The One by Kiera Cass

THERE'S A FOURTH BOOK?! Say what?! 

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

Pages: 323

Type: #3 in The Selection Trilogy

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

Review:

  Anything but what I expected! It was so good! There were so many surprising moments and times when I was just speechless! Thank god America wasn't whiny this time! Lol! Am I the only one laughing at my joke? I think I am...

  Anyways, the book was SOOOO good! Also, that gown is drop-dead gorgeous! Also, I'm feeling so sleepy right now... 

  There were so many things that just suddenly came upon you and I personally don't think I need to say anything more than the fact that the trilogy has come to a close on a fabulous note! I don't think I could've asked for a better ending. 

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Aaaaah! I suck at blogging! 

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance 

Pages: 336

Type: #2 in The Selection Trilogy

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Synopsis: The Selection began with thirty-five girls.

Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

Review: 

   The book was pretty good. No denying that. What I didn't like was how America didn't seem to be taking a decision. At one point, it got too much. Should I choose him, or not? It got so irritating that it took me to a point where I just groaned straight out. It was THAT bad. To me. 

  Anyways, other than that, I feel like the book earned pretty decent opinions from me. I cried at a point cuz something was just too harsh. I was so angry and I felt consumed by this anger. I found myself actually feeling upset and overwhelmed. As if I was there. So good job on that, Kiera. 

  There wasn't much world building. I guess because there wasn't much to build in the world. So yeah. I honestly enjoyed the book, but it does spoil the reading experience since America was whiny throughout most part of the book. But I definitely recommend it to someone having second thoughts about the book. 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Sooooo.... I know! I'm sorry I haven't been posting anything on here for a while. I've just been so busy and.... Whatever! Let's get on! 

Genre: YA Dystopian 

Pages: 336

Type: #1 in The Selection Trilogy

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: 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.

Review: 

  Not much to say about the book other than the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was just such a quick and interesting read! The world was very nicely woven and everything. Although I do wish there was more action in it. But I guess you can't really say that since it IS a romance book. But still... Overall I do think the book was excellent. The characters were super interesting to read about as well. I think that anyone who enjoys somewhat love triangles, romance and dystopian minus action, will enjoy the book! 

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Now I know why this book became a movie, and I'm super happy Taylor Swift is in it!

Genre: YA Dystopian 

Pages: 224

Type: #1 in The Giver Quartet

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Synopsis: It's a perfect world, where everything looks right. But ugly truths lie beneath the surface... 

It is the future. There is no war, no hunger, no pain. No one in The Community wants for anything. Everyone is provided for. Each Family Unit is entitled to one female and male child. Each member of The Community has their profession carefully chosen for them by the Committee of Elders, and they never make a mistake. 

Jonas, a sensitive twelve-year-old boy, had never thought there was anything wrong with his Community, until one day. From the moment Jonas is selected as the Receiver of Memory at The Ceremony, his life is never the same. Jonas discovers that The Community is not as perfect as it seems. Although they appear to have everything, they are missing something of great importance. It is up to Jonas, with the help of the Giver, to find what long ago had been lost. And so Jonas embarks on an adventure to save the world as he knows it. 

Simply and beautifully written, The Giver is sure to touch the heart of every reader. Lois Lowry deals with issues of everyday life that are so often taken for granted. Through the noble character of Jonas, she presents a glimpse of what could be the future. As the tension in the novel mounts, so does the number of questions that Lowry confronts the reader with. The Giver is a book of courage and adventure, and most importantly, one of deep thought. Once readers make contact with Lowry's treasure, they may never see things exactly quite the same. Lowry presents a forceful novel that demands to be heard and philosophically dealt with.

Review: 

   I finished it in like a day and a half or so and I was really impressed. Mainly because I thought people in the 1990s couldn't picture the future as something so organized and just... freaky and dystopian. I know. Kinda racist. 

   But not any more!

  The world of the future was so fantastically woven together and made, I was surprised! Although I overall loved the book, I don't think I really liked the writing style of the book. Maybe that's just because  I read the book after finishing Daughter of Smoke and Bone. And if you've read it, you know it's got some pretty darn amazing writing in the whole of existence (it's called hyperbole, guys.) So... Yeah. I guess it was because of that since the book was actually meant to be for kids. In what--just saying-- angle does this book seem like it is for children?! I mean, come on, who talks about freaking Stirrings in a children's book? No one. That's who. 

  Anyways, I'm not degrading the book or anything, just saying what I feel. 

  I absolutely loved the characters and the Giver, obviously. And there was a little baby, a baby. 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Oh my gosh! What an amazing book! 

Genre: YA Fantasy 

Pages: 418

Type: #1 in Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy 

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review: 

  Words can't express what I feel for this book... They can't. This book was so amazingly written, the world was created so wonderfully and the writing was so expressive. Like, I like to read books out loud, and this book actually allowed me to feel the feelings. Love, hatred, compassion, brutality, everything. That was how good this book was. And oh, the characters, what amazing ones. Like, nothing was overdone or underdone. It was perfect. They should seriously make a movie out of this trilogy! 

  You kinda switched back and forth between time towards the end, and that was super interesting to read about. And oh... The ending! The cliffhanger! I am SO looking forward to reading the next book! 

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

It should've been ages since I'd written this review, but... I'm only just coming around to writing it! :/

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance 

Pages: 424 

Type: #2 in Halo Trilogy

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis: Heaven Help Her.

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier’s love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can’t keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth’s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well.

Review: 

  Better than previous book. It didn't have so much of instant love this time around (thank god!) In my opinion, it did drag a bit but overall enjoyable. There was a lot of character development and you got to imagine what Hell looks like, which is what Hades means, I case you didn't know. 

