Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Series?: Across the Universe #2
Pages: 386 (hardcover)
Release Date: January 10, 2012 by Razorbill
Source: Own

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship...Goodreads

Review
I adored Across the Universe. I loved the setting and atmosphere Beth had created on the spaceship. There was plenty revealed in the first book but I was pretty much blown away by what secrets were uncovered in A Million Suns.

Elder's first decision as the new leader of the ship is to remove Phydus from the drinking system, the drug that keeps all the passengers calm and more compliant. This has overarching and disturbing consequences as  people begin pushing back against the authorities that are now present on the ship. There's violence and rioting and basically all that happens when a society is on the edge of falling apart. It was horribly realistic but to be expected. The passengers have been controlled for generations and for them to suddenly be aware and have free will is overwhelming to them and they react on instinct and with anger. Even though Elder was doing what he thought was right and fair to the passengers, his decision comes back to bite him many times.

Amy's still a bit of a recluse on the sip, though more passengers have come to accept her or at least leave her alone. She spends most of her time racing across the ship finding clues to a secret so big it could tear the ship apart before it reaches its final destination. I still commend her character for being so strong in such a different world. She's still not happy about her situation, or being without her parents, but she's accepted it and is working to make it better, standing beside Elder when he needs a friendly face, support and encouragement. Their relationship is still a little rocky but I was happy to see that Amy has the same reservations as I did; mainly that she didn't want to have feelings for Elder just because they were the only two people of the same age on the ship. She doesn't want to be expected to like him. The fact that it's clear they have feelings for each other regardless is what's most important though.

Finally, what I enjoyed most about this sequel were the plot twists! Amy discovers some pretty shocking stuff from a series of hidden clues. Hidden compartments in the ship's 'basement', a window that reveals more than the ship thought they could ever see, and oh yeah, space suits. It was thrilling to say the least! Beth weaved some pretty intense scenes and I had my mouth drop more than a couple times. And it all works so well, so logically. Everything just fit and flowed; thumbs up for keeping me guessing the entire time Beth! About two thirds through the book is when the ship-changing secret is found out, and wow, it is a doozy. Crazy! The book ends with the passengers and crew deciding on what course of action to take next, and like my Goodreads update reads: "What on Earth is to come!?"

Bottom Line
It's safe to say that A Million Suns pretty much had me gasping and exclaiming "oh my god!" more than a couple times. Along with learning more about Elder, Amy and the now Phydus-free passengers and how far they're willing to go to get control of the ship, the secrets and reveals are what kept me glued to the (pretty) pages. So, so awesome. I am dying for the last book and have absolutely no idea what's going to happen!

Rating

You know when you spot a book's title while reading? This has got to be one of my faves:

“Emotion courses through my veins, choking me. I feel so insignificant, a tiny speck surrounded by a million stars.
A million suns.” p. 218.

Friday Hops!

Feature & Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read.

Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her.

Ooh that's a hard question! I don't think I've ever 'broken up' with a character, only because my first impressions of a character--if I love them or dislike them--usually don't change much. I'll either keep loving them, keep hating them, or come to like them a little. This is such a non-answer, I can't really think of any characters I've grown to hate though! Maybe that'll change as I read more series? How about you guys?

TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by  Ginger @ GReads

Reading blues: We all get them from time to time. What helps you overcome those reading slumps when nothing seems to grab your attention?

I don't think I've ever gone through a full-on reading slump, but when there's times when I just don't feel like reading, I don't. I put down my books, go out with friends, play some Sims, catch up on TV and sooner than later I'll be eyeing the discarded book and jump right back in!

Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Series?: Firelight #1
Pages: 352 (ebook)
Release Date: September 7, 2010 by HarperTeen
Source: Borrowed

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki--a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping awayif it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide...Goodreads

Review
My first reaction to Firelight was 'omg it's about dragons!' I don't know what it is about me and dragons. Maybe since they're such fantastical, exotic, rare beasts that you don't expect to see them in anything but fantasy yet here they are in a modern day setting. The dragon aspect didn't disappoint and I loved the different types of dragons there were. Jacinda, a rare fire breather, water draki, earth draki, stone, shadow. They were covered a little too briefly for my liking so I hope there's more detail in the second book.

After Jacinda puts her whole pride in danger, her mother takes her and her sister and flees during the night to protect Jacinda from the harsh punishment she's sure is coming. Tamra, Jacinda's sister, who isn't a draki, is thrilled. She gets to go to high school and live like a normal teenager. Away from the lush mountains and thrust into hot, dry desert, Jacinda is out of her element, miserable, and her draki is dying. I found myself really disliking Jacinda's mom and sister. Her mom chose to ignore the pain she was causing Jacinda, and even though she was doing it to protect her daughter, to me it seemed unnecessarily cruel. Same with Tamra. Tamra had lived in her sister's shadows her entire life, and when she gets a chance to be the normal one, she thrives. But she came across so mean. She would threaten Jacinda if she did anything to screw up the life she was building for herself and just seemed cold in general. Jacinda understood how her sister and mom belonged here, and she tried to fit in for them, but they never seemed to think about Jacinda's interests or how much it was hurting her to be there for them. I never really warmed up to them as a result.

