ARC Review: "Inheritance" by Malinda Lo

Release Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 480

From Goodreads:"The triangular spaceship hovered motionless in the sky above Reese Holloway’s house, as inscrutable as a black hole. It had seemed like a good idea when they were inside: to tell the truth about what happened to them at Area 51. It didn’t seem like such a good idea now.

Reese and David are not normal teens—not since they were adapted with alien DNA by the Imria, an extraterrestrial race that has been secretly visiting Earth for decades. Now everyone is trying to get to them: the government, the Imria, and a mysterious corporation that would do anything for the upper hand against the aliens.

Beyond the web of conspiracies, Reese can’t reconcile her love for David with her feelings for her ex-girlfriend Amber, an Imrian. But her choice between two worlds will play a critical role in determining the future of humanity, the Imria’s place in it, and the inheritance she and David will bring to the universe.

In this gripping sequel to Adaptation, Malinda Lo brings a thoughtful exploration of adolescence, sexuality, and “the other” to a science fiction thriller that is impossible to put down."

After having finished "Adaptation", the first book in this series, I HAD to read this book- not only to see how the general populace would react to learning that they were, in fact, not alone in the universe (or universes beyond), but to see how Reese would navigate her relationships (if any) with both David and Amber. That being said, once I started reading this book, that initial excitement began to wane, becoming almost non-existent.

My largest complaint about this book was its pacing- I can typically read a book within a couple of hours, however, this book took me near two weeks to read because of it. While I thought that the previous book was too focused on the romance aspect, in this book I thought that it was too focused on the politics and too 'info-dumping' about the Imria. As such, I found that I could only read a few pages before my eyes started crossing, being dragged down by it all.

I further had problems with Reese in this novel- while I understand that her thoughts, feelings, and emotions are probably very true to life for many teens in her situation (questioning their sexuality, trying to find out where they belong in the world, and so forth), I couldn't relate to her in the slightest. It increasingly grated more and more on my nerves about how she was unable to make a concrete decision about anything- forever flopping back and forth.

All in all, while I was not a fan of this book, I do think that many others will be (especially those who were major fans of the first). Furthermore, despite my complaints, I really do appreciate what Malinda has done for the world of YA- not only presenting characters we typically don't see in the genre, but presenting alternative relationships to what we typically see."

Rating: 2/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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ARC Review: "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" by Holly Black

Release Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Pages: 432

From Goodreads: "Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black."

Holly Black is, without a doubt, one of those authors who shaped my teenage years, specifically with her "Modern Faerie Tale" series- I literally cannot tell you the number of times that I reread those books growing up. However, I unfortunately wasn't a huge fan of her "Curse Workers" series, while the concept was unique, I didn't find that it grabbed me in any way, shape, or form. That being said, when I heard about this series (and saw all of the glowing reviews from my fellow reviewers), I did decide to give Holly another chance, something that I am not oft to do. Admittedly I am somewhat regretful for doing so as I once again found this series flat, not having the slightest bit of magic that I had become familiar with in her faerie series.

The first complaint that I have about this book is vampires. I am of the opinion that vampires are dead in young adult literature unless you REALLY have something that the likes of has never been seen before. Unfortunately the vampires of this book are no different than any other vampires I have seen in the genre. In fact, the vampires of this book are perhaps the most stereotypical I have ever seen before- with questionable fashion choices (poofy sleeves and slicked backed hair), brooding attitudes, and so forth.

The next complaint is the utter detachment I felt about the plot, characters, and so forth. I felt like much of the plot was overly melodramatic, but it was lacking in any REAL emotion. Characters seeing people being ripped apart in front of their very eyes? Meh. Characters declaring their undying love for one another? *Shrugs*. Any who knows me knows that I LOVE love, however, I felt that the relationship between Tana and Gavriel to be so forced that I didn't even care whether they had one or not.

That being said, I really did the character of Aiden, Tana's ex-boyfriend. I thought that he brought a lot of light-heartedness and humour to the book. Furthermore, despite the book's size, a solid inch and a half or two inches in thickness, I did find that it was an extremely quick read, having finished it almost as soon as I had started it.

All in all, unfortunately the book didn't do it for me, after finishing it having little to no feelings about it- except for the satisfaction of being able to add another tick to my count of books read this year. That being said, with this book being a combination of "The Immortal Rules" by Julie Kagawa and "Blood Red Road" by Moira Young, I do think that it will appeal to a lot of readers. Furthermore, despite my complaints, I do think that I will continue on with the series, if only to see how it ends.

