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Category: Series

Review: Underworld by Meg Cabot

[ 1 ] May 21, 2012

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

Pierce Oliviera and John Hayden return in Underworld, the second book in Meg Cabot’s Abandon trilogy. As you’ll probably guess from the title, we finally get a glimpse of what life is like living in the Underworld, the place between Heaven and Hell. Like Persephone, Pierce eats food in the Underworld and as a result must live the remainder of her life there with no hope of returning to the surface.

Pierce insists on returning to Earth after she sees a video on her phone of her cousin Alex suffocating to his death in a coffin. John lets her know that there is a way for them to go back one last time so that they can prevent Alex’s death, but this will be the last time she will ever see her family again.

I remember thinking that Pierce was very strong-willed in Abandon, but was slightly disappointed to see that Pierce would choose to live with John forever, even though it means she’ll never get to be with her family and friends again. John actually lies to her and tricks her in the beginning chapters, yet Pierce easily lets this slide because she is so in love with him. I’ve been a fan of Meg Cabot’s for about 10 years now, and this is the first female character of hers that I know of who completely abandons all reason and only thinks with her heart.

Underworld answered many of the questions I had at the conclusion of Abandon: Who was John Hayden? How did he become the “ruler” of the Underworld? What is it like living in the Underworld? I also loved getting to glimpse the festivities that occur during Coffin Week; I’m still fascinated by the celebration and the lore surrounding it.

Though this isn’t my favorite of Meg Cabot’s series, I found it entertaining, creative, and an interesting take on the Persephone/Hades myth.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Point. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

[ 1 ] May 19, 2012

Reviewed by Megan Saldecki

Having been rescued by the convent of St. Mortain from an arranged marriage to a heartless man, Ismae is raised to be one of Death’s handmaidens – assassins blessed with powerful gifts that carry out the god Mortain’s work. Carrying out His work, though, means killing the people who have wronged him.

Thrown into this life, Ismae embarks on her most important assignment yet. But when the convent orders her to kill someone she’s grown to love, she realizes that there may be another way to serve Mortain.

Grave Mercy starts off at a fast pace, throwing you into this new life of Ismae’s along with her. I loved being able to read about her various assignments.

Ismae was a wonderful character. She’s the type of person that has her walls up all the time and doesn’t let anyone in very easily. She grew up thinking her mother was ashamed of her and she was constantly bullied by everyone in her town for being the “daughter” of Death or Mortain, as he is often referred to. Despite the constant abuse, Ismae really grew as a person throughout Grave Mercy and I enjoyed reading about her progress.

Grave Mercy had some slow parts, often due to the fact that it is a highly political novel, delving greatly into the decision process and problems of the duchess trying to find a suitable marriage, one that won’t cause a war with the French. In fact, much of the novel was about this selection process, which got to be a bit too much for me. Grave Mercy was written very well, though, keeping true to the era and the plot.

Overall, I highly enjoyed the story line and would recommend Grave Mercy to fans of historical fiction.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Meghan is a 18-year-old book blogger. She likes to read and write in her spare time and would like to become a published author one day. She plans on going to college soon.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Until I Die by Amy Plum

[ 2 ] May 8, 2012

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

Die for Me by Amy Plum was easily one of my favorite YA paranormal reads in 2011. It featured a heroine that I related to, a love interest to die for, a foreign setting, and absolutely no vampires or werewolves. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Until I Die, the second book in Plum’s trilogy.

Kate lives in Paris, and she’s in love. But Vincent is not like other males her age. Vincent is immortal, a revenant. He has the ability to age, but only if he can resist the urge to sacrifice his life for that of a human. Because he loves Kate, Vincent has agreed to let his kindred give up their lives instead. By doing so, he will be able to age with Kate, and once her life is over, he can resume his duties as a revenant.

Until I Die continues to develop the relationship between Kate and Vincent, as they discuss their future together. In some old texts, Kate discovers that there may be a way to ease the suffering that Vincent feels because he is no longer giving up his life. Vincent is also doing some research of his own, which may prove to have some serious consequences.

Some new characters are introduced to take Charles’ and Charlotte’s places in the mansion, and Kate forms a friendship with Violette, sharing her love of the arts and film with her. Soon the revenants learn that one of their own is sharing information with their enemies, the numas.

Until I Die is every bit as good as its predecessor, and further immerses readers into the history and mythology of revenants. There is also a prophecy, which might pertain to Vincent, and would make him a target for the numas.

I devoured more than half of this book in one sitting, and was frantically turning the last few pages during a very intense scene. I wasn’t able to predict anything that happened in this book, least of all the heartbreaking ending. I will impatiently count down the days until the third and final book in the series is released!

