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Book Review : Blood Coven Vampires (#1 - #3) by Mari Mancusi

Book Review : Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Product Details:

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, April 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847388051
• ISBN-13: 9781847388056
• List Price: £6.99

At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago , everyone knows that south-siders mixing with north-siders can be explosive. So when Brittany Ellis and Alejandro “Alex” Fuentes are forced to be lab partners in chemistry class, this human experiment leads to unexpected revelations – that Brittany ’s flawless reputation is a cover for her troubled home life, that Alex’s bad-boy persona hides his desire to break free from gang ties, and that when they’re together, life somehow makes more sense. Breaking through the stereotypes and expectations that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart, Perfect Chemistry takes readers to both sides of the tracks in a passionate love story about looking beneath the surface. {Read more about Perfect Chemistry.}

Falling in love has never been so beautiful...Simone Elkeles has created a romantic love story between two teenagers who are so different, yet so similar in Perfect Chemistry.

Brittany Ellis has it all - she's beautiful, rich, and has a gorgeous boyfriend. But appearances can be deceiving. Underneath her glorious, perfect facade, she is burdened by the strict demands of her mother and she has to prevent her parents from sending her disabled sister, Shelley away.

Alejandro (Alex) Fuentes is a gangster from the Latino Blood. His sole aim of joining the gang is to protect his family. But deep down, he wants to get out from the gang and be successful in life.

Two people who are at opposite sides of the world are brought together in a Chemistry class. At first, there is only hatred for each other. But as they start to understand each other deeper, a mutual bond forms between them. Will Alex follow the steps of his late father on a journey with no return? Is Brittany willing to reveal her deepest secrets to Alex? Will they be together at last? You'll have to read this book to find out!

I love this book! It's so good that I can't stop reading it! In my opinion, the relationship between Alex and Brittany is very well-written. It's very plausible, and the teenage angst instilled is in a suitable amount. Each chapter is told from alternating point of views - Alex's and Brittany's. This enables readers to judge the characters' situations based on both their perspectives and get a more exact idea of their different ways of thinking and lifestyles. Both narrators are quite good, but sometimes it's hard for me to understand what Alex is speaking because I don't understand Spanish.

Although this book is mainly about the romance between Alex and Brittany, it actually tells us that we cannot judge a book by its cover, nor a person by his or her appearance. It also reflects the various social issues that exist in our society, such as drug abuse and gangsterism.

One good thing I noticed about this book is that Simone never try to impress readers with flowery writing. She uses her words as a medium to express her ideas in a clever and honest way --- and look, she has done it so brilliantly in Perfect Chemistry! The epilogue of this story will leave readers smiling in delight. I never expected that to happen!

As a conclusion, I'm in love with this book and the characters. I'd definitely give it 5 stars! The mere thought of Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2) fills me with excitement and anticipation!

*Please note that there are adult contents, gangsterism and profanity in this book. I suggest parental guidance for children under 16 years of age.

Rating:

I want to thank Kathryn from Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a paperback copy of Perfect Chemistry for this review! Thank you so much, Kathryn!

Meet Simone Elkeles

Simone was raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign where she earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and then Loyola University-Chicago where she earned a Master’s of Science in Industrial Relations while working for a manufacturing company creating diversity programs for their employees. In her spare time she’s a hockey mom and an active Girl Scout leader specially trained in outdoor education. She also spends time mentoring other teen and adult authors.

Buy Perfect Chemistry (paperback) at:

Simon and Schuster UK / The Book Depository

Links:
Simone Elkeles' Website
Perfect Chemistry Website

Book Review : The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312555113
• ISBN-13: 978-0312555115

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. That is, without questioning them much - if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle - who already has six wives - Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.

This book is simply amazing! I've not read a book with such a plausible, realistic storyline and gripping characters for quite some time. The Chosen One tells the story of a 13-year-old girl who lives in an isolated place where the community practices polygamy. Kyra's love for books other than the Bible makes her feel sinful as the Prophet Childs says that those are the words of the devil.

When the prophet proclaims that he has a vision from God, Kyra's life is about to change drastically, and her fate is sealed once and for all, because she has been "chosen" to marry her 60-year-old uncle, and to become his seventh wife in less than a month.

Being a strong-willed and determined young girl, Kyra resists this marriage and thinks about the possibilities of getting a taste of freedom by trying to escape. Will she succeed in escaping the religious cult that has been controlling her ever since she was born?

Kyra is a wonderful character and I really admire her courage and willpower. She is the perfect protagonist for The Chosen One. She has to make a difficult choice : to stay with her family and wed her abusive uncle, or pursue freedom with the possibility of facing a death sentence.

