Book review: Inescapable by Amy Bartol

Title: Inescapable
Author: Amy A. Bartol
Series: The Premonition series
Published: August 8th 2011
Rate
Synopsis: My name is Evie Claremont and this was to be the making of me--my freshman year of college. I had been hoping that once I had arrived on Crestwood's campus, the nightmare that I've been having would go away. It hasn't.

I may be an inexperienced seventeen-year-old, but I'm grounded...sane. Since meeting sophomore Reed Wellington, however, nothing makes any sense. Whenever he is near, I feel an attraction to him--a magnetic kind of force pulling me towards him. I know what you're thinking...that sounds fairly awesome. Yeah, it would--if he liked me, but Reed acts as if I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to Crestwood...or him. But, get this, for some reason every time I turn around he's there, barging into my life.

What is the secret he is keeping from me? I'm hoping that it is anything but what I expect: that he is not exactly normal...and neither am I. So maybe Crestwood won't be the making of me, but it could be the breaking of me. I have been left to wonder if the dark future my dream is foretelling is...inescapable.


My Review:

At first, when I found this book on my kindle shopping site, I KNEW it was special. I actually downloaded it before I finished reading the sample--which is a first for me, usually I read the sample then put it on a waiting list that rarely gets glanced at. The story is basically about angels which seems pretty common these days. It follows our main character Genevieve--wow, that's the name of the ANGEL in Alexandra Adornetto's Halo, coincidence--Claremont when she moves to a posh school due to her scholarship. There, she meets Reed Wellington who she feels strangely attracted to, despite the fact that Reed seems to detest her. We meet the atypical love triangle when Russell, the alternative boy-toy, is pulled into the mix. With Reed, it's as if she needs him, while with Russell, it's as if she already has him. The story unfolds to pull us into an adorable romance between the characters (I won't say which just yet). But, for Genevieve, all is not as it seems, and her vague past suddenly becomes the judge of her future.

I'll start with the writing. When I started the book, I found it a bit difficult to read due to the fancy overtone. Sometimes the amount of smart words can be annoying. However, fear not, as I continued to read the novel, it unraveled to become almost rhythmic and easy to digest. I loved how Amy (author) used formality in Reed and Zephyr's (who appears later in the novel) voices to portray their age. It was fun to compare modern voices to their own through the writing (though I do think the modern voices could have been improved). Amy's writing style is just delicious, like fancy foreign food.

The characters were also impressive. I enjoyed getting to know Reed (I voted for him all the way throughout the love triangle). He became likable and sweet but with that added danger edge that I loved. He was easy to root for, which, despite being a plus, kinda added to a flaw. I didn't really get to know Russell, and I think the male characters should have been given that extra pizzazz. For Reed, more descriptions of his emotions and for Russell, more of himself. Either they needed that, or it's just my air-headedness and not paying enough attention to the book. Either way, I still loved Reed.

Genevieve (whom deserves her own paragraph) was sweet, and I could easily read the author's efforts to push across her martyr attitude. It's cool how she sacrifices herself for those she loves, but I still felt more could have been done with her emotions when tragedy struck. There were also those moments where the author's descriptions translated wrongly in Genevieve's thoughts, leaving her with a hint of mean in her attitude, though it's completely understandable how Genevieve acts. Her next flaw was her attitude. I mean, I LOVED it, but it wasn't portrayed the way it could have been. (Either way, Genevieve was awesome to a point).

Speaking of love, I was scarily impressed with the romance. Though I'm not a big fan of love triangles (someone always gets hurt) the feelings between Reed and Genevieve were real and all consuming. Any flaws were either none existent or veryyyy tiny. One of my favorite romantic bits was shown around the end of the book (as much as I love spoilers I'm not sure you should love them). It portrayed Reed's love by using his worry for Genevieve (oh so sweet). If Reed wasn't crush-worthy before that, he definitely is now. Generally though, the passion between the two was burning and sweet all at the same time.

The plot on the other hand was a cool drink of water. I loved (am I saying that a lot?) how the story flowed easily, each event told beautifully and with the right amount of drama. One of my favorite bits was Reed and Genevieve's first kiss (one of the best kiss scenes, I've ever read!!!!!) which was so sweet. There were miniscule plot holes (if there was any at all) and the climax points and why they came about were completely unexpected. The main climax was just WOW--I didn't see that one coming. It is no lie when I say that this writer is talented. If I got right to the basis, the story was beautiful. 

Book review: Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
Series: Eve #1
Published: July 3rd 2012
Rate: 5 stars
Synopsis: Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

After a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth's population, the world is a terrifying place.

Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a bright future in The New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school's real purpose--and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she's ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. But when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.






 My Review:

As I write this review, I still have tears in my eyes. this is one of the most emotional novels I've read in a long while. I know with dystopian themes you expect that but it's just each time I read one it gives me this same feeling. I admire Anna, really. From the sight of the people who were blinded by The New America, they would say she's lucky, but if you are one of those orphan girls who were promised a bright future and the day right after your graduation your are presented with the heartbreaking truth, you will say that Eve is one of the luckiest girls because she found out and got to flee before the truth was revealed. But if you look at it from Eve's perspective all of it is the same. She feels hurt, betrayed, and know she is lost in this big world where she can trust no one except one of the girls,Arden, who also fled from school the night before graduation. 
On her journey towards safety, she will also meet Caleb, a orphan boy who lives with a bunch of his peers in a refugee camp. Being told all her life that boys are mean, manipulative creatures, eve's instincts tell her not to trust this boy, but he slowly but surely gains her trust and her heart. Within a short period of time, Eve will be smacked in the face with the realities of life: love, fear, hurt, loss, betrayal, deception.


I have to say that my favorite character in the book was Caleb. Even though I was mad at him at first for running away, he made up for it when he sacrificed so much to make it to Eve. The few moments in the book where I actually smiled or laughed were because of him. He has a great personality and I couldn't think of a better first love for Eve.

My favorite part  of the book was when Eve was teaching the kids the definition of love. I felt kind of sad that those young kids didn't even know what love was because they had no one to tel them that they loved them. That's way when Benny was running behind the truck when Eve was being taken away yelling I love you! I couldn't hold it together anymore I actually broke down in sobs.

Overall all this book was a great book, and I recommend it to anyone who like dystopian themed books because you will definitely like this one. And if these kind of books just aren't your go to give it a try I promise you won't regret it!!

 

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: Romance
Published: December 2nd 2010
Rate: 4.5
Synopsis: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.




 My review:
                                                       I am positively glowing after finishing this book. I didn't want it to end; I felt as if I were leaving a piece of myself behind in the book just because it had made me feel so many things in such a short span of time.

Anna and the French Kiss is wonderfully romantic, charmingly humorous, and refreshingly honest when it comes to teenage actions and emotions. This is one of those books that will leave anyone's heart warm and fuzzy one moment and torn with indecision and doubt the next. This story was all about the turmoil and mess that sometimes comes with falling in love -- but the backdrop of Paris gave it a solid grounding that made it even more vibrant -- though I would definitely argue it was vibrant enough with characters like Anna and Etienne. (There were many nice attentions to detail in this book as well -- such as the descriptions of Parisian delicacies, the architecture of the sights to be had in the city, and even the literature the seniors were reading for English.)

Speaking of the characters -- Anna is a heroine any girl could relate to since every girl who has ever had a crush on a boy has always wondered: Does he like me or not? And Etienne is a romantic, witty counterpart who is flawed in many ways. However, here's something that sets this story apart: the characters make mistakes -- but they grow and learn because of the errors they have made in the past. Needless to say, I was very happy with the way the story progressed because, to me, it seemed very true to life and the essence of what it means to be a teenager caught up in the tangles of love and its complications.

Stephanie Perkins definitely astounded me with this debut novel. She will assuredly make a mark in the YA scene with her novels. Here's hoping the companion novels to Anna will shine just as brightly as this one did

Wishlist Wednesday #1

Hello my lovelies!! Happy Wednesday!! This will be my first time participating in the Wish list Wednesday meme hosted by Pen to Paper I go hope you guys like it!!

Here goes:

OK so this is a book that has been on my to-be-read list for some time now, but I just haven't had the chance to stumble upon it yet but I haven't entirely given up yet ;)

Title: The Selection

Author: Kiera Cass

Synopsis: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself – and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Dystopian has really been my kind of thing lately. I don't know something about it just captivates me and I love the aftermath of reading such books; they make you think about the present world and what is going on right know. This is a question I always ask myself after I read a Dystopian themed book: Can this fiction become reality? Ha thats enough for today...

So, tell me, what's on your wishlist?

