Review | 'Beautiful Redemption'

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my Gosh. I cannot believe this. I just finished the final novel in the Beautiful Creatures series.

Let me just set that up for you guys.

I first heard of Beautiful Creatures in Spring 2010. I checked the book out from my public library a few times before actually buckling down and reading it in October 2010, mainly because I thought, "Hey, this fits in with the whole Halloween feel of the month!" and not knowing that this series was soon to become one of my favorites--if not my FAVORITE--of all time.

Quickly after finishing Beautiful Creatures in a weekend, I waited a few days until Beautiful Darkness was released, borrowed it from my school's librarian, and finished it, emotionally stricken by all the heartbreak emitting from the sequel. Not to mention that I had to wait a full year for the third book.

By the time October 2011 rolled around, I was more than ready to settle into the third book in The Caster Chronicles. I performed my usual ritual for reading this series--that is, sitting locked (no joke) in my bedroom, a blanket around my shoulders, and not resurfacing until I was done. The ending of Chaos was...different, though, than the others. Ethan had *gulp* jumped off of a--oh, did I mention this review will contain spoilers?--water tower, and I just didn't know how to cope.

And so another year's wait happened.

Finally, almost a month after its release, I got my hands on a copy of Beautiful Redemption. I started it on Tuesday, November 20, and finished it on Wednesday, November 21, and that was only because I wasn't ready to say good-bye.

And I still don't think I am.

Usually, I'll provide a list of both pros and cons to any book that I read, but it's very rare that I'll award a book five stars out of five, and seeing as this is my tentative favorite series, there are no cons to be analyzed. This book is perfect.

So I guess now is the time to dive right in to what made this book, what made Beautiful Redemption, so beautiful.

BEAUTIES:
>Oh, hello Lila, didn't expect to have you show up and crush my heart 100 pages later. I mean, what the hell. Yeah, sure, Ethan jumped off a water tower, but I wasn't for sure that he was dead. I thought there would be a catch. BUT NO, Garcia and Stohl just haphazardly reach down my throat and rip my heart out. We see Ethan's chemistry with his mother, and it feels like he's been with her all along; there's no awkwardness. Aunt Prudence also makes a triumphant, hilarious return, and I just wanted to hug the wrinkles right off of her.

>The characters. The characters. THE CHARACTERS. I don't just mean the presence of the characters, but their choices, their doings, their steps, their breaths. Every single thing a character did in this book had some effect. It was, and is, insane. For those who don't know, Ridley Duchannes is my favorite character of the series (although she's tied with Lena), and I was so relieved to see her make a return. I didn't expect our Sexy Siren not to make a come-back, but I didn't know how she would be worked into the story. She sure as hell wouldn't have come back if it weren't for Lena's perspective--but I'll get to that.
>>So let's narrow in some characters now. We'll start off with Ethan Wate, our protagonist. Ethan is so messed-up; he's secretive, he's ignorant, he's indecisive, he's angst-ridden. That's Ethan Wate from book one, and that's Ethan Wate from book four. He doesn't become this godly hero, and I love that. He does make a lot of significant changes, as any GOOD character does, but he's still Ethan Wate. He handles situations the way Ethan Wate would, and I'm so happy for that.
>>Lena Duchannes. For once, and for the last time, we get to see into Lena's mind, for she becomes a narrator for a large portion of the book. Lena is persistent and bold, yet defiant, short-fused, and a bit oblivious to some things. I wouldn't have her any other way, and Lena took a step up in this book, never shedding her true self, but only adding a new layer. Props to you, Lena Duchannes.
>>Ridley Duchannes. My girl. I made the weirdest noise to myself when Lena finds Ridley trapped in Abraham's freaking basement or what-the-hell-ever. But, out of any and all characters, Ridley has definitely had the biggest arc. Book one, she's this evidently dark/Dark, arrogant, proud, malicious vixen mixed up with the wrong people, and in book two, we see the weaker, more vulnerable side to Ridley. By the time the third book came around, she was building herself back up again, and ultimately chose to return to her dark/Dark ways. But in this book, despite her constant arguments stating otherwise, Ridley's heart shone through, and she proved herself to be a fantastic character, and never let her love for Lena, Ethan, or Link waver.
>>Amma. Yeah, we'll get to her...

>The plot was such a fantastic way to conclude the story. From the whole Obidias Trueblood deal, all the way to the book(s), the key(s), the Cast(s), and the battle(s), everything was written and structured so beautifully, and everything came together. And holy crap, what about Sarafine Duchannes sitting on a throne fashioned from bones? I just about had a heart attack. Each character got their own shining moment, and I love how Link got to kill Abraham, and I love how John's pride got in his own way, but Liv was there to hold him down, and I love--no, I freaking love--Reece Duchannes. She's so perfect. She and Ryan and Del and Emmaline and Barclay. I mean, they're all back, and they're all wonderful.
>>The absolute, definite theme of the book is choice--well, it's the theme of the whole series, truthfully. In the final novel, it all boils down to Ethan changing his fate, rather than Lena choosing her own in book one. It has all come full-circle. And instead of bringing up entirely new plot devices like many others do, and fail to emphasize, Garcia and Stohl form this fantastic climax from characterization, rather than plot. I don't care if we just find out that Obidias Trueblood rewrote Ethan's page in The Caster Chronicles; it makes sense. Everything in this book, introduced or recycled, makes absolute sense. Angelus's prominence and motivations and emphasis as a villain make sense. I'm so glad that Garcia and Stohl were successfully able to change focus from Abraham to Angelus so smoothly and incorporate him into the story so heavily. Twilight, for example, failed to do so. For three books, Victoria is the primary antagonist, and then all of a sudden, for about a third of the final book, it's the Volturi. Stephenie Meyer could really take a hint from this dynamic duo. It's so hard for me to articulate how perfect it all worked, but it was, truly, perfection.
>>Now for the ending-ending. I suppose I'll start from Ethan's battle with Angelus. I mean, how clever was it of Ethan to use the eye of the river? Freaking clever. And then he's able to get rid of his page, and it's fantastic, and then he's back on the water tower, and you're just like, "Okay, he's back. Oh hey, Amma's there. Everything will be fine." EVERYTHING WILL NOT BE FINE, GURL, WHATCHU TALKIN' 'BOUT?! Amarie Treadeau proceeds to jump off of the water tower, into a crack in the universe, and become one of the Greats. When you actually read the scene, it provides so much closure, and it makes sense, but it was sudden. So beautifully sudden. Oh yeah, and Ethan and Lena can actually kiss without threatening to bring on the apocalypse. Then we have one final, magnificently-written scene with our main group: Ethan, Lena, Link, and Ridley. John and Liv are there, too, and I got a little emotional reading their little lovey-dovey scene, but it really sunk in that this was the last time we'd read of Ethan sitting next to Lena, and Link next to Ridley, at the Dar-ee Keen. So as I read about Link's little childhood mishap as Ridley refuses to move to New York City with him in the Beater, I begin to tell these guys good-bye. Then the epilogue hits. And oh, did it hit. I'm so glad we went from having a scene with the main six, to the main four, and then topping it all off with the main two. Ethan and Lena are the main components of this series, and I'm so glad to see them still strong, although I would have enjoyed some confirmation of their marriage. I mean, come on, they can't have gone through all this and not get married.

So congratulations Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and thank you. Thank you for making such a beautiful, beautiful series.

View all my reviews

Review | 'For Darkness Shows the Stars'

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is the post-apocalyptic (of sorts) dystopian story of Elliot North, a Luddite, and her relationship with Kai Wentworth, a Post. Luddites and Posts compose the population in this society; a split that occurred after The Reduction, an occurrence resulting from technological revolution reaching an unpreventable state. The book is a tale of choice and temptation, developed at a disappointingly lukewarm pace.

Just a reminder, this review WILL contain spoilers pertaining to this novel, and although they are mild, I would not recommend reading this review to anyone who has not read FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS.