This book brings up a few social issues which are worthy to be discussed about. First of all, there is this personal freedom issue. Doesn't everyone deserves the freedom of choosing whom to marry and how they should live their lives? It is extremely unfair for the girls in Kyra's community to be coerced to marry old men and become "baby-making machines" and sex-slaves of their husbands. Any girl who tries to defy a marriage instructed by the Prophet will be mercilessly beaten up or killed with a rifle gun.

Each of us know that religions are meant to teach us to be good and virtuous. However, in this story, Prophet Childs uses his authority and social rank to rule over The Chosen Ones. He feeds himself with power by making others' lives hard in God's name. He always ends every word of his own by saying, " This is God's will."

Another thing is, the people in the community has little knowledge of what is happening around them as Prophet Childs has already banned all kinds of reading materials except the Bible. I believe this enables the prophet to remain in control of the whole society effortlessly and maintain his holiness. How can one who seeks power, money and fame by exploiting God's name be a prophet?

Kyra's heartbreaking account made me sad, angry and sympathetic at the same time. I cried for her tragic experiences and personal loss. My heart was literary in my throat when Kyra is hunted down by the God Squad. I'm in awe by her extraordinary valor and inner strength.

In a few words, The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams is a remarkable, thought-provoking and gripping novel. No one should ever miss this book.

Rating:

My deepest gratitude to Kathryn from Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a paperback copy of The Chosen One for this review! Thank you, Kathryn!

Carol Lynch Williams grew up in Florida but now lives in Utah with her husband and seven children. She has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and helped develop the conference on Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers at Brigham Young University.

Buy The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (paperback) at:
Simon & Schuster UK :: The Book Depository

Book Review : The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (August 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373210132
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210138

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

I had high expectations for this book even before I started reading it due to its brilliant debut. I wasn't the least bit disappointed with The Iron Daughter. It was as good as The Iron King, if not better. They story has a powerful and thrilling plot which brings readers on a journey to retrieve the Scepter of Seasons which was stolen by a new kind of Faery called The Iron Fey.

The beginning of the story started with Meghan staying in Tir Na Nog, the Winter Court, where Queen Mab is the monarch. She feels bad because of the incessant chill, but she feels even worse by Prince Ash's sudden change of behaviour --- he becomes distant, cold and cruel.

His eyes glittered as he shot me a glare of pure loathing. "It's Master Ash, or Your Highness to you, half-breed. And I don't recall giving you permission to speak to me. Remember that, because the next time you forget your place, I'll remind you with my blade." --- Ash, page 28

Meghan can't go home, and her father, King Oberon has no way to free her because she is there on a contract of her own free will. When some Iron Fey lead by Tertius steals the Scepter of Seasons and murders the crown prince of the Winter Court, Sage, Queen Mab is furious and she accuses Oberon of doing the act of crime. A war is about to start... and Meghan is going to do anything to stop it from happening.

I love Julie's hauntingly beautiful description of the scenery of Faeryland. She manages to create a place where beauty and danger coexists. Julie's exquisite literary prose is one of the reasons which makes this book stand out from the sea of other novels in the fantasy genre. Her words made me delve into the Fey world with ease, following Meghan and her friends on their exciting and dangerous adventure.

In this novel, Meghan turns to Puck for company due to Ash's absence and cold demeanor. She finds that she actually has some feelings for Puck as well, but not as intense as the love she had for Ash. On the contrary, Puck is the one who pours out all his love and attention on his Princess, always there to support Meghan whenever she needs him, ever so protective of her.

"You're kind of blind, you know?" Puck whispered, smiling to soften his words. "I wouldn't defy Oberon for just anyone. But, for you..." He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. "I'd come back from the dead for you."--- Puck, pg 123

The story is divided into 3 parts. The one who stole the scepter was revealed in the end of Part 2, but there is no further information about the new (and fake) Iron King. How will the love triangle between Puck, Meghan and Ash ends? When the time comes, who will Meghan choose? Is it the mischievous, caring and reliable Puck, or the cold, quiet and passionate Ash?

In the nutshell, The Iron Daughter is awesome! I can proudly announce that I'm now a great fan of Julie Kagawa. You should never miss The Iron Fey Series! I really can't wait to read the third book! *Beams with delight!*

Rating:

Thanks to Lisa Wray from Harlequin Enterprises Limited (CA) for sending me an ARC copy of The Iron Daughter! Thank you so much, Lisa!

Read my review for The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

Book Review : Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Product details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, March 2010
• ISBN-10: 1847389082
• ISBN-13: 9781847389084
• Ages: 12 and up
  

"Special Circumstances":

The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

"Specials"...special as the word sounds, it is actually a term used to acknowledge a unique kind of people who are created to aid the Special Circumstances in keeping the pretties stupid, and the uglies out of trouble.

Tally Youngblood is now a Cutter (a special type of Special), and her brain has been altered to capture the slightest imperfection in others. Being a cutter, Tally enjoys the privileges of changing her appearance as she like. However, she is now very sensitive towards the frailties of human nature and cringes at the very sight of Zane's trembling hands. At last, she decides to listen to Shay's order to carry out a seemingly impossible mission and secretly help Zane to become a Special. The one thing that she doesn't know is that the consequences of her reckless actions will endanger otherrs... and maybe lead to their doom.

This book makes a good ending to the Uglies trilogy. It is not a really happy ending, but I enjoyed it fairly well. Even though Tally is now a Special, she still has to go through the many events that are similar to real-life happenings, such as love, life and death of someone close as she chooses the path that leads her to her future. You will discover that peace is one thing which is hard to obtain and hard to maintain. It can only be reached if two opposing forces are willing to make a pact and tolerate one another. In Specials, humanity is brought to a new level with the help of Tally and her friends, and is given a fresh start.

The author delivers a few messages regarding human nature and teenage issues via this book. First of all, there is this "humanity is a cancer" thing. In the book, humans destroyed their own kind because of their selfishness and greed about three centuries ago. This is to enlighten readers about the problems in nature that have arisen nowadays. Secondly, there is this pretty-ugly contrast which reveals the fact that the current society has a tendency to judge people by their appearance over their hearts, admiring the ones who seem pretty and gorgeous and loathing the idea of ugliness. I was horrified when I read the part where Tally and her fellow Cutters practice self-mutilation by cutting their arms with a knife to achieve an "icy" feeling. This is one of the teenage issues in our society. Some teenagers will intentionally injure their body without suicidal intent. Basically, this is caused by mental illness, psychological factors or the effects of drugs. I believe Scott includes these issues so that we can have a better view of some of the atrocious things that some people actually do.

In a nutshell, I'm satisfied with Specials, and I will recommend it to fans of Uglies and Pretties. Even though I have heard some negative comments about Specials, I still enjoyed it nonetheless because the middle part to the ending was really good and fast-paced, despite the flaws that are found at the beginning at the novel. Specials managed to reach my expectations, and I hope to read more books by Scott Westerfeld in the future.

Rating:

My deepest gratitude to Kathryn from Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a paperback copy of Specials for this review! Thank you, Kathryn!

Scott Westerfeld was born in Texas, and received a BA in philosophy from Vassar in 1985. He splits his time between New York City and Sydney, Australia. He is the author of Midnighters, Uglies, So Yesterday and Peeps. You can visit Scott Westerfeld's website to know more about him.

Buy Specials (paperback) at:
Simon & Schuster UK :: The Book Depository

Visit the Uglies Fansite
Follow Scott on Twitter

Book Review : The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

THE IRON KING by Julie Kagawa

Product Details:

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373210086
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210084
  

MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY— ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I have nothing bad to say about this book, really. The Iron King was fantastic! I love Julie's writing style, and I mean it when I say the front part of the book spooked my out. Meghan was a nice, well-liked character, and I was really amazed at how far she was willing to go to get her [kidnapped] half-brother back. She exuded intelligence and unswerving determination even though she had to face various obstacles on her journey to the magical realm to save her brother.

The Iron King is not a book about cute and adorable faeries. In the fey world, Meghan learned that most fey are abominable and that nothing is free. When you request for a help, you must know that you have to return the favour some day.

I thought that the cait sith, Grimilkin was an interesting character. He was earnest in helping Meghan to find Puck in exchange for a small favour, but only when he met Oberon, the King of the Summer Court did I realize that he was actually aiming for Oberon because he knew that Meghan was the daughter of Oberon. However, I don't think he was a bad character. He was just mysterious, elusive and calculative.

Meghan's relationship with her fey-friend Puck a.k.a. Robbin Goodfellow and love interest Ash a.k.a. the third prince of the Winter Court is one of the major aspects in this book. While I was glad that Puck's mischievous, caring and supporting character provided fun and comfort for Meghan, I was even touched by Ash's willingness to trade his life for Meghan's in The Iron King's fortress, even though he did it in the name of his contract with her. I somehow figured out that he was in love with Meghan, and I was hoping he would have a happy ending with Meghan in the future, despite the serious affection that Puck, his sworn-enemy, obviously had for her.

Thumbs up for the great plot! The author inserted a lot of twists and turns throughout the story and it kept me interested the whole time. Each chapter ends with a clue of what is going to happen next or a last line that will will implore readers to read more, regardless of the time. The writing has a constant flow that will make you read with ease and excitement. As the plot builds, you will find yourself entranced by the beauty and danger of the Fey world.

Overall, The Iron King is a wonderful, fascinating depiction of the Fey world through the eyes of a half-fey. Julie presents a strong, solid opening with The Iron King, and I'll definitely be reading The Iron Daughter to see what will Julie present in this second book of the The Iron Fey trilogy.

Rating:

Thanks to Chris Fontes for presenting me with a paperback copy of The Iron King! Thank you so much, Chris!

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

The Iron King is now available!

Book Review : Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Product details

• Paperback: 384 pages
  
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, March 2010
• ISBN-10: 1847389074
• ISBN-13: 9781847389077
• Ages: 12 and up

Tally has finally become 'pretty'. Her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are cool, her boyfriend's gorgeous, 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 feeling that something's wrong. Something important. And sure enough, when a message from Tally's 'ugly' past arrives, the fun stops cold. Now Tally has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life...

In Pretties, Tally is back with a brand new look, and a brand new brain. But despite having all the luxuries and fun a pretty can ever wanted, Tally is not content with her current situation. She senses that something is not right, and when someone she recognizes from the Old Smoke comes to her with a message, she starts to find the way to regain her lost memories.

Let's talk about the good things first. I loved the adventures that Tally went through in Pretties. I admired her spunk and courage. Scott had created a fabulous sequel to Uglies. Tally's escape from the New Pretty Town was very dangerous, but exciting at the same time. Pretties is full of unexpected twists and turns, which left me in awe of the author's creativity in writing.

Tally's life seems to be more complicated now. She is involved in a love triangle, with two charming princes --- one pretty (Zane) , and one ugly (David). Tally is not sure whom she loves more, but when the time comes and she has to pick someone, who will she choose? I'm sure readers will have a mix feeling for Tally's temperament, just as I do. Sometimes, I like her while the other times I don't.

"He turned to face her again, his late-pretty composure crumbling. "But you're..."

"Pretty? Think again." She smiled. "I'm Tally Youngbood. My mind is very ugly. And I'm taking your car."

On the other hand, I pity Shay, Tally's ex-best friend. She was once a good person, but she had now turned to a darker side because she wanted to seek vengeance on Tally's previous betrayal. Sometimes, the inability of forgiving others' wrongdoings will only burden oneself with never-ending hatred.

"YOU are like that, Tally. You have ALWAYS been like that! No cure is going to make you any different--you were busy betraying people a long time ago. You didn't need any operation to make you selfish and shallow and full of yourself. YOU ALREADY WERE."

Personally, I think Scott had other intentions when he explained the life of the 'Rusties' in this book. He reflected the damages that was caused by the human race towards nature which finally lead to their own doom. A new minor character called Andrew Simpson Smith (Tally's guide to the New Smoke) was introduced in Pretties. He wanted to kill the 'outsiders' who caused his father's death. Whenever I think of this, I wonder if it is better for the people in New Pretty Town to remain pretty-minded and be forever protected from the harshness and violence of reality?

Then she remembered Dr.Cable's words. Humanity is a cancer, and we are the cure.

I noticed that the author used the names of famous Egyptian beauties to name the places in the Uglies and Pretties, such as Cleopatra Park and Nefertiti Stadium. I wonder if any of Scott's fans notice about this? What does it actually imply?

Even though Pretties is full of adventure and the ending is a perfect cliffhanger, I still have to comment on some petty little things that I disliked while reading the first 3o+ pages of the book. The words 'bubbly' and 'bogus' seems to have a constant appearance in the first 3o+ pages, that is, about 12 times each. It bothered me a little to read the words again and again, but still, that's not a big problem.

Overall, I think Pretties is an enjoyable and interesting read. If you have read (and liked or loved) Uglies, you might want to check this book out. I'm looking forward to read the third book in the series, Specials, as I'm anxious to know what will happen to Tally next!

Rating:

My deepest gratitude to Kathryn from Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a paperback copy of Pretties for this review! Thank you, Kathryn!

Scott Westerfeld was born in Texas, and received a BA in philosophy from Vassar in 1985. He splits his time between New York City and Sydney, Australia. He is the author of Midnighters, Uglies, So Yesterday and Peeps. You can visit Scott Westerfeld's website to know more about him.

Buy Pretties (paperback) at:
Simon & Schuster UK :: The Book Depository

Visit the Uglies Fansite
Follow Scott on Twitter