Review: The Fault in Our Stars

 Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.








 
Holy crap. 


HOLY FREAKING CRAP.



OH MY FREAKING HOLY CRAP. 

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. 

I don't normally fangirl much but this book deserves it, BIGTIME. It is honestly one of my favourite books of all time. It's just that good. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I felt every possible emotion while reading this book. It wasn't just a book. It was an experience.

I was skeptical of the rave reviews this book kept getting, but honestly, none of those reviews lie. Not even a little bit. John Green deserves all the praise that he has gotten, plus more. I'm 100% serious. 

From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. The characters are instantly lovable, and intriguing. The various plot lines and characters sprinkled throughout this book make it very diverse and eye opening. Yes, this is a book about cancer, I'm not going to avoid that fact. But I believe that it is written in the best possible way for the subject. John Green expertly synthesizes the unfortunate and sad truths of this tragic disease, with insightful and inspiring life advice. The characters are extremely strong and intelligent. For me, reading this book really put my life into perspective. I may get upset about little things that go wrong in my life, but there are people going through things way worse than me, and they are handling them impeccably. I found a great amount of inspiration in this book, even though it is a work of fiction. The message that John Green is displaying to his readers is one that everyone can apply to their life in some way. No matter what situation you have been placed in in your life, there are always good things to hold on to. And everyone has negative things in their lives, and they do not define who you are. Although Hazel has cancer, she realizes that she is not cancer. She is Hazel. I think that this motif of self is very inspiring and relevant in today's society.   

Some other things that kept me hooked on this book, were:
-the adorable romance
-the humourous narration by Hazel 
-the visuals and settings presented in the book
-John Green's style of writing
-the natural flow of the story, and the relatability


Overall, this book was- oh, JUST GO READ IT! NOW! xD

The Good: characters, writing style, humour, adorableness....I could go on forever...
The Bad: ummm, what?
The Verdict: no question about it. a solid 10/10. 


keep readin' it write!
Megan    

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WOW #22 Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow + Another book!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine . Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event meant to showcase the not-yet-released books that we are eagerly awaiting. This week I've chosen Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow.

In the world of Sorrow’s Knot, the dead do not rest easy. Every patch of shadow might be home to something hungry and nearly invisible, something deadly. The dead can only be repelled or destroyed with magically knotted cords and yarns. The women who tie these knots are called binders.

Otter is the daughter of Willow, a binder of great power. She’s a proud and privileged girl who takes it for granted that she will be a binder some day herself. But when Willow’s power begins to turn inward and tear her apart, Otter finds herself trapped with a responsibility she’s not ready for, and a power she no longer wants.

Release Date: October 29, 2013

Continuing with the slightly creepy theme of October, I found Sorrow's Knot. Doesn't it sound pretty awesome?


Also, I did it again where I missed posting last Wednesday, so here's a bonus today! The second book is:  The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray.

A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when Cheyenne wakes up in Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.

At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to question the perfection of his world.

The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone," and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass the test, they must play along.

If they play it right, then they'll be safe.

But if they play it wrong, they'll die.

Release Date: October 22, 2013

Another somewhat creepy/mysterious book for October. The cover is stunning and the book sounds very intriguing.

Rachel

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Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Left on her own when her family dies in a terrible disaster, fifteen-year-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past. Struggling to survive physically and emotionally in a place where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden. But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she'd once been as she inks darkness into her skin. It is only through a series of mysterious encounters that Green can relearn the lessons of love and begin to heal enough to tell her story.

I've had this book FOREVER sitting on my shelf and honestly, I'm not sure why it took me so long to read it. It's SHORT. (128 pages, seriously!) and so it wasn't even like it was a time commitment or anything. No huge risk factor with this book. So anyways, I FINALLY got around to reading it.

I liked this book. Even after thinking about it for a few days, I'm still not 100% sure what the message of the book was supposed to be (and I'm almost positive there was supposed to be some kind of meaning) but I still feel like it affected me in some way.

