Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title/Author: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth
Publisher/Date published: Katherine Tegen Books, May 3rd 2011
How I got this book: bought it TWO YEARS AGO (ugh, I suck)
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue — Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is — she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are — and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves... or it might destroy her.

So do you remember how I admitted to being majorly scared of this book?? AND OMG WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS SOONER??? AAAH IT WAS SO GOOD!!

Anyone want to do an I-told-you-so dance? Cause you totally can, I deserve it. Each and every one of you was totally justified in screaming at me.

My Broke and Bookish buddy Jana offered to read it with me and AAAH! I am SO glad I finally picked this up!! I did virtually nothing other than read it since I opened the book this afternoon!!

So I admit that at first I was a bit sceptic, because seriously, I didn't really see what all the fuss about Four was about. He seemed like a bit of a jerk for the first couple of chapters after we meet him, but after that HOLY WOWZA, consider me convinced! The boy is just *SWOON* So now we're totally cool :)

I love Tris. She's a beautifully flawed character and I loved that she struggled with the different qualities of her personalities, trying to fit in, but not really being able to conform. LOVED. At one point I was sort of wondering when the whole Divergent thing would kick into action and show some merit, but I'll just say that in the end Veronica Roth totally comes through on this aspect!

The whole world that Veronica Roth has developed is fascinating! People are sort of brainwashed to believe they belong in only one faction and then just adjust their whole life around the one quality of said faction and with each faction picking up different responsibilities, it's a well-oiled machine. Until something screws it up (because really, without conflict there would be no book, or at least not an interesting one). I was so intrigued by all the goings-on of Dauntless alone, and that's without seeing the inner workings of the other factions!

Divergent shows how cruel people can be when pushed to survive. Because that's basically what initiation in Dauntless is, a struggle to survive IN the faction. It's not safe and it's scary and I would definitely not have made it. It was amazing to see how Tris grows and develops strength and learns who her true friends are.

And again: THE BOY! FOUR! I am definitely a fan now! He was swoony and amazing and full of boyness and GAH! YES! And they had some totally hot and sweet moments and just fit together really well! They actually make sense together and I actually almost cried when something BIG happened and screamed at Jana over Whatsapp!

The pace was always up, but towards the end it really got running and my heart was racing and I was holding the book a little too tightly and just felt like I was there in the moment with Tris trying to make everything alright and knowing that it could never ALL be alright again! It was devastating and GLORIOUS!

I cannot stop gushing over this book and I already know it will be another book I start pushing onto other people (I'm gonna start with the boyfriend I think), because it is THAT GOOD. Seriously, if like me you have been too scared to read it, don't wait any longer: it lives up to the hype. It is that good. Go read it.

My rating: 5+ stars

Made me crave: NOTHING, too much tension to eat!

Review of Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross

Title/Author: Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
Publisher/Date published: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, June 11th 2013
How I got this book: from the author for review, thanks!
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: When Maude Pichon runs away from provincial Brittany to Paris, her romantic dreams vanish as quickly as her savings. Desperate for work, she answers an unusual ad. The Durandeau Agency provides its clients with a unique service — the beauty foil. Hire a plain friend and become instantly more attractive.

Monsieur Durandeau has made a fortune from wealthy socialites, and when the Countess Dubern needs a companion for her headstrong daughter, Isabelle, Maude is deemed the perfect foil.

But Isabelle has no idea her new "friend" is the hired help, and Maude's very existence among the aristocracy hinges on her keeping the truth a secret. Yet the more she learns about Isabelle, the more her loyalty is tested. And the longer her deception continues, the more she has to lose.

The idea behind this novel fascinates me! I mean, it really is quite ingenious: make yourself look better by having a less well-looking person stand beside you and shine in comparison. It's like a theory I once read somewhere or saw on TV, how being in a group of beautiful people can transform someone from average to beautiful as well. It's really interesting to see how your perception can change because of your surrounding.

So we meet Maude, one of the so-called 'ugly' girls. She's come to Paris to escape what would have been an unhappy marriage and needs a job. She gets hired by the Durandeau Agency and soon the Countess picks her to be the companion for her daughter. But unlike usual, said daughter isn't supposed to know Maude is making her look better. So Maude tries to become friends with the somewhat difficult Isabelle and slowly they get to know each other and actually do become friends. Until Maude has to choose between keeping her secret and keeping her friend.

I liked Maude, I liked that you could feel that she wasn't worldly, being from a small town and just wanting to make her own way into the world instead of the one her father would have picked out for her. At times I was just cringing and wanting to yell at her to not be such a brat to her friends, and to stop being so UGH NAIVE! But it definitely felt like this was all in character for her, I just had this sense of foreboding you sometimes get. You know, the 'this has to go wrong SOMEWHERE' feeling.

