Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. My Spartan classmate relentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over again, the shining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes practically glowed with the thrill of battle…

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in sword play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that some one at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword…
This blurb came from Goodreads.

While I tend to think of myself as a voracious reader, I have mostly stayed away from the newish crop of YA (Young Adult) books and authors. I was glad to see an upswing in books that inspired people to read even if they didn’t work for me. I do read YA but those authors I was introduced to either in school like Robin McKinley and Roald Dahl or were writing it when I was going through school like Tamora Pierce. What those authors have in common is they did not — and those that are still writing — do not contain the levels of “emoness” that seem to be prevalent today. I also watched the huge increase in adult authors who decided to make the leap over to YA and wondered about the different skill-set required. When I read a YA, yes like always, I am expecting a good story but I don’t read them expecting to see chronologically younger versions of the same characters but different mentalities/viewpoints etc.

So why you might ask given all of that did I agree to review Kiss of Frost which is certainly a YA and the second novel of the series. What had happened was, I already liked Ms Estep’s Elemental Assassin series and I was reading Entangled for a joint review last fall when I stumbled upon her novella Halloween Frost and I got sucked in. As a result I bought the prequel novella, the first novel and then accepted the request for this review.

There will be spoilers for the previous stories in this review but I will attempt to keep them as minimal as possible. Kiss of Frost picks up shortly after the events of Touch of Frost, reviewed by Lou here, with Gwen actively trying to learn how to use the various weapons provided in gym class. Gwen knows that she will be a target for the Reapers but compared to the majority of the other students who all have some magical skill in the art of self-defense and weaponry, she thinks she is fighting a losing battle. Not to forget that her primary instructor happens to be the boy she has a crush on who is very involved with someone else. I liked how Ms Estep highlighted Gwen’s feelings and reactions without taking them to an extreme level. They seemed appropriate for someone her age and temperament.

It was rather enjoyable watching Daphne drag Gwen kicking and screaming into a friendship that also meant Gwen ended up participating in some things that were outside her normal comfort zone as she started to find her place at Mythos Academy. As the novel continues Gwen also starts learning that everyone is not as they seem and that her powers of psychometry — even though she sees them as comparatively insignificant — can produce some pretty amazing results. She learns some things about herself and about dealing with other people as she continues to realize that some myths and legends are real and still around today. Gwen does find out some rather disturbing information that caused her to doubt her entire world but I loved her reaction. It was so in character and went along with everything else she had demonstrated before.

I really enjoyed reading this installment of the Mythos Academy because it provided me with everything I could ask for. I got to enjoy mystery, death threats, mythical creatures, talking swords, building friendships, character growth, some fascinating world building and a great story. I can’t wait for Dark Frost to come out later this year!

I give Kiss of Frost an A

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Review – Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone – one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship – tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

*blurb taken from Goodreads*

*This review contains some spoilers*

For those who know me, I’m not a huge lover of sc-fi type books as I really find all of the descriptions of ships and whatnot to send me off to sleep. So even though I’ve read good things about Across the Universe, I wasn’t that tempted to pick it up. But after finding myself with nothing to read the other night, I downloaded a sample from Amazon and low and behold, there was my evening (sleep actually) gone for the night when I bought the book and I was up until 3am finishing this story.

Across the Universe started off very strong, and I loved that Amy’s love of her parents made her follow them as ‘frozen cargo’, which meant she left all that she knew behind on earth. And I say this because it’s so rarely often you see a loving relationship between the protags and parents in YA. So when Amy is frozen, you would think that the next chapter would be when she woke up in 300 years with her parents, and throughout that time period Amy would not feel, dream, or imagine. But that’s not the case. Amy is in a half life dream state where she has semi-conscious thoughts, and I found that to be terrifying and it was the stuff of nightmares because can you imagine being like that for over 300 years?!

But Amy doesn’t wake up 300 years later, she wakes up much sooner and she’s lucky she didn’t die or drown when the frozen liquid unfreezes with tubes still down her throat. And when Amy wakes, she vaguely and with blurry vision sees Elder, the second in command of Godspeed and who is the male protagonist. Elder is in training to become Eldest who is in charge of the people upon Godspeed. The current Eldest is training Elder, and they butt heads quite often. There are different levels upon the ship and within each of these levels are people who have their own purpose. It’s the job of the Eldest to make sure that the people are run literally like cattle. Elder in most ways is quite immature and boy-like in his feelings and responses, and when he discovers the frozen cargo which has been hidden from him and everybody else on the ship, he looks upon Amy as if she was a new toy. So when Amy wakes up and realises how Godspeed is run, this is actually the stuff of nightmares for her.

I’m finding it hard to write this review because there are so many plot twists and explanations about how Godspeed is run that if I did that alone, the review would probably be over two pages long. Whilst there is a subtle romance between Amy and Elder, Across The Universe is not romance centric, and it’s more about the people, and how for so long — since a Plague took hold and killed off so many people — they are controlled right down to their DNA and hormones on board the ship. And mixed in with that is the other sub-plot of the frozen people being killed off.

