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Bloody Bookaholic's Commandment:

Thou Shall Read Till Thy Eyes Bleed

Thursday 30 October 2014

Bookish Questions: Long or Short Reviews?


Basically which do you, the reader, prefer? Sort of long reviews that tap into specific things in the book, or a 2-3 paragraph review that gives an overall? I mean, I think I am pretty set in my ways, I usually do sort of long reviews and it's just what comes out naturally. But seriously, as a reader which do you prefer? It is a mood thing?
It's so weird too because when I started blogging my reviews were so small! After I got more confidence though they became longer, and longer...
And what do you look for in these reviews mostly? I am really interested because I really want to be able to write reviews that make you go "Damn, I should go and read that!"

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Review: Vampire Academy and Frostbite (The Graphic Novels) by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel (Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel, #1) Frostbite: The Graphic Novel (Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel, #2)

Title: Vampire Academy & Frostbite
Author: Richelle Mead, Emma Vieceli (Illustrator), Leigh Dragoon (Adapter)
Series: Vampire Academy
Book #: 1 & 2
Pages: 144 - 144
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 4.10 - 4.42
Published: August 23rd, 2011 - May 24th, 2012
Vampire Academy: 
After two years on the run, best friends Rose and Lissa are caught and returned to St. Vladimir’s Academy, a private high school for vampires and half-bloods. It’s filled with intrigue, danger—and even romance. 
Enter their dark, fascinating world through a new series of 144-page full-color graphic novels. The entire first Vampire Academy novel has been adapted for book one by Leigh Dragoon and overseen by Richelle Mead, while the beautiful art of acclaimed British illustrator Emma Vieceli brings the story to life. 
 Frostbite:
The drama and romance continue in this 144-page full-color graphic novel adaptation of the second Vampire Academy novel, Frostbite, which was overseen by Richelle Mead and features beautiful art by acclaimed British illustrator Emma Vieceli.
Taschima's POV:

Rating (and review) for both Vampire Academy and Frostbite:

I am rating these comics based on the art, and the way the story is being depicted. It has nothing to do with the story itself (the Vampire Academy books are amazing). Let's just say, the comic was disappointing when it came to these things. I was expecting more.

Some of the problems I have with this comic are:

1. The art: It hurt my eyes. It bothered me at times. My main problem really is with how the characters are drawn (mainly, all the girls; most of the guys looked great). Why do all of them have such long faces? Like, seriously long faces. All of them are the same length, and it gets sort of creepy and annoying. Not to mention that some of these characters don't like at all how I pictured them (basically most of them, but I've managed to make peace with it... sort of), but that was bound to happen I get that, I just want them to at the very least be drawn well so they are aesthetically pleasing.

The characters that I sort of liked how they were drawn: Christian, Adrian, Mia, Dimitri, Rose and Guardian Hathaway. Again, I didn't like them all of the time, but I liked them more than others.

The characters that I hated how they were drawn: Lissa (she is the worst), Mason, Eddie, Victor, The Queen.

My Dimitri looks more like this:

description
 This is Amon from Witch Hunter Robin (aka my dreamy anime boyfriend).
2. The story: It's all... screwed up. You would miss some major things if you didn't read the books before hand (it skips scenes and story details). Like for example, in book two you are never told Rose and Mason are going out till like the very end were Rose by chance calls him "her boyfriend", the same with Lissa's pill in-taking, another detail that goes down the drain. The books also lack description. At other times it goes through scenes too quickly and without warning, one minute we are trying to grasp what the hell just happened in this scene and why the dialogue looks so choppy the next we are sent into a completely new scene (where the dialogue is even worse). This also doesn't help you develop some sort of connection with the characters, it's just not enough pages for it. It's just the bones of the story, but none of the meat.

Oh yeah, and the dialogue? It's like its trying to resemble the dialogue in the book but it falls short every single time. Lines that would give me a thrill in the real book fell flat in the comic. Like for example in VA when Dimitri finds Rose sort of hooking up with the boy Moroi and she is all like "Like what you see?", that line is awesome in the book, in the comic? Not so much. Then again, in the comic it doesn't give you enough time to get into the scene before it is ripped apart from you.

On the other hand, if you are a big VA fan like myself, then why the hell not try it out and add it to the collection? I'm keeping mine, I just wouldn't pay an obscene amount of money for them.

