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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 : 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

Book Review : Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Product Details

• Paperback: 479 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (December 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307718700
• ISBN-13: 978-0307718709

Beautiful Nefertiti and her sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised far from the court of their aunt, the Queen of Egypt. But when the Pharaoh of Egypt dies, their father’s power play makes Nefertiti wife to the new and impetuous king. It is hoped she will temper King Amunhotep’s desire to overturn Egypt’s religion, but the ambitious Nefertiti encourages Amunhotep’s outrageous plans instead, winning the adoration of the people while making powerful enemies at court. Younger yet more prudent, Mutnodjmet is her sister’s sole confidant, and only she knows to what lengths Nefertiti will go for a child to replace the son of Amunhotep’s first wife.

In Nefertiti, Michelle Moran has created a fascinating world of ancient Egypt which offers us a glimpse of life in that particular era, through the eyes of Mutnodjmet, Nefertiti's half sister. I can never rave enough about Michelle's superb writing skill and her talent to weave fact and fiction together seamlessly. I've been a great fan of Michelle's since I started reading Cleopatra's Daughter, which is mostly set in Rome.

Nefertiti is famous for her ethereal beauty and charm. She is portrayed as a cunning and ambitious Queen in this novel, and together with her husband Akhenaten, they demolished Egypt's gods and raise a new deity called Aten or the Sun God in their place.

Mutnodjmet is a likable character. She is a herbalist who has a caring heart and is content with a simple life. At first, she is dominated by her sister, but at last, she succeeds in finding her own true love - General Nakhtmin. I pity her when she suffers physically and emotionally because of the pain that is inflicted by others who meant harm.

Since the synopsis has given you some information about what is told in this story, I shall not talk about it further just in case I revealed some spoilers accidentally. I will only say that this book is awesome and should never be missed! Hurry and pick up a copy of Nefertiti and get swept on a thrilling ride into the world of ancient Egypt!

Rating:

Michelle Moran was born in the San Fernando Valley, CA. When she was accepted into Pomona College she took as many classes as possible in British Literature, particularly Milton, Chaucer, and the Bard. Following a summer in Israel where she worked as a volunteer archaeologist, she earned an MA from the Claremont Graduate University. A public high school teacher for six years, Michelle Moran is currently a full-time writer living in California with her husband. She is the author of Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, and Cleopatra's Daughter. Her fourth novel, Madame Tussaud, will debut in March 2011.

Read my review for The Heretic Queen :: Cleopatra's Daughter

Visit Michelle Moran's Official Website
Visit Michelle's blog

I love these covers!


Michelle's other books:
The Heretic Queen
Cleopatra's Daughter

Book Review : Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Product details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's (4 Mar 2010)
• ISBN-10: 1847389066
• ISBN-13: 978-1847389060
• Ages: 12 and up

Tally lives in a world where your sixteenth birthday brings aesthetic perfection: an operation which erases all your flaws, transforming you from an 'Ugly' into a 'Pretty'. She is on the eve of this important event, and cannot wait for her life to change. As well as guaranteeing supermodel looks, life as a Pretty seems to revolve around having a good time. But then she meets Shay, who is also fifteen - but with a very different outlook on life. Shay isn't sure she wants to be Pretty and plans to escape to a community in the forest - the Rusty Ruins - where Uglies go to escape ' turning'. Tally won't be persuaded to join her, as this would involve sacrificing everything she's ever wanted for a lot of uncertainty. When she is taken in for questioning on her birthday, however, Tally gets sent to the Ruins anyway - against her will. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she could ever imagine: find her friend Shay and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. What she discovers in the Ruins reveals that there is nothing 'pretty' about the transformations...And the choice Tally makes will change her world forever.

Nowadays, people spend a lot of time on their appearances, and are always fretting upon the slightest imperfections. Some even undergo plastic surgery so that they can appear more gorgeous and attractive. The vainness and frailties of humans resonate within this book which I'm going to review today, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.

Is becoming pretty a good thing?

At first, Tally was eager to get the operation, so that she could become a 'pretty', instead of her current 'ugly'. She yearned for others' admiration, attention and adoring glances. When her friend, Shay, decided to flee to a place called 'Smoke', she did not want to run away with her because she could not bear to lose her only chance of becoming pretty.

But she was coerced to go there anyway, to bring her friend back and to help the Special Circumstances abolish 'Smoke' once and for all. She was in a dilemma - should she betray her friend or remain as an 'ugly' forever?

I realized from this book that what you've been taught since young are not necessarily true, and all humans remain flawed no matter what they do. Scott has successfully created a highly-believable dystopian world in Uglies which addresses the various issues that a teenager may face in real life - peer pressure, appearance, lack of confidence and conformity. I think that it may be better if the government in Uglies can educate its people so that they can learn to differentiate between good and evil, rather than turning them into brain-damaged pretties with no ideas, wills and personalities of their own. Everyone deserves a fair treatment and personal freedom.

Uglies is exciting, refreshing and thought-provoking. It was such a pleasure reading it! I had never come upon a book with such a wonderful concept and theme. The ending of Uglies left me wondering what will come to pass in the next book, Pretties. I absolutely can't wait to read it!

"What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful" --- Scott Westerfeld, Uglies, 2005

Rating:

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

Other versions:

Visit the Uglies Fansite
Follow Scott on Twitter