The book doesn't have a lot of dialogue, which somehow seems to add to the mood of the story. The story gives off a very detached, isolated feeling which, I think, is exactly how Green feels throughout most of the book. It's also eerie and sort-of mysterious with hints of slightly creepy every so often. (hence why it's here for Spooky October!) I liked the description in the book and also the growth of Green's character. 

I don't really have a ton to say about this book, especially since it was so short, but I just know that I really did like it. It wasn't exactly WOW HERE READ THIS *SHOVES IN FACE* I WONT BE YOUR FRIEND IF YOU DONT READ IT but it certainly was not a waste of time. It was good.

The Good: Mood, character growth
The Bad: A bit slow
The Verdict: 7/10

Rachel

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WOW #21 Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano Plus Bonus

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine . Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event meant to showcase the not-yet-released books that we are eagerly awaiting. This week I've chosen Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano.

Sticking with Spooky October, here's our first WOW creepy book!

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

Release Date: October 1, 2013

So maybe this book came out yesterday, but it fits our slightly creepy, mysterious theme for October. I've read Lauren DeStefano before (The Chemical Garden Series) and it was a satisfying mix of somewhat creepy and also not.

ALSO BONUS: last week I missed posting the Waiting on Wednesday, so bonus this week!

This second book is Tandem by Anna Jarzab.

Everything repeats.
You. Your best friend. Every person you know.
Many worlds. Many lives--infinite possibilities.
Welcome to the multiverse.

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

The first book in the Many-Worlds Trilogy, Tandem is a riveting saga of love and betrayal set in parallel universes in which nothing--and no one--is what it seems.

Release Date: October 8, 2013

Parallel Universes. Imminent War. Stunning Cover Art. Can I has?

Rachel

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TTT #25 Book Turn-Offs

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. Each week they give a topic, and then other blogs make their top ten lists for that topic.

This week's topic is Top Ten Things that Turn Me Off A Book

In no particular order, as per usual:

1) Immature Characters: I'm talking about those characters that you have to remind yourself are supposed to be 16-18 because you keep assuming they are 12-13. Immature dialogue, childish actions, and lack of judgement all contribute to this and they are SO. ANNOYING.

2) Misleading Synopses: Usually by the time I'm far enough into a book to realize the synopsis wasn't what it seemed I'll finish reading, but it still will negatively impact my overall opinion of the book. If your book is about a certain topic, don't try and change the meaning in the blurb!

3) Plot Holes: I really, really, really do not like it at all when there are glaringly obvious holes in plots. You know when characters have to make up some big elaborate solution when there's another solution that they either didn't even think of or wasn't explained? I guess that was a pretty vague explanation, but I think everyone knows what plot holes are. This makes me so annoyed and frustrated with a book. 

4) Weird Names: This mostly only comes up in contemporary books, but when characters have some obscure old/faerie/unpronounceable/bizarre name appears, I am immediately wary of the author's writing. This was particularly prevalent in Evermore, with the main character being Ever Bloom. why

5) Slut Shaming/ Rape Culture: If you are not sure what I'm talking about, this is a good place to start. I see this more often than I'd like to in books and it's a huge deal for me. This is probably one of the biggest turn offs there are in books.

6) Weird Descriptions/ Repetitive Descriptions: When the author uses words that really don't make a ton of sense given the situation, often in a metaphorical form. Don't get me wrong, I love description and literary devices, but adjectives can't just be squashed together. It's also annoying when and author uses the same few words to describe something over and over again. "Sky blue eyes" is fine once or twice, but not necessary everytime a character is mentioned.

7) Freaky Characters that are Supposed to be Popular Among Readers:  An example would be Warner from Shatter Me. After reading the book and then reading some reviews, I was surprised that so many people seemed to root for Warner and hope that Juliet would fall for Warner latter! He came across as manipulative and abusive to me, and the exact type of person that you should get far, far away from.

8) Love Triangles as Plot Points (or any romance as a plot point): It's super annoying when some sort of romantic relationship is created basically just to further the plot in a story, and not that it was just a natural progression for characters. It just seems like a short cut!

9) Characters with a COINCIDENTALLY Useful Skill: I find this super annoying. It's when some character is supposed to be just a normal person EXCEPT they have some kind of weird hobby or special skill, and then something happens to them and WHAT A COINCIDENCE, it's what saves their life or makes them 'ahmazing'. 

