Mini-Reviews (9): After the End, Nimona, Scarlet

So sometimes I fail at writing reviews for the books I've read, and 2015 has me failing spectacularly. And because it's been AGES since I read these, I'm just gonna do mini-reviews of them, so as to clear my need-review shelf (cause it's humungous, it's not even funny anymore).

Title/Author: After the End (After the End #1) by Amy Plum
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, May 6th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley, thanks!

I really enjoyed this book, I have to say that as it's been about a year and a half since I read it, that I had to dig deep to rediscover why exactly, so stick with me.
I totally have a soft spot for Juneau's dogs, they are beautiful and smart and awesome. And so pretty much the whole book I was terrified that something would happen to them as is my default setting when encountering animals in books.

I was intrigued by this world that Juneau lived in and even more so when it turns out it has all been a lie. The why and how of Juneau's powers isn't fully explained and I really hope to find more answers to this in the sequel. I also liked the love interest, though I didn't swoon over him.
The pacing is a bit slow, but it didn't really bother me as I like Amy Plum's writing and I didn't get bored with the story.

My rating: 3,5 stars

Title/Author: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Publisher/Date published: Harper Collins, May 12th 2015
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley, thanks!

I haven't actually read a lot of graphic novels, but Nimona looked like so much fun that I knew I had to read this one! And it is a lot of fun, with Nimona being a shapeshifter and randomly changing into a shark because she feels like it (and also because "I'm not a kid, I'm a shark!", which is obviously much better).
I loved how the 'villain' and the 'hero' are over the top and a bit of a parody on the standard for them and it was just so entertaining! There's lots of mischief and things going wrong and just a lot of heart and I really liked it!

My rating: 4 stars

Title/Author: Scarlet (Scarlet #1) by A.C. Gaughen
Publisher/Date published: Walker Children's, February 14th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley and bought a shiny finished copy

THE SHAME! I cannot believe it took me so long to read this book, especially cause I'd been coveting it for a long time before it came out. But then my book club (which is awesome by the way), made me get my behind in line and settle down to read it. AND IT WAS AWESOME! While excited about it, I was also a bit wary, because Robin Hood was (together with Peter Pan) my first love (I'm not even kidding, I had a serious fictional crush on the fox version of him) and this tale is very dear to my heart.

But A.C. Gaughen managed to give me exactly what I didn't know I could wish for in a fairytale retelling and it was SO GOOD! I loved the relationship between Scarlet and the rest of the gang and especially Robin and OMG THE TENSION! I TOTALLY SHIP IT!
Also, writing this, I cannot believe I haven't read the sequels yet. I should get on with that.

My rating: 5 stars

Review of Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos

Title/Author: Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos
Publisher/Date published: HMH Books for Young Readers, May 5th 2015
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla approves. Both girls are pawns in a calculated but seductive system of corporate control, and both begin to question their world’s aggressive levels of consumption. Will their new “eco-chic” trend subversively resist and overturn the industry that controls every part of their lives?

So I'm a big fan of tv shows such as America's Next Top Model and Project Runway and all of those things. I'm fascinated by the fashion industry, even though I'm not really a fashionista myself, but I do like pretty clothes. So obviously this dystopian that deals with said fashion industry sounded endlessly entertaining to me!

And I really liked Material Girls, it was a pretty fun read, and it made me REALLY want to buy pretty dresses (which is not really the point of this novel). I liked both Marla and Ivy, though I was kinda wishing Ivy would grow a bit more of a spine, but well, she's a flawed character and I could relate to her struggle. Ivy really wants to be a better person, but at the same time, she doesn't want to lose her spotlight and wants to take care of her family and it's hard for her to see a way to combine all of these things.
And Marla goes from a blind rule follower to a bit of a rebel, but the one problem I had with her character is that it never really felt like she was making the decision to go in this new direction. It all just sort of happened to her.

The world that Elaine Dimopoulos has created was really interesting and it made me think about our society and how we're very much a consumerist society and while I happily join in on this, I can see the downside and the wastefulness of it. The whole way of controlling society by giving 8th-graders a career path they can't really change was awful, and to make children that age already work because otherwise they will be too OLD to be in style? Wow. Just. Wow. I did kinda love seeing how Elaine Dimopoulos also showed us the consequences of this sort of program for the kids who don't get picked for a creative career path and the confusion that someone who's not in this line of work can still enjoy the job they do. The whole perception of things is off and it was a bit mindblowing to read about Ivy asking a doctor is she was happy in her line of work, which to her was inconceivable.

To go along with this storyline, there was a pretty cute lovestory, I liked the tentative romance blooming between the two.
Because the book is not all that long, and we see the story unfold from both Marla and Ivy's POV, it lacked a bit of depth to their characters. I did feel like I knew both of them, but I would have liked to have a little more insight into their motives and what makes them the way they are. They have a backstory, and it's ok, but I would have just liked a bit more.
I did like that there's not big happily ever after where the whole dystopian society has been disbanded and all the problems have been solved because of a couple of teenagers rebelling. Because that's just not very realistic and such things take time, so I appreciate where Elaine Dimopoulos left us at the end of Material Girls.

My rating: 3,5 stars

Mini-Reviews (2) The Book of Ivy, The Halcyon Bird, Even In Paradise

So ever since June of 2014 I've been failing at writing reviews for the books I read. I know. And because it's been AGES since I read these, I'm just gonna do mini-reviews of them, so as to clear my need-review shelf.

Title/Author: The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1) by Amy Engel
Publisher/Date published: Entangled: Teen, November 11th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley
Plot in one sentence: Girl being manipulated by her father to kill the boy she's forced to marry who is the son of the winning family governing the nation, but wait, maybe he's not that bad.

Ok, so this one was just a bit bland to me, a lot of it felt like a whole lot of other dystopians and it didn't stand out to me enough to be special. I mean, I liked the developing relationship between Ivy and Bishop, but Bishop was a little bit too perfect for me and while thing started to get interesting towards the end, I wasn't really invested in this story. Also, I REALLY hated Ivy's father and sister, keeping things from her and just generally being manipulative bastards. And OMG Ivy, please grow a spine in the rest of the series, because holy wow, you could see it wasn't the right thing to do and still you went along with it? UGH.

My rating: 2 stars

Title/Author: The Halcyon Bird (The Demon Catchers of Milan #2) by Kat Beyer
Publisher/Date published: EgmontUSA, November 11th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Plot in one sentence: Sequel to the Demon Catchers of Milan in which Mia and her family battle more demons, namely the one that possessed her.

**WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES**

I liked diving back into this world that has a lot of Italian culture and family and demon catching badasses in it, and I really did love Mia's family because they're awesome. I had just expected a little more of this sequel, cause I remember really enjoying the first book. I was a bit frustrated with Mia's crush on her cousin and was relieved when a new love interest appeared on the horizon, even though she was majorly clueless about this, which was a bit annoying at times. But they were cute together.
Mia's demon majorly creeped me out, but with all the family's badassery, I was wondering why they still hadn't found a way to beat this demon for good. Or at least for the next fifty years or so. I mean, he's been killing other people in the family and just been a general nuisance, so why not destroy/banish/whatever him for good?
Anyway, I did really like this, but it didn't have that spark that the first book had.

My rating: 3,5 stars

Title/Author: Even In Paradise by Chelsey Philpot
Publisher/Date published: HarperCollins, October 14th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Plot in one sentence: Rich family has secrets and MC Charlie gets into a relationship with both siblings from said family.

I really, REALLY liked Even In Paradise. It made me pause and think about friendship and life and lot's of other things. But mostly friendship and how it is so true that sometimes when you are friends with someone, it's sort of like falling in love and then you also fall in love with their family and that is exactly what happens to Charlie, and I could SO relate.
I mean, the Buchanans are beautiful people, they're sparkly and shiny and have all the things that Charlie doesn't have and I can understand her being drawn to them. To Julia and to Sebastian, who might be a bit of a douche at times, but who really grew on me. And how can you not love their younger sister Oops? She was awesome.

From the start you know this isn't going to end well and there's this sense of foreboding overshadowing the whole novel. And I LOVED that! I was wondering how everything was going to go down and the twists and turns were amazing! Chelsey Philpot really knows how to write beautiful words that suck you in. This is a story that will stay with me for a while.

My rating: 4,5 stars

Review of The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Title/Author: The Jewel (The Lone City #1) by Amy Ewing
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, September 2nd 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

***WARNING: There is some ranting ahead of you, be warned***

OMG, I just cannot with this book. At first we were doing ok, I wasn't loving it, but it was interesting and it was a pretty quick read, but, and I cannot believe I'm saying this, but then we got to the romance and everything went WTF from there on.

So the whole issue with royalty being unable to have children and using surrogates with an auction system is fascinating and I'm dying to know why exactly it is that royal women can't have children, is it inbreeding or some kind of mutation and why does it affect all royal women? I cannot help myself, I am fascinated by this kind of stuff.

And Violet is ok, but she didn't seem really special to me, aside from her unusually amazing abilities with the Auguries. And that she had violet eyes, but well, that's not all that special in fictional worlds. She didn't really have any trait aside from her being awesome at playing the cello to define her to me. But I felt like I could have gotten to like her more if it hadn't been for the bullshit romance.

I mean, COME ON, isn't it time we stopped seeing this kind of insta-love? Seriously, they met for 3 minutes and already they're like 'It's like I didn't know myself until this moment' and they go from basically mostly communicating through stares to kissing and to love and I'm like WTF?? And then there's mention of them spending an hour a day together for a month but we don't get to SEE this moments. How am I supposed to believe in this love that has them risking EVERYTHING when I don't actually SEE them spend time together and get WHY the hell they would risk so much for a person they basically just met? I mean, WTF?? I like it when I'm shown things, not just told that's how it is without any evidence to back this up.

And also, on a similar subject: why does Ash not have any personality whatsoever? He's in the book from about the halfway point and I have no idea how to describe him other than he's a companion and he does insta-love.

UGH.

So I'm intrigued by this world, but then the romance took over and there's just a lot of frustration and OBVIOUSLY there's a resistance (because what good dystopian novel doesn't have a resistance?) and it has the lamest reason ever for wanting to 'rescue' Violet. I really don't want to spoil anything, but SERIOUSLY? It all felt very random to me.

Ok, so rant over. If you hadn't noticed this from the general tone of the review, I'll sum up to say that this book did not work for me from the moment the romance entered, before we were doing ok, but UGH, just no.

My rating: 1,5 star

Review of Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Title/Author: Uninvited (Uninvited #1) by Sophie Jordan
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, January 28th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS) - aka the kill gene - she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

So you guys may or may not know that I love Sophie Jordan. Or at least, I love her historical romances, as I haven't in fact read her Firelight series, I should get on that... BUT I know she writes amazing ALL the feels historical romance, and Uninvited totally triggered all my GIVE IT TO ME impulses, so we were off to a good start.

And Uninvited totally gave me what I wanted! The whole genetic testing thing was tickling all my science geek parts, I'm fascinated by this and the possiblities for the future, I guess it's a side effect of being a doctor, but I could just talk about this all day. Seriously. I'm actually kinda creeped out by what we can already find out about someone by their DNA, and don't even get me started about the genetic testing done on babies while they're still in the mother's uterus. I mean, there have been some amazing discoveries and some that I think we might have been better off without.

Erm... I'll get off my soap box now.

SO. What I meant to say was that I could completely see how society would be distorted by finding a kill gene. I can SEE people reacting to it the way they did in Uninvited, the whole mass panicking and putting these people in camps and just generally not being welcome anymore. I mean, doesn't it reflect how some people deal with people infected with HIV? I thought Sophie Jordan did an amazing job portraying the atmosphere and just the sheer madness of it all.

And I have to say that I really liked Davy. I could really connect with her and shared her disbelief at finding out she was a carrier and watching her life fall apart was heartbreaking. I mean, man, that is a lot to loose. Seriously. And how bad did I want to punch some of the people in her life! Ugh, her boyfriend and her dad! Just UGH! And her so-called best friend. I HATE that girl. Triple UGH! The hypocritic way in which people were constantly pushing people with the kill gene and then they'd go all righteous if they lashed out. I mean, SERIOUSLY? What did you expect?
Davy learns the hard way that she has to toughen up, but she does it. She fights for her place and I loved watching her go through all of it, though it often wasn't pretty.

There's a romance. And I knew Sophie Jordan wouldn't disappoint me in this area and guys, I really liked it! It wasn't the thing that impressed me most about this book and that is just as it should be. But I do love the boy.

Guys, basically what I'm saying is: you need to read this book. It is full of scientific brilliance, a whole lot of madness and an easily believable world that has gone crazy, paired with a main character that I could relate to and a good romance and JUST GO READ IT OK??? I've been trying not to go all caps on this, cause I want to convince you and not just go ALL THE FEELS, but seriously, if you're even the teensiest bit interested after you read the summary I'd say GO FOR IT. You will not regret it.

My rating: 5 stars

Review of Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Title/Author: Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken
Publisher/Date published: Disney-Hyperion, October 15th 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children — and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts — has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam — and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart — she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?
Goodreads summary:

***WARNING: SPOILERS POSSIBLE FOR BOOK 1***

Guys, I freaking loved The Darkest Minds when I read it last year! And seriously, after that ending, the wait for Never Fade was EXCRUCIATING! Because holy crap! She just erased herself from Liam's memories and AAAAH!!! HOW! WHY! PLEASE JUST NO! (Basically my reaction at the time)

In Never Fade we meet Ruby again, she's been with the Children's League for a while and they've put her through training and are sending her out on ops. And making her 'question' prisoners. I could feel Ruby's struggle with her abilities! She's learned to accept them somewhat more, but she still doesn't like it. And while I sorta get it, at one point I just wanted to shake her and tell her to man up and just learn to live with it. She is definitely a lot more mature than she was at the start of the series and now has to guide some kids herself. I felt so sorry for her that she basically only had 2 persons in the League who would talk to her and not be deadly afraid or disgusted or feel any other ugly emotion for her! She was so isolated and it was partly her fault for not reaching out and being plenty antisocial, but still, that kind of censure is awful!

And guys, do you know how much I loved Jude? Jude is Ruby's one-man-welcoming-comittee and he is just awesome! I loved how open and accepting he was and I just wanted to hug him so many times! I also liked Vida, she's badass and while at first I didn't really know what to make of her, by the end she turned out to be a solid character and I like her!
But they can't compete with the special place both Chubs and Liam have in my heart. I love those two boys SO MUCH! The only complaint I have here is: not enough Liam!

I do have to admit that I'd forgotten some things from The Darkest Minds and a teensy tiny recap would have been helpful, some hints about what happened before here and there. But that's really my problem and not a comment on the writing itself. But I do like it when the author adds something like this because it's easier to fall back into the story without having to deep dig into my memory for what exactly happened last time.

So Never Fade is a pretty dark read. These are dark times and there are still awful things happening! It's not easy and it's not all flowers and sunshine and there are some impossible decisions to be made and powers that are explored and Ruby is getting more control and high stakes and just EPICNESS!! I had a crazy busy week, otherwise I would have finished this a lot sooner, because I really didn't want to put it down and just raced through the last chapters and THEN IT ENDED!! And what will I do now until the next book comes out?? The last chapter gave me so many feelings and questions for the future and just GAH GET HERE SOON SEQUEL! I need to know how it all ends!!

My rating: 5 stars

Made me crave: risotto

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 Linked by Imogen Howson

Title/Author: Linked (Linked #1) by Imogen Howson
Publisher/Date published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, June 11th 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: Elissa used to have it all: looks, popularity, and a bright future. But for the last three years, she’s been struggling with terrifying visions, phantom pains, and mysterious bruises that appear out of nowhere.

Finally, she’s promised a cure: minor surgery to burn out the overactive area of her brain. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the shocking truth behind her hallucinations: she’s been seeing the world through another girl’s eyes.

Elissa follows her visions, and finds a battered, broken girl on the run. A girl — Lin — who looks exactly like Elissa, down to the matching bruises. The twin sister she never knew existed.

Now, Elissa and Lin are on the run from a government who will stop at nothing to reclaim Lin and protect the dangerous secrets she could expose — secrets that would shake the very foundation of their world.

Seriously, I think this book was one of my most anticipated reads of Spring 2013 and I'm sad to say that it didn't really live up to my expectations.

The concept is GREAT. It is. It's creepy and fascinating and cruel and just what I come to expect from dystopian society that is well thought out. You can tell that Imogen Howson did a lot of world developing before she started writing this book and it's really interesting. I can't imagine anyone doing that to human beings (I really don't want to spoil anything, but it's awful). But maybe this is why they declared them non-human. It's a great solution when you think about it.

I liked Elissa. She's not immediately on board with the idea of having a twin and though she does the right thing, there are some bumps in the road and her behaviour isn't always the nicest. But I can understand this. I mean, it's pretty normal to not magically be ok when such a bomb is dropped on you and you're expected to just deal with it. That's just not how it works. I like that she's practical and is really trying her best.
Lin was in ways both harder for me to like and easier to like. She has her less than human emotionally moments and her awesome power moments and I think that in the end I liked her better than Elissa.

There are some things that didn't work so well for me, one big thing that put me off was Elissa's parents. They are awful! I mean, seriously?? They're ready to get their daughter into brain surgery even though they KNOW it's not her brain malfunctioning?? I mean, REALLY? That's some bad parenting right there. Along with Elissa's mom calling the cops on her. Her mom is probably the worst of the two, her dad redeems himself a bit, but just a bit. Hateful woman.

Also, the romance arc did nothing for me. Elissa and Cadan were constantly fighting and saying pretty harsh stuff and thinking the worst of each other and not in the Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy way! I couldn't imagine them caring for each other and then BOOM out of nowhere they're saying 'I love you' to each other and I'm like WTF?? I know they have history and all that, but I still call insta-love.

Reading Linked was much more slow going than I had expected. I'd expected a lot of action and excitement and not being able to put the book down and all of that good stuff. And while a lot is happening in a short time, it didn't really feel urgent or desperate or any of those things. I do think that the world Imogen Howson has created was fascinating and I'm interested to see how Elissa and Lin will handle the aftermath of the happenings in Linked, but it's definitely not what I had expected when I picked it up.

My rating: 2,5 stars

Book Tour! Review and Giveaway of The Breeders by Katie French

Title/Author: The Breeders by Katie French
Publisher/Date published: August 1st 2012
How I got this book: received it as part of the book tour hosted by Kismet Book Touring

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world’s last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches– moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders’ long reach. The Breeders control everything- the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they’re hunting Riley.

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender– a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley’s affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom?

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico– escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is shot and forced into the Breeder’s hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother—a fate she’ll share unless she can find a way out.

There's just something about dystopian novels that draw me in and scare the crap out of me, especially when I can imagine the things that happen actually happening to us in the future!

Riley is one of the only free girls left in the world and one of the few girls in child-bearing years overall. You can't fully realize what this means to her and her family until you discover that girls are actually sold to breeding facilities and how scarce resources have become. It's pretty much a fight to stay alive most of the time and I really liked that we got to see the full impact this reality has on Riley and her family. Riley isn't the happy girl she should have been if times were different, she's had to learn how to adapt and how to take care of herself and the rest of the family.

I liked that instead of the usual lack of parental guidance, Riley actually still has her mother and a stepfather. She may not always get along with her stepfather, but they do look after each other. And then there's the adorable younger brother Ethan, who though he may only be 8 years old, has seen way too much evil by the end of the novel. And while he does lose some of his innocence, he's still the sweet kid we meet at the beginning and a really brave little boy and my heart just went out to him.
I couldn't imagine life without my family and I liked that Riley feels the same way and they always come first to her.

The concept of the government having facilities in which they force fertile women to have child after child is monstruous! Especially when they're starting with 15-16 year-old girls, I mean, no offeense, but they're not done being children/teens themselves, I know I wasn't! It's just not right when you're reduced to nothing but a walking birthing machine just because you were born with the right parts for it.

And as scary and wrong as this is, I can imagine how it came to be. We don't really get a lot of information about how they started this and I'm kinda counting on there being more on this in the sequel that's mentioned in the author's note at the end, because I can see how it must have seemed like a good idea at the time. And how it got out of hand and turned into something ugly.
I also hope we'll get to learn more about the virus that caused the whole shortage of girls and the existence of benders (a girlish-looking boy), because I can't help but be fascinated by stuff like this.

The Breeders is a pretty hars, dark book, which is to be expected given the subject matter. But it was so dark all the time that I sometimes found myself needing a break and doing something else because it could get depressing to be honest! The only bright spot in it all is the romance between Riley and Clay and well, that was also the only part of the novel I found a bit hard to believe.
They don't really become friends so much as that Clay can't seem to take a hint when Riley tries to get rid of him and because he thinks she's a bender, he rejects her when she tries to kiss him at one point. But then after he discovers she's a girl he's suddenly all into her?? I mean, they were sweet together, I just didn't fully believe this instant transition.

Other than that The Breeders was an enjoyable read with high stakes and a really scary possibility for the future and I'm interested to see what the sequel will bring for Riley, Clay and her family.

My rating: 4 stars


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Review of What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Title/Author: What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles #1) by Kat Zhang
Publisher/Date published: HarperCollins, September 18th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else — two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t...

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet... for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

In What's Left of Me Kat Zhang introduces us to a really interesting concept: people being born with two souls in one body, where the norm is that after a couple of years, one of the souls vanishes and the dominant one takes over. A sort of natural selection. But what if the soul doesn't vanish? Eva didn't vanish and she and Addie are still together. Eva is the 'recessive' soul, Addie controls their body. It was pretty awesome how Kat Zhang managed to make Eva a lively character, even when for the most part she couldn't actually DO much of anything. She was a vibrant personality without much of a voice heard by anyone other than Addie.

And while I felt like I knew Eva, I never felt the same way about Addie. Which is kinda weird, cause most of Eva's life and thoughts revolve around Addie. I sometimes didn't very much like Addie and I'm not even really sure why. I get that she was grasping for control of their situation, but sometimes I wanted to shake her really badly.
This may be out of context for those not having read the book, I don't want to give anything away, but I felt really bad for them and the whole situation with their parents and their brother, and if I'd been them I'd have felt SO betrayed. I know it was an impossible choice, but seriously, I felt like her parents should have done something.

The institution is REALLY CREEPY. Seriously, it's kinda scary what people can do under the name of 'helping' people. It was sort of like the creepy experiments that went on during World War II. And while I felt like I should have been on the edge of my seat reading about it and not being able to stop myself turning the pages, I wasn't. I was kinda sitting and waiting for them to actually DO something.

So I'm kinda in the middle out this book. I thought the concept was really cool and original and I did like reading it, but I never felt that connection that makes me want to READ until I just can't read no more, you know?
Though I will probably pick up the second book because I do think hybrids are pretty interesting.

My rating: 3 stars

Review of Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

Title/Author: Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines
Publisher/Date published: Bloomsbury, October 13th 2009
How I got this book: it was gifted to me by my brother, thanks!

Goodreads summary: "It’s a fight to the death — on live TV—when a gladiator’s daughter steps into the arena

Lyn is a neo-gladiator’s daughter, through and through. Her mother has made a career out of marrying into the high-profile world of televised blood sport, and the rules of the Gladiator Sports Association are second nature to their family.

Always lend ineffable confidence to the gladiator. Remind him constantly of his victories. And most importantly: Never leave the stadium when your father is dying.

The rules help the family survive, but rules — and the GSA — can also turn against you. When a gifted young fighter kills Lyn’s seventh father, he also captures Lyn’s dowry bracelet, which means she must marry him..."

I must be the world's worst gift receiver, because it can really take me AGES to finally get to reading books I've been lucky enough to get as gifts. Though I do really try.
So I've owned Girl in the Arena for about two years now and have just gotten around to reading it. At the time I got it, I was SO excited because it was one of the first 'for fans of The Hunger Games' books I'd come across. And the summary did make it sounds like it would be right up my alley.

Except that I'm slightly underwhelmed by the book itself. To me it seemed to be more about all the politics and the history of the GSA than actual fighting. And I was like: but, WHAT ABOUT THE FIGHTING?? It was as if you were reading The Hunger Games without the actual Hunger Games taking place.

It seemed like Lise Haines wanted to tell us EVERYTHING about the Gladiator Sports Association and its origins and the plot suffered for it. I mean, I was expecting edge of my seat action while also having a girl battle her attraction to the guy who killed her seventh stepfather and instead the plot crawled by at a snail's pace.

I really liked Tommy G., Lyn's stepdad, who sadly dies in the arena at his final fight. He seemed like a genuinely good guy and the right kind of stepfather, even if he and Lyn's mom perhaps didn't get married for the right reasons. I also liked Lyn's friend Mark, though only superficial, as I don't feel we got to know him very well. Lyn's mother on the other hand REALLY annoyed me! I thought she was selfish and made a lot of bad decisions and then expected Lyn to make the same ones.

I did think the world that Lise Haines has created was really interesting and it's kinda scary, cause I could totally see something like this gladiator sport getting way out of hand and taking over lives. Lyn herself felt pretty detached from everything, which resulted in me failing to connect to her. I guess I just expected something a little more exciting than it was for me.

My rating: 3 stars

Review of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title/Author: Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi
Publisher/Date published: HarperCollins, November 15th 2011
How I got this book: bought it last year but failed to read it until now.

Goodreads summary: "Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior."

Guys, I actually pre-ordered this last year and then took 11 months to pick it up. Last week I heard Tahereh Mafi was coming to Holland soon and I felt the need to prepare to fangirl because seriously, how many chances do I get for that around here? And holy smokes, WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG??? I am so in love with this book, it's not even funny, I finished it at 2AM and wanted to tell the whole world (a sleepy, grumbly world) how much awesome was in these pages!

I had to get used to the writing a bit at first, because it's different. But different in a beautiful, amazingly GOOD way! There was so much beauty in the prose alone that even if the plot hadn't been making me excited, I would have still kept reading for the mindblowing way Tahereh Mafi has with words. I wanted to slow down and revel in every sentence and at the same time I couldn't stop myself from speeding on because I NEEDED to know what would happen next RIGHT AWAY!

And I haven't even told you about my love for the characters! Juliette is sheer awesomeness. She's beautiful and broken and just has such a sense of right and wrong and is trying to cling to her sanity when she's been locked up for 264 days. My heart broke for her and soared with hope right along with her. She's fragile and strong at the same time and her personality just sucked me in and made me want to give her a hug. I can't imagine going without really touching another person all your life, it's horrifying to imagine!

I have been hearing about the love 'triangle', but for me there never really was a triangle in this story, because seriously Adam has no competition. He is such a GOOD guy, and you guys know about my weakness for good guys, I loved the history he and Juliette share and with every revelation I loved him more.
And all you people putting up Warner as a possible third in the love 'triangle', NO. Just, no. He's such a psychopath, I get that there's a reason for him being this messed up version of a human being, but I can't see him as a potential love interest. Not even if Adam wasn't in the picture.

Shatter Me was such an intense read that I just had to come up for air a couple of times! But I felt compelled to pick it up right away, so these breaks weren't that long. It's not often that I'm this blown away by the beauty of the phrases as well as the impact of the story! Shatter Me had me feeling ALL THE THINGS and I cannot wait for Unravel Me to be released!

My rating: 5+ stars

Review of Once by Anna Carey

Title/Author: Once (Eve #2) by Anna Carey
Publisher/Date published: HarperCollins, July 3rd 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: "When you're being hunted, who can you trust?
For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.
But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.
Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together - but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves... or risk losing Caleb forever."

**WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR EVE**

Once was one of my most anticipated sequels in 2012, because the ending of Eve nearly killed me and while I didn't like it as much as I liked Eve, I still really enjoyed it!

We pick up a little after where we left Eve in the first book, she's just gotten settled in at Califia, but she can't forget about Caleb. I was actually kind of surprised it had taken her that long to start considering leaving Califia to go to him. If my boyfriend had been out there on his own, hurt, possibly dying, I don't think I would have lasted a day there.

I was glad to see Eve grow up somewhat throughout this novel, she's definitely not the naive girl that we met in the first book anymore and she's learned to fend for herself a little, even if she still feels a bit like a damsel in distress to me. It kind of bugged me that most of the 'heroics' she undertakes are guided by other people and not so much by her own taking care of business.

And you guys, Caleb!! I adored the boy in Eve and I my heart started fluttering again when he stepped into the story! I was kinda sad we don't get a lot of time with him, but those moments he's there are magical.

Most of Once, while entertaining, felt like a bit of a filler towards Rise, in which I imagine the epic showdown will happen. It wasn't until the last quarter of the book that I was fully engrossed and on the edge of my seat with a sense of foreboding that was justified. I did really like the plot twists that were thrown in, especially one pretty early on that I will not spoil here, but SO GOOD!

So while Once for me suffered a bit from second-book-syndrome, Anna Carey has a way of storytelling that made me still want to keep reading and just like she did with Eve, the ending of Once nearly killed me and I just need Rise RIGHT NOW!

My rating: 4 stars

Review of The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

Title/Author: The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze
Publisher/Date published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, May 1st 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Happily ever after is a thing of the past.
A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.
When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year-old Princess Eliza manages to escape.
Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope — and to love — once more. Now she must risk everything to ensure that she not become... The Last Princess."

So you know how I have a slight obsession with anything to do with English royalty right? And I'm a huge fan of dystopians/post-apocalyptic novels and don't even get me started on princesses. So I read the summary for The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze and went: NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!!!
And seriously, how awesome is that penname? I assume it's a penname. Right?
But I'm sad to report to you all it has left me feeling... disappointed.

While reading The Last Princess, I found myself actually asking myself if I could have a wonky e-ARC, because it genuinely felt like I was missing pages. Like information that should have been there had been chopped away to make the book shorter. But I don't think my e-ARC was significantly different from the finished version based on what I've heard other people say about it.

I felt like I was floundering around in this story, everything seemed to be happening at once and there was no time to just take a breath and focus on what happened or to get to know the characters or even to figure out how much time had actually passed. I was lost. And I don't like feeling lost while I'm reading a book.

One thing I always try to take away from any book I read is a sense of the identity of the main character. After finishing The Last Princess, I'm still not entirely certain what I should say of Eliza's. And that's a big problem to me, because it's her story and I should have gotten a feel for her as a person. The same goes for her love interest. I should be able to describe him as more than just his physical qualities.

And then there's the romance. While I usually cheer at any romance added in a story and though I can enjoy a book without it, I'm always more happy when it's there. This time it was not the case. I just didn't work for me. I mean, seriously, you cannot tell me that after being together for the GIGANTIC PORTION OF TIME OF ONE DAY that they're in love and defying all to be together?? No. Just no.

For all you sensitive souls out there, a warning: there is a lot of violence and cruelty and if you are particularly prone to staring openmouthed at animal cruelty (like I am), be doubly warned. At one point I found myself going: when will they just stop hurting animals??? This is not meant as a negative point, but it's just something that I thought should be mentioned.
The cruelty of the army of this 'ruthless revolutionary' (which he is, ruthless I mean) is mindblowing and crazy and I would have liked a bit more of an explanation for it all, how did it start? Why are people following him and acting this way? TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE SEVENTEEN DAYS! Because that's apparantly what started it all, color me interested.
Also: **SPOILER, LIGHT UP TO READ**
With all the killing going on, I thought some of the miraculous survivals were a bit convenient. I mean, I could have handled either Polly or Mary surviving that last fight, but both seemed a bit too much seeing as they both seemed pretty mortally wounded. They had to look EVERYWHERE to find antibiotics when Eliza got tetanus, how did they manage to fix these girls up? And Caligula, how actually does a horse survive a lance in the side?

The premise of The Last Princess has me all excited, flailing around, going this could have been SO good! But I would have just liked if there had been, well, a bit MORE of everything. More getting to know the characters so I could start to care about all the horrific things happening, a little more time to fall in love with the love interest and for the romance to develop, more backstory. More actually reading about what was happening when now chunks of time just passed and all I had to show for it was 'two weeks passed, it was horrible'. Because that just didn't work so well for me.

I always enjoy a good sibling relationship and I adored the little brother, all amazing endearing boyness of him. I originally thought this would be a standalone, but the ending has me thinking that it will be a series. Does anyone know anything about it? I'm curious to see if a sequel will answer the many, MANY questions I still have.
So while The Last Princess wasn't exactly what I wanted from it when I started reading it, I'm still considering picking up a sequel (assuming there will be one) to see if it manages to live up to the potential of this premise.

My rating: 2 stars

Review of The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Title/Author: The Way We Fall (Fallen World #1) by Megan Crewe
Publisher/Date published: Hyperion, January 24th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.
And then you’re dead.
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island — no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn’t?"

The thing that's happening inside The Way We Fall, that right there is one of my biggest fears. Seriously, I know we don't have a cure for a lot of things that should scare me, but a virus or bacteria that we cannot conquer is what creeps the heck out of me. Mostly because I know it's a viable possibility.
So now that I've tried to put the fear in you by being a prophet of DOOM, let's talk about the book.

Because for a book dealing with a subject that's most likely to keep me up at night, The Way We Fall lacked any excitement whatsoever. I mean, I expected being on the edge of my seat and being horrified and just feeling all of those things and emerging breathlessness and not being able to sleep because this is my worst nightmare. Turns out reading about it can actually be rather boring.

Maybe it's the fact that it's written in journal format and it doesn't feel as if the stuff is happening right at that moment. I didn't feel a connection to Kaelyn or any of the other characters. And this meant that although there were lots of awful things happening to her and the people around her, I didn't really feel it. I never felt that I got to know her and maybe it's because she's more of an observer than someone who takes action, but we never really delve into her emotions and character. Which is weird, because she's the one narrating it.

One other thing that bothered me: they let a teenager into the files of all the patients. I mean, hello! Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that?? That rule was broken so many times in The Way We Fall and it got really annoying.

I did think the epidemic was really interesting and I can absolutely imagine everything turning out the way it did. Because really, people get scared. And when people are scared they do things you can't even imagine sitting on your couch wrapped in warm blanket (like I am).
This wasn't a bad book, it just didn't really work for me and I'd expected a little more excitement.

My rating: 2 stars

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title/Author: Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi
Publisher/Date published: HarperCollins, January 3rd 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.
As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.
They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY."

So people have been going "OMG! UNDER THE NEVER SKY!" for a couple of months now. The summary left me with a big questionmark over my head, but don't let that deter you, this book is le awesome! This book was the book that after 5 books ranging from meh to really enjoyed it, got me LOVING it.

It took some time to get used to the society and we are pretty much thrown right into the action as it starts with Aria being caught in a fire and getting thrown out of Reverie. But slowly I got to know Aria and Perry and Roar and all the other characters that make this book into the wonderfulness that it was.

I absolutely LOVED Perry! And Roar! Don't get me wrong, I also loved Aria, but Perry and Roar just stole my heart. The boys are amazing and I loved how Perry struggled with his abilities and with Aria and his loyalty to his family... I felt everything right along with him and I love it when that happens! Perry had lots of amazing Perry-moments (and you guys, the moment on the tower with Aria!!), I hope you all discover them as well!

The Aether in the sky is fascinating and I'm very much hoping we'll learn more about it, like how it came into being, if it causes other things than we've already seen. But most of all I'll be reading the next book because I want to find out what happens next! And to get my Perry-fix, cause that boy ran off with my heart!

I'm happy to say this book didn't end with a cliffhanger, like so many books in series seem to do these days. So instead of making me go WHAT? NO!!! it left me with a smile on my face and an intense desire to have the next book ASAP!

My rating: 5+ stars

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Title/Author: Prized (Birthmarked #2) by Caragh M. O'Brien
Publisher/Date published: Roaring Book Press, November 8th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?"

**WARNING: spoilers for Birthmarked likely!**

You guys, I really liked the first book in this series and was so, SO glad that I already had this one waiting on me, because CLIFFHANGER! And I was dying to find out what would happen with the budding romance between Gaia and Leon, cause that boy totally had potential! So imagine my disappointment when it took ages for him to show up! Or maybe it just felt like ages cause I was pining for some Leon ;)

I like when it's explained why dystopian societies came to be that way and I could imagine this one forming, though I couldn't really see why they wouldn't have thought of looking for a cause for the men's infertility and the low number of girl babies being born. I mean, you're getting extinct, you could at least TRY to look interested. That said, I did get how the women were in charge and even how the Matrarc got that power. Even Gaia had trouble keeping her thoughts straight because of the Matrarc's persuasive powers. It did seem like Gaia went from a bad situation into an even worse one, because this society was just as oppressive.

And now comes one big thing I did not like:
*drumroll* the love QUADRANGLE.
Seriously.
I WTF-ed a LOT throughout all this happening. I mean, even Gaia herself said: 'I never thought I'd be part of a love quadrangle'. No shit.
I'm kinda confused how she went from no boys wanting her because of her scar and them all, except for Leon, thinking her ugly to having all the boys running after her like she's some supermodel. I found it really hard to believe. I mean, I get there weren't a lot of available girls and all that, but still. Really? I mean, REALLY? 4 guys lusting after her? REALLY? I found it hard to believe and very annoying.

Gaia herself really annoyed me for the first part of the book, as did Leon when he finally entered. Gaia seemed to be a shell of her former self and just not the strong girl I had gotten to know in the first book. I'm glad to say that she stepped up later on, but it's a real shock, especially just having finished Birthmarked. Leon seemed unreasonably mad and mean, but he finally returned to the boy I knew and liked.

So while I seriously considered throwing the book across the room for the first half, or maybe 3/4 of the book (well, not really, cause I don't want to break my e-reader), the ending turned out much better! Though I'm not sure if there's enough story left for another book, I'll be sure to pick it up when it get released!

My rating: 3 stars

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Title/Author: Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1) by Caragh M. O'Brien
Publisher/Date published: Roaring Book Press, March 30th 2010
How I got this book: own it

Goodreads summary: "In the Enclave, your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.
Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish."