Let's analyze the pros and cons of Diana Peterfreund's novel, shall we?

CONS:
>There were points in the story where I thought "Oh, we're getting somewhere here!" and were just ultimately left alone. This story could have gone so many places, but it...didn't.

>There were so many unnecessary scenes of pointless dialogue and plot exposition placed haphazardly, to the point where it got a bit annoying.

>There's a lot of confusion and ambiguity surrounding The Reduction. I'm not sure whether or not that confusion was intended, but it definitely didn't work well with the plot.

>The motivations of some characters were so misguided and messed up. I think Elliot's constant attraction to Kai grew to be annoying, and I honestly began to ship Elliot/Horatio, and hoped they would end up together. Kai was never, and never would be, a good fit for Elliot, but she just fell back in love with him all over again multiple times. I could see where her reactions to Kai/Olivia's relationship came from, but there was not a lot of realism to the concept further than her initial, petty reactions.

PROS:
>The essence of Elliot's choice was very realistic, and it was supported with the letters that provided intermission to the story. In most YA novels, romance is centered solely around mystery or physical attraction, but this book has a much more understandable internal conflict; deriving from Elliot's early friendship with Kai, their separation as friends, and his return to her life. Elliot is then faced with the conflict of choosing whether or not to rebuild her relationship with Kai.

>Character development was mediocre in the book, but I wouldn't file that under my con list, so I suppose it belongs here. There were many characters to keep track of in this book--Elliot, Kai, Ro, Dee, Horatio, Olivia, Tatiana, among others--and they all seemed to get there own little spotlight, which was nice. There weren't any characters who played no significance whatsoever, so I'm glad Peterfreund paid attention to all of them.

>I touched on this a bit earlier, but I really loved the use of Elliot and Kai's letters. It help build the story, which was good.

>Peterfreund has a very fresh, open writing style. I feel like she has a lot of untapped potential.

View all my reviews

Review | 'Tiger Lily'

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was fantastic. But it was so, so depressing.

Just a disclaimer, this review WILL contain spoilers pertaining to the book, but I really don't want to hide the WHOLE review because of spoilers, because I just--I just--blech. No. Enjoy, and beware of spoilers!

I used to absolutely love the relationship between Wendy Darling and Peter Pan, but this book totally changed my outlook on the whole ordeal, and made me become so interested in the character of Tiger Lily, a character who--prior to reading this book--I'd never put much stock into. From the moment the relationship between Tiger Lily and Peter Pan was built, I knew there would be all these FEELS.

Okay, so let's analyze/examine some pros and cons from the story.

CONS:
>The beginning is a VERY slow start. I "started" the book in October, read the first chapter, and didn't pick it up again until November. I definitely think the author could have done a better job at catching the reader's attention. But once you get to Tiger Lily's first confrontation with Peter, things start to pick up a bit.

PROS:
>At first, I was going to put this as a con, but then I reconsidered. The amount of time we spend with Wendy is satisfactorily short. I was initially surprised at how late she entered the story, and how short her stay was, but looking back, I think it's a good thing. It provides this sense of realistic heartbreak for Tiger Lily; this English girl slipping in, attracting the likes of Peter and the lost boys, and then essentially ripping him right out of her life.

>Tiger Lily's character. Oh my gosh, Tiger Lily was fantastic. I love how quiet yet strong she is. She's got this brutality and innocence to her that is often hard to portray in YA fiction, but Jodi Lynn Anderson does a fantastic job of illustrating it in this book. I really loved Tiger Lily, and rooted for her the entire book through. My heart broke when hers did, which is a sign of a fantastic character.

>Tinker Bell's narration. I went into this book thinking that it would be narrated from Tiger Lily's perspective, but I was proven wrong right off the bat. At first, I didn't know how I would react to Tinker Bell creepily following Tiger Lily and Peter around, but I grew to like--and appreciate--it. She definitely provides this objective, unbiased, yet sensitive, look into their relationship. I love how she confesses to falling in love with Peter, and admitting to nothing ever happening between the two of them. I love her commentary on every person; her contempt for Wendy, and her eventual disappointment towards Tiger Lily's character change, especially.

>Peter's letter to Tiger Lily. This was just so--ugh. This letter seriously made me say, "THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU STAY WITH TIGER LILY, YOU DOUCHE?" The letter made sense, though, and it provided some more sadness to Tinker Bell's visit to England and running into an aged version of Peter Pan (which was so depressing).

>The realism. Especially for a book of such crazy scenarios, Tiger Lily hits home in a way most YA fantasies don't do. So many authors could take a hint from Anderson.

Overall, Tiger Lily has a fantastic plot with groundbreaking characters, and I definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone.

View all my reviews

Working title.

It's been weeks, I'm pretty sure even months, since my fingers have passionately tapped across the internationally beloved Qwerty keypad to do something that I love more than most other petty, expendable things in life, and that's blogging. In my defense, though, I've been quite busy. Since summer, my sophomore year in high school's started and I've filled my life with Debate and homework and college level courses and yada-yada. If you noticed the horrifying gap between when I posted YouTube videos, you'd see that there was this void between the fall of 2011 and the spring of 2012, and it is that way for a reason. My Debate season never ends. In fact, in my eyes, it started Autumn 2011, and will continue until Spring of 2015, when I graduate. But I had Debate tournaments from October to February last year, which is why I was virtually inactive, also because I had to balance extra-curriculars with friends, family, homework, etc. Vlogging and blogging got sort of shoved aside. Which is why I don't really even have a legitimate domain for this blog yet. I started this site in winter 2010, and had intended on purchasing a .com domain name, but after my life getting so full and such, I found myself not wanting to pay for something I didn't really use as frequently as I hoped I would. It simply seemed wrong and useless to me. In March, I picked back up with making YouTube, and made some throughout the summer, but then--and this shouldn't be a surprise--school started again, and my YouTube videos ceased to flourish. It really sucks, I know. I really love getting in front of the camera and talking and such. But August meant getting hard to work again, and not only have I been unable to post on the blog or make YouTube videos, but I haven't really been able to read a lot, which saddens me beyond belief. Since school started in mid-August of 2012, I have read 7 books, and abandoned 3. Among those seven, though, is perhaps the most-anticipated book of 2012 for me: The Casual Vacancy. I never wrote a proper review of Jo Rowling's newest novel, and I doubt I ever will, but I did give it 5 stars on Goodreads, and it's probably my new favorite standalone novel. I'm currently juggling Fahrenheit 451 for school, as well as The Devouring, Tiger Lily, and The Mark of Athena for pleasure. I'm also waiting for my copy of Beautiful Redemption to come in at the school library so I can wrap up my adventures with Ethan Wate and Lena Duchannes. Since I've last written to you, I've seen the Perks film, discovered Imagine Dragons, Marina and the Diamonds, The Lumineers, among others; had a successful post-novice Debate career, and much more. And as I write now, I truly feel the gap that my lack of blogging has left. I wish I had been around to write a review for The Casual Vacancy, or to vlog about different social aspects currently irking me in this bothersome election. I suppose what I'd like you to take away from this, in part, is that I want to change this site a bit. Not only do I want to find the money and will power to invest in buying a proper domain for this site, but I'd also like to change the whole feel around The Potter People. I'm going to try to post one video (whether it be a review or vlog) per week, put out an episode of the podcast once a month, and make at least three blog posts (reviews or not) per week. I already plan to hop in front of the camera Monday afternoon (mainly to give the same sermon I give now) and make my first proper vlog in months. It's gon' be cray, I can tell you that. I do, though, wish that YouTube let their users change their usernames; that way I could change mine from PotterPeoplePodcast to ThePotterPeople, or perhaps I'll succumb to the pestering demands of YouTube to use my actual name, and sync my Google+ account with my YouTube. Ha, never gonna happen YouTube. It's too mainstream.

