Review: Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Speechless
by Hannah Harrington
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 288
Source: bought
Links: Goodreads
Stars: 5/5
Synopsis:

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret. Unt now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast--and nearly got someone killed. Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence--to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed, or even attacked is worse. But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way--people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself. 

Review:


I am totally in love. Speechless was an amazing adventure for me that I doubt I'll ever forget. I'm so thankful for all of you who persuaded me to read it, because every syllable of this book was worth reading and every ounce of it was bliss. I just loved watching this story unfold, the miraculous character development, and the sweet and subtle romance. If I hadn't been recommended this book, I think I would have overlooked it--not on purpose--but the cover is plain and white and I don't think it would have captured my attention. Now that I've read the book I love the cover but I don't think I thought that before I began the book.

Chelsea Knot is just one of those characters. Do you know what I mean? She's special, rare. Ive only come across a few characters like her in my entire time reading, and she's the best out of all of them. At the beginning I was conflicted about her. I disliked her snobbery, her want of attention, her constant insecurity, etc. But then I realized about midway through the book, "If every protagonist was perfect, than the whole existence of books would be one big lie." I loved the way that Chelsea was flawed and it made the story so much more believable.

The idea of not talking for as long as Chelsea did blew my mind. I talk a lot (sometimes too much) and it's actually sort of difficult to get me to stop talking sometimes, although it really depends on whom I'm with (my closest friends = you don't want to even go there). After I read Speechless I tried to go around not talking for a few days. But I only lasted a couple hours. But for me, that's semi-impressive. I know that what happened to Chelsea was really scarring and horrible, but I still found it amazing that she was able to go on not talking for as long as she did, considering the amount of talking she did before she went speechless.

I loved Sam so much. He wasn't hot or sexy or all of that crap that YA authors use to describe their love interests, he was just a nerdy, normal guy and I really do have a thing for guys (real and fictional) who are kind of geeky and nerdy-cute and just charmingly imperfect, so that's what made Sam so appealing to me. His character was incredibly believable, and every sentence of his made me just want to reach into the book and hug him like there was no tomorrow.

Anyway, Speechless was a truly amazing experience and I think I'll need to indulge myself with more of Hannah Harrington's writing from now on because it was absolutely mind-blowing.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: review

Book: Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices, #3
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 568
Source: bought
Links: Goodreads
Stars: 5/5

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy. Tessa Gray should be happy- aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. 

MY THOUGHTS:

*spoiler free section*

Clockwork Princess broke my heart. More than once. was the book that caused my heart the most pain. Each sentence was like a sword, tearing through my heart, the cuts getting deeper and more painful as the book progressed. And yet, this book is one of the most uplifting books I've ever read, despite being tough on the heart.

The story is romantic and inspiring, the characters luminous. At first when I started this series, I wasn't sure that I liked Tessa. I disliked how all the attention revolved around other people saving her, not her saving herself. Although this was but a minor complaint (I don't believe I ever mentioned it to anyone before), Tessa in Clockwork Princess was a different girl from who she was before. Her character was beautiful and radiated off strength, truth, and beauty. This cast of characters is one of my favorites that I have ever come across, because of the way that Cassandra Clare makes us as the readers so attached to them in ways I can't properly explain through words. She compels her readers to be deeply and emotionally involved with her characters. There was something deep and gorgeous in the demeanor of the characters, and that is why I adore this series so much.

Jem and Will are, of course, integral puzzle pieces to the story and I loved both of them as much as could be. In this book, Jem was his sweet, understanding self. Although he was the one that was ill and slowly fading away, Will is by far the more tragic one. He is self-destructive and suffering deeply from all of the trauma and pain inflicted on him in his life. My heart broke for Jem, but I think it broke the most for Will. Even though it was clear that Jem loved Tessa, Will's love was fierce, brutally irrevocable, and tragic. The only words for Will are beautiful and tragic. And yet as he radiates off tragedy and heartbreak, he also has a wry sense of humor and was still, deep down, Will Herondale, with his sarcasm and ability to make me blush or laugh out loud. He was perfect. And you know when I say perfect, I mean seriously flawed, but in a way that makes the character beautiful.

*spoiler section BEWARE*

I have left my review spoiler-free for way too long. The spoilers are just waiting to spill out, because they are really what caused me the most heartbreak in this book.

I could not believe it when Will and Tessa slept together right after Jem died. Even though I ship Will and Tessa that just didn't seem right. I wanted their love to develop gradually after Jem's death, not just explode suddenly like that, and it seemed as though Tessa was just waiting for Jem to die so that she could be with Will, even though that wasn't the case, it felt like it . I almost threw the book down in disgust. But then--there was this one sentence in the book, that made me feel differently about this.

"Can one forget a thing that, however unwise, was beautiful?"

And yes, I realized, it was beautiful. It showed that two people cared for each other in a profound and lifelong way. Then I read this quote:

"They say you cannot love two people equally at once," she said. "And perhaps for others that is so. But you and Will--you are not like two ordinary people, two people who might have been jealous of each other, or who would have imagined my love for one of them diminished by my love for the other. You merged your souls when you were both children. I could not have loved Will so much if I had not loved you as well. And I could not love you as I do if I had not loved Will as I did."

 And that paragraph was I think the most beautiful in the entire book.

I can't believe that Cassandra Clare made it so that Tessa could end up with both boys. And if you're reading this even if you haven't read the book, then it's not what you think. Tessa is with both Will and Jem, and she made all of her fans equally satisfied. I'm having a hard time putting my feelings into words at the moment so I'm sort of pacing around the room thinking about what I could write without sounding like a complete psycho. But I'm just going to leave the whole love-triangle stuff like that.