This goes to show that there will never be a good enough replacement for your own imagination. Not even colorful story books.

 

Sunday 26 October 2014

The Battle of Hardcover VS Paperback: What's up with the changing of covers?

Glow (Sky Chasers, #1) Glow
Hardcover - Paperback

So, Glow, by Amy Kathleen Ryan, has a paperback cover version. As does Shatter Me (see post below this one), as did Delirium (though Delirium also offered it's new cover in hardcover)... All to accomodate a completely unrelated version of the book's sequel. This sucks.

The first cover of Glow captivated hundreds of people. It was simple, elegant, and beautiful. Just what we needed really, a nice change from the pretty-girls-in-dresses trend (a trend I am in full support of. Most of those covers are stunning). But then they released this:

Spark (Sky Chasers, #2)
Glow's Sequel, Spark.

... and hundreds of people went into epileptic shock. This cover doesn't look anything like the first cover, in fact it looks kind of bad. So of course the next logical step is to make the paperback version of Glow resemble this nothing special cover. Which is what led to this:

Glow Spark (Sky Chasers, #2)
Not amused...

No, just, no. Stop doing this! If at first you don't suceed, try again sure, but if at first you definitely suceed then DON'T MESS IT UP. I'ts that simple! What are the reasons to change the cover so drastically anyways? So that people are "forced" to buy the paperback version in order for it to actually make sense with the sequel cover? To create buzz about the release of the paperback? To give us variety? If you are trying to give us some sort of variety I then say to also give us a hardcover option choice that resembles the original cover.

Unless the cover you come up with the second time around is better, then by all means ignore my pleas.



Friday 24 October 2014

US VS Germany; Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death, #1)Die Stadt des roten Todes - Das Mädchen mit der Maske
US - German

And so the battle begins! Both covers are very alluring, but which one is better?

US Cover- I love the red and black and white combination, I love the parasol, I love the font of the cover, and I love the background. Basically, I love it all. It is an amaing cover and the effects were done wonderfully. I also kind of like how the model is pretty much hidden, behind the font, the effects and the parasol.

German Cover- Don't those clouds look a little dangerously orange? I believe that it is going for red but I see more orange. I like the model's tatoo (specially if it has something to do with the story; haven't read the book but really want to) and I like the red dress. I don't like the font; it isn't anything special.

So while the german cover has some things going for it, I am going to have to  and choose the US cover as being the best one of the bunch. It just looks different and seriously kick ass. It fits the title of the book.

 


Wednesday 22 October 2014

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor


Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Book #: 1
Pages: 417
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket.7
Goodreads Rating: 4.12
Published: Sept. 27th, 2011

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
Taschima's POV:

When I first started Daughter of Smoke and Bone I was a little skeptic. I mean how good could this book actually be? I went to Goodreads and saw that almost every single of my friends gave it a 4 and 5 star rating, good review after good review, on the goodreads front page I think I only saw 1 bad review only. I was intrigued. Would it live up to the hype? Would I love it as others seemed to?
The answer is yes yes yes.
The story itself is intriguing and different. The world of the angels and demons, and their relationship is so original. Angels are normally always portrayed as being the good guys, the righteous ones, but the author is pretty sneaky. You as a reader are attached to the demons from the very beginning of the story. Learning about how they took care of this small child, Karou, and raised her. I like how you get to see the story from the demon's side. On the other hand the Angels are only "Angels" when it comes to the name; they are scary little buggers. I really enjoy how she turned the tables on us and made us think outside the box. The eternal battle between good and evil was never written so good; There is such a thing as a bad angel guys, and a good demon! Who knew?!
I think you could easily divide the book into two parts. Part one is all about the action, the suspense, the mystery of this other world and the teeth and the dealings of Kaurou's boss, and for that matter of Karou herself. She is a mystery. Who are her parents? Why was she raised by demons? How does she have blue hair?! At the beginning I thought Karou was depicted a bit too perfect and I thought I wasn't going to be able to connect with her because she didn't seem to have any flaws, but I did grow to like her and to feel for her when her world turns to shit. SO the first half of the story is all about the world building.
The second half is all about the lurve. BUT the love and the relationship in the story has a fantastic point! It is necessary and I wouldn't have changed it at all. It was a nice change, and it added to the story (plus it answered a lot of questions- true some I had figured out already, but it was nice to see the whole picture). The concept of forbidden love has never been handled with such delicacy and grace. However, Akiva, the male lurve, was another character I didn't like at first, and I didn't think I would ever be able to care about this stone cold beautiful creature. But as we get to see how he became the person he is, it all makes sense and I started to like him, a bit. But I still think he acted like a little pansy. These characters are very complicated, and they fuck up royally at times, but that is what makes me like them! They aren't the rule, they are the exception.
This book was very short for me, even though it was, what, 400 pages long? It goes by quick. I would recommend it to friends, bloggers, and fellow readers alike.