So while I've got you here, and while I stick with the thought that making a new paragraph was the right choice to make, I may as well wrap things up. I promise to be around more, if anyone actually really cares about that (cue sad teenage indie music). Until my activity becomes more prominent on the internet, you can watch me on the tube, follow me on Twitter, follow The Potter People on Twitter, follow me on Tumblr, and subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Good-bye.

Review | 'Never Let Me Go'

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Never Let Me Go has had the biggest impact that one single novel has had on me in quite a while.

After reading more than my fair share of love-triangle-filled, development-lacking YA stories, it was such a refresher to finally sit down and read this book, something I admit, albeit ashamedly, I've been wanting to do since I heard of the film, which stars my favorite actress, Carey Mulligan, as well as Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield. I wanted to read the book before I saw the film, as most people do, although I knew that, especially being a standalone, this book has been contrasted quite often to the film, at least as far as the ultimate impact goes. I haven't yet seen the film, although I have it on hold at my local library, so I'll have to pick it up soon.

Back to the book, though. Never Let Me Go follows the story of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, three children who have been raised in the sheltered haven of Hailsham, a 'school' designed to raise its 'students' to believe they are happy and safe and living their lives the way they ought to be lived. But the Hailsham students know they are a bit different from those not at Hailsham, and the outsiders definitely know the Hailsham students are different. After completing their lives at Hailsham, Kathy and her friends are sent into the real world, where they encounter many human obstacles and experiences, and then begin their lives as carers and, eventually, donors.

The painful sense of realism in this book is what makes it most touching and poignant, and what makes it so strikingly easy to connect to. Kazuo Ishiguro, the author, said in an interview that in writing the book, he intended to elaborate on the idea that humans tend to put the knowledge of death, or their own expiration date, to the back of their minds, and that he wanted to bring that to a forefront for these unique children, who really have a lifespan of approximately thirty years. The characters in the book begin as children who have been so isolated from society that they are rather naive, but also quite perceptive, considering their circumstance. But that's the thing about being a child, you have this sixth sense where you can almost detect the catch in a situation, yet it eventually dies out over time, because it has just become so settled into your lifestyle. Ishiguro does a beautiful job of showing how these characters grow so attached to each other and how dependent they are on one another, for if they split up, they would feel so lost and alone in a world that they really fill up only the most minuscule percent of the population. It's the way they transition into the most human ways of handling situations that makes the book position at a level of comprehension that isn't always done as successfully in other novels with this sort of premise.

In part one of the novel, I knew from the very beginning I would like Kathy. That never changed throughout the book; I loved Kathy from page one all the way to page 288, and my loyalty to her story never wavered. Strangely, though, I was originally sort of annoyed by Tommy in the beginning. I'm not sure what part of Tommy really bugged me, but perhaps it centered around his fits and how trivial they seemed to me at the time of reading the story's beginning. I was able to infer that Ruth would continue to be bossy throughout the story, although I didn't dislike her at the start. But as the story transitioned into the second part, I grew to absolutely loathe Ruth. She was a complete insensitive bitch who wanted so hard to conform into the mold of society, what with the idea of her relationship with Tommy, following Rodney and Chrissie like a little puppy, and searching so eagerly for her possible, hoping to have a successful career in her life. I felt for her, though, when she delivered her line about being modeled from trash, but I also felt Kathy's pain, after reading through the magazines and observing the faces of the models. That was something I liked about Kathy: her hidden curiosity, and how ambiguous it seemed until everything was pieced together. I loved that about this book (something not many books do anymore): things were actually spelled out for the reader; especially at the end. Books like these need explanations from the characters themselves, not little bits of hints dropped to make the reader just guess forever. Anyway, back to Ruth. The point of no return for her, in my opinion, was when she told Kathy that while she knew she and Tommy wouldn't last, Tommy never saw Kathy as anything more than a friend. It just showed how overbearing and tyrannical Ruth was; how controlling she was. At that point, I thought Ruth would never redeem herself. But then we get into part three, and after having a falling-out with Ruth and fleeing the cottages to be a carer, Kathy has settled on caring for Ruth as she nears her "completion" (the term for the death of a Hailsham student). Ruth and Kathy begin to rekindle their friendship, and decide to go and see Tommy, who is settled at another centre to be cared for. They go and find a beached ship, just for the sake of seeing it, just the three of them. Besides the other nice moments of reprieve of Ruth deriving from her conversations with Kathy, she really made me love her when she acknowledged that she knew the entire time that Kathy and Tommy were meant to be together (after finding out about the rumor of deferrals for Hailsham students in love) and that she hoped for Kathy and Tommy to get their deferral, and spend their lives together before Tommy completed. At that point, Ruth's entire characterization came full-circle, and I appreciated her 10x more than I did before. I loved Kathy and Tommy, but Ruth's character was so, so intriguing and strange.

The ending of the story was quite heart-breaking, but everything made sense. I assumed that Kathy and Tommy would get their deferral, but I totally understood why they didn't, and I understood Miss Emily's reasoning for the way everything went down at Hailsham. The final ten pages of the book revolved around Kathy and Tommy's last days together, and how Kathy wishes she had more time with Ruth, but also how she was content with how her life with Ruth had ended. Ruth and Tommy reach an agreement that it isn't healthy for Kathy to continue caring for Tommy, so a new carer is appointed for Tommy, and just like that, Tommy is gone, and Kathy is left with the recurring memory of him waving as she drives away, constantly returning to Norfolk (where she found presumably her childhood copy of the song "Never Let Me Go" on tape) and watching the sky as Tommy filtered in and out of her thoughts.

I couldn't go throughout this review without mentioning the title, though, and what it refers to. "Never Let Me Go" is a reference foremost to the song Kathy dances to whilst at Hailsham, before being stumbled upon by Madame. The chorus ("Baby, never let me go") strikes Kathy as referencing a mother who thought she couldn't have children (similar to the condition of Hailsham girls--infertile), but finally having one, and holding it close to her while she begs it to never let her go. Madame explains, at the end of the novel, that she had assumed that--when she saw Kathy--Kathy was pleading with the world to never let her go, as she would move on and face life outside of Hailsham. The title has beautiful meaning in the story, and it's obviously referencing the song, but I think it also ties into Kathy's relationship with Ruth and Tommy. It links to Tommy in the end, when Kathy holds him down as he enters a fit after finding out the rumor about deferrals was false, and that moment reflects their entire relationship; the balance and mediation she brings to him, as opposed to the unbalanced nature of Ruth. Speaking of, the title connects to Ruth and Kathy's friendship by the way that, in a sense, Kathy eventually did let Ruth go...twice, actually. The first time was when Kathy left Ruth to become a carer, and there was a 10-year gap between that point and when she saw her again, and once more when Ruth completes, and although there is some regret that she left Ruth on the wrong foot, she accepts the positive nature of the finality of their friendship and does let Ruth go.[

The book was beautiful, and I feel I could write an essay on Kathy's outlook on her life, and her pain and her guilt and her desire and her struggle and her benevolence overall, but I truly have no time for that. I knew instantly upon finish the book that it had become one of my favorites, and I can only hope it has the same effect on every other reader it meets. View all my reviews

Review | 'Shadow and Bone'

Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo
358 pg., U.S. hardcover
Henry Holt and Co.
4 stars | A-



From Goodreads:

Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, the one thing she could rely on was her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’re sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. Ripped from everything she knows, she is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the one person with the power to destroy the Fold.

Swept up in a world of luxury and illusion, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But as the threat to the kingdom mounts, Alina uncovers a secret that sets her on a collision course with the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Now only her past can save her . . . and only she can save the future.

