Keenan is a beautiful summer prince, destined to one day take over the true powers of summer king and lead the world out of the continually lengthening summers into the sunlight. But to do that he must first find his queen. That's where Aislinn comes in. Once Keenan dreams of her she can't possibly hope to be free of him and have a normal life. But the one thing Keenan didn't plan for may be the one thing that ruins his dream. Aislinn's lover Seth, a wonderful man who loves Aislinn no matter what.
I've always been a fan of Fairy stories. There is so much variety in what has been written about them that it is rare to hear the same story twice. Wicked Lovely is no exception to this statement. With a unique concept and compelling characters, it is a good read. Not amazing, but not bad. I was thoroughly entertained and still finished it in 2 days even though it's my second time reading it. I would recommend it to people who like fairies, romance and the darker side of YA fiction.
Wicked Lovely review
Posted : 13 years, 3 months ago on 15 September 2011 01:13 (A review of Wicked Lovely)0 comments, Reply to this entry
Wither (Chemical Garden) review
Posted : 13 years, 4 months ago on 2 August 2011 04:41 (A review of Wither (Chemical Garden))"Natural humans used to live for at least eighty years, my mother told me. Sometimes a hundred. I hadn't believed her. Now I can see what she meant. Rose is the first twenty-year-old I've spoken to at length, and she's stifling a cough that sprays blood into her fist, her skin is still smooth and soft. Her face is full of light. She doesn't look very different from, or very much older than, me."
We will start with the good. Wither is one of the most elegantly written young adult books I've read. I'm not saying it's the best book but Lauren DeStefano has a way with words that makes it feel like you're listening to the most beautiful song or poem. The genius of this story lies in her. Not the world building which is far from perfect, or the characters, or even the story itself, but in the beautiful prose that brings you from your regular life into the terrifying world that Rhine Ellery has grown up in.
Rhine is only 16, but in a world were girls die at the ripe old age of twenty, she might as well be a senior citizen. She's lived the last 3 years in fear of exactly what has happened. That she would be taken and sold to become a bride. Here I'll be honest. Her life as a bride seemed so much better than her description of her life before that I can't see what all the fuss is about, but some people value freedom above all else and she must have been one of them. All she can think about is getting back home to her brother. Anyway, with her two new sister wives, Rhine tries to survive while at the same time plotting ways to win favor so she can hopefully escape.
Overall, it’s a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable story that contains beautiful symbolism, well thought out dream sequences and compelling characters. It’s clear in some ways that DeStefano did her research. For example, name meanings. Rhine’s 2 sister wives are named Cecily, which means blind, and Jenna, which means small bird. Read the book and you’ll see that the meanings are perfect.
If only she had taken the time to research her world as thoroughly. Through some miracle, North America is the only continent to survive a destructive3rd world war while the rest of the planet is under water. Also, although the polar ice caps have melted, the story takes place in Florida which seems highly unlikely to me. They eat candies and have highly advanced technology but where does this come from in a world where everyone dies so young. This leads to the biggest issue. Has there ever been a disease in this world that so specifically targets an age. Women die at 20 and men at 25 and it’s not like they just age super-fast. They literally just get sick and die around their birthdays.
However, because the story was so good, and the writing so beautiful I’ll still give this story 4 stars because I was entertained and I did really like it. Hopefully the next 2 are just as good.
We will start with the good. Wither is one of the most elegantly written young adult books I've read. I'm not saying it's the best book but Lauren DeStefano has a way with words that makes it feel like you're listening to the most beautiful song or poem. The genius of this story lies in her. Not the world building which is far from perfect, or the characters, or even the story itself, but in the beautiful prose that brings you from your regular life into the terrifying world that Rhine Ellery has grown up in.
Rhine is only 16, but in a world were girls die at the ripe old age of twenty, she might as well be a senior citizen. She's lived the last 3 years in fear of exactly what has happened. That she would be taken and sold to become a bride. Here I'll be honest. Her life as a bride seemed so much better than her description of her life before that I can't see what all the fuss is about, but some people value freedom above all else and she must have been one of them. All she can think about is getting back home to her brother. Anyway, with her two new sister wives, Rhine tries to survive while at the same time plotting ways to win favor so she can hopefully escape.
Overall, it’s a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable story that contains beautiful symbolism, well thought out dream sequences and compelling characters. It’s clear in some ways that DeStefano did her research. For example, name meanings. Rhine’s 2 sister wives are named Cecily, which means blind, and Jenna, which means small bird. Read the book and you’ll see that the meanings are perfect.
If only she had taken the time to research her world as thoroughly. Through some miracle, North America is the only continent to survive a destructive3rd world war while the rest of the planet is under water. Also, although the polar ice caps have melted, the story takes place in Florida which seems highly unlikely to me. They eat candies and have highly advanced technology but where does this come from in a world where everyone dies so young. This leads to the biggest issue. Has there ever been a disease in this world that so specifically targets an age. Women die at 20 and men at 25 and it’s not like they just age super-fast. They literally just get sick and die around their birthdays.
However, because the story was so good, and the writing so beautiful I’ll still give this story 4 stars because I was entertained and I did really like it. Hopefully the next 2 are just as good.
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Academy 7 review
Posted : 13 years, 4 months ago on 31 July 2011 05:00 (A review of Academy 7)When I picked up this book I thought it was just going to be a silly little romance that would entertain me. But I knew within just a few sentences that it was anything but. As far as an intriguing science fiction story goes it was thrilling. I was eagerly awaiting the big reveal that I knew was coming and it did not dissapoint. My only complaint is that the blurb on the back did not do the subject matter justice. I would have read it much sooner if I'd known what it was really about.
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Girl in the Arena review
Posted : 13 years, 4 months ago on 31 July 2011 04:58 (A review of Girl in the Arena)Lyn is the daughter of seven gladiators. She has been raised to be the perfect glad wife. She is also a pacifist...she thinks. Her mother is the epitome of what a glad wife should be and her brother has special needs and oracle like predictions. Needless to say, it's a strange life she leads. Judged by common kids as having a crazy lifestyle, Lyn is torn because she doesn't want to be a glad wife but doesn't know how not to be one. Unfortunately the decision is taken out of her handsd when her 7th father is killed by the gladiator Uber and she is told she'll have to mary him.
This book was pretty good. Heads up though, there are no quotation marks in the whole book so the dialogue feels a little weird. I couldn't seem to get past it but it wasn't a huge distraction either.
There are alot of not even thinly veiled references to our time and society. Some of them seem spot on, while others come across as forced.
******spoiler*******
There is a beautiful scene after Lyn finds her mother in the bathroom. It's heart-wrenching and totally believable. Especially the whole scene on the phone with Julie.
Over all it was a good read. Likeable characters, nice build up, dissapointing finale but nice wrapped up ending. 7 stars for good but not really good.
This book was pretty good. Heads up though, there are no quotation marks in the whole book so the dialogue feels a little weird. I couldn't seem to get past it but it wasn't a huge distraction either.
There are alot of not even thinly veiled references to our time and society. Some of them seem spot on, while others come across as forced.
******spoiler*******
There is a beautiful scene after Lyn finds her mother in the bathroom. It's heart-wrenching and totally believable. Especially the whole scene on the phone with Julie.
Over all it was a good read. Likeable characters, nice build up, dissapointing finale but nice wrapped up ending. 7 stars for good but not really good.
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Blood Song (Blood Singer, Book 1) review
Posted : 13 years, 4 months ago on 31 July 2011 04:57 (A review of Blood Song (Blood Singer, Book 1) )Celia Graves is a bodyguard in a world where supernatural creatures live and hunt amongst humans and only true-believers have any protection from the damnes. At first this book reads alot like Anita Blake. They have the same kick-ass attitude and sarcastic wit. But this book is anything but another Laurell K. Hamilton predictable read. One, even though there are potential love interests, there isn't any real sex in the book. Lust, moans, and intense starting yes, but sex no. Also, Celia is not afraid to be emotional. She cries when she's sad, hurt, mad and shows vulnerability like a real woman.