And Elder is very different from the Eldest who comes across as a psychopath as when he sees Amy, his first thought is to chuck her out of the hatch into space. And Elder slowly begins to see that the way of life upon Godspeed is so terribly wrong, and he clashes with Eldest but doesn’t have the courage or the conviction yet to set upon a change. Yet when he gets to know Amy and he sees through her eyes what Earth used to be like, and how this is not how humans behave, he becomes more rebellious against Eldest, and the more he learns more about Godspeed the ship, the more horrified he is.

Again, there are so many subplots to talk about that I just can’t name them all, and this is where I have a problem with the book. There is just way too much going, and whilst I think it’s definitely a strong debut, I found myself confused so many times. Even writing this review, there is so much to talk about that I can’t fit it all in. But what I thought was conveyed so well was Amy’s loss and grief of being alone on this ship without her parents. And Amy contemplates waking up her Father so she won’t be alone because she thinks that in the future, they won’t need him. But she never does it, and I’m really looking forward to the next book in seeing how Amy adapts to her new role. Again, I know I’m vague and I apologise, but spoilers .

The book has it’s strong points in Amy and Elder, and it’s told in alternating chapters from their POV. And there is a revelation at the end that really took me for surprise, and I hope we get to see more of that revelation in the second book and how Elder and Amy deal with it.

Overall, Across The Universe is a fascinating read and I enjoyed it, but there were too many plots for me to follow and it ends up being somewhat of a confusing read. But I would definitely pick up the second book in the series and see how the story follows.

I give it a C+.

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Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket—a gifted inventor—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

*Blurb taken from author’s official website*

The day finally came. I was literally counting down the months for this release because how I so loved Stephanie Perkins debut novel, Anna and The French Kiss (click here for the review). Stephanie Perkins is such a talented author, and I couldn’t wait to see how her second novel panned out. Lola turned out good, but not great for me, so it’s with a tiny bit of sadness that I’m going to have to write some things I didn’t like about Lola. But it’s still a very enjoyable read, and I still have no hesitating in book pushing Lola onto others. Lola is the companion novel to Anna, and whilst it has no direct story that relates to the first, Anna and St Clair feature which was fantastic. I don’t want to go straight into the blurb again, so I’ll crack straight onto the review.

I liked Lola, but her see-sawing emotions became annoying for me when it came between her boyfriend Max, and her sort of ex Cricket. When Cricket and his twin sister arrive back next door to live, Lola’s old feelings for him return and she’s very confused as Cricket seems the same, but so different. I think Lola has a much younger tone in the story, and more young teenager angst compared to Anna, and Lola’s reactions are that very much of a confused teenager as she sort of plays both Max and Cricket on — but not in a malicious way.

Lola was very much a creative spirit, and her family life was just fantastic with both her dads, Andy and Nathan, a gay couple, who were such delightful characters. It was so cute and funny seeing them be so protective over Lola when it came both to Max and Cricket. For me, I never saw what Lola saw in Max, other than he was older, and a ‘rocker’, and he was pretty much an ass as far as I was concerned. Cricket on the other hand was such a sweetheart, and he was such a little oddball but in a inventive and eccentric way. His little contraptions that he built just added to his character, and he really was so sweet that I kept mentally shouting at Lola, how could you lead on sweet Cricket when he was trying so hard to stay away from you because he was honouring the fact you had a boyfriend. The fact that Lola wasn’t doing it in a purposeful or malicious way stopped me from disliking her, because she owns up to the realisation of what she was doing.

The secondary characters in Lola I don’t believe were strong, except for Lola’s parents Nathan and Andy. Lola’s best friend, whilst there, seemed to fade in the background, and other than being told they were best friends, I didn’t feel the connection between them. The same goes for Cricket’s twin sister, who at first was so snotty, but really was quite protective of her brother. I didn’t know quite what to make of Cricket having to sacrifice his childhood for his twin’s professional career as a skater, and I thought it was quite heartbreaking that his parents never put that much effort into his ambitions and happiness. And again, Nathan and Andy saw this and they were so sweet when they started inviting Cricket over so he wouldn’t feel so alone.
Lola and Cricket when they were together were so cute, but for me personally, I disliked that Lola was with Max through most of the novel because there was just too much teen angst for my liking. And it’s the first time where I felt that this book is definitely suited more towards teenagers. I did like that Lola’s reaction to Max towards the end was quite grown up, and she did think about her actions and feelings. What I found fascinating was her relationship with her birth mother, Norah, and how Lola was so mature about it, and that whilst she cared for her, she never had an inclination of wanting Norah to be her mother. And Norah had no inclination of wanting to be a mother, but they still both cared for one another.

Lola and Cricket towards the end of book were just fantastic, and how I so wished that it happened on earlier in the story because Cricket whilst innocent, is not so lily-white when it comes to Lola *grins*. And again, I loved that we saw Anna and Etienne again and whilst they featured in quite a few scenes, they never took over the story of Lola and Cricket.

