Review: Insurgent

Title: Insurgent
Author: Veronica Roth
Date Released: May 1st, 2012
Pages: 525
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
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.

Review:
Oh. My. Goodness. Insurgent was just an amazing, mindblowing sequel to Divergent and I enjoyed every single bit of it! Everything in this book was just absolutely awesome. There was just the right amount of romance, intensity, action, and AWESOMENESS to keep me glued to the book from cover to cover.

Insurgent basically leaves off where Divergent leaves off, and then takes off from there, leading you through a roller coaster ride of a story full of intense action scenes and shocking revelations. Tris and Four go around everywhere in their isolated city of Chicago, from the Amity headquarter to the headquarters of the factionless, and they even end up in the Candor headquarter at one point, too! It was just exciting to see where they would end up next and what those places would bring them.

I will admit that Tris was a bit annoying in Insurgent, or at least I found her to be that way. I admire her headstrong personality and courage, but sometimes it was just too much that she would make pretty risky decisions, which is probably why she was placed in Dauntless... But still. You need to be rational sometimes (I could obviously NEVER be in Dauntless). I still loved Four though :) Oh, Four. You're just like the coolest bad boy protective boyfriend ever even though Tris doesn't want that protectiveness.

Roth is still able to keep that perfect balance of romance and action/suspense in Insurgent, with the romance not exactly overpowering the rest of the novel, but still making it somewhat important. It is, of course, the thing that really keeps me going in any book, but action and suspense still works, too :D 

From reading Insurgent, you discover so much more about Tris's world.  You learn more about the different factions and how they each have their own types of dessert, special serums, and whatnot.  There are also a whole bunch of secrets and surprises that come about in Insurgent that just keep you wanting to find out more! 

Overall, Insurgent is a fantastic follow up to Divergent. Everything was just absolutely incredible in the novel, despite Tris's slight flaw. Insurgent of course leaves off on a cliffhanger, so I will definitely be impatiently waiting for the next book! If you haven't read Divergent yet, I suggest that you go get it now! If you're a big fan of the dystopian genre in general, then you should definitely give this a try.

Cover Review:
While the covers for both Divergent and Insurgent don't exactly have that beauty that the covers for the Beautiful Creatures novels or the Wolves of Mercy Falls series posses, I still like it because of how much they just fit with the series and what it's about. This time, the cover for Insurgent displays the symbol for the Amity faction with a Chicago landscape gracing the bottom of the cover. I must say that the symbol is absolutely beautiful with the leaves just going around the tree. I really like the color scheme as well and how this cover and Divergent's cover are practically like fraternal twins. 

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased.

The 30 Day Divergent Challenge

To tell the truth, I don't have a Tumblr.  But, I do kind of stalk some of them that are book related.  Actually, mainly the ones that are The Hunger Games, Divergent, or The Mortal Instruments related... However, that's besides the point :)

Anyways, one day, I stumbled upon the 30 Day Divergent Challenge on youareholdingaloadedgun-youidiot.tumblr.com (apparently the Divergent Facebook page has already found it) and I was like, "YES! CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" even though I don't have a Tumblr, so this will be a Blogger thing for me :D  I therefore dedicate July (even though there are 31 days) to the 30 Day Divergent Challenge, in which every single day starting July 1st I will post about each of the challenges!

Let's hope that I'll actually keep up with the challenge and get all the way from 1 to 30!!  

Are you up for the challenge?  Tell me below in the comments if you're going to join in on the Divergent Challenge or if you're already working your way through it!

Cleo :)

*Divergent&Insurgent covers from here.

**Challenge picture taken from youareholdingaloadedgun-youidiot.tumblr.com

Review: The Power of Six

Title: The Power of Six
Author: Pittacus Lore
Date Released: August 23rd, 2011
Pages: 406
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Description:
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight.

Review:
Holy guacamole. I'll probably regret saying that later, but really. The Power of Six was such a huge leap from I Am Number Four. Things got a lot more intense and there was a lot more action, making it a fun and adventurous sequel to read.

The Power of Six alternates between to characters, John (Four), and Marina (Seven). The two each have problems of their own. In the United States, John is being hunted down by the police, while in Spain, Marina struggles to get the attention of her Cepan, Adelina, must defend herself against bullies, and has the feeling that she's being watched by someone. To top it all off, the only thing they really have in common is their struggle to hide from the Mogadorians.

