My heart is still pumping at the speed of, like... I don't even know. WOW. Now this is what romantic suspense is about! I haven't been this enthralledMy heart is still pumping at the speed of, like... I don't even know. WOW. Now this is what romantic suspense is about! I haven't been this enthralled by one since getting hooked on Karen Rose's thrillers; no writer's ever seemed able to match her brilliance. Oh boy, Jami Alden's blown me waaay out of the water.
This book is incredibly graphic. I can't count the number of times my stomach cramped from the lurid descriptions. Rape, human trafficking, a downright psychopathic stone-cold killer the likes of which would totally belong on Criminal Minds (and that's a compliment to Alden)... seriously, don't read it over a meal. With Halloween approaching, though, reading it did seem rather appropriate. It was S-C-A-R-Y. And that's taking into account my more than substantial knowledge of serial killers and the fact that I actually own a mammoth book of unsolved serial killer cases. Plus, you know, my love for Criminal Minds.
One thing that distinguishes Beg for Mercy from run-of-the-mill romantic suspenses is the great balance between the mystery and the romance between Cole and Megan. Cole makes a terrible mistake at the start of the book that leads to the imprisonment of Megan's brother, Sean, for a murder he didn't commit. Megan sacrifices her social life onward to seek evidence of his innocence. While they end up not speaking till another girl is murdered and Sean is days away from paying the death penalty, they still care for each other, and the chemistry sizzles. Whew, does it sizzle. The sex/love scenes were pretty dang hot. The running mystery/psycho plot lines were well-drawn and suspenseful. And, of course, skeezy. Cue stomach twisting in disgust again.
This is, by far, one of my favourite RS reads of the year. I'm definitely looking forward to checking out the sequel now. 5 full stars!...more
This wasn't so much of a zombie book as it was a book on survival. I don't really know why I liked it so much. Sloane was undoubtedly suicidal, the woThis wasn't so much of a zombie book as it was a book on survival. I don't really know why I liked it so much. Sloane was undoubtedly suicidal, the world had basically gone to shit and it's quite a dreary setting all around.
Okay, got it - maybe it's why I like The Walking Dead so much too. Careful and well-plotted character development was really what drove it and This Is Not a Test forward.
How is it that YA angel-centric books like Fallen and Hush, Hush get published over this? Publishing houses, shame on you. Susan Ee, you are a bloody How is it that YA angel-centric books like Fallen and Hush, Hush get published over this? Publishing houses, shame on you. Susan Ee, you are a bloody genius. And you simultaneously got me fangirling and creeped the hell out of me. ...more
FINALLY. FINALLY. A YA paranormal/angel romance that doesn't actually suck! *faith restored*
First of all, the Nephilim seem (Actual rating: 4.5 stars)
FINALLY. FINALLY. A YA paranormal/angel romance that doesn't actually suck! *faith restored*
First of all, the Nephilim seem to be popping up everywhere. Cynthia Hand did something extraordinary: she made it make sense. You can tell she did her research. The concept of angel-blood and everything behind it could have turned out cliche, but I didn't roll my eyes once RE: it throughout the entire book. That in itself is a major plus point. I wasn't sure how I'd handle the mythology and the ever-omniscent question of God, but the details unfold at the right points and pace.
Second of all, I adore Clara. She's a quarter angel-blood, three-quarters human (a Quartarious angel). When she sees Christian Prescott after receiving her purpose, her entire family has to move from California to Wyoming so she fulfills her purpose, whatever it is. I really appreciated how she was able to keep a clear head about her feelings for Christian despite developing a crush on him, and him being the Popular Hot Guy. I just really like that the romance wasn't obsession-driven as it usually is. While Clara might be confused over her purpose, she manages to, well, not be stupid. THANK YOU, CYNTHIA HAND.
Third of all, Tucker. Oh my God (no pun intended), Tucker, you dreamboat. That's another aspect handled right: a healthy, developed courtship followed by the sweetest relationship ever. I adore Tucker. I ADORE HIM SO. I JUST ADORE THEM BOTH SO MUCH. The obvious love triangle looming doesn't actually irk me too. Those who know how the book ends should get what I mean.
Fourth of all, it's immensely readable. I finished it in two to three hours. With the way school has been battering me, I appreciated that very much :P
If you don't already get how excellent I think this series will turn out to be, well... it's going to be excellent. Time to dig into the sequel! I'm definitely recommending Unearthly to friends from here on....more
Gah, this book was lovely! The perfect thing to read before going on a trip (not a backpacking-through-Central-America one, sadly). The little sketcheGah, this book was lovely! The perfect thing to read before going on a trip (not a backpacking-through-Central-America one, sadly). The little sketches were the icing on top of the cake. I related so much to Bria's fear it turned into a somewhat bittersweet read, but it never got tiring. Totally recommended....more
Bow down to the queen of British chick lit. Sophie Kinsella's books verge on ridiculous most of the time, and I don't particularly care. She's just thBow down to the queen of British chick lit. Sophie Kinsella's books verge on ridiculous most of the time, and I don't particularly care. She's just that hilarious. How did I take this long to read this book? I'm a huge fan of her other standalones. Can You Keep A Secret? had me smiling for an hour straight afterward!
I devoured the last couple chapters of this on the train back home and might have scared some people with my barmy, too-wide-for-her-mouth's-good grin. It was just what I needed - a freaking adorable, sweet and relatively easy read (damn you, school). Poppy was a lovely, if sometimes insecure and wacky protagonist. Sam was MMMMMM on a corporate stick. Best of all, the texts and emails. Oh em gee, so cute. I could just feel myself melting into a puddle of goo on public transport.
