped it up and did the things he did? That was incredibly brave of him and he definitely earned my respect.

Laken on the other hand.. Ugh. I know she was trying to be a good friend, but I really can’t stand her for the things she did, even if they were unintentional. In the end, she really wasn’t a good friend. I actually hope we see more of her in book two (fingers crossed!!) and that she redeems herself in a major way.

I think, if we’d gotten to know them a bit better, I would have really liked Harper and Sage. They seemed like decent, caring people and like they could have been really great friends for Desiree to have around. I also liked Mr. Williams, and Desiree’s parents, though again, I would have liked to get to know them better.

The idea of the Dreamscape and Terrorscape were absolutely fascinating, if not a bit creepy and shudder-inducing. Of all the things that happened in this book, those definitely made it stand out the most in a sea of YA Dystopian books. The Terrorscape, especially, was incredibly intense and creepy, though one aspect of the Terrorscape totally made me think of The Hunger Games, while the beginning part of the book could best be compared to Matched by Ally Condie. Like, 60% of the book reminded me of Matched. And some parts reminded me of Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

The ending was pretty epic and intense. At first, I thought the book was going to end neatly, like a stand-alone. And it basically did. So if there isn’t a book two, it’s not like it ended on a major cliffhanger. But there was enough of a cliffhanger that I’m really hoping we get a second book so I can see what happens next; it wasn’t until well into the second half of the book that I truly started to like and care for the characters, so now I’m really anxious to see what happens next for them.

Overall, if you’re a fan of YA Dystopians and don’t mind that, at this point, the basic story structure is the same for almost all of them, then I definitely recommend you give Awakening a try. Once you get into the story, it’ll be impossible to put the book down and the few things that make Awakening stand out will REALLY make it stand out! It’s a fun, slightly intense read and, by the end, you’ll appreciate the characters and enjoy the plot.

four-stars