|WAITING ON WEDNESDAY| Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (14)

INTO THE STILL BLUE (#3)

By: Veronica Rossi
Pages: 400
Release Date: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

So I am quite in love with this series. I've read the first two books multiple times and I am in absolute love with the characters. 

And so in order words, like all of my Waiting on Wednesdays, I need this book now. 

Although I don't like the sound of final book at all. *sniffs*

What are you waiting for this Wednesday? 

~♥~

BUY THE BOOK:

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

|REVIEW| Shadowlands by Kate Brian

SHADOWLANDS (#1)

By: Kate Brian 

Review by: Kaede

Release Date: January 8th, 2013

Publisher: Hyperion 

Pages: 328

 

Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection program. Entering the program alongside her, is her father and sister Darcy. The trio starts a new life and a new beginning leaving their friends and family behind without a goodbye.


Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. Just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

Some of the hardest books for me to review are not the ones that I hated so much I'd rather forget the ever existed, or even the stories I loved to the point where I can't form coherent thoughts out of my fangirling, but rather the ones that fall right in between. SHADOWLANDS is one of them. 

A story like SHADOWLANDS should be exciting, and maybe just a little bit scary. However, what I got was what was to me a cast of flat characters that provided me with little but a want to reach the end as quickly as I could. 

To be fair, it isn't as if SHADOWLANDS is a terrible book. Because it isn't. But even going into it with the mediocre expectations that I had, I still found myself disappointed. The first few chapters were steady and interesting enough that I was curious to how the rest of the story would play out. But once Rory and her family were relocated to Juniper Landing, I started to feel my interest leaving. It made no sense because that was when the story was suppose to grip me, with a killer on the loose and all that. Instead I just found myself unconnected with the new characters. 

There were parts where I felt that SHADOWLANDS had potential, and the most interesting parts came from the short chapters where we hear from the killer. It wasn't a giant struggle to finish the book, but for the most part I didn't find anything that would set this apart from others of it's genre except the ending. Some will certainly be floored by it in a good sense, but others may be angry that the same ending feels too much like a ploy to ensure that you read the next book. Or you could be me who went into the book already knowing the ending.

I probably would have had a different experience reading this book if I had not known the ending, and maybe I would've enjoyed it a little bit more because of the shock factor. But it still would not have done anything for my disinterest in most of the characters, and the characters and their development are often a main reason why I love a book. 

Interestingly enough, if I had to choose a medium to experience the story in, I would've chosen movie. I felt that as a whole SHADOWLANDS could have been expressed better as a film, with aspects like the mysterious fog added as a creepy factor that raised suspicion of just how safe Juniper Landing is. Having mysterious fog described to me was a bit odd, and I think it would've had more impact if the audience could have been allowed to discover it themselves, which isn't possible in a book because you have no clue it exists unless someone mentions it. 

SHADOWLANDS was an alright book. I don't regret reading it, and eventually I'll check out the sequel. The writing was good enough that I could read through all the way. This is one of those books that I'd say that it can't hurt to try, since the result will be different for everyone. Quite a few of my friends enjoyed SHADOWLANDS, and a few did not. So I'd love to see what you think of this young adult thriller mystery!

2 and ½ coffee cups!

~♥~

BUY THE BOOK:

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

ARC Review of Cracked by Eliza Crewe (GIVEAWAY!)

Title: Cracked (Soul Eaters #1)
Author: Eliza Crewe
Review by: Sarah
Release Date: November 5th, 2013
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Pages: 326

 

Ever since my mom was murdered, I’ve been completely alone. I live in the shadows, because there’s no one like me. I have no choice because I have to fight the Hunger, the Hunger that drives me to hunt people and eat their souls. And I have to fight it if I want to stay out of the darkness.
 Who am I?
I’m Meda Melange.What am I?I don’t know—but I’m not human.And now, I finally have the chance to find out.
In this first book of the gripping Soul Eater trilogy, find out who Meda is and which side she will come down on in a thrilling tale of the war between good and evil.

So Meda knows she is a monster. Never bothered to find out the specifics, exactly. But she's too busy eating people's souls, anyway. She needs them to survive. For the sake of her late mother, she tries to limit herself to only the Bad Guys, a la Dexter. When the book opens, we meet our wouldn't-be heroine, Meda, who is currently plotting some nefarious deeds while locked away in a mental institution. Awesome. Meda's voice is the perfect mix of sarcasm and sass, with just a touch of hidden depths, making the reader laugh with her, cringe at her, and sympathize with her all in the span of a few pages.

