Review: Unspoken

Unspoken

Sarah Rees Brennan

Published: September 11, 2012

Released by: Random House Books for Young Readers



 

Description from Goodreads:

 

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

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

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

 

It did not take me long to lose the battle I fought against this book. Here I was a few weeks after the release telling myself that I would not read it until all three were out. I saw the tweets to Sarah Rees Brennan complaining about the cliffhanger. I knew it would kill me. But there I was, two weeks ago at our small, Vermont library, putting away the children books for the librarian when I spotted it. It was gorgeous, sitting on top the many shelves lining the wall. A battle was fought and I lost, taking it out and finishing it later Thanksgiving night (which was the next day).

 

And oh my God, it was amazing! Perfect pacing, awesome characters, and everything you want in a book. It was a smooth read and I pretty much read from cover to cover. Kami, Jared, Holly, Angela, Ash, are all awesome characters and have great chemistry together. I just adore Kami. She is my all time favorite heroine ever. Angela is probably the most laziest person ever; Rusty is the only one who rivals her. Holly is just so sweet! Love her. Jared, oh Jared. Love him. Ash...Well...I guess I just put up with Ash. I don't hate him; I don't love him.

 

That ending! God, I now know what everyone was talking about. Finishing this was another good punch in the feels. After The Mark of Athena and Deity, I thought, "What's one more cliffhanger?" Yeah. No. Why do I do this to myself? I think I enjoy causing myself pain. I really want to give Kami a hug now. Poor, poor Kami. Hopefully everything will be better for you in the second one. I pray. I hope. Yeah. Hope sounds more like it.

 

Also, I love reading Sarah Rees Brennan's, Holly Black's, and Cassandra Clare's books. It's fun searching for the references of each other's books. Like in this one: a character named Holly. Holly Black. Oh I see what ya did there ;) And also, the password for the computer? cassie41 (or something like that). I squealed and scared the crap out of my little six year old cousin who was watching TV. He shot me an annoyed glare, told me to shut up, and continued to watch Spongebob, pissed that I distracted him from his favorite TV show. *Rolls eyes* Six year olds. Let me enjoy my fangirling. Seriously.

 

So I highly recommend this book if you are ready for a good depressing cliffhanger to add to your list of horrible cliffhangers '12. Hahaha. Nah. But read this book. It's really good, unique, and will have you addicted from the very first page. If you are into detective novels with a paranormal twist, try this book. It will not disappoint.

 

Review by Calypso

follow on Twitter:

@bookworms4vt

Review: Opal

Opal

Jennifer L. Armentrout

To be Released: December 11, 2012

Published by: Entangled Publishing

Description from Goodreads:

 

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

 

Do you hear that faint, heartbroken sobbing? Just listen real closely. Can you hear it now? Good. What is that, you ask? That would be me, sobbing over the ending of Opal.

 

Wow. What an emotional rollar coaster. I laughed. I cried. I laughed again. I fell head-over-heals for the perfection of Daemon again. Then I laughed some more. Then I bawled like a baby terrified of sitting on Santa's lap (I'm in a Christmas mood...).

 

Jennifer Armentrout, you did it again. You wrote this AMAZING book filled with everything I wanted and then killed me with the ending. WHY MUST YOU KILL ME WITH THE ENDING? My heart has suffered enough!

 

I swear all authors get together for this big conference and skeme on how to kill their readers. How many books I have read the past two months that have had killer cliffhangers? It started with Mark of Athena then went downhill. So this must be the Apocalypse. Or it's the extreme book nerd version of it anyway.

 

But other than the ending, the book was perfect! I was never bored and I had to sneek read it while my aunts were shopping. I just left the store and sat in the warmth of Jace (my car), snuggled up with Alyss's kindle (because my copy is not in until Wednesday -_- ) and just read. About a hour later they returned, completely unsurprised to find me reading. But the book was just SO good. If it wasn't illegal and a complete suicidal idea, I would have probably been reading it as I was driving the hour drive to the only Barnes and Noble in Vermont. It was pretty bad when I even begged my aunt to read it aloud for moi. Yeah...Bad. (She didn't, by the way. She told me to get my nose out of the book, kindle, whatever).

 

Love Katy. Love Daemon. Love Dawson. Wish Dee was a tad bit nicer in the beginning, but she redeems herself. Ash is slowly warming up to me. Slowly. Why Carissa? And again I must ask, WHY MY ADAM? Lastly, Blake needs to go die in a hole. Or Daemon needs to torture him. Either way, Blake just needs to go. Seriously. I freaking hate that guy.

 

I cannot wait for Origin! AAWW!! I WANT THIS ONE MORE THAN APOLLYON. Funny, last week I would have never thought I would say that. Ever. BUT OH MY GOD IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG WAIT.  

 

Review by Caly

follow on Twitter:

@bookworms4vt 





Opal, Opal, Opal

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

The fabulous Jennifer Armentrout is having an ARC giveaway of the totally drool worthy Opal on her blog (link below).

I am so freaking excited for this book. I absolutely love Jennifer Armentrout's books and I love Daemon and Aiden and Dawson and Caleb and all of the characters in her books.

