Book Review: Hopeless

Hopeless (Hopeless #1)
by Colleen Hoover
ebook, 332 pages
Published December 19th 2012
Source: Won

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Review:

I have only read one novella (Finding Cinderella) and two novels (this and Slammed) by the author so far, but I am already getting the gist of Colleen's style. Colleen's fondness of unconventional characters makes hers unique and fun. They always have quirky personalities but at the same time, they have depth and substance. However, they also tend to be more odd and sometimes they come off as unrealistic and trying hard to be different for me. 

Having been adopted by her foster mother, Karen, when she was five, Sky had no memories of her biological parents prior to her adoption, all she knew was that her father couldn't take care of her any longer as a kid so she was sent to be adopted. Karen is a really cool foster mom and she reminds me of Laken's mother in Slammed. She also hates technology so Sky grew up without TV, cellphone and Internet. Sky was also home schooled for the most part of her school life until senior year when Karen finally let her enrol in public school. This is supposed to make her socially challenged but I'm surprised that she can handle herself well amid the high school drama. But then again, she had been trained by her best friend, Six, who introduced her to boys and to cellphone and probably the Internet as well. Even though Six is not physically present for the majority of the book, she still managed to be the bestest friend to Sky and I so love their unorthodox best friendship! Speaking of Six, if you've read my review of Finding Cinderella, I just want to report that I am finally getting used to her name. :) 

The second thing I noticed about Colleen is that she has quite the liking for insta-romance. I cannot stress enough how much I dislike insta-love. Although Sky has been with plenty of boys before, she never really got attracted to them. Even when they kiss her, the only emotion Sky feels is numbness. But guess what happens when she first laid eyes on Holder? She was captivated, obviously. Holder is the town's bad boy who reportedly got sent to juvi for beating a gay. He has quite a depressing past but I didn't really feel for him. I like that he's very supportive of Sky though. He respects her decisions even when he's against it. However, Holder is also full of contradictions and I hate that after he promised Sky that he would never lie to her or answer her questions with vague explanations, it was exactly what he always did. 

I had no intention of reading Hopeless before, but Finding Cinderella was an enjoyable read, so I tried. Hopeless is not a bad book per se. Colleen has unique and unpredictable plot ideas and I appreciate that. Hopeless just touches on some particular subjects that I am the least comfortable with and hope to never read again. It is not as light as Finding Cinderella or Slammed which I was expecting the weight of the drama to be around like. I don't usually read heavy books, so I guess I was just shocked by the revelations Hopeless has in store. Even three days after reading this, I still cannot fully grasp the events that transpired. That's another thing Colleen likes in her works, it seems: surprises. As in major surprises. She'll drown you with funny characters and mushy romantic scenes first and when you start getting comfortable and giddy over them, she'd drop the bombs. Emphasis on the "s" because she doesn't just surprise you with one revelation but lots of them and it's always a "where-the-hell-did-that-come-from" moment. To most readers, it's a brilliant plot device but to me it's a WTF plot device that leaves me dumbfounded in a not so very good way.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Book Review: The Lost Prince (ARC)

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1)
by Julie Kagawa
Expected publication: October 23rd 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley
Pre-order it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Review:

The Iron Fey has been of my all-time favorite series. I loved all the books in it as well as the novellas (save from the last one). That said, this being the spin-off, I had high hopes that this would live up to the awesomeness of The Iron Fey, but though I tried my best to like the story and the characters, the story and the characters themselves were making it hard for me to do just that.