Monday 20 October 2014

YA Review: Run To You, Part I (Run To You #1) by Clara Kensie

Run to You Part One: First Sight
Title: Run To You, Part I
Author: Clara Kensie
Series: Run To You
Book #: 1
Pages: 99
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 3.91
Published: Feb. 1st, 2014

Part One in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past, and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…

Sarah Spencer has a secret: her real name is Tessa Carson, and to stay alive, she can tell no one the truth about her psychically gifted family and the danger they are running from. As the new girl in the latest of countless schools, she also runs from her attraction to Tristan Walker�after all, she can't even tell him her real name. But Tristan won't be put off by a few secrets. Not even dangerous ones that might rip Tessa from his arms before they even kiss….

Taschima's POV:

Run to You started out really fast and it instantly captures your attention. Soon enough you want to know everything there is to know about this family with super powers. Why are they running? Who are they running from? I can honestly say it got me interested from the get go and I will definitely be buying the second instalment in this weirdly fascinating set of stories. The 100 pages or so just flew by...

A story about a superpower family who is constantly hiding, running, from a mysterious man who wishes to do them harm. Part one of this story is all about getting to know the family, their powers, and their situation. The main character's name is Tessa, and she is the ONLY one in the family who seems to have no super powers what so ever and because of this everybody in her family has always babyed her. Though she does needs to be babied a bit giving that the guy who is chasing them has powers that make me think of him as Sylar The Second (Heroes). Tessa has a big sister, Jillian, who actually acts like a big sister and is there for her. Her little brother Logan acts like if he WAS Tessa's big brother, he is controlled and strong and loves Tessa to pieces. They all love and protect each other to the best of their abilities making this one of the few families that stick together in the YA universe.

I loved the family dynamic, and I sympathised with Tessa. She is the one ordinary among the extraordinary, which makes her stand out among the sea of YA super heroines. She is a normal girl in a supernatural life, and it sucks to be her. She is the one person in her family who would be fine having a normal life, and yet she can't have it. She pushes everyone away because she doesn't find the point in making friends when she is just going to leave. Until Tristan tripped into her. Tristan, the broad shouldered ray of sunshine. He is the one person who has tried to really get to know Tessa, so far we don't exactly know if this is a genuine attraction or if he is incognito... I can't wait to read the rest of the parts to find out.

The ending was a little sad. The last line made me want to hit Tessa right upside the head, and yet I still sympathise with her (even though what she did could potentially had been ridiculously stupid and the very reason her parents are against her dating Tristan). She only wants someone to know her true self, even though she knows she can never let anyone truly in. I need to know who is bad guy is, and why he is chasing them. He really reminds me of Sylar from Heroes... we haven't even seen him but by the way Tessa and her family react to just his name you know he is a nightmare.

Buying part two know, need to keep reading!

PS; I like this whole dividing the novel into parts. It lets people put their pinky toe into the waters, see if they like the book before continuing it. At the same time it means the book needs to capture your attention within 100 pages, and sometimes some books only really get real good after those 100 pages. It is a toss up.

Thursday 16 October 2014

Review: Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu

Life by Committee
Title: Life by Committee
Author: Corey Ann Haydu
Series: n/a
Book #: 1
Pages: 304
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 3.65
Published: May 13th, 2014

Some secrets are too good to keep.

Tabitha might be the only girl in the history of the world who actually gets less popular when she gets hot. But her so-called friends say she’s changed, and they’ve dropped her flat.

Now Tab has no one to tell about the best and worst thing that has ever happened to her: Joe, who spills his most intimate secrets to her in their nightly online chats. Joe, whose touch is so electric, it makes Tab wonder if she could survive an actual kiss. Joe, who has Tabitha brimming with the restless energy of falling in love. Joe, who is someone else’s boyfriend.

