Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. ~ goodreads

Review:You're are going to read hundreds of reviews for Insurgent so I'm going to keep this one short and non-spoilery.

Veronica Roth knows how to write a series that leaves you spinning in your seat. Just when you think you've got a handle on things, she throws something new at you that changes everything you thought you just had figured out.

No one is safe. No one is what they seem. No one is 100% good or bad. This makes for a really tense reading experience that we don't often get.

As for Tris and Four's relationship. See!!! You can have relationship drama without a boatload of misunderstandings or third parties. I knew it could be done! They are a solid couple. All the steam that rises from the pages isn't from graphically written love scenes but from the devotion that these two people who have been through so much share. It's not a perfect relationship by any stretch of the imagination but it's an honest one….a well written one.

Four - if you could learn to bake you just might replace Peeta as my all time favorite YA book boyfriend.

The ending. ZOMG can Roth write a good ending. Just as in Divergent you are left gaping at the last page. What??!!! WHAT?? WHAT??!!! Yet you don't feel cheated, just desperate to see how it all ends.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Excellent sequel to Divergent. This isn’t a filler sophomore book.Insurgent is filled with revelations and developments that will leave your heart racing as we wait for the what I’m sure will be an action packed finale.

Favorite quotes:


~ "Both of us watch the purification happen, and I wonder if he is thinking what I am: that it would be nice if life worked this way, stripping the dirt form our lives and sending us out into the world clean. But some dirt is destined to linger."


~ "I think we cry to release animals parts of us without losing our humanity."


~ "Got your gun? (spoiler)____ says to Tobias.
"No," says Tobias, "I figured I would shoot the bullets out of my nostrils, so I left it upstairs."


~ "You die, I die too."


Author: website | Twitter | Divergent recap
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Thank you to Julie from My 5 Monkey’s for letting me borrow her copy. <3!
Buy the book! Insurgent (Divergent)

Review: Notes from the Blender by Trish Cook, Brendan Halpin

Declan loves death metal--particularly from Finland. And video games--violent ones. And internet porn--any kind, really. He goes to school with Neilly Foster and spends most of his classroom time wondering what it might be like to know her, to talk to her, maybe even to graze against her sweater in the hallway. Neilly is an accomplished gymnast, naturally beautiful, and a constant presence at all the best parties (to which Declan is never invited). She's the queen of cool, the princess of poker face, and her rule is uncontested-- or it was until today, when she's dumped by her boyfriend, betrayed by her former BFF Lulu, and then informed she's getting a new brother--of the freaky fellow classmate variety. Declan's dad is marrying Neilly's mom. Soon. Which means they'll be moving in together. (YA Contemporary)

Review:
Two unlikely allies are thrown together when Declan’s dad is caught sleeping with Neilly’s mom…oh but that’s not all…….the parents are getting married so the two will also be living together….soon.

Notes from the Blender is told in the alternating POVs of Declan – a dorky unpopular 16 yr old, obsessed with porn, death metal, porn, video games, porn and of Neilly – the popular girl who is featured in many of Declan’s fantasies.

At first Declan isn’t too upset by the revelation, as he sees it, there is a good chance to catch Neilly naked in the shower once they live in the same house. But the revelations just keep on coming. Neilly’s mom is also pregnant. The parents want everyone to just accept the new situation and become one big happy extended family. Neither Declan or Neilly even knew their parents were dating and are basically the polar opposites on the school social ladder. This is a big adjustment for them to make. Their parents are up in arms over the negative reaction to the news. I usually think the teenagers are self absorbed brats in most books but I think these two kids had a point and I kind of wished they never fully gave into their parents even though it was the right thing to do. (I'm stubborn that way...lol)

This book is written in a really snarky, honest, in your face style that may be off putting to some people but it had me laughing out loud. Declan is pretty much all talk and Neilly is more than the popular bitch persona that everyone perceives her to be. 

Notes from the Blender touches on many current social issues like same sex marriage, underage drinking, drugs, and religion with a deft hand and always with humor. For all their bluster, Neilly and Declan are two great kids just trying to find their way through adolescence. I really enjoyed watching their evolution from enemies to friends to family.

Declan’s porn/sex obsessed lovin ways do get a little old. I thought “do teenage boys really think about sex that much?” and I was going to ask my husband but there are some things I just don’t need to know. The alternating POV's give you a break from his thoughts though, and Declan really is a sweet kid.