At first, I was really intrigued with this new Ethan Chase. We know him from The Iron King as Meghan's cute little brother with wide blue eyes and calls her big sister Meggie. In The Lost Prince, we see him as an anti-social brooding teenager who seems to hate the world and all the people living in it. We see the world from his perspective. Frankly, I probably would have liked this much better if this were told from another character's POV. You see, Ethan comes off as one of those dark, mysterious and brooding hotties we all love and getting to hear his thoughts was a...turn-off. Especially when he's so lovestruck. And speaking of lovestruck, my qualms with Iron's Prophecy were the same with this one. Julie always injects romance wherever she can. To be upfront, I didn't like it at all. The way she emphasized how Ash/Keirran looks at Meghan/Annwyl like she was the only person in the world grated on my nerves. Once or twice, I might have viewed those scenes as sweet and aww-worthy but said scenes were all over the place that not even halfway through, the romance already got old. About the same was the problem with Ethan and Kenzie. You know the drill: Ethan thinks Kenzie is so different from other girls - and I mean so veeery different - and thinks he likes her but he can't divulge his feelings for her because their lives are in danger and therefore it's not the right time! He also can't stop apologizing to her for bringing her in the world of fey aka danger.

Another problem I have with this book is the characters's - I'm sorry for the word - idiocy. If you've read The Iron Knight, you'd know about Keirran. Keirran is described as having silver hair and piercing blue eyes *swoon* His playful character was so like Puck that it was easier to think of him as Puck and Ash's lovechild. But lo, he's - I'm sorry for the word again- an idiot. Because really? Ethan seems to know more about the fey shenanigans. Keirran throws away his promises without so much thought. Seriously, I weep for Ash and Meghan. Also, Kenzie and Annwyl. They're bland characters and I think they're an unnecessary addition to The Lost Prince. I think Julie wants Kenzie to come off as strong and brave for a human, but most of the time, she was a dead weight. Annwyl was useless too. Julie didn't even give a valid reason why Keirran likes her except that she's very beautiful.

The only redeeming part of The Lost Prince was Ash and Puck. I was going to give this a 1.5 but since they showed up and they were really awesome, it deserved an additional .5 stars. Overall, I didn't really like The Lost Prince, but that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon the series. I still love the world of Iron Fey and I'm willing to give the second book a try.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Trapped (ARC)

Trapped (Iron Druid Chronicles #5)
by Kevin Hearne
Expected publication: November 27th 2012 by Del Rey
Source: Edelweiss (Random House)
Pre-order the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

From Goodreads:

After twelve years of secret training, Atticus O’Sullivan is finally ready to bind his apprentice, Granuaile, to the earth and double the number of Druids in the world. But on the eve of the ritual, the world that thought he was dead abruptly discovers that he’s still alive, and they would much rather he return to the grave.

Having no other choice, Atticus, his trusted Irish wolfhound, Oberon, and Granuaile travel to the base of Mount Olympus, where the Roman god Bacchus is anxious to take his sworn revenge—but he’ll have to get in line behind an ancient vampire, a band of dark elves, and an old god of mischief, who all seem to have KILL THE DRUID at the top of their to-do lists.

Review:

I loved the first four books in the Iron Druid Chronicles and book four, Tricked, is my most favorite so far so it hurts me to say that after the best book in the series comes my least favorite, Trapped. I loved the humor and the action-packed scenes in the previous books and while those aspects are still present in Trapped, they all suddenly felt tedious to me and they fell far too short for my liking.

Whenever I read a new book from this series, I always look forward to meeting new mythological creatures and the books haven't failed me to date. In Trapped, we are introduced to a few more of them strange beings and we also see the gods and goddesses we met from the previous books. I guess what disappointed me here is the addition of romance. While Trapped is not really all about romance, what little of it involved here stood stark against all the action-packed scenes and it made the reading experience slightly awkward and forced. I think that ever since book one, the tension between Atticus and Granuaile was already palpable. This never really bothered me, to be honest. I thought Atticus also had the right to flirt with girls, but what I never expected is the later escalation of this to real romance. I've always been the romance type of person and I rarely read YA that don't have romance in it. This series is an exception. But now that I'm beginning to see bits of "real love" here and there... instead of loving it more, I'm feeling the opposite.

