[Arc Review] The Elite by Kiera Cass + Giveaway!

 The Elite
The Selection #2
Kiera Cass
April 23rd, 2013
Haper Teen
336 pages

Arc won from Story Crush. I am reviewing as that's how I do.

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The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

This book was far more action packed than the last. There are plenty of attacks on the palace. There are several fights between the occupants. There's a public humiliation style punishment. Most of the action was off-screen, but hopefully it's a precursor to how the third book will play out. It was certainly a far cry from the prim, proper brooding of the first book.

There's still an awful lot of brooding. America has even less of an idea of what she wants in a man and is tugged between the two corners of the love triangle somewhat violently. When she makes up her mind about one, something else will happen and thrust her into the arms of the other. It's quite the most frustrating thing. After awhile I stopped rooting for either boy. I'm on team America Singer. I want her to live in a nice house equal to her standing with several cats while she teaches others to play instruments and perhaps masters a few more to fill out her repertoire. She'll have some radical thoughts that will keep the town twittering about her mind behind her back, but she'll be happy. Just saying.

The worst blow for her is when her best friend in the competition is taken away from her in a rather violent fashion. America is set adrift with no one to turn to except the two guys, who are mostly trying to convince her to stay with them. This causes her to waffle quite intensely, polarizing completely to each of the boys the second she's with them alone. She eventually does bring another girl close, but she is as guarded with her as she is with Maxon.

A mystery is developing, of sorts. America is allowed to read the founding father's diary. This causes her to learn things they never bothered to teach her in history class. Their revisionist history astounds and sickens her, driving her, in the wake of another romantic spat, to do radical things.

With the king now rooting for her to fail, rebels invading the palace searching for something mysterious, and rebels capturing the loved ones of the Elite in order to shut down the Selection, this book raised itself above the previous one in terms of action and excitement. It still kept the elements that made it what it was, but it threw in more to create something that could, if done right, be pretty awesome.

For those of you who've stuck with me this long, I'm giving away an ARC of this. Please fill out the Rafflecopter below.

 

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[Review] The Selection by Kiera Cass

 The Selection
The Selection #1
Kiera Cass
April 24th, 2012
HarperTeen
327 pages

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 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.

After all the drama last year over the reviews of this book, I couldn't have been less inclined to read it. I tried the first two chapters back then, found them frivolous and lacking. Whether this was from previous perceptions or underlying grumpiness on behalf of all those involved with the drama-llama, I don't know. But, I had won a copy of the Elite and my co-blogger seemed to enjoy the series. So, in light of these recent developments, I picked it up and re-started it. Time must heal at least some things, because the second time around I didn't hear the snarky pitter-patter in the back of my head scoffing at everything on the page.

While some people try to tote this as "Hunger Games" meets "The Bachelor", throwing around the Suzanne Collin's hit in order to, I don't know, increase interest, it does the book a disservice. People are expecting that gritty post-apocalyptic randomness. That is not what this is. People in these books still have money and pay for things. Some people go hungry due to money issues. In fact, most of the population does. But, winning the Selection only helps the girl's family. It doesn't help her city-state as a whole. There is already rioting in the streets, nothing any of the girl's dressed up in pretty dresses do causes more or less dissension.

What it is, is very much Bachelor-esque. Thirty-five girls are chosen from applicants and sent to the palace in order to entertain and court the prince. It's a tradition going back generations. The prince will marry a common girl to boost morale and will choose his love from the spectacle that is the Selection. Like every Bachelor show, there are some in it for reasons that are not true love. There are essentially those that make the relationship between themselves and the prince more than it is. There are plenty of hurt feelings.

Within that love tetrahedron, American Singer has her own struggling love triangle. Originally I was glad she had moved away from Aspen. He seemed a poor choice, given his blatant disregard for her hard work. When he is moved to the castle and put on guard duty outside her room, the feelings reemerge. You would think with a possible death sentence for cheating on the prince that they'd be a little more discreet. But, no, they are upon each other immediately.

Some people have mentioned that the book ends on a 'cliff-hanger'. I wouldn't so much call it that as a lack of  conclusion. Where the book ends is not overly exciting. It doesn't leave you in throws of intense emotions like a season finale for LOST. It just is.

I enjoyed the book more this time around. It was definitely fluff. Nothing to take overly serious. A good escape for the mind. I'd equate it to watching reality shows, but that seems shallow. It has a bit more heart, despite outside appearances.

[Review] Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messanger

 Let the Sky Fall
Let the Sky Fall #1
Shannon Messanger
March 5th, 2013
Simon Pulse
416 pages

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 Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

This book was free on pulseit.com last week so I took advantage of reading it. I wasn't disappointed.

While the book starts much the same way as an anime, it is endearing in its execution. How many times can a boy meet a mysterious girl? How many times will they have a connection? Divide by how intense the super powers are that the boy has. It's really just Bleach with more air and less demonic souls.

The POV changes ever chapter, and while that can get a little taxing when some of the chapters are a page and a half, the characters both have their own unique personalities and internal snark. Unlike most books written in this format, I didn't have a favorite character to read. I didn't feel taxed when the other character would make their thoughts and feelings known. They were both equally enjoyable.

The main baddie is named Raiden. While he was off screen the entire book, I completely imagined him as the Mortal Kombat character, silly hat and all. So, I had a knack for giggling every time they were attempting to tell me how terrible he was.

I'm still unsure of how terrible he is, as he didn't seem to be the one causing all the issues in the first place. That was a pretty big shocker. I probably shouldn't say anymore in order to not spoil y'all.

I was engrossed in the narrative and the book flew by. The only time I was pushed out of the story was the several page advertisement for In-n-Out. Granted, living near Chicago in a state that doesn't seem to even have ONE of these so called 'amazing' burger joints, I can't vouch if the hype is worth it. I didn't find it endearing. It took away from the plot.

That aside, it was a really fun book. Just different enough from the usual YA paranormal crowd to try. Uniquely voiced enough to enjoy.

[Audiobook Review]Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Rot and Ruin
Benny Imura Series
Jonathan Maberry
September 4, 2010
Simon and Schuster


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In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.


So, what do you get when you mix zombies and a ruin wasteland run like the old west?  You get Rot and Ruin, the first book in the Benny Imura series.  For me Rot and Ruin was a book with old west values and lots of spunk.  This world that Benny has grown up in is safe because he lives behind the fences while the zoms live in the rot and ruin.  His brother Tom is a bounty hunter and kills zoms for a living.  Benny is not sure what kind of job he wants but he knows it is not working with older brother.  Benny has a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas and has not forgiven Tom for the events he thinks happened on First Night, the night the dead started walking.  After trying his hand many different jobs Benny realizes that the only thing he is cut out for is the family business.  After going on his first hunt with Tom Benny then realizes that there is more to Tom and his way of hunting than what he first thought and it is about to change the way he looks at zoms.

I really enjoyed this book because it was full of adventure, action, and of course zombies.  Who doesn't enjoy a good zombie book?  For me the book starts of slow and then takes off like a rocket.  There is this one scene in the book where Benny asks an artist in town about a girl and he tells his story of First Night.  That story is still haunting me two days later because I loved the monologue it was so horrifying and yet captivating.  I loved how honest the story was and I felt like I could really see the horror of what it would be like to see the dead rise and have friends and family try to eat you.

Rot and Ruin is more about zombies and trying to survive.  It is about not losing your humanity in the process.  It is about recognizing who the real monsters are because zombies are just mindless creatures no more dangerous than a pack of wild dogs.  The real monsters are other humans who have lost their sense of humanity and do terrible things.  I liked that it is a coming of age story for Benny and to see him go from boy to man.  There were parts of the book I cheered for Benny and parts I almost cried for Benny.  Even the romantic in me was pleased because Benny also finds love.  Rot and Ruin is a book I  highly recommend if you like zombies.  Brian Hutchinson does an awesome job narrating.  His voice is very easy on the ears.  I give Rot and Ruin the audiobook four very solid laser pistols.  I will be listening to Dust and Decay very soon.

[Audiobook Review] Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

 BloodlinesBloodlines #1
Richelle Mead
August 23rd, 2011
Razorbill
421 pages

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 Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Emily Shaffer did an excellent job narrating this book. The voices were distinctly different without being over the top. The characters shine through her acting skills. I'm very glad that she narrates the entire series. She has just enough snark in her voice and sounds like she enjoys reading it as much as I enjoy listening to her.

That being said, I really don't like Sydney. She wasn't my favorite character from Vampire Academy. She redeemed herself a little bit, but she was still prim and proper and overly analytical. There is still a lot of development for her if she is going to reach a character level I deem as alright.