So do you want a chance to get your hands on a coveted copy of Opal early?? Try your luck and enter this giveaway! I am and I'm hoping for the best! I already have a waiting list starting. (And before you freak out Katy, you are on top, seeing as you have the same name as the main character ;)

Enter, enter!

~Caly

http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/want-to-read-opal/

Review: Finale

Finale

Becca Fitzpatrick

Released: October 23, 2012

Published by: Simon and Schuster

*Also check out our previous reviews on books 1-3*

 

Description from Goodreads:

 

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

 

Again, this review will be quick and to the point since I am playing catch up on my NaNoWriMo 2012 project.

 

Plot. What's not to love with the plot? It has everything to it and is as enticing as the first three. It was hard to put the book down. It was seriously addicting.

 

Characters. Patch is still amazing and drop dead gorgeous. Nora did not, surprisingly, bug me to much this time. I only yelled at her once. I'll call that an accomplishment. Vee is awesome and remains awesome throughout the whole story.

 

Why did a certain character have to die? WHY? I LOVE THAT CHARACTER SO MUCH. Thanks for breaking my heart.

 

Ending. Hmmm...I wasn't overly thrilled with the ending I guess. Yes, I did like it. I just wish it was hmmm...not *SPOILER* Vee's wedding. I thought she loved Scott but ended up just randomly marrying this British guy. So I was a little disappointed, but it still was an okay ending. *END SPOILER* 

 

So this was a fabulous ending to an amazing saga that I love. If you haven't read these yet, please do, because you will fall head-over-heels in love with them. I highly recommend them, so go out to your local bookstore and buy them. They are just sososososososo enticing and will have you hooked from the very first page.

 

Review by Caly

@bookworms4vt

 



 

Review: Defiance

Defiance

C. J. Redwine

Released: August 28, 2012

Published by: Balzer + Bray

 

Description from Goodreads:

 

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

 

So this review is going to be quick and straight to the point. Since I have no school for the next couple of days, I am playing serious catch up on my NaNoWriMo 2012 project (Halfway done...YAY!).

 

Plot. Excellent. Never boring. Had me up into the early hours finishing. Loved it.

 

Characters. Love Logan. He is the best. Any other arguement is invalid. I'll admit, I only chose this book because of Logan. I just love that name. Rachel is awesome also. But I loved reading from Logan's POV.

 





Setting. Love the setting. I just can't figure out if it's dystopian or kind of a medieval story. It had elements of both, especially with Logan's technology and the whole city life.

Ending. Wow. I did not see that coming. It was a complete twist from what Logan and Rachel expected. I cannot wait for the next one to see what the hell will happen next.

This book was awesome, filled with action and romance that fits every readers' needs. I highly recomend it and know that you will not be disappointed with it.

Review by Calypso

@bookworms4vt

Opal Trailer Reveal

Opal (The third book in the Lux Series)
Available in both print and digital version on December 18, 2012
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Official Opal Book Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oLkv3DotkqM

Check out Jennifer L. Armentrout on the following sites:
Facebook
Twitter
Official Website

Anybody else excited for Opal? My friend Katy and I are FREAKING OUT. I already have a waiting list for the book and I have not even ordered it yet. SO FLIPPING EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK!

~Caly

Book Review: Deity

Deity

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Released: November 6, 2012

Published by: Spencer Hill Press

 

 

Description from Goodreads:

 

"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "


Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

 

So this review is going to be short and sweet, just like all of the reviews this month. It's NaNoWriMo! And I need to desperately catch up on my 50,000 words! Balancing everything (homework, college crap, work, school) has been so hard! AAWW! How do I find time to read?

 

Wait. That was a stupid question. I always find time to read!

 

So let's just choose some gifs that show my feelings during this very emotional rollar coaster, shall we?

 

At first, I was "Get the hell out of there Seth. Nobody likes you." (Except for Buffy and Mags. But they are so crazy. Team Aiden all the way.)

 

 

During it I was like this:

 

 

And this:

 

 

And then I read the ending.

 

 

 







Wow. This book was just...Wow. I cannot wait for Apollyon. I'm glad it's not a year long wait. I think I would go crazy (More like crazier than I already am). The characters are just amazing. Love Alex. Love Aiden. Hate Seth. And the Gods are just awesome. Go Apollo! I cannot wait for my friend Katy (who called dibs on the book first) to finish it so we can discuss. Jonna is confused because she never read them before. My mom thinks I'm crazy. And Buffy starts screaming every time I begin "OH MY GODS YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN DEITY...". I tend to be a notorious spoiler.

 

Read the Covenant books. I'm not asking. I'm demanding. Jennifer Armentrout is an amazing writer and her stories suck you right into them. It is hard to put them down and next thing you know, it's 2 in the morning, and you are sobbing your eyes out at the horrible cliffhanger. This was the second book in two months that the ending killed me. At least it won't be a year long wait like the other one.

 

READ THESE BOOKS. You will not regret it.

 

Review by Calypso

follow on Twitter: @bookworms4vt