The one thing that I still find sort of awkward in the series so far is the dialogue. It just doesn't fit the people who are saying and it feels weird when I read them, especially when they swear.

Other than that, everything else in the book is just plain awesome! The description of the intense fighting scenes were just so vivid. I also loved the characters even more, despite John's sort of annoying longing for Sarah... Which is understandable, but still annoying. I loved Marina's determination and belief in her Lorien legacy. It was really awesome getting to know more about Six and her past, too.

Overall, The Power of Six was an amazing sequel. It was full of the right amount of intensity and adventure that this type of sci-fi book needs in order to make it awesome. There were definitely a ton of twists and turns, and one that will definitely surprise you if you decide to pick it up. I'm really looking forward to the final book in the trilogy, The Rise of Nine!

Cover Review:
I like how this cover fits with the other two books in the series. It's also fits the science-fiction genre with the cool water ripple design. Cool cover!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy borrowed from library.

Waiting on Wednesday (43): The Lost Prince

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, which is brought to you by Jill at Breaking the Spine! This meme is where you can post about what book(s) you're really look forward to.

This week, I absolutely can't wait for...

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

October 23rd, 2012

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

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

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

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

Wahhh!!  It's a continuation of all thing's fairy in the Nevernever!  And it's all about Ethan.  And he's all grown up.  And that cover... Dude.  Look at that cover.  Oh, Ethan... How things have changed since we last read about you.  I definitely can't wait for it to come out in October!  If you haven't read The Iron Fey series, then please do!

What are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Burn for Burn

Title: Burn for Burn
Author: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Release Date: September 18th, 2012
Pages: 368
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Description:
BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Review:
You could probably imagine my excitement when I received this ARC in the mail... I was jumping up and down like I won a billion dollars. And I think my reaction was worth it because this book was just AH-MAZING. Think about it. Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (Sidenote: I've actually never read a book by Ms. Vivian, but I'm sure that they're really great!)? Yeah, they're like a dynamic duo.  I'll try to make this review as spoiler-free as possible!  Basically, Burn for Burn follows Lillia, Kat, and Mary, and alternates with their points of view. They each have their own issues on their little island off of New York, are all completely different people, and they each find a way to get revenge on the people who have hurt them, whether it be in the past or the present.

Lillia, Kat, and Mary were all amazing characters. I think my favorite might be Lillia because while she's wealthy and popular, she still likes to do down to earth things unlike her snobby, but poor, BFF Rennie. Mary was a likable character, too. She was the sweet, quiet, and a bit insecure one who just came back to Jar Island after leaving several years before because of a traumatic incident. Kat was the total opposite of both Lillia and Mary. She was kind of like the bad girl of the group, but also had the creativity, the guts, and the brains to go through with the revengeful acts.

The way the whole story was set up was really cool, too. It started off as sort of an introduction, introducing us to Lillia, Kat, and Mary, along with the problems that they face. The beginning then leads into the plotting and the action which kept me captivated and held my attention all the way through to the end of the book.

One thing that I was a bit disappointed in was the lack of romance :( Romance really gets me hooked to a book and because Jenny Han wrote the Summer trilogy, I guess I kind of expected some sort of a romantic relationship to develop somewhere along the progress of the story. But then, in a way it put the focus on the three girls and their revenge on the three unsuspecting victims. And since I loved Burn for Burn without the intense romance, it just proves how great it is.

Overall, I fell in love with Burn for Burn. Even though it didn't have that romance aspect that Jenny Han brought in her Summer trilogy, it was still highly entertaining and addicting to read about what was going to happen next. Look out for it when it hits shelves September 18th! Mark your calenders! Pre-order it! Do whatever you need to do to remind yourself to get it! I'm sure that it will not disappoint.

Cover Review:
Love, love, LOVE the cover! It has that contemporary look and feel and has these light colors, but also maintains this mysteriousness. I'm definitely in love with the font for the title and author's names as well. Ahhh it's a way too cool cover!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy received from Simon & Schuster (most likely through a giveaway... it was a very unexpected surprise)

Waiting on Wednesday (42): The Rise of Nine

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, which is brought to you by Jill at Breaking the Spine! This meme is where you can post about what book(s) you're really look forward to.

