Review: REACHED by Ally Condie

Title: Reached
Author: Ally Condie
Series: Matched #3

Why I read it: To finish out one more series on my long list of unfinished series!

Thoughts: Boy, did I dislike this book. Mind you, not as much as I hated Allegiant. But still a strong dislike. In fact, many of my problems with this book were similar to the problems I had in Allegiant.

If we're being completely honest, I began reading this book with the expectation that I wouldn't like it. I didn't enjoy the second book in the series, Crossed, very much, so I was already disillusioned with the series in general. And reading this book, all of my fears were confirmed.

Here is my main problem with this concluding novel; the main conflict and problems in this book seem entirely separate from the rest of the series. The main overarching conflict from the first two books is solved fairly quickly here, within the first quarter of the book. And, as in Allegiant, a whole new complication arises that was barely hinted at within the first two books. It made for a very disjointed story.

I also don't care for the characters in this series. We get the POVs of all three main characters in Reached, but it's difficult to tell them apart. Their problems and thoughts are similar, all three characters constantly worrying about the same things. None of them have enough personality for me to really care about them and their fate that much, even when the situations they find themselves in are very dire.

If I didn't care much for the main characters, then the secondary characters I've all but forgotten already. I can't remember any of their names, much less remember their exact roles in the plot. Part of the problem is that basically all of the secondary problems are new to the series, introduced only through the course of this last book, and only serve as plot devices rather than well-developed characters. They are props, not people.

I really liked the first book in the Matched trilogy. It wasn't a favorite, but it was enjoyable. But unfortunately, the series only went downhill from there. I am glad I have finished yet another series, but this will most likely make my list of least-favorite books for the year.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this book yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: RADIANT and BOUNDLESS by Cynthia Hand

*WARNING: HERE BE SPOILERS for Books 1 and 2.*

Proceed at your own peril. 

Titles: Radiant and Boundless

Author: Cynthia Hand

Series: Unearthly #2.5 and #3

Why I read it: To finish the trilogy and find out what happens!

Thoughts: I liked Radiant, but Boundless was my favorite book in the trilogy.

First of all, I'll briefly discuss Radiant. This novella is the bridge between books 2 and 3 in the trilogy, and it follows the POVs of both Clara and Angela as they spend their summer between high school and college in Italy with Angela's family. I really enjoy Angela as a character, but I didn't like being in her head. For most of the series, I questioned her intentions, but this glimpse into her mind doesn't really lend itself to continue that speculation. \

In my opinion, the best novellas for series change your perspective on something, whether that be a plot point or character. Take for instance Destroy Me, the first novella from the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. Since Destroy Me is written in Warner's POV, we see a completely different side of him than we saw in the first book, and it changed how I reacted to him in the second book. We also got to see events in Destroy Me that are important to the plot, but would have been impossible to learn about in the main trilogy since Juliet wasn't there to witness them.

With that in mind, I don't think Radiant is a successful novella. The Angela and Phen plotline is essentially summarized in book three, so I don't think this novella offers anything new or important. It also didn't really change my opinion on Angela very much; if anything, it made me like her a little less, but I don't think that's what Cynthia Hand set out to do; I just didn't like being in her head at all.

My official recommendation would be to skip this one and save your two dollars.

Boundless, on the other hand, I absolutely loved. I loved seeing Clara's relationships with Angela, Tucker and Christian, and how they all developed in different ways. One of the things I love the most about this series is the way it deals with morality, and good vs. evil. For a book about angels, there are few characters who are entirely good or entirely bad. Sometimes good people make bad decisions, and sometimes bad people can be influenced by love and sympathy. I loved it. I also loved the way the angel-bloods mythology is even further developed and utilized within the story.

This book, more than the first two, really twisted in unexpected ways, especially toward the end. I was not expecting that ending at all, but I think it fits the story beautifully. And I am more than pleased with how it ended. I think I even cried there in the last few chapters.

I admit that I had been hesitant to read this for a while, but I am so glad I decided to pick it up. For anyone who is wary of angel books, I would recommend giving this series a try!

