Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Move over, Hunger Games!

This book seems like somewhat of a marriage of Hunger Games and Blood Red Road. The heroine is small, pensive, conflicted, etc. She is also really, really brave. I liked her focus and her responses to situations. Some have said that it isn't true dystopia, but I think it qualifies. It's set the US, but a dramatically changed US. And for all those who say that the way the US got to being split into factions wasn't explained, well, it wasn't explained in depth. But references were made as to the reasons why, and that was all I needed. To have gone into some lengthy section about how and why the factions were formed would have bored me to tears, and probably made me just give up on the book entirely. Maybe a paragraph with some background of Tris' family could have been included (i.e., grandfather fought in some war, etc), but I thought we knew enough. The story wasn't about that; it was about Tris.

I liked Four a lot. I had my doubts at points because he seemed like such a wimp. He, however, rose above my doubts and lived up to my initial impression. I didn't like Eric at all, and I suppose Roth could have gone deeper into his character. But again, I got enough to make me thoroughly dislike him and the book wasn't about him. Same with Peter. As for Jeanine, we really didn't get much about her at all. So on that count, I suppose we had one of those "insert villain here" situations. It seemed to progress into a situation where time wasn't taken to ease us into it. It was at that point when I thought the book got WAY too ambitious and desperate to be compared with Hunger Games.

The whole last section of the book came up rather quickly. I get that it had to happen relatively quickly in the whole scheme of things, but we barely had time to catch our breath and then all the fuss happened. After all the emotional highs and lows of the training, the whole combat thing just seemed anti-climactic to me. I wish she had gotten far less into that and just left it for the next book. So much of it seemed contrived in contrast to the training. There were events near the end which easily could have been great starters to Insurgent. I would have greatly preferred an introduction the ending rather than the actual ending, which again, seemed anti-climactic to me. We'd already had all the action with the training. If we had just gotten a taste for Insurgent, it could have stood alone as the war/revolution/actual combat portion of the story. Roth could have taken all the time she spent on the revolution and invested in Jeanine and the reasons for the revolution. With just a bit of action, it would have been the perfect setup.

I love, love, love me some romance. And this had just the right amount. More than Hunger Games, and no triangle, which would have completely stolen the plot. Nicely done, Veronica Roth.

I actually got this book from the library in print, and couldn't get into it. I'm glad I also got it on audio, although it took FOREVER from the library! The audio version was much better in that it moved a lot faster. Emma Galvin is very good at giving Tris just the voice she needed - somewhat matter of fact, not overly emotional and yet had feeling.

If you liked Hunger Games and the other dystopias that are out there, you'll probably like Divergent. But be warned, Hunger Games will color your opinion of this book. It has its own flavour and needs to stand apart, so if you give it that chance, you'll love it.


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Obsidian

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hot alien, sassy blogger. And hot alien is a complete and total jerk. Sexual tension plus alien battle equals pretty good story.

Jennifer Armentrout is expert at this sort of thing. The aliens she creates here are very appealing, with an ability to bend and transform light. While it plays off the whole light equals good, dark equals bad cliche, it works. These aliens aren't just hot to look at, they're pretty in their natural form, and their language sounds like music. I want to be their friend. I want one for myself.

Katy is a well-written character. She's a bit insecure without being completely undone by it. It's clear that she covers her insecurity with some false bravado - but that's typical of any 17-year old. She's pretty without realising she's pretty, but this is done in a way that is also typical of any 17-year old, or really of any female in general. We all think we're too fat and too dull and that there's some fatal flaw in us. American girls have a very bad habit of standing in circles admiring each other, envying each other, and all thinking they are the worst of the bunch.

I like this about Katy. It makes her endearing and normal. She's someone I can imagine living down the street.

Daemon is decidedly not typical. And it is not at all typical that he keeps being drawn to Katy. I can believe Katy, I find it much harder to believe Daemon. I get why the story plays out as it does, but he isn't behaving the way a regular guy would. The sexy alien is all fiction. Hot, swoony fiction, but fiction nonetheless.

The secondary characters were well-drawn and not at all shallow. They were only explored as was necessary to the plot. So when things didn't focus on them that much, it was ok. They really were the accessories to the main event.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was well-paced, the action alternating with the exchanges charged with all that sexual tension. Armentrout thought through the backstory; it all made sense. But let's face it, the romance is the central focus here. And in terms of a romance surrounded by a story about aliens, it's well done. It's what Armentrout is great at - romance.

