Review: Unravel Me (Shatter Me # 2)

UNRAVEL ME (Shatter Me #2)

by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: YA Dystopia
Published: February 5th, 2013



SYNOPSIS:

tick

tick

tick

tick

tick

it's almost

time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

MY THOUGHTS:

As usual, it is simpler for me to write about books that I don't like. 

Because in cases like this book, I know I love it, but I find it very difficult to point out why!

It's just an...

To be honest, the writing started as a poor version of the one in SHATTER ME and I was also disappointed that Juliette was insecure again. 

But at some moment, the writing got better, there was a lot of action and I started to like it more. Probably when Warner appeared. (even from afar) 

The depth all the characters achieved was outstanding. I could connect with all of them, even the secondary ones.

The girls, Kenji and James are great. 

On the other hand, even if they were nicely created, I didn't like Castle and I despised Anderson. What a cruel and heartless person.

Among the supporting characters, my favorite was Kenji. He is funny, loyal, not afraid of saying what he thinks and with a story so sweet and sad that you can't help loving him.

About the protagonists:

Adam: Nothing against him, I actually liked him a lot in book one, but here he was dull, so doubtful and at some point, even seemed unstable. Though, I felt really bad for him. (can't say why without spoiling anything so...)

Juliette: as mentioned before, Juliette starts as a whiny, useless and scared little girl and ends up being so strong and brave. I believe Warner has a lot to do with this transformation. (and that's another reason why I LOVE him)

Warner:... he is just a tortured soul. And he is better than he let others see. Did I mention he is also sexy, sweet and sexy, and sexy? He captivated me and I adored his connection with Juliette. The way he challenges her and understands her. More than anyone else.

What else?

This book has the most romantic scene I've read in a long time and somehow Juliette managed to ruin it but anyway I still cling to the idea of that moment repeating.

Juliette's chemistry with Warner is just perfect. It makes me shiver. And I realized every time they were together I was so excited, no doubt I'm SO TEAM WARNER.

I believe that at the moment I'm Tahereh Mafi's biggest fan. I have a severe case on FAN GIRL -ism.

She had me completely with the twist she incorporated between Adam and Warner (which of course would be the spoiler of the year so... I'll say nothing)

The end was EPIC. Yay!!!

Can't wait for Ignite Me. I've already bought it... PLEASE TBD hurry up!

Review: Shatter Me

SHATTER ME (Shatter Me #1)

by Tahereh Mafi

BLURB:

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.

PURCHASE:

 

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5 birds

Writing:

The first sentence was perfect. It was all I needed to know this is my kind of book.

"I've been locked up for 264 days"

The writing is delightful. It has parts with some sort of poetic style and metaphors. Awesome.

The chapters were short. Always useful for the "one more chapter" excuse.

I liked how the author mingles what Juliette says with her thoughts and true feelings.

"You can't touch me". I whisper. I'm lying, is what I don't tell him. He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him. Please touch me, is what I want to tell him. 

But things happen when people touch me. Strange things. Bad things. Dead things.

Characters:

Personalities are well defined. 

I liked that Juliette's personality is so moulded by the background with her parents. I enjoyed how much she changed through the story, first being so scared and sad, not being able to trust anyone  and then becoming so confident and kick a**.

James is funny and cute. Benji is awesome, he made me giggle a lot.

Warner intrigues me, eventhough he is mean and cruel, there must be a redeemable quality in him.

Adam... he is nice, sweet and caring. I like him but something is missing.

Plot:

I like the premise very much. It was such an entertaining and unique plot. 

Thrilling. I was intrigued by the fact that Juliette knew Adam. I liked how that turned out.

The love story is sweet and sexy.

Cover: 

You can see it. I'm in love with every detail of it.

To sum up:

Definitely an outstanding first book for a series.

I have Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) in my shelves already so I'll be reviewing it soon.

Fire Country Bday Party!

Today, Fire Country by David Estes turns one year old. In the first year since Fire Country was born, so much has happened. David signed with an agent, sold more than 10,000 books, wrote five more books and published a further three). He knew he just had to celebrate and he'd love for you to be a part of it! David owes so much of his support to the blogger community, and he wants everyone to have the chance to be a part of the Fire Country Birthday Bash.

Everyone goes home a winner, simply follow the prompts below and swipe your eCopy of Fire Country from Smashwords. Read and leave a review on Amazon if you enjoyed it. Feel free to share the code with your friends, family, neighbours and literary inclined pets.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/280371

Coupon Code: WH62C

Expiration: March 1, 2014

FIRE COUNTRY (Country Saga #1)

Blurb:

In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer's even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely. 

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with. 

As the desert sands run out on her life's hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

What's a party without prizes? Yes, David is not only giving everyone a chance to download their own copy of Fire Country, book one in the Country Saga for free, but he's also giving you stuff too. You could win an Amazon giftcard open internationally, U.S residents can win a signed copy of the David Estes book of your choice, or a handful of David Estes eBooks of your choice. Awesome.