I went into this book not knowing anything about it, besides that it had been very critically-acclaimed. I was especially drawn in by the blurb on the front of the cover from Veronica Roth, who's one of my favorite authors, so I ultimately bought it at Powell's City of Books in Portland, OR when I was there over the summer, after planning to buy it for a while. It's safe to say that I'm pleased I'm did so, and it was such a unique read, although there was something very reminiscent that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I couldn't help but feel a sense of recall throughout the story. But that's beside the point.
While reading it, I was always picturing a beautiful, Russian winter setting, and even a little bit of the setting from the Beauty and the Beast Christmas film that Disney released to DVD. If you know what I'm talking about, you're one of the 163,000 cool people alive. I don't really know; that was just an estimation of cool people still living. The setting was really just beautiful; beautifully described, beautifully executed, beautifully used. Everything about the setting just breathed beauty.
I really liked Alina. Lately, it's been difficult to love a heroine, seeing as most of them have conformed to the stereotypical YA heroine (poor, hopeless girl who is swept into a life where she is forced into a love triangle between to insanely handsome men with some supernatural abilities, and bada-bing-bada-boom you got yourself a Young Adult trilogy admired by many, and hated by those who are mentally sane), but Alina, however, did not. She was already this wonderfully-written, admirable character, who did have her flaws, but she wasn't needy and whiny. She became this defiant, independent, strong female lead who could make her own decisions, and acknowledged her own opinions and ideas rather than being passive-aggressive, like 85% of other YA heroines. To balance out her whole situation was, indeed, a love triangle, although one guy (the Darkling) was this hot-and-heavy, mysterious love, but the other person (Mal) was Alina's best friend, who meant so much to her to the point that their relationship escalated to love; not necessarily infatuation, but pure enjoyment of each other's presence. It was for this reason that I was in full support of the love triangle. Bardugo did a fantastic job of leaving you on your seat when it came to information about the Darkling, and how vile he turned out to be, which was nice. The plot was so well thought out, original, and fascinating, and such a refresher for the genre. I liked the supporting characters a lot, something not often said, but everything (the fantastic plot, setting, and characters) were trumped by Leigh Bardugo's mesmerizing writing. The plot, filled with originality and lit with passion and intensity, would not have been as nearly as strong as it was without the astounding writing of Bardugo. 

Sorry this review was kind of short; I actually finished the book a few weeks before writing the review, but I've just been so busy with school that I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and write a review, let alone read a book. 

The sequel (second in the trilogy), Siege and Storm, is expected to be released in 2013.

Reaction/Recap | 'Asylum of the Daleks'

*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD* Okay, let the title speak for itself; this is a reaction, not a review. Many statements made in this little expression of thought may or may not be cohesive.

New image of Lena and Ethan in 'Beautiful Creatures' arrives!

So I log onto Facebook, right? Was I expecting anything out of the ordinary and wonderful? Nope. Did I get something out of the ordinary and wonderful? Hell yes!

For those who aren't aware, Beautiful Creatures is the story (originally a phenomenal novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl) of Ethan Wate, a semi-sorta-kinda-popular hometown hero, and Lena Duchannes, the outlandish new girl in town, and their magical love story, as they deal with a massive choice Lena must make that will change her relationship with Ethan forever.

The Beautiful Creatures film Facebook (and Instagram) posted a new photo of Ethan and Lena, the story's protagonists, presumably walking through Gatlin at night, stopping for a laugh.

First image of Jeremy Irons as Macon Ravenwood surfaces

The official Beautiful Creatures film Facebook and Instagram posted the very first look at Jeremy Irons as Macon Ravenwood in the film adaptation of the novel of the same name!

For those who do not know, Macon Ravenwood is one of the series' leading players, being the uncle of one of the protagonists, Lena Duchannes. Macon serves as a patriarch father to both Lena and Ethan Wate throughout the series.

To view the image, click here, and then let us know what you think!

The fourth and final novel in the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Redemption, is set to be released October 23, 2012.

Sam Claflin officially cast as Finnick Odair in 'Catching Fire'

After over a month of being in need of confirmation, Lionsgate officially took to their Hunger Games Facebook page earlier today to announce that, yes, Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) has been officially cast as Finnick Odair in Catching Fire.

Maria Howell cast as Seeder in 'Catching Fire'

Lionsgate has formally announced that actress Maria Howell (The Color Purple) has been cast as Seeder, the District 11 Tribute in the 75th Annual Hunger Games, in Catching Fire.

Seeder is from the same District from Rue, and shares some characteristics with Rue, leading her to become good friends with Katniss.

So, yeah...

Hey, everyone. Sorry for the lack of news-being-posted, but I swear I have an alibi! I was on vacation, and while I did have wi-fi access, the only outlet I had to the internet was my Kindle Fire, and I absolutely hate posting things from there, because I've got to do it from the HTML section, and it takes me forever to type on thing and yeah. So, yeah...

I suppose to make up for all the lack of news, I should sort of round things up a bit, shouldn't I?

Here goes nothing/this super-post:

• LeakyCon 2012 took place this week in Chicago, and seemed to be a success from everyone who went. The Leaky team announced that not one--but two--LeakyCons would be taking place next year; one in Portland, OR, over the last week of June, and one in London over the course of August 8-11. Will you be attending either?
• Catching Fire casting has been...out of control lately. Meta Golding has been cast as Enobaria, the brutal Victor from District 2, and Bruno Gunn as her fellow Victor-Tribute, Brutus. Alan Ritchson has been cast as Gloss, the glamorous District One VT (to the pleasure of many female fans...just--just Google him--or look at his face). 
• Primary casting for City of Bones also came to a close with the casting of Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Valentine Morgenstern, *spoilerspoiler* Clary's father/the story's main antagonist.
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower was pushed back to a release date of September 27, which now, unfortunately, clashes with Jennifer Lawrence's thriller, House at the End of the Street, both of which I was planning on seeing at midnight, buuuuut, now I've got to choose between the two.

Alright, then. I hope this makes up for all the news-lackage, so PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I should be getting back in the routine of posting news and book reviews within the next few days, although don't hate me if things don't get posted right away. School is starting up in two days, and I'll be quite busy, but I'll still make time for the site!

Emmy Rossum reveals a shot from 'Beautiful Creatures'

Just after finding MTV's new set peek from Beautiful Creatures, I found an interestingly accurate photo that Emmy Rossum was green-lit to reveal. The image has Rossum's character sitting seductively with Thomas Mann's character, Link, and showing him "a bit of magic," as Rossum describes. What's most interesting about the photo is Rossum's hair. Ridley is known for her red lips, blonde hair, and a lollipop in hand, and, unlike the previous photos and video from MTV, Emmy Rossum has got the blonde hair. It seems as though Ridley will pull a Tonks and sport a variety of styles throughout the film. Honestly, I'm just shallow enough that I'm stoked that we actually DO get to see Emmy Rossum with blonde hair as Ridley.

Check out the photo below!

First Look: Ravenwood Manor scene sneak peek from 'Beautiful Creatures'

Surprise, surprise! MTV Hollywood Crush just posted an interview with Emmy Rossum (in costume as Ridley Duchannes) from the set of Beautiful Creatures, during which she was filming the scene where Lena brings Ethan to meet all of her Caster family. We get a bit of insight on how the scene is filmed, as well as some lines from Emmy! She definitely is bringing on a physically different personification of Ridley from the book, although she had dyed her hair blonde when she was cast. She sports a red-purple pixie cut and is gowned in a lace get-up, and even has a Southern twang, although that's not entirely surprising.

We also get a look at Alice Englert as Lena, Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan, Jeremy Irons as Macon, Kyle Gallner as Larkin, and more!

Check out the amazing video below!

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Lynn Cohen cast as Mags in 'Catching Fire'

Lionsgate announced via their Hunger Games Facebook page that Lynn Cohen has been cast as Mags. Developing...

New 'Doctor Who' trailer premieres!

WATCH IT. NO TIME FOR A FULL POST, SORRY ABOUT THAT!