Just when Tab is afraid she’ll burst from keeping the secret of Joe inside, she finds Life by Committee. The rules of LBC are simple: tell a secret, receive an assignment. Complete the assignment to keep your secret safe.

Tab likes it that the assignments push her to her limits, empowering her to live boldly and go further than she’d ever go on her own.

But in the name of truth and bravery, how far is too far to go?

Taschima's POV:

Life by Committee is an intense read about a girl trying to re discover who she is even though everybody else has essentially given up on her. People in this novel are not nice, or understanding, or supportive. Even the parents fall short and all Tabitha has is herself and about a dozen other people she met in a clandestine online website. The rules of the website are simple, tell a secret, get an assignment, complete the assignment in order to stay in the group. These assignments are supposed to make their members experience life beyond their boundaries. They are supposed to make their members take wild stabs at life. Tabitha is enthralled by the group, that is until the assignments start getting too serious.

I loved how confused and pained Tabitha is. I know, it sounds awful but Tabitha's pain made her that much more interesting. Her friends dump her because she makes the conversion from child to woman too fast for their taste. She starts paying attention to her appearance, likes makeup, isn't scare to wear a V neck shirt and suddenly her friends drop her and starts talking about her behind her back. Telling people how she is going down a bad road, essentially they slut shame her. Which is freaking uncool. The way Tabitha keeps her head up, even though her heart is breaking, is really brave. She isn't all innocent however, she gots her eye on another girl's boyfriend. And he is totally leading her on...

Sometimes I didn't agree with Tabitha's decisions at all. But then again I could see how she would get to where she was at with everybody essentially pushing her aside. The Life by Committee website is intriguing. I can certainly understand the appeal of having people who you are totally honest to and who push you out of your shell, plus don't judge you.

So yeah, Tabitha isn't a perfect girl, and she really is lost. When everybody lost their good perception of her she started to loose her own self-perception. The novel went by fairly quickly too, read it in less than a day. I recommend it and I am adding everything else Corey Ann Haydu to my to-read list as well!

Tuesday 14 October 2014

So I Started Reading Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu...

Life by Committee
"I rush at him. Forget about my hair. Climb onto his lap. And dive at his mouth.
I keep one hand wrapped around my phone. I can't let it go. I can't let go. I want to be only in this moment, but right outside this moment, visible even from the gooey, sweet center of it, are Sasha Cotton and my Assignment and the fact that everyone hates me and that my parents both have hoarse voices from all the yelling. It's a crowded view, and impossible to ignore. The kissing is beautiful, but everything else we have to contend with is neon and unrelenting and loud."
I feel for this girl, I really do. Life by Committee is real and interesting. The main girl Tabitha has lost pretty much everybody that used to be important to her in a matter of months, all because she started growing up in ways her friends didn't agree with. Because of this, because she feels lonely and lost, she starts making bad decisions and looking for love in all the wrong places. There's slut shaming in this book, just because this girl is a little on the hot side and wants to explore her sexuality (by this I mean she flirts, that's it since she is a virgin) everybody around her little town goes crazy and wants to brand her with their own version of a scarlet A. She finds a place online where she can vent about her problems, where she can be honest, with people that push her to do things she might have never considered before. This is Life by Committee.

I am really enjoying it. I started it today and am already on page 255. I guess it's the kind of book that makes you think. I am feeling for this girl, but I really hope she doesn't make a stupid decision that might cost her everything.

Sunday 12 October 2014

Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)
Title: These Broken Stars
Author: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound
Book #: 1
Pages: 374
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 3.96
Published: Dec. 10th, 2013

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

Taschima's POV:

These Broken Stars rocked my world. Plain and simple. It was everything I didn't know I needed. I devoured it.