Ratings: 

Radiant: 3/5 stars

Boundless: 5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this book yet? What was your opinion? Let me know in the comments below!

Mini Reviews: TRUE, ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE and AUSTENLAND

Title: True
Author: Hilary Duff
Series: Elixir #3

Why I read it: To finish another series! And for #RYBSAT.

Thoughts: Meh. I had all the problems with this book as I did with the first two books in the series. This is written by "Hilary Duff with Elise Allen," so you would have thought the writing would be better. The writing is so juvenile and stuffed with adjectives that really don't need to be there. There was a single sentence in this book that struck me as nicely phrased: "There's no sign, and the entrance all but disappears among the succulents." Though if we're being totally honest, it's probably because I love the word "succulents." The characters here are completely one-dimensional; I don't think any of the four main characters made any real growth throughout the series. As if Clea's narration wasn't bad enough, we're also given chapters in Rayna's POV as well. Those were worse. I couldn't stand Rayna's voice.

And finally, my biggest pet peeve? The necklace on the cover was a big deal in the first two books and it was a symbol of Clea and Sage's love (or something like that). I don't even think it was MENTIONED in this entire book. Boo.

Rating: 1/5 stars

Title: Another Little Piece
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn

Summary: On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished. 

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon. 

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish...a bloody razor...and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent endless cycle that she will never escape--unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past. 

Why I read it: #RYBSAT!

Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this! I can't say much without going into spoilers, but our main character is fascinating. The way she interacts with everyone around her, without remembering them from before, is very interesting. All side characters are fleshed out and intriguing, especially Dex. How I loved Dex. Cute guys that talk too much are completely my jam. The plot keeps you guessing up until the very last few pages, and it's written very unconventionally, which I always love. There are poems and a couple of letters that almost mark chapter breaks, though they're not labelled thusly. And within each "chapter," the narration is further broken into sections. There were a few times those breaks were confusing because it might have taken a little time to figure out where/when we were, since there were flashbacks and such, but it never got to the point where it completely took me out of the story.

Often, this book reminded me a bit of the Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin, so if you were a fan of that trilogy, I would definitely recommend you pick this book up, as well!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Title: Austenland
Author: Shannon Hale

Summary: Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man--perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own? 

Why I read it: When participating in a read-a-thon like Bout of Books 13, short books for the win!

Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this, though I still may prefer the movie. (Don't shoot me!) Our heroine, Jane, is so much fun. There are times when she seems very lost and anxious, but the best times are when she finds her stride and embraces the snarky and bold side of herself. When she banters with Mr. Nobley, I just adored her. The other characters are fun as well, though not as well-drawn as Jane and Mr. Nobley. I must say, however, that since I've seen the movie before I read the book, I easily pictured the movie cast as the book characters. For the most part, it's a very cute, fun book!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read any of these books? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: FORGED by Erin Bowman

*WARNING: HERE BE SPOILERS for books 1 and 2* 

Proceed at your own peril. 

Title: Forged
Author: Erin Bowman
Series: Taken #3

Why I read it: To finish the trilogy and find out what happens!

Thoughts: This is my second favorite series conclusion of the year so far.

Forged brings the trilogy full circle in terms of characters and plot, and it was everything I wanted and needed from this conclusion.

As usual, I especially loved Gray. He's different from the usual YA protagonist that I read about. For one, he's a guy, and I normally read from the perspective of girls. But he's also forced to make difficult choices, and he's sometimes selfish. Even so, he goes through some major character development throughout the trilogy, and it's evident here. He's been through so much in the last two books; from his father's death to his strained relationship with Bree, and dealing with the Forgeries of Emma and himself. But he never stops fighting for his friends and family.

I also love his relationship with Bree. She is so strong and abrasive sometimes, and she always has walls up. And I love that the relationship between the two of them isn't easy. It's tense and tenuous, because both of them are so stubborn and headstrong. But that's why I love them so much.

