Mini-Reviews: Radiant and Origins: The Fire

Radiant
Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly, #2.5
Release Date: December 4th, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Number of Pages: 94
Source: Bought
Rating: 3 stars

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .


For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

Admittedly, I probably should have read this before I started Boundless, considering the fact that the mystery behind Phen, what the visions represent, who the man is, etc, is all shattered, but even knowing those valuable pieces of information that practically ruined the mysterious aspect of Radiant for me, I still found this to be enjoyable.

Radiant takes place shortly after the events of Hallowed, with Angela and Clara in Italy for the summer. In Italy, Angela is reunited with a boyfriend of sorts from years earlier, and begins to spark her relationship with him once again. However, Clara feels that there is something off with Angela's boyfriend - Phen - and she may just be right in feeling that.

I find Angela to be one of the most fascinating characters in the Unearthly trilogy, so having an opportunity to get inside her head in Radiant was definitely an intriguing topic. While I am a bit dismayed to say that being in Angela's head for as such a short amount of pages was not as fascinating or interesting as I had expected it to be, I still had a fun time being in Angela's head, though I would have liked it to differ more drastically from being in Clara's, as the point of views changed every chapter.

There's not much more to say about Radiant that I haven't already said so far, so I'm going to leave this review short and sweet, just like the book. Highly recommended to be read before Boundless, or just not at all, I found Radiant to be a quick, somewhat entertaining yet overall enjoyable read, albeit a bit of a filler novella. Whether or not you'd like to read this is obviously up to you, and while I'd definitely recommend it, I wouldn't say it is in any way a necessity to understand any events in Boundless.

Origins: The Fire

Debra Driza

Series: MILA 2.0, #0.5

Release Date: January 8th, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

Number of Pages: 15

Source: Bought

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heart-stopping and electric, MILA 2.0: Origins: The Fire contains a short prequel story and an excerpt to MILA 2.0, the first book in a riveting Bourne Identity–style trilogy by Debra Driza.

Mila can't remember anything before the fire that took her father's life. It's normal to have some memory loss after traumatic events, but Mila doesn't remember if she's ever learned to ride a bike, or if she's ever been in love. Nothing.

What she doesn't know is that she isn't supposed to remember—that she was built in a computer science lab and programmed to forget. Because if she remembers, she might discover her true identity.

The question is: If she relived the fire, what would she see?

Huh! Well, color me surprised! I was expecting very little from this fifteen-page novella, but it was actually pretty impressive! This mini-review probably won't even be a paragraph, more like a mini-mini-review, but, once again, this was a very impressive novella considering its length. It showcased some strong writing, some near-nail-biting moments, and an interesting little twist that probably won't be a surprising one for you if you know the basic plot of MILA 2.0, but now I am going into MILA 2.0 with much higher expectations than before. I should be starting MILA soon, and I am definitely looking forward to it more, now. 

Waiting on Wednesday (January 30)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post upcoming releases we're highly anticipating. My pre-publication selection for this week's Waiting on Wednesday is Transparent by Natalie Whipple.

 Transparent

Natalie Whipple

Series: Unknown

Release Date: May 1st, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

Number of Pages: 352

Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

If Edelweiss is reading this post, and I haven't gotten a response yet: hey there. I see you haven't responded to my request yet. Well, just so you know, I'm dying to read Transparency - it sounds like such a fun and original read, and anything pitched as X-Men meets The Godfather is something I need desperately. So, Edelweiss, if you haven't responded to my request yet and/or you are thinking about whether to accept me or not, I want to read this one quite a bit. Just putting that out there.

And my dogs think I'm awesome, if that helps make your decision easier. 

What are you waiting on?

 Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Most Frustrating Characters Ever

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where each week we're given a new topic and give ten book examples about that topic. Today's topic is the Top Ten Most Frustrating Characters Ever.

This is my first Top Ten Tuesday post ever, but me, being the overall negative person I am, just had to take part in this one, the topic being the Ten Most Frustrating Characters Ever. *rubs hands together* This ought'a be interesting. (entries are in no particular order)

Today's Releases (January 29)

 

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook

  

What the Spell? by Brittany Geragotelis

Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel

'Til The World Ends by Julie Kagawa (et al)

  

Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Sheperd

Shadowhunters and Downworlders by Cassandra Clare (et al)

  

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda

Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster

Othermoon by Nina Berry

  

The Voice by Jennifer Anne Davis

The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso

Whoaaaa, there. Holy release day, once again! There aren't too many of today's releases that I'll be buying, but I do plan on reading Legend really soon (like, a few more days soon), and I've heard that Prodigy is so much better, so I'm looking forward to read that quite a bit, and I also plan on reading Incarnate at some point, considering the sequel is now released. A few months ago I would have jumped on Nobody But Us, but reviews from friends of mine have rolled in that make me want to avoid that one like the plague. I also really need to get started on Angelfire trilogy,  because I've heard amazing things, and what better time to start it than now, now that the entire trilogy is released! The Madman's Daughter is awesome, just thought I'd let you know. *nudges* I'll definitely be buying myself a copy of that one to own, and everything else sounds really good, too! Which of today's releases (or series, since many of them are second and third installments) will you be getting? Let me know in the comments, and happy reading!

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed
Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly, #2
Release Date: January 17th, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Number of Pages: 403
Source: Bought
Rating: 4.5 stars

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

This review is spoiler-free for both Unearthly and Hallowed.

There's something hauntingly beautiful and deeply lingering about this trilogy. It's not something I am able to easily put my finger on, but between Hand's dazzling writing style, the wonderfully developed characters and relationships, and the often creepy and incredibly interesting plot and (admittedly predictable) mystery  alongside them, there is something irrevocably gorgeous about this novel.

It's no huge secret that most people, including me, have started this trilogy to see what all the hype was about Christian and Tucker. Those two boys, however, are not the main reason I've continued, and will undoubtedly finish, this trilogy. Would I like to see which of the two Clara ends up choosing? Absolutely. One of the most remarkable things about this trilogy is that the love triangle's outcome can go either way, and no option is blatantly obvious. But it's the remarkable relationship development between the characters, and the strong sense of the importance of family and the bonds that hold family together that have me coming back for more.

Giveaway: Pulse by Patrick Carman

Recently I read Pulse, and, unfortunately, I wasn't a huge fan of it, but looking at most of the reviews on Goodreads so far, it seems that most people really like it, so I figured I'd give my ARC away here, hopefully to someone who will enjoy it more than me.

**Unlike most of my giveaways, this giveaway is US/Canada only. My apologies to readers outside the US and Canada, but the Top Cuddles of 2012 Giveaway Hop really put a dent in my wallet, and I don't have sufficient funds right now to ship internationally.

From New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman, a teen fantasy-adventure of epic proportions. In 2051, some teens have a “pulse,” the power to move objects with their minds. Compulsively readable, with thrilling action scenes and a tender love story.

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to all who enter, and I hope you enjoy it if you win!

Showcase Sunday (25)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicki at Books, Biscuits, and Tea, where we showcase what books we've gotten over the course of the week, whether it be from a book store, bought for your eReader, received from the library, or from the publishers for review.

For Review:

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal

Bought:

  

Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Really satisfied with this week's haul - Far Far Away sounds really good, and I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings, so I'm definitely interested in that one, and I also really like the cover. And onto the books I bought this week: *is excited* Right now I'm reading (barely started, really) Boundless, but I will probably have it finished by tomorrow because I need to know who she chooses (though I'm 99% sure I know who she will choose), and my review of Hallowed, the second book in the trilogy, will hopefully be posted tomorrow, if I somehow manage to get my emotions in check and onto the computer. I also can't wait to start Everbound, as I hear it is much more action packed than Everneath, and apparently there's a huge, evil, and surprising cliffhanger at the end that I'm just dying to read. The Archived also sounds great, and has gotten great reviews so far, so I look forward to reading it! Apparently it's a bit slow throughout the first half, though, so I'll go in a bit warily. 

What did you get this week? 

Leave a comment letting me know!

Review: Pulse by Patrick Carman

Pulse
Patrick Carman
Series: Pulse, #1
Release Date: February 26th, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Number of Pages: 384
Source: Patrick Carman - thank you!
Rating: 1.5 stars

From New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman, a teen fantasy-adventure of epic proportions. In 2051, some teens have a “pulse,” the power to move objects with their minds. Compulsively readable, with thrilling action scenes and a tender love story.

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.

Warning: Mild spoilers ahead

After finishing and forming my own - and mostly negative - opinions about Pulse, I'd decided to flip back to the first few pages of my ARC and read some of the advance praise quotes it had gotten so far, and see how vastly those opinions differed from mine, and more importantly if I found them to just be the basic difference in opinions, which I will always accept, or something I find to be completely and utterly false, which I have a not-as-easy time accepting.

After going through some of the advance praise for Pulse, I'm disappointed to say that most of the praise falls not into the 'difference in opinion' category, but more of the 'false' category. Clearly, there is is a difference in opinion considering these people enjoyed Pulse and I, for the most part, didn't, but some of the things these sources come up with about Pulse only leave me baffled, examples below:

Pulse is full of action, heart-pounding adventure, great characters and relationships. Your pulse will quicken with each and every page of this creative and unique look at the future.

I only find one thing in that entire statement above to be true, and that one thing is that Pulse is a creative and unique look at the future. Is it well-thought out and explained? No, not at all. But the concept of telekinesis in a dystopian world is one I've never come across in young adult, so I give the latter part of that last sentence my seal of approval. It's everything before that sentence, however, that leaves me wondering if I received a correct copy of this book. If I were to rewrite the above statement, and in doing so make it play more fair to the book's content, it would be something similar to this:

Pulse is full of action in the last quarter of so, almost non-existent adventure (unless you consider moving cups with your mind adventure), poor and mostly unlikable and under-developed characters and extremely unhealthy relationships. Your pulse will do nothing with each and every page - and this sentence is only here for the sole purpose of using the word 'pulse' in a blurb for Pulse - of this creative and unique look at the future.

Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Just One Day
Gayle Forman
Series: Just One Day, #1
Release Date: January 8th, 2013
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile 
Number of Pages: 368
Source: Bought
Rating: 4.5 stars

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

Quite a few months ago, in my early reviewing days, when I was just a new face in the world of reviewing and book blogging, I read a book called Die for Me. Although it had an interesting and original premise (which, ultimately, was revealed to be poorly executed), a pretty cover, and some mixed to positive reviews from friends of mine, the main reason I really wanted to read Die for Me was because it took place in Paris, and I'd hoped that the author would take advantage of such a wonderful and rich setting. Unfortunately, the most background of Paris the author provided us readers with in Die for Me was the Metro and a few coffee shops. Maybe a lake or two. Some really great details of Paris in that book, you guys.

Since then, I've been wary of books taking place in Paris. Until, however, Just One Day appeared on my feed. Written by an incredibly hyped author and receiving rave early reviews, I figured that Forman could do no wrong with the beautiful Paris.

And I was right.

What's Next? (3)

What's Next? is a weekly meme hosted by Icey Books where we post some of the books we plan on reading soon, and, in the comments, have our readers tell us which book they think we should read next! 

Which of the below books should I read next?  

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous-it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

So, people... what do you think I should read next? You've got a tough decision, if you ask me.  

Waiting on Wednesday (January 23)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post upcoming releases we're highly anticipating. My pre-publication selection for this week's Waiting on Wednesday is Reboot by Amy Tintera.

  Reboot

Amy Tintera

Series: Reboot, #1

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

Number of Pages: 352

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

This one has been on my radar ever since its cover reveal: the concept of someone being resurrected as practically super-humans/human-robots (robots, Reboots...) is so fascinating and not to mention original, whereas many if not most authors would go down the much treaded road of becoming a zombie of sorts through resurrection, or an evil version of your former self, etc. (Not complaining about those books, though, either. The world needs more YA resurrection novels!) The sentence, "[...] she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum." scares me just a little bit, and I'll be crossing my fingers for a lack of insta-love, but that last sentence is so badass and intriguing I forgive the sentence prior to it. I want in. 

What are you waiting on?

 Let me know in the comments!

Today's Releases (January 22)

  

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Boundless by Cynthia Hand

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

  

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Cinders and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Ever After by Kim Harrison

  

The Last Apprentice: Slither by Joseph Delaney

Double Crossed by Ally Carter

Be Mine by Jennifer Crusie, Victoria Dahl, and Shannon Stacey

Ouch, my wallet! All three of today's releases that I've bought are in the top row: Everbound, Boundless, and The Archived, and while three books may seem like a low considering the amount of books I bought two weeks ago, those three books were pretty damn expensive. But I think the worst part is that I don't know which book I want to read first. I really want to get to Everbound, because I've been assured by many that I will like it much, much more than I liked Everneath, so I'm actually pretty excited; but I also really want to get to Everbound first because I want to avoid the inevitable spoilers  that will show up in my feed concerning who Clara chooses, and I also want to read The Archived first just because it sounds awesome. HELP ME DECIDE! Also, tell me which of today's releases you'll be buying, and happy reading!