Wednesday 2 September 2015

The Heart of Betrayal Review

Title: The Heart Of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2)

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 470

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co

Date Released: July 7th 2015

Format: Hardback

Synopsis:
Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

(source: Goodreads)

Review:
I have been patiently waiting for the release of this wonderful book after reading The Kiss Of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) at the start of the year and if you haven't read the first book yet or this one too for that matter then save this link at come back because I don't wish to spoil it for you.
Mary has created this world where it feels so real, almost as though you are apart of it. Lia is a very strong willed and stubborn Character and she has really grown through out this second book.  She had many tricks up her sleave learnt from her brothers one of those being card games, I thought it was hilarious when she thrashed Malich at the card game.

I have this inkling still that Rafe is hiding something from Lia, he hasn't really been completely straight forward but I can't be too sure, what I am sure about is how much he cares for Lia. Throughout the book he is constantly looking for ways to get her out of the Barbarians territory and escape. I also like that the book is not solely focused on the romance though it does have a little bit but its more about Lia trying to survive and Rafe doing what he can to get them out of Venda. I also like that we get a bit more back story on Kaden and the Komizar and we get to understand Kaden on a deeper level.

At first I felt sorry for the Komizar because he was only trying to be a hero but then obviously the power of being the Komizar got to be to much for him and it all went to his head.
When you first meet the Komizar he doesn't seem like much but then you see how feared he is by everyone ( I mean come on he killed the last Komizar while he was sleeping... I bit brutal). One thing that completely surprised me was when the Komizar decided Lia was going to marry him and she had no choice, I was not expecting that at all and I was impressed with how Lia handled it because I know that if I were in that situation I would have been freaking out.

Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed this second instalment of the remnant chronicles and I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good fantasy and is looking for a well adapted story. I absolutely can't wait for the final instalment.


Cover art: 4
Plot: 5
Characters:4
Writing:4
Level of interest:5
Total rating:4 1/2

Happy Reading Everyone!! :D
- Jordan

Monday 20 April 2015

Neverland Review

Title: Neverland

Author: Shari Arnold

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Pages: 358

Publisher: Create Space

 Date Released:  7th April 2015

Format:  ebook

Synopsis:
It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.

But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound.

Is she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?

In this modern reimagining of Peter Pan, will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for?

(Goodreads Synopsis)

  Review:
** I received a free advanced copy this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

When I first read the synopsis for this book I really like the idea of Peter Pan type world. I guess that's what really pulled me in.One thing I like about this was that the story was interwoven with the modern world which made it more realistic and put a different spin the fairy-tale.  The start of the story Livy is very focused on her sisters death and it kind of consumes her to the point where its taken over her life. Then in comes Meyer who is adventurous and daring, he helps Livy heal. I found that the start of the novel was quite hard to actually get into because I felt as though the writing but it definitely got better as the story continued. I can't say that I fully enjoyed it because I didn't. The first half just felt a bit repetitive and it dragged on a bit but once Never land was introduced I started to enjoy it.

Overall: For the most part of the novel I enjoyed it and I think that any peter pan fans out there would enjoy this retelling of an original tale.


Cover art: 5
Plot: 3
Characters:3
Writing:3
Level of interest:4
Total rating:3

Happy Reading Everyone!! :D
- Jordan


Saturday 11 April 2015

walker saga Review (books 1-6)

Title: First world (#1),
Spurn (#2),
Crais (#3),
Regali (#4),
Nephilius (#5),
Dronish (#6)

Author: Jaymin Eve

Genre: Distopian, young adult, romance, sci-fi

Publisher: Create Space
 Date Released: July 10th 2013

Format:  ebook

Synopsis:If the Seventine are released, will anyone survive?
Abigail Swish might not love her life, living in gang-ridden New York in 2035 and training to fight and survive with Compound 23. But she is grateful for a few things, especially her no-filter-between-brain-and-mouth best friend Lucy and her escape each night into a dream world far different from her own.
In fact, sometimes she lives for the fleeting moments she spends at night with the man who fuels every romantic fantasy she’s ever had. But each morning reality returns. She could just cry. But she won’t of course; tears don’t change a damn thing.
Then without any warning, a month before her eighteenth birthday, everything does change. A guardian finds her. He explains, in a strangely familiar accent, that she was stashed on Earth for safekeeping and has been lost to her family ever since. And it is time to return home. To the First World; a land of unimagined beauty.