And I really liked Isabelle, who I can truly respect for wanting to just be MORE. Learn MORE. Be a scientist. Though I thought she could have been a little less contrary at times, she knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to go for it. She did have a healthy dose of arrogance and entitlement that sometimes rubbed me the wrong way a bit, but I liked that once she's your friend, she's a TRUE friend, that's always a good quality in my book.

It did sometimes feel a bit as if the countess was being evil just for the sake of it and didn't really seem to have her daughter's best interests at heart at one point in the story and that just felt a bit off to me. I get that she wanted to see her daughter get married, because hello, it's what having a debut and a season was all about, but you'd think she'd actually want her to get married to a decent person.

I really enjoyed Belle Epoque, I love that in the end there was a definite feeling of female empowerment and as I said at the beginning: the concept is just fascinating! Elizabeth Ross has written a strong debut and I hope we'll see more of her soon!

My rating: 3,5 stars

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Title/Author: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Publisher/Date published: Sourcebooks Fire, December 1st 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate."

Do you ever read a book that's been so hyped up and everyone's been telling you you'll absolutely love it because it's awesome? And then you don't?
Yeah, that's basically what happened for me with Catching Jordan.

I'd been reading raving reviews about this novel and I love a cute contemporary romance, so I was really excited to read this one. But it didn't really work for me, and I knew it wasn't going to pretty much from the start. I only finished it because I thought it would get better, but for me it didn't.

In the first 12 pages or so Jordan's dad managed to really piss me off by being an obnoxious ass (sorry for the wording, but he really made me see red a bit) and just a really lousy father. And there didn't seem to be a good reason for this. I mean, it's explained eventually, but really, that is a douchebag reason for not supporting your kid. Seriously.

And I'm sorry to say Jordan as a main character didn't work for me either. I thought she and the whole story of her being a girl in a men's sports was just kind of bland and the whole time it had me thinking 'wait, this is the 21st century, not the 50s!'
Also, her guy friends from the football team were so stereotypical! I mean, really, all they talk about is screwing around. With cheerleaders. And I'm not a prude, but at my high school there wasn't that much actual sleeping together going around as there is in this novel and I felt like it was handled a bit too casually.

Also, the love interest Tyler felt wrong. He and Jordan didn't seem to have a connection and he was just too overbearing for my taste. But then there's Henry, Jordan's best friend, EVERYONE and their aunt he's in love with Jordan, except for Jordan herself. I just didn't believe it. I also thought he was a bit of a jerk and making things complicated for no good reason.

And then there was the medical mistake that annoyed me: you do not make an X-ray to see if there's damage done to the ligaments or meniscus of a knee. You can't see those on them, so when they said they didn't see any damage that was probably because they didn't see ANYTHING on that. Ok, rant over.

Anyway, probably by now needless to say I was very much disappointed by Catching Jordan, because I had expected a cute contemporary romance with a kickass heroine and it just wasn't the book for me.

My rating: 1 star

Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Title/Author: Bloodspell (Bloodspell #1) by Amalie Howard
Publisher/Date published: Langdon Street Press, May 27th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: "The spell was simple...
Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)
But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?
Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.
What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...
Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?"

Ok, so this book and I struggled with each other. And I mean, we REALLY struggled. Complete with hissing and raising of fur and all that. I'd been looking forward to reading this one and I regret saying it turned out not to be my kind of book.

The concept is absolutely fascinating, I mean, the magic being infused in your blood and actually turning it black instead of the more natural red color and it having a will of its own, FASCINATING! I'm just disappointed at the actual story.

I know you can be a natural at something, I do, but when generations and generations of witches before you have failed to control this dangerous magic in your blood, you can't tell me you learn to master it in a heartbeat. And almost killing and then saving your immortal boyfriend doesn't count as losing control. And I know Victoria had her familiar help her a bit with the training and all, but there's not a lot going on there or it's not shown in the book at least. And I like it when it's shown.

Also, I had a hard time getting into the Twilight-esque romance. I really don't like comparing anything to Twilight, cause it leaves a bad taste, but a 180 year old vampire falling in love with a 17 year old girl and her blood being almost irresistible to him and all? Yeah, kinda reminded me of it.

And all the teenagers in this book be CRAZY! Seriously. Victoria turns a boy down, he decides to try and kill her. And **SPOILER** he turns out to be a warlock as well****. And there's the whole thing with the girl who's in love with said boy and also goes psycho. Sometimes I didn't know if I was reading about a high school or a mental institution.