These Broken Stars is much alike Titanic at the very beginning of the story, but only in some aspects. The character of Lilac would be Rose, but Tarver wouldn't exactly take Jack's place. Lilac is a society lady but Tarver is a decorated soldier of war. They seem to find each other attractive, but this is not love at first sight. Tarver feels disdain towards Lilac, and Lilac can't risk her or Tarvers life by showing too much emotion. So they dislike each other. Another similarity to Titanic, the boat goes under. Traver and Lilac seem to be the only survivors. They crash into what seems an isolated planet with no sight of life, now all they need to do is survive this barren planet and each other's company. Other than the boat breaking apart that's as far as its similarities to Titanic goes.
"As we leave the river for the foothills, I find myself thinking about the girl in the salon. The one who flirted as easily as she breathed, the one who dodged bodyguards and stayed up all night gossiping. I bear no resemblance to her now, it's as though she no longer exists.And as hateful as she was, I find I miss her. She knew where she stood. She knew what she was meant to do. She had a father who'd stop at nothing to protect her, a world that arranged itself to fir around her. She never had to care about the opinions of one lowly soldier. And it never used to matter when someone lied to her, because that's all anyone ever did."
Lilac was a spoiled brat. If we are to compare this title to Titanic she is clearly Rose. Polished, "well behaved", prim, the very picture of sophistication. Only in secret she learns to fix things, like wires from an escape pod. She is the reason they both survive in the beginning while escaping from the falling ship. Lilac is actually pretty bad ass. She may be a bit cold at the beginning, but it is with good reason. I loved her by the end of the novel, she learns a lot and by the end she grows so much she doesn't even recognize herself.
Tarver: "That's all I ever hear. That's all you got? Try harder. Be richer. Be smarter. Learn which damn cutlery to use. Speak like us. Think like us.Screw that all the way to hell."
Tarver is a soldier. At first he is in survival mode when they land on the desolate planet. He works with missions, plans. His plan at first is to reach the debri of the fallen ship, then to find a way to communicate with the outside world. He is also incredibly annoyed at having to spend time with the socialite princess. She might have rejected him in public at the beginning of the novel, and he might think she thinks she is too good for him. Oops. Soon they both learn to work together however and they both become a half of each other.

I LOVED Taver. His inner dialogue is hilarious, and he can be such a guy.
"There's dresses," she whispers, and I catch a movement in my peripheral vision. Oh, God, come on. It's the mechanic's suit and the ruined green dress being kicked across the floor away from her. So what does that mean she's wearing right now? She didn't actually say I couldn't look."Don't look," she cautions me, as though she just read my mind. Dammit."
Yes the story is told with two POVS which makes it so much better because you get to know both characters all close and personal. The only thing I was still curious about Tavers was that he never actually explains why he is such a decorated hero even though he is so young. That I found hard to believe, but supposedly the authors are writing a novella (This Night So Dark) which gives us more background on Tavers. He seemed to be very concentrated on the now when it came to These Broken Stars so the novella is welcomed. I want it so bad... it's coming out Oct. 2014.

These Broken Stars is like the Katie McGarry of romances, only in space. Heavy on the sci-fi, but just as heavy with the romance. It kind of reminds me of the tag they used for The Host by S. Meyer, "science fiction for those who don't like science fiction". The whole book the characters are just trying to survive these incredibly difficult conditions they have found each other in. Their romance... I was swept along. I love their love. There were parts of the novel that broke my heart. Tears might have escaped, I am not even kidding. Not a lot of books can make me cry but this one nailed me. Just, beware of chapter thirty one. Soul crushing.

I was never bored. I can't wait to go back to their world in Shattered World. It's with different characters but it doesn't matter as long as Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner are the writers. The magic comes from them. These Broken Stars is NOT one to miss, please just pick it up as soon as possible. Such a good story!

Thursday 9 October 2014

Review: Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell

Goodbye, Rebel Blue
Title: Goodbye, Rebel Blue
Author: Shelley Coriell
Series: n/a
Book #: 1
Pages: 320
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 3.90
Published: Oct. 01st, 2014

Rebecca Blue is a rebel with an attitude whose life is changed by a chance encounter with a soon-to-be dead girl. Rebel (as she’s known) decides to complete the dead girl’s bucket list to prove that choice, not chance, controls her fate. In doing so, she unexpectedly opens her mind and heart to a world she once dismissed—a world of friendships, family, and faith. With a shaken sense of self, she must reevaluate her loner philosophy—particularly when she falls for Nate, the golden boy do-gooder who never looks out for himself. Perfect for fans of Jay Asher’s blockbuster hit Thirteen Reasons Why, Coriell’s second novel features her sharp, engaging voice along with realistic drama and unforgettable characters.

Taschima's POV:

Goodbye Rebel Blue,
“You, Rebel Blue, are anything but ordinary.”
Rebecca Blue is the girl whose main fear is to be ordinary, so she works extra hard at NOT being ordinary. She is displeased with school, is artsy, and lived with her mother on the back of a vehicle going from town to town chasing lighting (for photographs). You can say she had a less than normal upbringing which is why she is having such a difficult time adjusting to her new life with her new family. Her mom is gone, so she is to live with her new aunt who is a bit more worried about Blue’s educational lapse (ergo, her future) than anything else. Once afternoon Rebel gets detention, as usual, and she has to spend it writing out a bucket list. She spends detention with a must unusual suspect, Kennedy Green, a very selfless person. Kennedy believed in higher beings and destiny, and so she tells Blue they were destined to be there in that room at that time. Pretty soon Rebel tells the girl to piss off. Only problem is the next day Kennedy Green dies, and Rebel gets stuck with the dead girl's bucket list. Everybody has low expectations when it comes to Rebel, and so Rebel decides to take this high and mighty bucket list filled with selfless acts and complete it all.

Rebel can come off as a real brat sometimes. Sure, the way your aunt lives may not be how you were brought up but she is clearly trying to make things better for you and instead she just disregards anything the aunt says and throws it back in her face. This is how she starts out, but soon enough she starts start thinking less about herself and more about others, and how her actions affect those around her. She only annoyed me at the beginning, though her off putting attitude can be quite hilarious as well.
“Until I moved In with Uncle Bob’s family, I’d never heard of the food pyramid and didn’t know about breakfast rules. Breakfast with Mom could be white rice and black beans in Costa Rica or juicy plums plucked from a tree growing in the wilds of Chile.”
It is positively horrible that your aunt wants you to have good grades and eat a healthy breakfast… for shame. While Blue’s attitude may be a bit off putting when it is not deserved it is hilarious when she is just being a smart ass. Seeing her struggle with “being good” I think is that makes the whole book worth it. She tries so hard, but it is very difficult to change the perception people have of you once it is established. Everybody around her pretty much thinks she is up to no good while all she is trying to do IS to be good. And the funnies ensues.
“You don’t care what others think. You don’t compromise.” Nate shifts one tennis shoe and then the other. “You’re true to yourself and true to your word.”
At first I wanted to read Goodbye, Rebel Blue because of it's cover (which is gorgeous, love the blue) but soon enough the characters had me sticking it out. While me and Rebel had a rocky start soon enough I started to laugh out loud along with Rebel and understand that her spirit is just very different from mine. She wants a life of freedom, like her mother lived before her. The side characters were very memorable. Nate is the perfect guy who is unraveling, Rebel brings out the truth in him. Their relationship is a bit weird, Nate seems to push Rebel away as much as Rebel pushes him away. They don't quite get each other and yet they really try. I give them points for that.

Other characters worth mentioning are Nate's family. They are a crazy bunch, he has a little sister who is crazy about fashion and a very little brother who seems to want to be a monk. Nate is the big brother, and he plans to be the first in his family to attend college. Or so I think so, by the end it isn't really clear what Nate wants to do with his life, only that he wants to stay true to himself. Penelope, Blue's cousin, is the only character that I didn't like through and through. She is a brat, unlikable, and very unkind to Rebel, even by the end. She never makes amends, never says sorry for all her hurtful words. I dislike her. Rebel's best friend Macey is very complicated and likable character. She is dark and withdrawn, but she and Rebel manage to create a strong friendship by helping each other out through thick and thin.

Overall Goodbye Rebel Blue was a really good contemporary title. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It made me think about my own life and choices, and about the things I would add to my own bucket list. When Blue started making choices is when she started to really live her life to the fullest; makes me want to make a bucket list of my own and brave the outside world.