All in all. Lola is a very good read with a very strong heroine, and a sweet cute beta-hero in Cricket. I didn’t love it compared to Anna, and because I found the tone to be younger, and I couldn’t get into the story as much as I would have liked. And yes, once again, I’ll be counting down the months until the third companion novel is released by Perkins.

I give Lola and The Boy Next Door a B.

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Review: Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

My personal favourite is the Immortals series that is set in the Tortall Universe. I’ve been meaning for a while to do an overall review, and this past week, I’ve done a major re-read of the series so I thought it was the perfect time.

I’m going to do a review of each book through out a time period. I’ll try and not totally gush and express my total book love of the most awesome mage EVER, Numair Salamin *grins*.

“Young Daine’s knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to Tortall. Soon it becomes clear that Daine’s talent, as much as she struggles to hide it, is downright magical. Horses and other animals not only obey, but listen to her words. Daine, though, will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.”

Our heroine of the series is young Daine, a 13 year old girl orphan who has the most extraordinary gift which allows her to communicate and talk to animals. In Wild Magic, it’s the story of Daine’s introduction to the Tortall Kingdom and her learning about her abilities and finding a place to call home. We meet again characters we grew to love from the Alanna series who make appearances quite often — not only in Wild Magic — but throughout the rest of the series. If you’re a big fan of animals, you will enjoy this series a lot. What Tamora Pierce is best at is her ability for world building, her imagination for creating magical beasts and gods, and for creating characters that are unique and so full of personality that you’ll remember them for a long time to come.

Wild Magic I don’t believe is the best book in the series. It’s a little slow to start with, but once it gets going, it goes to strength to strength. Daine for the past few years has had a terrible and traumatic time after raiders killed her mother. She’s never had a father and doesn’t know who he is, and except for her horse, Cloud — who she can communicate with — she’s been alone for a long time, expect for when she was with the wolf pack. When she meets horsemistress Onua, and becomes her apprentice, it’s a lifeline for Daine. She tells a few porky pies, but Onua likes what she sees and hires Daine. From there, the two begin a friendship, and it’s not long into the journey they encounter trouble from monsters, they meet my book crush, Numair. *happy sigh*

Daine is very much young and naive despite the horror she had to endure, but there is also a core of strength in her that is similar to Alanna when she was young, but in a much quieter way. Daine can seem perhaps to others as ‘too perfect’ but she is a major contrast to Alanna and I think having another strong and in your face character as Alanna would have been overbearing. Daine though is thrust quickly into using her gifts when terrible creatures from the Immortal world, the Divine Realm, have escaped. Daine is forced to use her gifts to battle these terrible creatures, and there is a realistic amount of violence that doesn’t escape into graphic territory. I loved the scenes when they travelled to Pirates Swoop, and it’s there where a big-ass battle commences where animals, monsters, sea monsters and a dragon appear in scenes that showcases the awesome world building. I think said it before, but I would have LOVED to have read this series when I was kid. I think I would have loved it even more back then. Not only is the world building so solid, the dialog and characters and just as fantastic. There is wit and humour that makes reading Wild Magic so engrossing.

Wild Magic is more of an introductory piece than anything as the subsequent books go into a lot more depth. But it’s one that invokes such imagination that you’ll find it very hard to put down. I give Wild Magic a B+.

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REVIEW: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Every girl who has taken the test has failed.

Now it’s Kate’s turn.

It’s always been just Kate and her mom–and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate’s going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won’t live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld–and if she accepts his bargain, he’ll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he’s crazy–until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she’ll become Henry’s future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails…

*Blurb taken from author’s official website*

The Goddess Test is based around Greek Mythology, where our heroine, Kate, makes a deal with Henry (Hades) in return for saving her friend’s life, and to spend more time with her mother before she dies. Kate must past the seven tests of the council to becomes Henry’s wife, otherwise her memory will be wiped, and Henry will fade into nothing.

I enjoyed The Goddess Test, but I did have my problems with the world building, the romantic relationship, and some of Kate’s reactions, but otherwise I found it to be an enjoyable read where I stayed up until the early morning finishing it.

What I liked was the external plot surrounding the gods, because throughout the story, surprises were thrown in the way that I didn’t expect, and that’s always a good thing. It wasn’t predictable, and the reveal of the council took me completely by surprise. It was a great twist, but Kate’s reaction to it all was way too accepting. If I was her, I would be feeling pretty screwed up, but she seemed to accept it all easily — especially the revelation surrounding her mother. It’s very hard to explain without going into spoilers, but what I’ll say is that some things were left unexplained and without the world building rules.

This is called a YA, but I don’t believe Henry is a Young Adult. He’s a god, but has the body of a boy whose only a few years older than Kate. So even though he was the hero material, I found there to be a disconnect because he was acting like a late teen, but in reality, he was a big ass god who should have had a LOT more maturity than he did. Henry also didn’t have a lot of personality, and towards the beginning, I pretty much thought that James had a lot more going for him. Henry’s and Kate’s romance wasn’t an instant I love you, and that made for a nice change. I felt though that Kate fell too easily for Henry, and Henry’s moping around after Persephone, his first wife, got on my nerves.