When I started reading this book, I sure hadn't expected it to turn out the way it did and it was different in a very good way!

I mean, I've read plenty of dystopians before and some basic things are the same in most of them: lots have a girl protoganist, oppressive society, girl at first adhering to the rules, discovering life-changing things about evil-doing society and then trying to bring it down/getting arrested etcera. And there's usually a cute boy somewhere mixed in the plot. And while I love this theme, there has to be something extra for the book to stand out. And fortunately, this book did.

I loved Gaia! She's such a strong character and I love that she doesn't always make the right decision and isn't always on her very best behavior. She learns not to take everything at face value and learns the shock of betrayal. At first I was a bit surprised at her skill as a midwive, until I realised she'd been training for 5 years under her mother and well, you're bound to pick up stuff. I loved how much Gaia cared about her family and her friends.

I really enjoyed the writing and how easy everything flowed. There's a real build-up of tension and I was really glad I had the sequel lined up at that ending, cause seriously, CLIFFHANGER!

And yes, there was also the cute boy. And he WAS a cute boy! I mean, he's got the whole rebel thing down in the end and he's all troubled boyness *sigh*. He didn't always get it right, but I really liked him.
I also thought it was interesting that Gaia is very obviously scarred and doesn't have a whole following of drooling boys and I'd already guessed at the truth behind her scar, cause the events didn't really add up.

I would have liked to know more about how the dystopian society got to be that way. I mean, what happened to the world to cause it? Maybe we'll find out as the series continues.

My rating: 4 stars

Eve by Anna Carey

Title/Author: Eve (Eve #1) by Anna Carey
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, October 4th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus — and the vaccine intended to protect against it — wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life."

This was an amazingly fast-paced book! I just flew right through it and really enjoyed every minute of reading it!

I've mentioned it before, but I am obsessed with things like this: a virus or some other disease wiping out a big part of the population. Because I believe this is what will eventually happen. Hopefully not in 2016, as it did here, cause that's a little too close for comfort.

I really liked the way the author envisioned the impact of such a thing happening and was horrified by what people would quite believably be capable of doing to others! I mean, what they do to the girls is horrible, but so is what is happening to the boys! Gosh, it was awful!

I really liked Eve, I mean, she is obviously brainwashed, but you can't really blame her, because it's the way she was raised. And it provided some pretty funny moments, like when she tells Caleb when they meet that he 'wants to have intercourse with her', cause she's taught that's all guys want.

And let's talk about Caleb, because really, SWOON! I LOVED the boy! He was amazingly patient and such a good guy! I mean, that thing he does near the end? You know what I mean if you've read it, but it's just such a loving thing and so selfless!
And can I just say the two little boys at the cave where Caleb lived broke my heart? I just wanted to hug them!

And the ending! OMG! The ending killed me and I am sort of glad I read the summary for Once (the sequel) already and I am really looking forward to reading it! Fair warning: this is not a bloodless book, as most dystopians aren't, it's not overly graphic or something, but it's not for the faint of heart I think.

My rating: 4,5 stars

H10N1 by M.R. Cornelius

Title/Author: H10N1 by M.R. Cornelius
Publisher/Date published: self-published, April 12th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the author for review

Goodreads summary: "A deadly influenza virus rages out of control. There is no easy-fix vaccine. No eleventh-hour containment. Only death.
With no workforce, power plants are unmanned so there’s no means of communication; police and fire departments have collapsed so no one is safe; looters are scavenging everything from big-screen TVs to canned peas.
When Dr. Taeya Sanchez finds herself unceremoniously dismissed from an emergency medical facility in New York, she decides to steal the hospital’s armored van for a midnight escape.
Unfortunately, Rick DeAngelo, a driver for the hospital, has already stocked the van for his own getaway.
Thrown into an unfriendly alliance, these two must pick their way across the dangerous wasteland of America in search of a safe haven. And as the miles roll by, they discover that the living should be feared much more than the festering corpses out there."

I LOVED the first chapter. It was shocking, in your face and I thought wow, I'm gonna love this book. And then I read the rest of it.

And I am sad to say I was disappointed. As a med student I'm fascinated by things dealing with virus outbreaks or super bacteria and all that stuff wiping out the human race. Because seriously, that is what scares me. That is exactly what I'm scared of happening in the future and it isn't an unrealistic fear unfortunately. But enough of that.

I wasn't really sure what the point of the plot was. I felt like there was stuff happening, but I didn't really know why. I also thought it would have been about the virus spreading and all that, but it was actually after the initial wave and about the survivors of that. I also didn't really feel the romance, I didn't get it and I didn't think it was realistic.

Another thing I had a problem with: the main character is an epidemiologist, which is basically someone who studies things like patterns and risk factors and such. There are those who work 'in the field' so to speak, but it's usually only about infection control then, not so much the other areas of medicine. And I believed an epidemiologist knows how to stitch someone up, I do, because it's basic medical training. But you CANNOT tell me they also know how to perform complicated surgeries after someone is shot and there was also an inconsistency where for her to be able to do something she did, she'd have to have opened the patient up in two places and there was only one operating wound.

Yes I am ranting, but this really bothers me because this is what I know. Because I see this kind of stuff every day and I don't get how people think that being a doctor means you can do ALL THE THINGS. You can't. That's why we have all those different kinds of doctors.

Ok, stopping the rant.

I did like the whole idea behind the book with the virus outbreak and everything and seriously you guys, I loved the first chapter. If the book had continued in that way, it would have been amazing. But after that things went downhill for me.

My rating: 1,5 stars