Tuesday 7 October 2014

YA Reviews: The Young Elites by Marie Lu (The Origin Story of a BAD-ASS)

The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1)

Title: Young Elites
Author: Marie Lu
Series: The Young Elites
Book #: 1
Pages: 368
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 4.00
Published: October 7th, 2014
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

Taschima's POV:

The Young Elites introduces us into a world that is part Victorian part Dystopian and ALL Fantasy.. The Dystopian part is kind of reminiscent of the Legend world; same gritty atmosphere. It has the rules that categorize the Victorian area (like girl's not being able to govern themselves and instead they are sold/traded for money, status, power, etc.) but in a world where a strange decease attacked humanity and either killed its recipients or left them scarred for life. Adelina is one of those scarred people, and because she is one of the Malfetto her father is planning to give her away to make his life easier. Adelina manages to escape the grasp of her father, but at a high price. She is saved by the Young Elites, a group of special malfettos who survived the fever with special powers. The Young Elites however do not save Adelina from the kindess of their hearts; they know she has power and they want to use it. Adelina soon is stuck between two impossible decisions, should she betray the Young Elites and save those she loves or should she join them and forsake those who have left her behind?
“Violetta was afraid of thunder.
When we were very little, she would sneak into my bedchamber whenever a storm rolled through. She’d climb into my bed, wake me, an curl her little body against mine, and I’d wrap an arm around her and hum out mother’s lullaby as the storm raged outside. I’m not ptoud to admit it, but I’ve always liked her helplessness. It made me feel powerful. In those small moments, I was the better one”
 Adelina is an extremely fucked up character. She is not what we have come to expect from our YA heroines; Fragile, a pure soul that will make everything better. Instead I am a little scared she might make everything WORSE... and not because she is dumb, but because she has a darkness inside her that is wanting to consume her whole. She craves acceptance, having been marked a malfetto, and power. She was abused by her father while growing up, simply because she was one of the unlucky few who got hit with the Fever and survived (minus an eye). Her sister was also hit with the fever but while she came out the same on the other side Adelina was forever marred.
"I know who you really are.Who will ever want you, Adelina?
My fury heightens. Everyone. They will cower at my feet, and I will make them bleed."
 As her father continuously repeated to her no one in their right mind would want her, marry her, or accept her. She was garbage and anything fate decided to throw her way she should be happy to get. Verbal abuse wasn’t the only kind the father liked to impart however; he also broke one of her fingers when she was very young. So Adelina is justifiably screwed up. You can clearly see this in the way she feels about her sister, both love and resentment, stemming from the fact that her father idolized her little sister while he beat Adelina to a pulp. This also shows on the way she distrusts those around her. Kindness is not something that is given to her without something being taken in return.
"They all want to use you, use you until they get what they want, and then they will toss you aside."
The relationship between Adelina and her sister, Violetta, is sick and twisted. Then again, the whole book kind of is. It doesn’t follow what we’ve come to expect from YA novels, the “YA Rules” if you will. The heroine is not much of a role model, it has plenty of violence and it doesn’t shy away from bloody details… It really is the origin of a villain's tale. Marie Lu gets brownie points for originality alone.

Something that is truly fascinating about The Young Elites is that in the book there is no absolutely clear good guy. The Young Elites kill to get what they want and need; they want to de-throne the current false King and put a Malfetto one in his place. They will use any and all tools at their disposal, even if this tool happens to be human. If the tool is faulty, doesn't work, or doesn't reach its potential then guess what?  They dispose of it. So Adelina is facing danger from all sides, from the Inquisitors that want to get rid of all Elites and normal Malfettos and from the Young Elites who might get rid of her anyways if she doesn't work out. She has no one she can really trust.

Except maybe Enzo Valenciano, the potential love interest. Enzo is distant and slightly cold, which makes it really ironic that his power is to wield fire. I loved how Marie Lu wrote him in a way that seemed real though. He is no prince charming, he has a goal like everybody else. Adelina is not the first girl who has crossed his path, he may have loved and lost. Is she his perfect fit? Is he hers? That is a question which is still left unanswered. The book is not huge on the romance; it is a small part of it.

The ending! It was completely unexpected to say the least. I really didn't think Marie Lu was going to go there and kill the prince/love interest! Enzo just flat out dies! I thought it was very awesome because it drives Adelina that much closer to the darkness but at the same time WHAT THE HELL!? but she totally did and with no remorse. It definitely left me craving for the sequel...

As I stated in one of my updates as I was reading, if this is wrong then I don't want to be right. I applaud Marie Lu for creating an engaging world with it's own rules and traditions. She again did not disappoint. The Young Elites stands on its own.
"I am tired of losing. I am tired of being used, hurt, and tossed aside.
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.
My turn."

