Book Review: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Release Date: 18th December 2012

Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 488
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC and 2014 SSC

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living."

Review:

It's been quite some time since I read this, which makes writing this review so much harder. So, let's keep this short and snappy.

• I rather enjoyed our plot and the world in which it took place. Tragic, but pretty cool, and very well done.
• I rather liked out lead character's. Ruby is great, just because her back story is pretty dame tragic. Suzume was another fave of mine, but so was Liam, and Chubs as well. Actually, I liked the entire gang. 
• Bracken did something interesting in there with a love triangle, which actually managed to surprise me. I wouldn't mind this being explored in the sequels.
• The ending was a bit emotional, and I'm not an emotional reader, so that's saying something!
• Overall, whilst I did enjoy this, I was waiting with baited breathe for something amazing to happen because I've heard so much about how everyone loves this book. But, I was never completely blown away.

To conclude this extremely short review - this was pretty darn good, and I'll definitely continue on with the series. Definitely worth the read.

2014 Quarterly Challenge Update Post #1

This year I'm participating in three reading challenges (woot woot). Even with the tonnes of uni work I've had over the past month or two, I've still managed a fair bit

6/10 read for the Ebook Reading Challenge

9/20 for the Rewind Challenge

10/18 for the Seriously Series Reading Challenge

So far, I'm doing better than I expected. My reading time has seriously been cut short since uni started up, which isn't at all surprising since this is the final year of my degree. The only reason I've been able to still read one book a week is because I've been targeting all the shorter books on my lists - anything and everything 350 pages and under. Surprisingly, I have a lot of shortish books to read, but once I run out of them, all I've really got is 450 pages and over, which will take significantly more time to read. Here's hoping that I'll gain some more free time soon.

Anywho, here's what I've been reading, and what challenges they count for:

1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell EBC, RC

2. Awaken by Meg Cabot EBC, RC, SSC

3. Pivot Point by Kasie West EBC, RC, SSC

4. Unhinged by A.G Howard SSC

5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner EBC, RC, SSC

6. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline RC

7. Cress by Marrisa Meyer SSC

8. Vortex by Julie Cross RC, SSC

9. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi EBC, SSC

10. Diva by Jillian Larkin RC, SSC

11. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare RC, SSC

12. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead EBC, RC, SSC

Book Review: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

Release Date: 16th August 2007

Publisher: Razorbill 
Format: eBook
Pages: 183
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC, 2014 SSC and 2014 EBC

Summary from Goodreads:

"St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever."

Review:

This was not at all what I was expecting, and I mean that in the most positive of ways. I guess with the most prominent vampire-based book that I've ever read being the Twilight series, I really wasn't prepared for everything this threw at me. Strong female characters? Magic? A cracking mystery? So much snark and sass? I was not prepared for this.

I went into this expecting one thing, and what I got was completely different. And I absolutely loved it. Most of this book was a massive surprise for me. The plot, the character's, the back story, this world - all of it was much better than I expected. I knew this was a well-loved series, and the reason I finally decided to give this a go was because of the movie adaptation. But I really wasn't expecting that I'd be one of the people singing it's praises. 

I can even pinpoint for you what I loved so much about this book - it's ability to surprise me. As I've already said quite a bit, I wasn't expecting anything that happened in this book (except for maybe the romances, I could see those coming from a mile away). And I think I got so distracted by how unexpected this book was that I was truly surprised by the plot twist at the end. It hadn't even crossed my mind, and recently I've found that I almost always guess the twist at the end, so this was a pleasant surprise. 

Aside from it's ability to really keep me guessing, I loved almost everything else about this book. Especially our two main characters, Rose and Lissa. Rose is just so so sassy and snarky, and I honestly haven't read a character like her in a while. And Lissa is the polar opposite, which in itself is interesting to read. Add onto this that fact that everything about Lissa's story (which is mainly what our plot is focused on) is so tragic, strange, and mysterious, and you've got yourself two perfect leads. Where Lissa is weak, Rose is strong, and vice versa. The two of them together make for one powerful duo, which I'm sure will be explored in subsequent novels.

But even though I loved the plot twists that actually managed to surprise me, and our two heroine leads, I was never completely blown away by this book. This is so close to a 5.0 out of 5.0, but it's not quite there. That being said, I'm so excited to continue on with this series, and I really recommend it to anyone and everyone. It is definitely not the vampire story you'd expect. 

