Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Publication Date: November 30th, 2010

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Genre: YA/Dystopia/Romance

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Synopsis:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

My Thoughts: This is another one of those books that I wish I hadn't waited so long to read. It's been out for a couple years, and has been sitting on my shelf for about one of those years. I finished a book the other night and I didn't have any review books or library books so I stood in front of my shelves wondering which of my way to many unread books I should read. I am so glad I finally picked this one. It's been waiting far too long, it deserved my attention much sooner.

It's a dystopian much like any others. In a completely government controlled world. Where even what you eat, wear, do with you spare time and even who you date and marry is decided for you and there is literally nothing you can do about it. Kind of like The Giver, or 1984.  But it was still unique in it's design, rules, and plot. I found myself engrossed from the very beginning. It was one of those books that you leave you in one spot for hours because there's just no way you're putting it down. In fact, that thought never even crosses your mind.

Cassia is completely content in her life, and after matching ceremony every thing seems to be perfect. She has been matched with her closest friend and a very handsome young man named Xander. But it's the next day when she is given her chip with all Xander's information that everything changes. Because his face wasn't the only one that appeared. Nothing is the same after she sees Ky's face. And Cassia begins to see that the system is indeed quite flawed and she desperately wants to break free of the prison she didn't even realize she was living in.

Cassia's and Ky's love is of course completely forbidden. And I swear it works almost every time. Give me a forbidden love and I'm just sucked right in. I can't help it, actually, show me someone who isn't suckered in, frantically turning pages to find out how things work out for them. Wanting so badly for them to just be able to be in love.

I loved Cassia and I loved Ky. They were both strong willed, independent, unique minded people. Ready to face the consequences for the merest thing such as poetry. Which may seem small to us, but obviously that would change if only 100 poems were chosen to keep and any thing outside those ones were destroyed. I don't really know how I felt about Xander. I didn't feel his character to be very strong and overly devloped. He seemed more like a prop for a love triangle to me. Although I did feel bad for him because it was obvious he was in love with Cassia and could not have been happier when paired with her. And she does love him back, just not in the electrifying way that she loves Ky. Unrequited love is always painful, so for that I did pity him. But other than that I was pretty much neutral on all issues Xander.

As Cassia and Ky continue with their little rebellions, like learning to write, keeping banned poetry, and just plain being in love. They continue to discover just how terrible their government is. And that maybe they can't even hold their people together.  Not only is it full of holes, but it seems to cracking and falling apart.

The book was compelling, gripping, and captured my heart. I had to go online and buy the second installment, because I wasn't willing to wait around for who knows how long for my next trip into town to the nearest book store. I swear, it's completely unfair that my town has no book store. Luckily we do have a nice library, and all the ladies there know me by name haha. If you are a fan of Dystopians then this is definitely a must read, especially so if you enjoy the tension that comes with love triangles. Wonderfully awesome book! I cannot wait for Crossed to get to me!

Blog Tour Stop: Wake by Abria Mattina

Wake

Author: Abria Mattina

Publication Date: September 22nd, 2011

Publisher: Primrose Publications

Genre: YA/Contemporary/Romance

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Synopsis:

Eighteen isn’t too young to run your life into the ground, but it’s not too old to fix it, either. The desire for change drives Willa Kirk from St. John’s, Newfoundland back to hometown of Smiths Falls, Ontario, away from her mistakes and the place where her sister died. She’s looking for a place to settle and rebuild, but Jem Harper just wants to get out of town, back to the life he knew before cancer. By letting the tragedies in their lives define them, they are both dying a little more every day. Welcome to the wake.

My Thoughts: I can honestly say I have never read a book like this before. This was a brand new experience for me, and one I am pretty sure is going to leave a mark.  I don't usually read books that are about real life problems or experiences, I'm usually lost in some fantasy land where the unimaginable becomes reality.  Stepping into this harsh reality was like jumping into a pool of freezing water. What a shock, what an intense read, what an incredible journey.