Abigail and Lucy find themselves escaping New York, ending up on another planet and traversing through an unforgiving wilderness. Yeah, because that sort of thing just happens every day. Luckily an unexpected saviour arrives; the man from her dream-world. Brace is six-and-a-half feet of gorgeous perfectness, wrapped in an arrogance like no other. Unable to trust his assistance, and unsure which of her instincts to follow - kiss him or punch him in the mouth - Abigail eventually accepts his help to find her family.
And what a family. Enter Josian, her father; larger than life and apparently not even human. He is Walker, a planet-less race revered as gods, causing mischief and mayhem through-out this star-system. Unfortunately, there is no time for a cosy reunion, since no one explained that by returning to First World her half-Walker genetics would act as a catalyst setting forth a chain of events which could spell disaster for not only her existence but that of all worlds. ( Goodreads synopsis )
 Review:

 I'm gona be honest and say I read all 6 books on 3days oops. Haha but now I wish I hadn't because I have to wait for the last book ti be released and I must know what is gona happen! I don't read a lot of books with "aliens" but a friend recommended this to me and I am so glad she did because I could not put it down. I love the world building and they way the Jaymin described the different worlds was fabulous. I could picture everything perfectly in my mind. The writing really flowed and I loved Lucy's smart mouth, it got my laughing plenty. I loved how strong and independent Abby is but that she could also go to Brace when she knew she couldn't do something on her own. The bond between the walker girls was awesome and I love how they have all grown so far and I can't wait to meet the final walker girl.

Overall: I'm very excited to find out how the Final battle will commence and I'm curious as to what is Josians fate. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a pick me up because this series will definitely hit all the right spots.


Cover art: 3
Plot: 5
Characters:4
Writing:5
Level of interest:5
Total rating:5

Happy Reading Everyone!! :D
- Jordan






Thursday 2 April 2015

Spark Review

Title: Spark

Author: Rachel Craw

Pages: 464

Genre: sci-fi, young adult, romance

Publisher: Walker Books Australia      

Date Released: July 1st 2014

Format:  paperback

Synopsis:Evie doesn’t have a choice.

One day she’s an ordinary seventeen year old, grieving for her mother. The next, she’s a Shield, the result of a decades-old experiment gone wrong, bound by DNA to defend her best friend from an unknown killer.

The threat could come at home, at school, anywhere. All Evie knows is that it will be a fight to the death.

And then there’s Jamie. irresistible. off-limits.
   (Goodreads synopsis)


Review:This cover is so cool! I picked up this book at my local bookstore and didn't realise until the end of the book that the author is a fellow New Zealander :D
This book draws you in from the start. The main character Evie doesn't need a Hero because she is her own hero. At the start she is lost, her mother has just died and she feels as though her world is falling apart but suddenly she starts having odd changes. I like that the story always had something happening, there were not many scenes where there wasn't something exciting. The end was a major plot twist that I was not expecting which I loved because it is not often in a book where you didn't predict the outcome, because lets be honest a lot of books now days can be predictable. The writing was well done but my only complaint would be the information overload as it took a while to sink it all in.


Overall:If you're looking for a good sci-fi with a great plot twist that you will not see coming then this is for you. I am anticipating the next book and will be counting down the days till its release.

Cover art: 5
Plot: 4
Characters:4
Writing:4
Level of interest:4
Total rating:4

Happy Reading Everyone!! :D
- Jordan


Tuesday 31 March 2015

Pawn Review

Title: Pawn

Author: Aimee Carter

Pages: 347

Genre: Dystopian, young adult

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN            

Date Released: November 26th 2013         

Format:  e-book

Synopsis:YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

Previously titled Masked.
Review:I will admit this book took me a couple of chapters before I got into it but once the story got going I couldn't put it down. I like that the story wasn't like other books I have read before, it brought something different to the table. There were a few negatives I found with this book such as there wasn't really a reason for why the world was as it is now. Also i'm sorry to say this but I did not like Kitty's Boyfriend Benji. There relationship just didn't do it for me. He is the first and only guy she has loved so of course she wants to be with him because that's all she knows.

“I’m never better off without you,” he said. “We’re in this together. I love you, and that’s never going to change, all right? I’m yours no matter what your rank is. You could be a I, and I would go Elsewhere just to find you.”
 Although as this quote shows he is very loyal and he is a wonderful boyfriend towards her . I kind of want to see her get together with Knox because I can see their friendship growing into something more and they have chemistry. I found the bad guys to be really believable and just when you think that they are not that bad they go and prove you wrong. There are a few unexpected turns which is great because I love when the Author keeps you guessing.
.
Overall:
I really enjoyed reading this and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good dystopian read. There were a few flaws but they are easy enough to look over and see the potential for this series. I look forward to reading book 2 Captive.

Cover art: 4
Plot: 4
Characters:5
Writing:4
Level of interest:5
Total rating:4

Happy Reading Everyone!! :D
- Jordan