All in all, a great read. I finished this in about 2 hours as a re-read. I liked it even better the second time. And although I've read all the books in the series up to this point, I am looking forward to the last one. Armentrout has a way of taking each plotline and changing it up just enough to make it interesting. And the characters continue to grow. Call it a guilty pleasure - I'm happy to go back and visit Daemon and Katy anytime.

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Defiance

Defiance by C.J. Redwine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book has all the right elements - good plot, good characters, interesting setting, good storytelling. And yet for some reason it doesn't add up to a book that just blows you away. Such is the case with Defiance.

Problem one: the world wasn't really well developed. There was a fortified town, a wasteland with a lot of trees, villages with "tree people" (whom I assume look and act like native Americans), and apparently other towns. The image I had in my head of the village was somewhat renaissance, with cloaks and swords and long dresses and the traditional roles of men and women. The extremes of the gender roles was touched on lightly, but there wasn't any background given as to why it was that way. The town was fortified with steel and concrete, and yet people used horse-drawn wagons. There was a beast but it sounded like a cross between a dragon and one of the worms from Tremors. There was a ruthless dictator, but he didn't seem overly smart or clever.

Problem two: everything seemed to happen too fast. But really, it didn't. I think it's just that the backstory wasn't there. We just got to vaguely know some of the characters and then they were gone before they were fully developed. When some of them died, I just didn't care because I wasn't invested enough in them. And this was sad, because they were really good characters who, had they been fully developed, would have given the story a rich depth that it lacks.

The characters were likable enough. Rachel is tough and smart, if a bit reckless. Her father has taught her to not be such a girly girl, and yet she doesn't seem to have lost a feminine softness. What seems to be lacking in her is a confidence in herself that apparently was shaken when she was spurned by a boy. She is full of a lot of bravado that overshadows her true abilities. She may be a great fighter, but the whole insecurity thing was a bit overdone.

Logan is better drawn. He's part hunk, part MacGuyver, part geek, part strong protector. Above all else, he's a thinker. It was so enjoyable to watch him think through each situation logically by mapping out each possible scenario and its conclusion. He was also fairly emotional, although that didn't seem to influence his actions overmuch. He was a wonderful romantic lead.

Quinn and Willow were wonderful characters that I wish had held a larger role in the story. It was as if we just were introduced to them and then they disappeared. Oliver, Sylph, Eloise and even Jared seemed shallow characters, poorly developed within the scope of the story. And I find this sad, because I really liked each of them.

This was a great plot and for a book that is 403 pages long, you'd think it would have been a gritty saga. Instead, it seemed like a relatively short camping trip with a few bad guys thrown in. I never felt the characters' lives were ever in any real danger. The romance was okay, but it lacked the tension and buildup that would have made it really great. And the bad guys - who was the real enemy? The Commander? The beast? The opposing army?

The synopsis for this book calls it "post-apocalyptic." I'm not sure what I missed, but it didn't feel post-apocalyptic to me. Generally, I think the term "world-building," is overused but I find it extremely appropriate here. The background setting was just empty, with no reason for the world being as it was. Why were the towns isolated? Where did the beast come from? What caused a "wasteland?"

What happened?

Perhaps these questions will all be answered in the sequels. I liked the story enough to continue with it, but this is definitely more of a so-so read. It is apparently the author's debut novel. A debut is always a starting place, and this author seems to have written a lot about writing. That would explain the idea that this story has so many fabulous elements that just never seemed to congeal. I have every confidence that it will start to make sense with the next installment.

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In Time

In Time by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novella in a word? Heartbreaking.

This little snack between books in the series gives yet another look into the world of The Darkest Minds. It is so nice when an author gives readers yet another peek into the world they create, and usually from another perspective. To read about Gabe's view of the changed kids based on what he'd been told by the press and the government was enlightening. And this because up to this point, we've only heard from the kids who've been mistreated by said government and press. Here's a regular guy in a real-life situation: economy has tanked, he has no prospects, he needs to make money and wants to do it honestly. Why not become a skip-tracer and round up the freaks?

Suzume is the perfect character for Gabe to catch. The fact that she is mute gives the story such depth! Her personality in general is rich and sweet, so combining that with Gabe's lack of trust/preconceived notions makes for a wonderful look into the world.

There's also another peek into the story at large that will spark the hearts of Darkest Minds' readers.

I wouldn't say this is a must-read for the series, but it definitely added to it. It's possible that the conclusion will figure into Never Fade. Regardless, this novella is worth the short time it takes to invest in the stoy.