Before I read the book I spoiled it for myself. Not only had I read spoiler reviews on Goodreads, I also took the jacket of the book off and looked the family tree before I started it, and there were HUGE spoilers back there, and I think I would've enjoyed the romances better if I hadn't spoiled them for myself, but a family tree can't tell you everything, and there were still some unexpected twists with the character romances.

Cecily and Gabriel are one of my favorite couples in the book. (One of) my favorite quote from the book:

"Cecy," he said, and closed the distance between them, though it was not much, and then he was kissing her--his hands awkward around her shoulders first, slipping on the stiff taffeta of her gown before his fingers slid behind her head, tangling in her soft, warm hair. She stiffened in surprise before softening against him, the seam of her lips parting as he tasted the sweetness of her mouth. When he drew away at last, he felt lightheaded. "Cecy?" he said again, his voice hoarse.
"Five," she said. Her lips and cheeks were flushed, but her gaze was steady.
"Five?" he echoed blankly.
"My rating," she said, and smiled at him. "Your skill and technique may, perhaps, require work, but the native talent is certainly there. What you require is practice."
"And are you willing to be my tutor?"
"I should be very insulted if you chose another," she said, and leaned up to kiss him again.

AH! I LOVE GABRIEL! ***SWOOON****

Sophie and Gideon also ended up together! I'm so happy! :D And Sophie became a Shadowhunter?

You know what, I should nickname myself, "The Spoiler Machine".

The ending of this book was absolutely insane. It filled me with newfound emotions that I didn't even know existed. I can't even express what I felt at the end, just that it was a mixture of grief, happiness, glee, and a lot of other nameless emotions in my head that captured the essence of what it is like to read a great book. I could say so much more about this book but I'll just leave it at that, and now I have to go off and read other books, but it's possible none of them will be quite as good as Clockwork Princess. 

Favorite Quotes from the Book: 

"I don't think you can fight because you're wearing a wedding dress," said Jem. "For what it's worth I don't think Will could fight in that dress either."
"Perhaps not," said Will, who had ear's like a bat's. "But I would make a radiant bride."

"You know that feeling," she said, "when you are reading a book, and you know that it is going to be a tragedy; you can feel the cold and darkness coming, see the net drawing close around the characters who live and breathe on the pages. But you are tied to the story as if being dragged around a carriage and you cannot let go or turn the course aside."

"Miss Cecily," she gasped, and then her eyes went to Will. She clapped a hand over her mouth, turned, and bolted back into the house.
"Oh dear," said Tessa.
"I have that effect on women," Will said.

There are lots more, but these are the ones that I marked. I could sift through the pages and find hundreds of quotes that I loved, but I suggest you read the book and find them for yourself. :)

Emotions I felt during Clockwork Princess:

~Cover Talk~

I have been fangirling over this cover for months, but it is even more beautiful in person! When I saw this book at the bookstore for the first time, I literally gasped and sprinted up to hug the book to my chest, marveling over its beauty. Beautiful Tessa reading a book--what could be a better cover than that? Not only is the cover beautiful but the content inside is amazing. The cover literally glows and radiates beauty and power. I just love it. 

Review: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Book: Dreamland
Author: Sarah Dessen
Release Date: May 11, 2004
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 250
Source: bought
Stars: 5/5

Ever since she started going out with Rogerson Biscoe, Caitlin seems to have fallen into a semiconscious dreamland where nothing is quite real. Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. He's magnetic. He's compelling. He's dangerous. Being with him makes Caitlin forget about everything else--her missing sister, her withdrawn mother, her lackluster life. But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him? 

MY THOUGHTS:


Disclaimer: The following review might seem slightly melodramatic, but trust me, it's not melodramatic for me

Sarah Dessen has delivered something that is not typical of her books. She has delivered a haunting, heart-pounding story of a girl who struggles to find out who she is. The book was raw and intense, words that I seriously cannot believe I'm using to describe one of Sarah Dessen's books. But to be honest, this one seems to have a silver lining surrounding it, making it truly different and unique from her other books. The other books, of course, are wonderful--anyone who knows me knows that I am a diehard Sarah fan. But this one--just something about it was beautiful, even though the book was filled with painful, tear-worthy scenes that made me clench my fists so hard that my knuckles turned completely white.

If you've ever read a Sarah Dessen novel, then you know what you're coming into. You can expect a fast-moving, slightly addicting story with a strong and unique heroine, whether he be a tough and no-shit Remy or a quiet and transparent Caitlin, and a guy, whether he be a clumsy and lovable Dexter or, in this book's case, a penetrative, dark, and enigmatic Rogerson. Even though I knew that there would be a teenage protagonist and her boyfriend, I never would have expected this. I didn't know what I was getting into when I went into this book, and I have to say, it gave me a surprise. Even though Sarah Dessen's books are sometimes slightly mindless, this one radiated off desperation and pain. Through the pages, I could feel Caitlin's pain, her sense that things weren't real and she was in some kind of dreamland, and after I finished it, my head and heart felt sore, as if something had been repeatedly twisting them up into knots.

As a character, Rogerson was interesting. And I hate to use the word interesting as it is so ambiguous, but interesting perfectly describes his character.  The reader doesn't get a great sense of him, other than the fact that he is exceptionally smart and, ultimately, abusive. The way he treated Caitlin made me so angry that sometimes I wanted to tear the pages of the book (don't worry, I didn't), or read faster, hoping that his abuse would stop.  But then, Caitlin mentions several times that his father beats him, so Rogerson's pain is taken out on Caitlin. This by NO means makes it okay (it's the most not-ok thing ever...) but it made me think, Hell, what's wrong with the world? Why are people so unhappy? And why do they take it out on people that they love? Because to be honest, I think that somewhere deep down, Rogerson loved Caitlin, just like she loved him. But through his anger and emotional struggles, he didn't love her, he abused her.