There's not a character I don't enjoy in this series. All of them are very unique and bring their own flair to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the events of this book. It was action-packed, and I was constantly flipping pages to find out what was going to happen. And it was heart-breaking. I actually cried toward the end, because the journey of our characters is not an easy one. There are deaths that devastated me, and there is lightness and hope that kept me smiling. It's messy and things are never perfect, but I couldn't think of a better conclusion to the story that I've loved since page one.

If you're a fan of complex characters, high-energy action and romantic tension, I highly recommend this dystopian trilogy!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read Forged yet? What were your thoughts on how it ended? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: ALLEGIANT by Veronica Roth

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #3

Why I read it: To finish the trilogy before I saw the film adaptation of Insurgent.

Thoughts: Frustration. Anger. Betrayal. Annoyance.

But first, let me start with what I did like about this book.

Right from the beginning, Tris feels more like herself--more like the Tris we came to know and love in Divergent. And luckily, she stays this way throughout the entire book. She is strong and independent and she doesn't take any crap. And along the same vein, I enjoyed Tris and Tobias's relationship and how it ebbed and flowed throughout the book. It felt realistic.

I liked the view of the outside world. It feels realistic and gritty, the way a dystopian United States should feel. Especially when they travel to the "fringe."

Of all the secondary characters, I liked Peter and Cara's journeys the most. They made sense, they showed growth and development, and they felt true to the characters.

And I do like Veronica Roth's writing. It's very visual, and I can always see exactly what she's describing in my head.

Now, onto the bad parts. This is hard to get into without spoilers. But I'm going to try. So I apologize if things are vague.

The alternating POV chapters from Tris and Tobias did not work for me. At all. They're voices are so similar that I, like many other readers, often got confused as to whose head I was in. I would think I was in a Tris chapter, but then the narrator would start talking about how Tris is so small, and I would realize it was a Tobias chapter. Then I would have go back and reread several paragraphs because I had read them in the wrong context. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that while the chapters usually alternate, there were a few instances where either Tris or Tobias would have two chapters in a row.

I despised the plot threads for this book. While I did like the world-building outside the city, I couldn't stand the history and the science behind all of it. In a fantasy or dystopian worlds, there obviously needs to be a suspension of belief about certain things, but this was just too much for me to handle. And the explanations tended to be complicated and lengthy, and I often felt like I was grasping at straws, not able to completely understand certain actions or motivations, especially in retrospect looking at the previous two books.

It felt very much like Veronica Roth got to this third book and realized that she needed a reason for everything, and this was the best she could come up with (while still not making total sense), rather than having planned this ending since the beginning. I had so many questions throughout the book, and later I would find hastily explained answers to those questions, as if Veronica had the same thoughts while she was writing and just threw them in as they came to her. Though I do still have plot hole questions that will probably never be answered.

I didn't care for many of the new characters. I was so annoyed that Amar was supposedly someone important in Tobias's past and that we were supposed to feel something, but since I'd never heard the name Amar before, I couldn't bring myself to care that much. It felt contrived, mentioning a character for the first time and then seeing that character a chapter later.

Nita annoyed me. David really annoyed me. I was apathetic towards Zoe. What is really annoying is that some of these new characters become "very important people" for a chunk of the book, then fall by the wayside when they're no longer useful. They're only mentioned in passing again for continuity.

The only new character I really liked was Matthew. (And that may be because I was totally picturing him as Graham from Chasing Life.)

And while I can't talk about the ending in detail, I will say that I hated it. More than I hated the ending to Requiem by Lauren Oliver. And I really hated that ending. More thoughts and feels to be explained in the spoiler-y series review.

My only question now is this: HOW are they going to split Allegiant into two movies? I can almost guarantee you I know where they'll split it, because there are two good climax points in the book, and the first one could easily be the end of the first movie. That's not the problem. The problem is that not enough happens to fill the spaces between and around those two events in two different movies. I guess we will just have to sit back, wait and see.

Overall, this is one of the most disappointing books I've read in a long time.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Tell me: if you've read Allegiant, what did YOU think of this conclusion? Were you as disappointed as I was? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: ECHOES OF US by Kat Zhang

Title: Echoes of Us
Author: Kat Zhang
Series: Hybrid Chronicles #3

Why I read it: As the third book in a trilogy, it went along perfectly with my goal of finishing more series than I start this year! So onto my TBR for January it went. (AKA this review is really late. Sorry!)