I have the cheesiest smile on my face. What an uplifting, gorgeously written book. I honestly couldn't stop reading once I started. Fantastically writI have the cheesiest smile on my face. What an uplifting, gorgeously written book. I honestly couldn't stop reading once I started. Fantastically written main characters, especially Emme and Ethan (SQUEE, THESE TWO, I COULD DIE SHIPPING THEM), and even Sophie the queen bitch. A novel set in a preparatory arts high school could go wrong in so many ways, but Eulberg balanced her POVs and knowledge of music/art/drama perfectly. Gah, can I have a 1964 Fender Stratocaster too? *drools*
It reminds me of a Kurt Vonnegut quote:
“The arts are not a way of making a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
I quite enjoyed The Lonely Hearts Club, and I think Take a Bow cements my Eulberg Fangirl Status. Definitely going back to this sometime in the future. One of my favourite YAs of the year....more
Holy literal smokes! So I really enjoyed Storm and grew somewhat wary of the hype surrounding the follow-up. I ended up loving Spark even more. MostlyHoly literal smokes! So I really enjoyed Storm and grew somewhat wary of the hype surrounding the follow-up. I ended up loving Spark even more. Mostly because Gabriel is one hunkalicious, tortured, conflicted, reckless, fiery piece of guy. We didn't see much of him in Storm and I was kind of pleased about that - it opened the doors to character development.
Man, this book was an emotional roller-coaster. Gabriel's element is fire, which he struggles to control along with his self-recriminations about causing the fire that killed his parents. Add family turmoils, his growing feels for Layne and his heroics at pulling people out of arson-related fires that seem to pop up everywhere to the mix, and ka-boom! Recipe for an inferno. We also get to see Michael with a girl of his own (<3), glimpses of Chris and Becca (<3<3), Nick with a budding relationship (<3<3<3)... even Hunter redeemed himself. I might not have liked his novella as much as I do the novels, but he's a fascinating character. The short blurb of Spirit didn't help on that front. I WANT MORE OF HIM NOW.
What really drove this book was Gabriel and Layne's relationship. So incredibly intense. GABRIEL CAN SPARK ME UP ANYTIME. That doesn't even make sense but holy crap, when he turns on the charm, he cranks it waaay up. I might even ship Gabriel and Layne harder than Chris and Becca... look at that!
Just one gripe I have with the book: the ending. It felt somewhat abrupt after all the pell-mell action. I would have liked to read about Gabriel and Layne's conversation about his powers too. In my opinion, that'd have settled the book down at the right pace.
Brigid Kemmerer's created a wonderful, positively exciting YA series here. The storylines are tight, the premise is explosive, each character driven, the relationships (whether romantic, familial or friendly) dynamic. I'm definitely a fan now. June 2013, why won't you come sooner?! ...more
I can't believe it took me a year to finally get down to this. It's not without its flaws, but what an electrically charged, emotionally engaging dystI can't believe it took me a year to finally get down to this. It's not without its flaws, but what an electrically charged, emotionally engaging dystopian, much more well-written than I'd expected. It even reminded me of The Walking Dead at times (only in regards to the community, not zombies). When a book chills you to the bone RE: just how cruelly adults can treat children, and you finish all 488 pages of it in just a day, it's definitely a keeper.
And that ending? Thank God the sequel's out already. LIBRARY, Y U NO HAVE IT YET....more
I am now completely convinced Melina Marchetta can write no wrong. That is how immensely Finnikin of the Rock has affected me.
I'd put off reading it fI am now completely convinced Melina Marchetta can write no wrong. That is how immensely Finnikin of the Rock has affected me.
I'd put off reading it for ages, mostly because I haven't bought Froi of the Exiles and knew I'd want to read it as soon as I finished this. Needless to say, I failed. But what a joy of a failure. This is YA fantasy at its peak. How is this Marchetta's first foray into the genre? You wouldn't be able to tell.
One particularly impressive point that stuck out to me was the world-building. Skuldenore is an intricately yet simply crafted land, the names of countries, regions and people not at all overwhelming once you grasp the inner machinations of the world. For all the plot lines happening and the many names thrown at us, Marchetta's powerful writing kept me on my toes. I was left feeling that whatever happened in Lumatere could happen in our existing world too, both a frightening and humbling notion. In fact, she says it best:
"I was told often that I couldn't write fantasy unless I had read all the greats and understood the conventions well, but I think the first step to writing good fantasy is knowing this world we live in as well. I wanted to look closely at that world - where loss of faith, loss of homeland and identity, displacement of spirit, and breakdown of community are common - because these are the scenes in today's media that affect me the most. In this sense, the book is a search for identity in the same way that my other books are."
Yet another outstanding element of Marchetta's writing is her characters. The book is told mostly from Finnikin's point of view, and when I say 'told', I mean 'beautifully expressed'. We see Finnikin as a boy who lost almost all his loved ones, yet grew up to become a compassionate, intelligent, and above all, brave man. Evanjalin's progress was truly stunning and uplifting, as was Froi's. Three totally fierce characters you'll end up madly rooting for.
The love stories were wondrously developed. My heart broke for Trevanion and Beatriss, for all they'd lost, and at the same time rejoiced for Finnikin and Evanjalin and their eventual ending. God, that was one romantic scene. But to me, above all, the book teaches us about filial love, as do many of Marchetta's previous works: how family is our saviour, and how a father's love for his son and vice versa can literally keep one alive.
This is a book I will recommend to everyone. I'm not a fantasy guru/lover, but I am a huge Marchetta fan, and the messages she imparts in Finnikin are massively important and beautiful, some of the best any YA can offer.
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