Visit David via his Blog • Facebook • Twitter and via Goodreads

Pay Perry the Prickler a visit on Twitter and Goodreads

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Review: The Prince (The Selection # 0.5)

Again it's prequel time!

The Prince (The Selection # 0.5)

by Kiera Cass

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection...

Before Aspen broke America's heart...

There was another girl in Prince Maxon's life...

         

MY THOUGHTS:

Sometimes I read prequels before starting a series to get a feel of how they are and sometimes I read them after the main books. 

In this case, I did the latter and I'm glad because there is important information that it's not provided. So my suggestion is to read "The Selection" first. (and you will read my review soon)

"Between Daphne's words,, father's interloping and my own growing fears, I was dreading the Selection like never before"

Oh! I'm so in love with this series and this prequel is just perfect.

I enjoyed getting to know the other side of everything, like how his father pushes him and how difficult their relationship is and on the other hand, I liked his relationship with his mom. So tender.

I loved the fact that there was another girl in Maxon's life before The Selection. Eventhough Daphne's reaction is heartbreaking, is nice to see how that particular moment helps to give shape to Maxon's character. (part of his insecurities and doubts come from this)

I liked reading from Maxon's POV, especially their first encounter. It was very sweet. 

I never get enough of these characters!

RATING:

Buy this story and THE GUARD (The Selection #2.5) at:

Review: Pretties (Uglies #2)

Pretties (Uglies #2)
by Scott Westerfeld

Genre: Dystopia

BLURB: 

Gorgeous. Popular. Perfect. Perfectly wrong.

Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

  

MY THOUGHTS:

 


3.5 birds

Well, I've been wanting to read this book forever since I finished the first one in the series.  (that I absolutely loved)

I was so excited and now I'm a bit dissapointed. I liked the book. But I was not thrilled about it.  

The first half of the book was a little slow but the second one has a nice pace.

The story starts a few weeks after the end of Uglies. Now Tally is pretty and she is surrounded by a lot of pretty friends. Peris is there and so is Shay. I found their behaviour annoying hehe but of course, they are "pretties" now, it's what they do! 

There are new characters such as Zane who is her new crush and he is intriguing. Actually I think he was one of my favorites and the one that made the book good.

Shay was utterly annoying, resentful and honestly, she is so envious that I don't understand why Tally even bothered with her. 

But regardless my personal opinion on the characters I believe they were nicely created and with defined personalities.

The world building as always is remarkable. Westerfeld has a gift for that.

I liked the way Tally's past caught up with her and how the events after they take the pills unfolded.  There was a lot of action involved and I enjoyed that.
I'm not so sure if I liked the things the different characters did to stay "bubbly" but nonetheless, they make total sense.

I would have liked to see more of David. More interaction between him and Tally. 

The end... well... taking the name of the 3rd installment into account, it's not too difficult to imagine but I would have liked something else. It felt rushed.

So in Tally's words I would say this book was a mix of "bogus" moments with "bubbly making" ones :)

Of course, the good moments, make me wanna read the sequel :p

Purchase:

The Book Depository

B&N

Amazon

Alternate Cover:

I hope you liked it!

Rhomy

Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3)

ALLEGIANT (Divergent #3)

by Veronica Roth

Genre: YA Dystopia

BLURB:

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. 

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. 

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent

MY THOUGHTS:

What can I say of Allegiant?

After reading it, it took me long enough to write my review. I had so many mixed feelings so I had to process it.

I so wanted to love it! :( I really did.

No happy dance, no excitement. NOTHING, NADA,NICHTS, NIENTE!

I gave it 3 stars because this was (until Allegiant) one of my favorite series ever. Honestly it felt like reading something entirely different.

Veronica's writing is always impeccable and entertaining but this time it had so many plot holes or silly reasons for what happened that I thought WTF?!?!?! at least once every 2 pages.

The characters lost their personalities somewhere between Insurgent and Allegiant. For example, Four became a pouty-insecure-silly-baby. I mean, we are talking about FOUR, the guy with only 4 fears and that was so obsessive or in control of them that kept facing them with the serum over and over and here it's a different person.

Tris was ok, even a little braver. 

Caleb lost his opportunity to redeem himself.

The new addittions were not important at all.

Going over the fence was a nice twist but what was outside was the most cliche thing ever! I was not expecting that of a skilled author as Roth.

The end, was not bittersweet. It was sad and rushed IMHO and I disagree with what happened because if you want to pull that off there has to be a MAJOR reason to do it. Like, giving meaning to all the story. You don't do that unless you totally need to. And here there was no freaking reason for it. I think maybe the author wanted to cause some shock or whatever.  

AND NOW IT'S THE MOMENT WHERE THE SPOILERS WILL START SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK, STOP HERE. (of course, I think by now everyone knows what happens but just in case)

When I was talking about the fence thing, and I said it was a cliché... I mean, seriously? the U.S government and a genetic experiment? SERIOUSLY?????????????????????????????????????????? Creating such an incredible and complex world in books 1 and 2 to blame it on the government...and make it like a low quality Truman show...

JUST.NO.

I'm not a sympathizer, I don't even live in the U.S but everything has to be solved blaming genetics and the government? It's so low. It was the easy way. It changed everything. The author could have made Tris queen of the divergents and make her have the faction's serum for breakfast while dancing in a hula skirt and it would have been more realistic. No. No. No.

And regarding Tris, you don't kill a main character just because it happened to be someone with a gun in the same room as her. Again NO.NO.NO! You just don't. You kill a main character only when it's strictly necessary. Take J.K Rowling's example. As much as that end made me sad, it was understandable. Here, Tris died for NOTHING. 

Oh! And one more thing! David killed Tris and as then his memory was erased... nothing happened to him... WTF???

And don't make me start with my thoughts about the fact that Evelyn stopped the war she was planning since forever, because her son who hated her until 2 days before, decided to go tell her how much he loved her eventhough she spent her whole life neglecting him. 

Oh well, anyway, I think Veronica Roth is a great writer and I'm sad I didn't like this one.

I hope you liked it,

Rhomy

The Earth Dwellers: Spotlight, Giveaway AND FREE EBOOK

 

Your favorite Dwellers and Country Saga characters come together in this epic seventh book!

As President Borg Lecter threatens to annihilate the Country tribes in order to expand his glass-domed empire, Adele ventures into the belly of the beast. Her only hope of survival is the consolidation of Dwellers and Country power before it’s too late. Former demagogue President Nailin is eliminated, yet civil unrest infects every alliance. To save Adele, President Tristan faces his greatest challenge yet: unifying unfriendly Dwellers in the Tri-Realms to raise an army against Lecter. Meanwhile, Dazz must convince the Ice Country leaders to march with Siena and the Tri-Tribes on the gates of the Glass City. The world sits on the edge of a knife. Will Adele, Tristan, Dazz, and Siena defeat Lecter and his army of killers before the Glassies wipe them off the face of the Earth?

See where it all begun with The Moon Dwellers and Fire Country

To celebrate the release of The Earth Dwellers by David Estes, the fourth book in both The Dwellers series and Country Saga, David is giving away UNLIMITED free eCopies of Fire Country, book one in the post apocalyptic, dystopian, Country Saga. A little over a year ago, David published his first young adult dystopian series, The Dwellers, and it has changed his life forever. Since then, he’s gone from struggling Indie author to fulltime writer, he’s watched in amazement as his Goodreads fan group has swelled from 300 members to over 1,600, and growing. He's been featured on Buzzfeed, as one of the '15 Book Series To Read If You Enjoyed The Hunger Games', and has just signed on to Andrea Hurst and Associates literary agency. Andrea will we working with David to expand both the Dwellers and Country Saga, taking David's career to a whole new level.

So before the two series collide in The Earth Dwellers, grab the coupon code below and download your eCopy of Fire Country from Smashwords. Share the code with your family, friends and literary inclined pets. The only thing David asks for in return is that if you enjoy the read and continue on with the series, to please leave a positive review on Amazon.com, Goodreads and blogs for each of his books that you read.

 

Visit: Smashwords

Simply use the coupon code: WM49N and download your FREE eCopy.

Expiration Date: September 15, 2013

 

The Earth Dwellers will cap off an eighteen month journey that has taken me from unknown Indie author to still-mostly-unknown fulltime Indie author. The change is a subtle one for most people, but for me it’s a dream come true. To the hundreds (and now maybe even thousands!) of readers who have come along for the ride with me, either by reading the Dwellers Saga, the Country Saga, or both, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now down to business. There may be some of you who have only read the three books in the Country Saga or only the three books in the Dwellers Saga, and are now thinking you’ll read The Earth Dwellers, which is supposedly the 4th book in BOTH the Country Saga and the Dwellers Saga. Well, that’s awesome! However, I must highly recommend that before reading The Earth Dwellers that you read the three books in BOTH series. Trust me, doing so will greatly enhance your experience, as The Earth Dwellers will be taking significant characters from both series and crashing them together (yes, like a water country wave) into an action-packed tale of struggle and loss and hope and friendship… And maybe a little love, too.

The Country Saga

Fire Country  Ice Country  Water & Storm Country

The Dwellers Series 
The Moon Dwellers  The Star Dwellers  The Sun Dwellers

 

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David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife and soul mate, Adele, who he’s now been happily married to for more than two years.

A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and has completed 13 novels, 11 of which have been published.  In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now travelling the world with his wife while he writes books, and she writes and takes photographs.

David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes! Recently he’s been inspired by some of his favorite authors, like Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and Maggie Stiefvater.

David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.  He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.

Where you can find David Estes hanging out:

David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite

Blog/website Facebook page Goodreads author page Twitter

Other Young Adult Books by David Estes:

The Evolution Trilogy: Angel Evolution   Demon Evolution   Archangel Evolution

Children’s Books by David Estes:

The Nikki Powergloves Adventures: Nikki Powergloves- A Hero is Born    Nikki Powergloves and the Power Council    Nikki Powergloves and the Power Trappers    Nikki Powergloves and the Great Adventure   Nikki Powergloves vs. the Power Outlaws (Coming soon!)