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by HarperTeen. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

[ 4 ] May 3, 2012

Reviewed by Elizabeth Talbott

Werewolves are part of the new reality and are humans infected by a disease known as lupine syndrome. The second a person is infected, they lose all rights and privileges as people and are sent to camps to keep them away from humans. Many werewolves hide undetected among humans, but transformations are sometimes unavoidable due to emotions and bloodlust.

A murderous white werewolf is on the loose in Hemlock. It killed Mackenzie’s best friend Amy and a few other girls along the way. The Trackers, an extremist anti-werewolf organization, come to Hemlock in an effort to catch the werewolf, but they also cause a lot of trouble for the citizens. They view themselves as above the law and pretty much do whatever they want without consequences. Mac decides to investigate the murder herself since the Trackers are absorbed with harassing people and the police does nothing. She gets more than she bargained for when she uncovers secret after secret about Amy’s boyfriend Jason, her best friend Kyle, and Amy herself.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading Hemlock. I’m usually not a fan of werewolf books because good characters are inevitably changed into insufferable jerks. This actually wasn’t the case with Hemlock and the world created by Kathleen Peacock is different than the usual fare. The public is aware that werewolves exist and they immediately lose all rights as people when their existence becomes known. The driving force behind the werewolf camps seems to be primarily fear. Fear and the need for protection also allow the Trackers to take over and do whatever they want. The Trackers’ actions become more and more violent and reprehensible as the book goes on.

The characters were also more than I expected. The back of the book described a typical YA love triangle, but it was far from a girl mooning over two guys and waiting three books to choose one. I really liked Mac and sympathized with her. Unlike many YA heroines, she was strong, fiercely loyal, and full of heart. The two young men in her love triangle were both admirable and annoying in their own opposite ways. So many surprising revelations came out about these characters and all the twists and turns made the book that much more exciting.

Hemlock was surprisingly a very good read and I can’t wait for the next installment!

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Elizabeth is a student at Cal State Long Beach. She laughs a lot, loves cats, and lives for music and books. You can read her blog here: http://titania86-fishmuffins.blogspot.com/.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Katherine Tegen Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review & Giveaway: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

[ 38 ] April 27, 2012

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

In the futuristic ruins of Chicago, vampires have entirely taken over after a plague wiped out most of humanity. Desperate to maintain their food supply, the vampires make the humans register themselves and donate their blood. Allie, an orphan, is an Unregistered who lives on the Fringe and thieves to survive with a small band of friends outside of a vampire city. Allie hits the jackpot when she discovers a deserted house containing cans of food that will feed her “family” for months. When she leads them to the food supply in a dangerous area infested with rabids, she loses her family and her mortality in the same night.

Kanin, a mysterious vampire, gave Allie the choice between a mortal death or eternal life as a vampire, the very creature that Allie loathes. Allie would rather survive as a vampire than succumb to death, so she agrees to let him “turn” her. Kanin teaches Allie what she needs to know to thrive as a vampire, including that she must drink blood within a certain amount of time or she will go mad. Soon Allie and Kanin part ways, and Allie falls in with a band of humans who are searching for Eden, a place with the technology they need to find a cure. Allie must guard her secret carefully or they will destroy her, but only if her Hunger does not get in the way first.

Allie is a strong character; in the beginning she is sort of lifeless and empty, and it’s actually when she becomes a vampire that she begins taking emotional risks and thinking with her heart rather than her survival instinct. Her love interest is Zeke, one of the humans who is part of the group looking for Eden. He especially touches the humanity that still remains in her.

At times The Immortal Rules is really slow; toward the beginning Julie Kagawa tosses out too much information all at once via Kanin, and I’d rather she provided that information in bits throughout the novel and in other ways than pages and pages of back and forth dialogue. I enjoyed the characters and the setting enough that I’ll be continuing this series with a few minor reservations.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Also by Julie Kagawa: The Iron Queen, The Iron Daughter & The Iron King

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Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.
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Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

[ 3 ] April 23, 2012

Reviewed by Megan Saldecki

America Singer is content with her life. Although her boyfriend, Aspen, is in a lower caste, to America, he’s perfect. So when he urges her to join The Selection, an opportunity for one of thirty-five girls to become the wife of Prince Maxon, she is surprised. She’s even more surprised when she’s picked.

Wanting to be with Aspen, but needing the checks that The Selection provides her family with more, America sets off to the palace, heart closed off from the snobby Prince.

But when America meets Maxon, she realizes he’s not who she thought he was. He’s kind and sweet and she realizes that marrying Aspen might not be the best choice she has – and wants.

Plagued by these new found feelings, America has a big decision to make. Will it be Aspen or Prince Maxon?

After hearing about The Selection being compared to The Bachelor, I immediately wanted to read it. Being an unashamed fan of The Bachelor and all the juicy drama it provides, I knew I couldn’t go wrong with The Selection. And it didn’t disappoint.