I did really like the whole history of Victoria's powers and it would have been really interesting to find out more about what exactly happened to her great-great-great-great grandmother.

But in the end the characters annoyed me too much and I was going WTF??? a bit too often, this book just wasn't for me.
My rating: 1 star

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Title/Author: A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1) by Jocelyn Davies
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, September 27th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites; like fire and ice, Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine."

I have been pining for this book for a LONG time, seriously, I added it in June 2010 to my TBR list! And the cover is just gorgeous! So I was really excited to finally get to it! And this book didn't disappoint.

I have read several angel books in the last year and some of them I LOVED and then there were those who just weren't for me. I thought this book had a really intersting take on angel lore and I loved how non-preachy it was, which is one of my main problems with this subgenre.

I really liked Skye, she was just a regular girl (or at least she thought she was), with real friends and a caring parental figure, her mom's best friend who took her in after her parents died. Though she is frequently absent, and that is one of my bookish pet peeves, in this case there turned out to be a very good explanation for this, so props to the author for that!

So, at first everything was a bit confusing with Devin and Asher and their secretiveness, but that you didn't know if these boys meant well or not and what their real agenda was made it all the more a pageturner! I flew through this book, it was so good!

And the boys, let's talk about the boys. While I'm one of those who don't really like love triangles, in this one it worked, but I'm not gonna tell you why, because that would spoil things. BUT, let me just say that while each boy had his charms, I am partial to Devin. I think it's the calm and the troubledness he exudes. And yes, for those of you who read it: even after the ending. I know, I have a serious Devin crush.

But OMG, the ending! Can you say cliffhanger? Seriously! I need the next book right now! I'm also dying to know how this whole thing will play out besides the ending, because I think there's a lot we still don't know about Skye and what it is she can do and well, ALL OF IT!

My rating: 4,5 stars

Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Title/Author: Remembrance (Transcend Time Saga #1) by Michelle Madow
Publisher/Date published: Dreamscape Publishing, July 27th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the author for review

Goodreads summary: "New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England... but she doesn't know it yet.
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy."

Okay, so I struggled a bit with this book. I really liked the whole idea of reincarnation and their love transcending time, but there were some things that bothered me.

I know that Lizzie was supposed to be meant for Drew and not Jeremy, but for all that she's been with him for a couple of years, they don't seem to really suit each other and the way they interacted I couldn't even picture them as friends.

Then there was the thing with Lizzie and Drew, and I'm sorry to say I didn't really get why Lizzie was so attracted to him. I mean, I know that with the reincarnation their feelings are somehow kept intact, but he was NOT nice to her! Really! And his reasoning of dating her best friend? Not cool. Seriously. I thought they both made some bad decisions and I blame Drew for this more than Lizzie, since he seemed to know a whole lot more about their past lives! I thought Lizzie was really naive when she thought Chelsea wouldn't have a problem with her and Drew. I mean, really?

I did really like the similarity of their situation now and how it all happened in their past lives and I thought the whole thing of their love transcending time was fascinating, I just wished the book had been a bit longer, so the storyline and characters could have been a bit more developed.

By all the things mentioned above, I don't want to give you the wrong impression: I DID like this book, it was a very enjoyable read, just not without flaws. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and finding out how this story continues. Which should be fun, since it's from Chelsea's POV and is called Vengeance... Someone's angry!! Should be good :)
Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention: this story was inspired by the song Love Story by Taylor Swift! I really like that song and this is a sweet story that goes with it really well.

My rating: 3 stars

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Title/Author: Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, August 2nd 2011
How I got this book: got it from my brother as a birthday present, yay!

Goodreads summary: "Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long."

I'd been hearing so many good things about this book before I started reading it, my hopes were pretty high. And sadly, they were probably so high the book didn't live up to it. By that I don't mean it was bad, just not as amazing as I had expected.

BUT: this was a really cute read. I mean, I love P&P, it's my all-time favourite novel and I really enjoyed this modern adaptation of it. I could just picture it happening like that in high school, all the misunderstandings!

Elise is a great character and I loved how witty she was! She really cares about her sisters and family, which was great. I really enjoyed the interaction between her and Derek, they were very good together!

There were some things I didn't really like: all the weird rules Elise's parents had! I mean, no mobile phones at home? Huh? I didn't really get that. I get you're not allowed to text at dinner or other set family time, but not at all? Weird! Also: where was Mary? There were only 4 sisters in this book instead of 5...

All in all, this was a cute, quick read and even if you don't know P&P, it will be an enjoyable read!

My rating: 3,5 stars

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Title/Author: The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, September 20th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.
But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king — a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.
Most of the chosen do."