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Finding Cinderella

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love it when I'm vaguely familiar with a character because I've been introduced to them in a previous story. In this case it was with the characters in Hopeless. I think Hopeless may be my favourite New Adult book. I love the way Colleen Hoover writes. I think it's because she writes New Adult romance, but with social issues that are handled well. And the physical relationship is kept to a minimum and within the context of the story. It isn't the focus - the focus is on the characters and their situations.

This particular story is all about Daniel, who is Holder's best friend. It's also about Six, who is Sky's best friend. It is their story and it is a sweet one.

This was just enough; a short story that encompassed an entire relationship. Daniel and Six are a delight and their interaction is funny and sweet. What a pleasure.

While reading Hopeless isn't entirely necessary to read before reading this short story, it does help. On the other hand, it is a wonderful taste of what to expect from Hoover in Hopeless. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was a treat.



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Dare You To

Dare You To by Katie McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Now here's a refreshing take on the whole teenage romance. He's a baseball star and she's a mess. He's cocky and she's from a trailer park. It's about time the traditional good girl/bad boy roles are reversed.

This is the story of a dare. I loved the way this theme echoed through the book. The title is so appropriate because the whole plot really does hinge on just that - a dare. Ryan is popular, good-looking jock from a nice family. He and his friends have a game where they dare each other to do the typical stupid high school things. But they're ball players and they take winning very seriously, so one of them losing a dare means merciless (albeit good-natured) teasing from the two others. One of the guys dares Ryan to get Beth's phone number while in a Taco Bell one night. What ensues is an interesting journey into their screwed-up lives. He thinks she's a rich girl living with her famous former NY Yankee uncle and she thinks he's the typical jock with the upper-class family (which he actually is). Neither could be more wrong.

I think the thing about this story that I liked the best (and the thing that disturbed me the most) was how realistic it was. We have Beth, who is completely deluded with a saviour complex. I wonder how many kids really are in her situation, with a deadbeat drug-addicted mom and a dad in prison. The thing that's unique about her is that this screwed up family of hers really does just dump all the responsibility for her mother into her lap. Everyone, that is, except the uncle who abandoned her to follow a career in pro baseball. After she gets arrested by covering for her mom, her uncle Scott comes in and really does rescue her from her life. Beth has been coping the way anyone in her situation would cope: she gets high, she skips school, she hangs out with gang members and she fails at life. She expects to fail at life. And who wouldn't, surrounded by a whole host of failures? Scott takes her to his big house in their small hometown, removed from the city slums where she's been living, away from her friends and her mother and her mother's abusive boyfriend. All Beth wants to do is get away from him and his snobby wife - who does he think he is, anyway? She doesn't belong in a normal high school with normal friends, she's on a mission to get her mother away from their excuse for a life.

Scott is patient but firm. What makes the relationship between he and Beth work is their history. Scott was there to take care of her when her mother was damaged, abused and married to a drug dealer. He's a father figure that protected her when she was small, and that works to his favour when he gets custody of her. He's able to remove her from her failure of a life and give her hope, something she sees as weakness. Trust is a big deal for Beth and with good reason. A child whose parents are selfish and place blame on someone so young is both unfair and irresponsible. It is appalling.

Ryan, on the other hand, is the consummate perfect boy with the image-conscious family. Everything looks good from the outside, but there are secrets and impossibly high expectations on the inside. While it could be said that he has what amount to first-world problems, he is completely relatable for many teens. The pressure to perform can be as debilitating as the expectation of worthlessness and failure.

The way these two characters come to break out of the lives in which they are stuck is encouraging and uplifting. It's a slow process, with complicated relationships and trust issues which give the characters depth and definition. The secondary characters are completely necessary to the story and give it angst without being shallow - a pretty good trick to accomplish. The relationship between Beth and Isaiah could have been trite and cliche, but McGarry is able to give it a heart-wrenching perspective. The revelations toward the end of the story are emotional and raw while remaining true to reality.

This book will literally wring out your emotions and leave you exhausted. Talk about drama!

This story is the furthest thing from a light romance. It's a romance, sure. But be prepared to be dragged through slums, backstabbing high school princesses, seriously faithful friendships and equally screwed-up families. It's a pretty girl and a swoon-worthy guy. But boy do they have issues. How McGarry pulls out a happy ending is a real feat considering the big confrontation at the end.

The book is told from two points of view. It is narrated on audio from two points of view on audio as well, by Brittany Pressley and Christopher Gebauer. Pressley's performance tends to sound like she's reading. She gives the characters good voices and has emotion true to the scenes, but I found it difficult to distinguish the character's thoughts from their actual dialogue. Gebauer, on the other hand, was wonderful. His portrayal of Ryan was just that - a portrayal. He really brought Ryan to life. It's so nice to have a true voice actor instead of just a narrator.