Fast forward, and Meda is now thrown into is a world of Templars and demons. The Templars are a special brand of humans that devote their lives to ridding the world of demons. Meda involuntarily ends up tagging along with a young group of Crusaders-in-training after they mistakenly think they've saved poor, innocent Meda from a nasty death by demons. In reality, Meda herself is part demon (oops) though she didn't know until now. She plays up the damsel in distress act, careful not to inform her new companions of her true identity, but if they find out, she can just eat them, anyway. No skin off Meda's back. Or is it? What she's really after is finding out the truth about her parentage and her existence, only to come upon a lot more than she bargained for.

Meda's characterization was probably one of my favorite things about the book, it's not everyday you see such unabashed anti-heroism in a main female character in young adult literature. I've been craving this kind of character to pop up more in YA novels, so I was very excited when I saw this book was giving me just that.  I loved that she was decidedly unaffected by the boy-hero character and went back and forth between plotting his untimely death on multiple occasions. Even though she struggles with coming to care for the people she tentatively calls her "friends", she's a looking out for number one kind of girl, and I loved that. That being said, it was fascinating to see Meda's progression throughout the book and I think it will be even more interesting to see how her character progresses throughout the rest of this series as she battles between the light and dark inside of her.

Another thing I particularly enjoyed was getting to know this world the author has set up for us. I haven't been this excited about a new fantastical/paranormal world in quite some time. Though a bit complicated, the world of Cracked is easy to follow and understand and I can't wait to learn more about it as the series continues. Not to mention our colorful cast of characters, especially a certain someone, a hot someone (hey, Meda's words, not mine!) in particular I suspect when haven't seen the last of.

This book was fast paced, action packed, and fun as much as it is heartwrenching. I always hate to be That Guy that says, "it's like blank meets blank!" So I'll try to be a little less cheesy and say I think fans of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural and books like Vampire Academy would eat this up! Especially my voracious readers out there who aren't ready to come off their Halloween high just yet. You'll be excited to get your hands on this book and I'm sure it won't disappoint!

3 and a half coffee cups!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of Once We Were by Kat Zhang

Title: Once We Were (The Hybrid Chronicles #2)
Author: Kat Zhang
Review by: Sarah
Release Date: September 17th, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352

 

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.
Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.
Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

Wow! It's always a crazy feeling when the second book in a series is so much better than the first. Usually, for me, it tends to be the other way around. Second Book Syndrome is a killer. But when I finished What's Left of Me, I kind of figured I'd end up enjoying the sequel more so than I did the first. I just didn't expect it to be this substantial of a difference! 

Things that bothered me about What's Left of Me were quickly forgotten almost as soon as I started Once We Were. Little things about the world building that irked me were explained in this book in a way that was like, oh...well that makes so much more sense now...why couldn't that have been in the first one? When reading the first book, I found myself putting it down constantly. It seemed to drag on forever and I often felt like I was forcing myself to get through it. I read Once We Were entirely in one sitting, I literally think I only put it down once. The pacing was so much quicker, the plot more engaging, I just completely fell into the story in a way I hadn't been able to until close to the end of the first book. The intensity of the relationship between Addie and Eva really propels the story, and the development leap their characters take in this story is truly heart wrenching.I care about everything else because I care about both of them. But there were many characters I found infinitely interesting in this book, and some of the quotes were nothing short of stunning. I love a book with really quotable moments where you can just feel the impact of the words hitting you like a brick. 

As I said in my review for the first book, I also find it very refreshing that the romance is not the main focus of this story. There's definitely more of it in this book, but it's presented in such a way that just adds to what the characters are going through rather than taking away from it. With so many characters in such a complex situation, I feel like it'd be quite difficult to write the romance aspect of this novel. So hats off to the author for doing it so seamlessly. 

I'm very excited for the next book, now. Zhang has set up a complex, dynamic cast of characters and and smacked them all down at an incredibly precipitous point. I need to know what's going to happen to everyone and what's going to become of this strange and frightening world. 

4 coffee cups!

ARC Review of The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Naturals
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Review by: Sarah
Release Date: November 5th, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 304
Format: E-ARC
Source: Netgalley

 

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want.  But, it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.   What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive. 
Think The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars—Jennifer Lynn-Barnes’ The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance, and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series.

Another case of: Is this a series? The blurb on netgalley led me to believe so, but all I can say is, if it's a standalone, I will be angry for the rest of my life. 