I think this book was also made more original to me, because it wasn't about what the fighting cancer, or the things people endure during such a traumatic event. While I suppose it had to be a little about that, it was definitely more about the road to recovery, what it's like to be in remission. And how even when you reach that light at the end of the tunnel, it can still be cripplingly blind. And the hard road definitely doesn't end once the cancer is gone, the battle just continues on a new playing field.

Jem is an 18 year old boy in remission. This of course has caused him to endure things no one at that young age should have to, and caused him to mature incredibly fast, while carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. I think  almost everyone has known someone with cancer, it's unfortunately far to common an illness. Which is another reason why this book really hits home, and hard. I fell in love with Jem immediately, and not just out of pity, because he would have despised that. He can't stand being pitied, or treated differently. He just wants to be the man he was before cancer came and mutilated his life and left him a shell of his former self. He definitely holds a lot of residual anger, which in turn results in the distancing and loss of all of his friends. Lucky for him he has the most amazingly supportive family ever.

Then in walks Willa. She is a one woman army. She answers to no one and fears no one or nothing either. And although I didn't like her rashness or boldness at first, she really did grow on me. I came to respect and love her, and even adore her straight forward and slight pushiness. Willa has also endured shockingly scary hardships in her youth and carries some really dark secrets. They share the anger and  general dislike of the world and the people in it. In the beginning these two are pure poison to each other, but I'm sure you've already guessed it doesn't stay that way. Watching their relationship struggle to evolve, to blossom and wilt a few times before achieving perfection was incredible. This is no, love at first sight, sweep you off your feet romance. This is a real, achingly deep love story about two damaged hearts trying to find a way to let someone in and learn to love themselves again as well as someone else.

This story is heartbreaking-ly real, disturbingly honest, and does not hold back. It's about so much more than battling a devastating illness. It's about the battle that no one else sees, the battle behind the curtains. The battle with one's self. How do you pick the pieces back up when it seems like nothing is left. How do you learn to accept yourself when it feels the sickness took everything you knew about yourself away from you. It had that alternating narrative that I love. We get to switch back and forth from Jem to Willa for days at a time. Everything is so much more personal, and their relationship becomes that much more dynamic when we can see how each of them are struggling and growing.  I am so glad I participated in this blog tour, because I loved this book and I want to share it with others. I was surprised by the length, but I am also glad I didn't have to say good bye too soon. I highly recommend this book, to any and all. Do be warned it's not easy on the heart, and it does carry just a few racy moments. But it's such a beautiful story and deserved to be enjoyed by everyone.

Now lucky for all of you,  and also for me, I really do get to share this story with one of you lucky people! Make sure you enter the giveaway to win an e-copy below, you won't regret it! Best of luck to all of you! Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour! For a list of the  blogs participating and their dates go HERE.

----->Enter Giveaway Here <-----

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: April 24th, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: YA/Dystopia/Romance/Paranormal

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Synopsis:

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

My Thoughts: My review will never come close to doing this book justice. I will never find the words to try to tell you amazing it is, or the right words that will make you go pick up this book right now and read it. You definitely should. Right now!

Yes, I know, vampires. There is a ton of vampire YA out there, that's for sure. I know some people will try to shy away from vampire related things simply because it's the big thing right now and they don't want to be just "part of the fad". But this book is definitely the best vampire book I have ever read, easily. If you are at all into vampires in any way this book is a definite must read for you! If you have been staying away from the vampire thing because of all the hype, may I suggest you give it a try and start with this book, I'm pretty positive it will change your mind.

This is the first book I've read by Julie Kagawa, but you can be assured it won't be the last. I have found another writer who rocks my world. This story rattled me to the core. Even after it was over, my thoughts and emotions were still aflame with traces of the characters and events. There are very few books I've read that have taken me to the places that this one did.  I was sucked in with no chance of escape, not that I wanted to get away. If I could have crawled right into the pages I most likely would have. Kagawa created the perfect vampire. They were crazy scary, but still just a smidgen alluring. They were real, raw, dangerous, without the glamour and softness and friendliness you will find a lot in vampire stories. These are vampires to be feared.