I've been PINING for this book for a year before reading this. And guess what: TOTALLY AMAZING! Seriously, I LOVED this book. I would have read it in one sitting if something trivial like sleep and my internship hadn't gotten in the way.

So now that I've gotten my gushing out the way, let me tell you all the ways this book blew my mind.

First, OMG the whole godstone lore! It was so amazing! I'm not a religious person, but I was intrigued by this whole thing. Especially when this system of a chosen one getting a godstone is being turned on its head! I'm so excited to see where the author will take this in the next book!

And Elisa, seriously, if you like strong female characters in your fantasy, this is the girl for you! She has a real backbone, isn't afraid to laugh at herself and is just a NICE person. It was refreshing that she starts out being very much overweight and actually has a personality instead of just being pretty. She shows such character growth throughout the book, it was wonderful.

And then there was THE BOY. Oh Humberto, how you made my romantic little heart flutter with your amazing boyness you!
**MAJOR SPOILER, LIGHT UP TO READ:**
So, seriously, who else was gaping openmouthed when he died??? OMG! I cannot believe that happened! I wanted to go back and unread that so Humberto would still be alive! I am so incredibly sad it happened and I'm not sure it was necessary. Humberto...
**END OF SPOILER**

And the storyline, it was amazing. And I had kind of guessed something that would be important at the end of the book, but I had NO IDEA it would turn out like this. This whole world blew my mind and I'm dying to find out what will happen to Elisa in the next book. Which needs to be here now instead of October 2012! How will I survive in the meantime?? Seriously?

Oh, and can I just say that while I'm not loving this cover so much, after reading the book it makes perfect sense. I'll give you a hint: that blue thing is the godstone. I realised this about halfway through. Yes, I am a genius...

If you couldn't tell already, I loved this book so much I'm not really coherent about it. Which means you should all go read it. If you like fantasy and good books in general, you will enjoy this.
My rating: 5+ stars

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Title/Author: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Publisher/Date published: Candlewick, August 9th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss.
Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.
Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existance, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes - or be left without any future at all."

OMG, it was SO GOOD! Seriously!

I had some doubts about this book before I read it, but let me just tell you that I shouldn't have had them, because this book was so amazing, I LOVED it!

It started a bit slow, and if this happens for you, don't put it down, because you'll miss some really good stuff! Rose was a character that I didn't connect to right away, but over time she grew on me and I came to love her. She can be frustrating, because of the way she acts, she's really passive. But as you get to know her story, you can see why she is the way she is.

And don't even get me started on Otto! Seriously, I love the little blue alien. And I loved Bren and Xavier and Zavier the dog... Enough characters for me to love and be happy and sad for.
The book made me cry. I won't tell you what it is, but it involves Rose and Xavier before she was put in stass towards the end of the book. HEARTBREAKING, EPIC MOMENT!

I couldn't put the book down and just read 3 hours straight till the end. I put of things like food, water and bathroom breaks so I could keep reading. It was THAT good. I was horrified at how it all turned out to be, though I did kind of guess a huge thing I won't tell you cause OMG spoilers, but let me just say: BAD PARENTS! Really BAD parents! If ever I hated parents in a novel, this would be the pair. Seriously.

But I've ranted enough, the main point: READ THE BOOK! I absolutely loved it!
Just one question: sequel?? It doesn't say anywhere if there'll be one..

My rating: 5+ stars

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

Title/Author: Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
Publisher/Date published: Atheneum, August 30th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: "High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.
It’s all a fake.
At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes — one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?
But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned —
Are about him."

YAY for Witchlanders! I LOVED Witchlanders! WOOHOO!

So, I got that out of my system, now on to the slightly more coherent part of this review ;)

I could tell you that it's been a LOOOONG time since I last had male main characters capture my heart like Ryder and Falpian did. I could tell you there's an AWESOME dog in it called Bodread the Slayer, who is more like a lapdog with very sharp teeth. I could tell you the intrigue and magic system are beyond brilliant.

But I could also tell you to just go and read the book.

Because, seriously, it was THAT amazing. I absolutely loved it, I cared deeply for all the characters and they've created a little place for themselves in my heart. Especially Bodread, I think he'd guard it quite nicely as well.
I want to be friends with these characters, hug them when they're sad, sing with them.

The only problem I have with this book is that the author told me she's not sure there'll be a sequel. I NEED a sequel! I'm not done having adventures with Falpian and Ryder and would love to see the Bitterlands for myself. This SHOULD be a series.

This book here is why I love fantasy. Go read it.

My rating: 5 stars

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Title/Author: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Publisher/Date published: Hyperion, August 2nd 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger — a boy who seems to fade like smoke — appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know — about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy."