The one thing that lowered my rating for the book is the last third of the story. I loved that the authors tackled the tough issues and did it quite well in the beginning. By the end they were piling on so many different topics that I was getting a little weary even though I agreed with most of what was being said. Also the ending was a little overly saccharine compared to the edgy writing style earlier in the book. I would still highly recommend it though.

Rating: I would give Notes from the Blender an overall 3 out of 4. Sweet, funny coming of age story with plenty of humor that manages to sneak in a few valuable lessons.

Find the authors:
Trish Cook: Website
Brendan Halpin: Website

Buy the book! Notes from the Blender

Publisher: Egmont USA May 24th, 2011

Source: ARC copy from BEA

Review: My Husband's review of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Here is my husband's review for Mockingjay - it does contain minor SPOLIERS!

Kevin's review of The Hunger Games & Catching Fire HERE if you want to read that first.

Review:
I just finished reading Mockingjay……..and, well, I have to say I was disappointed. It was written well but was just missing… something. Maybe it’s just because I read all three books in the series in a row, or maybe I was just expecting too much, caught up in the hype. All I know is that I didn’t feel satisfied.


The first two books were so intricately laid out with each scene, each moment meaning something and leading to something greater. She concentrated on all the little things. Here in Mockingjay she completely abandoned that style and jumped to the big picture but without tying in to anything she had laid out earlier. It was almost as if she had this epic Shakespearean story planned and then turned on CNN’s war coverage and said “let me write about that and insert these characters into that narrative.” Every issue relating to war is covered. Bombs, traitors, torture, propaganda, waterboarding, the media…you name it – it’s there. As an anti-war, anti-terrorism novel it works, as a bookend to this series it does not. The series started as a dystopian future and then swapped over to a commentary on current events.

There was some sort of fire in Collins writing when she penned The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. That wasn’t continued in this book. Katniss is the same self-doubting girl we were left with in Catching Fire. Everyone else around her has changed for better or worse. Even her little sister Prim has grown up and matured into a strong young lady. The storyline focuses so much on war & rebellion to the point that the character development is lost.

There is a lot sadness and bleakness in this book but no heart. I should explain……………
In the first two books there are scenes/events that rip your heart out. You go from the depression of dealing with the death of Rue to the comfort and tender moments with Peeta and even Gale. You felt the swings in emotion. In Mockigjay there are really no scenes that “stab” you in the heart. Yes, I knew that I was supposed to be happy or sad but I didn’t “feel it” and, no, it’s not because I’m an unfeeling guy. I teared when Katniss adorned Rue in flowers. I thought of my little sister and how I would feel in that situation. I felt the safety that Katniss and Peeta felt when they were holding each other.

As everyone has said there is a decision in the Peeta/Gale situation………. Yes, there was logic in the decision but, once again, there was no heart. Now I stated in my previous review that I am Team Peeta. And I stand by that. He is the yin to her yang, I think she needs Peeta’s calmness to balance her but whatever…that’s not the point. What she does to these two boys – now men, is on the verge of cruel. She asks everything from them and gives nothing back. Now I know she’s young and hadn’t had any romantic feelings at all before being pushed into the games and that forced the issue. On that level I’m ok with that. She doesn’t NEED to pick anyone. But Collins wrote it this way – that a choice had to be made. I believe she loves both Gale and Peeta for different reasons but the she way she treats them is just wrong. She won’t be happy until there is nothing left of them and one of them dies for her and then she will cry about how it was her fault. Some of the things she says to Peeta (my god girl – what does this guy have to do for you??) and does to Gale…..Grrrrr. ****SPOILER**** Peeta was tortured to the point that he has almost lost his humanity and she’s upset because he doesn’t think she’s beautiful. Then being spurned by Peeta she runs to Gale and uses him as her rebound guy until he pisses her off, then she goes to Haymitch and then the cycle starts over. Maybe I have problems with this because I’m a guy – maybe I just see it more from the guys angle than hers but it really rubbed me the wrong way at just how selfish she is when everyone has been through so much – not just her. ****END SPOILER****

The end was kind of like a “Scooby Doo” episode in the sense that you learn about what happened to everyone in the last part but because you are told about it – you don’t get to see it. As Karen said in her review, pivotal scenes and conversations were missing. It was tied up with a neat little bow but the package was empty.

I still had a lot of questions at the end……and we all know what that leads too…..fan fiction.

I plan on reading it again to just make sure of how I felt. Who knows….practice makes perfect….oh wait, that doesn’t work for reading, does it? Well, I’ll read it again anyway and see if I can make more sense of it. It did upset me so that’s good right? I felt something. Yup, that’s what I’m telling myself.

Team Peeta? Team Gale? Team Katniss? Nah – I’m Team Buttercup!

Rating: as a stand-alone novel I would give it a 3.5 out of 4 but as the ending to this series I give it a 3 out of 4.

Here's Karen's review: HERE

Review: The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck as a spirit (DON’T call her a ghost) in the land of the living with no sign of the big, bright light to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser outcast who despises the social elite. He alone can see and hear (turns out he’s been “blessed” with the ability to communicate with the dead), but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.
Alona has never needed anyone for anything, and now she’s supposed to expose her deepest, darkest secrets to this pseudo-goth boy? Right. She’s not telling anyone what really happened the day she died, not even to save her eternal soul. And Will’s not filling out any volunteer forms to help her cross to the other side. He only has a few more weeks until his graduation, when he can strike out on his own and find a place with less spiritual interference. But he has to survive and stay out of the psych ward until then. Can they get over their mutual distrust—and the weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist? (YA)

Review:
I had no interest in this book at first. Then two of my most trusted blogger friends gave it a good rating so I decided to give it chance. I’m so glad I did! Definitely a case of don’t judge a book by its cover, although once you read the book you will see how what a perfect fit it is.
The Ghost and the Goth is your typical dead stuck up, shallow, blond, perfect cheerleader girl meets creepy yet cute brooding outcast boy that can see ghosts. So – ok, it’s not that typical but it’s a pretty basic set up and you know from the beginning where it will end up.
When Alona gets hit by a bus one morning but doesn’t “cross over” she finds herself stuck in limbo and hanging out at school every day. Not a bad thing at first. She gets to see everyone cry over her and mourn her loss. By day three she gets a rude awakening. Seems people didn’t like her as much as she thought they did. Her best friend & boyfriend didn’t really hate each other as much they said. In fact they’re playing tonsil hockey right in the cafeteria just mere days after her death.
Will Killian can see ghosts. He walks around with his iPod playing and hood covering his face to try to keep the voices of the ghosts that can’t cross over and their requests out of his head. If they knew he could hear them, they would never leave him alone.
Then he makes the mistake of letting Alona know he can see her.
It works for them though. She becomes his spirit guide and writes down the requests of the deceased and keeps them away from Will and in exchange he can finally get some much needed peace and give her advice on how to finally cross over.
Of course things are never quite that simple and that’s where this book really shines. Alona and Will could not be more different from each other. At first their personalities clash but they find a way to work together. What I love about Kade's writing is that neither Alona or Will lose their core personalities. They both remain true to themselves. This isn’t reduced to “Alona’s a bitch until she becomes a quivering mass beneath hunky goth boy Will who drops his defenses because of his love for her”. Instead they slowly learn to trust each other and work together to form a relationship that’s based on something more than lust. Very rare in YA these day. There’s substance to this stoa plot and a story here – the romance is just a nice addition.
Loved: My favorite thing was Will and Alona – they never changed for each other, instead they grew to respect one another.
Nitpick: During a few of the action scenes Alona & Will were separated and the story was never as good as when they were together.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4. Fun, fast read with engaging smart characters and a plot with substance. More please!

Author's website: http://www.staceykade.com/ 
Follow Stacey Kade on Twitter: @StaceyKade
Buy the book! The Ghost and the Goth
Source: I received this book from Bella (Obsessed) (Thanks Bella!)

Review policy and contact information

REVIEW POLICY:

I accept review requests for the following genres:
*YA of any genre
*Urban Fantasy
*Romance - Paranormal. Chick lit, and contemporary romance with a good dose of humor are my preferences occasionally some Historical Romance.
* I (as a general rule - there have been a few exceptions) don't enjoy fantasy or erotica.

NO non-fiction requests please.

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I accept both paper books and ebooks. My preference is either .pdf's or hardcopy.

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All reviews are posted on my blog, Goodreads. (Amazon by request)

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If I accept your book for review I reserve the right to not write a review. If I do agree to review your book it will be an honest review - either positive or negative. I will try to post the review in a timely fashion but I have an ever growing TBR pile to read/review so I can't guarantee a specific time frame for posting your review.

*Note: My review pile over-floweth. In my best Scotty impression....I'm reading as fast as I can Captain! There is unfortunately no way I can read and review that volume of books plus read for pleasure so I have become very selective in which books I accept for review. 

If I do accept your book for review there is currently a 2-3 month wait time before I can read/review your book. 

I try to respond to all review requests but sadly I'm falling behind on that too. 

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Karen

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