Also, I'm beginning to see Atticus's bad traits that I failed to see in the former books. In Trapped, I realized just how selfish he is. This selfishness caused so much damage in all the pantheons as well as death to so many innocents that now, even though his life is in more danger than ever, I can't bring myself to sympathize with him. All the troubles he encountered, he brought upon himself and what's worse is that there are innocent people who are forcibly pulled into his fights.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy Trapped as much as I enjoyed the previous IDC books but I’m still as excited as ever to read the last book in the series, Hunted.

Rating: 2.5/5

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher (Del Rey via Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: She Smells the Dead

She Smells the Dead  (Spirit Guide #1)
by E.J. Stevens
Kindle Edition
Published August 19th 2010 by Sacred Oaks Press
Source: Author
Buy the book: Amazon| Book Depository

Summary:

It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

Review:

She Smells the Dead has the type of premise that is intriguing and something that would surely appeal to teens. The characters are funny and easy to like, especially Yuki. Although I might be biased because we share the same love for anime. She dresses the way she wants and doesn't care what other people say about her. She has two best friends, Cal and Emma, who are both hilarious and real good friends. The first part was generally enjoyable. However, I can't say the same about the second part.

While I love books with fast-moving plot, I didn't like how fast the story went in the book. It almost seemed rushed to me. The case of the dead person in the "bee overlord's" house which I thought was a major conflict in the book ended too abruptly, which was both disappointing and baffling since the first part of the book seemed to have its focus on that case, and also because I was really looking forward to how Yuki would solve the case. The romance was abrupt as well. One moment, Yuki was pining after Garrett and later, when she found out that Cal was in love with her, it only took a snap before she realized that she, too, was in love with him. (?)

I was surprised too when I found out the truth about Cal. I thought it was contrived. There were so many things happening in the book and all those could have worked together very well if they were written in more details. And the ending? I think it was supposed to make the readers more excited for the second book. But to be honest, it didn't make a lot of sense to me. It was so sudden and it just left me more confused than ever.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Disclosure: This e-book was received from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The One That I Want

The One That I Want
by Jennifer Echols
ebook, 256 pages
Published December 6th 2011 by Simon Pulse

Summary:

Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken.

Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend?

Review:

Gemma and Addison have been the best of friends since they were ten. Having lost both their fathers in a divorce, Gemma’s mom thought it would be nice for her daughter to have someone to confide into. So ever since then, they did everything together. Or more like, Gemma did everything Addison wanted her to.

In other young adult books, it’s usually the richer ‘BFF’ who gets to order around the other less richer ‘BFF’. But in Gemma and Addison’s case, it’s the other way around. Partially it’s because Addison has always been the more outgoing and pretty one while Gemma has always been ugly, fat friend although she’s lost so much weight now that they’re older. But more than that, it’s because since Gemma’s father left her family, she’s been afraid of being left alone again, so she puts up with Addison no matter how horrible her attitude is.

Gemma and Addison might call themselves bestfriends but inside, they’re best enemies too. They are very competitive with each other. Like when they were kids, they had baton lessons together. When Addison grew tired from it, she quit. But sometime later, when she found out that Gemma was trying out to become a majorette, she did so as well. Addison is also extremely selfish. She says embarrassing things about Gemma in front of her and other people. There’s also a scene where she purposely hit (though not entirely obvious) Gemma on the nose with her baton to embarrass her in front of two hotties. She later dragged Gemma to the boys and started flirting with the guy Gemma had her eyes on. Addison never apologized for hitting her, or for other horrible things she did. She also appears to be extremely ignorant and mostly, just shrugs off the horrible things she’s done.