Thoughts: The way I felt about this book was similar to how I felt about Lark Ascending.

This was a very solid conclusion to the Hybrid Chronicles trilogy. Reading about the institutions and the plight of the hybrid children was still interesting, and I definitely felt the words pull at my heartstrings a few times.

I still loved the characters, especially Addie and Eva. Even though the book is only told through Eva's POV, I still felt like we really knew both of them as individuals, driving home the point that they are distinct souls and have distinct personalities, but they are still intertwined. This is something I think the series did really well throughout.

My only problem with the characters is that there were so many of them. And with this series, adding more characters often means adding twice the number of characters, since most of the new people Eva and Addie meet with are hybrids, which means the reader has to learn not one, but two new names for these characters. And I just had trouble keeping all of them straight in my mind. I think the only ones I consistently kept straight were Hally/Lissa and Devon/Ryan. So when something would happen, it often took a few moments for me to realize who I was dealing with. Even now, I can remember all of the main events from the book, but I can't remember which characters were involved.

My other problem with this book is that it felt like it wrapped up a little too neatly. The last couple of chapters felt like everything had magically solved itself, even though we are told that everything does not change overnight. I appreciated the turn at the end, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did. While I always love a good happily-ever-after, sometimes it feels like our characters have gone through too much to have a truly HEA. I'm not sure if that's just me, or if others were slightly dissatisfied with the ending.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. The pace of this series is slower than most, and moments of action are few and far between, but I enjoyed reading about the relationships between the characters, even if I couldn't remember all of their names. If you've started the series, I still recommend finishing it out!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this book? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: LARK ASCENDING by Meagan Spooner

Title: Lark Ascending
Author: Meagan Spooner
Series: Skylark #3

Why I read it: I have been anxiously awaiting this trilogy conclusion since I finished Shadowlark last winter! Oren made my list of top ten book boyfriends last summer, so I had to find out what happened. And since I've made it my goal to finish more series than I start this year, I thought this was a great time to start making good on that promise!

Thoughts: This was a pretty solid conclusion to the trilogy.

As I'm writing this review, I'm finding it hard to put my thoughts into words. I have to say that as I was reading it, and immediately afterward, I was a little disappointed by this book. But now that it's been a little while since I finished it, I'm realizing I liked it more than I thought I did.

Lark and Oren are still the characters I loved from the first two books, and I continued to root for their relationship throughout the entire book. The supporting characters were interesting as well, and I love seeing how Lark's interactions with people from her city have changed from the first book, after she's seen the real world.

The writing is okay, but I wouldn't say the writing is the selling point for this series. Instead, it's the characters and their relationships. But the writing gets us where we need to go.

I really loved the plot. Eve, the renewable from the first book, provided a really interesting foil for Lark's character, and she ended up driving the plot a lot more than I had expected.

I read this after finishing Ignite Me (review here), and I had a bit of a book hangover, so I was moving through Lark Ascending pretty slowly. But the climax was thrilling, and once I got there, I was flipping pages much faster to discover how it all turned out.

I think my main problem with this book was the world-building. The world-building in the first two books was extremely satisfying, but there were explanations for plot events in this book that just didn't make as much as sense as I needed them to, and the history of their world feels like it still needs to be fleshed out more. So that was where the disappointment came in.

There was also a plot point I wasn't a fan of. I won't get into details because of spoilers, but it involves more drama between Lark and Oren.

That said, the ending was still satisfying, and I appreciate the journey the main characters took throughout the trilogy. I would still recommend this series to anyone who loves science-fiction/fantasy and great romance, especially in the first book.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this series? What did you think of the conclusion? Which book was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: FRACTURE ME and IGNITE ME

Titles: Fracture Me and Ignite Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Series: Shatter Me #2.5 and 3

Why I read it: DUH. 