America was a great character. She has a great head on her shoulders and knows exactly what she wants – except when it comes to love. I really loved her commitment to her family and her kindness towards everyone, despite their castes. I did, however, get annoyed about her indecision when it came to Aspen and Maxon. But unlike most love triangles, The Selection‘s love triangle at least seemed a bit more realistic, because it did not involve instant love.

It was obvious from the get go that the love triangle will play a major role in the series. At the end of The Selection, America had yet to make up her mind on who she wanted to be with. So if you dislike love triangles, romance as a major plot line, or a heroine who cannot make up her mind, The Selection is probably not for you. I, however, enjoyed it, and would recommend it to fans of dystopian fiction, romance, and of course, The Bachelor.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Meghan is a 18-year-old book blogger. She likes to read and write in her spare time and would like to become a published author one day. She plans on going to college soon.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Harper Teen. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Starters by Lissa Price

[ 4 ] April 10, 2012

Reviewed by April Kirkland

The Spore Wars have left the United States in shambles. The young known as starters and the elderly known as enders were the first to receive the vaccinations to fight the spores. As a result, citizens between the ages of 20-60 were wiped out. The “no minors working” legislation meant to protect enders from being pushed out of the workplace by more able bodied starters has made it nearly impossible for unclaimed minors to survive. With no living relatives to claim them,they are forced to squat in abandoned buildings and hide from Marshals to avoid being taken to the institution.

Callie is one of these unclaimed minors running and hiding with her sick younger brother Tyler and their friend Michael. Callie hears about a place called Prime Destinations where you can get paid under the radar by renting out your body to enders. Desperate to save her brother, Callie agrees to rent her body for a huge amount of cash that she plans to use to start a new life. All she has to do is get through three rentals. But when things take an unexpected turn, Callie wakes up in her own body but can now communicate with her renter in her mind. The things Callie finds out from her renter change everything and now she must find out how to survive.

Compelling from beginning to end, Lissa Price has built an eerily realistic dystopian world full of suspense and intensity. Starters is dark and fascinating, and I feel that Price has put a unique spin on dystopian societies. Her writing is superb with perfect pacing and momentum. The characters are interesting and strong.

Starters is full of action, technology, romance, and intrigue. I was constantly engaged wondering what twist would happen next and where this story might lead. I truly loved this book and can’t help but to linger on some of the questions I hope will be answered in the next book. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel.

I highly recommend Starters to dystopian fans and young adult readers. I feel that this book also has great crossover appeal for adults. It is definitely my top read for 2012 so far!

Rating: ★★★★★ 

April is a stay at home mom and wife. She lives in a small county in Alabama famous for its peaches. She loves to write poetry, read, and paint, and is also an aspiring author.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Delacorte Books for Young Readers. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

[ 1 ] April 8, 2012

Reviewed by Grace Soledad

The Calling is the sequel to The Gathering, and starts up where the previous book left off. After Maya and her friends witness a strange group of people lighting fires in the Vancouver Island woods, they are evacuated from their isolated town via helicopter. Maya and her friends don’t understand why these things are happening to them, but have some unique abilities. Maya – with her Native heritage – has a small faded paw print birthmark on her hip, and has recently discovered that she is a skin-walker, or can change into a cougar. Daniel senses things about people, and they start to wonder if the town might have a more sinister purpose for keeping them isolated from the rest of the world. After the events in the previous book, they start to wonder which side to take.

When their helicopter crashes in the middle of the Vancouver Island wilderness, the group of teens is stranded without food or water, trying to find their way back to their families against a ticking clock. Their enemies are still after them, trying to pick them off one by one and they don’t know why. Secrets are uncovered. The people that they have known their entire lives have started to turn against each other, wondering who to trust. The main question is: who is the enemy?

I was having a bit of deja vu at the beginning of The Calling because it almost reminded me of Flight 29 Down or Beauty Queens, without the satire. Everything was at first very abrupt. Maya is as likable a character as always, and we learn more about each character as the story line progresses. One of the strengths and one of my favorite parts of the book is Kelley Armstrong’s ability to change my perception of a character with only a few sentences. I enjoyed hearing more about the backstories and it added to the twists that came. Maya was a bit of an unreliable narrator because she struggled with how she judged people, but it worked with the book.

The action and paranormal aspects of The Calling book were incredible. It was cleverly written and everything started to knit together and make sense, although every once in a while something would happen that would turn things upside down all over again. I tore through this book in less than an hour – it was filled with action and intrigue, while still featuring all the character development and cleanliness that I enjoy in all my books. It’s hard to capture both qualities, and Armstrong made it look effortless. I loved it.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Also by Kelley Armstrong: Spell Bound & Waking the Witch

Grace Soledad is a teenage bibliophile who runs the blog Words Like Silver. She is described as “antisocial” because she constantly has her nose buried in a book or a notebook. When not reading, she can be found dancing, writing, or at the beach.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by HarperCollins. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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