I think Addison’s attitude is too extreme to be real. It seems as if she was created for the sole purpose of annoying the readers. Gemma, on the other hand, is an okay character. But she isn’t all that easy to like nor was she a relatable character. Though I appreciate the romance between her and Max. The development was smooth and just at the right time. Max’s family is probably one of the very few likable parts in the book. They are very fun and you’ll just want to read more about them. I think the ending is also very fitting for the book. Oh, and did I mention about that hot and heavy scene between Gemma and Max? Well, it was just that. Hot and heavy. But, I’ve always known Jennifer Echols is awesome at writing sexual tension and hot and heavy scenes.
As always, Echols’s books are easy and quick to read. I love her books even though some of them have struck a nerve. I just wish she would start writing about lovable characters instead of dislikable, annoying ones.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Book Review: Chain Reaction

Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3)
by Simone Elkeles
Hardcover, 308 pages
Published August 16th 2011 by Walker Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought

Summary:

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

Review:

I honestly don't know when the Goodreads summary changed. I distinctly remember that Luis was first described as the innocent, honest-to-goodness Fuentes brother, and the girl, as the one who unintentionally dragged him to the rebel side. That was probably the only reason I was so looking forward to reading the final installment in the Perfect Chemistry series. I was hoping that somehow, it would be different from its predecessors. So you can only imagine my disappointment when none of what I expected came out.

If you have read Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, you know that both books practically have the same formula: the Latino blood, the family, the girl, the cheesy epilogue, you know what I'm talking about. I honestly thought Elkeles would finally change that formula in Chain Reaction, perhaps reverse the situation in which the girl is the rebel and the boy is the good one just like how I thought it was going to be, but boy I was wrong.

I thoroughly enjoyed PC despite it being so cheesy. I liked RoA because it reminded me of PC. But with Chain Reaction, the Fuentes brothers no longer amused me. It was practically like reading PC or RoA all over again. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy Chain Reaction because I did enjoy it, only not that much.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Book Review: Enclave

Enclave (Razorland #1)
by Ann Aguirre
259 Pages - Hardcover
Published April 12th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends
Challenge: Dystopia Reading Challenge
Source: Bought

Summary:

WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

Review:

I’m starting to lose faith in dystopian novels. I have read three dystopia this month and the lot of them disappointed me. After Matched and Divergent, I was looking forward to Enclave. Hoping it could break the two-streak disappointment that both dystopian books brought upon me. But was I right about Enclave...?

Aguirre has created a world that is both fascinating and creepy at the same time. I like that Enclave starts straight to the plot. I thought it was a little fast, but I like it better than having the real plot start when I’m halfway done with the book. I find the characters very amusing. Deuce's ignorance about the sun, moon, rain, furniture and canned goods is really fascinating. I fell in love with Fade the moment Deuce mentioned him. But it was only short-lived. At first, he is described as a scary boy who keeps to himself. He has the blackest eyes, like bottomless pit. That said, I thought he was one mysterious, aloof guy with the darkest past.

I am one of those girls who are attracted to these types of hotties. But wrong! A couple of chapters after that, Fade is revealed to be a really soft guy who smiles and greets his friends. I’m not saying that this isn’t a good thing. I was just disappointed that he did not turn out like how he was first described. Because honestly, after picturing him as a dark, mysterious boy, it's quite hard to imagine him as a guy who smiles and greets people. Awkward!

Also, based on the author's note, Aguirre clearly put so much effort into writing this book. It's quite cool to know that the little, almost insignificant things in the book were based on facts. But like I said, I thought they were almost insignificant. I didn't even give much thought into them until she mentioned them. But still, it's really cool. Also, while I like that this starts straight to the plot, I kind of missed Deuce's back story. Like how she learned to fight or just more about her childhood.

There are a couple of WTF moments here too. Silk's appearance in Deuce's dream is very unconvincing. They are not even close to begin with. I was tempted to use google and see if Enclave also includes the paranormal genre aside from dystopia. And oh, the love triangle! At first, I was really happy because there was no love triangle. But behold! It sprouts towards the end of the book. WTF? Not only was it unconvincing. It seemed forced too.

Rating: 2.5/5