I’ll definitely be picking up the second story in the series to see where it leads with Kate and Henry, and I hope the world building is much stronger.

I give The Goddess Test a B-

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REVIEW: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Blurb taken from goodreads:

“Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history.

Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.

Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback.

Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter’s estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic “atmosphere” for the first party of the season. An unwrapping.

This is the start of it all, Agnes’s debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It’s also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn’t just a mummy. It’s a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain.

Get wrapped up in the adventure . . . but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes.”

Lou: When I first saw the buzz about this title, the first thing I noticed was the beautiful cover. It really is memorable, and it’s one you won’t forget anytime soon. It also has a tone that represents the plot of the book. I’ve been somewhat stuck in a rut with YA lately. I’m not a fan of the paranormal romances that are coming out lately with the mysterious boy, and the girl that he needs to save. Wrapped brings something entirely different to the YA genre; wrapped up in mystery, ancient Egypt, mummies and a sweet romance. Whilst it had all of these great things, and I enjoyed the book, I had issues with it. Firstly, I wasn’t sure if it was because I was tired, but when I first started reading, I had trouble getting into the story. The sentence structure felt awkward to me, and felt as if I was tripping over my mental tongue. It also had a slow beginning, and I was wondering when the action with Agnes would get moving so we could actually see what Agnes was like as a heroine.

Has: I totally agree with you about the cover and the theme of the story. It was also very refreshing to read a YA with a different setting and not the usual mysterious boy saving the girl or hidden magical abilities. I did think the opening scenes were great and I loved how it captured Agnes’ character and her skills with languages. But I think the lead up to the mystery was a tad slow and it didn’t get going until she was fully introduced with Caedmon and their discovery of a conspiracy.

Lou: I agree that the mystery was quite slow going. I kept waiting for something to happen, and it was when Agnes finally meets Caedmon that I started to enjoy the story. Their interactions with one another really brought out their personalities, and I think without their interactions, their personalities wouldn’t have been as strong. I liked that Caedmon wasn’t part of the ton or higher society. I really liked Caedmon (what an awesome name) and I must admit, I did like him more as a character than Agnes. I felt he was more fleshed out, and was a much more interesting character in terms of his knowledge. I’m a big fan of ancient Egypt stories — whether it be films, documentaries or books set around Egypt. And Wrapped certainly managed to infuse the setting and theme of Egypt whilst still being in London, England.

Has: I thought they were perfect together! Their chemistry was great and I have to say that Agnes’ intelligence and curiosity really shines and it was a perfect foil to Caedmon’s dedication to his studies in Egyptology. I especially liked how they rebelled against their social stations, as they were confined by expectations and class. It really fits into the title again and the main theme of the book — being wrapped into events, or confined by social class or expectations. The Egyptology theme was also the main reason why I picked up the book and I agree, even though the setting was in Regency England, the author really highlighted this aspect well, and I loved that there were hints of curses and magic, but that it was up to the reader’s imagination if this was true or not.

Lou: I like Agnes, and she was definitely smart, but I was annoyed that she didn’t end up telling her Father about what was happening when she knew that he was able to help her — especially when her life was at danger. I felt the author manipulation of the story where the most sensible thing was avoided as it enabled Agnes and Caedmon to solve the mystery themselves. I was wondering which route the magic curses would go down, and I think Bradley set that up great by not going either way of the spectrum. The actual mystery and villain of the story, I wasn’t that surprised by who they turned out to be. It was almost a simplistic conclusion, and I think the actual mystery of the amulet and the clues Agnes and Caedmon solved was the strongest part of the story.

Has: I definitely agree with you about Agnes not telling her father, but I thought that would have ended the story rather abruptly and there wouldn’t have been the discovery at the end which I think really worked. I also agree about the identity of the villain although I do think he was effective and I liked their interactions with Agnes which created an interesting dynamic. Another aspect that I really like was the portrayal of Agnes’ family and the insights we had — most especially with her brother Rupert which I found really interesting. And again the themes of being constricted on expectations he has to abide by — although we get to see he’s willing to break them because he’s unhappy too with the plight of his own future. Just like Agnes’ own fears about settling down with a suitable husband but yearning for more. It really made the characters standout here, and it was definitely realistic.

Lou: Anges family dynamics worked very well, and Rupert was…an interesting character . An annoying dandy of a brother, but a person who is very unhappy. I hope this is a start to a series, because I can see so much more potential in Agnes family — both in Rupert and her older brother David. I wonder also about her best friend, Julie, and if she is a potential love interest for Rupert, or perhaps for someone else. Talking about love interests, I do think Agnes and Caedamon were so sweet. There were both so hesitant, and sometimes snappy at one another, but they were always quick to forgive one another, and their hesitant romance was adorable.