Book Review: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: 31st August 2010

Publisher: McElderry Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 476
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC and 2014 SSC

Summary from Goodreads:

"In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...."

Review:
** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

Overall, I rather enjoyed this. As to be expected, I've been trying to compare this with Clare's other offering, The Mortal Instruments. And whilst I probably enjoyed this one more than City of Bones, it gets a lower rating because overall, this pretty much followed a path a would have expected. 

- Pros -

• I really liked the majority of our characters. Tessa seemed a bit uptight at the beginning, but I liked how she turned out in the end. Will, whilst I actually don't like him as a person, I do enjoy reading about him. Jem, as his name implies, is a pure gem. And then there's also Charlotte, Henry, Jessamine, Sophie and Thomas, who I all liked for varying reasons
• Many interested questions were brought up, that I'm eager to get the answer to. Why exactly does The Magister want Tessa? How exactly did Tessa come to be? What exactly happened will Will's parents and this Cecily person? Questions like these are the type that urge me to continue reading a series on, and I definitely will be reading this series to figure it all out. 
• I appreciate the twists and turns. Whilst I wasn't entirely surprised by everything that happened, Tessa did truly surprise me at the end. I honestly thought she had stabbed herself, and what made it even more surprising was beforehand I thought there was no way she could stab herself, since she's a main character. And then she kinda did, and it surprised me. And I like being surprised. 
• I liked this more than City of Bones. I read City of Bones sometime last year, and whilst I quite enjoyed it, it didn't live up to the hype for me. This, however, I found more enjoyable. I think I just liked the character's more, and adding a historical setting never hurts for me. 

- Cons -

• Whilst I appreciate the twists and turn, I wasn't entirely surprised by them. The identity of The Magister, for example, didn't entirely surprise me. Whilst I was a little surprised when it was finally revealed who it was, I knew it couldn't have been de Quincy, because that came out way too early in the story to be true. It also didn't entirely surprise me when Nate flipped on Tessa, because betrayal happens all the time in books. And when I compare the big reveal of The Magister to the big revelation at the end of City of Bones, well, it just doesn't compare.  
• I didn't like it when Will acted like a complete and utter ass. The way he treated Tessa was downright disturbing. One minute he's showing her affection, the next he's lashing out at her. And he was unbelievably cruel to her at the end, which we all know he did for some sort of reason, but nothing warranted treating her like that. There were so many times that I just wanted to tell Will to STFU or GTFO.  

Overall, I quite enjoyed this read, and I will be continuing on with the series in the foreseeable future. If you had the same problem I had with City of Bones not living up to the hype, I highly suggest giving this series a go. 

Book Review: Diva (The Flappers #3) by Jillian Larkin

Diva (The Flappers #3) by Jillian Larkin

Release Date: 10th July 2012

Publisher: The Inkhouse
Format: Paperback
Pages: 306
Rating: 3.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC and 2014 SSC

Summary from Goodreads:

"Parties, bad boys, speakeasies—life in Manhattan has become a woozy blur for Clara Knowles. If Marcus Eastman truly loved her, how could he have fallen for another girl so quickly? Their romance mustn't have been as magical as Clara thought. And if she has to be unhappy, she's going to drag everyone else down to the depths of despair right along with her.

Being a Barnard girl is the stuff of Lorraine Dyer's dreams. Finding out that Marcus is marrying a gold digger who may or may not be named Anastasia? A nightmare. The old Lorraine would have sat by and let the chips fall where they may, but she's grown up a lot these past few months. She can't bear to see Marcus lose a chance for true love. But will anyone listen to her?Now that the charges against her have been dropped, Gloria Carmody is spending the last dizzying days of summer on Long Island, yachting on the sound and palling around with socialites at Forrest Hamilton's swanky villa. Beneath her smile, though, Gloria's keeping a secret. One that could have deadly consequences . . ."

Review:

Being the shortest book in this trilogy, I feel like I can sum this up with just a couple of words - it was just alright. There was nothing spectacular about this ending, nothing unexpected. All the character's ended up where you'd expect them to, in what is essentially just 300 pages of tying up lose ends. Character's are redeemed, couples end up together, everything ends exactly as you would have predicted it. Which makes for a fairly boring read, to be honest.