Rating: 2/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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"Rules of Summer" by Joanna Philbin

Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 352

From Goodreads: "There are two sides to every summer.

When seventeen-year-old Rory McShane steps off the bus in East Hampton, it's as if she's entered another universe, one populated by impossibly beautiful people wearing pressed khakis and driving expensive cars. She's signed on to be a summer errand girl for the Rules -- a wealthy family with an enormous beachfront mansion. Upon arrival, she's warned by other staff members to avoid socializing with the family, but Rory soon learns that may be easier said than done.

Stifled by her friends and her family's country club scene, seventeen-year-old Isabel Rule, the youngest of the family, embarks on a breathless romance with a guy whom her parents would never approve of. It's the summer for taking chances, and Isabel is bringing Rory along for the ride. But will Rory's own summer romance jeopardize her friendship with Isabel? And, after long-hidden family secrets surface, will the Rules' picture-perfect world ever be the same?"

Truth: I have a thing for books which take place in the Hamptons. Don't ask me why, I don't know. I just love 'em and consume them at a rate that is more than likely unhealthy. Therefore, when I stumbled across this book I knew that I had to read it. However, while this book started out exactly as I had hoped that it would, I slowly started to find my love for it wane more and more.

The biggest complaint I have about this book is that after having finished it I don't understand what its purpose was...? I couldn't help but feel that there was very little, to any, plot. And I found the synopsis of the book to be quite misleading- I was lead to believe that the "secrets" were entirely life-changing, perhaps not unlike those of "Pretty Little Liars", however, I personally found the secrets to be very tame, having guessed them all within the first hundred or so pages of the book.

Furthermore, I found the ending especially the last chapter or two, to be very rushed- characters did complete one-eighties within pages, completely contradicting the characters that they had been crafted to be. Additionally, we have insta-love. To the ninth degree. Only with a couple of interactions (all of which there were only a few words exchanged) characters are obsessing over one another.

That being said, I did appreciate that there was actual character growth in this book. While I had expected to hate Isabel, her being a stereotypical "privileged Hamptons girl", I couldn't help but grow to love her- loving the fact that she was able to look outside of the box that she had been confined to her entire life, seeing that there is so much more to life than manicured lawns, perfect parties, and drool-worthy clothing (and her attempts to bring her friends to the light).

All in all, I feel like there was a lot of build-up in this book, however the ending was unable to deliver. Overall I thought that it was "okay", but not enough that I will pick it up again. That being said, I do think that this is perfect for those looking for a quick, somewhat light-hearted beach read. Furthermore, despite my complaints I am curious to check out Joanna's other books (especially after learning that she is Regis Philbin's daughter).

Rating: 2/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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ARC Review: "The Lives We Lost" by Megan Crewe

Release Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Disney
Pages: 288

From Goodreads: "First, the virus took Kaelyn’s friends. Then, her family. Now it’s taken away her home.

But she can't look back—the life she once had is gone forever.

A deadly virus has destroyed Kaelyn’s small island community and spread beyond the quarantine. No one is safe. But when Kaelyn finds samples of a vaccine in her father's abandoned lab, she knows there must be someone, somewhere, who can replicate it. As Kaelyn and her friends head to the mainland, they encounter a world beyond recognition. It’s not only the “friendly flu” that’s a killer—there are people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the vaccine. How much will Kaelyn risk for an unproven cure, when the search could either destroy those she loves or save the human race?

Megan Crewe's second volume in the Fallen World trilogy is an action-packed journey that explores the resilience of friendship, the ache of lost love, and Kaelyn’s enduring hope in the face of the sacrifices she must make to stay alive."

Admittedly I can't help but feel that this book suffers from that not unlike Kristen Simmons "Breaking Point" does- second book syndrome. While while I read it it felt as if a lot was happening, after I finished it and sat back and considered it I realized that not all that much did- essentially the characters traveled from their home in the Maritimes to Toronto with very little difficulties, all things considering. I can't help but wonder how Megan is going to fully wrap up this series in one more book, this series being a trilogy- it feels to me that we could have at least another handful of books until we finally saw the end of the virus.

Furthermore, while I was a large fan of the characters, Kaelyn, Drew, Tessa and Gav, in "The Way We Fall", in this book I felt that all but Kaelyn didn't make all that large of an impact upon me. Drew and Tessa played very little roles in this book, while Gav bordered on being a possessive boyfriend, at times. However, I was quite impressed with Kaelyn- she continuously grows as a character and never loses sight of the end goal- finding a cure and making it widely distributed. I also did like the character addition of Tobias, however, I am uncertain about how I feel about Leo being fully ingrained into this story line. It's obvious that Megan is hinting at a story line between Kaelyn and Leo and I can't help but feel that it is far too forced- in my opinion the best romances are those that sneak up at you and are understated.

That being said, I really liked that this book wasn't told in the same format that it was in the previous- that instead of being written as a journal/ diary it was written as an ordinary narrative. I thought that this was much less flat and one-dimensional than the previous, and therefore even more of a "pageturner".

All in all, despite my complaints I did enjoy this book and I will be continuing on with this series- I think that fans of the first will be more than happy with this installment (perhaps even liking it more than the first!) and curse the year or so that they will have to wait for the third, and final book, in the series.

Rating: 3/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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"The Way We Fall" by Megan Crewe

Release Date: January 29, 2012
Publisher: Disney
Pages: 309

From Goodreads: "It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. 

And then you're dead.

When sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her best friend leave for school without saying goodbye, she never dreams that she might not see him again. But then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community, infecting young and old alike. As the dead pile up, the government quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for the island’s dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Poignant and dizzying, The Way We Fall is the heart-wrenching story of one girl's bravery and unbeatable spirit as she challenges not just her fears, but her sense of what makes life worth living."

When I first got my hands on this book I was beyond excited- I had heard nothing but good things about it and, being the genre that it is, I thought that it would be right up my alley (I consume what might be considered an unhealthy amount of dystopians/ post-apocalyptic YA books). However, I'm sad to say that I didn't like this book near as much as my peers did.

My largest complaint about this book is the style that it was written in- a letter/ journal format from Kaelyn to her former best friend, Leo. I found that in being written in this style that it was extremely two-dimensional, in the emotions that it imparts, in its development, both plot and character, and vernacular (after all, this is about a virus which confounds much of the medical world- you'd think that they'd be able to throw a bit more than simplistic medical jargon into it here and there). As such, I found it quite hard to relate to (I think that "Stolen: A Letter to My Captor" by Lucy Christopher and "Life As We Knew It" by Susan Beth Pfeffer are much more successful at using this writing style). That being said, being written in this style I found it to be an extremely quick read, which I appreciate.

The most memorable aspect of this novel to me were the characters- from Kaelyn, a girl trying to readjust to a life that she had thought that she had lost, to her brother, Drew, who, despite marching to the beat of his own drum, does want to be accepted, especially by those closest to him, to Tessa, a girl who relates more to plants than she does to people, to Gav, who doesn't let his somewhat questionable background drag him down, doing everything in his power to better the lives of people around him.

As becomes evident, despite my complaints I was invested enough to finish (and I am invested enough to read the second book in the series). I'm curious to see how the outside world responds to what occurred on the island (or if the virus spreads beyond) and how the characters readjust to their new lives full of loss.

Rating: 3/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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ARC Review: "The Archived" by Victoria Schwab

Release Date: January 22nd, 2013
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 336

From Goodreads: "Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous-it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption."

My first parting thought about this book? I. Love. Wesley. He is basically everything that my high school emo-heart beated for (don't judge, I was 16). He was just so cute and fun and brought a much needed light-heartedness to the novel. My second parting thought? Whoa. Every now and again a book comes along where all you can do is gape at it, specifically about how the author came up with it- with its concept, world building, characters and whatnot. I mean, Library + dead people + keys + hallways + pyschopaths + piece of paper not unlike the Marauders Map = WHA? And while it may seem like a strange combination I can assure you that it works.

However, I must admit that while I did LOVE Wesley I am more than a little on the fence when it comes to Mac. On the one hand I thought that she was super strong physically but on the other I am a bit annoyed by how easily manipulable she was. I have noticed a recent trend in YA where a female is quickly swept off of her feet by a male who is obviously NOT right for her when the RIGHT boy is standing right in front of her (either because she doesn't realize that he is right for her or because she is being rebellious, refusing the accept the fact- a la "House of Night" and "The Demon Trappers Daughter"). She allows the wrong boy to essentially dictate her life, putting everyone that she loves about at risk and so on, when it was easily avoidable (WHY? Why does it always have to be the female character to trek down this path? Why isn't it ever the male character? Why did Mac have to be one of those girls?).

All in all, (despite liking Wesley and the twisted ending, just when I was convinced that I had everything figured out Victoria made everything topsy turvy, in the best possible way) after finishing this book I just can't really say that I feel anything for it. That being said, despite my complaints this book did pique my curiosity enough to continue on with the series- I feel like this is one of those series where each book will get progressively better and better.

Rating: 3/5

I  received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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Stacking the Shelves: The "I'm A Lame STSer" Edition

To support my fellow Canadian bloggers I have decided to participate in Stacking the Shelves created by Tygna over at Tygna's Reviews. As Tygna writes, "Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!" 

I may be the most lame STSer ever- this is my first since the book-blogger meet-up in November. Surprisingly not a single one of these books came from Christmas!

For Review: 

• "Days of Starlight and Blood" by Laini Taylor (Thanks to HBG) 
• "The Archived" by Victoria Schwab (Thanks to HBG) 
• "The Lives We Lost" by Megan Crewe (Thanks to HBG)
• "The Friday Society" by Adrienne Kress (Thanks to Raincoast)
• "Things I Can't Forget" by Miranda Kenneally (Thanks to Raincoast)
• "Pulse" by Patrick Carman (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada)

Bought (I discovered BookCloseOuts.com... Have you ever heard of this before? It's AMAZING!)

• "The Way We Fall" by Megan Crewe
• "Ghost Town" by Rachel Caine 
• "Lost Voices" by Sarah Porter
• "Warm Bodies" by Isaac Marion 
• "Opal" by Jennifer L. Armentrout
• "Anatomy of a Boyfriend" by Daria Snadowsky
• "Picture Perfect" by Catherine Clark
• "Thrill Ride" by Rachel Hawthorne
• "Caribbean Cruising" by Rachel Hawthorne
• "Love on the Lifts" by Rachel Hawthorne
• "Suite Dreams" by Rachel Hawthorne
• "Icing on the Lake" by Catherine Clark
• "So Inn Love" by Catherine Clark

Won

• "Legacy of the Clockwork Key" by Kristin Bailey (Thanks to Elena Johnson and S&S)
• "The Infects" by Sean Beaudoin (Thanks to Sean and Ashley) 
• "Inheritance" by Christopher Paolini SIGNED (Thanks to Random House Canada)

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"Days of Starlight and Blood" by Laini Taylor

Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 528

From Goodreads: "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?"

As is evident from reading my review of "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" I was in the minority, I wasn't  a HUGE fan of it. The first two thirds of the book totally had me wrapped around its finger, however, I found myself less and less enchanted with the last third. In all honestly I didn't care about Madrigal and Akiva's story, I wanted Karou and Akiva's story. As for this book? It gave it to me (and then some)- however, not in your usual romantical sense.

While in "DoS&B" my largest complaint was with the characters they were, without a doubt, this book's biggest strength- main and secondary alike. While Karou did loose some of her snark in this book, an attribute which I loved, she certainly didn't loose her spark- Gals like Tris and Katniss better watch their back because Karou may very well overthrow them as YA's strongest heroine. And Akiva? While in the previous book I couldn't connect to him on any level in this book... Well, let's just say THE FEELS. While Karou could give Tris and Katniss a run for their money as top YA female, Akiva could give Jace and Will a run for their money as the most angsty, romantical, swoon-worthy YA male character.

Ziri, Hazael, Liraz, Mik, and Zuzana were also forces to be reckoned with- Ziri with his childlike innocence (though I will make note that if he becomes the third branch of a love triangle in the next book that I will cut someone), Hazael with his humor and overall goodness, Liraz with her strength and understated vulnerability, and Mik and Zuzana with their adorable love story within a love story (seriously, if anyone knows a twenty-something boy like Mik, send him my way).

The plot of this book was much darker than that of "DoS&B", however, I much preferred it being as such- I felt as if the stakes were raised and that I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. This book does not suffer from the "second book syndrome" in any sense of the imagination. My only complaint of the novel stemmed from this aspect of the story- at times I felt that Laini was far too detailed in her explanations, in many of these parts I found myself skimming over them. As for the ending? It is hands down one of the most satisfying that I have ever encountered before- while, as mentioned, there wasn't technically any romance between Karou and Akiva in this book I think it safe to say that they will finally get the happy ending that they are so deserving of in the last installment of this series.

All in all, I was one of those who did waffle about whether or not to continue on with this series and I am SO GLAD that I did. In a time (RE: last 2 months) where almost every book has only elicited a shrug or "meh" from me this book was truly a beacon of light.

Rating: 5/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

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