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January 30, 2014

Review & Blog Tour: The Rule of Three by Eric Waters - Apocalypses & Survival

The Rule of Three
Title: The Rule of Three 
Author: Eric Walters
Publisher:
 Penguin Canada
Publication date: January 21, 2014

Genre(s): Young Adult (Post-Apocalyptic)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 405
One shocking afternoon, computers around the globe shut down in a viral catastrophe. At sixteen-year-old Adam Daley’s high school, the problem first seems to be a typical electrical outage, until students discover that cell phones are down, municipal utilities are failing, and a few computer-free cars like Adam’s are the only vehicles that function. Driving home, Adam encounters a storm tide of anger and fear as the region becomes paralyzed. Soon—as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends—he will see his suburban neighborhood band together for protection. And Adam will understand that having a police captain for a mother and a retired government spy living next door are not just the facts of his life but the keys to his survival, in The Rule of Three by Eric Walters
The Rule of Three was such a surprise. I got into it thinking it is something along with lines of The 5th Wave, but I have to say that I actually enjoyed it even more than The 5th Wave. The Rule of Three starts off with the world ceasing to exist as it is and that reason is the computers around the world shut off. Computers, motors, internet, pumps, turbines, factories, cars, planes.. everything. Everything that is a crucial part of our survival has disappeared. This book made me take a step back and really see how we've become so dependent to technology, It was seriously scary. 
The Rule of Three is more about survival and learning to survive without technology. How to get clean water to drink, growing food and plowing and creating land to be able to farm on, building contraptions to make their everyday life easier but without the use of technology, and lastly working as a team to protect themselves and from any foreign and dangerous outsiders. The book is narrated through Adam, a 16 year old boy with an ex-spy neighbor. As soon as all hell broke loose, I loved seeing how his neighbor was able to think fast, and 3 steps ahead of everyone else. It doesn't hurt that he was an ex-CIA (or similar) agent back in the days. They were all fighting against time and against the gangs formed as well as threats that will come their way from outside their community. The way the neighbor made their community self-sustainable was just so fascinating to me. 
I loved reading every minute of it. I know people would automatically compare this novel to the tv. show Revolution, but Revolution is more killing, moving from one place to another, and more killing. The Rule of Three is more about learning to survive with what you have. I definitely picked up a few tricks and useful points if I ever needed them (haha). There is romance here but I blocked it from my mind. It was very underdeveloped and too immature-ish for my taste. Overall The Rule of Three was a very different and interesting read. The way it ended hints at a sequel but I am still not sure if there is one. However, if there is I am definitely picking it up. 

January 27, 2014

Review: Lives of Magic (Seven Wanders, Book #1) by Lucy Leiderman

Lives of Magic
Title: Lives of Magic
Author: Lucy Leiderman
Publication date: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: Dunduran
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fantasy)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 384
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indigo 
Seventeen-year-old Gwen is settling into her new home in Oregon and looking forward to senior year when she is kidnapped by Kian, who warns her that she is in terrible danger. An ancient war was fought between magical Celtic warriors and three evil magicians. Those magicians are alive and well and need Gwen's magic to regain their power. If they succeed, they'll be unstoppable. To save the world, Gwen must unlock the magic trapped in her memories of a past life in Britannia.

As Gwen starts to recover her lost memories and awakens to her power, she suffers the consequences of a divided soul. Gwen and Kian travel to New York and then to England to find others of her kind. Gwen, Garrison, Seth, and Moira need each other to solve the puzzle of their last days in ancient Britannia. They are only as strong as what they remember, but a troublesome history threatens to doom the world. One way or another, a deadly showdown is inevitable, ready or not …
Gwen has always thought she was a normal person-a socially withdrawn person, yes, but a person all the same. Excited to go to high school in Oregon, she promises herself that she will no be an outcast. That all changes when one day, Gwen is chased by Kian, a handsome man who tells her about wars and Celtic warriors and other things that are impossible to believe. Apparently, Gwen has the soul of a Celtic warrior, who sent her soul forwards in time to escape 3 evil magicians and still have a chance to save the world. Gwen and Kian travel all around the world, given leads by Kian's "mysterious source", who sends messages through text. Is Kian really only looking for the other 7 souls, or is this all part of a bigger picture?
Gwen is a really likeable character, and while she was witty with her narration, she was also able to clearly add a more serious tone to the story without making it dull. I sorta can relate to Gwen, because I almost always have some kind of resolution for a new school year, and I always think of ways to fulfill it. The plot and characters were very well made, and the story was engaging and fun to read.
I love the way Lieberman crafted this amazing story with a unique plot and made it seem like magic could actually exist. The writing style was first person, narrated by Gwen. It seems like there will be a second book, which I am super excited to read! I would Definitely recommend it to teens (13-17) and fans of magic YA books.

January 26, 2014

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - Fairytales & Greek Mythology

Cruel Beauty
Title: Cruel Beauty
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publisher:
 Harper Collins
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fairytale Retelling/Greek Mythology)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 352
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.
Let's take a moment to marvel at this book being a standalone.. no.. this is not a contemporary book.. and yes.. I'm not tricking you, it really is a standalone *party commences* I know right? such a rare species to witness! I actually went into Cruel Beauty thinking it was part of a series but I am so happy to find out that it is in fact a standalone. Though I must warn you.. I almost labeled this book a disappointment because the beginning wasn't able to capture my interest at all.. however halfway through, I was addicted! 
I have a bad record with fairytale retellings. There you go, I said it. Till now I have never read a fairytale retelling that I rated higher than three stars. So I was a bit wary when I picked up Cruel Beauty since it is marketed as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. However, I have to say that while reading the book I honestly couldn't really connect it with that fairytale.. so if people are specifically looking for the resemblance, I don't think that should be the reason you pick Cruel Beauty up. The reasons are in fact much cooler, one being this book is set in a completely different world from ours with a historical vibe and is infused with greek mythology and teachings. I found that to be so fascinating and interesting. 
Another is the character.. she was put in a self sacrificing situation and what I liked about her is her honesty to actually resent the people who put her in this situation, even if it was her own father, aunt, and twin sister. I also loved how snarky and rebellious she was. After she gets married off to the Gentle Lord (i.e.: the demon that is the reason for her mother's death), she didn't cower in front of him. The fact that he looked like an actual, and handsome, man as well as found her rebellious streak amusing helped in her boldness of course. I loved loved the scenes between the main protagonist, Nyx, as well as the Gentle Lord, Ignifex. He was completely different from how she imagined him as well as how us, the readers, imagined him in the initial descriptions of him by the people in her town. We've also got another potential love interest Shadow.. who is an actual Shadow but I don't care about him which was why I was a bit uninterested the first half of the book since he showed up way more than Ignifex. The second half though? adorableness ensued. Kyaa! < that was my attempt at showing you how cute it was
Cruel Beauty was such a unique novel, I personally didn't know which direction the author would take throughout the whole time I was reading it. I would definitely recommend it to YA fans and just give them a heads up that even if they couldn't connect with the novel initially, they should stick with it and find out why I enjoyed it so much!   

January 23, 2014

Review: Into The Still Blue by Veronica Rossi - The Winner of Dystopian Finales

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3).
Title: Into The Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)
Author: Veronica Rossi 
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Genre(s): Young Adult (Dystopian)
Source: Edelweiss 
Format: eARC
Pages: 400
Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.
Oh boy.. I've read Into the Still Blue almost 3 months before I finally sat down to write my review.. and I still remember most of what happened. This is a clear indication of how memorable this book, as well as the whole trilogy was. I loved Under the Never Sky but had some problems with Through the Ever Night (though it was still pretty decent). However, Rossi hit the ball out of the park with Into the Still Blue. I personally have not.one.single.complaint about this book. Not one. I'm wracking my brain trying to think of something I disliked but I can't. I've actually made a mini video review that I will include at the bottom of this post, if you're interested.
Only way to write this review clearly is to first list the three aspects of what would make or break a book and talk about them.. then I can go and fangirl/rave about the whole trilogy in the next paragraph. 
1. Pace/Plot: WOW, it was like Rossi was on fire when she wrote this book. I could barely get a breather before one big thing after another happened. The whole plot was SO INTENSE and what I liked about it the most is that even though the whole book was about finding the Still Blue, Rossi managed to not make the whole book about it. There are many plot lines that are woven together that elevate the complexity and of the plot. I also loved the direction Rossi took with the book. I personally couldn't predict what would happen next and that kept me at the edge of my seat, or at least kept me glued to the screen of my Nook whenever I had the chance.   
2. Characters: I could write endless paragraphs about each one of the characters in this book and series. There are SO many of them that just impressed me and truly had me invested in their lives and well being. Rossi even managed to redeem some people's worth and likability. We've got our main couple Aria and Perry, as well as the ever awesome best friend Roar, Reef and the Six, as well as the little kid, Cinder. Roar is Perry's best friend but by the end of this trilogy, he could also be called Aria's best friend and I LOVED that there was no love triangle. We get to see him struggle in this book and it truly hurt my heart. As for Aria and Perry.. I feel that they should be a reference to how YA couples should be. They were both so supportive and showed their love towards each other, relied but still didn't have the desire to always depend on each other. They were both on equal footing and equally invested in their relationship and I just loved reading about them both. 
3. The ending: DUN DUN DUN! yes.. we've all come to fear the endings of dystopian trilogies. Heck, after the last couple I've read.. I've always mentally and emotionally prepared myself for the worst. Without giving any spoilers, all I can say is that the ending and buildup to it and the way Rossi wrapped everything up was perfect. It was an ending that wasn't a dystopian cliche ending but at the same time it wasn't too convenient and unrealistic. Honestly, Veronica Rossi NAILED it with that ending. 
Bringing it back to the overall trilogy, I have to say that this trilogy didn't disappoint me. It actually went out with a bang. I am 100% fans of this trilogy will love the ending and thank Rossi for not breaking our hearts into a million little pieces. I also can't stop raving about all the fantastic and amazing characters in this trilogy. Rossi really knows how to create unique and memorable characters. Personally, this is the dystopian trilogy I will be recommending to anyone who wants to read a dystopian trilogy. I'm seriously going to miss them all; I've come to love all the characters and how real they all were. Thank you Veronica Rossi for the journey you took me on with this whole trilogy.
         My reviews of the first two in the trilogy:
           Under The Never Sky (Under The Never Sky #1)
           Through The Ever Night (Under The Never Sky #2)

January 21, 2014

Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott - A Heartwrenching Contemporary

Heartbeat
Title: Heartbeat
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Publication date: January 28, 2013

Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 304
Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?
Emma's having a tough year.. hell, she could even win the award for worst and most screwed up year. Her mom suddenly becomes brain dead one day and her husband, and Emma's step dad, is keeping her on life support until her pregnancy is complete. Emma feels the ultimate betrayal because a) she feels that her step dad is choosing the baby over her mother, b) He never took Emma's opinion or emotions into consideration when making this decision, c) She has always looked up to her step dad as an actual dad and can't understand how someone who loves her mom so much would put her through this whole ordeal, suspended in time, not being to move on or move forward with her and their lives. I really sympathized with Emma.. but at the same time I also understood to some level what her step dad was doing. It brought out so many conflicting emotions in me and I loved how Scott was able to do that. I've read a couple of Scott's books and they are mostly fluffy contemporaries, but this isn't one of them. 
After her mother's accident, Emma's life also sort of stopped. She stopped caring about school, about her friends, and basically about everything in her life. When your mother is suddenly taken from you, but you still see her.. but she just isn't your mom anymore.. just thinking about it is making me teary. Writing this review is making me tear up! I would never wish this situation on anyone. My mom and I are very close and what Emma was going through was so tragic. I understood her lashing out at her step dad, and not giving a damn about the world anymore. People might think she's overly emotional and isn't thinking right.. but that's the thing.. anyone in her situation will be emotional and irrational. 
Enter Caleb, the bad boy in town.. at least that's what the gossip says but he is another case of misunderstood sweet boy that everyone thinks is a bad boy because of some incident. Anyways, I liked Caleb, and really liked how he sort of helped Emma through her period of grief. I loved reading Emma's hesitant steps back into the outside world through Caleb and even her best friend who was always there for her, as well as her step dad never giving up on Emma and really treating her as his own daughter and showing her his love towards her and her mom. This was was an emotional roller coaster for Emma and even for me. I couldn't put it down and read it in a single day. Heartbeat is a short book packed with so many emotions it will leave you breathless and teary by the end of it. I definitely recommend it for realistic contemporary YA fans. I am excited to see what new books Elizabeth Scott will be writing because I will be picking them up for sure.