Despite the vampires in this story being real monsters, Allison is determined to be just the opposite. She is a brand new vampire and is dead set on keeping her humanity. The internal struggle, power, determination, and strength she displays is incredible. Fighting the constant urge to feed, when it is so easy for you to take whatever you want, is no simple task indeed. I fell completely in love with Allison. My heart ached, and broke and swelled for her, following her every emotion. She was in pain, and my insides clenched, her heart broke and I cried right along with her. Closing the last page on this book gave me physical pain. I laid there and held it and tears streamed down my face.

Waiting for the next installment will be borderline tortuous. I hope to find more awesome stories to tide me over until it comes, but I feel like the bar is being set pretty high by this one. You have to read this, you just have to. YA fans, vampire fans, dystopia fans, paranormal fans, heck, if you like books at all then you gotta put this on your TBR! I wish now that there was a higher ranking than 5/5.

Review: Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Tiger's Curse

Author: Colleen Houck

Publication Date: January 11th, 2011

Publisher: Sterling

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance

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Synopsis:

Passion. Fate. Loyalty. Would you risk it all to change your destiny? The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever. Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

My Thoughts: The first word that comes to mind when I look back at this book is; enchanting. That's what this book does, it enchants you. The entire book has a magical quality about it that is guaranteed to pull you in.

I came across this book once in the book store and was immediately stunned and drawn to it. I'm not going to lie, it was because of the cover. The cover of this book is probably the most beautiful cover on any book I own. No joke. Tiger's are beautiful and majestic anyway, but whoever designed this cover, and really ever cover in the series, definitely hit a major, huge, home run. So Immediately upon seeing it I knew I had to have it, it belonged on my shelf. After reading the summary I was, of course, even more excited. Nothing gets me more excited than an awesome paranormal  story. Especially one that includes romance and shape-shifters of some kind haha.

The story starts off pretty ordinary. We meet a fresh graduate who is looking for a summer job. Her parents passed away and she currently lives with her adopted family. That whole area is touched pretty briefly and we move on to the job, which of course is where everything starts. Who would have know that getting  a temporary job as a circus helper would lead to Kelsey being in India, traversing jungles and trying to break ancient curses?! Some choices are definitely life changing! At this particular circus they have this gorgeous white tiger. Kelsey feels immediately drawn to him and finds herself spending all her free time by his cage, talking and reading to him. Then along comes a potential buyer, who wants to take Ren the tiger to a animal sanctuary in India. The request is given to Kelsey to accompany him on his journey, since she is the closest person to him and knows how to handle and take care of him. Who could turn down an opportunity like that?! Seriously.

But Kelsey had no idea what she was really accepting when she says yes. But it isn't to long before she finds out. Ren the tiger is not just a tiger, he's a man. Not just any man either, he's a 300 year old Indian Prince who thinks Kelsey is the one to help him lift his curse. There's a shock to the system. Despite the incredibly shocking revelation, Kelsey is adamant to help in any way she can. But she may find out all to soon that she is in way over her head.

Kelsey embarks on the most amazing, wondrous, terrifying adventures! At times I was wishing I was her so badly, and then other times I was so glad I was not her. She seen and experienced the most amazing things, as well as life endangering, petrifying things. The story had me on the edge of my seat, my heart raced, and I was thirsty for more!  Another thing I loved about this story was all the wonderful mythology and information it carries. We get to learn so much about Indian culture and history and we get to have a real blast doing it! Not to mention the crazy up and down romance that develops between Kelsey and Ren. Had my heart leaping all over the place.

I only had one problem with the story, was the way Kelsey was acting towards the end. Her "logic" and line of thinking towards Ren and what was best for him drove me mad. I was so angry at times I wanted to reach in there and shake her. It almost made me want to give this book 4 stars, but then I realized that if things went smoothly then the book wouldn't have been as compelling as it was, and it wouldn't have gotten so much emotion out of me. Sometimes a book making you legitimately angry is a good thing, haha.

So yeah, you should go read this book now if you haven't already. It's magical, packed with adventure and knowledge, romance, mythology, and more! I am really sad though because I don't yet own the second book in the series. My heart broke a little bit when I had to close the book and I couldn't pick up the second one right away. I can't wait to get my hands on it!! Amazing book :).