Jacinda does get some relief in the form of Will, the same boy who spared her when she was being hunted. Being near him makes her draki come to life, to the point where she struggles to stop herself from shifting. This of course angers and Jacinda's mom and sister, but she'll do anything to keep her draki alive, even if it means getting close to her greatest enemy. I really liked Will. They're clearly drawn to each other and offer the other some sort of relief. There's a bit of push and pull between them at first, but Jacinda eventually trusts him wholeheartedly.

The point where the romance began to take a wrong turn for me was when Cassian appeared. Cassian is the second strongest draki in her pride and meant to be her betrothed. When he is first mentioned, Jacinda wants absolutely nothing to do with him. But when he shows up to try and get her to return to the pride, she finds herself warming up to him. I was sort of annoyed that she would suddenly discover these feelings for him and I totally attributed it to the fact that he was a draki like her, she was missing home, and seeing him made those feelings resurface. If romantic feelings develop between them (from her perspective at least), I want them to come after she gets to know him better, and not just because he came to her rescue.

Bottom Line
Firelight is about dragons! That's reason enough for me to read it. The variety of dragons was awesome and I hope to learn more details about them in book 2. The romance between Jacinda and Will was sweet, but I'm a little wary of what's going to happen with Cassian, especially with how the story came to an end. It was a pretty quick read and entertaining overall. Looking forward to reading Vanished!

Rating

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Series?: Delirium #2
Pages: 375 (hardcover)
Release Date: February 28, 2012 by Harper Teen
Source: Own

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite...Goodreads

Review
I had read quite a few reviews for Pandemonium. A lot loved it, some didn't, and I was hesitant to read it just like I was about Delirium. I loved Delirium but I had to warm up to it first. But with Pandemonium, luckily, the story has already been established; we know how Delirium ended, where Lena was headed, and what she had to do. So in short, I loved it!

After the brutal end to Delirium, I was curious to how Pandemonium would breach the subject and how Lena would continue on. The story gets told in alternating chapters: before, when she was still frightened and new to the world she was now a part of, and after, when she has accepted her circumstances and is ready to fight. The blurb has got it right: the old Lena is gone, and this new Lena is fierce. I know some people weren't crazy about the changing chapters but I really liked them. They gave good contrast to how much Lena had changed, how her priorities were different, and what she was feeling, before and after her whole life changed.

Pandemonium introduces us to a whole host of new characters. The group of people that gradually becomes Lena's family were all different and unique, though only three of them are distinct in my mind. There was a particular scene that pretty much tore my heart out and stomped on it. In a place where everyone has learned to push down their feelings and be strong, it was a pretty powerful moment of vulnerability.
Then we have Julian. Lena finds herself in a distressing situation with Julian and is forced into close quarters with him. It's inevitable that they get to know each other and Julian, having not yet received his cure and thinking Lena is cured, is pretty enamored/wary of her. I'm still not sure how I feel about Julian. He is a nice guy, and he genuinely cares for Lena. It would be unfair if she were to close herself off to the possibility of loving someone again, buuuut *shrugs*. I think Lena needs a stronger personality that I just haven't seen yet.

And just when the book was coming to an end, I'm thinking "huh, maybe it'll end well!" BUT NO. Lauren Oliver does it again. This cliffhanger... *flails* probably worse than Delirium's. It had me sitting there with my mouth hanging open. It completely turns everything upside down and then, of course, I questioned a lot of what I'd already read because, well, if you've read it you know! There was also another shocking reveal, but it was so shortlived and we only realize the significance until after the fact. Both of these instances have me dyingggg for the third book!

Bottom Line
Delirium was a slow burning sort of book but Pandemonium grabbed me right from the first page and took off from there. It's much more character driven and I liked the inclusion of more unique people to read about. Lena's not the sad and frightened girl anymore. She's grown into herself and fighting for what she believes in. We get to see more of the Wilds and other cities, and the comparisons between the two can be harsh. Oliver's writing is once again beautiful and she near killed me with another craazy cliffhanger! All in all an amazing, pulse pounding sequel. Loved it!

Rating

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Series?: His Fair Assassin #1
Pages: 564 (eARC)
Release Date: April 3, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Netgalley for review, thanks!

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?...Goodreads

Review
It's books like Grave Mercy that have me asking myself why don't I like historical fiction novels. I'm still not sure why I'm so wary about reading them but coming across a book like this one and being totally enraptured definitely makes me want to try reading more of the genre!

Grave Mercy takes place in 15th century England, a time of royalty and courtly intrigue. Ismae has been inducted into the convent of St. Mortain, nuns who follow the orders of death himself. She's intrigued and eager to learn how to defend herself and prove her worth after the horrible childhood she had and the people who teased her constantly. Her first real mission has her sent to the high courts of Brittany to protect the duchess Ann and find the traitor in their midst. Problem is she's been assigned a babysitter of sorts, and he's proving to be a bothersome, but exciting, distraction.