Adrian is fresh off the Rose and Dimitri train. While he wasn't the most commendable of characters to begin with, he is pretty much back to being consistently deplorable. He seemed to have gotten his act together by the end of the story, partially. An artistic outlet and a bit of danger temporarily slapped him out of his overeager indulging ways.

Jill was still adorable, despite the emotional backlash from Adrian and the consequences of her unfortunate romance. I always enjoyed her as a character and she seems to be fully coming into her own despite the pressure put on her by society.

The story itself, while a little 21 Jump Street, presented some interesting mysteries to solve. There are mysteriously dead girls as well as magically drugged tattoos to deal with. This leaves the book with very little downtime once the initial setup has been established.

The cliffhanger really didn't leave me yearning for more. Though, I hear that they progressively get better. As much as I enjoyed Vampire Academy, I was sorely disappointed with this installment in the universe.

[ARC Review] The Demon's Daughter by Paula Altenburg

The Demon's Daughter
Demon Outlaws #1
Paula Altenburg
March 26th, 2012
Entangled Secret
400 pages

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 Hunter is the only man capable of killing the demons that left the
world in ruins. But when he’s hired by a notorious priestess to bring
a thief to justice, the Demon Slayer gets more than he bargains for.

Airie was raised in an abandoned temple as a priestess’s daughter,
having no idea of her true origins. In a time when any half-breed
spawn of a demon is despised by mortal and immortal alike, not knowing
the truth is the only thing keeping her safe.

Forced to flee her home in the wake of disaster and discovery of who
she is, Airie must place her trust in a man who believes she should
never have been born. And when a demon uprising threatens lives he has
sworn to protect, Hunter has to make a choice: abandon Airie to an
uncertain fate, or overcome his own personal demons and love her for
who she truly is.

Look at this cover. No really. Look at the cheese factor of this cover. This book is so much better than this cover could ever indicate. There is so much heart and soul and wonder in this book. The beefcake adorning the front could never hope to allude to it.

The setting was exquisite. While on the surface there are western type settlements, they ride fantastical beasts and the surrounding desert is full of demons. They live in an immortal battlefield. Demons and Goddesses exert their power over mortals. Day to day life is interrupted consistently by these beings. Men worried about being slain. Women worry about demonic allure and childbirth.

The main characters are brought together by fate and despite all prejudices their romance kindles and slowly burns to life. Even the secondary characters are fully fleshed out. Each has their own motives and tragic back story. Each contributes in some way to the story.

I was expecting a standard paranormal romance with a bit of a western setting, what I got was something far more interesting. I literally cannot wait for the next book, especially once I saw who the main character was.

[Animorphs Reread] The Message by K.A. Applegate

The Message
Animorphs #4
K.A. Applegate
October 1996
Schoolastic Paperbacks
151 pages

Amazon

 It all started with the dreams. But Cassie didn't pay much attention to them. She and her friends had all been having weird dreams since they'd first learned to morph. Maybe it was just some crazy side effect.
That's when Cassie discovers that Tobias has been having the exact same dreams. Dreams about the ocean. And a strange feeling that someone is calling to them. Calling for help.
Now Cassie, Tobias, Jake, Rachel, and Marco have to figure out if the dreams are a message - or a trap. And if it is a trap, it could mean the end - for everyone...

Continuing on this journey, I've reached the first of many Cassie POVs. From what I remember, she was always a bit over the top in-tune with nature, a bit tree-huggy. Her first book is really no different. Based on dreams she has of the see and psychic conversations she has with whales, the team decides to take a deep sea diving expedition in order to see if something happens to be down there.

A little far fetched, and considering their first attempt at it failed miserably and people were hurt, Cassie tries to hold back on deciding if they should go on the mission. The doubt doesn't last long. Mission two sees them directly where they need to be, right when the enemy arrives, as per usual.

The story would have been more interesting if there weren't moral dilemma's about morphing intelligent creatures, but that is just Cassie. She always finds some way to bring the group down with talk of what they're doing is morally upsetting. There was also the bit about mentally talking to the whales, which, had I not just read the book before, would have been way far fetched.

This book held a lot more excitement. The previous books were recon, and though Tobias's book attempted to be exciting, it roamed into silliness. In this book, one thing after another happens, and they find Ax, who is by far the most amusing addition to the group.