Has: I hope there is more to come from these characters, and I hope there is some resolution for Rupert – I really felt for him in the end and that was surprising especially how his character was portrayed in the beginning. The ending feels like there is a lot of potential to explore especially with Agnes and Caedmon. I think their romance was definitely a delight and it was a nice change from the emo/forced angst that some recent YA books have at the moment. I think that helped not to overpower the story too.

Lou: I do so hope there is more to come from these characters. I think Wrapped was a great introduction to a YA series that is quite fresh in tone and theme. Despite the issues I have with Wrapped such as the slow beginning and slow mystery, I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for some fresh blood so to speak in the YA genre. I would love to give it a B, but because of the struggle I had at the beginning, I give Wrapped a C+

Has: I think Wrapped is a refreshing and delightful story with an engaging and fun heroine. Despite a very slow middling, it has well developed characters and a strong mystery that held some surprises which drew me into the story. I also hope there is more to come. I also give Wrapped a C+

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Joint Review: Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get book.: S&S galleygrab

Publication date: Out now

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That’s fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she’s a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

*Blurb taken from Goodreads*

In a desolate and desert like world where people are clinging on the edge of survival, Saba — despite these hardships and struggles — is content with the insular world she and her family have on this barren land, and most especially with her bond with her twin brother who is her touch stone.  However for Saba, one fateful day tears her family apart  and so is her world when she witnesses the murder of her father and the abduction of her twin brother who is to become a sacrifice for a mad king. She embarks on journey  to save him and along the way she learns new insights about herself and knowledge about the people she meets as well as the ones who she is close to.

When I picked up Blood Red Road, I had heard it would have an unusual prose because it’s written in a short and snappy vernacular style with no speech marks, and I do find it difficult to read books like that because I really had to use my inner translator. I am not a huge fan of this type of prose; I tried reading Girl in the Arena and gave up.  Nonetheless, with Blood Red Road, the prose did connect well with the tone of the book as well as fleshing out Saba’s narration and her character. I felt that the prose also had this ancient story-teller sense, which really reflected well with the theme of fate  and destiny which is written in the stars in the book.  Due to this, I really think the language and prose was rich despite the short, and snappy style and even though it took me a longer while to finish the book, I did enjoy the writing style

Along with the rich prose, I loved the rich imagery that is presented in the book. One of my favourite scenes is when Lugh, Saba’s twin brother, is kidnapped by four men on horseback. It is very reminiscent of biblical prophecy and again connects the themes of fate and invoking  the imagery of a post apocalyptic and barren world. Her response was gut-wrenching and I have to quote an excerpt from the aftermath of her brother’s kidnapping and death of her father because it emoted such strong feelings. It was really poetic and raw and from that point, I got lost in the story.

I cain’t speak. Cain’t breathe.
Lugh’s gone.
Gone.
My golden Heart is gone.
I kneel in the dust.
The tears roll down my face.
An a hard red rain starts to fall.

From this point the story and pace really kicks up a gear when Saba goes onto track and follow the strange men who she later finds out to be the Tonton who enslave people with drugs for a mad self proclaimed King. Yet along her journey she finds herself having to take care for her younger sister Emmi who refuses to be left behind with a friend of the family and tags along with Saba who reluctantly agrees. Saba’s cold attitude towards her sister doesn’t make her likable, in fact, in the beginning of the book, she is pretty self centred and insular with her outlook and  views.

Yet when Saba and Emmi are tricked and captured and enslaved by the cruel and eccentric couple, the Pinches, they force Saba to become a cage fighter, which is pretty reminiscent of Mad Max’s and the Thunderdome. I loved this aspect of the book because it was gritty and earthy. Saba’s character was also enriched and developed when she has to go through this harsh ordeal to survive. I loved how she learns to relate and empathise with others in the same predicament but at the same time not submitting to defeat because of her determination to escape and save her brother and sister.

I loved that during the course of the book — and with her experiences with her own enslavement and new relationships with friends she has made, and the evolving relationship with her sister Emmi — expanded her character. Blood Red Road is also a coming of age tale. In a lot of ways, Saba’s experiences with all of those ordeals she suffered — emotionally and physically —  helped to shape and form her own identity which has always been linked with her brother. Saba feels that she is the shadow and he is the light.

The book also had a wonderful rich cast of supporting characters, such as the rebels, who help out Saba, the Pinches, the mad King, and the mysterious Tonton second in command who I hope we get to see in future books because he really livened up and added colour in a stark world. I also ADORED Jack who is the love interest for Saba, who she saves from being enslaved as a cage-fighter. Their interactions with each other was fun, and sparkling. Jack is also rogue, and I loves the rogues! I also loved how the theme of destiny and fate was intertwined with their romance, and I hope this is explored later too. The romance was one of my favourite aspects of this book, although I wished Jack was introduced a bit sooner because he really enlivened the story and definitely was a great catalyst for Saba, who he challenged in a lot of ways which I liked.