 So let me quickly set the scene for you. Cassandra 'Cassie' Hobbes is a young girl living with the Italian side of her family as her father is in the Air Force, and her mother was murdered when she was young. Cassie feels odd and out of place in this family, as she looks so much like her red-headed mother, and finds it hard to truly connect to these people. (Side note: I loved Cassie's nonna, and if this does turn out to be a series I do hope there is more of her and the family. ) The other thing Cassie takes from her mother is her uncanny ability to read people and their behaviors and make scarily accurate assumptions about them from thus. Her mother was so good at this she made a living from it, posing as a psychic. And Cassie is so good at it the FBI tracks her down to be recruited into a secretive program for Naturals (aka kids with almost-inhuman abilities that would be of use to the FBI, be it profiling, lie-detecting, statistic memorization, etc.) So Cassie, hell-bent on finding her place in the world and ravenous for answers about her mother's unsolved murder, immediately hops on board. And after shakily getting her overprotective extended family to agree to this, Cassie sets off to start her new life as a Natural Profiler (as in, profiling serial killers) and aiding the FBI in solving cold cases. 

 Now, obviously, this is a book you have to really suspend your disbelief for. To enjoy it, I think you have to really put yourself in the mindset of 'this is a story'. Because a lot of what happens is unrealistic and plot-convenient. I see this being a love it or hate it type of book and whether you love it or hate it will most likely come down to if you are able to quickly latch onto the characters or not. At first, unfortunately, I was not. I found Cassie to be a likable enough heroine, but the character I assumed to be her love interest did nothing for me, and the slow burn of the beginning had me putting down the book often and forgetting about it. But being a big fan of JLB's writing, I thought, I've got at least stick it out to 100 pages. And I'm very glad that I did. 

 As soon as the other Naturals came into play, I was hooked. I adored their clashing personalities and the dynamic between all of them. I loved the fact that even though they're 'special kids' working for the FBI, they're all still very much teenagers and get up to very teeny hi-jinks. I would love to have some bits from the other Naturals POV, especially Lia (Natural lie-detector), who is an absolute enigma. Sloane (Natural with numbers and probabilities) was adorable. I have a soft spot for tropey 'computer-brain' type characters. And Michael (Natural emotion reader), though I didn't find him as swoon-worthy as Cassie seems to, is indeed a very interesting character.

 And then, of course...there's Dean. Dean Dean Dean.

 

 I feel like I don't want to say too much about Dean as it ruins the fun of readers getting to know him for themselves. So just know that he is *fangirl noise*. I can't believe I almost put down this book for good without meeting him. That would have been a travesty. 

 Another interesting thing I'd like to touch upon is the fact that every few chapters the reader is treated to The Killer's POV. Now, I've read a few serial killer-esque books in my day, and I've noticed that a lot of the time the writer seems to take The Killer's POV too over the top. Extremely dramatic ~serial killery~ prose that almost makes you laugh rather than cower. This book doesn't have that problem. JLB has perfectly captured the just-creepy-enough tone of The Killer to make their POV really, really uncomfortable to read. I salute her for that. 

 This book was something new and refreshing. And though it did come across as a bit cheesy and 'well what are the f#%&!*g chances' at some bits, the plot is still great. I tore through it in a matter of hours. And the characters are even better. I need more of these characters! Like, I NEED THEM. I feel like I'm going to die if I don't get more. I need more about Cassie's family, about her mother, about Michael and Sloane and Lia and DEAN. And their lives before the Natural program. I just need it. The world needs it. And you need to read this book so we can all cry together. That is all.

3 and a half coffee cups!

Review of Wither by Lauren DeStefano

WITHER (#1) 
By: Lauren DeStefano 
Review by: Kaede
Release Date: March 22nd, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 
Pages: 358
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought

 

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

When I started WITHER, I'm not quite certain what I expected from it. But it certainly wasn't what I got, although I couldn't be more pleased. 

Captivating me with it's writing style from the very beginning, it was almost like there was a certain ease for me when it came to reading WITHER. Flipping pages after pages without the thought of putting it down was natural, and it had me wanting to stay up late to finishing it. Now for me, that is the markings of a good book. 