First off, this book was completely awesome. The summary alone piqued my interest, what with a girl assassin and this "target who's stolen her heart". It's gold! Then I go and fall in love with everything about the book. Ismae was amazing. She's had a crappy childhood to say the least, so to become an assassin and possibly take vengeance on the men that have hurt her sends her spirit soaring. But even though she does kill people, she isn't by any means cold or spiteful. She's still a young woman trying to find her place in the world. She was tough yet still vulnerable, and  it was a joy to read about her.

Then there's Duval, the aforementioned babysitter of sorts. Oh Duval, you *giggle* He is the epitome of a man of the times, brave, strong and incredibly loyal. Clothed in armor, riding a horse, brandishing a SWORD *cough*. He admires Ismae's fondness for battle and they go from annoying each other to a mutual respect to something more. I loved that the romance wasn't the forefront of the novel but it was steady and in the background just waiting to show itself. And they were pretty darn perfect for each other, though I wished they had come to that conclusion sooner ;D Their bantering was super amusing though. Pent up sexual tension makes for great scenes.

As an aside, even though Ismae is seventeen, and Duval nineteen (I thiiink), they definitely seem older, perhaps as a result of the times they're in and that they were forced to grow up quickly. It sort of reminded me of the Poison Study series by Maria V. Snyder--another series I love! They are similar in some ways but the strong characters definitely stand out. And I especially love strong heroines!

This isn't by any means a short book but for the most part I flew through the pages. Learning about Ismae's inductance into the convent and what she learned there was fascinating, and all the sneaking around the courts and murder mystery that was going on kept the drama and anticipation high. The only parts I tended to lose myself were when court politics came up. I sort of floated through those scenes but everything else was fantastic!

Bottom Line
Apparently I need to give more historical novels a chance! Ismae is a handmaiden of Death, sent to the courts of Brittany to protect the young duchess long enough to get her in the throne. Things aren't as easy as they seem and Ismae isn't the only assassin in the castle. Throw in the determined and handsome Duval and things get even more interesting. Grave Mercy is a must read for sure!

Rating

Any suggestions for historical/fantasy novels I should give a try?

Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Series?: Newsoul #1
Pages: 384 (hardcover)
Release Date: January 31, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Own

New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life...Goodreads

Review
First of all, hello again! *waves* I am finally done my exams and have the time to get back to reading and blogging! Onto the review.

Incarnate caught my eye not only visually, because, hello, the cover is gorgeous, but the plot sounded super interesting. A world where souls are continuously reincarnated...until one doesn't, and the first Newsoul is born. "Soul deep romance, fantasy, and danger." Sounds awesome! This book definitely kept me glued to every page.

Incarnate is sort of a sci-fi in a historical setting. There's obviously advanced technology in the city of Heart, but it's also plagued by attacks by dragons and shadowy sylph. There're no televisions but people have laser guns. The dual nature of the lives these people lead is strange but curious. The history of the people and how they discovered Heart, as well as the mysterious godly figure within it was nothing short of intriguing to me. I feel like there's so much more to discover within Heart's white walls, as well as what lies beyond them!

With every single person in Heart having been reincarnated over thousands of years, the sudden unexplained loss of one of their own and the birth of a Newsoul is shocking. Ana, though having had no part in her birth, is looked down on, even by her own mother. I liked that even though Ana grew up in such a cold home, she still turned out to be a genuinely nice person. At her core she just wants to be accepted for the person she is.  Sam is the first person who does this. He not only saves her life, he shelters her, cares for her and fully accepts her for the amazing new person she is. They share a love of music and he teaches her to play piano and even helps her write her own piece. Their blossoming relationship is adorable and I look forward to seeing it develop further.

I did find that Ana tended to overreact with Sam a lot. She would take things the wrong way or not understand sarcasm. It was explained by her lack of social skills but after the first few times it got a little frustrating. Sam had a little more patience with her than me! I also couldn't help thinking how much older Sam was than Ana. He may look like a hunky eighteen year old but he's lived over 4000 years. It was an almost creepy thought that I just couldn't banish.

Underlying Ana's adjustment in Heart is the mystery behind her birth; how it happened, and will it happen again? There are attacks by fierce, acid spitting dragons (dragons!) and someone is trying to kill Ana. There was plenty of action and drama that had me biting my nails and romance that had me biting my lips to hold in my squees (the masquerade ball especially!) I was amused all the way through.

Bottom Line
I really enjoyed Incarnate! I loved some characters, hated and feared others. Ana is a Newsoul at the prime of what could be her only life. She's got lots to offer the world she find herself in and wants to enjoy every moments she has with the amazing friends she's made. Some questions were answered by the end of the book but there are so many more things I want to know about Heart and its inhabitants. And hopefully there's lots more romance to come too! I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!

Rating