Saba was hard to like in the beginning, but I loved that during her quest to look for her twin brother helped to bring out her vulnerable side which made me relate to her more. The supporting characters, who were quirky, scary and some completely psychotic  were really vivid and stood out for me, especially with the stark contrast of the dry and sterile landscape.

Blood Red Road is a compelling  book that was a tense and pacey read and filled with rich themes and imagery. The world-building and characters, was fantastic and for me definitely slots into what I think a Post Apocalyptic world can be like.  I know some people will have issues about the prose. I had trouble getting into the book initially and reading it took longer than I was usually accustomed to, but the language is rich and evocative and I think it really adds to the plot and tone and most especially the characters. I definitely look forward to the next book. I need my fix for Saba and her siblings and to see what happens with Jack!

I give Blood Red Road a B+

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Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Blurb taken from author’s official website:
“One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail…
Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author.
In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior’s world, society is divided into five factions – Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) – each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a “perfect society.” At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives.
On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family’s group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly “perfect society.” To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.”

Ying: Hi Has, thanks for recommending this book to me. Just a quick intro, Divergent is the first book of a trilogy. Second book is coming out next year.

At first I was a little confused with the world building because I didn’t read the blurb or the reviews, so it took me a while to get the factions in the society. Also, this book is written in present tense. Once I got my head around the setting I thoroughly enjoyed Divergent. I especially loved Tris’s “voice”. She reminded me of Yelena from Poison Study. Definitely NOT a whiny heroine!

Has: I was very intrigued by its premise, and I knew there was a lot of hype surrounding Divergent, and saying that this is the next Hunger Games. But my book senses was a’tingling — and they are almost always right — that this would be a good book, and I am glad I did pick it up. The present tense style didn’t throw me, because I have read a few books with this style. I LOVED Tris. I actually found I loved this more than the Hunger Games because unlike Katniss, Tris was more relatable. I loved her character, especially how she developed throughout the book.

Ying: Definitely, I can see why people were comparing it to The Hunger Games. Tris has grown so much from the girl we saw on the first page. I especially loved it when she said it would take courage to choose dauntless and selfless to choose Abnegation (my favourite quote below). Very insightful! One thing I can say about Divergent is that there is a lot to talk about, especially the world building.

“ I walk into my room, and when I close my door behind me, I realize that the decision might be simple. I will require a great act of selflessness to choose Abnegation, or a great act of courage to choose Dauntless, and maybe just choosing one over the other will prove that I belong. Tomorrow, those two qualities will struggle within me, and only one can win.” 

Has: This is what I loved about the world building. There was so much thought and detail that went into it and I loved how Veronica Roth turned those attributes which were virtues into major flaws. This wasn’t so much a dystopian book, but a dystopian disguised as a Utopian. I loved that twist.

Ying: Call me pessimistic, I don’t believe in a “perfect” society. It’s just a time bomb ready to go off. That’s what bugging me the most about this book. Why did Erudite agree to dividing the society into factions? It was never gonna work. But then you probably said this is what the book is all about.

Has: I think this is the main message of the book, but I also thought how she handled the themes of social segregation, and class divides is reflective in today’s society. I think the fact that Beatrice/Tris’s character being Divergent (she has more than one trait) was a great POV to have which showed that this approach was wrong.

Ying: Exactly! It was never going to work so I don’t think it was realistic. Apart from this reservation, I loved the rest of the book. I love Tris; she is sensible, practical, courageous and honest to herself. It takes a lot of guts to choose life away from her family. I would say that she has all 5 traits in her.

Has: That scene when she chose to be Dauntless, and broke away from her family was heart-breaking, but I agree! It showed how strong, stubborn and determined she was to forge her own path. This book is really about coming of age and discovering what kind of person she will be and wants to be. This is what all good YA books should be, and for once a YA had great supporting parents despite her father’s disappointment about her choice. I am not a fan of the orphan/ignored teen tropes which is a popular theme in a lot of YA books.

“Um … “ I don’t know why I hesitate. But “Beatrice” just doesn’t sound right anymore.
“Think about it,” he says, a faint smile curling his lips.
“You don’t get to pick again.”
A new place, a new name. I can be remade here.
“Tris,” I say firmly.

I really really loved this scene when Tris bravely jumped into the hole into Dauntless lair as part of her initiation, it was a great imagery of being reborn. This scene felt so symbolic about her new change of identity and felt like a rebirth, especially since she changes her name. I knew from this point it was going to be a wonderful book!

Ying: Talking about the parents; they are wonderfully written. Very realistic. I love it that they lent her supports in the way that is consistent with Abnegation belief. The way they showed their love for her is just so powerful. Subtle but powerful! Family dynamic of this book is truly amazing. So far we have seen Tris’s family, especially her parents. I am hoping to see more of her brother, Caleb, in the next book. Also, I’m sure we will learn more about Four’s relationship with his father.