Without ruining it, I'm gonna say that the end is not what I was expecting at all. It's a definate curve ball and I'm truly excited and looking forward to the next book in this series.
Without ruining it, I'm gonna say that the end is not what I was expecting at all. It's a definate curve ball and I'm truly excited and looking forward to the next book in this series.
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The Host review
Posted : 13 years, 7 months ago on 25 April 2011 03:18 (A review of The Host)Don't let the fact that Stephenie Meyer wrote it scare you away. The Host is a much less dysfunctional story of a girl who plays host to an alien mind in her head. It's a beautiful story about seeing beyond what you think you know and finding love in the least likely places. It's about friendship and freedom and making hard choices. It's one of my favorites in the love stoy science fiction category.
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Delirium review
Posted : 13 years, 7 months ago on 25 April 2011 01:28 (A review of Delirium)I read Delirium as a book group discussion on GoodReads.com. It's a dystopian novel set in a world where the government has developed a cure for love and forces everyone to receive it on their 18th birthday. We meet the main character, Lena, only months before time for her procedure but in the course of 95 days everything she believes will be challenged and she will have to decide between what's expected and what she wants.
It sounds like a great story, and actually it was. the only problem was how slow it was. The characters are believable and the world is both terrifying and comfortable. It just seemed to move so slowly. Overall, if yu like romance I would recommend this more than if you like dystopian novels.
It sounds like a great story, and actually it was. the only problem was how slow it was. The characters are believable and the world is both terrifying and comfortable. It just seemed to move so slowly. Overall, if yu like romance I would recommend this more than if you like dystopian novels.
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After review
Posted : 13 years, 7 months ago on 25 April 2011 01:14 (A review of After)I started this book thinking that it would be a heart wrenching story about how a tragic and stupid mistake can affect one girls entire future. I was not let down. The beauty of it is the way the author is able to make the reader sympathize with a girl who committed one of the most heinous crimes possible. By the end I had a respect for Devon that I would have never thought possible. It's a tough subject but Amy Efaw does a beautiful job.
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Summers at Castle Auburn review
Posted : 14 years, 7 months ago on 26 April 2010 08:00 (A review of Summers at Castle Auburn)Coriel is a girl with a talent for potions and witchcraft. Raised by her witchwoman grandmother, Coriel spends her summers at court because she is the illegitimate daughter of a lord. She spends most of her time with her sister Elisandra, and friends Kent and Prince Bryan.
The story is really told in two parts. The first half shows a young Corie who doesn't understand the politics and duplicity of court. She is naive and sees only the good in people. She loves her time playing the royal lady and being with her sister.
The second half features a much stronger and more mature Corie. She now sees the secrets and lies of people at court and the injustice of the slavery of the Alora, a fairie like race.
The conclusion was marvelous. Corie is one of my favorite characters because she matures so beautifully. The storytelling is lovely and fastpaced. It's everything a girl could want in a story. Mystery, political upheaval, princesses and horse rides, magic and of course romance. I loved it at 15 and still love it at 27.
The story is really told in two parts. The first half shows a young Corie who doesn't understand the politics and duplicity of court. She is naive and sees only the good in people. She loves her time playing the royal lady and being with her sister.
The second half features a much stronger and more mature Corie. She now sees the secrets and lies of people at court and the injustice of the slavery of the Alora, a fairie like race.
The conclusion was marvelous. Corie is one of my favorite characters because she matures so beautifully. The storytelling is lovely and fastpaced. It's everything a girl could want in a story. Mystery, political upheaval, princesses and horse rides, magic and of course romance. I loved it at 15 and still love it at 27.
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