Katie McGarry isn't afraid to tackle some big, big issues. She does it with realism while managing to entertain us, which I find pretty amazing. I will be helping myself to her other books - but I'm going to have to prepare myself for an emotional roller coaster. Her stories are not for the faint of heart.

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The Edge of Never

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Road trip with hot guy and pretty girl. Sounds like a recipe for a great story, right? Between the synopsis and the reviews I'd read about this book, I had some optimistic expectations. I wasn't disappointed.

Camryn starts out as a sad, depressed character whose friends are insisting she break out of her comfort zone. Her boyfriend was killed in a car accident, and this has left her pretty much emotionally destitute, moving through her life as a sort of zombie. She makes a bold decision and takes a big chance by getting on a bus and just leaving her life behind. She doesn't have a physical destination, but she does have an emotional one - she is determined to get past the heartache and devastation which has held her prisoner.

On the bus, she meets Andrew. Andrew is a guy with his own issues (what is a hunk like him doing on a bus?) He is persistent, she is stubborn. The story predictably follows the thawing of Camryn's refusal to give him the time of day, to their friendship, to their romance, to tragedy, to a happy ending. And the best part is the road trip.

I liked Andrew a lot. He was a nice contrast to Camryn's friends at home - people who tried to fix deep questions with shallow answers. Natalie is the stock best friend trying to pull Camryn out of her funk. Damon, Camryn's friend and Natalie's boyfriend, is a jerk. And Natalie is blind. Although I found their behaviour to be realistic, I didn't like it. They may have added some dimension to Camryn, but in the end they really weren't needed beyond the initial setup of the plot.

One of the reasons I liked Andrew was the way he insisted that Camryn be smart. Honestly, the idea that a 20-year old pretty girl gets on a bus smacks of out-and-out stupidity. Fortunately for Camryn, Andrew addressed that situation with an appropriately protective attitude. He was totally a guy without being obnoxious. He continually drew Camryn out, faithful to their friendship without losing the fact that he was attracted to her. He was also the typical heartthrob which admittedly is unrealistic but who cares? He's good-looking and not afraid of a fight. He's funny and caring. He's irresistible. What's not to love?

The road trip, while immensely entertaining, was a bit unrealistic. Apparently Andrew had unlimited funds with which to drive around the country and just have fun. This was explained later - but the idea that they were just able to drop their lives seemed to be a bit of a stretch. Enviable, though. Seriously, who wouldn't love just leaving their life for awhile?

The love story - which we all knew would end well - really did develop nicely. This wasn't insta-love, but rather a gradual exploration of the issues that plagued both characters. I think that's what made the story good; getting to the bottom of all the problems alongside the relationship made for a great romance. The banter was a lot of fun and the ending came out of nowhere. It carried an emotional punch that gave the book a nice bang with which to go out.

This is decidedly New Adult. This isn't a couple of teenagers mooning over each other. These are young adults behaving like adults, so be warned.

The audio was narrated by Lauren Fortgang. She gave great voices to the characters. Her expression and emotion was great, although she does have a bit of a whiny tone that might be off-putting to some.

I really did like this book a lot. It's one of the better NA contemporaries out there, with characters who have depth. I'm not raving about it, but I am recommending it. Romance lovers will be braiding their long hair and longing for an Andrew Parrish of their own.

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Bittersweet

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the synopsis on this book and thought it would be about cupcakes. Not so. It's really about ice skating, high school, and living in a small town. Who knew?

It's the story of a girl who is doing her best to deal with real life in a practical way. Hudson is one of the most angst-ridden protagonists I've ever encountered. She spends almost the entire story second-guessing herself and cringing at the decisions she's made. She likes Will, doesn't she? Shouldn't she? She likes Josh, but then there's the Will thing . . . she wants to please her Mom. She's desperate to leave her small town while consumed with guilt over not wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps. She makes sacrifices without trashing her dreams or losing sight of her goal. Then she doubts whether she should be sacrificing in the first place.

OK all that aside, Hudson really was likable. Her banter with the hockey team was thoroughly enjoyable. She was committed, faithful, funny at times. She was a terrible friend and yet I never thought she was a jerk. The cupcakes seemed to me to really be a side issue and indeed they were her coping mechanism. I'm conflicted on my feelings for the love triangle; Hudson seemed to take a long time to figure it out when it seemed so obvious to us as readers. But she does get to the bottom of her feelings in the end with a very satisfying conclusion.