OMG! OMG! OMG! Seriously, I LOVED this book! And I'm so glad I did, because I've been pining for it for a year! Seriously, it was amazing.

And let me tell you why: this book read like a fairytale. Everything flowed and was beautifully worded and gosh, I just fell in love with the writing. I wanted to slow down reading because I was so loving the words. This almost never happens to me, usually when I'm this excited about a book I'm reading so fast because I want to know what happens next. And I did want to know what happened next with this one, but I also wanted to just savor the words.

And then there's the part of me who will always be a little girl loving fairytales, lying awake at night hoping the scary part won't come to life and wishing for the fairytale prince to save her if it does. And I got to indulge in that part of myself and it was wonderful.

I loved Lexi, she's a wonderful caring girl who feels a huge amount of responsibility and appears to be one of the only sensible persons in the town of Near. Gosh, the reactions to a stranger in Near were just medieval (I get that was sort of the point, but still). I loved her little sister as well, she was so CUTE!
And Cole, how could you not love Cole, all tortured amazing boy-ness of him! I just wanted to give him a hug.

I even liked The Near Witch, who was sort of the villain, but with a very good reason. Very nasty good reason. Very evil thing that happened to her. I loved how I could understand her being angry and wanting revenge.
The only persons I didn't like: the men. Seriously, all of them were just cavemen and hello, sexual harassment on one of the boys' part! Seriously! Not cool.

Anyway, the point is: I LOVED this book, it was amazing. You should read it. You should follow Victoria Schwab on her blog, cause she's totally nice and funny and there's a video there of her dressing up as a cupcake :) But most of all: YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!!

My rating: 5+ stars

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Title/Author: Fury (The Fury Series #1) by Elizabeth Miles
Publisher/Date published: Simon Pulse, August 30th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: "Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better - the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel... something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls — three beautiful, mysterious girls — are here to choose who will pay.
Em and Chase have been chosen."

OMG, SO CREEPY! Seriously, that's the gut-reaction I have after finishing this book. It was so, so creepy!

I almost did a did-not-finish on this one, but I'm really glad I made myself read on! The beginning was extremely slow and a bit bland for me and I told myself I'd force myself to read on to a number of pages and just before those ran out it got really good. Really, really good! The second half of the book was so much better for me than the first!

The first half was filled with not-so-smart-or-loyal girl (Em) thinking it was ok to hook up with her best friend's boyfriend. I mean, seriously? In what world does that ever end well? So that was a bit annoying. And there was Chase, who in the summary it says has done a bad thing and proceeds to be a pretty boring character until he makes 'friends' with Em.

Then the second half of the book was filled with very creepy revenge by the Furies! They've taken the form of 3 beautiful girls and they team up to exact revenge on Chase and Em for what they've done. And they leave a note for Em: 'Sometimes sorry isn't enough'. SO CREEPY! I couldn't stop reading the last 100 pages, it was so good and I needed to know how it ended! And then there's foreshadowing to the next book (I hope) on the final page, I cannot wait to find out what happens! Gosh, the Furies are very cruel. Really. I didn't really like Chase, but I was still sad about what happened to him. And I hope things work out for Em as well.

I do have to say that the only character I actually really liked was JD, he's awesome. I wish JD was my boy-next-door.

My rating: 3 stars (a solid 1 for the first half and 5 for the second half, makes it 3 total)

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Title/Author: Wildefire by Karsten Knight
Publisher/Date published: Simon & Schuster, July 26th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: "Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school — being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger — Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood... and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time... And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm."

This was far darker than I would have expected. I mean, really, there's absolutely no warm and fuzzy in there. And I know the gods and goddesses of old weren't exactly known for their cuddly features, but still, these are reincarnated in teenagers, I expected something else.

Right at the beginning I felt like I'd somehow skipped the first 50 pages or something. We're thrown right into the action and because I didn't care about the characters yet, I didn't really care what happened either. And for me this didn't really get better throughout the book.

Ashline is really strong and really weak at the same time. I wanted to kick her and tell her to man up a lot of times while reading this book. She seemed a bit shallow to me, her choice in guys seemed to be determined by how good they looked and not what their personality was like. I couldn't connect with her for some reason.

The antagonist, Eve (Ashline's sister), is just plain EVIL! I mean, wow! And seemingly with no reason, I always appreciate it when the bad guy has a motive and I felt this was lacking here.

Some of the scenes towards the ending were very shocking and I hadn't expected what happened to Rolfe. I liked Rolfe. And well, yeah, I kind of did expect the whole cliffhanger thing, because there'd been hints throughout the book to it. Especially when something that should have been there was obviously missing (I'm not making sense if you haven't read the book, I know, but I don't want to be spoilery).