This week, I absolutely can't wait for...

The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

August 21st, 2012

It all began with nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorians—who scattered on Earth and went into hiding. They look like ordinary teenagers, but they have extraordinary skills. The Mogadorians killed Number One, Number Two, and Number Three. They tried to kill Number Four ... and failed. 

Number Four (aka John Smith) has now teamed up with Number Nine, while Six has gone off to find the others. With the Mogadorians hot on their trail and time running out, they must find a way to come together, before it's too late. Power in numbers will save them all.

I recently finished reading The Power of Six and it was a major improvement from I Am Number Four and got me hooked on the series and impatiently waiting for The Rise of Nine! It left on such a huge cliffhanger that I can't wait until its release. If you haven't read I Am Number Four yet, then definitely give it a try and then read The Power of Six, which will definitely leaving you wanting more!

What are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

NOTE: I'm sorry if you came from the link I posted on Breaking the Spine!  I got the link from my phone and I didn't think that it would be different.  Sorry if it looks strange!

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Wanderlove

Title: Wanderlove
Author: Kirsten Hubbard
Date Released: March 13th, 2012
Pages: 352
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
It all begins with a stupid question:
Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

Review:
I totally fell in love with Wanderlove and liked it a lot more than Kirsten Hubbard's debut novel, Like Mandarin. I guess you could say it was full of life; Bria is basically going on an adventure in Central America. She goes backpacking with a complete stranger from Guatemala to an island off of Belize and along the way she finds herself and even finds love.

Wanderlove has got to be one of the coolest novels ever. I fell in love with the whole traveling part of the novel. Reading about the rainforests that and beautiful lakes that Kirsten Hubbard wrote about and that Bria went to made me want to go to Central America to visit these amazing places, despite all the mosquitoes and creepy, crawly bugs/insects. The descriptions were beautiful and made the whole book seems so relaxing, despite some minor tensions within Bria.

As the story advanced, I got to like Bria a lot more. Sometimes, I didn't like how she would lie in order to reinvent herself as a rebel, but the other times, she was really cool, and super talented (sketches of various things were scattered throughout the book). Rowan was super cool and his background story was pretty sad. His sister, Starling, was way too awesome as well. Basically, all of the characters were really cool because none of them could be stuck up since they're all backpackers living in a foreign country continent.

The whole story line really kept me intrigued, too. Bria and Rowan's adventure throughout Central America to get to Rowan's destination seemed pretty fun. Learning about Bria's past in little snapshots also kept the story going and gave a little background as to why Bria was on this trip in the first place. There was something always going on in Wanderlove that just made the whole novel fascinating to read.

I absolutely loved Wanderlove. It was filled with just the right amount of adventure and romance to keep me glued to the book. It also really got me into the mood for summer a couple weeks before I even got out of school. I would definitely recommend Wanderlove if you're looking for a great summer read!

Cover Review:
I really love the cover for Wanderlove. It's purple (!!) and just feels so free spirited and relaxing that you can't help but pick up the book.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy borrowed from my local library.

2012 Summer Reading List

Woo hoo!!  It's finally summer time!  The day that I (and other student book bloggers, too, most likely) have been waiting for probably since school started back in fall.  With all the extra time on my hands, I thought, why not just create a list of books that I'll most DEFINITELY read this summer?  Forget about all the required summer reading for my AP English class next year, and all the other assignments that I have to do, why not just skip to the good part and make my own required summer reading list?  Just kidding, I really have to take it seriously this summer, but that doesn't mean that I can't read all that I want :)

So without further ado, here are the books that I will have to get through this summer until I start school on August 21st, and what you might want to put onto your summer reading list, too!

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore & Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson & Fever by Lauren DeStefano

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa & Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen & Lost in Time by Melissa de La Cruz

Rapture by Lauren Kate & Endlessly by Kiersten White

Until I Die by Amy Plum & Endure by Carrie Jones

Let's hope that I'll be able to get through these!  Most of these have been on my wishlist forever and ever, but for some reason I just haven't been able to find myself to by or borrow these. I keep buying other books, except for these which is pretty much driving me insane because I only have 4 books crossed off of my priority "books to buy" list :(

So, what's on your summer reading list?

I hope that all you guys have an awesome summer full of wonderful reading!

Cleo :)