Monday 6 October 2014

Blog Tour: Atlantia by Ally Condie | Fan-Casting + Giveaway #TeamBelow


 In 25 days Atlantia will hit the shelves and the world will go WILD. It has great world building, sirens, sisterly love, mystery and corruption. Plus, look at that cover! It looks simple yet alluring. Overall one of the better siren stories out there. So in order to celebrate Allie Condie's new release Penguin, very graciously, put together an AWESOME BLOG TOUR! Complete with giveaways and spoilers I meant the works.

I am part of...

AKA, the best team ever.

Today is my day to get you all to buy promote Atlantia in a good healthy way...

By FAN-CASTING.

Ugh, I thought that might have sounded more evil... Oh well.

RIO

 

-Candice Accola-

BAY

 


-Anna Popplewell-
"We stand side by side and hand in hand, our brown hair threaded with blue ribbons and braided in intricate plaits. We both have blue eyes, We are both tall and carry ourselves the same way. But we're fraternal twins, not identical, and no one has ever had any trouble telling us apart."
NOW, hear me out. I KNOW Candice is a blonde, I know this. I know she is better known for being in Vampire Diaries, I know she may not seem as an ideal fit. But just, hear me out. She has the edge, the toughness that I saw in Rio. Hair can always be dyed, but attitude and gut feeling cannot.

"--she was the gentler sister, quicker to laugh, certainly better suited to follow in my mother's footsteps. I never resented it when people said that, because I knew it was true."

Bay is Anna Popplewell. Bay is soft, she loves helping people, she is giving, she is selfless, and she is strong. When I think of Bay I think Anna Popplewell.

TRUE

"...in spite of myself I look at True. When I do, my first thought is brown and blue. Brown hair, brown eyes, blue shirt, blue shadows under his eyes. I've seen him before."




"He is handsome, the type of boy who looks as though he might once have had sun on his skin, though that's impossible this far down. He has intelligent eyes and the kind of strength that isn't bulky and belligerent but streamlined and swift instead."
True is Rio's romantic interest, and he is a mystery of himself. He is both open and secretive. True is Fern's best friend, and Fern is the boy who goes above alongside Bay.

FERN



"Another boy goes up for his turn. I know him by sight-Fern Cardiff, handsome and charismatic, with blond hair and dangerous, laughing eyes. There's an irreverent, ironic note in his voice even as he speaks the sacred words. "I choose sacrifice in the Above."

MAIRE


Olivia Wilde
"Maire is back--standing in front of me in her black robes, with her disheveled hair. Her face is at once too sharp to be anything like my mother's and yet too intelligent to be dissimilar. I have never seen her so close before."
Maire is the most powerful siren of her generation. Some have horrible stories about her, calling her a sea witch. Her and her sister, Oceana, grew apart because they were raised in different households. Oceana is revered, Maire is feared. She is also speculated of killing her own sister.

BONUS: Rio and Bay's mother, Oceana.

 


Maybe a bit weird that I choose her, but she just kept popping in my head whenever Oceana was referred to. Weird? Maybe, but hey it is my fan casting.

So there you go, Atlantia's Fan Cast! What actors would YOU have chosen?

Now for the GIVEAWAY!
-US Only-


Want to follow along the #TeamBelow blog tour? 
Check out the schedule!

September 28 – Katie (Mundie Moms) – Long Q&A
September 30 – Jen (I Read Banned Books) – Guest post
October 2 – Katie (Katie’s Book Blog) – Short Q&A
October 4 – Lea (YA Book Queen) - Review
October 6 – Taschima (Bloody Bookaholic) - Fancasting
October 8 – Jeremy (Novel Thoughts Blog) – Guest post
October 10 – Erin/ Flo (Fangirlish) - Review
October 12 – Nancy (Ravenous Reader) – Review
October 14 – Sara (Novel Novice) - Playlist
October 16 – Jess (Gone with the Words) – Short Q&A
October 18 – Rachel (Paper Cuts) – Guest post
October 20 – Georgia (Eve’s Fan Garden) - Playlist
October 22 – Gabby (Queen Ella Bee Reads) – Long Q&A
October 24 – Andrea (Reading Lark) - Review
October 26 – Tirzah (The Compulsive Reader) - Playlist


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