I liked Will but I didn't trust him (I knew it!). I had mixed feelings about Dani, the stock gum-cracking funny friend. In the end, Dani's behaviour gave her a bit more depth than the traditional best friend. I really liked Josh, I loved Bug, I even liked Hudson's mom. All the points of view were clearly distinguished, the characters well defined. The story was sort of like a rocky path to a predictable ending. But that was ok because this story is a light read, not trying to tackle any major issues. And let's face it, titling each chapter with a mouth-watering cupcake description didn't hurt.

Ockler does a great job of placing us in a busy diner in a small town. I felt the cold, heard the sounds of skates on ice. I saw the icy lake. She's a good writer.

I do have a bone to pick, though. It seems that a lot of the contemporary YA that I read lately has characters that can't communicate. While this drives the plot along, it gets annoying. They aren't honest when they should be, and that feels a bit contrived. Can't an author move things along without resorting to the traditional measures of insecurity and dishonesty by omission with their characters? Or is this just reflective of real life and the thing that makes the characters interesting? I'm on the fence about this whole plot device because so many of these stories are thoroughly enjoyable.

The book is narrated on audio by Ariadne Meyers. Her voice for Hudson is wonderful - I think it's what makes the story so good. She really did bring the story to life with expression and emotion.

All in all, I gave this 4 stars because I enjoyed it even with its problems. It's a sweet story. Fans of Sarah Dessen will love it.

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I tried to read this a few months ago and just couldn't get into it. I am so glad I picked it up again. Everyone who says that it's fabulous? They're right. It's beyond fabulous. It blew me away.

The setting is Prague. While Prague is a beautiful city, it's not one that I think I would particularly enjoy - I visited St. Petersburg, Russia in February and found it cold and bleak. That impression was probably the thing that was off-putting for me when I first tried to read the story months ago. The main character, Karou, seemed at first to be a tough girl, rebellious and cheeky and not at all endearing. I read blue hair and tattoos and thought 'oh, here we go with the predictable kickass fantasy heroine who's going to slaughter strange creatures, lie to the regular folk (in their best interests of course) and take over some kingdom.' I expected a long adventure completely unrelated to real life. I expected all the things I find tedious in fantasy stories.

But not so, not even close! This time around Karou just seemed to be a regular art student with a strange family. Art students in general tend to be a bit odd, and Karou is no exception. She is the "daughter" of a rather daunting and fantastic creature named Brimstone. Mr. Brimstone and the others who live in his shop are chimaera - monsters who are part animal. Brimstone sends Karou on errands to gather teeth, and he grants her small wishes. Karou is like anyone with an odd family - they're all she knows so they don't seem strange at all. Monsters? Seeing them through her eyes makes us love them as she does. And Karou has a lot of questions about her heritage, all of which are unanswered by the mysterious and gruff Brimstone.

She meets and does battle with an angel, Akiva, in an alley in Marrakesh. There is a mysterious pull between them, and the story then unfolds to answer the questions of the attraction between them and Karou's origins.

Karou is actually pretty tough. I'm not sure I'd call her a badass heroine but she certainly approaches that. As the story unfolds, so does her character. Part of the charm for this book was the way the actual plot is entangled with the person of Karou. She is a mystery not only to us as readers, but to herself. We come to understand who she is as she does. As a protagonist she is complex: conflicted, curious, bold, unafraid and courageous, protective, confident. As the story progresses, a more tender side of her is revealed. She becomes more and more endearing; by the end of the book I was completely taken with her.

Akiva is a wonderful balance to Karou. He knows things, he's tortured by what he knows, and he opts for the honest rather than easy way out. We know him as a merciless, driven soldier, loyal to his cause and believing what he has been taught. But as with Karou, his personality emerges and is equally complex, with a depth that makes him completely amazing. The best thing about him is that the qualities that make him antagonistic at first never change, but simply are a basis for his entire character. The more I saw, the more I liked him. By the end, I was in love.

This book had me speculating all over the place with what would happen next - I was absolutely riveted! I never imagined the true situation revealed at the end. And what a reveal it was, with language so beautiful that I could have listened to it for days. The imagery was astounding. Some authors are just able to put language to a scene that leaves you breathless, and Laini Taylor is one of those authors.

The audio is done by Khristine Hvam and she is nothing short of fabulous. She really made the characters come alive with varying accents and voices. The emotion she gives to the scenes is spot on.

I'm putting this one up there as one of my favourites of 2013. And if it can capture a non-fantasy-fan like me, it will certainly capture fantasy and non-fantasy lovers alike. It is a spectacular start to what I hope will be a spectacular series.



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