I did like the whole concept of gods being reincarnated as teenagers and the creepy beings that sort of try to keep them in check, or maybe try to destroy them, who knows. It's all really mysterious at this point. I'm not sure if I will continue on with the next book, but maybe I'll give it a try since I have so many unanswered questions!

My rating: 2 stars

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Title/Author: Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1) by Sarah Porter
Publisher/Date published: Harcourt Books, July 4th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "What happens to the girls nobody sees — the ones who are ignored, mistreated, hidden away? The girls nobody hears when they cry for help?
Fourteen-year-old Luce is one of those lost girls. After her father vanishes in a storm at sea, she is stuck in a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village with her alcoholic uncle. When her uncle crosses an unspeakable line, Luce reaches the depths of despair. Abandoned on the cliffs near her home, she expects to die when she tumbles to the icy, churning waves below. Instead, she undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid.
A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in — all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. The mermaids are beautiful, free, and ageless, and Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: they feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks.
Luce’s own talent at singing captures the attention of the tribe’s queen, the fierce and elegant Catarina, and Luce soon finds herself pressured to join in committing mass murder. Luce’s struggle to retain her inner humanity puts her at odds with her friends; even worse, Catarina seems to regard Luce as a potential rival. But the appearance of a devious new mermaid brings a real threat to Catarina’s leadership and endangers the very existence of the tribe. Can Luce find the courage to challenge the newcomer, even at the risk of becoming rejected and alone once again?"

I think it was lucky for me that I read a review about this book before I started it. I somehow skimmed over the part in the summary where it mentions that it's really dark. Really, REALLY dark. And that's something that's good to know going in, because I'd expected something different altogether otherwise.

I liked Luce, though I did think her extreme loyalty to Catarina right from the start was odd. I mean, I can understand loyalty after you've been friends for a while, but right from the moment you meet? That was a bit unbelievable for me. I liked that Luce still had a conscience, something most of the other girls seemed to have lost at the same time they traded their legs for fins. I get that awful, unspeakable things have happened to these girls, but that doesn't make it less wrong to sink ships and kill people. Just for the fun of it.

It was a bit off-putting. I had a hard time connecting to other characters because they delighted so much in killing people. Innocent people who just happened to sail their boats at the wrong place and time. Catarina annoyed me a bit, she and Luce were supposedly really close, but she doesn't want to tell Luce about her past and then turns around and discusses it with a newcomer. I thought she was two-faced and just not the kind of person I'd put my trust in.

I had expected a bit more from the underwater-world, but it seemed a bit bland and grey. I did however like the whole idea of girls becoming mermaids for the reasons in this book and the mermaid-lore described in the book, including the singing and especially all their songs being different. I'm curious to see what will happen in the next book and if a certain boy will make another appearance, cause that could really add some extra intrigue!

I enjoyed the book, but going in you need to know that it's really dark. The ending left me feeling a bit confused, it somehow didn't feel like the end of a book. But I did like Luce and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next!
My rating: 3 stars

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Title/Author: Legacy (Legacy #1) by Cayla Kluver
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin Teen, June 28th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.
When the palace guard captures and intruder — a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy — Alera is alarmed... and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.
In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom."

I'm not sure how to write this review, there were parts of this book I really, really liked and others that I didn't like so much.

The writing was engaging and I felt like I could really connect with Alera. Which is so, so important to me! If I can't connect, you can't make me read a book that's almost 500 pages long. That's right, it was almost 500 pages! There aren't that many YA books out there that have a page count like that.

And that's also one of the things I didn't like so much. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for longer books, cause I invest into getting into a story and I like staying with those characters for a while. But there wasn't all that much happening in this book. I mean, a significant amount of pages would pass between the actual action. And I don't even mean major action, just small stuff.

I really liked Alera, Narian and London, Alera's bodyguard until she does something REALLY stupid. The rest of the secondary characters were a bit lacking in development in my opinion. Especially Steldor (who I kept thinking of as Sheldor, but I watch too much Big Bang Theory), who Alera's father wants her to marry. He's weird and inconsistent and seems somewhat evil, but everyone is convinced he's in love with Alera. It was weird and I didn't like him.

I would have liked a bit more information about the whole prophecy/curse, because let's be honest, there was enough room for it in the book and I'm really interested to find out what exactly is going on.