Has: Another aspect I loved was Tris’ relationship and romance with Four. OMG scratch that, I ADORED IT! For once this was a YA that had no angsting, emo, forced obstacles or LOVE TRIANGLES. This was a wonderful, subtle and complex romance. That tentative beginning and the tension, to the end where they bonded and related to each other about their fears and secrets. This is how a romance should be done. I was a total sucker about this and I think this will be one of my all time pairings in a YA romance.

Ying: OMG Four! Romance is beautifully introduced. I don’t want to spoil the fun so I will just say watch out for Tris’s fear. I laughed so much. Their romance is certainly true to their age. The pace is wonderful. It did not overwhelm the story but enhanced it
Has: That was also another element in the book that I loved; the touches of humour. Some YA dystopians are so dark and gritty, that light tone is missing even though this world is dangerous and stark. But Veronica Roth had a great way with other types of relationships, such as the friendships that Tris had with her fellow initiates as well as her enemies. I loved how this all played out, especially when a couple of her friendships became complicated due to their pressure of trying to survive the trials of being in Dauntless. It was a cerebral and emotional read.

Ying: I agree. Veronica Roth has weaved a complex relationship between Tris and her fellow initiates. Great examples would be Christina, Will, Al and Peter! I don’t know how she fit all these elements into one book! I’m determined to keep this review spoiler-free so I won’t say what happened so if you are intrigued then you have to read the book!

To sum it up, once I get my head around the world building and understand Tris’s world I thoroughly enjoyed Divergent. It represents everything a YA book should be. Veronica Roth’s writing style is captivating. IMHO, her strength lies on the relationships between Tris and other characters. Tris stayed true to herself throughout the book. Divergent will leave you thinking and debating on several issues such as society (utopia/dystopia), family and perhaps questioning your own character’s traits?
I give Divergent B+.

Has: I am not keen on adding to hype on books that already have great buzz because I feel sometimes it can lead to high expectations or the book doesn’t live up to the reputation. However with Divergent, this was certainly the case! The tropes that was used, felt unique and refreshing and didn’t fall into the pitfalls of similar books, such as lack of world-building, unlikable characters and that old favourite wangsty romance. Divergent, was a fast pace read, with edge on your seat tension, and a FANTASTIC romance. The dark and brutal ending will leave you panting for the next book (I so want it like now) – Now this is how you write dystopian YA!
I also give Divergent a B+

Joint Review – Divergent by Veronica Roth is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Blurb taken from Goodreads:

Gracie and Savannah are best friends —and utterly unalike. Savannah is beautiful, outrageous, and irresistible to the opposite sex. Gracie is shy, smart, and would rather be studying lizards than meeting boys. Still, they’ve made a surprisingly great team, and (until now) it seemed as if nothing could come between them. But lately, Savannah’s talent for lying and manipulating is becoming harder to ignore. She’s fallen head over heels for an elusive college boy, and Gracie can’t help wondering: is her friend as confident as she seems? When Savannah gets between Gracie and her crush, the line separating best friend from worst friend is crossed.

If you ever want to read about a girl whose pretty much a doormat to her manipulative best friend for most of the story, this is the book for you.

This book was extremely boring, and I’m actually astonished that I finished it. There was no excitement, tension or action that moved the story along. The characters, including the heroine, were pretty much one dimensional. Gracie was described as being this ‘unique’ person, but you see none of it. Especially not by how she rolled over for her best friend on numerous (many) occasions.

The overall plot was non existence other than Gracie covering for her best friend’s lies, feeling bad to the people she’s lying to, forgiving best friend, and those actions are repeated throughout the novel until the last few pages where Gracie gets a backbone.

Savannah was really the main character throughout this book as Gracie was forever thinking about her, and apart from a few instances, it seemed that Savannah was orbiting Gracie’s life 24/7. Savannah had no redeeming qualities. Also, what really grated on my nerves whilst reading My Worst Best Friend was the dialogue of Savannah.

Likeohmygodreallythatwassototallynotsolikecoolyouknow.

*head meets desk and bang*

So little happened in the book that there’s nothing else that I can say because what I described above is the extent of what happened.

I give My Worst Best Friend a D.

Review: My Worst Best Friend by Dyan Sheldon is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publish Date: Out Now!

How we got this book: Purchased

WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear–to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

Has: It’s no secret that I am a huge huge fan of Ann Aguirre. I have been eagerly awaiting this book for a long time, especially when it was a dystopian YA. I was interested in Ann’s take of a dark and dangerous future, and she sure delivered!

MinnChica: I just want to say that I am not usually a fan of YA. Most YA books tend to grate on my nerves and I just can’t seem to ever get into them. But I’m a huge Ann Aguirre fan as well, so I figured if anyone can do it well, she could. I have absolutely nothing but positive and glowing things to say about this book!

Has: I think with the problem with some of the recent YA that is out now is that the world building and the characterisation sometimes has no real depth or fleshed out universes. Enclave had a believable setting and premise and well drawn out characters. I really felt that Ann Aguirre transitioned from adult fiction to YA really well, and without toning down any of the elements of her trademark gritty style. I think this is what works for me.