Kevin Zegers officially cast as Alec Lightwood in 'City of Bones'

As rumored earlier this month, Kevin Zegers (Gossip Girl) has been confirmed via Cassandra Clare's Tumblr (essentially the new hub for casting) for the role of Alec Lightwood in City of Bones, the first in The Mortal Instruments' new film franchise!

Congratulations to Kevin! Madame Dorothea and Luke Garroway were ALSO cast earlier on in the week, but I was on vacation, so I wasn't around to posting them. Aidan Turner (Being Human, The Hobbit films) has been cast as Luke, and CCH Pounder (ER, The West Wing, X-Files) has been cast as Madame Dorothea.

What are your thoughts on the bulk of TMI that has been cast?

RUMOR: Kevin Zegers cast as Alec in 'City of Bones'

MTV Hollywood Crush is reporting that Kevin Zegers (Gossip Girl) has been cast as Alec Lightwood in the film adaptation of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones.

BUT take this rumor report with a grain of salt, for Cassandra Clare has written that who she believed to have been cast as Alec was actually a British actor, but Zegers is Canadian. Oddly enough, I seem to be the only person who's caught this, so we'll wait on confirmation from Cassandra Clare, who's always keeping her fans up to date on casting via her Tumblr.

Jena Malone cast as Johanna Mason in 'Catching Fire'

It's official! Lionsgate announced via their official Hunger Games film page on Facebook that Jena Malone (Sucker Punch, Pride & Prejudice) has been cast as the District 7 tribute in the Third Quarter Quell, Johanna Mason!

This has been long speculated, and even reported that she had been offered the role, but now Lionsgate had confirmed it. Last night, though, Josh Hutcherson spilled on the Teen Choice Awards red carpet that she was in the film.

Thoughts?

Review | 'City of Lost Souls'

City of Lost Souls
Cassandra Clare
535 pg., U.S. hardcover
Simon & Schuster
5 stars | A+



From Goodreads:

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

The Clave's magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can't stay away from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith's magic has wrought - Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other.

Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to forge a weapon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sisters can't help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell - a risk that could claim their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing not just her own life, but Jace's soul. She's willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.


I have loved these books since 2009, and still do, but the one thing I cannot tolerate is the over-usage of erotica. I mean, seriously, in a matter of life and death and loss, Jace's shirt slides up a little bit and Clary gets all flustered and turned on. Calm the hell down, Clarissa Fray, it's just a stomach. Just a forewarning, this review will contain spoilers to the entire Mortal Instruments series, including this one, as well as allusions to its companion/prequel series, The Infernal Devices.
WRITING:

• PACING -- The Mortal Instruments series is one that is very well-written. Honestly, I think that's what I love most about the series, besides it's mostly-astounding plots. So CoLS was no exception, and that really pleased me. The story follows the quick-pacing that has been going on recently in the series, although I think City of Bones and Glass are a little less fast-paced than the others. I started the book one night, read 200 pages, and then the next day read the other 335 pages, and I'm sure that's the case for most fans of TMI. It's just so enthralling and attention-sucking, and it requires your attention without really asking for it. 
• DIALOGUE -- The dialogue in TMI uses a lot of dark, witty humor. It's not really laugh-out-loud humor, but a kind of "oh, yeah, I get it" type. I probably laughed more at Fallen Angels than any of the others, including The Infernal Devices, so I was pretty let down that this book had less jokes, but I suppose I did like the seriousness of the story. There were some annoying, unrealistic pieces of dialogue, mainly from Clary and Jace, but we get those in every book, and while that's no excuse, I've grown accustomed to it. Magnus also has some weird remarks that just don't do anything, so that was also a disappoint, for I like Magnus, but I think that he's become so immature lately, but more on that later.
• ORIGINALITY -- Cassandra Clare definitely has a unique style of writing, unlike the author that I previously read a book from (Lissa Price, Starters). It's always refreshing to go back to Clare's books, because I know that she's got such intense, humorous, and then frightening writing that complements the pacing perfectly, and is able to grab you for such a long time and never let you go. That's really what I love about her. YOU ROCK, CASSIE CLARE. DON'T EVER CHANGE.

STORY:

It's time for my version of the summary! So after the events of Fallen Angels, Jace and Sebastian have disappeared, and it's become against Clave law to search for them, so, of course, the entirety of the main slew of characters do so. We've got Clary, Isabelle, Alec, Magnus, Simon, Jordan, Maia, and a little help here and there from Jocelyn and Luke, and even a return from Aline Penhallow, which was quite enjoyable. Clary finds out that she can't harm Sebastian (which she desires to do, oh so much) without hurting Jace, so she's treading on thin water in this book after being taken by Sebastian and Jabastian (the Sebastian-ized version of Jace) who have plotted to re-create the Mortal Cup, leaving Simon to group up with Alec, Magnus, and Isabelle. In their own little subplots, Alec constantly confronts Camille, who tells him that in order to have Magnus achieve mortality, he must kill Raphael, an ex-vampire leader, who, coincidentally, wants Camille dead. Big, happy vampire family, essentially. I love how Alec's storyline came to an end; the chilling revelation that Maureen (the Simon Lewis fangirl from Fallen Angels-gone vampire) has killed Camille, now making her the leader of the New York vampires. By the way, can someone confirm that Cassie Clare named her after her friend Maureen Johnson, author of The Name of the Star? Isabelle's plot revolves around her personal struggles, most of which having to do with her feelings for Simon. Simon loses his Mark of Cain in order to receive a sword from Raziel to kill Sebastian without killing Jace. The book ends with (of course) Sebastian fleeing the scene, Jace injured, and Clary in grief. Then again, would it be a TMI book without those things? Even though I gave the book 5 stars, I wouldn't say the plot is original. The books all have the same arc, so I feel no need to judge that. The best part of the TMI books, and the TIF books, is what's sandwiched in-between; all that juicy exposition and conflict. I totally believe that Zachariah is Will Herondale, beeteedubbs, anyone with me on that? The books all begin with something happening to Jace and Clary, Simon is thrown in there, Maryse is disapproving, the story goes on, and ends with some ultimate demonic battle, yadda yadda. It's the same old, so I hope to see something different in City of Heavenly Fire, but I doubt that will happen.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

There are so many characters in this book; The Silent Brothers, The Iron Sisters, Maureen, Camille, Raphael, and the more important ones; Jordan, Maia, Simon, Sebastian. And those were just to name a few. I want to start off with Magnus's character development. He's always been this flamboyant, fun, lovable guy from the start, but I think that he has got more...annoyingly immature as the series went along. Now, I totally ship Alec/Magnus, and have nothing against LGBT-lit, so that being said, there's a difference between saying, "Well, being with Alec loosened him up a bit! And Magnus did the same for Alec! Like, duh!" and saying, "Magnus has grown more immature." I obviously think the latter. While I strongly believe that your partner shouldn't change you, I do believe that Magnus has changed for the worse. Regarding the development of other characters, I don't think that any of them have really developed. I mean, Isabelle has surely become a looser, likable character, but Alec remains irritatingly stoic. As far as Clary goes, she's definitely changed, but she still is that vulnerable hostage. In every book, regardless of the training she does with Jace, she always seems to be kidnapped or hurt in the climactic scene, and it has grown so annoying. But I think Isabelle Lightwood puts it perfectly, "'You're Clary Fray. You go charging into battle without knowing how the hell it's going to turn out, and then you get through it on sheer guts and craziness.'"

The final book in The Moral Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire, is set to be released March 19, 2014.

Review | 'Starters'

Starters
Lissa Price
352 pg., U.S. hardcover
Delacorte
4 stars | B+



From Goodreads:

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .


To start off, this is definitely a book that people will either incredibly love or kind-of-like. I doubt that anyone would really hate the book, but I have yet to be proved wrong. You can bet this review will be spoiler-filled, so if you haven't read Starters, I strongly recommend doing something else that's as equally as entertaining as this review, or you know, actually reading the book. Kthnxbai.
WRITING: 

• PACING -- Lissa Price debuts with a quick-paced, strongly appealing story with a plot that works with the pacing. Very rarely is quick-pacing valued with a plot as fresh and needing-complexity as this one, but Lissa Price pulled it off very nicely. Pacing can, at times, become a distraction in some books, and while Starters isn't entirely an exception, it definitely avoids that stereotypes in many cases. The only issue I have with the fast-pacing is the infrequency of it. While the book is entirely-fast-paced, the speed does change a bit, meaning it goes from a mild level of quick, to this extreme-Sonic-speed that leaves the reader wondering how a writer can tell a 350-page story very strongly with such quick-pacing. I felt that she was dishing the exposition out so quickly that I wondered if there would be anything else. The ending did end up being 30-pages of recuperation, which was kind of annoying and unnecessary, but unsurprising. The final 100 pages were interesting, though, and well worth the wait, what with the whole Blake-being-the-Old Man, Sara being killed, etc.
• DIALOGUE -- The dialogue in this book definitely was not a stand-out to me; not even in the slightest. I don't really have a lot to say about it, for it wasn't a big thing in this book, for the story was more dependent on actions rather than words, which was totally fine, in my opinion. That's not to say I was disappointed in the dialogue, sure I wish there was more, but I was okay with what I was given.
• ORIGINALITY -- It's always difficult to analyze the originality of an author's originality when it comes to writing. Obviously you're going to draw similarities to other authors, and Lissa Price is no different. I don't really think I can pinpoint which specific authors I could draw connections to, but I definitely experienced flashes of 'Whoa, I've...I've seen this writing, RIGHT?' throughout the story.

STORY:

The story of this book is sort of difficult to grasp without reading the summary, so I'll try to play it out from what I understood/liked from it. Okay? Alright. So it takes place in this post-war America where teenagers sell their bodies (in a non-sexual way; sexual contact would cross into illegality) to elderly people who want to re-experience the fun that teenagers really can. I'm not saying that elderly people can't have fun, but they aren't physically able to do some things that younger, more fit, people can. Callie does so, and her body winds up in that of an assassin, which is where the story really picks up and gets interesting. The assassin is meant to kill the senator to get a point across to the body bank (if you're not following along, they're the people who are in charge of renting bodies; i.e., who gets the body, when, how, who the body is, etc.), and Callie starts to uncover, via very The Host-like internal conversations with her renter, that the Prime Destinations (body bank--run by the Old Man) is up to no good. She finds out that they plan to sell the bodies of attractive people, and this causes a whole ruckus for various reasons. She discovers that her sort-of-kind-of-maybe lover, Blake, is being rented for the Old Man, which is BLERSHKGFH. So, that's kind of it, in a nutshell. The plot and story are very, very original, except for those little glimpses of The Host, which were kind of annoying, yet very helpful to the main character. My favorite scenes and ideas from the plot were the ideas of revisiting a teenage body, and Callie's willingness to rent her body out. Just her luck, her renter is trying to assassinate the government. Had this not happened, and Callie was just living as another woman, the story would have been 5x more boring. The plot arc isn't very clear, actually. I didn't think that resolution of the book had anything to do with the reason Callie initially rented her body out, and obviously Callie did find another reason to keep the body around (whether she had a choice or not), but I feel like she lost sight of her initial motivation, and whether that's Lissa Price's fault or not, I'm not sure.


CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:
Callie develops a ton in this story, mostly with the help of her renter, whose name escapes me, although I'm fairly sure it was Helena. We'll just say it's Helena. Sorry if it isn't, I don't actually own the book, so I'm just trying to remember. She starts out as a bold, protective friend and sister, and ends up still protective and bold, but more learned in the government doings and that truly affects her personality and character a bit throughout the story. Callie becomes a more heroic, love-hate character, which makes her all the more realistic in a rather unrealistic setting. Her brother and friend, who we only really see a few times, do not experience much development, and it's hard to know who else did, seeing as most characters were rented out, so we never knew their true personality, which is why it's such a blow to Callie when she first found out Blake was the Old Man's rentee. I quite liked Blake, but he certainly didn't develop, even with another person inside him. I liked the Enders, though, they were pretty interesting. So, I suppose that's all I've really got to say in the development wing of this review, sadly. At least the protagonist developed, though, which is the main desire.


Starters is the first in a duo, and the sequel, Enders, is set to be released December 11, 2012. 

Lena Headey and Jared Harris join 'City of Bones'

Sorry it took me so long to post this! I haven't had access to a computer the past two days, which is why my post on Gao joining the cast of City of Bones was so crappy; I had to write it from HTML on my Kindle Fire. But I did find this news out the moment Cassie Clare announced it, if that helps...? Don't hate me. Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) and Jared Harris (Mad Men) have joined the cast of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones as Jocelyn Fray (Clary's mother) and Hodge Starkweather (dastardly librarian, he is), respectively.

THOUGHTS on all the CoB casting rush? Let me know in the comments below!

Godfrey Gao cast as Magnus Bane in 'City of Bones '

Model and actor Godfrey Gao was announced via Cassandra Clare's tumblr to be playing Magnus Bane, the pivotal warlock, in City of Bones.

Tony Shalhoub and Melissa Leo are rumored frontrunners for Beetee and Mags, respectively

It just keeps coming and coming, doesn't it? Variety is reporting that Lionsgate is eyeing Melissa Leo (Welcome to the Rileys--brilliant film, by the way) and Tony Shalhoub (Monk, Wings, Cars, being a genius) as Mags and Beetee, respectively. Both of these characters are known for their zany behavior and unforgettable companionship to Katniss, in Catching Fire, of course, but Beetee goes on to be in Mockingjay.

The article also brings up Sam Claflin, whom we mentioned before as being offered the role of Finnick, allegedly.

So what are your thoughts? So far, except for Hoffman, we think the CF casting is going perfectly, although we still anxiously await confirmations on Jena Malone, Claflin, Leo, and Shalhoub.

Sam Claflin offered role of Finnick Odair in 'Catching Fire'

QUICK NEWS UPDATE Zap2It is reporting that Sam Clacking (Snow White and the Huntsman) has been offered the role of Finnick Odair by Lionsgate and Nina Jacobson! What are your thoughts? More to come...

Amanda Plummer cast as Wiress in 'Catching Fire'

Lionsgate announced via their official Hunger Games Facebook page that Amanda Plummer (Get a Clue, multiple voice roles, Pulp Fiction) has been cast as Wiress, the spacey-yet-intelligent tribute from District Three. If you are a big Disney fan, as I am, you'll notice Amanda Plummer from her role as Miss Dawson in Get a Clue, starring Lindsay Lohan and Brenda Song. ALSO, she played Reese Witherspoon's mother in the kinda-sorta-not-really-retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Freeway.

Congratulations to Amanda, and keep tuning in for more Catching Fire news!

'How I Met Your Mother' could POTENTIALLY get another season!

Variety is reporting that (my personal favorite, besides Friends) the extremely-popular television series, How I Met Your Mother, is the subject of negotiation between CBS and 20th Century Fox for a ninth, and final, season.

For the longest time, HIMYM fans have been informed that the eighth season would most likely be the show's final season (and we can't really complain--an 8-year-run is fantastic, and a sign of a hit series that will go down in history), but now, we might get to stick around with Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin, and Barney for two more years (including this next season). As usual, talks are in the very early stages, and so many more decisions have yet to be made before any confirmations are made.

To put it into perspective, Will & Grace had 8 seasons, Doctor Who will definitely surpass the 8 seasons mark, Desperate Housewives rounded out with 8, as did 24 and The Cosby Show, and The Office has completed its eighth season. Everybody Loves Raymond had 9 seasons.