Book Review: Significance by Shelly Crane

Title: Significance
Author: Shelly Crane
Series: The Significance series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Published: June 12th 2011
Rate: 5 stars

Synopsis: Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track, but then her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating - barely - and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football scholarship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has.
Then she saves the life of Caleb and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing. But things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally.
They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive.
Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him.

Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another?





 My Review:

I can't even find the correct words o describe how much I loved this book. I laughed, rejoiced, cried, and feared for the characters. And whenever Maggie and Caleb interact, my heart simply just melts. Much to my rejoice, even though there were many hardships They always made it through together. But one thing. I sincerely felt bad for Kyle, I mean not that Caleb would rub the fact that Maggie is his in his fsce, Caleb is too kind for that, but he loved Maggie so he could'nt help but feeling jealous and that the fact that Maggie and Caleb were all over each other at every occasion didn't help either. I really didn't care about Chad that much, although I thought he was cool because he had Maggie's best interest at heart. And Bex, I simply loved her she is the best friend that a girl could wish for. And now lets talk evil..I so did not appreciate the Watson's butting in with there jealousy just when the relationship was starting to blossom. I was like urghh...I could just enterr the book and annihilate all of you evil childish powerless....people. But Jacobsons to the rescue!!!! You are going to love all the cool powers that they possess.  Ok I probably said enough so to sm it up without giving away much more details SIGNIFICANCE IS AWESOME!!!And when I say awesome, i mean the kind that makes you forget that you have to eventually leave your seat and go grab something to eat, go take care of any duties that yo have awesome. so without further due, please go to whatever book store it is that you use and buy this one, I promise you wont regret it!!

Book Review- Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Litmann

Title: Want to go Private
Author:  Sarah Darer Litmann
Genre: Realistic fiction
Published: August 1st 2011
 Rate:4 stars
Synopsis: Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school--it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke--he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.







My Review:
WOW!! that's all I can say. This book transmitted a powerful message to all kids my age. I am a teen, older than Abby, but a teen nevertheless. And I do know what it is like to feel like a total social reject or feel unloved and unappreciated and judged. Abby felt like the whole world was coming down on her, so of course if this really sweet guy comes along and tells her everything she wants to hear,even if he is a virtual person,under the pseudo of BlueSkyboi, she is going to fall for it. And I know what you might be thinking at this point, "Oh well if she falls for it, then she's just stupid". Of course, that's true, but think back to when you were a teen, if you suddenly feel like the whole world is crumbling down on you, that no one loves you, then wouldn't you want someone to make you feel worthy and powerful, beautiful and loved, even if its just for a moment, even if its just a virtual person? Admit nit, of course you would. Now, don't get my message wrong, of course Abby should have known better, she was well aware of all of the Internet safety protocols and she should have followed them as if her life depended on them(because really her life does depend on them), but come on lets talk real, do we teenagers ever follow rules? No we don't, and unfortunately when we don't consequences follow, some just harsher than others. Abby decided to not follow the rules, and she almost paid the consequences with her life, but the good thing is Abby learned from her mistakes and came out stronger and wiser. So these are the life lessons this book gave me:

Always follow all of the Internet Safety Rules
Never talk to strangers online, no matter how sweet and understanding they may seem
If you are having problems, never shut down on everyone and feel as if you're alone. Talk to a responsible adult(parents, counselor, school psychiatrist, teacher,etc...)
When you make a mistake, learn from that mistake, take notes and make sure it never happens again,but don't dwell on it. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and you only live once, so don't spend the rest of you're life feeling like a failure just because you made a mistake, and know one has the right to make you feel that way either.

Welcome to my Blog!!

Hello my Lovelies! Welcome to my world. I hope that you will enjoy my blog. All of this is fairly new to me but I really want to do this and I think that my determination, help from you guys and my fellow bloggers and my love of books will pull me through. So if there is anything thing and I mean anything that I do that is not good or if offensive to someone, please tell me and I will do my very very best to correct it. Please also note that the books that I will be reviewing are from my own reading experience, so if there is a book that you would like to suggest to me I will provide an area for you to comment your book suggestions and I will gladly include them on my to be read list.

On this blog I will be doing daily themes, book reviews  and hopefully I will get to the point where I will be able to host book giveaways and cool stuff like that. I am a student so at some times I might not be able to update the blog, but I promise that will be minimum and I will keep this blog as updated as possible.


Looking forward to having many fun times with all of you!!!
~brianna <3