  There was actually a huge test and there were angels fighting demons and it was all quite interesting. The story got to be good actually. And I definitely recommend it to you if you were having second thoughts about reading it. 

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King.

Is it proof enough of how amazing this book is that I finished it in less than a day? I think it is. 

Genre: YA Contemporary 

Pages: 304

Type: Standalone

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: Astrid Jones desperately wants to confide in someone, but her mother's pushiness and her father's lack of interest tell her they're the last people she can trust. Instead, Astrid spends hours lying on the backyard picnic table watching airplanes fly overhead. She doesn't know the passengers inside, but they're the only people who won't judge her when she asks them her most personal questions--like what it means that she's falling in love with a girl.

As her secret relationship becomes more intense and her friends demand answers, Astrid has nowhere left to turn. She can't share the truth with anyone except the people at thirty thousand feet, and they don't even know she's there. But little does Astrid know just how much even the tiniest connection will affect these strangers' lives--and her own--for the better.

In this truly original portrayal of a girl struggling to break free of society's definitions, Printz Honor author A.S. King asks readers to question everything--and offers hope to those who will never stop seeking real love.

Review: 

  Phenomenal. Touched my heart. Really. It was superb. The writing style was amazing and Astrid, the main character was so realistic. Infact, this was one of the most realistic books I've read in a pretty long time. I guess I'm getting into realism these days. 

 Anyways, the book made me feel connected to it somehow. I guess I just felt super understanding towards Astrid's life. It just... I can't talk about this book I don't know, I just can't. 

 All I'm gonna say is that Astrid is right about society's labels and I'm sick of it. And the book is fantabulous. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

So, god knows how I'm going to write this review spoiler-free, but I will. Because if Celaena is an assasin, I can be a blogger. (That was so lame... :P)

Genre: YA Fantasy Series

Pages: 404
Type: #1 in Throne of Glass Series
Rating: 5/5 Glassy Stars
Synopsis: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Review:

  This is so weird cuz I'm doing this on the computer in school. I keep forgetting that 2 spacebar hits don't give a fullstop. And that there's no autocorrect. Sucks, I know. Buuut... the whole point is to make you guys happy and be happy myself. So I'mma do this. 

  First off, what amazing characters and world! Just wow! The world feels so real and you can just imagine everything. I don;t get why its not a movie yet. I just... I just don't. The world building and character building was phenomenal. I loved how there was a map made so that you could refer to it. 

  I loved Celaena. She was just such a kickass character and she is so bold and strong. I liked how the other characters were just super-realistic. Practical. 

  I liked how Maas made this air of mystery and just... you felt what the characters felt. What they were going through, you know? I've never shut a book and paused because I felt so aggravated. I felt like reaching in and helping. That has never happened to me before and I honestly don;t get how a book could get better. I just don't. Definitely going on my list of best books in 2014. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Take a minute and admire the name of the book and the author. Oh, and did I mention the creepy-but-captivating cover? I don't think I did. So give some time to that as well. Good. Now let's get on with the review. 

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 352

Type: #1 in Series? Duology? Trilogy? Name? Don't know. 

Rating: 5/5 peculiar stars

Synopsis: 16-year-old Jacob has discovered the ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores the abandoned building, he realises that the children were more than just peculiar - they may have been dangerous. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

Review: 

  First off, there are pictures in this book. Pictures! Vintage ones. How cool?! So the book was a bit weird. Good weird, though. It was just really captivating and interesting. The premise was neat and very intriguing. It makes anyone pick the book. So that's good. 

  The whole book was really realistic. I know what you're thinking. Aisha. That's fantasy. No fantasy could ever be realistic. But somehow, call me crazy, the book was realistic. Jacob's life before discovering the island was very realistic. The writing was realistic. The characters were realistic. So really, it was realistic. And I just used the word "realistic" 7 times, now 8. Time to move on. 

  There were pretty freaky and scary and gruesome parts. Even I cringed. And there certainly were some mysterious things and secrets about. So that was pretty interesting to read about. 

  There's also a tinge of romance in it, so romance cravers like myself wouldn't starve. And that's about it. It's pretty interesting overall and a quick read. Anyone would like it and I definitely recommend bit to you, you and you. 

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Twilight Alert! Twilight Alert! Reminder of Twilight this book!

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance 

Pages: 500

Type: #1 in Starcrossed Trilogy

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Synopsis: Destiny brought them together.

The gods will keep them apart.

When shy, awkward Helen Hamilton meets Lucas Delos for the first time, she thinks two things: the first, that he is the most ridiculously beautiful boy she has seen in her life; the second, that she wants to kill him with her bare hands.
An ancient curse means Lucas and Helen are destined to loathe one another. But sometimes love is stronger than hate, and not even the gods themselves can prevent what will happen next...

REVIEW: 

So I've been looking at a bunch of reviews on this book on goodreads. And I don't know how people haven't noticed this flaw. Um, by the beginning of the review, you might have guessed it has something to do with twilight. Um, that's because it's SO similar to Twilight. There's Alice in Twilight, who can look into the future. And there's Cassandra who can look into the future as well. There's Bella, who lives with her Dad alone. And there's Helen who lives alone with her dad. Small towns in both books. Bella later in the series had to learn how to fight. So there was all the practicing. Helen had to learn to fight as well. There was Emmett who loved a good fight. And there's Hector who loves a good fight. WHAT?! Please tell me you didn't notice all this. 

 Other than the whole Twilight sham, the book was good. I'm not into greek mythology, so it was a bit confusing to start with, but then it got ok to understand.