Caitlin reminds me, coincidentally, of Echo from Saving Zoe, in the sense that her older sister is really, really beautiful and amazing and sets the bar for the younger sister's success extremely high, and that she is almost trying to be her sister now that she is gone. Of course, Caitlin's and Echo's sisters were gone in different ways, but still, the books seemed like practically shadows of each other. Sisterhood is a really mind-boggling concept. My sister is 10 years older than me and is beautiful, smart, and successful, you name it. Although we are ultimately fairly equal, I have often felt as if I have to be just like her, even though no one ever told me this directly.

I couldn't stop thinking of the song Haunted by Taylor Swift as I was reading this book. For those of you who don't know, the song goes: "Come on, come on don't leave me like this, I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong, you're all I wanted." Although Taylor Swift is clearly not singing about physical abuse, the song seems to run deeper than what she is actually singing about, and I every time Caitlin expressed her fear of Rogerson, it seemed like the song was on repeat in my head.

When I was reading this book, I felt so much pain by it that I wanted it to be over. I wanted Caitlin's pain to end and for the ending to somehow be happy. And while this book ending was not happy, it also wasn't tragic like I expected it to be. Although this is kind of a bold thing to compare it to, the feelings I got reminded me so much of how I felt during The Fault in Our Stars--like I wanted it to end so the pain of the characters could be over. For a while, during the book, I just silently cried, tears running down my face. And when I finished it, I was all set to give it 2 or 3 stars because of how terrible it made me feel.

But then I was reminded of the fact that if a book makes that strong an impact on you, then it must be a good book because the writer is doing a good job. So instead, I give it 5 stars because of the way it made me feel empty.

Dreamland was a mysterious, haunting book. Although I seem to say this about every Sarah Dessen book, this one is the one that REALLY stands out, and I think the silver lining around it will always stay there, making the experience of reading this book an incredible experience. Just writing this review, reflecting on my thoughts, has realized how much this book made me think about life in general. A beautiful book. Sarah, you've done it yet again.

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Book: The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: Blood of Eden #1

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 485

Source: bought

Links: Goodreads | Amazon 

Stars: 5/5

IN A FUTURE WORLD, VAMPIRES REIGN. HUMANS ARE BLOOD CATTLE. AND ONE GIRL WILL SEARCH FOR THE KEY TO SAVE HUMANITY. 

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for. 

MY THOUGHTS:

In reality, when faced with death and the great unknown that came after, my survival instinct snatched wildly at whatever lifeline was offered.

Best. Vampire. Book. Ever. Written.

As someone who is openly derisive and mocking of the whole vampire craze, I wasn't sure what to expect from The Immortal Rules.  It had a potentially interesting idea but I felt that my scorn for vampires would pretty much cloud over all the good stuff in it, despite all of the insistent pleas from friends that I should read it. However, upon reading this book, I am compelled to think otherwise, because this book was so beautifully written and structured that I could hardly keep from dancing around my room after I finished it.

Allison Sekemoto is a street rat when the book opens, a Fringer who every day struggles to both survive and help those around her survive. As an Unregistered (a human not forced into being a vampire's blood bag, but also a human who does not receive food), some days she feels as if she is right on the verge of death. Then, when she discovers cans and cans of food outside the city walls, she realizes that this food is the key to her survival. Guiding her "friends" to the food, the group is attacked by rabids, and before Allison dies, a vampire finds her and gives her the choice. Either she can die. Or she can become a vampire, the thing that she loathes the most in the world.

You can tell from that somewhat vague recount of the opening of the book that  The Immortal Rules is haunting and not for the faint of heart. There was lots of murder, blood, and violence in this book, but the way that Julie Kagawa told the story made my heart twist in anticipation for the next event. Her writing made me pretty much wonderstruck. It enraptured me from page on, and the sequence of events was perfect, each event slowly bleed (ha-ha) into the next, was just magical. I never knew what to expect throughout the time when I was reading this book, and I find myself clinging to the plot and writing, devouring it as if it were 100 spoonfuls of chocolate frosting.

Allison, as the heroine of the book, went through her highs and lowes throughout the book. At times I felt she was being stubborn and inconsiderate, and at times I totally got her. It was interesting to see what Julie Kagawa did with her character throughout the book. Despite the fact that she was now a bloodsucker, Allison gripped onto her humanity stubbornly and even though her vampire instincts overpowered her at times, she still seemed as if she were a normal girl (if not a little jaded from her years of near starvation) which was why she did such a good job disguising herself amongst the humans. Although Allison went through her ups and downs, I think, now that I've finished the book, that it's safe to say that Allison ended up being a pretty stable protagonist.

The love interest of this book, Zeke, stole my heart in ways that I didn't think were possible. His determination, bravery, and unconditional love for those around him made him lovable and tragic at the same time. In addition, he is completely sweet and protective and trusting. Although he was hurt, confused, and frightened when he found out what Allison was (a vampire), he came around and trusted her, despite her longing for his blood (now that was the only part I found a little creepy). The ending of the book is tear-worthy and I can't wait to see where Julie Kagawa takes this series.

I also liked Kanin although I don't think of him as a potential love interest for Allison, although I know that some people might think of him that way. *****SPOILER ALERT: I hope that Allison can save him, but also come back to Zeke, who she loves.*****

I hesitate not to say that this was not only the best vampire book that I've read (not that I read that many vampire books) but also the best paranormal romance I've read in a long time, possibly ever! No question that this book deserves the 5 stars that I have awarded it. This book was pure, utter bliss, and has also opened my eyes to the fact that not all vampire books are bad.

{Review} Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Book: Unspoken
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: The Lynburn Legacy #1
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Publisher: Random House Books
Pages: 370
Links: Goodreads /  Purchase 
Stars: 5/5

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

I have lots to say about this book, firstly though:

A definite thumbs-up for our extremely talented writer, Sarah Rees Brennan!

It feels as if I have discovered my true love upon reading Unspoken. I know I say that quite often in my reviews but I truly mean it this time. I have fallen deeply in love with this book's writing, characters, plot, its everything! All of it was sweet, perfect, and utterly perfect (wait, I said perfect twice). I began this book with expectations that soared high above the sky. I will admit that I am easy to impress and quick to fall for books, but this book I was truly blowen away by it!

Before I began this book I did not know that it took place in England, and when I discovered this, I had some very fangirly moments because I love anything British or having to do with England. At time this book was so cute and so British that it made me want to squeal. Just looking at its deliciously pink cover was enough to get me to start fangirling. In short, I wish that this book was a cute boy so that I could flirt with it. (Just kidding...kind of.)

As a little girl, I never had an imaginary friend, but I always did find the prospect quite intriguing and thrilling. My imaginary friends were always my storybook characters, not legit imaginary friends. Several times I pretended to talk to an imaginary friend when I was little, but I'd always get bored with them and go back to my books. Well, this book displays the idea of an imaginary friend, but at the same time, the imaginary friend is not so imaginary after all! Even though I never had an imaginary friend, I just tried to imagine what it would be like if my imaginary friend was, in fact, real.  That was what got me interested in the story: its amazing synopsis. Well, that, and the several people who practically convinced me to buy it!

The beginning of this book was quite slow and dull but to be honest I didn't mind because I was just busy absorbing the beautiful writing. I don't mind slow-paced books as long as they have action eventually, and this book definitely started to get action-packed, which was my favorite part of the book. Sarah Rees Brennan did a splendid job of portraying the action. This book's plot was crystal-clear, and there was no confusion or messiness. The author eased the reader into the plot carefully, and then when things started to get more complicated, she swooped into things fearlessly and ended up with an amazing, amazing book.

The characters are really what make this book shine, although all aspects of it are perfect. Our heroine, Kami Glass, is indeed one of the best heroines of all time I might venture to say. She is witty and kick-butt (while at the same time manages not to be an assassin or Hunger Games tribute) and I simply adored her. Ah, and she is a writer! Any heroine who writes is a favorite heroine of mine. Kami is definitely the most colorful character in this book, but that doesn't mean that the other characters weren't great as well. They were almost as good as Kami. Sarah Rees Brennan did an excellent job foreshadowing events to come in the book, and it gave me an idea of which characters to trust and which not to trust, although I never would've guessed...never mind never mind! I am making this is review spoiler-free. But anyway, the characters were remarkable, and let's give Sarah Rees Brennan a hand, shall we?

But wait! I'm not done with them.

Jared. He is a very flawed character and sometimes it was hard to see past those flaws, but as I often say, the flawed characters are the best. He was incredibly hard to figure out and was a man of mystery to me as we as the reader don't get to know Jared very well, despite the fact that he can communicate with Kami through his mind. I think I liked him but I am not entirely sure, as I didn't get to spend enough time with him. I hope his character will be further developed in this book's sequel (which by the way...I need. Like, NOW.)

And Ash. Ohhh Ash. I had trouble figuring out whether I hopelessly loved him or whether I wanted to do this to him:

(Hey, I used 2 Santana gifs. Points, anyone?)

And yet, at times, I felt:

(HA! I used 3 Glee gifs!! Now I should really get some points!)

Ash was not a very big part of the story but to be honest I wish we had more of him. That is my only complaint: Sarah Rees Brennan did not spend enough time with characters I would have liked to have spent more time with.

All in all this book was simply fabulous! I think it is my new true love and an amazing story. The ending was quite ambiguous and I honestly have no idea where this story will go in the book following it. One thing is for sure, though, I cannot wait to read it!!

I feel the need to share a few quotes that I think are key to this book:

“Sorry-in-the-Vale, Sorriest River, Crying Pools," said Jared. "Is the quarry called Really Depressed Quarry?”

You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back at school.
“They said that about all the great visionaries.”.
“You know who else they said it about?” Angela demanded. “All the actual crazy people.” 
“She clenched her fist in his T-shirt, put her other arm around those too-broad, too-real shoulders. When he tried to pull away, she held on tight. Kami felt the surrender in his mind a moment before he laid his face in the curve of her neck. The whole world was so real it hurt. Kami whispered into Jared's hair, "I'm always on your side.” 

“I can try to wheedle information out of people," Holly offered. "For which I'll need a lower-cut top.” 

“I only date college guys.”
“You don’t know any college guys,” Kami pointed out.
Angela’s gaze went to Kami, and she smiled. “Which leaves me with more time for napping.” 

“You couldn't do it?" Rob Lynburn sneered.
"I know her," Ash said in a low voice. "I can't... hurt someone I know.” 

Well, that pretty much sums it up! This book was a pleasure to read and it was like discovering a whole new world. I hope if you decide to read this book that you'll enjoy it as much as I did. :)

{Review}: Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Burn for Burn
by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Series: Burn for Burn #1
Release Date: September 18, 2012
by Simon & Schuster

Add on Goodreads

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

I loved this book so much! <3

I loved it to pieces. If someone tore this book apart (O_o) I would continue to love every last smithereen of it.  In fact, I wasn't expecting to like this book at all. It looked super cheesy, but it turned out to be an awesome read. One of my favorites of 2013, I have to admit.

I liked Jenny Han's Summer trilogy well enough, but it wasn't one of my favorites. I don't think I would have given this book a second glance were it not for some reviews I read, the gorgeous cover, and most of all, the amazing premise that the summery conveyed. In fact, when I read this summery, I was like, "HELL YES!!"

First of all, I just love these characters. Kat was definitely my favorite of the three girls--I loved her self-confident, bad-bitch side. Usually her types of characters annoy me, but for Kat, her character totally worked.  Mary seemed genuinely sweet and I almost teared up when I heard what happened to her.  Lillia, I wasn't so sure about until the end of the book. I disliked the things she said and did, and preferred Kat and Mary so much better. By the end of the book, though, I loved the character. These girls went through so much, but at the same time, they were almost as bad as the people who had been terrible to them, so it was a weird mix of bad and good with these girls. Which I LOVED. The whole revenge storyline was freaking awesome, and it made me think of Taylor Swift's song "Better Than Revenge".
I have to say, I am completely hooked on contemporary fiction these days, and this one definitely sealed the deal-- I'm just in love with the genre. I usually classify myself as a fantasy girl, but I've definitely read some contemporaries that I've liked, and this one was definitely one of them. One thing I wasn't sure about though--in Mary's point of view, there seemed to be a fantasy element that confused me a little, what with it being such a contemporary-style book. It threw me off, but I'm so glad this is a series so I can find out what will happen to Lillia, Kat, and Mary in the next book!

This book positively blew me away. With characters like these, and a premise like this, Han and Vivian just couldn't go wrong.  What a totally, awesome, kickass idea for a book!! :)

COVER TALK: I am in LOOOVE with this cover. OMG. The 3 girls look exactly like I imagined them, especially Mary. I also love the color scheme! Not only was this an amaaaazing book, it has an amaaaazing cover to match! <33

4.5/5 Stars

{Review}: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Everbound
by Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath #2
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Pages: 368
Goodreads / Purchase

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity -- a debt that should've been hers. She's living a borrowed life, and she doesn't know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.
Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to COle, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen -- and the one least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself. Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they'd anticipated-- and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack-- even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.
In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we'll go to for the ones we love.

*NO WORDS*
Omg, what an amazing book. What a crazy, emotional, insanely amazing book!!! ♥♥

I can't even explain how much I loved this book. So many feels right now. This book was a mind-boggling, amazing adventure that I doubt that I'll ever forget.

These characters *deep breath*. I have a lot to say about them and the difference in them between the first and second books, which was big. In Everbound's predecessor, I disliked Cole. In fact, I hated him so much that I would cluck in disgust every time his name was mentioned. It seemed like he was getting in the way of everything and it also didn't seem like he even liked Nikki that much, just that he wanted to make her his queen and nothing else. In this book Cole was different. He was still a bad boy, but there was something sweeter and more caring about him. In the last book, he was sarcastic and annoying, and in this book, he was just... sweet. I liked him. Yes, I'm going so far to say that I liked him.  My heart pretty much broke for him towards the end of the book (not THE end of the book, when I wanted to punch him in the face), but Ashton did a better job of making you love the characters in this book. A lot of time in this book is spent with Cole, which I wasn't pleased about before I read the book. I wanted it to be spent with Jack--sweet, nice-guy, kind-of-cheesy-but-also-adorable Jack.  I loved him in the first book and I loved him in this book.  For some reason that I can't explain. Usually I like blond boys. Blond bad boys? Totally my type. But I love Jack so much more *swoon*. He was crush-worthy, adorable, and at the end of the book I had some fangirly moments about him. In this book I also liked Nikki better as a character. In the last book, she was boring with a capital 'b'.  In Everbound, though, I got to know her so much better as a character, which I liked a lot. She genuinely seemed like a normal type of girl, despite the crazy things she did. Ok, that might be a little bit of a stretch, but let's just say she was a teenage girl. A teenage girl in love. With 1 1/2 boys.

Onto the writing. Brodi Ashton is a freaking genius. That's all I can say. The way that she tells the story and makes you so interested in it--it's pure genius. Her writing is simple, to the point, and that's what I liked so much about it. It was easy to read, but the action was very fast-paced, so if her writing was complicated or hard to follow, the book would have been a mess. But everything worked so well together--the characters, the writing style, the plot. Ahh!!! The plot!
The plot has one of the most unique, original ideas that I've ever heard of. I don't usually read books about myths because they confuse me, but this one is exceptional. Ashton expressed things in a way that I could understand them. Sometimes it takes me a long time to get foreign concepts, or weird paranormal ideas, but I totally got this one.

I couldn't stop reading this book. I don't think I've ever finished a book so fast during school. I found myself sprinting to the library during study halls just to read this book, when I really should have been doing homework or studying. This book amazed me with its rawness, its amazingness. I'm still fangirling about it, even though I finished it a few days ago.

I need the next book... NOW.

~Cover Talk~

{At the end of each review, I will now post one of these, saying what I like and don't like about the cover}

I'm just completely in love with this cover ;P Every few seconds I would flip the book just to look at the cover for a few seconds before I continued reading.  Looking at an image on the Internet just doesn't cut it; you have to see the cover in person to really realize how gorgeous it is. The bits of fabric coming off the girl's dress looks a little bit like candle smoke, like when you blow out birthday candles and that swirly smoke fills the air. I also love the girl's dress and the cloud. It's much prettier than the last cover. :) I don't dislike anything about this cover. It's perfection ;P

5/5 stars <33333

Review: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever
by Sarah Dessen
Release Date: May 11, 2004
by Speak
Num Pages: 374
Links: Goodreads

Macy's summer stretches before her, carefully planned and outlined. She will spend her days sitting at the library information desk. She will spend her evenings studying for the SATs. Spare time will be used to help her obsessive mother prepare for the big opening of the townhouse section of her luxury development.
But Macy's plans don't anticipate a surprising and chaotic job with Wish Catering, a motley crew of new friends, or....Wes. Tattooed, artistic, anything-but-expected Wes. He doesn't fit Macy's life at all--so why does she feel so comfortable with him? So....happy? What is it about him that makes her let down her guard and finally talk about how much she misses her father, who died before her eyes the year before?

All of Sarah Dessen's books are so, in a word, pure. If I could, I'd read Sarah Dessen's books all day, every day. She has such a voice, and connects with her reader in ways that I can't explain through a review. I'm just so impressed with the way she manages to do this.  I've never really come across an author who can touch me quite the way that Sarah Dessen can.

It's hard to write about these characters because they were just so amazing.  I know that I have no trouble complaining and rambling about characters that I didn't like, but when I come across truly amazing characters, then I'm totally stuck. I find it really hard to write rave reviews, and mostly, my rave reviews suck. But here's a try. I feel like Macy and Wes and Delia and Caroline and Kristy and Bert and pretty much everyone... I feel like they're so 3 dimensional, almost like they're standing right there in front of you. To be honest, it seemed like I was watching a movie, or better, a play, instead of reading a book. And when you feel like this, then, well, you know it's a good book.

Critics say that Sarah Dessen's books are all the same, that they're all just about girls and guys and all of their troubles. I guess that's true, but in the books I've read by her so far, the girls are all different, they're in different situations, they have different lives. Annabell, Ruby, Auden, Nicole, and now Macy are all teenage girls, yet they're all the different shades of what a girl can be. I related to each of them in different ways.  I just connected with Macy. Even though I'm not 17, and won't be for 4 years, she seemed real.
The plot was different than in most books I've read about. Like all of Sarah Dessen's books, the characters hold together the plot.  Without the characters, the plot would be virtually nonexistent. I don't mind this; in fact, I love it. Part of what makes a book good is its characters, and Sarah nails the characters. The plot hung over them, and it created a nice balance.

Personally, Wes **SWOOON** was my favorite character, and Jason was my least favorite. I knew from the minute the story began that there was something off with Jason, and I was write. What kind of boyfriend can't show you affection? If I were Macy, I would've dumped him much earlier than she actually did. And Wes---don't even get me started... He's amazing. Pure. Phenomenal. Honest. I like him almost as much as Owen. Sarah Dessen really does a great job with her guy characters, I think this might be one of her strongest points as a writer.

So if you haven't read one of Sarah Dessen's books yet, I think you might just HAVE to go out and buy one right this minute, because you have not lived your life completely unless you've read a Sarah Dessen book.

More than 5 stars!!!

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Num Pages: 404
Links: Goodreads/Purchase

Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament--fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin's heart be melted? 

OH. MY. GOD. My life has been changed upon reading this book!!
I love the idea that Sarah J. Maas can weave together a story that involves a lot of fighting and a kick-ass heroine, but make it nothing like the Hunger Games or any book surrounding that premise! It was just amazing. Celaena is one of the best characters I've read about in a long time. She was so hilarious; she never failed to make me smile. As you probably know, I love girl heroines that represent us girls in the right way: We're strong, able, and totally awesome-- and Celaena represented ALL of those qualities. She was brave, daring, and bad-ass. Oooh! And she was blond. It seems like every cool heroine I've read about is brunette (with the exception of Tris). Yay Celaena for representing blonde girls! Gaaahhh! I JUST LOVED IT.
Coming into this book, I was a little nervous it would be too much like The Hunger Games. The whole fighting competition thing sounded similar. I don't like books to be copies of other books. To my surprise, it was absolutely nothing like it! While the premise is similar in a way, the authors carried the subject out in completely different ways.
I expected this book to have a love triangle--which it did, but it was a little different- OK, a lot different-- than any love triangle I've read about. Dorian and Chaol are the supposed love interests, but she only really expresses love for Dorian until the end of the book, and even then, she's not really seeming to be in love with Chaol. I, for one, liked Chaol better! I love the "I-am-pretending-to-hate-you-but-I-secretly-love-you" tactic, even though it might annoy some people. I feel like sarcasm and teasing are cute ways of showing someone that you like them. Although, Celaena didn't really take the hint. Poor guy! I hope there's more between Celaena and Chaol in the next book, because they're adorable. (If they were to get together...)
I seriously could not put down this book. It's not a short book and I finished it just a couple of hours ago, I started it on Monday. And hey! I've been in school this whole week. I'm a busy girl ;) Yet I managed to finish this!
The one complaint I do have about this book is that it was very predictable, almost so predictable it was UNPREDICTABLE! If that makes any sort of sense, which it probably does not. :P I totally expected what was going to happen. But I'm only subtracting half a star for that, and my rating still remains rounded up to 5 stars.
So, PLEASE. Read this book!!! It is absolutely amazing. I know this is a crappy review, but I can only talk so much about how i love a book, you know?? ;P

4.5/5 stars

Review: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

The Friday Society

by Adrienne Kress

Release Date: December 6, 2012

Num Pages: 440

Links: Goodreads/Purchase

The action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns--and the girls who use them all. Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fighting assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.  Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

*This review contains spoilers, but I have marked them off with brackets like [[this]]*

Where to start.. 

        I almost wish I hadn't finished this. It was that good. I feel like I read it too fast now, I should've savored it! 

      The Friday Society is absolutely, posi-tute-ly incredible. It has virtually everything I ask for in a book-- Bad-ass Victorian era girls. Detectives. Murder. Cute guys. Feminist lines. Amazing storyline. It was just so perfect. I'm not really sure how to go about writing this review, so this will probably be a super pathetic review (In other words, short.).

    I think what I loved most about this book is its action. I had been reading a lot of not-so-much-action books lately, and its action was really fresh and awesome to me. I hadn't read a murder mystery book in a long time, and I love that genre, so I was basically reunited with my obsessive love of murder mysteries! ;P 

    My favorite member of the Friday Society was no doubt Nellie, also known as Lady Sparkle.  Nellie is a bit of a lunatic and slightly out of her mind, but that's what I loved most about her. I also loved Cora in all her feminist awesomeness, and Michiko, because she was totally kick-butt, what with her combat skills.

   The boys in this book were also great. I LOVED Officer Murphy, or Jeff, he was so adorable! And I loved Nellie for calling him cute the first time she ever met him.  Andrew was ok, but I didn't like him as much as Jeff. [[[And I was so sad that Michiko's little assistant (name is not coming to mind right now) bit the dust.  I literally almost cried!!]]]      

    Anyway,  it was just too good to be true.  I've been looking for a book like this for YEARS. And I have finally found it! *kisses cover of book* I am still in utter shock. PLEASE read this book--you will not regret it.

5/5 stars

P.S. : I am so sorry for the really short review!! I just couldn't find much to say about this book, other than the fact that was AMAZING, kick-butt, and totally awesome! :P

Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Release Date: October 26, 2012
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Num Pages: 260
Links: Goodreads/Purchase

"I've left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please." 
 So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Lily has red a left notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy tho come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.


My Review:

Oh, Dash! Oh, Lily! Where have you been all my life?

Love, love, love.
Why oh why did this book have to be only 260 pages long? If it had been 800 pages, I would've wanted it to be longer! This book is incredible and maybe just maybe one of the best I have ever read. AHHH! I just love this book to pieces. If I could, I would marry this book.
No question that the characters are my favorite part. I especially enjoyed reading from Lily's point of view, although I LOVED Dash, too. Sometimes books with alternating point of views annoy me because I'll like one character better than the other and just skim through the parts of the character that I don't like. But this one was SO different! I loved both point of views and I WANTED THIS BOOK TO NEVER EVER EVER END!!!!!!!!!!
Lily, who is called Shrilly because of her ability to shriek shrilly when she's upset, is 16 years old. She loves Christmas. In fact, the first line of her POV is "I love Christmas." Understandably, right? I mean, who doesn't love Christmas??? Well Lily loves it just like any other rational human being (I'm getting to Dash in a minute). Lily was crazy and that's what I loved about her so much. She was so different from any other person in a book I've read about! She was a bit of a klutz and a bit all over the place, if you know what I mean, but I loved her for it. She just wanted to find that one right guy. And she wasn't having a fun Christmas. Her brother, Langston, is gay and spending all his time with his boyfriend. Her parents are away for Christmas (leaving Lily and her brother alone!!!!) celebrating their anniversary.
Dash is absolutely hilarious. He's a lovable nerd bookworm who I just fell in love with plain and simple. Every time someone sees him the word "Snarly" immediately comes to mind XD. Dash is the last person I'd guess to play along with the red moleskine notebook thing, but he does. He might be in love with Lily but he doesn't know since he hasn't met her yet.
How cool would that be? To pass along a red notebook, sharing your innermost secrets and your crazy thoughts to someone you've never even met??!!! It makes me want to try something like this, although unfortunately I do not live somewhere as exciting as New York City. I read this book right after Christmastime and let me tell you, I wished I could fast forward back in time ("fast forward back in time"... is that even an expression??) and relive Christmas all over again with this beautiful book that has become my new best friend. AND I WANT TO GO TO NEW YORK CITY NEXT CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The plot of this book is absolutely incredible. It's so creative! I was hooked from page 1 and didn't put it down even when I was in school! I abandoned social life for the week and instead ate my lunch with the book hidden under my desk instead of socializing with friends. I fear that my love have books has made me become antisocial. But whatever. Books are my friends, so at least i'm being social with books, right?? XD
This book grabbed me like no other book has ever done. This book hugged me and never let me go, but not in a get-off-of-me type of way, in a YAY! I LOVE YOU SO MUCh! type of way. I freaking love this book and it is definitely on my list of all-time-favs. Better than favs!

Fun Fact: David Levithan, who wrote Dash's POV, is Maggie Stiefvater's editor! So you know that whatever he writes must be good!

5/5 stars

Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners
by Libba Bray
Release Date: September 18, 2012
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: The Diviners, #1
Num Pages: 592
Links: Goodreads/Purchase


It's 1920s New York City. It's flappers and Follies, jazz and gin. It's after the war but before the depression. And for certain group of bright young things it's the opportunity to party like never before.

For Evie O'Neill, it's escape. She's never fit in in small town Ohio and when she causes yet another scandal, she's shipped off to stay with an uncle in the big city. But far from being exile, this is exactly what she's always wanted: the chance to show how thoroughly modern and incredibly daring she can be.

But New York City isn't about just jazz babies and follies girls. It has a darker side. Young women are being murdered across the city. And these aren't crimes of passion. They're gruesome. They're planned. They bear a strange resemblance to an obscure group of tarot cards. And the New York City police can't solve them alone.

Evie wasn't just escaping the stifling life of Ohio, she was running from the knowledge of what she could do. She has a secret. A mysterious power that could help catch the killer - if he doesn't catch her first.

*synopsis taken from Goodreads

*this review contains spoilers! Do NOT read unless you have read the book!!!!

My Review:



"The sun cleared the horizon. The light stung her eyes. 'Kiss me,' Evie said. He took her face in his hands and his kiss blotted out the sky."

Powerful. Sexy. Thrilling. Absolutely divine. (See what I did there...? ^^)

I expected this book to be epic. I expected tears, love, and Libba Bray at her full amazing-ness. After being the #1 fan of her Gemma Doyle trilogy, I know what Libba Bray can do when she sets pen to paper. So I was expecting something amazing, better than amazing.

Libba, You have not disappointed me.

I LOVE THIS BOOK ♥. I really don't think it could have been any better. How did Libba Bray manage to make me so involved with the storyline, yet LOVE the characters, yet FALL IN LOVE with two guy characters... I don't know how she did it. As I closed the book when I finished it, all I could think was, "Only Libba Bray could have done it."

This book is set in a similar time period to the Gemma Doyle series, ten years give or take. Yet it was so DIFFERENT. The Gemma Doyle books were set in England at the turn of the century, this book is set in New York City in the 1920's. Not a big difference, right? Well, there is a difference. A HUGE difference. Americans were so more... modernized than the British were back then. I'm not saying that what the British were at was a bad thing, I'm just saying it's completely different. Which I found really intriguing. I'm not sure which books I like better, though-- I don't think I even CAN choose, to be honest.

The characters in this book are easily my favorite part. John Hobbes, better known as Naughty John, scared me half to death! [[[The first murder, Ruda Badowski, had me nearly screaming. There's something so weird about having one's eyes cut out... ughhh!!!! ]]] Evie, while she is very flawed, was extremely entertaining and sometimes I laughed out loud at her ridiculous humor. For example, I'm giving a few here.

"Was your trip comfortable?" [asked Uncle Will]
"Swell, although I was pickpocketed at Penn Station," Evie said.
Uncle Will raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"A hideous young man named Sam Lloyd. Well, that was the name he gave me before he kissed me and stole my twenty dollars."
Will squinted. "He what?" (pg. 46)

"Okay. I'll bite. How did Unc--" [Evie said]
"Must you call me that?"
Evie considered it. "Yes, I believe I must."

Even though I liked Evie, I LOVED Jericho ♥. That boy stole my heart, big-time. He was such a gentleman. At the end of the book I was practically wailing for him. O_O [[[ I was just about losing it. Hearing what happened to him and then him kissing Evie at the end was just... magical. And heartbreaking, because he's kissing Evie, not me :'( From the beginning I knew he was my boy ]]] So it would definitely be a blatant lie to say that Jericho wasn't my favorite character. I feel the need to quote him, but I would not recommend reading this if you have not read the book.

[[[

"All this time, I thought I was alone. Different. But you're different, too." He was looking at her in a new way. "For the longest time, I wanted to die. I figured that I was dead inside already, that they'd killed me when they turned me into a machine. but I don't feel dead anymore." His face was so close to hers. His hand was on her back. "I know what I want now."

"What's that?" Evie whispered.

There was nothing awkward or tentative about Jericho's kiss. He pressed his mouth against hers with a ferocious insistence. Every part of her felt awake and alive." ]]] (page 577)

*squee*
*fangirl*
*faints*

[[[

"Evie needed something to keep her mind occupied, and so she watched Jericho's forearms working the shovel, paying attention to the pull of the muscle, the strength of his grip. He remembered the feel of his hand over hers, like a shield. He was a mystery to her in many ways, and she found that she wanted to know his secrets--not ripped from him via a wallet or favorite pen, but given to her as a gift... She watched Jericho's large hands work and imagined those hands caressing her bare skin, imagined the taste of his mouth, the press of his body against hers." (page 487) ]]] ♥♥

Anyway, I think you get the idea. ^^ I also loved Sam, he was funny and totally in love with Evie. I wasn't sure about him at first, but I grew to love him a lot. He is probably my 2nd favorite character, after Jericho. :))

I was expecting this book to take me forever to read. Like, seriously forever. O.o I guess I'm a fast reader when I'm really interested in the book, and this was the case while I was reading this book. Once I got 50 or so pages in, I couldn't stop reading. I finished it in a day and a half! And seeing that it is 578 pages long, I am pretty proud of this accomplishment. ^.^ *brags* But anyway, this book was a surprisingly quick read for me. Definitely not a light book, actually considerably heavy, but I finished it quick even though it weighs more than I do. (figuratively)


This book is a-maaaa-zing. If you want to read this book, do not look at its size, look at its content. I was intimidated at first about how long it was, but Oh. My. God. I fell in love ♥ I cannot wait for the next book!!!

5/5 stars (♥Perfection)

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: October 18, 2011
by Scholastic Press

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.  Some riders live.  Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion.  He is a young man of few words, and if he as any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races.  But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition--the first girl to ever do so.  She is no on way prepared for what is going to happen. 

My Review:


Maggie Stiefvater you have done it again. You haven't failed to amaze me yet. First your Wolves of Mercy Falls books, then The Raven Boys, and now this beauty. Well let's just put it this way: you are amazing.

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. AHHHHHHhhhh!!!! I didn't write this review until now because I was still gathering all my thoughts about this amazing book!

So first off I have always loved horses even though I've never took riding lessons. Something about them was always beautiful to me, and I love horse books. So imagine my excitement when I figured out that this book was a) by Maggie Stiefvater, b) about horses, and c) about killer horses. Now that is some real excitement. And it didn't fail me! I LOVED IT.

So the characters were probably my favorite part but I seriously loved everything. I loved Puck, mostly because she was fierce and seriously kick-butt. Even though she underwent some huge obstacles, she kept her mind focused on what she really wanted to do-- win the Scorpio Races, despite having a mere island horse while the others had beastly capaill uisce . I also loved the horses. Each one had a different personality. Some were vicious and savage, and others were quiet and calculating. And Dove was probably my favorite horse of all of them. Talk about a kick-ass horse! :p

I also loved Corr even though he was a capall uisce and he'd killed Sean's father. You could tell that Sean and him had a really deep connection. Some people say that animals and people can't communicate, but these two shared a special bond that I'm almost jealous of. I'd love to have that kind of connection with an animal. And Sean, of course I loved Sean. He was so mysterious for the first part of the book. I loved that part about him! When he became less mysterious I still loved his whole "man of few words" persona.

I LOVED the idea of the Scorpio Races, even though it is taking a myth and twisting it into another myth. I guess Maggie Stiefvater enjoys doing this since her Wolves of Mercy Falls books were about werewolves, but a different kind of werewolves. I would suggest reading the Author's Note BEFORE reading the book instead of after.

So anyway, this book was amazing and definitely the best Maggie Stiefvater book I have read so far. There were mixed reviews so I wasn't too sure if I was going to like it but I did! So definitely 5 stars for this one, definitely be putting this on your book repertoire soon!

5/5 stars