MinnChica: Yes! I loved the fact that I didn’t feel like I was reading a book geared towards kids. The characters were still gritty and deep, the situations were still dark and suspenseful. Even the little bit of romance was exciting without being too juvenile.

Has: I LOVED THE ROMANCE!!! It was realistic and engaging and there was no false emo wangsting. Even the hint of the prospective other suitor later in the book, which I think may progress to a love triangle, gave me tingles. This was how to do a YA romance.

MinnChica: Exactly (although I have to say if Deuce doesn’t end up with Fade, I might have to go hunt down a certain author… I’m talking to you Ann Aguirre!)

I loved how gritty and dark it was too, but still with the prospect of hope on the horizon. With the look into all the different ways humanity had found a way to survive the end of the world? It was so fabulous I got shivers throughout the entire book! It reminded me a little of Joss Ware’s Envy Chronicles series in just how complex and well done the world building was.

Has: Fade was a fantastic character! I loved how intense he was (I love intense heroes!). From the tentative beginnings of their romance to the more overt feelings at the end of the book. Deuce’s confusion about her feelings were conveyed well. Especially in contrast to how she was brought up. Her world is stark and hopeless and I loved how she had to cope with facing up to these emotions. I really like Stalker. In a lot of ways he is like Fade but a harder edged character. He has to be to survive the world he lives in.

MinnChica: I thought all four main characters were just so incredibly well done. I loved watching Deuce’s eyes open to the way things were in the Enclave, and how she really came into her own and was able to form her own ideas and opinions. Fade really was so Alpha, and I always love a good Alpha male. Stalker took awhile to grow on me, but he really had a way of getting under my skin and staying there; in a good way. Also Tegan was great. She really started coming out of her shell towards the end. She was a great balance of innocence to the other more gruff and jaded characters

Has: Yes! Each character really brought something different to the story and they all shared great chemistry. I really felt the story just got going before it ended – although so much happened in the book.

The world-building was great and I think this was the strongest highlight of the book. The underground enclaves and how Deuce’s society lived was so realistic and detailed.

MinnChica: Yes, I couldn’t agree more. And I think the only let down for me was the ending. The story was just going and going and so engaging. It ended at a great stopping point, but also a bit of a cliffy (not as bad as the Fever books, but enough…) I just wanted to keep on reading more and more! Plus, we had just gotten to another major world building point, and I was so excited for answers!

Has: Even the freaks (looks like mutated cannibalistic humans) also added a scary and creepy edge and tension to the story.

MinnChica: They really did! And I love the little tidbit we got as far as how the freaks came to be. I really hope that Aguirre goes into that more in upcoming books. Such a neat and interesting twist!

Has: Even the freaks (looks like mutated cannibalistic humans) also added a scary, creepy edge tension to the story.  I definitely agree about that the freaks will play a big role in the second book, Outpost. And I suspect that it may not be as easy as living in the Outpost than living in the Enclaves.

MinnChica: Oh I agree completely! I’m also really looking forward to how Aguirre handles the characters going from being grown up adults in the Enclaves, to having to be kids again in the Outposts. I can’t wait to see how that is handled!!

Has: I don’t think they will be regarded as kids – although they will have to face adults and their rules which is definitely going to be interesting.

MinnChica: I loved the descriptions of everything as well. With Deuce being so new to the world as we know it, having her experience everything for the first time, explain things as it was the first time she was seeing things… It was so neat! I loved trying to guess what things were too!

Has: Yes! Those little details really made the book alive for me and showed how much of the little things can lose meanings over time. I think this is one of the best dystopian books I’ve read because of those elements. I have read a few books in this genre and the details – like the ones in Enclave – were missing.
Another thing was the fact that Ann never shied away from darker subjects. I especially liked how she explored gang culture and how that evolved in a world like this.

MinnChica: Absolutely! I would even go so far as to say that this is by far the best Young Adult book I’ve ever read, along with one of the best dystopian books ever.

Exactly! That aspect of her world building was so incredible and everything about the subculture and mob type mentality was just… WOW. I don’t remember the last time I was so invested and interested in the world building in a first series book. (Oh wait, I do, The Kate Daniels Series…)

Has: For her first Dystopian YA book – I definitely concur! I loved this book and I literally inhaled it while I read the book. Everything from the characters, setting and the plot. Enclave is one of the starkest and grittiest YA stories I’ve read, but Ann really balances it out with vulnerability and fleshed out emotions. That factor is missing in a few of the dystopian books I have read – we need some soul to make things hopeful and we got this in Enclave!
I give Enclave an A+ – Its definitely made my top ten list of this year!

MinnChica: I have to agree, I think that Enclave came out of the gates swinging! Powerful and strong characters, a fast moving and exciting plot, and the right mixture of dark and gritty new world order with a sprinkle of hope everlasting. I have a feeling that Enclave with be one of the top reads of 2011!

I give Enclave an A+

Joint Review – Enclave by Ann Aguirre is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter