diannelestrange

While reading this book, I remembered a movie, the "Cyborg She" (also known as Cyborg Girl or My Girlfriend Is a Cyborg). A 2008 Japanese movie about a girl cyborg that came from the future and a guy from present. I didn’t say that it’s similar to this book because it’s not, I’m just saying that I remembered it while reading this book. It just gives quite an imagination of how the future will be. Plus the cyborgs (Oh I recommend this movie. Almost made me cry!). Back to the book, Cinder is our futuristic, sci fi-ish version of our Cinderella. While the essence are there- the wicked stepmother and her devil's spawn, the prince, the ball and of course the shoes, these elements are wrapped up in a china doll and make it as a whole new tale. It is really impressive Marissa Meyer. The main character as a cyborgs, Luna (other term for aliens), and plague? You create an amazing setting with lots of potential I say. Though with so many elements that the author put in this book, it seems like it took me so long to bring the whole picture in my head. I mean the first part is really crucial for me. I almost give it up and reviewed it with a sentence like: this book is not my cup of tea or jumblefuck ideas is equal to ****land! But thankfully I didn’t because it gets better after reading the 80% of the arc. Yup! The only part I really gets excited with the book is the 20% last part of it. I think it’s because of the not well description that slow things or maybe it’s just my problem (I have hard time picturing Cinder in the first part). But other than that I’m okay with it. Took almost half of the book to explain the author's concepts. Though after that its gets better, just don’t expect too much after that because it end right in the middle of your breath intake. Like I said the greatest element of this book is the construction of the world building. It has something for everybody – from Luna races and the secret of the deadly plague, to the emotionally involved dramatics and politics of relationships easily understood by any reader. A debut that I still want to see more of its world.

ARC copy

ARC copy

What if you find your prince charming in the most romantic city in the world? A perfect place and perfect timing for your perfect man. Oh maybe not so perfect. You see, what if the only problem is that he's already taken? Ouch! Here is everything I know about France: Madeline, Eiffel Tower, Baguettes and of course handsome boys. I’m Anna Oliphant aka Banana Elephant as my BFF called me and I’m currently here in this foreign country with their foreign language, totally alone and bloody miserable. Well, not that miserable because hello I’m in P-A-R-I-S. The city of lights and all. I’m actually thrilled being here if I’m not forced by my 'Nicholas-Sparks- look-alike' Dad who wants me to study here… HERE! Living in Paris is not the same thing as being a tourist in Paris! Being shipped off to a boarding school and leaving my almost perfect life back HOME. Just perfect! Thankfully I met Meredith, the sweet girl who talks to me from the first day and her friends; Josh and Rashmi, they are couple who are completely absorbed with each other. If I will put their relationship into three short words they are 'hot and cold' or 'cat and dog'. Josh is more like a silent type person, silent not shy. He's drawings are way wicked I guarantee. As for Rashmi well she’s not the most likeable person or she just don’t like me that I don’t like her as well. She’s not that bad as long as she didn’t give me hard times. And Etienne St. Clair an English American French masterpiece, utterly charming and gorgeous. From the way I described him Am I that obvious that I have a major crush on him? Gosh! I know that he has a girlfriend but I hope she don’t mind sharing eh. LOL. Ok I just made up that last part. I just want to end this review. The adrenaline of making a review is wearing off so I have to finish this before it happened. haha I don’t usually review a book as soon as I read it. It takes me days, weeks or months until I totally forgot what I read and just leave it as it is. But see? I’m completely in love with the book that I can’t stop making a review about it. Well, I love it even if its common and a bit of predictable. You can read horror novels, thrillers, paranormals, and other types but Romance will always make you happy, no matter the day. Sure, some parts lagged and some scenes seemed a bit overdone, I did not even get swept up in its pages and it was nothing ground-breaking about it but Stephanie Perkins crafts a cute, light and utterly enjoyable story and that was enough to love this book.

I struggle halfway through and now Im done. It could have been much better. maybe this type of book is not my thing or the book itself either way, Im just ... done.

I was really excited for this book because Firelight leaves us in such promising ending. But again nothing worthy happens. There’s the Tamar’s thing and Jacinda back and forth feelings that really annoys me and ... that’s all! I kept waiting for something to develop, and about halfway through the book, the story got really promising. Again! Talks about the consistency of the author. Great start. and then boring. more boring. until the last page gets exciting again. then bam! Cliffhanger! there are too many chapters that wasted on Jacinda's thought, the thing she want to do, the sadness she felt and confusion to Will or Cassian thing. One thing, in my mind if Jacinda is so special with her fire-breathing and all the draki have training everyday why Jacinda is not so strong? I mean come to think of it she’s always depending to her 'boys' to protect her. Hello? Why try to use your fire thing and burn all the enemies! (I’ll bet Katsa can teach you how to be a true warrior without using your secret weapon.) At this point I was a bit tired of Jacinda but it’s not to say that I will not read the next book. I want to see how Tamra will do now she’s capable of something more. The ending was a cliffhanger; it ends right in the middle of some serious action that I pin up for so long in this series. Hope the next will live up than that.

There once was a young artist called Karou who drew tales of monsters and demons that delighted and enthralled those around her. But she has a secret, a secret that ties her to a dusty subterranean chamber, where her beloved guardian brokers dark deals in a place that is not here. A place that is Elsewhere. Living with one foot in each world, Karou has never really known which one is her true home. Now the doors to Elsewhere closing . . . With so many fantasy combines of myth and legend It’s hard for an author to create a new ground for it. The ancient wars, star-crossed love, strange mythical creatures and all. Some of the authors made interesting concept of it but sometimes the execution of their work fails them. And I’m glad that Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone is not one of them. The book swept me away by it massive concept and poetic beautiful writing style. Oh, I admire Laini for that. I am awe of what she did to the story that I first thought was some kind of a modern fantasy only. Yes she did takes the familiar angel demon war myth but she makes it appear new in our eyes, she open a fantastic lyrical new creation that I would love to... not live in, definitely live in. More on 'see'. To explore the midst of Karou's secret world. It was like I’m watching a haunting-violent version of Narnia with the respect for Brimstone like I have for Aslan. (I really love Brimstone's superior character) One thing that I love in this book is that it’s started as some kind of urban fantasy. A girl who is normal or she think she is but she knows magic and she was raised by Chimaera, creatures from another world with mix human-animal features and she runs strange errands for them. Until she met Akiva, an angel who wants to kill her. But along the way they fell in love to each other. And that’s where the story unravels and became more interesting. The novel will definitely leave you wanting more because it just isn’t enough – after such a well-rounded introduction it will be interesting to see how the author develops the depth and layers of her stunning world as she proceeds. Not even a world – but a whole Elsewhere to be expanded upon. All in all this isn’t just another cliched fantasy story; it’s an absolutely stunning introduction to the newest master of modern fantasy combines of myth and legend story. I'll give this book 4.75 to be exact.

Witches, Vampires, Magic... Welcome to Freak High. I have to start by saying that I’m kind of taken aback when I first saw this book (and the overview didn’t help either). Witches, faeries, shapeshifters and vampire? Talks about some kind of a bad comics about freaks. Everyone I know has been raving about it, but I still didn't have any plans to read it even if I have an eBook of it. Then I went to a bookstore and saw this book at a very low price. So I just grab it and the next thing I know I can’t put it down. Hex Hall is one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time. It was like I’m Sabrina in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch TV series only without the talking cat and the sometimes-annoying-relatives. Sophie is a huge dork and the source of most of the humor, her sarcastic and witty barbs will leave you in stitches. I assure though it is so light read that there no enough depth in the characters that will pass in my amazing-that-I-can’t-forget-it-till-I-die bookshelf. nah~ Let me just give you a perfect drink (that I made) while reading this book that will definitely set the mood: "Alcoholic Spells" Name: Bloody "Hex Hall" Mary (cocktail) Glassware: old fashioned "demon"glass Ingredients: 3 strands of your 3 frenemeis Black Witches 2 gig blood sucked by your Vampire best friend A dash of drop-dead handsome Warlock's saliva 1 teaspoon of grated Fairy dust 'thingie' 1 teaspoon clipped nails of Werewolfs And a bottle of 'Hysterical' vodka Directions: Mix all ingredients in a 'monstermash' blender except to the werewolf’s nails. Pour it into a glass, add some ice, garnish with clipped nails of werewolf (for chunks) then serve. Nothing better than a gross Bloody Mary... cheers! haha

A hidden truth. Not so. Mortal enemies. Big check! Doomed love. Again? I found the concept of the dragons - uhm I mean draki interesting. Plus the opening of the book hooked me instantly. Nice start right? It gives me hope that this will be deferent in some ways but halfway through the book, just fell flat. There is nothing special about the Firelight. If you're expecting an action pack fantasy (hello? dragons and dragon-hunters? where’s the kick off kung fu action?) you’re going to be disappointed. The story line is so good that I expecting more, I kept waiting for something big to happen but unfortunately it didn’t. It focuses more on the star-cross lurve. Again - like any other YA "pararomance" fantasy. There are also tons of things in this book that didn’t worked for me or I just didn’t liked. Like the Jacinda and her twin relationship, the lack of world-building, the characters are not pretty solidly written as well and like I said it focuses on Jacinda and Will's star-crossed relationship, plus the cliffhanger. Despite that however, that’s not to say it’s not good – it is good; easy to read. The plot was pretty simplistic, as all paranormal romances tend to be. Sophie Jordan writing is good for romance story. Overall, Firelight is an average romance story with a little bit of fantasy. Maybe for sparkle.

Since the Trojan War, There are four different bloodlines of scions. The Furies are their curse. Vengeance is their cycle. I didn’t say I dint like it. It was just OK. Same old, same old. Find the hidden "TWILIGHT" [Drum roll] tada! There you are the.... "Starcrossed" Yep that’s right, reading Starcrossed was like reading twilight all over again except that there’s no prey-predator love or bloodsucking vampz war, instead there’s a recreating of Trojan War and adding some starcrossed love drama which by the way gives 10 points for "Starcrossed". The idea itself was so promising. I even get excited in the first part of the book where Helen and Lucas first met and their instinct of bloodlust. It keeps me thinking of how the story will flow. but yeah, after that It gets kind of flatly laid out that you can figure out what will happened next and the very twilight-ish didnt help this book rise its spotlight more. I mean come on, when you read this book you will definitely gonna recognize tons of 'IT' scenes and as a whole, it has a big T-W-I-L-I-G-H-T, written in bold, twilight font and silver color on it. However, other than all the iloveyoubutidontknowwhy, loveisdoomfromthebeggining, readyfightfight, characterunknown and lots of sidetracks, Angelini does a great job of building suspense and a bit of mysteries. This book is not that badly written as well though the line keep me bothered a lot especially the "look on her/his face" thing. Example: ...the sympathetic look on his face. ...with an incredulous look on her face. ...with a stunned look on her face. ...with a dreamy look on her face. ...with a disgusted look on her face. ...a bewildered look on her face. ...with a loving look on her face. ...with a hard look on her face. Why try "the shit look on her face"? haha kidding. Get my point? lots of unnecessary and repetitive details. Oh and the third person narration is confusing or I’m just really confused for reading 7 hours straight. [audio book disc 1] Well, I know I should love this because it’s like "you-know-what", but I don’t. I find it’s kind of weary; the over used book plot kind of weary.

Reading this book in between The Iron Knight and Graceling felt like taking an extended summer vacation with a nice hot guy massaging my feet while sipping a sweet choco latte. Epic Yum! It was cute, sweet and charming. Or as cute as the cover can tell you. You don’t have to expect much in this book because if you did you might end up not liking it. It’s just simple girl-meets-boy with a bit of turns, that’s all. Epic Fail is an epic good break-time read. An adorable light read but completely forgettable. I literally can’t remember their names right now except for..... Derek. Aw my scrap memory gets more vapid I guess. But this book is great in its own way it’s just not that remarkable. Over all, simply written but pretty funny in bits. The characters chemistry is A-ok and it’s just relaxing to read it. A good start for the author for my opinion. Incidentally, I didn’t know that it’s based on Pride and Prejudice. I just realized it at the last page.

I’m very thankful that Julie Kagawa didn’t leave us the bittersweet ending of Megan and Ash story in the 3rd book (The Iron Queen) for making this 4th . . . [drum roll] The Iron Knight! As the final installment of Iron fey series, Ash must take an impossible journey to find his way back to Megan. Since as Winter Fey he cannot survive in the Iron Kingdom and being a human is his only choice but will it be that easy to be human or more gaining a soul? Does he understand what that solution really means? Would he still want it if he did? It’s sad to see the characters and their journey that true marked in our heart comes to an end. For an amazing series I can say that this final book is almost perfect to its pure brilliance. Why almost? Because ehem I’m team Puck and I didn’t see his happy ending, what do you expect? Hell! That’s bloody broke my heart. Anyway, except to that, The Iron Knight had everything I could have asked for, maybe more. We see our Icy prince and his icy heart melted slowly from Iron King to Iron Daughter and we loved him more in the Iron Queen. But did you think that you already see all of him in those three books? Well, being said that this book is at our prince point of view we see a side of him that I don’t think many people had ever seen before. Being inside his head was so . . . different. He isn't very chatty unlike Puck, and at first his thoughts are kind of dull and focus only at his mission. Gratefully, Puck and Grim was there plus the two new members of the gang to distract him and break his icy mind and have a party with Hitler. Ok let see. Former Icy Prince + Summer Jester + “unknown” + smart-mouth cat + an irascible DOG = Dynamic. Oh maybe “syntax error”? nah! LOL So overall this book is a feast. It has twice the number of adventures, twice the humor and twice remarkable compared to the previous books. The places they been and the quest of their journey leaves me enchanted and trap to its overwhelming brilliant imagination of Julie Kagawa. Her characters emotion strikes a chord within me. Especially the strings between Ash and Puck, their friendship is indisputable despite the tons differences they have. Oh how much I love this book. Never get me bored, emotionally satisfying, and an epic adventure. I would like to tell you more but I don’t want to spoil them so ill just shut my flat mouth. And recommend it to those who want a new perception of fairy tale for them. Julie Kagawa’s talent surely will not let you down. I promise. Big thanks to netgalley of letting me read this book in advance.

Just seeing the title, the cover and the book's description you’ll expect this novel an amazing book. A gigantic emotional ride toward moving on from the past? The heck, a must read right? Being what this book is, I know writing this kind of story is a hard work for authors. They have to make the readers [us] to feel the impact of the story by making us care for the characters. And in order for us to care for the characters they have to make the voice of the protagonist a powerful or a distinct one. They have to insert a great depth of emotion into the story that is realistic and a story line that imaginative enough for the readers not get boring of it. And lastly an eventful acceptance is a must for this type of book. I will not say that I enjoyed reading this book because this kind of tragedy is immensely depressing for me. But I’ll say that is a good one. It examines a lot of interesting issues such as the process of grief, life changes, and what are our lives are supposed to be. The story is gentle, a bit of heartfelt and real. Laurel's journey through grief is long and difficult. She didn’t know how to handle the sudden changes; from being a part of a happy family to being part of nothing. However, for some reason it didn't resonate with me as deeply as I expected it to be. It’s not moving enough that will brand and touch your heart deeply in it. I’m not an expert at giving a review, but being an almost long time novel reader I find the lack of internal protagonist feelings, which is important to book like this. And there’s the process of grief and Laurens daily activity after her family’s death part that I find undeveloped. The first pages are quite interesting. I even find myself pity and nearly in a crying state for just thinking of what Lauren and David will do now. My mind keeps jumping to conclusions like both of them going to a road trip or something. Come on, It’s the best idea for escaping a town that is suffocating in a way that they keep treating you as an orphan right? But no, it didn’t happen. It just goes to living a daily mundane activity with only her grandmother and the David unexpected appearance in their life. For me it will work better if it’s a two perspective read - Lauren’s perspective and David’s. They are both in the same situation right? So why did the author make only one side? Plus for me hearing David’s thoughts is more interest than Lauren. Everything she did was only cautious that makes the journey quite vapid. Well, overall it wasn't the story line that I found dull, it is mainly about the writing. That's not to say that it’s bad. It’s good despite the lack of the vivid descriptions, undeveloped storyline and characters personality.

When your sexually abused at the age of fourteen by a half genius -half psycho pedophilic, what the bloody hell will you do? Will you run the hell out and call a police, keep it to yourself and have a psychological trauma about it or accept things and be addicted with it? We all have a choice what path will we take, there’s no destiny or fate but choice and free will. You’re now in that place because that’s the one you have chosen. And hypothetically the course of action is to always take the easy way out. Ironically, Sarah ended up that way or she think she is. Taming the beast is disturbing in a way of things that should been because it doesn't take the easy way out and appalling in a way that I surely won’t understand the obsessive-compulsive characteristics of Emily's world have. However, despite those things, the crappy cover, the nearly every page sex scenes and the masochism "things" in it. I find it meaningful and have redemption in patches. I will admit; it’s not just a simple tale of sexual abuse or a typical pornography novel for me. I’m totally surprise of how the story was 'ugh hmm' decently written, and the 'find-the-sexual-tension-part-of-a-literature-book' things (view spoiler) give this book more superior than any other erotic books inside out. Now, let’s go to the negative parts of my feelings toward the book. The concept is interesting and half way through it, some of the characters took my heart away. [Especially Jamie] However, the last pages were a big disappointing. It’s like having a whiplash for a sudden and then 'puff' its gone. And the Sarah and Daniel increasing sexual violence is what I called "competedious" - Completely compelling at first to completely repetitive that I find it’s tedious.

I just fell in love with it and its simplicity and innocence. This book struck me with its adorably cute, light-hearted romance and wholesomely philosophy, I mean sort of philosophy. Well just seeing the cover and reading the back details of the book, you'll immediately assume that its just your typical boy-meet-girl puppy love story- cute and severely simple. Ooh, don't that things fool you. Yes, it is cute. Yes, its quiet amusing that they understand things at early ages, in short, they are darn smart [esp, Juli] and yes it is a good story with great voice and meaning. The whole 'sum of its parts' is the core of the book and the author emphasis and explain it clearly that if you want to read this by kids, they definitely gonna understand whats the meaning if it and what the whole books saying to you. And the voices of two narrators are lovable with its humor. It gives different perspective of what they see from each other, the way he describe her and the way she describe him. I thought that its gonna end at its bitter-sweet way but no, the ending is kind of . . . perfect. I'm not saying that its satisfy my want to see what will they become after that. Its just perfect in its ending of new 'sum of its parts' ways they truly see each other [and the sycamore tree that Bryce planted for Juli. sweet!]

You know your reading a good book when you’re completely wrap up of their world building. Well, 'Divergent' have them. Smooth moves! Veronica open a new futuristic Chicago with five factors - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) That divides the people according to where they belong or choose to belong with.... And there’s an aptitude test that will help them to decide what factor they fit in. ...but Beatrice has a problem, her test result is different. Truly one of the best book I read this year. And it’s my second dystopian book read, after [the much epicness] hunger games trilogy. Even if they are MUCH alike, from the beginning like with the so called "choosing ceremony", the brutality scenes, the survival in pain way, the Factionless-like-District 13' (view spoiler), and the 'Kat'/'Tris' bravery and one-of-a-kind protagonist character. Let’s not compare them shall we? I don’t have problem with the comparison of THG and Divergent. It’s been a while I feel like the book is eating me with its top-notch worldbuilding and the adrenaline-pumping scenes. It rocks the hell out of me. Like what I felt while reading the Hunger Games trilogy, no scratch that - THG is better. However this book might have a chance to be out of hunger games shadow. It depends to the author’s brilliancy, I guess. For me Katniss is better but Tris is more real. We saw her grow up in the story or let just say unleashed what’s really inside her. She's weak and strong at the same time, and like what Four or what the other name is? Oh yeah, [bleeh] Tobias said her fear doesn't shut her down; it wakes her up. She's so much more than she ever even knew she was, which is makes her more real. And for the writing? It’s a great experience! Ms Veronica write with demented vivid scenes, It have an eerie feeling that your own adrenaline will accelerate to its full blown scale. The only flaws of the book are it focuses more in the excruciating insane tests than the real problem is. There are so many characters that died in unnecessary way, there are so much actions that I don’t feel really attached to the characters. Yes, they are great characters but not that compelling. And the Four-Tris romance was cute but not like the "Noooo Peeta!" sweet painful way. All in all, Divergent is a great dystopian, action-packed, with right amount of mystery that will intrigued you, and uhhm what else? Just read it so you'll know. :D