Review | 'The Selection'

The Selection
Kiera Cass
327 pg., U.S. hardcover
HarperTeen
4 stars | B+



From Goodreads:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


My, my, Miss America...okay, so there's no pie in this book at all. But the main character's name is America, and I, as any other reviewer, am pretty much making fun of the fact that her name is America Singer, and she--well--sings. What a freaking surprise. Okay, so all stupid names aside (Tuesdsay...I mean, I liked it, but it's still stupid), let's segue into the writing of Kiera Cass's second novel, and the first in this trilogy. I've been watching Kiera Cass's YouTube videos since before the release of the second Twilight film,  and she's such an appealing person, so I was, of course, excited to read The Selection, and I wasn't let down, as many other reviewers seemed to be. I went into the book with my expectations set on low due to that dreaded Goodreads review, but I was still hoping to support Kiera Cass's work no matter what. So I was pleasantly surprised to find quick-pacing, an interesting style, and more inside. With the note on pacing, the scene-to-scene without hesitation worked 90% of the time. There were definitely moments that I wish the reader was allowed to dwell on, and that would have increased the emotional appeal of the book, and made different events seem so impacting. For more on those specific events, you can watch my video review (which is chock-full of spoilers) after reading this, right? Right. The style of the book was very youthful-without-trying, and fluffy and light. I actually appreciated this, because I wasn't really expecting some intricate form of writing for the book, so while I do think that Cass could have tightened things up a bit more, the writing sat pretty well with me.
The plot of the book is very interesting. I wouldn't say that it's entirely creative, since--if you've seen my video review, you'd know--it's very similar to The Hunger Games, and it's also identical to The Bachelor, and those two franchises were what the book was marketed as being like. So while the plot was unoriginal, it was executed nicely, with a near-perfect arc. All of the happenings in the book made sense to motivations and character choices, and everything was woven together very nicely. I commend Cass on adding her own flavor to a predetermined plot, and I think that adding new terms, most notably the castes, made things more original and intriguing. I liked the weekly reports, the castes, and--although it was exposed poorly--the World War that led to the created of Illea. It's a very short and sweet book, so there isn't much to say about the plot, but I definitely think it's the highlight.
Characterization, here we go. America Singer's character definitely grows and changes, but it's very blatant. I like a good challenge with characters and their development; I want to have to dig around for little glistening shards of growth, and not have it spelled out for me, like it is in the inside cover. America spends way too much time with Maxon to the point where things become predictable and less-suspenseful. Maxon should have been this enigmatic mystery, but instead he's basically her new best-friend, which is not beneficial for the story or the reader.We don't see the other girls much--a bad thing, in my opinion--so there's no development there, and Maxon doesn't really change at all either, which is a disappointment. We barely see Aspen, and he's really a douchebag in my opinion (mind my terminology), and that fact never changes. I was so irked that America didn't communicate and interact with the other Selected, and that they weren't built up with their own distinctive personalities, because that really could have been a defining aspect for the book!


The sequel to The Selection, The Elite, is set to be released in 2013.

Review | 'Black City'

Black City
Elizabeth Richards
373 pg., ARC
Putnam
4 stars | B+



From Goodreads:

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.


First and foremost, this review of Black City will be completely spoiler-free, for the book is not released until November 13, 2012. This review is of an uncorrected galley, so no specific quotes will be taken from the book. 
That being said, let's dive right in, shall we?
So, as per usual, I'll start off this review with a little analysis of the writing style in Black City. One vital aspect of this book is that it is split into two different perspectives, those of Natalie, the story's heroine, and Ash, the story's hero. Here's where things get a bit tricky with dual perspectives, for they can either go successfully correct, or terribly wrong. I, unfortunately, think the latter of those two, and the writing style as a whole is the reason the book lacked a fifth star. It isn't that the style was bad, but it wasn't clarified and crisp enough to solidify who was telling the story at a certain moment in time, and there were definitely moments where one character's perspective would be valued more than the other, but the reader could accidentally think that one character is narrating when, actually, the other is. Elizabeth Richards didn't make a clear voice for Natalie and Ash, so there were times that I was slipping up on who was telling the story. Some books establish a pattern with the whole dual perspectives idea, and the book started off that way (every other chapter, Ash would narrate; same for Natalie), but then got all jumbled up and difficult to discern from whom the events were being perceived. As far as actual dialogue goes for the story, there was a sense of realism, but I do not think at all that the dialogue had this massive spotlight shining on it, for it really didn't stick out to me. I'd like there to be these intense, important conversations happening between characters, and I feel like we didn't get those in this book, and it was a disappointment.
The second division of my review is the plot. The story revolves around a post-war city that has been split up  by a World War-esque wall that separates the humans from the Darklings. What the Darklings are, I'm not entirely sure, even after reading the book. They're basically vampires and werewolves mixed together, and that definitely lowered the appeal of the book to me. From the first chapter, I thought the book was going to be some Fifty Shades of Grey for Teens, but I was proven wrong by page 50. I was glad that the plot wasn't so reliable on the sex appeal of Ash, who is obviously the object of Natalie's affection. However, it would be false to say that the plot was not dependent on romance. Going into the story, the plot and the world had so much potential. I mean, I don't read a lot of strongly-written stories of segregation and towns that are walking on eggshells based on their citizens' isolation from one another. There's this looming feeling that if the wall crumbles, all hell will break loose, for the humans hold strong prejudices against Darklings, and will go to extremes to avoid them. I was really hoping for more information on the war. If anything with a post-war story, readers NEVER get details about the war. For example, Legend by Marie Lu, and Cinder by Marissa Meyer, are two of my very favorite books, but they are both post-war stories, and the wars are never developed. If you're going to have a story so centered around the aftermath of a war, please evaluate on the war, its catalysts, its goings-on, etc. Why even have the war if you aren't going to mention it, aside from passing comments and tiny bits of exposition. For all I care, have the book take place after all of Wal-Mart closes down across the country, but keep the outcome; a city split by hatred and disgust. Really, at this point, they're both of equal significance to me. There are specific moments where the wall has extreme importance (and it really does matter in the whole of the story), and those moments gave me literal chills and bursts of excitement, but I just wish that it was highlighted more. Touching briefly on the arc of the plot, the novel had a clear, defined arc, and things made sense in the order that they did. Fast-pacing was good in this book, and while the conflict of the book is definitely not what I expected (the book relies a lot more on the interaction between characters), I still think it worked.
Rounding out the review will be character development. I'd first like to say that the romance in this book started out very undeveloped. I mean I didn't feel anything at all when Ash's big reveal came about a third of the way into the book, pertaining to their romance. For once, I'd just like to read a book where romance doesn't come into play until later in the story, or even the series for that matter. I definitely loved that about Harry Potter. The first bit of actual infatuation coming to fruition is in Order of the Phoenix, when Harry is dating Cho, and even a bit when Ginny is dating Michael Corner. We spend four books not having, and not needing, romance, and it entered the story at the right time. For books like this, I would have liked more interaction between the characters, and not just this sudden love for each other because they felt like two halves of the same person. I just thought it was pathetic, and it developed over the course of the story, but definitely meant nothing to me at its initial creation. Like I said, the characters did not have a set voice, and that took a toll on their internal characterization, yet I think that the only characters that had big changes were Natalie's mother, a government official, and Ash. You may be thinking, Omg Natalie doesn't change AT ALL? Wtf, this book's gonna suck. You'd be wrong. Natalie doesn't change, true, but I think that's a good thing. Natalie starts out as this patient, sympathetic, compassionate girl, and those features are not changed by the end of the story. I think that her attitude impacts others, though, and that's very rare in YA fiction, so I value that. I'm glad that she didn't become this action heroine or a bratty, rebellious bitch to her mother, for it wouldn't have made sense. So while the characterization did wind up all over the board in some cases, it redeemed itself in some aspects.
Black City is the first in a trilogy, and is set to be released on November 13, 2012.

Robert Sheehan joins cast of 'City of Bones' as Simon

Misfits star Robert Sheehan has joined the cast of City of Bones as Clary's nerd-gone-vampire best friend, Simon! Simon's casting completes the trifecta of major characters, so what are your thoughts?

'City of Bones' film teaser poster released!

Today on her Tumblr, Cassandra Clare released the official teaser poster for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones! Take a gander:



If you'll notice, the 'o' in 'of' is a rune, which shows that they'll be of at least some recognition in the film.

So are you excited or what? Do you like the way that they're sticking to how the book's title treatment looks, but adding a little bit of movie magic to it?

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones will be released in theatres August 23, 2013.

Philip Seymour Hoffman cast as Plutarch Heavensbee in 'Catching Fire'

It's official! We have our Plutarch Heavensbee! Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Big Lebowski, Moneyball) has been confirmed via the official Hunger Games Facebook page (on a very fancy new rendition of the Tribute reveal page) to play the Head Gamemaker and rebellion leader, Plutarch Heavensbee, in the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins's Catching Fire.

Now that casting is finally having confirmations, I think we can expect a release from Lionsgate SOON regarding Jena Malone as Johanna, and casting for fan-favorites like Finnick, Mags, Beetee, etc.

What are your thoughts?

Kevin Durand and Robert Maillet join the cast of 'The Mortal Instruments'

Kevin Durand (Real Steel) and Robert Maillet (Sherlock Holmes) are joining the cast of City of Bones as Pangborn and Blackwell, respectively.

Yeah...

So, not to sound cruel, but I don't really care! I'm pretty sure (I first read CoB way back in 2009) that both of them die in the end, and they are such minor characters! But, my bitterness aside, what do you guys think?  Obviously we're still waiting for much bigger characters like Valentine, Jocelyn, Simon, Alec, Magnus, Hodge, etc. Congratulations to both actors, though, it's a big project!

Pottermore Slytherins to get the first peek at 'Chamber of Secrets'

Unsurprisingly, the 'big surprise' that the winners of the House Cup will receive in--as speculated--the first peek at the Chamber of Secrets book on Pottermore. The Pottermore Insider reported today that the Slytherins would get to explore the book, but that the other Houses will be able to read it 24 hours later.

Congratulations to the Slytherins! Please don't spoil the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs!

COVER REVEAL | Marissa Meyer's 'SCARLET'

Exciting stuff is happening everywhere and everyday now, it seems! USA TODAY revealed the cover for the second book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles, SCARLET, as well as providing an interview and excerpt! We also interviewed Marissa Meyer, and you can check out that interview on iTunes! Just search for The Potter People, subscribe, and download 'The One with Marissa Meyer.' As for now, here's the stunning cover to Marissa Meyer's upcoming novel, Scarlet.



To read the interview with Meyer, as well as the excerpt from Scarlet, click here, and be sure to let us know what you think of the cover!

Pottermore update: Slytherin wins the Inaugural Pottermore House Cup; 'Chamber of Secrets' to be 'unlocked very soon!'

Today, July 5, was the day that Pottermore presented its inaugural House Cup to the House with the most points, which--throughout Pottermore's first year, was Slytherin. Congratulations to the Slytherin House!

Also something very interesting is that, if you click on Book 2 Chapter 1 on the site, a message comes up that says that Chamber of Secrets will be 'unlocked very soon!' This is a step-up considering nothing used to happen when you clicked on any CoS chapters, so we can expect book 2 hopefully by the end of the month!

Are you excited for Chamber of Secrets? What House are you in on Pottermore? Let us know in the comments below!

Review | 'The Book of Blood and Shadow'

The Book of Blood and Shadow
Robin Wasserman
440 pg., U.S. hardcover
Random House
4 stars | B



From Goodreads:

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora’s best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

Alright, let's see if I can properly review this beast of a book, both externally and internally.


Essentially, The Book of Blood and Shadow was definitely not what I expected. I'm not really sure what I expected from a book like this, but it didn't meet my expectations to the fullest. That said, the novel has a good story, superb writing, and alright characters, so that is where I base my review, but bare in mind that the book is not at all what I was expecting, and that fact may or may not pop up once or twice in this review.


Kicking off with the story's writing, the book has a very unique style, unique to its own genre, not unique to its author. The writing style is very similar to both a contemporary YA novel, and also a myserty novel along the likes of The Da Vinci Code. It's got a writing style built for plot intricacy, so those two things definitely went hand-in-hand. As always, I'll analyze the pacing for you real quick. I thought the pacing in TBoBaS was a little all over the board. It started out pretty nicely, then slowed down, picked up by a ton, and then slowed down once more, and then finally picked up again, and that's where the book was beginning to lose me. While I was reading the book, I'd never want to put it down, but when I did, I'd never want to pick it back up again. I'm not sure why, but it may be because I knew that I would get bored, then excited, then bored, then excited once more, and I didn't want that from this book. I wanted a thrilling, emotional rollercoaster of this near-amazing novel, but that just isn't what I got. The book definitely isn't for everyone, so I do warn those going in that it's very attention-demanding.


Moving on to the plot of the story, like I said, the plot is very complex and intricate, and that worked well with the writing style. The plot revolves around these letters that the main character is translating from their original language, so you've really got to pay attention to those. Some things are spelled out for the reader, others are not, and I supposed it's for the best, but I wish that more things in a complex story like this would be recapped and made clear...for the reader's sake. Apart from that, there isn't a whole lot to cover from the plot besides its arc. The story definitely had an arc, especially considering the first line had to do with the climax and resolution, as well as the inciting incident, I suppose. The arc is there, but you've really got to be paying attention to see it. The book isn't challenging, but it definitely isn't a breeze.


Ending off with the characterisation in the story, I really only cared for the development of Nora, which I felt was pretty weak compared to how it could have gone. Some other characters displayed glimpses of development, but the development of Nora was vital to the story, and this is where I think the first-person narrative became a downfall. Having the story be told from Nora's perspective made me forget she was even there, so it was hard to identify development in her character when I wasn't paying any mind to her presence. I felt like I was just reading about the Hjafgaghsflgjhasfg or whatever they're called, as well as mentions of Chris, Eli, Adriane, etc. The characterisation was definitely the book's weakest link, and that had to pay a price in my review.

Jena Malone offered role of Johanna Mason in 'Catching Fire'

Just today I was bugged that we still hadn't received any definite casting for Catching Fire, and BAM! The Hollywood Reporter reports that Jena Malone (Sucker Punch) has been offered the role of Johanna Mason in Catching Fire, and is in primary negotiations for the role. It was previously reported that Zoe Aggeliki was a step above Malone in the race, but apparently that is now false.

What are your thoughts? At this point in time, I'm not really all that excited about casting anymore because a lot of it has turned out to be a fluke or just simply misinformation, but let's hope that we get a confirmation from Lionsgate soon! I'm all for Jena Malone playing Johanna!

'The Casual Vacancy' cover released!

Finally, the cover for J.K. Rowling's first adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, was released via Little, Brown, the book's publishing company, on its website. The cover, shown below, radiates a very classic style to it, dissimilar to Rowling's Potter books.

Little, Brown also updated much of the information surrounding the book, including a bit of the summary:

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?

A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J. K. Rowling’s first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.

Interestingly enough, the catalyst character of the story is now called Barry Fairbrother, rather than Barry Fairweather. Little, Brown claims that all previous press releases were essentially typos. Do you believe this, or perhaps did Jo make a last-minute 'Find & Replace'-esque change to his name?

Little, Brown also reports that The Casual Vacancy will clock in at 512 pages (Squee!).

The Casual Vacancy's audiobook will be narrated by Tom Hollander.

In America, The Casual Vacancy will retail at $35 (hardcover), $39 (large-print hardcover), $29.99 (eBook), $29.98 (audio download), $44.98 (audiobook).