Thoughts: Fracture Me is the novella that comes between books 2 and 3 in the Shatter Me series. I liked it, but definitely not as much as Destroy Me. (Then again, how could I? Destroy Me blew my MIND.) Fracture Me is from Adam's perspective, which was interesting, though by the end of Unravel Me, I was already starting to lose interest in him. But hearing his thoughts on the situations they were in was still helpful in understanding his character. 

My main problem with this novella is that the first half takes place at the same time as the end of Unravel Me, just from Adam's POV instead of Juliette's. So while we get a few insights into Adam's personality, it is mostly just a rehash of the same events. The second half, after they are separated, is better, because it delves into events that we don't get to see in either book 2 or 3. So that was great, but there wasn't enough new content for my liking. 

But then, I moved on to Ignite Me, which...whew. The writing remains beautiful, as is normal for Tahereh Mafi, but the strikethrough passages are a thing of the past, since Juliette has finally come into her own and become more confident in who she is. And that character development is just so on point. 

But really, all of the characters are amazing in this book. I know I've pretty much said that about every book in the series, but in this book, all of the characters have much more interaction with each other. I love the dynamic between Juliette and Warner and Kenji and all of the other Omega Point members. 

But the real star here, for me at least, is the relationship aspect. I was rooting for them the entire time, and there was SO MUCH SEXUAL TENSION it killed me. But in a good way. Seriously. If you need a lesson in sexual tension in YA, read this book. Because it was so amazing, it left my stomach in knots the entire time. 

I love the conclusion. The ending felt abrupt at the time, but I realize that was just because my heart was racing about a million miles an hour when I read it. And my mind continues to race even now, a month later, thinking about what happens now in that world. And if a book can make me think about it that long after I finish it, I know it's a good one. 

Definitely one of my new favorite series. Absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian worlds, teenagers with powers, and delicious romance! Look for a overview series review in the near future!

Ratings: 

Fracture Me: 4/5 stars

Ignite Me: 5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read these books? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: CRESS by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress

Author: Marissa Meyer

Series: Lunar Chronicles #3

Why I read it: Duh. 

Thoughts: This is the best book yet in the series. 

Once again, we get a new main character and perspective, based on another fairy tale with a sci-fi twist. Cress is the Lunar Chronicles counterpart to Rapunzel, and boy is she adorable. 

Cress is a sweet, shy girl who has lived on a satellite nearly all her life. Since both Cinder and Scarlet are more hard-headed and cynical about the world, it's refreshing to see the world from Cress's eyes, since she is rather naive about certain things in life. She also has a HUGE crush on Captain Thorne, which is just precious, especially considering what a sarcastic, yet lovable scallywag he is. 

We also meet Jacin Clay, one of the Lunar guards. I won't talk about him a lot, but I think it's safe to say we'll get to learn much more about him in the last book. 

Every interaction that Cress has with another character is golden, but especially her scenes with Thorne. It's adorable how much she adores him, and it's wonderful seeing their relationship progress. 

Again, I have to commend Meyer's skill at crafting believable relationships. There is no insta-love between Thorne and Cress (well, except on Cress's part), and the relationships from the first two books are still building and evolving. It's one reason that Winter, the fourth book, is my most anticipated book of 2015. Because I can't wait to see how all these relationships turn  out. 

Can I take a moment to praise the character naming skills of Meyer, as well? Cress, shortened for watercress, is a type of lettuce. As is Rapunzel. Meyer actually spoke about how she named Cress in a guest blog post, where she admitted that she initially called the character "Arugula" before realizing exactly how ridiculous that was. And Carswell Thorne? That name also has great connections to the original fairy tale. 

The original fairy tale is also masterfully weaved into the plot, and it's fun to pick out all of those parts and how they're reworked for the sci-fi setting. 

I have to admit: I cried while reading this book, which I did not expect. But if you get as attached to characters as I do, you may well cry over their plights, too. 

This may be Cress's book, but Cinder and Scarlet's stories certainly aren't over yet. They have a long way to go still, and I can't wait to find out how it all ends in Winter!

Rating: 5/5 stars 

Cinder review         and          Scarlet review

Tell me: have YOU read Cress yet? If so, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!