The Bursting Bookshelf

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself.

Review:
I first saw this book when I was browsing the Harper Collins Catalogs, looking for new books to add to my ever growing collection. The cover is simply gorgeous and the summary set it apart from anything else I had heard of in a long time. I went in with very high hopes for the book and they were met with an amazingly deep book, something I wasn't expecting.

The characters in this book were extremely well crafted, they were deep with tons of background stories and well thought through. Eva's character was amazing. She gave me a ton to think about throughout the course of the entire book. Her life wasn't her own, her existence was dependent on Amarra, she could end her or completely change her life with a simple decision. When her life does get altered in a matter of days, Eva takes it in stride, not throwing a massive tantrum but still remaining appropriately upset about her life being turned upside down. Ray was interesting and well developed, really great with Eva and was able to make decisions for himself and not just to appease others. The rest of the characters were just as well developed, which was a very impressive feat considering just how many characters there were in the book. The story was also well developed, it went by with speed but it didn't feel too hasty. The writing was some of the best I've read in ages, it was highly descriptive with a great narrative voice.

I give The Lost Girl a 5/5 for being a thought provoking book that I simply adored. I'd recommend this book to teens looking for a paranormal read with a resoundingly deep message behind it. I know I'll be reading whatever else Sangu writes next.

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

Review:
I first heard about Kiersten White back in the early days of my blog. There was a lot of hype surrounding her debut book, Paranormalcy, and I bought it shortly after it was released. That was 2010, but now, in 2012, comes the end of the fantastic Paranormalcy series. With that said, I had quite high expectations for Endlessly and they were met and exceeded by this excellent book.

Purple: possibly the best color in the world. I love how the entire series looks altogether, side by side, with all the gorgeous dresses and backgrounds matching in theme. Though all the covers in the series are beautiful, this one might actually be my favorite of the series. The dress Evie is wearing is my favorite of the three dresses. The foreground also featured a few flowers in tones to match the shade of the dress. The clouds in the background and the way that Evie's hair is blowing to the side indicates a storm occurring which could be symbolic of the climax of the story of the trilogy.

Evie was as fantastic as always, she has this wit about her that made her one of the most entertaining protagonists in YA today. Her ability to bring humor to any situation, as well as being a fairly strong female protagonist is not something you come by everyday in YA books. She's also quite remarkable in the fact that I enjoyed reading in her point of view the entire time without ever getting frustrated with her decisions or attitude. Her relationships with the other characters, especially Lend and Reth, they all had a lot of dynamics with each other. Lend was the perfect guy for Evie, he valued their relationship and her opinions without being too judgmental. Reth was even more intriguing than he was in past books; a lot of the mystery that surrounded him was uncovered and he was a fairly complex character, amazingly so.

The story was chock full of happenings, the story never stopped moving and there was always things occurring. It was such a full plot, that one might even be able to complain that the book should have be longer to help accommodate all of the amazing events. The story was great and it ended in a perfectly crafted ending that gives the reader an opportunity to imagine what might happen next in Lend and Evie's future. The writing was just as phenomenal as it was in the previous two books: witty and action packed. Kiersten White  has a way with words that sets her apart from the crowd with amazing detail and precision. No matter what she writes next, I know I'll be reading it.

Altogether, this book was an amazing conclusion to the fantastic Paranormalcy trilogy. I'd recommend this series to anyone in need of a great paranormal read or wants to try out a great YA read. I give Endlessly a 5/5 for being a great conclusion to this series.

As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.

As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.(

Review:
After reading and loving Starcrossed, I was dying to read Dreamless. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of it, and I dove into as soon as I went on vacation and read it within a day. Unfortunately, I did not care for this one nearly as much as I did the first one, for a multitude of reasons.

Dreamless's cover followed the same theme as Starcrossed's. It had a cover model in a flowing dress, but you couldn't see her face again, making sure the reader thought about how Helen looked and didn't get an idea from the cover. Also on Dreamless's cover, 'hot colors' were featured (orange and purple with dark shadows) rather than the 'cool colors' that were on the cover of Starcrossed. The 'hot colors' symbolized the growing tension, suspense and danger featured in the sequel versus the 'cool colors' representing the lighter themes of Starcrossed. The font of the title was the same as with Starcrossed.

When it came to characters in Dreamless, I didn't enjoy many of them. To begin with the main characters, Helen didn't always think things through for the greater good, she also got very closed minded when it came to her romantic relationships, never thinking things through straight and only seeing when option when there were multiple. Lucas had the same flaws; he didn't know when to let a relationship go and to help with the greater good. He simply didn't seem to be the same character that was in Starcrossed, and I really didn't care for him in Dreamless. My favorite character of the book was the new one; Orion. He was brave and intelligent and willing to help Helen even when she was clearly obsessing over someone else.

The best part of this book was the plot and writing. The writing features a ton of detail and truly shows the emotions of the narrator as well as the feelings of those around them. It also helped carry the story, which was one of the redeeming factors of the book. The plot moved at a fairly fast rate and did accomplish a lot in terms of moving the story ahead. There were a few slow points, but for the most part it kept a fairly steady pace. The ending was one to remember, and I will return to finish the series to find out what happens in the end.

Whether or not I read the last book, I do know that I would recommend that people who have read the first book give Dreamless a go. Altogether I give Dreamless a 3/5 for being a sequel that just didn't live up to the it's predecessor due to multiple factors.

Review:
After finishing Delirium and experiencing it's cliffhanger, I knew that I had to read Pandemonium fast. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy shortly after and I dove in right away. I went in with very high expectations after reading Delirium and loving it, and Pandemonium did not disappoint.

The cover follows the theme of the special edition version of Delirium; it has the same cover model and font for the title/ author name, but this time the cover features much more angry colours, less mellow than the blue and green theme used on Delirium. The biggest difference overall would have to be the look of distrust or anger on the cover model's face, which fits some of the themes in this book. Altogether, I really do like this cover, it looks great next to Delirium and it is different from the other as well.

In Pandemonium, one of my only problems was that Lena's best friend was dropped, only mentioned a few times when she had played a large role in Delirium. Apart from that, I enjoyed all the characters, especially Lena, she experienced so much growth that she came out nearly a different person. Not only did she change dramatically, but she changed for the better, becoming a very strong young woman. Also, her point of view was enjoyable to read, never becoming too complaining or bitter. When you look at the cast of characters
in Pandemonium versus that of Delirium, there are not many in common; Lena is back, but most of the characters are new. I enjoyed all of these new characters, especially Raven, because they were worked into the story very well, not trying to fill an old character's boots.
Have you ever read a book and come up with your own predictions, just to find yourself proven very, very wrong? That happened to me when I tried to guess the ending of this book. I thought I had it all sorted out, but then it all changed before my eyes. The events leading up to this crazy cliffhanger ending were just as exciting and unpredictable. The story was told in two different time frames, Then and Now, alternating in the chapters. Then explains what happened just after Lena escaped from her oppressive society. Now covers the current events in her life, showing the dramatic contrast between Lena who followed the rules and Lena who breaks everyone of them. On the side of the writing, it was just as good as it was in Delirium, providing a ton of description and personality to Lena's point of view on her life.

Overall, this was an excellent sequel to a great first book. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves dystopian, or just wants a good read, and to those who have read Delirium, you need to pick up Pandemonium. Pandemonium gets a 5/5 for being a great sequel that will keep you hooked until the final page.

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. 

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. 

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. 

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...


Review:
I first saw this book in the Harper Collins catalog when it came out. I read the description and saw the cover and fell in love, knowing that I had to read it. I was lucky enough to get a copy of it in the mail and I dove in right away, finishing it in two days. Did I enjoy it? It was one of my favorite reads so far this year.

I'm sorry was I drooling? I just cannot get over how gorgeous the cover is. For starters, I love the font and the shade of red they used as a theme. Then you get to the cover model with the beautiful dress with the fading color and the delicate curls of smoke with the model walking through the smoke fearlessly. It all came together very well, with a distinct connection to the book (I won't mention it to avoid spoilers) creating a great cover that will draw readers in with ease.

Nikki had a uniqueness about her that set her apart from the rest of the human characters, she had seen a century pass, had her energy taken from her and knew what her dark fate was. She proved that more knowledge of the world is not necessarily better, but can put you in dire danger. Even though she had such insight to make decisions, I still had a few issues with Nikki, mainly with some of the decisions she made. As for the relationships in this book, they were a little unclear at the beginning, but they became more clear as Nikki was back longer. I didn't like Cole at all (Team Jack!) and felt that Nikki was much better off with Jack than Cole. Jack was understanding and he loved Nikki endlessly, helping even though he was slightly afraid of her.

Unique, that is how I would sum up the story of Everneath in one word. It is a retake on mythology, but it made the story it's own, standing apart from many of today's mythology rewrites. The plot kept moving the entire time at a swift pace even during the occasional flashback. By the end of the book, which made me die for the next book, I felt for the characters passionately to the point that I almost cried. These emotions were invoked by the amazing quality of the author's writing, not a detail was missed and it allowed for very strong connections to the characters.

Should you read this book? Yes, of course, especially if you enjoy modern takes on mythology or you are just someone looking for a different, unique book to try. Overall, I give Everneath a 4.5/5 for being a near perfect book with few flaws.

Review:
After seeing the cover for Incarnate and reading the synopsis, I knew I would have to read it. When I recieved a copy in the mail, I read it in two days, it took all of my willpower to not read it in one day. I went in with fairly high expectations, the book sounded really good, and it had a gorgeous cover, I can happily say, my expectations were met.

The cover of this book is gorgeous; one of the best I have ever seen. I love how a major element of the book is brought to life on this cover, also the colours almost symbolize Ana's newness to the world, a fresh pallette of colour that only youth can bring. Apart from how the cover is connected to the story, I love how bright this cover is, setting it apart from many Young Adult covers that are very dark. In the eyes of a potential reader, this cover will stand out against other cover because of how bright it is. My favourite aspect of this cover apart from the brightness was the font that the gave an impression of old against the new feel of the colours and cover model.

The characters of this book were very interesting to their situations. Ana, a 'newsoul' or 'nosoul' as some refer to her as, is a social pariah; she represents the greatest fear of an entire population of people who are reincarnated over and over again. I liked Ana because she didn't want to step on toes and upset others, even though they were terrible to her, though she did grow out of it a little, standing up for herself more and more as the book progressed. As for Sam, I found him very elusive to begin with, not revealing much, but there for Ana when no one else was. He proved to have many surprises about him and a great romantic aspect to him as well. On the romantic side of things, there was a great chemistry about the two, teasing the reader tirelessly with small hints of what the relationship could become.

The story was the only part of the book that was a little lackluster. I found it slow to begin with, filling the reader in with all the necessary information for the rest of the story. When the story was finally moving, about a quarter of the way in, it never stopped or slowed leading up to the very excting ending that will leave readers begging for more. The writing of this story was my favourite part, it brought it to life with description and emotions. I very much enjoyed Jodi's style and the way she was able to make me enjoy a fantasy book, even when I don't normally enjoy this genre.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy or alternate world feelings, or just wants a good read. I give this book a 4/5 for being a great start to a new trilogy that I will no doubt be reading more of later on.

Review:
When I first read the summary of Shatter Me, I immediately picked up on the line:

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men.

 Which simply got me excited because anyone who knows me knows that I adore The Hunger Games and superheroes, especially the X-Men, and the comparison between this book my two addictions set my expectations very high for this book. I am pleased to say that this book exceeded my expectations greatly, proving to be a very powerful read.

At first I was not sure about the cover of this book. Something about it just didn't jive for me, whether it was the simplicity or the way it seemed so symmetric. That was when I first saw the cover though, eventually I actually found myself admiring it, but when I got it in the mail. BAM. It was so shiny and awesome, it had a certain something that you just can't seem to see on the Internet. One of my favourite features of the cover is the tag line; "My touch is lethal. My touch is power." Though I loved the line the first time I saw it, I fell for it even more when I found out how much it reflects the writing within. Also, the split in the font was cool too with how it plays in with the title.

The writing of this book is near impossible to describe. The way it had depth while using a method that I have never seen before, creating a feeling of freshness that I have not felt in quite some time. The way Juliette's thoughts were utilized in this manor was both riveting and mysterious. I just cannot gush enough over the amazingly, awesome quality of this book. It captures the reader in a cage of attention, the only time the cage is unlocked is the last page, when the book ends in a subtle cliffhanger, leaving the reader waiting for the next book, ending in a positive way, but leaving you knowing that danger lies ahead (to be vague for spoilers). The story itself was also beautifully crafted, with no sluggish or slow moments, even though it didn't cover a huge amount of time.

Juliette stands as one of my favourite female protagonists after this book. She faced many challenges and hardships that were unimaginable at times, but she stayed tough and took control of her own destiny. I liked how she was able to be kind even when most would be bitter with her gifts, and she refused to be suppressed by someone because of her differences, plus the depth of her character was simply great. I also loved Adam, who also stood up against the prejudices and government, but also had the strength to endure it for others. Adam was willing to sacrifice in order to save others, and he was willing to trust his friends in a time of deception and lies. I truly loved the characters of this book with their depth and strengths.

I would recommend this to ANYONE, it was honestly one of my favourite books of 2011. I simply cannot get over how much I enjoyed it, so needless to say I give Shatter Me a 5/5.

This book is one of those books that makes you happy not to have too much drama in your life, but you enjoy the drama you get to read about in the book. I found myself loving this book with only a few complaints, and for that reason I give this book a 4/5.

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
 
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

In my opinion, good characters make you feel emotions for them and with them. The main character Eve made you feel for her, think about her and wonder what her life was like in comparison to your own. Eve also featured strong characteristics, she was able to adapt to different situations. Eve's love interest was intriguing because of just how different the world he came from was from Eve's. One of the most interesting aspects of this story was how the relationships formed so much differently from how they do for most books. I quite enjoyed how the relationships played out between all of the characters, whether romantically or just as friends. Altogether, reading about these characters was very entertaining and interesting to do.

The world built in Eve was believable and totally different at the same time. The writing described the setting in a way that made it understandable to the reader as well as keeping a bit of a foreign feel to it that is crucial to dystopian books. It was this balance that really made the setting really pop for me. The writing was very descriptive and informative, making sure that the reader knew all about the characters and their motives behind their actions. When it came to the plot of Eve, it kept moving at a swift pace, taking you from one event to another without delay.

How could I sum up my feelings about Eve? The first word that comes to mind is awesome. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian or someone who has yet to try out the genre. Without a doubt I would give Eve a 5/5.

Hey everyone! I just got one book yesterday and man does it look awesome!



For Review:
Eve by Anna Carey (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada)

Thanks HarperCollins Canada!