If you read it, towards the ending I was constantly thinking: SOMETHING is going to happen. I don't care what, but it'll stop BIG EVENT (trying to remain spoiler-free here). And then the book ended and I was thinking: NOOOOO!
Okay, I can't help myself: ***SPOILER, light up to read***
Seriously, I even thought maybe Steldor would be killed during the wedding as they were invaded through the secret tunnel, because why else was it mentioned before??? I was so sure Narian would show up BEFORE they got married. What's up with him leaving anyway? Do you guys think he saw Alera and Steldor kiss on Steldor's birthday and decided to split?
***End of spoiler***

So, I had some slight issues with this book, but overall I really enjoyed it. It's been awhile since I read a YA fantasy and I really love fantasy as a genre. On Goodreads it says the sequel will be out sometime in 2011 and I hope that's true, cause seriously, I NEED to read the second book and find out what happens next!

My rating: 4 stars

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Title/Author: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin Teen, June 28th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to — Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives — visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else."

I really, really enjoyed this book! I mean, it had it all: a likeable main character, her charming love-interest, intriguing legend, DRAMA and nice supporting characters.

Seriously, I REALLY enjoyed this book.

Ok, now I've gotten that off my chest, let's move onto the actual review. Emma Connor has been having a hard time, in the past two years her twin brother and her mother have passed away and she was left to stay with her alcoholic, violent stepfather. Until after he caused an accident DUI, she went to live with her aunt Christine, who is a prominent upper-east-sider. And finally a normal, caring person for Emma to come home to.

Emma hasn't let the past make her bitter and I liked that about her. Sure, her bullshit radar is sharp and she sniffs out guys that are bad news, but she wants to make new friends and have a somewhat normal life. Except normal isn't what life has planned for her. I really liked Emma. And Cisco, Angelique, Ashley and aunt Christine. And BRENDAN! BRENDAN! BRENDAN! So good you have to say it three times! Brendan is lovely, I'd stare into those green eyes forever given the chance.

The curse was so intriguing! I mean, imagine being cursed to die when you meet the ONE! And being predestined from birth to be with that one person and being so attracted to eachother that avoiding said person is physically impossible. I kind of guessed how the curse could be broken, it's really sweet and slightly cheesy, but it worked.

The whole story just worked and I was so rooting for Emma and Brendan to pull through it all! Oh and the bad guy was evil! EVIL! I wished really bad things onto him! There was an excerpt from another story surrounding Angelique at the end and I would LOVE to read that! I can't find it on Goodreads yet, but I'm keeping an eye out, because Angelique is awesome!

Oh, and this is one of the first paranormal romances I've read that's not part of a series! So if you're into a good story, but don't want to wait for the next book in a series, read this book!

My rating: 4,5 stars

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Title/Author: Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, June 7th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life — or her actual death — she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world... forever."

This book left me with a lot of questions. Amelia, and therefore the reader as well, knows very little about the whole ghost-lore and the how and why of everything. I liked the twist on ghosts that they couldn't touch anything, but also couldn't float through walls/people/anything standing in the way. Which means you can't just creepily haunt people in their sleep by floating in through their closed window. Which is kind of reassuring.

The writing flows very nicely and I was invested in Amelia and Joshua's story, but I did have some issues with this book. For example, it takes place in about a week, 5 of which Joshua and Amelia spend together. And she says she loves him. You CAN'T love someone after a week of knowing them!! Not if it's not your newborn baby, who you can love in 2 seconds (you've also had about 9 months to get used to the idea, but still). I mean, really, it's not love. It's a crush.

And towards the ending with the big showdown, I was kind of annoyed by how easy it all was for Amelia. She doesn't know how to use her ghostly powers and all of a sudden she scares away bad guys and escapes them like she's been doing it for years? It was a bit too convenient in my opinion.

I thought Amelia and Joshua were likeable main characters, but who really interests me is Ruth, Joshua's grandmother. She's got a lot of non-friendly feelings towards ghosts and I'm really dying (couldn't resist) to find out why! I mean, there has got to be a reason right? Something that happened in the past? And finding out what happens with Jillian will be interesting as well.

While I'm not so into the insta-love thing that was happening here, I did really enjoy the chemistry between Joshua and Amelia and I think that Hudson has created a world that I could explore for at least two more books (which is conventient, since it's the first in a trilogy) and I'm looking forward to getting some answers to the questions that popped up while reading this one!

My rating: 3,5 stars

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Title/Author: Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1) by Josephine Angelini
Publisher/Date published: May 31st 2011 by HarperTeen
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is — no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood... and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together — and trying to tear them apart."

I'm so loving this new trend of Greek Mythology in YA! Gosh, this totally feeds my addiction and it's not pretty. Seriously, it's not.

Anyway, YAY for another amazing read! Also a shout-out to the publisher, HarperTeen, cause I think I've loved just about every book I've requested from them through NetGalley! It's crazy how many awesome books they've pusblished over the last 6 months alone.

I loved Helen! She's such a real girl and I loved how she had her own insecurities and that she was so loyal to her best friend Claire and that she had a great relationship with her father. She did have an absent mother, but there's actually a pretty good reason for that, so I was good with it.
Lucas was amazing as well, and he can fly! I mean, really, one of my first fictional crushes ever was Peter Pan, so a guy who's able to fly is always good in my book.

I loved that Helen was a regular hormonal teenager and her doubts about Lucas teared me up. Their connection felt so real and believable and gosh, how much do I HATE her mother!!! You will get what I mean if you've read the book. That woman is just pure EVIL. EVIL, I tell you!

**SPOILER, light up to read**
I mean, seriously, telling your daughter the boy she loves is her cousin when he's actually not! That's pretty evil to me. Horrible woman. And for getting Pandora killed. Gah, evil. Sorry, had to get that out.
**End of spoiler**

I loved the whole idea about demi-gods replaying the roles of and looking like past mythical characters. I mean, you have a lot of special powers, but you seem doomed to make certain decisions/mistakes to play your part.

I think you can already guess from what I've said above, but I absolutely loved this book and if it wasn't for the whole needing to work/study thing, I would have finished this book in one go. I'm dying to find out what will happen next! I'm loving the title, Dreamless, of the second book already! It just seems so appropriate.

My rating: 5 stars

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Title/Author: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1) by Kady Cross
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin Teen, May 24th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the thing inside her.
When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.
Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her."

I should really be studying for my big exam tomorrow, but let's face it, I'd rather be blogging/reading. Or be doing anything else except studying. Really. Even cleaning. And I HATE cleaning.

Anyway, let's talk about this book. The only other encounter I've had with Steampunk didn't work so well for me. I was confused by the whole thing and kept thinking: wait, what?? I'd heard good things about this one, but I still didn't have a lot of high hopes for it.

And boy, was I wrong! I really enjoyed this book, after getting used to the whole setting of Steampunk. It's completely different from what I'm used to, but I loved how it was handled here. I actually understood what was happening and it sounded logical and well yeah, it worked for me.

Finley Jayne is a likeable main character and I loved the two sides of her that competed for domination. I enjoyed seeing how she tried to integrate them and learned to control her darker side when it surfaced. I think both sides of her were well-rounded characters.
And OMG, Griffin! He sounds absolutely swoonworthy! Though I did think he sounded slightly older than he actually was, which bothered me sometimes, but maybe it's also the reason I adored him so much.

Love triangles aren't really my thing, though in this case it seemed more like Finley's different sides were having trouble agreeing on who to like. I did appreciate that the triangle was there while Finley hadn't made a definite choice yet, so it didn't feel like she was cheating on either guy. Jack Dandy didn't really do much for me, but I can understand his appeal.

So, all in all, this was a pleasant surprise, though I think I'll just stick to this series and not dive into Steampunk any further, I don't think it's my genre.
My rating: 3,5 stars

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Title/Author: Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Publisher/Date published: May 23rd 2011, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life — until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.
Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her — a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.
In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space."

You know what's one thing I love about blogging? I never would have discovered all these wonderful new authors if it wasn't for this amazing community. It's all you guys who tell me to get excited about books that aren't released yet and the excitement around a new release has me squeeling so much sometimes my boyfriend looks at me funny.
So thanks to all of you.

Now onto the actual review.

I LOVED this book! I loved it so much I was creeped out by how very real the situation in the book can become if we're not cautious of technology. I mean, sitting here, typing this review behind my computer screen, after just having finished commenting on other people's blogs and Goodreads, I can imagine the world revolving around a computer and less about actually getting out of the house once in a while.

It's scary that sometimes I need to remind myself to be social, especially when I'm caught up in a wonderful book. I can be pretty out of it sometimes. The author did such an amazing job describing this world and it really sounds like something that might happen in the future. Let's hope not, though.

Or, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing, if we had guys like Justin to save us from it, I'm all for it! I have yet another book-crush. Justin is sweet and though he tries to distance himself, he really cares deeply and I love him for it. He did frustrate me at times, but since those were the same moments he frustrated Maddie, I'm okay with it.

Maddie is wonderful, I loved how she was torn between rebelling and the love she has for her family. It's not as if it would be logical to just go ahead and betray your parents, especially if it's for a group of people you've just met a couple of weeks ago. I love how strong she was and how she handled everything.

And am I ever glad I checked the author's website! It say there'll be a sequel *SQUEAL!!* and I'm so happy, cause I haven't gotten enough of Maddie and Justin just yet and I'm wondering what'll happen next for them.

My rating: 5 stars