10) Helpless Heroines: Another big one for me, this is a huge turn-off. Heroines that can't/won't/don't do anything for themselves. Sometimes you gotta help yourself, ladies! If they can't, and they try to do something, that's okay. It's when characters simply do not do anything that they become infuriating.

So there's my list! What's your biggest turn off?

Rachel

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October with Read it Write!

Hi everyone! It's the first of October, and I've been planning some stuff for this month for awhile! For the month of October here at Read it Write the site will be focused around the spooky and paranormal.

Waiting on Wednesdays all have creepy themes, and there will be some reviews coming up about some spooky books. There's also a few other things planned, but you will have to wait and see what they are later in the month!

Neither Megan or I are huge into thrillers, so the books will, for the most part, be spooky and maybe creepy, but not full-out horror. 

Top Ten Tuesdays will not be much different than usual, however. 

I've also started up a book tumblr to be a more instant-type blog for my book needs, and this month I will be doing a book photo challenge hosted by Books & Cupcakes (see it here) that has a bunch of Halloween themes this month. You can find my blog here if you are interested in seeing what books I select.

Now who's ready for some spooky stuff?

Rachel

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WOW #20 Fault Line by Christa Desir

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine . Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event meant to showcase the not-yet-released books that we are eagerly awaiting. This week I've chosen Fault Line by Christa Desir.

Ben could date anyone he wants, but he only has eyes for the new girl — sarcastic free-spirit, Ani. Luckily for Ben, Ani wants him too. She’s everything Ben could ever imagine. Everything he could ever want.

But that all changes after the party. The one Ben misses. The one Ani goes to alone.

Now Ani isn’t the girl she used to be, and Ben can’t sort out the truth from the lies. What really happened, and who is to blame?

Ben wants to help her, but she refuses to be helped. The more she pushes Ben away, the more he wonders if there’s anything he can do to save the girl he loves.

Release Date: November 12, 2013.

This book sounds like it could be both adorable and sad. Plus I love the cover.

Rachel

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TTT #24 Fall TBR List DOUBLE FEATURE!!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. Each week they give a topic, and then other blogs make their top ten lists for that topic.

This week's topic is Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List

In no particular order, as per usual:

1) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs: I got this book from the library, and just looking at it, wow. It looks fantastic and also pretty creepy. I can't wait to read this one.

2) Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton: I've been trying to find this book forever and finally I have it from the library! I loved Tessa Gratton's short stories from the Merry Fates, so I can't wait to read this. I almost feel like I should have waited for Halloween to read it, but I can't wait much longer!

3) Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: Ever since I first heard about this book I knew I needed to read it, and now I've been eyeing it at the school library for ages. 

4) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: I got this for my birthday last year and I still haven't read it! And the sequel comes out today! I think I need to hurry it up a bit. 

5) City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare: I need to know what happens next! Also I need to work on my never-finishing-series habit.

6) Seraphina by Rachel Hartman: I picked this book up during the summer and ever since Maggie Stiefvater recommended I have wanted to read it. Plus the author has the same name as me(score!).

7) Dark Days at Saddle Creek by Shelley Peterson: Ever since I could read horse books were always my favourite. I've since widened my reading horizons and read waaayyy more than horse books, but I still read the very odd one. Shelley Peterson is my favourite horse author, so naturally I have almost all her books. I've been saving this one!

8) Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce: Seeing as she's my favourite author, I have paced myself so that I always have a few books from her that I haven't read. That way, I know I always have something wonderful and new to read. And it's time to crack another new spine, I think! 

9) The Iron King by Lisa Kagawa: Another book I picked up this summer, I can't wait to read it! I love reading different takes on the Fae. The way authors combine the myths to make their own stories is so interesting.

10) Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks: I have it on loan from a friend, and this will be my first Nicholas Sparks book(and I was supposed to read one LAST fall. Oops.) I'm looking forwards to reading it.

There's my ten! Now have a look at Megan's...

Rachel

                            ____________________________________________

1) Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay: I picked this up at Chapters for like $2! Who can resist a retelling of a classic love story, especially at that price? I can't wait to give this one a read. 

2) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: I bought this book ages ago, because I love Neil Gaiman. I loved Coraline, and also the Doctor Who episodes that Mr Gaiman has penned. I've heard good things about this book! 

3) The Elite by Kiera Cass: I loved The Selection! I felt like I was in the middle of a modernized fairytale, and it was amazing. I need to read the next instalment in the series!

4) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia: My dad picked this up for me from a second hand bookstore this summer. I'm excited to read it, it sounds different from anything else I've read in the past, and they made a movie of it! That must mean there's something enjoyable about it! 

5) Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey: This book just looks good. Heartbreaking, but good. 

6) The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith AKA JK Rowling: Ummm... does this one even need an explanation? 

7) Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw: This book sounds really interesting! Life and death intersect, and people have magical powers... sounds good to me! 

8) Incarceron by Catherine Fisher: Somehow I haven't read this book yet! I've heard TONS of good stuff about this book and I'm so stoked to finally read it. :)  

9) Hereafter by Tara Hudson: ghosts, and boys. and the cover is SO PRETTY. 

10) City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare: OHMYGOSHINEEDTOKNOWWHATHAPPENSNEXT. THEENDOFTHEFIRSTONENOOOOOOOOOOOOOWHYDIDYOUDOTHAT?!  

TOO MANY BOOKS AND NOT ENOUGH TIIIIIIIIIIIME! 
lol. 

keep readin' it write!
Megan 

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Swimming Through Clouds by Rajdeep Paulus

I live in the in between. Between what if and what is. It’s how I manage. It’s the only way I know. Everyone has their way. This is mine.

When high school, cell phone disruption forces a classroom ban, the words on a Post-it note spark a sticky romance between two unlikely friends. Transfer student Talia Vanderbilt has one goal at her new school: to blend in with the walls. Lagan Desai, basketball captain and mathlete, would do just about anything to befriend the new girl. One Post-it note at a time, Lagan persuades Talia to peel back her heart, slowly revealing her treasure chest of pain—an absent mother, a bedridden brother, and an abusive father. In a world where hurt is inevitable, the two teens search for a safe place to weather the storms of life. Together.

Once again, I started this book having no idea what I was getting into. It seems to be a trend with me and books, to be honest(maybe I should start reading more just the first two sentences of the synopsis?) . In the first few chapters, I was kind of going "Oh, no, this is not what I thought it would be at all. What am I doing?" But that quickly changed.

Swimming Through Clouds turned out to be a time-well-spent kind of book. At times it was almost painful to read, but it was definitely worth it. 

The characters started off as a bit dull to me, but they definitely grew on me the more the story progressed. The book really only had four characters of importance: Talia, Jesse, their father, and Lagan. Without a doubt, I was always rooting for Talia, although, let's be honest, as the victim of an abusive father, I think it would be impossible not to. There were certainly times when Talia confused me and made me somewhat frustrated, but the more I got to know her the more I understood where she was coming from, even though it is impossible for me to relate to what she is going through. There was some definite character growth for Talia in this book and I really appreciate that. 

Jesse, Talia's younger brother, was another good character. He didn't make me frustrated or mad at all, and I really did sympathize with him for the entire story. Their father, though, I felt completely opposite about. 100% hater, just as we are supposed to. Some of he things he did made my stomach turn. As the synopsis says, he is abusive towards Talia and her brother. One thing that I would have liked is a bit more background on him. I felt like I never really got to understand why their father was the way he was.

Lastly, there was Lagan. He was truly a very sweet guy. The way he treated Talia was wonderful, although I do wish that, at least towards the end of the book, Talia had been able to become a bit more independent and not so... spookish. 

Also worth mentioning is Rajdeep Paul's's writing and storytelling, which were absolutely wonderful! It was all so detailed, and not in that please-stop-talking-about-the-exact-shade-of-the-neighbours-eyes kind of way, but in that I-can-totally-picture-everything-that-is-happening-in-vivid-detail way, and it was fantastic. Also, the pacing of the book was really really good. 

The one thing that I would have changed in this book is the ending. The ending itself was fantastic, but I think that an epilogue would have been just right to finish off. Swimming Through Clouds had one of those somewhat open-ended endings that lets the reader imagine what happens, but I think it is almost a bit too open in a way. Personally, I would have liked to have a bit more closure. There seemed to be a few things that could have been mentioned while still having that open-ended ending.

Overall, I think this is a book that I would definitely recommend. It was waaayy out of my normal comfort zone and yet I still thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I don't think enjoying this book is the main thing. Instead, I think the most important part of this book is that it made me think about this kind of situation in a way that was meaningful and not always 100% comfortable. It's one of those books that might not be light and happy to read, but is valuable and important.

The Good: Writing, overall story and meaning
The Bad: Possibly could have used an epilogue or something at the end
The Verdict: 8.5/10. Loved it!
Goodreads Link

Rachel

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WOW #19 This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine . Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event meant to showcase the not-yet-released books that we are eagerly awaiting. This week I've chosen This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales.

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.





Release Date: September 17, 2013

Oooohhh, I like how this sounds! 

Rachel

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TTT #23 Book to Film Adaptations We Want

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. Each week they give a topic, and then other blogs make their top ten lists for that topic.

This week's topic is Top Ten Books I want to see Turned into a Movie or TV Show
(in a world where adaptations are never crappy)

In no particular order, as per usual:

1) Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series: I love Maggie Stiefvater, and her books that would do best adapted to film are in this series. (PS, did you hear she's releasing a companion novel to this series? Announced today! Check here for info on Sinner, which was previously referred to as White Pants Novel)

2) Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss: Contemporary romance turned move? Yes.

3) The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick: I read this book a few years ago in school, and while it wasn't my favourite book ever, I think this would do very well as a movie.

4) Delirium by Lauren Oliver as a TV series: This was going to be a TV series, but then no. The pilot was cancelled. (Thanks Fox! Not.)

5) Snow: a Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by Tracy Lynn: I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, and I think that this particular retelling would be super awesome to see as a movie. It's dark and creepy, and it's a take on Snow White I've never ever seen before.

6) The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce: I'm kind of wary about putting this one on a list like this, but seeing as Tamora Pierce is my favourite author of all time ever, I know that I would see a movie if they made one. That being said, though, I 100% do NOT want anyone to make her books into movies. This genre has a pretty awful track record for adaptations (Eragon, Inkheart, Spiderwick was meh, Ella Enchanted was a good movie but a bad adaptation) and I think that there is no way these books could be done in a way that was true to the story without having a ridiculous budget. Even with a ton of money, I would still be skeptical. 

7) Inkheart by Cornelia Funke: This book is already a movie, but honestly, I don't think the movie should count cause it kind of sucked. Try again, Hollywood.

8) The rest of the Narnia Books: So far we have 3 of them, can't we have the other 4? It would be nice at least to have the rest with the characters we kind of know.

9) Endangered by Eliot Schrefer: This book was so. good. It was powerful as a book and I think it would be even more powerful as a movie.

10) Angelfall by Susan Ee: Apocalyptic angels on the big screen? Sounds like a good idea, if you ask me.

Bonus: This wouldn't be something I'd be terribly interested in now, but who else remembers the Animal Ark series or, even better, the Magic Treehouse? These books were my life when I was starting to read. I think they would be wonderful adapted into a children's tv series. 

Rachel

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The Unfailing Light (Katerina #2) by Robin Bridges

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.

As the second book in the Katerina trilogy, I'd been waiting a long time for this one to release. I enjoyed this book, but I have to say it was a bit disappointing. The first one had finished off so strong and I was dying to read the Unfailing Light, but it just didn't quite make the cut.

Katerina was still great character in The Unfailing Light- she has very clear goals and still does her best to do what's right AND what's best for her. However, George Alexandrovnich did let me down this time :( And I really did like him in the first book, too! He was just a bit of a jerk this time around. The non-insta love that was starting between Katerina and George in the last book did not seem to flow through into this book, since George was being dumb. He completely disregarded what Katerina wanted and underestimated her abilities again and again and again. I also didn't think that Katerina was as frustrated with him as she could have been. Personally, I would have seriously considered giving him a good kick to the shins at times.

Characters aside, there were other parts of this book that I wasn't entirely keen on. The pacing was much slower than the first book, which had me not as excited to keep reading. A faster paced action packed story was exactly what the Unfailing Light needed to keep the ball rolling after The Gathering Storm, but it just didn't really happen. Also, the setting was the same in this one as it was in the first book, despite there being hope of something new.

A part of the book that I did like, however, was the ghost that was mentioned in the synopsis. The setting as a whole is still as enjoyable as ever. Russia in the late 1800's with paranomal-ness? Yes. Still good.

So even though this book was a bit of a let down (it seems to be a trend with the middle book in trilogies, or is that just me?) I am eagerly looking forward to the next one, The Morning Star, which came out August 27th. It's on my list to read!

The Good: The world, as always, and Katerina
The Bad: George, pacing, anti-climatic after the first book
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Goodreads Link


Rachel

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WOW #18 The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine . Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event meant to showcase the not-yet-released books that we are eagerly awaiting. This week I've chosen The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White.

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

Release Date: September 10, 2013

I've read plenty of books that center around Greek mythology, but none about Egyptian mythology! Plus the cover is gorgeous!

Rachel

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Review: Rory by Ciye Cho

Far beyond heaven, earth and hell is a city known as Palladino, a place ruled by ghosts and filled with demons, magic, and all sorts of darkly beautiful things. A city where no one can ever escape.Eighteen-year-old Rory is a cake decorator who makes stunning confections. But no amount of frosting or miracles can save her when a demon kidnaps her—and carries her to Palladino. Here, Rory ends up in a deadly charm school where young women are forced to become companions for the Ghost Lords. And for her to survive, Rory must become everything that she isn’t: graceful, elegant... and perfect.
But nothing is what it seems in Palladino. Not the magic. Not the ghosts. And definitely not Martin Marius, the bizarre Ghost Lord-slash-inventor who is drawn to Rory. For amid a thousand machines and a hundred cats, Martin holds a secret that could change everything. A secret that could either free Rory... or destroy her.

This book was generously given to us from Ciye Cho in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Ciye! 

Let me just say, honestly, I LOVED this book. I wasn't too sure what to expect going into it, but once I started reading it, I actually couldn't put it down! I finished the entire book in 2 days. That's how good it was. 

It was just a really great mix of everything I love in YA fiction. It was surreal, fantastical, although still extremely relatable. The setting is magical, and wonderful, but also dark and dangerous. The pace of the story was good, there were no slow points, or bits that were boring or hard to read through. It was one of those action-packed books that constantly throw plot twists at you to keep you interested. That fact made this book particularly addicting for me.The plot was mysterious, and very unpredictable, so it left me wanting to keep reading to find out what would happen next! And after I finished the whole book, I found myself saddened by the fact that the next book in the series is not published yet! I can't wait to read it! 

I loved the main character Rory. She's a baker, and my favourite scenes were when she was baking cakes and decorating them. The description of those scenes were just so much fun to read! There was a dream kitchen involved... and let me tell you... I think anyone would love to have that kitchen, even if you weren't a baker! It sounded fabulous! The level of description throughout the whole book was amazing, not just in the baking scenes. I am a very visual person, so when an author can really paint a clear picture in my head with the words they use, it's usually an instant hit with me! Ciye Cho definitely accomplished that! 

Another thing that was really great about this book was that there was a talking cat. Need I say more? Didn't think so. 

I'm wracking my brain to try and find something I didn't like about this book... but I don't think there was anything! All around, it was a great book, and very fun to read!  

The Good: everything. no joke. 
The Bad: nothing. it was addicting perfection that I couldn't put down. There's nothing bad about that!!!! 
The Verdict: 10/10 peeps. Give it a read. you won't regret it!!!! 

PS: I can't wait to read Ciye Cho's mermaid series Florence, it looks equally as good! 


keep readin' it write!
Megan

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