I found that I felt something different for a lot of the characters we meet in WITHER. While I'm not sure if I connected with Rhine to the extent that I have with some other heroines, her narrative was one I enjoyed. I liked Rhine because she was strong and felt real to me. Trapped in a pretty prison, Rhine is determined to escape, find her brother, and return to the life she was forcefully taken from. But will there be some things not worth forsaking for a chance at freedom? Linden was a bit of a difficult character for me to place my feelings on, because in one sense I did like him, but in another I really hated him. Hated him for being able to be so blissfully naive and ignorant of the world outside when so many people - Rhine included - don't have that opportunity. But also like Rhine, I couldn't bring myself to ever fully hate him completely, or really at all...too much, and found that maybe I did like Linden. Although I couldn't stop the voice in the back of my head that hoped that somebody would tell Linden everything that his father had done. Anybody? 

Rhine's relationship with her sister wives was something I liked seeing, because the contrast in all three of them was so apparent. Their views differed, and yet they were still able to form a connection. Cecily was my least favorite of the three because there were times where she really annoyed me, but I could understand where she was coming from. Cecily is the youngest, a bit of a dreamer, and believes the mansion is a place she can be happy, especially considering that she has everything now when she had nothing before. 

Vaughn was a slightly disturbing character, because of all the things he did without so much of a second thought. I think he's the type of person that if I knew him in real life, every time he enters the same room, I'd run out because...well...uhm...I like to live? 

All in all, I think you can definitely tell the characters and their relationships were my favorite part of WITHER. From Gabriel to Jenna, there was something interesting about each individual we meet in the story. DeStefano was also able to create Rowan, a character we don't know officially, but is described by Rhine to the point where I can have such a clear view of him that it's almost like he was present in the story the whole time. 

The world building aspect was satisfying, but it definitely isn't this series's strong point. I know that there are a lot of readers who consider the world building weak, but personally I've never really saw detailed, plausible world building as a requirement for a enjoyable dystopian. It's nice to have certainly, but if there are other elements I enjoyed, and the world seems possible, then it's good enough for me most of the time, which worked in WITHER's favor. 

Essentially, Lauren DeStefano's writing is not only simply solid, but comes so naturally you can't help but be pulled in. If you can put aside the fact that you probably won't find one of the most layered and complex worlds in young adult dystopian, I think there is a very good chance you'll really like WITHER. I mean, honestly, there had to be something special about it if I was so insistent on finishing it in one night, even though I had two exams the next day and I barely had enough time to study because I was reading.

If anything, Lauren DeStefano is the type of author that I feel will only get better and better, and so I will definitely read every book she comes out with from here on with confidence that they'll be amazing. 

4 coffee cups! 

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

Stacking the Shelves (11) + Weekly Roundup

It's been a while since there's last been a Stacking the Shelves post, hasn't it? There are reasons why we haven't been keeping up with them, but I've mentioned them in the past so I'm not going to bring them all up again. (No need to worry, you don't have to hear it all again for the 28th time.) However, for those of you who are curious, a big part of why there's been such an absence of these posts is that a few weeks were missed and eventually it had come to the point where I had no idea which books were new and which weren't. So, note to self for future references, do not keep pushing things off. Another big part is that the Stacking the Shelves posts used to be done alternating between all the bloggers behind Wake Up at Seven. But since Sarah and Isabelle are currently in unicorn land, I'm unfortunately the one you're stuck with. And I am very lazy, if you can't tell already. But anyway, I am hoping to continue doing weekly Stacking the Shelves starting today, so let's see if I can make this work, shall we? Will somebody wish upon a shooting star for me? I'll need all the luck I can get. 

This particular Stacking the Shelves post will be more of a re-cap. I've chosen a few of the books I received recently (up to a month and a half ago), and the two books I bought this week during one of the #YeahYA! tour stops (which was amazing! Also, if anybody is interested in a re-cap of the signing, I'd be more than happy to do one. I didn't include the books I got signed in this Stacking the Shelves - although a picture is on Twitter!). I won't be including NetGalley books, but I did get quite a few and I am saying that site is dangerous because I just want to click request, request, request, even though I know I shouldn't. 

I am rambling again so I'm off to find so duct tape! But I hope you read on! Enjoy! 

~♥~

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW by S.E. Hinton 

TIGER & BUNNY; Volume 1 by Mizuki Sakakibara

TIGER & BUNNY; Volume 2 by Mizuki Sakakibara

SPLINTERED/UNHINGED FLIP ARC by A.G. Howard

BORN OF ILLUSION by Teri Brown 
THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner 
GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS by Richelle Mead
INK by Amanda Sun 
MY LIFE NEXT DOOR by Huntley Fitzpatrick 
TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone

All the love to Eileen from Singing and Reading in the Rain for the amazing gift of the SPLINTERED/UNHINGED flip ARC (*jumps around squealing*) and THESE BROKEN STARS! I love them so, so much (as you probably already know), and I can't wait to read THESE BROKEN STARS! And you probably already know this too, but you'll be getting somethings in return eventually. There is no way out of it. *evil laughter* 

Here's what you might have missed last week: 

Wednesday:
Waiting on Wednesday: THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS by Gena Showalter

Thursday: 
A Discussion on Reading Slumps

Saturday: 
ARC Review of AWAKEN by Meg Cabot

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

ARC Review of Awaken by Meg Cabot

AWAKEN (#3)

By: Meg Cabot

Review by: Kaede 

Release Date: July 2nd, 2013

Publisher: Point 

Pages: 343

Format: e-ARC

Source: NetGalley (Thank you, Scholastic!) 

 

Death has her in his clutches. She doesn’t want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she’d be forced to live forever in the one place she’s always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness — and safety — are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.

If the balance between life and death isn’t fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce’s home back on earth will be wiped away. But there’s only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.

As far as conclusions go, I honestly think AWAKEN was done very well. A fantastic wrap-up of the series, it leaves you with a sense of closure but also the promise that the story doesn't just end with the last world. The characters' journeys will continue, and maybe even one day they'll return to tell us about all that they've seen since the last time we saw them. But for now, this is the right time to say goodbye. 

Something I found myself doing a lot while I was reading that I didn't expect was laughing. It isn't to say ABANDON and UNDERWORLD didn't have moments where it was funny, but they definitely couldn't compare to AWAKEN for me. Although, as a whole, I wouldn't say comedy and humor are this series's main priority or strong point, so I can't really hold anything against the first two books for not being as amusing as the last. 

There were a few issues I had with AWAKEN, one of them particularly perplexing to me. If something seems odd or unusual, chances are that something is likely off about the picture. I watched as Pierce would think about how something looked out of place and then the next second she'd forget all about it on a few occasions and I didn't understand why. 

However, AWAKEN was also filled with action and suspense that managed to keep me interested all the way through. I kept flipping pages, curious to see what would happen next. As far as characters went, Pierce definitely isn't my favorite heroine of all time, but she isn't the worst. I definitely do prefer the secondary characters when it comes to this series though.

I really liked Cabot's writing style in AWAKEN, and the overall way she presented the finale to her series. Problems were wrapped up nicely with resolutions and answers were given so that there would be little to no questions left. Although I still can't figure out why I found some of things John said so funny. All in all, if you enjoyed ABANDON, I would encourage you to continue on to AWAKEN. While this series isn't an absolutely favorite, I certainly don't regret reading it. 

4 coffee cups! 

*An advance copy of this book was provided  for review. However, all opinions remain honest and my own.*

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

Review of Scarlet by Marissa Meyer + Audiobook Clip

SCARLET (#2)
By: Marissa Meyer
Review by: Kaede
Release Date: February 5th, 2013 

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 452
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought

 

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

I've been fairly certain for some time now that Meyer's retellings cannot be reproduced - with all of it's captivating characters and the futuristic world it is set in. Before I began Scarlet, I had realized that there was so much story that could be told in the Lunar Chronicles series. But I also wondered if perhaps there'd be too much story to be told, that the older characters might fade into the backgrounds as the new ones took the stage. However, as far as I could see with Scarlet, Meyer had no problem in making both Cinder's and Scarlet's story equally as prominent and likable in their own ways.

While Cinder started off a bit unsure of herself because of what she is, Scarlet is fierce and determined. She has her goal - to rescue her grandmother - and she'll do everything she can to see it through. Brave and just maybe a little bit deadly, I found myself really drawn to Scarlet's loyalty, and just her character in general. 

Queen Levana is still somebody you hate to love and love to hate. She is so evil and corrupted, and I just wanted somebody to wave that magic wand and make her disappear. We do meet a few new characters though, such as Thorne, that I did like and were quite comedic and entertaining. 

For those of you who are unaware, I love my romance as much as I love a good plot. That's why with Kai and Cinder separated, I missed a lot of their chemistry in Cinder, and looked to Wolf and Scarlet to fill that void. Honestly, it is possible not to love Wolf? He's that bad boy you won't be able to resist, with his charismatic personality and extremely good looks. However, Wolf is also caring on top of mysterious, which only increases my love that much more. 

To give you that final push you need to finally pick up Scarlet, the story is also set in France! Guaranteed to leave you wanting more, I'm extremely excited to see where the characters go next on their journey and down with Queen Levana. Here is one story (and one very charmingly hot guy) you won't want to miss! 

Macmillan was extremely kind enough to provide a clip from the audiobook of Scarlet for all you lovely readers out there! If you enjoyed it, I've also included a link to the Audible page where you can purchase the full edition! Don't forget to share the love in the comments! 

Purchase SCARLET by Marissa Meyer on Audible

5 coffee cups!

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

BLOG TOUR: Normalish by Margaret Lesh [Review & Giveaway]

Hi darling! I am really excited to be taking part in the blog tour for the contemporary young adult novel Normalish by Margaret Lesh. If you're interested in following the rest of the tour to the end or even to the next stop, click HERE for the list of the awesome blogs participating. In the following you'll find my review of Normalish, a little about the author Margaret Lesh, and an international giveaway! 

Happy Reading! xoxo

-Kaede

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Normalish

By: Margaret Lesh

Review by: Kaede

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Pages: 175 (E-book)

Series: N/A

Format: E-Book Review Copy

Source: Xpresso Book Tours 

Purchase: Amazon

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing. High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

Going into Normalish, I had no set expectations. If I liked it, then I liked it. If I didn't, then I didn't. Because I had somehow managed to formulate such a simple idea, I decided to go with it because I honestly wasn't sure what to quite expect, much less hope for. The cover leaves me with much to want, but the general synopsis made it seem like something that I could enjoy under most circumstances. And enjoy I did. 

One look at the cover should indicate some sort of sweet or fluffy read. In a way, I guess it is. But overall, most fluffy contemporary novels don't usually fall far from that spectrum. 

Normalish marks freshman Stacy York's transition into high school, which is, if Stacy is anything to go by - the oddest of things. Still trying to come to terms with her father's death and her former best friend just dropping her, Stacy isn't sure what she wants and what she needs. She's a lot more fragile that she'd admit, but she does manage to overcome it all. Even when the hot guy she is certainly not stalking isn't displaying the slightest interest in her. And the guy who was suppose to only remain a best friend is expressing interest that leaves Stacy unsure, because going down that route is not what Stacy had in mind for their relationship. 

Chad, who was said best friend that was in love with the main character, is slightly stereotypical. Being characterized as the semi-geeky sweetheart isn't going to do him much favors in my long list of hottest guys in Young Adult literature. However, it's clearly seen that he genuinely cares about Stacy, even if she isn't quite reciprocating of the same feelings. Even if she isn't always nice to him. But I liked that when she wasn't kind, Chad didn't let his feelings get in the way and let her walk all over him. 

In turn, Chad wasn't the only potential "love" interest of the story. There's also Bobby and Anthony, and both were essential to the story in their own ways. Anthony served as the popular major player jerk, who Stacy thinks she wants. She really doesn't. Because not only is he selfish, he's manipulative of girls' feelings. I don't like guys like that. Especially guys who do that for no reason.

Bobby, on the other hand, is remarkably intriguing. Like a unpredictable child, Bobby isn't exactly the calmest person you'll ever meet. He has his own set of problems, and certainly isn't perfect. He handles things differently than most people, but does that make him any less real? In fact, I think that attribute makes him only that much more human. Like he's someone that anybody could know. Somebody that people can love, even if he is a bit messed-up. 

While I didn't love Normalish, I did enjoy it. It wasn't Take-My-Breath-Away amazing, but it was a solid good read. There's much potential in Margaret Lesh's writing. While there's definite room for progression, I can still wholeheartedly recommend Normalish without hesitation. If you're a fan of cute contemporaries mixed with humor and tragedy, Normalish may just be the book for you. 

Overall, while this book isn't the most spectacular piece of writing I've seen, but it's worth the read. You're able to, if you read from beginning to end, witness the impressive growth of Stacy York from a vulnerable girl to somebody who's willing to accept what fate brings her. Things don't end off perfectly though. It isn't one big happy ending tied off with a bow, which I really liked. But, you know, things happen for a reason. 

And that's something Stacy York now knows.

3 ½ coffee cups!

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Add NORMALISH to Goodreads

Find Margaret Lesh on Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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I'll bet you thought that was it, didn't you? A'ha! I knew it! Wait...what? You didn't think that was it? Ermm, well...err - JUST FORGET I SAID ANYTHING AND ON TO THE GIVEAWAY. 

RULES & INFO: 

• Open INTERNATIONALLY 
• Contest ends January 28th, 2013 
• No cheating. Cheaters never prosper. 

PRIZES: 

• One $25 Amazon Giftcard

 • One e-book copy of Normalish 

• Normalish bookmarks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx