Book Review: The Raven Boys

Book being reviewed: The Raven Boys

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

I just want to start off by saying that I am undoubtedly impressed by this book.  It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Mrs. Stiefvater's Shiver.  I remember being bored with it and couldn't grasp that reader connection we all hope for in a book.  With The Raven Boys, however, I had an undeniable connection as a reader.

There are so many detailed aspects to this book.  The characters themselves were so well thought of and brought to life with so much detail, and each and every single one of them were completely different from one another.  This is saying a lot, since there are TON of characters you come to know within the story.

I enjoyed getting to know characters like Blue, Adam, Gansey, Noah, and even Ronan at times.  Even though Ronan scared me, he's still a character that has much more to him and we have yet to see exactly what it is.  Every character had their strengths and weaknesses pointed out in many ways, which gave way to so much detail about them.  And one aspect that I truly enjoyed was, despite all their differences, they all had so much love for one another and showed it earnestly in anyway each one of them knew how.   Even Ronan, who acted like he could care less about anything in the world, showed he cared in his own way.

This could just be my own personal observation, but one thing I noticed in Shiver that I also noticed in The Raven Boys is Maggie Stiefvater's unique style of writing.  I didn't particularly care for it in Shiver, I thought it was odd, but it fit with this novel.  Some authors like to incorporate humor in their writing, and Mrs Stiefvater does but hers is a dry type of humor.  You either get it or you don't, you either think it's funny or it isn't.  I found myself laughing periodically through the book. 

As much detail as there was in the book, there's still so much mystery that has yet to be discovered.  The Raven Boys gave you enough to keep you hooked through the book, but now I'm itching to get my hands on the The Dream Thieves to get one step closer to unlocking the mystery that is The Raven Cycle series.

Might I add, thank you to those book buddies of mine who insisted I read this book!  You were right, The Raven Boys is a great book!

Raven Boys fan signing out,

Book Review: Override (Glitch #2)

Book being reviewed: Override

Author: Heather Anastasiu

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

Override

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

Wow!  Wow!  Wow!  I was pleasantly surprised with this one!  After having read Glitch and not liking it as much as I had hoped,  Override made up for everything that the first book was lacking.  

The story did start off a little slow, but eventually picked up after awhile and I couldn't put the book down.  One part of the book I really liked is Zoe's character and the role that she plays.  She's such a strong female, even in the times when she think thinks of herself as weak.  She lives through half of the book thinking that she can't live up to the image of this heroine that every sees her as being, mostly because she had no control over her telekinesis powers because they terrified her.  Finally, halfway through the book, she learns to control her telek powers by reigning in her fear.  I really enjoyed reading that part of the book where Zoe is mentally challenging herself to gain control over her power and let go of the fear that has control over her. 

One aspect I could never quite understand is how with all the amazing technology that's been developed, how could Chancellor Bright never exactly pinpoint the location of the Foundation?  I understand that anyone who has visited the place could never remember anything about it due to Simin's unintentional power of making people forget everything when they're around him, but it seemed like there could have been a way outside of the Foundation.  With all the immense technology and endless amenities that the Chancellor had control over, it seemed like she could have found a way to locate the Foundation and ultimately Zoe.  Maybe it's just me, but I felt that because there was so much intrigue detail to all the technology, there could possibly have been a lot room for gaps within the story.  And Zoe being Linked when she went to sleep every night, wouldn't that have been a way to track her down?  That question might have been addressed in Glitch and I just don't remember, but it's something I asked myself often while reading Override.  This is probably just me being critical and looking too deep into it.  I've always been the person who constantly looks for holes in the story and questions the what-if's and whatnot, but that didn't make me enjoy the book any less!

The part when Max switches himself with Adrien after the task force's first mission, I wouldn't exactly call it predictable, but I knew immediately Max was using his power to pretend to be Adrien the night of their date.  I could tell by Max-pretending-to-be-Adrien's reaction (wow, isn't that a mouthful?) that his conscience was weighing on him.  He couldn't bring himself to do anything sexually with Zoe because he knew it was wrong.  This is the point where I actually do believe Max when he told Zoe he was truly sorry for what he had done.  As Zoe always wanted to believe in the good in Max during the first part of the book, I will continue to believe in that good now.  Zoe has every right to be angry with Max's betrayal, but I believe that if Max were truly evil he wouldn't have stopped Zoe and would have continued doing "the deed".  I really do think that Max loves Zoe, and I also believe he's going to play a bigger and better part in the next book.  I hope, anyways.

I think I've covered all the points I wanted to bring up in my review.  I will say that I am now excited for Shutdown, the third book in the series.  And I would recommend this series to any dystopian fan who enjoys a little sci-fi kick thrown in the mix.

Until next time,

happy reading, fellow book nerds,

Book Review: Everbound (Everneath #2)

Book being reviewed: Everbound (Everneath #2)

Author: Brodi Ashton

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

After I read the first book, Everneath, I wasn't all that impressed.  I decided to give Everbound a shot anyway.  I'm glad I did because I liked the 2nd book so much more.  The plot flowed easier and it was more fun to follow.  The story seemed like a roller coaster of high points and low points stacked with plenty of drama.

Like Nikki, I'm still completely entranced by Cole.  Maybe it's the bad-boy persona he lets off, or maybe it's the fact that we're still left with so many unknown facts about Cole.  Although, in Everbound, we do learn more about Cole and how he became an Everling, but it is still quite obvious that he is withholding many more dark secrets.  Cole truly seemed like he wanted to help Nikki find Jack simply because he loved her and doesn't wish to see her waste away in her own pain and guilt.  As the book ends, however, we find out that once again Cole has tricked Nikki for his own selfish reasons.  This is where I'm on the same level as Nikki, because throughout the book I also felt like Cole could be trusted and there was a good side to him that would win over the bad side.  I still have a small glimmer of hope that he'll change and for once actually put Nikki's needs above his own.  Will this happen?  My more rational side is telling me no.

As for Jack, the other lover boy, the entire book was based around saving him.  Poor, sweet Jack.  This kid is hopelessly in love with a girl who seems will only unintentionally break his heart.  He sacrificed himself in order to save Nikki, and I don't know many teenage boys who would act so selflessly.  Jack is the good boy while Cole is the bad boy, both of which you find yourself caring about at different times.

Maybe it's because I'm a my parent myself, but I became irritated with Nikki when she would continue to act so carelessly where her father was concerned.  Doesn't she realize she's going to give that poor man a heart attack?  I understand that teenagers are going to do what teenagers want to do, and we really only understood just how Nikki felt, but I couldn't help but think about how her dad must feel after all he's been through.  First losing his wife and then thinking he had also lost his daughter.  In my opinion, Nikki's dad deserves an extended vacation.

Overall the book was good.  As for the paranormal romance factor, this series is up there with the all the good ones.  And the simple fact that I was introduced to a new and refreshing world that's filled with fictional characters like the immortal Everlings, and a different take on Greek mythology, both of which were different from most paranormal romance novels that are out there today.  I can always appreciate new reading material that introduces me to an entirely different magical world.

Spreading the bookish love,

Book Review: The Storyteller

Book being reviewed: The Storyteller

Author: Antonia Michaelis

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls. 

The Storyteller
 
Anna and Abel couldn’t be more different.  They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prisonlike tower block at the edge of town.  Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own.  Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces.  It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality.  Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer.  Has she?

Award-winning author Antonia Michaelis moves in a bold new direction with her latest novel: a dark, haunting, contemporary story that is part mystery, part romance, and part melodrama.

There is so much that can be said about this book and I just don't even know where to begin.   I guess I can start by saying that this book is completely out there in a multitude of ways, ways that one might say shouldn't be considered young adult content.  It's possible that the adult content within the book is due to the author being German. I know different countries have different viewpoints on what is adult and what isn't.  Usually young adult novels written by American authors stick to story content that most Americans would deem appropriate for a young person to read, and, in my opinion, The Storyteller definitely crosses that thin line.

Don't get me wrong, in no way am I bashing the book, I'm just stating my opinion after having read a countless number of young adult novels.  This book consists of a somewhat detailed rape between the two main characters, Anna and Abel, and also another somewhat detailed account of a sexual interaction between the two.  This book is very dark, and the light and happy moments are few and far between.

The relationship between Abel and Anna is a strange one.  As much as I liked the book, I didn't really like either of the main characters (I know, this makes absolutely no sense).  There were so many times I wanted to knock some sense into Anna.   I know they say love is blind, but in Anna's case, I think she lost every single one of her senses when it came to Abel.  The first red flag for me was when I knew Anna had fallen deliriously in love with this boy, but she didn't know ANYTHING about him. Seriously, NOTHING about him.  He continually lied to her and never revealed any of his dark secrets when she would question him.  I just didn't understand how she could let it all go so easily and love him unconditionally.

Then there's the major problem of him actually raping her.  Because of the way the book was written, you didn't find out who the REAL Abel was until the last few pages of the book.  Truthfully, I actually liked that the reader is left in suspense and confused until the very end, but I kept thinking that because of the fairytale that Abel told all throughout the book, there might be a paranormal factor that played into his raping Anna, as if he was possessed by some sort of evil.  Not that that would excuse him from taking Anna's virginity by rape, I just hoped that there was more to it than what met the eye... and there wasn't a paranormal factor, he had the choice and he didn't stop himself.

Then in the aspect of most YA novels having a hero who comes to the aid of the lead female character, Abel wasn't the hero.  Now, of course, he could be considered Micha's hero after sacrificing himself for her on top of murdering anyone who he thought could be directly involved with his little sister being taken away from him.  But as for him ever saving Anna? I think it was Anna who continually came to Abel's rescue throughout the book.

And Abel being a murderer is another factor I don't quite understand.  Anna had her suspicions that Abel was the murderer and still chose to love him despite those suspicions.  I think Anna was living in her own fantasy world that was fueled by the fairytale.  Gitta's "little lamb" nickname for Anna was perfect because she was naive like a young child would be and ignored all those warning signs about Abel that were practically slapping her in the face over and over again.

In all honesty, I think Anna and Abel connected and their relationship bloomed more through the fairytale Abel told, while living solely on hope in the real world.  I, too, read through hoping that something more would come, that these two would actually run away with Micha and live happily ever after, and maybe, just maybe, Abel didn't actually rape her, maybe Abel isn't the murderer. Yeeeaaaah.... that didn't happen.  As I recall, as soon as I finished reading the last page, I shut the book, then proceeded to stare off at nothing while trying to wrap my brain around what just happened.  Two days later and I still can't comprehend the dark ending of the book, or all the dark content within the book.

That all aside, I still loved the book.  It didn't end in the usual happily ever after way that makes you want to dance around while singing and smiling to yourself like an idiot.  Not that I've ever done that, but you know, there are those books out there that have that effect on you.  This book left me speechless and sad, confused and angry.  Such a strange combination for a book that I actually enjoyed reading.  I guess what I'm getting to is, if you choose to pick up this book, just remember that it isn't an easy read.  You may cry, feel like screaming, and become angry all while hanging onto that hope that it will turn out better in the end. Trust me, it won't.

Confused and in need of some lighter reading material,

until next time, Bookworms,

Book Review: There You'll Find Me

Book being reviewed: There You'll Find Me

Author: Jenny B. Jones

I give this book:

5 out of 5 owls!

 Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?

**SPOILER WARNING**
 

Some would disagree with my rating of 5 out of 5 owls for this book, but I would have to stand firm behind this decision.  My decision is mainly based on how much I can relate to Finley and her story.  While I haven't lost a loved one, I have, however, been through some very trying times over the last year and a half which lead to some of the most difficult days I've faced thus far in my life.  Also like Finley, I didn't rely on my faith in God while going through those hard times.  I was stumbling along blindly in the darkness never searching for His light to lead the way.  I eventually hit my breaking point and turned to my faith to pull me through.  It hasn't been easy, but I've realized that I don't have to face my hardships alone, all I need is prayer and to have faith.  And you know what?  I've been much happier and have found an inner peace since then.  Just like Finley.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not some crazy, Bible-thumpin' Christian who's going to condemn you to hell for not believing, that's not me.  I was just simply saying I could relate to Finley's story and her renewed faith in God.  So please, if you don't believe, don't degrade me or tell me how I'm believing in a god that doesn't exist.  I respect you, you respect me -- to each their own.  Besides, this was still a great book to read!!

The two characters that I absolutely adored most in the book were Mrs. Sweeney and Erin.   I knew there was something more to Mrs Sweeney than that surly, mad at the world demeanor she first portrayed.  That bad attitude was something she used as an armor to protect herself from the world.  She knew people judged her for the mistakes she made without anybody really knowing why she made the choices she did.  All she ever cared about was protecting her sister and her son, but most never knew that. 

I won't deny the fact that I shed some tears when Mrs. Sweeney died.  It was sad that she finally received her sister's forgiveness at the very end of her life, but I'm glad she still did nonetheless.  She was able to pass on into the next life with a clear conscience and with more love in her heart than she had felt in years.  Life isn't always fair, and in Mrs. Sweeney's case, it most definitely wasn't.  She deserved to pass on with her soul at peace.  

Poor, poor Erin.  This girl was one of the sweetest characters I've ever seen in a book.  She was so kindhearted and nice to everyone, yet she was the most bullied by Beatrice and her crew.  Even though there was obviously a romantic connection bubbling between Finley and Beckett, I was silently hoping Beckett would take Erin as his date to the dance.  What better way to get back at the bully than to be the date of the most popular movie star on the planet?   Beatrice's evil ways knew no bounds when she wanted something exactly her way.  Erin being Beckett's date showed Beatrice that she couldn't control everyone's lives.  

Erin was also the first to hone in on Finley's possible battle with an eating disorder and the poor girl tried so hard to help Finley, to get Finley to talk to her, but Finley wouldn't because she was in denial.  Erin seemed to be mistreated the most in the book, it seemed she was even mistreated by Finley sometimes.  Not that I think Finley would intentionally hurt her, just that the eating disorder caused Finley to act selfishly at times which can hurt those closest to you.  

And because I usually do, we'll touch base on the lead male character, Beckett.  The Irish-born, American-raised, famous movie star had his moments where I felt I was being swept off my feet right along with Finley.   Between the accent, the charm, his devastatingly good looks, it seemed Beckett Rush had it all.  You eventually find out that this heartthrob is carrying around a ton of problems that have been weighing him down for years.  

Like Finley, Beckett was also in denial.  He lived each day thinking that he had to do what he was told and live this fake life that the media portrayed because his dad had convinced him that that's how he was suppose to live.  It was amazing to watch the two main characters come together and help each other while figuring out who they themselves were. 

Just for the inspirational aspect alone, I would highly recommend this book.  But I would also recommend this book simply because it was a refreshingly good read, and there were also many lines in the book that brought me many good laughs.  Jenny B. Jones is a very talented writer with a very quirky sense of humor.  If you pick up a copy from the store or a library, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

Happy reading, Bookworms,