I did enjoy this story, but it was just following the motions. After falling completely in love with Vixen, and finding Ingenue a bit forgettable, it's a shame that this series came to a close with something so blasé. Let's take the Marcus and Clara storyline for example. After breaking up in Ingenue, Marcus is on the rebound and is engaged to some girl named Anastasia. As it turns out, Anastasia isn't all she claims to be. Which could have lead to an interesting storyline...if we heard a bit more from Anastasia. Besides one confrontation between her and Clara and Lorraine, you don't hear anything from her. Maybe exploring that storyline could have done more than just be the catalyst for Clara and Marcus getting back together, and Lorraine getting her redemption. There is another storyline in there, involving new character's, that could be interesting to some, but I didn't care enough about these character's lives to care much about their ending. So overall, blasé. 

In the end, I think this book was just lacking what I loved in it's predecessors. The romances and relationships I loved weren't there, with Jerome (Gloria's other half) hardly present at all, and interaction between Marcus and Clara only occurring twice in the book. Even though I knew it was bound to happen, I still enjoyed reading Lorraine's road to redemption. And I just simply adored Melvin. But, that's not enough to pull this book from mediocrity.

Book Review: Vortex (Tempest #2) by Julie Cross

Vortex (Tempest #2) by Julie Cross

Release Date: January 15th 2013

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Paperback
Pages: 435
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC and 2014 SSC

Summary from Goodreads:

"Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again."

Review:
** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

I'm currently finding it very hard to figure out my thoughts on this one, just because it's been weeks since I actually finished reading this. So I'm going to do something different - I'm going to try out a pros and cons list.

- Pros -

• I liked the plot overall. Vortex took our character's in a new direction. Instead of focusing more on the romance in Tempest, Vortex very much focused on the time travel, and the mysteries behind it, and the government corporations all getting in on the action. And I liked that. 
• I like what they did with Holly. In Tempest Holly was our protagonist Jackson's love interest, and the main driving force behind everything he did. In Vortex, for reasons I won't go into, she's his enemy. It was hard to wrap my head around it at first, because you've also got Jackson still hung up on the old Holly, and the majority of his actions revolve around protecting her, but once I started to think of her as a completely new character, I could appreciate what Cross has done with her.  
• I liked Stewart and Kendrick. I loved Kendrick as the new best friend, and Stewart was an interesting character. You start out maybe not liking her so much, but she grows on you and in the end, you're glad Jackson has her. The only downside is that I don't remember Stewart in Tempest AT ALL, so I have absolutely nothing to compare her to in terms of character growth
• I LOVED the ending. Very wacky, very strange, but very well done. 
• There are still so many unanswered questions, which I can't wait to find out about in Timestorm. Why was Jackson's Dad abducted from the past? Where did Courtney come from and how is she doing what she's doing? Emily is still mysterious, I need more information on her. Healy said Thomas wasn't the guy he's been sending to try to convince him to do what he wants - so who is it? Is it Holly? Emily? Also Stewart seemed at bit off at times, does she have a deeper role? AND ADAM, WHY DID HE HAVE TO DIE??? There are so many questions raised that make my anxious to get my hands on Timestorm so I can get my answers. 

- Cons -

• I suffered majorly from book amnesia, so I had a hard time remembering what actually happened in Tempest. Which in turn made it harder to understand everything going on in Vortex, because background information was missing.
• A lot of information about the intricacies of time travel went completely over my head. There were a lot of explanations about time travel, alternate universe's, and Jackson's role in all of this, but most of the time I just couldn't completely understand what was happening. It's very complex, and I think since I didn't have my head completely wrapped around it, it made it harder to completely understand plot points
• I'm still not sure exactly who Eyewall are. Eyewall are Jackson's enemy, but even after all the focus on Eyewall in this novel, I still have no idea who they are or what exactly they do. Which isn't great, considering the major role they have in all the action. I wasn't entirely sure in the end if they were as bad as what we're supposed to think they are. Hopefully their purpose is explained more thoroughly in Timestorm.   

So overall, I really, really enjoyed this. Vortex impressed me in taking the story in a new direction, and avoiding second book syndrome entirely. It's fast paced, full of action, and there's a bit of romance thrown in there, but it's completely different to the romance in Tempest. I'm excited to get my hands on Timestorm and finish this story, in what I'm sure is going to be a fitting finale. 

Sidenote - is this sort of review something you enjoy reading. I like the pros and cons list, I think it's actually easier to write out my reviews, but is it something you enjoy reading? Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Release Date: 16th August 2011

Publisher: Arrow Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 372
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC 

Summary from Goodreads:

"It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. 

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. 

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake. 
A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?"

Review:

** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

Looking back at my notes after I finished reading this, I've mostly just written three lines which boil down to 'I thought this was good'. So this review isn't going to delve into characters, or the plot, or the normal things you see in a review. Instead I'm just going to focus on the main points that stood out to me. Don't get me wrong, I loved the characters, the setting, the plot, and all that jazz, but these are the main points that really stood out to me. 

I like to think that I read a fair bit of sci-fi, but most of that revolves around time travel, not the world wide web, so this is my first experience reading sci-fi involving virtual reality. And I have to say, I think Cline did a very good job at it. Not only did we delve into the amazingness that would be the OASIS, and massive virtual world with anything and everything you could possibly imagine, but this was balanced against a grim view of a real world that was slowly, but surely, declining. Just when you experience something amazing in the OASIS, in the next scene you see our protagonist Wade's daily ritual, where he wakes up, showers, eats, and then jacks himself up to the OASIS for hours upon hours of gameplay. The decline of the real world has gotten to the point where Wade doesn't even leave his room anymore, it's just not worth it. Why bother when you can spend your time in a virtual reality. In fact, spend so much time in the world of the OASIS that it become's your reality, and you just leave the real world behind. It's kinda sad really. But I liked that Cline managed to weigh these two realities fairly. Just showing us the OASIS itself wouldn't have been enough to actually depict how important the OASIS is, how important it is that the gunter's find Halliday's egg and not The Sixer's. It wouldn't have made much sense without the context, so I appreciate that. 

And while we're on this point, let's not forget about that ending. After the OASIS being Wade's entire life for years, after meeting Art3mis in person, he has no desire to return to that world. And I think that's a very powerful message. You could be rich and famous in an online world, but it can't bring you the sort of happiness that real, true connections do. When it comes down to it, the real world trumps virtual reality.

Moving on, I really enjoyed the 80's trivia as well, even if I didn't understand much of it given that I'm a 90's kid. It was an amusing touch that I think gave some heart to the story - Halliday really wanted the OASIS to fall into the right hands, and I think that reflected in his puzzles. They all revolved around the time in his life that he was just an optimistic young lad with a love for computing, before all the money and before he invented the OASIS. Plus it was fun and super hard to try to figure out the puzzles, since I have little to no 80's trivia knowledge, but once it was spelled out for me, it all made sense. It was fun to follow along with the hunt myself and see if I could figure anything out. 

These were the two things that stood out to me the most; an important message about the negative effects of virtual reality and what happens when it gets out of hand, but also the fun 80's trivia I learnt whilst completely the hunt. Mixing an important message with the fun, light side worked well for the novel, and I really wish this were a part of some series, just so that I could revisit that world. I'll have to settle for second best, and will have to check out Cline's other novels. 

Book Review: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

Release Date: 6th October 2009

Publisher: Random House
Format: eBook
Pages: 307
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 EBC, 2014 RC and 2014 SSC 

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade-a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they've closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up-the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."

Review:

** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

Ever since I became aware that this was being turned into a movie, to be released later this year, well, I just had to read it. And may I say, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie now, because I quite enjoyed this.

I was a bit apprehensive going into this because back in the day, this used to be on the required reading list for many highschoolers in my area. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with required reading - I always found that of the 5 or so books I was given to read for English class, there was only ever 1 I actually enjoyed reading, and there was at least one I loathed. So knowing this was required reading for some firming pushed this off my radar, until I started blogging and saw the love the blogosphere had for this series. And I'm glad to say that it's well deserved.

I'm struggling majorly right now to pinpoint exactly what it was that I enjoyed about this novel. I liked the plot and setting, which were sound, albeit a little predictable. I think we all knew that the maze was unsolvable, and I wasn't at all surprised that they'd have to escape through the Griever hole thingymabob.  Up until the last couple of chapters, everything plodded along how I expected it to, in an interesting and enthralling way. Even though I thought I knew what was going to happen, it was still enjoyable to read, probably because I was so damn curious about those Creators and what Tom and Teresa had to do with it all. All those mysteries, they can't help but draw you in.

I think what ultimately sold me on this was the last couple of chapters, because that's when things started happening that you weren't expecting. First off, Gally reappears, to test just one last variable, which results in CHUCK DYING. WHY?!? I am so curious to find out what they were actually testing there, although I'm expecting it has something to do with Tom. And then we hit that epilogue. That epilogue man, it's so damn creepy. Just when I was starting to fall into the trap of thinking that they actually had been rescued, they throw that at me, and I realise just how crazy the whole things actually is; how they're using and manipulating children to find a way to solve their problem. I don't know why exactly I didn't realise that earlier. But, damn, that epilogue. 

Overall, I'd recommend it.

Book Review: Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) by Kasie West

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) by Kasie West

Release Date: 12th February 2013

Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: eBook
Pages: 237
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 EBC, 2014 RC and 2014 SSC 

Summary from Goodreads:

"Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without."

Review:

** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

Overall, I thought this was a solid read. The story is something I've never come across before - our protagonist, Addie, has the ability to see into her future when presented with a choice. She can see both outcomes clearly, in fact, she feels like she's living both outcomes, so when she returns from her 'searches', as she so calls them, she has to live through whichever path she chooses, without having the ability to change anything, whilst still remembering the other path. And so, on one horrible day when her parents sit her down to tell her of their divorce, and her need to choose which parent to live with, she thinks nothing of doing a quick search into her future. And that's when things get interesting. 

In essence, we read through two whole story lines. In one, Addie stays with her mother and starts to be pursued by Duke, the most popular guy in school, and in the other, she travels outside The Compound with her father, and develops the cutest romance with all-round-nice-guy Trevor. And that's one aspect that I love about this book. We basically have two story lines we alternate between, never quite sure which one Addie will actually live through. And what with a big ol' mystery unfolding in both paths, its interesting to try to piece the mystery together with information from both realities. 

But, there is a problem with this. Even though I loved the story and the idea behind it, with the whole seeing into your future, I just couldn't shake the feeling that none of it seemed real. It was like when you watch a dramatic TV episode only to have the main character wake up at the end, realising it was only a dream. I understand that for Addie, even though she only lives through one of her chosen paths, both feel completely real for her, but I just couldn't get the whole it's only but a dream idea out of my head. In the end, she only lives through one storyline, and it's not even the one that includes Trevor. She lives through the shitty one where the guy uses her for her abilities. After moving outside The Compound with her father, immersing herself into this strange new world of the Norms, coming to learn that there's nothing wrong with Norms, and maybe having 'superpowers' ain't so great anyway; after all that character growth she went through, it all just gets erased. She never lived through it, and not only that, she doesn't even remember it. And I hate that.

But, putting that aside, this was a very enjoyable book. Reading through both story lines was fascinating, and I loved how it gave us a very whole picture of Addie. Seeing her grow in both environments gives us a more complete view of her character, something we wouldn't see if we only saw one reality.   And Trevor, one of my fave characters in the book. The way he was with Addie, how he made her feel and learn to accept Norms as nothing different, was really quite great, and did a lot for Addie's character growth. And on top of that, when everything with Layla went down, he told Addie not to choose the path with her father, not to choose the path with him, which speaks volumes about his character. So much better for Addie than Duke. I just hope they're able to sort everything out with Addie and Trevor in Split Second, because it really would be a shame if they didn't. 

TL;DR This was a very enjoyable book that I would definitely recommend.
  

Book Review: Awaken (Abandon Trilogy #3) by Meg Cabot

Awaken (Abandon Trilogy #3) by Meg Cabot

Release Date: 7th May 2013

Publisher: Scholastic
Format: eBook
Pages: 258
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 EBC, 2014 RC and 2014 SSC 

Summary from Goodreads:

"Death has her in his clutches. She doesn’t want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she’d be forced to live forever in the one place she’s always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness — and safety — are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.

If the balance between life and death isn’t fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce’s home back on earth will be wiped away. But there’s only one way to restore order. Someone has to die."

Review:
Overall, this was a solid end to a series that I was starting to worry about. After that infuriating second novel, I was worried our third and final addition to this trilogy would be similar. But, thankfully, we returned to what I loved about Abandon (mostly). 

If you read my review of Underworld, you'll know that I had some major problems with Pierce. She just acted so stupid sometimes, and she couldn't seem to get by without John glued to her side. Thankfully that stopped. Whilst she may have been forced to deal with things without John, Pierce still managed to do quite well, so when John did return, she didn't return to the annoying girl she was in Underworld. And whilst John is still fiercely protective of Pierce, I don't remember him manipulating her as much as he has in previous novels. Then again, this could be because he was gone for a while and he actually wasn't able to, but I like to look on the positive side and see it as character growth.

Overall I enjoyed the plot. Lots of questions were answered, everything was resolved, John and Pierce are in a good place. Honestly, I can't actually remember specifically what happened, which probably is an indication of how memorable this book is. What I do remember were the major conveniences. Like the whole thing with Alex - majorly convenient. But lets not get into that, because that would lead to spoilers.  

So, my final thoughts? I enjoyed it. I thought it was a fitting end to a series that had started to go downhill - much, much better than the second novel. 

Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Release Date: 12th April 2012

Publisher: Orion Books
Format: eBook
Pages: 252
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 EBC and 2014 RC 

Summary from Goodreads:

"Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under."

Review:

Overall, I enjoyed this, but I don't think it lived up to all the hype. 

So what did I like? Well, I thought the romance was super cute. I caught myself stupidly grinning to myself after reading something because it was just so. damn. cute. And I liked Eleanor's story. It's not something I've read a lot of, and it was interesting to juxtapose Eleanor's life with Park's. And also super cute that they found that connection, in spite of their different backgrounds. And I thought the ending was very fitting - bittersweet, maybe not what people wanted, but it fit with the story.

So what didn't I like? Well, the romance felt a little instalovey to me. Eleanor and Park hardly knew each other before they were declaring full blown love (well, at least one of them was). They basically started a relationship before they even started talking to one another. It just didn't feel like a natural progression. And on top of that, I was waiting for this OMG moment, which I assumed would happen because everyone raves about this book. And I think I know which moment that was supposed to be, but it wasn't an OMG moment for me. It was completely reasonable and not entirely surprising. Sad, yes, but surprising, no. 

Overall, I enjoyed this, but not as much as I thought I would. I enjoyed the plot and the dual perspective. But, everything was pulled down by the instalovey relationship that the story was centred on.  

2014 Challenge #1: Rewind Challenge

It's that time of year again - time for me to finally sign up for the reading challenges I plan to participate in next year. So first off, we've got the 2014 Rewind Challenge hosted by Coffee Bean Bookshelf. This is a new one for me, and I'm excited! There aren't many rules to this challenge (which you can see here), and there aren't even any levels - you decide your own reading goal, which is actually tricky in itself. In 2013, I read 30 book as part of the Off the Shelf Reading Challenge, and I'd love to be able to aim for 30 again. But, with my 3rd year of uni just around the corner, and the possibility that I may need to get a job in the not-too-distant future, I'm not entirely sure that's achievable. So, my official goal will be 20 books, but since there are so many books on my TBR pile that I want to read, I'm listing 32 books that I just can't wait to read any longer - so the aim is to read 20 of the 32 books listed below - although I do hope I can surpass that!

1. Vortex by Julie Cross {review}
2. Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
3. Awaken by Meg Cabot {review}
4. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell {review} 
5. Looking for Alaska by John Green {review coming soon}
6. Diva by Jillian Larkin {review}
7. Eve by Anna Carey {review coming soon}
8. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
9. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare {review}
10. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
11. Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
12. Pivot Point by Kasie West {review}
13. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
14. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
15. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 
16. All Our Yesterdays by Christin Terrill
17. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
18. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater 
19. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline {review}
20. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken {review}
21. World After by Susan Ee
22. Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier {review coming soon}
23. Icons by Margaret Stohl
24. Pawn by Aimee Carter
25. Feed by Mira Grant
26. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
27. The Maze Runner by James Dashner {review}
28. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
29. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead {review}
30. The Program by Suzanne Young
31. Reboot by Amy Tintera {review coming soon} 
32. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs