Review: Purity by Jackson Pearce

 Purity
Author: Jackson Pearce
Released: April 14, 2012
Genre: YA contemporary
Pages: 218 (hardcover)

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

"A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.
Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity."

There's a plethora of YA books centered on a teenage girl's quest to lose her virginity. This teenage girl's quest is a little bit different.

On her deathbed, Shelby's mother made Shelby promise three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. As Shelby grows into teenagehood, her life is taken over by trying to keep the Promises: accomplishing the liberating acts on her "life list", and "obeying" her father by finding loopholes to his rules. Things take a twist for the worse when Shelby's father signs her up for the Princess Ball, a father-daughter dance in which the daughter must make a purity vow--meaning no sex until marriage. Completely freaking out (like any teenager would), Shelby discovers a loophole to the vow: lose her virginity before she takes the vow, and the vow becomes void.

As far as losing-virginity stories go, Purity's synopsis is a breath of fresh air. Purposefully losing your virginity as a promise to your mother? It's original, completely nutty, and totally hilarious. Unfortunately, the book itself is disappointing compared to the premise.

Many aspects of the story were cute, although be warned: despite the fluffy synopsis, this book covers some pretty heavy subjects. Shelby's strained relationship with her father rang true to many parent-teenager relationships out in the real world, and the father-daughter journey was, although difficult, very real and very hopeful. The book also deals with Shelby's struggles with living without a mother, God, faith, the meaning of love, and what feels like dozens of other themes at the same time. And for me, the was the problem. There are so many themes that force their way into the story that they become jumbled, and in the end, miss their points.

The character development wasn't the best for me, either. While I can understand that Shelby's life is ruled by the Promises, I just couldn't completely connect with her. It was almost as if she was just a character who played her part for this book and this book alone; I can't really imagine her life before Purity, and I certainly can't imagine it after. Same with Shelby's friends; Jonas just fell completely flat for me, and Ruby, while interesting, wasn't that interesting. And Jackson Pearce can write interesting characters, I know she can! Sisters Red and Sweetly proved that. The characters in Purity just somehow missed their marks.

But no need to completely give up hope. The story itself is quite sweet and does have a healthy dose of humour. And in the end, it's not about the sex; it's just a teenage girl's quest to find herself, and there isn't any teenager who can't relate to it. For a short and sweet story, this book is definitely an option. Just don't expect to find something too amazing.

My Rating:

                    

                                           

3 Brains.

P.S. High school. No time to read. No time to blog. I is very confuzzled. Expect fewer weekly posts from now on, fellow booknerds, but fear not and stick around! ^.^

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina (Seraphina #1)
Author: Rachel Hartman
Released: July 10, 2012
Genre: YA fantasy
Pages: 467 (hardcover)

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

"Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life."

EPIC. FANTASY. DRAGONS. Awesome!

Fans of epic fantasy: looking for the story that can compare to the fantastical worlds of say, Graceling or Eragon?. This is it, booknerds. This is that book that meets your high demands of:

• dragons
• a medieval/Renaissance setting
• long and foreign-sounding names 
• enough historical background to fill a textbook
• a trillion bajillion characters
• royal/political intrigue

I had you at the dragons, didn't I?

Seraphina takes place in that oh-so-familiar medieval fantasy world, yet manages to be both deeply original and interesting. But the dragons of this world have a unique twist: they are highly intelligent. In this world, dragons are the leaders of mathematical and scientific advances.  However, their rational, mechanical minds are completely incapable of understanding human emotion and art. At the beginning of our story, the dragons and humans have been bound by a peace treaty with the kingdom of Goredd for 40 years. Dragons have been taking form as humans in order to walk among the people and study their perplexing ways, but an intense hatred for dragons still lives among humans. Meanwhile, Seraphina Dombegh is a seemingly impossible monstrosity: half-human, half dragon. After spending a lifetime hiding her secret, she joins the royal court as a musician and gets herself wrapped in a draconion/royal murder mystery, along with the curious Prince Kiggs. As the political plots thicken, Seraphina is dragged into a situation where the two sides she belongs to, the dragons and the humans, are pitted against each other. 

The setting of this book is absolutely fabulous. I'm pretty much blown away at Rachel Hartman's world-building in her debut (DEBUT!) novel. The kingdom of Goredd and the surrounding kingdoms of this fictional world come to life as if they actually exist, because the amount of detail put into this book is amazing. Fictional neighbourhoods, religions, holidays and cultures all pop out of the book as if they're coming into existence right before our eyes. 

Same with the mythology; the dragonlore is fresh and unique and fleshed out. Instead of being the animalistic beasts they usually are, these dragons are logical, highly intelligent, and to be honest, a heck of a lot more interesting than their counterparts. The other characters are similarly unique: Princess Glisselda is giggly but regal, Orma is an imperfect (but improving) father figure, and Kiggs is sharp and highly likable. 

Seraphina, on the other hand, I found hard to connect to at first. I don't really know what it was that made her seem so generic to me. Perhaps it was the fact that she is so similar to so many "strong" female YA characters: because she's so protective of her half-dragon self, she appears closed off and prickly and lonely. A very Katniss-like character (forgive me for the comparison) that feels a little overdone. BUT, as the book went on, Seraphina grew on me a lot and I found that her character definitely made sense for her predicament. I could empathize with her loneliness, plus, she's more likable once she begins making friends with Kiggs, Glisselda, Lars, etc. As this is going to be the first in a series, there's a lot of room for character growth, and hopefully by the end, Seraphina will be a little more sympathy-worthy but just as badass.

Rachel Hartman's debut novel is fantastically fantastical and wonderfully unique, and I'm sure that future books in the series will reveal an all-in-all epic and wonderfully crafted story. 

My Rating:

                    

4.5 Brains.

Recommended if:

-you are a fan of epic fantasy (comme moi!)

-you liked Graceling or similar books set in a medieval/Renaissance time
-you like a little bit of mystery
-you have a thing for dragon/monster/mythical creature mythology

P.S. School started. Less time to blog. Less time to read. More time to study. I is confuzzled and sad.

P.P.S. If you have read Seraphina already (ONLY IF YOU'VE READ IT!) and haven't checked out the Seraphina Wiki yet, do! It's pretty fantabulous. 

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Released: October 18, 2011
Genre: YA fantasy
Pages: 409 (first edition hardcover)

Publisher: Scholastic Press

"It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen."

After reading this novel, I have decided that I've seriously underestimated Maggie Stiefvater.

The Scorpio Races is not a novel; it is an experience full of emotional ups and downs. It is a visit to the breathtaking world of the deadly creatures known as capaill uisce--by far the most fascinating creatures I've read in YA in a long time.

The novel takes place on the fictional Irish island of Thisby, mysterious place known to be the home of the capaill uisce--flesh-eating horse monsters that emerge from the sea every fall. For as long as anybody remembers, the men of Thisby have captured these deadly creatures from the sea and  trained them for riding in the annual competition: the Scorpio Races.

The novel comes from two perspectives. One is the perspective of Kate Connolly, known as Puck, who is racing to win her family the prize money--and is the first female ever to compete. The other is the perspective of the well-respected Sean Kendrick, four-time champion of the races. He's independent, talented, and seemingly fearless--but only seemingly.

The thing I loved most about this story was the setting. Maggie Stiefvater's world-building really impressed me; the island of Thisby is a seemingly quiet place that in reality, breathes danger and magic.  The capaill uisce (that's CAP-ple ISH-ka) are based off the water horses of Irish legend and are by far the most unique and fascinating creatures I've read about in a YA novel in a long, long time. Vampires, werewolves, and angels? Overdone. Flesh-eating horse monsters? Yes please!

Maggie Stiefvater's imagery is absolutely gorgeous. Her writing style is fluid and vivid and entrancing, and is number two on the things that made this book so great to me. Her descriptions during action scenes are sharp and capture the book's fast-paced violence well.

The narrators Puck and Sean are both good characters, but Sean especially. As somebody who is closed-off to everybody around him, it's truly interesting to be able to see inside Sean's mind as he reveals himself to be a multi-layered character. Puck, although she doesn't quite have the engaging quality that Sean does, is certainly a strong heroine, and is definitely likable.

Now, I have a few warnings for you.

WARNING #1:
This is not a romance novel.

Gasp! 

While the novel's romance is definitely there, it's quite subtle, and instead of being a huge factor into the story, it's more of a subplot that doesn't show up until halfway through the book. Despite the subtlety, Puck and Sean have a chemistry that only makes the story that much better.

WARNING #2:

Whatever you do, please don't give up during the first 100 pages!

For me, this was the book's worst flaw: pacing. The first hundred pages were absolutely brutal for me. While I was blown away by Stiefvater's amazing writing, nothing important happened in the beginning; it was all an intro to the characters and the world of Thisby. In fact, WARNING: the actual Scorpio Races only take up around 10 pages toward the end of the book. That's right, The Scorpio Races is one of those buildup books: it's about the journey rather than the main event itself. Once you accept this fact,  you can appreciate the suspense and buildup properly, and the story becomes infinitely better.

If you are looking for something similar to Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, this isn't it. While this book has similar pacing problems, it is not focused on romance like Shiver, is far more violent, and is far more original. So, while this book isn't for everybody, those who have the patience are in for something amazing.

My Rating:

                   

4 Brains.

Recommended if:

-you are looking for a YA novel with originality. Yes, I'm looking at you, vampire and dystopian books.

-you enjoy books that involve a lot of buildup.
-you like fantastic imagery.
-you don't mind quite a bit of violence. 

Until next time!

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss 
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Released: December 2, 2010
Genre: YA contemporary
Pages: 372 (first edition hardcover)

Publisher: Dutton Books

"Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?"

This is one of those books that makes you happy. Unbelievably happy. It's adorable and sweet,  honest and relatable, witty and hilarious, and accomplishes the incredible feat of being both realistic and enchanting at the same time. In other words, je l'adore. 

(That's "I love it" en Francais. Already knew? Okay. Just checking.)

Please, please, please do yourself a favour and don't wrinkle your nose at Anna simply because it' sounds like "shallow teen chick lit". Granted, the synopsis can induce a little eye-rolling: American girl Anna Oliphant is dreading being sent to boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school. ("As if anyone would complain about Paris!" I hear you exclaiming. Patience, grasshopper.) Luckily, she quickly makes a few inviting friends, including the oh-so-gorgeous Étienne St. Clair, a British-French-American boy with a super swoon-inducing English accent. But here's the kicker: he has a girlfriend. ("Didn't see that one coming," you say sarcastically. Oh, just keep reading.) Despite this unfortunate fact, Anna can't help but fall in love with St. Clair, and she can't be sure, but he may be falling in love with her too. With a never-ending number of obstacles in their way, will the romantic city of Paris be enough to bring Anna and St. Clair together?

I can hear the skeptics scoffing now. But give up not, my friends! Anna and the French Kiss is certainly not shallow, and simply too adorable to miss out on.

The Characters:

Anna Olipihant, be my best friend, please? Stephanie Perkins has written an absolutely lovable female protagonist. Anna is a unique and interesting character, but is incredibly easy to relate to as a teenager: she's tightly-knit with her best friend, she crushes on cute boys, and she has a passion for something she loves, which in Anna's case, is film. She's intelligent and funny, but she also has flaws, making her a totally likable character. But my favourite thing about Anna is the way I could relate to her. Starting school in a  foreign country with no friends, Anna's predicament is awkward and sorta lonely. Not to mention her serious friend/family/love life problems later in the book. All in all, Anna's problems are so reminiscent of the average person's that it's simply impossible not to love her.

And oh my gosh, St. Clair. St. Clair St. Clair St. Clair. If I want Anna to be my best friend, I want to marry St. Clair. He' s everything a girl could wish for in a guy: charming, funny, intelligent. Plus the English accent. That helps too.

  

Yes, St. Clair is totally swoon-worthy.

                                                           

But the best part? He's flawed. Yes, this seemingly perfect boy has some definite problems: problems with his family, with his girlfriend, and especially with his fears. And while St. Clair is just a little bit too perfect to be real, his flaws make him a fleshed-out, relatable, and even more fantastic character.

Apart from Anna and St. Clair, all of the characters are great. The charming Parisian personalities; the quirky best friends, Meredith, Rashmi and Josh; even the despicable popular kids who we all love to hate. Every single character in this book contributes to making it so...real. 

The Paris:

And The City of Light is where the magic begins. 

I didn't think it was possible for anybody to make me want to visit Paris more, but Stephanie Perkins has done it. The way Paris is painted in this novel is absolutely magical: the cobblestone streets, the charming European cafes, the River Seine at night, reflecting the lights of the city. Throughout the book, Anna and St. Clair discover the beauty of this gorgeous city, and it was incredible to discover it with them. The Eiffel Tower. L'Arc de Triomphe. Notre Dame. The Pantheon. The movie theatres. The bookstores. The entire time, I felt like Paris was unfolding in front of me just as much as it was for Anna and St. Clair. 

v

Oui, it's truly magical.

And OH MY GOSH THE FOOD. As Anna and St. Clair discovered the magic of delicious French food, I practically died. French bread. Macarons. Gateaux. Tartes. 

Stephanie Perkins! I love her and hate her for it at the same time.

The Romance:

Of course the romance is the focus of this entire book, and in my opinion, it's done wonderfully. It begins as a friendship, which is what makes Anna and St. Clair's feelings for each other more meaningful. They don't get where they want to without problems. LOTS OF THEM. Jealous friends, jealous girlfriends, family issues, and bad communication. But that was, you guessed it, my favourite part. 

Anna and the French Kiss is completely honest about the nature of both life and love: it's not smooth and romantic all the time. Both  life and love are incredibly infuriating, awkward, and full of ups and downs. It's flawed. But it's that, the perfect imperfection, that makes Anna and St. Clair's relationship and story so real, and so much more worth it in the end.

My Rating:

5 Brains.

Recommended for:

-making you laugh.

-making you swoon.

-making you smile. 

End note:

I love ze comments! Tell me what you think.

Next time on Books Equal Brains! Reviews:

Well, that's a secret. *Flips hair*

(*cough cough* The Scorpio Races *cough cough*.)

Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush Trilogy #1)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Released: October 13, 2009
Genre: YA fantasty
Pages: 391 (first edition hardcover)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

"Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.


But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life."

If you've read Twilight, or any other vampire/werewolf/fallen angel novel for that matter, you've read this book.

Originality is not Hush, Hush's strong point. To any regular reader of YA fantasy, the synopsis will sound painfully and annoyingly familiar: smart but modest teenage girl Nora Grey leads a regular life until she meets the dark, mysterious and handsome Patch, who, for some unidentifiable reason, she feels incredibly drawn to. But she doesn't trust him! But he's so hot! But she thinks he's following her! But he's such a flirt! But he wants to kill her! But he's a tortured soul! And of course (not really a spoiler) he later turns out to be some mythical creature in disguise, romance ensues, yada yada yada.

Can I just say that this book is so uncannily similar to Twilight that it's not even funny? As I was reading it I almost screamed out (several times, may I add), "Why is this so similar to Twilight? Blah!" There are too many things to count: the small, cold, rainy town, the high school biology class, Patch following Nora around, Patch driving Nora around in his incredibly nice car, etc. Even the entire plot structure is basically the same, down to the final fight/confrontation scene with the villain, which, by the way, is incredibly reminiscent of the ballet studio scene in Twilight. You see what I'm getting at here?

Another thing this book has in common with other YA fantasy/romance novels: the not-very-interesting-yet-makes-me-want-to-pull-out-my-hair protagonist. I have a like/hate relationship with Nora Grey. In some ways she's absolutely typical of a Bella Swan-like character: she's "smart", apparently attractive to guys but doesn't know it, modest, and dull. BUT, she definitely has some redeeming characteristics. Nora is somewhat of an overachiever in school and in life. She tracks down Patch at a shady arcade just to finish her biology homework, and later on, when life gets mysterious, travels around, interviewing strangers for answers about the suspicious Patch and the possible-murderer Elliot. This is what redeemed Nora a bit for me: she's pushy. She's an overachiever and is, unlike other Bella Swan types, driven to take action and push for answers rather than stay stationary and simply ask stupid questions in her head. Granted, I would have liked to see more of that pushiness, but some personality is better than none. For that reason, I had respect for you, Nora Grey.

And then you had to go and be all stupid.

This is the makes-me-want-to-pull-out-my-hair part. I simply do not understand Nora's attitude towards Patch. Her first reaction towards Patch is the sensible, understandable one. He's a jerk. He's dangerous. He doesn't have good intentions. But after Patch starts showing more serious romantic interest towards Nora, all of her sense goes apparently straight down the drain. She doesn't listen to her senses; she listens to her teenage girl hormones and throws herself at Patch. It doesn't matter to her if he actually seriously planned on doing her physical harm and followed her around. All that matters is that OMG HE LOVES ME AND HE'S HOT! This really annoyed me. Why does Nora have to throw away all her good sense and reasoning and THINKING ABILITY just because a boy likes her? And that was when I lost a serious amount of respect for you, Nora Grey.


Patch himself is the most intriguing character in the book. He's the typical dark, dangerous bad boy, but at the same time brings some much-needed humor to the story. I can tell why lots of readers would like him, but one thing about him bothered me:

Why the heck does he like Nora?

I am as much confused about Patch's feelings for Nora as about Nora's feelings for Patch. It seems to me that Patch never describes his feelings for Nora as more than a physical lust, yet he a) confesses his love for her, and b) will apparently give up everything for her. When did this falling in love happen?! Can you really jump from pure lust into head-over-heels love so quickly, and with hardly any meaningful interaction? As you can probably tell, the romance in this book was all over the place for me.

I've got to admit, despite all these flaws, Hush, Hush has a leg up over Twilight. Some elements of the book are actually quite good. For one thing, Becca Fitzpatrick has a nice writing style. The climax/fight/confrontation scene is actually written quite well with unexpected twists and a lot of action. I could tell that Fitzpatrick spent a lot of thought and effort making all the novel's prior events build up to it. The dialogue is at times pretty interesting, and sometimes even entertaining, especially the dialogue between Nora and Patch. Patch's quips are snappy, funny, and definitely liven up the book a little. Vee, Nora's best friend/sidekick, also kicks a little life into the story. BUT BUT BUT. One thing about Becca Fitzpatrick's writing I have a serious problem with is lines like this:

"Patch leaned against the doorjamb. His mouth was pressed tight and lacked its usual twinge of humor. His eyes held more depth than I'd ever seen before. They were sharpened by a protective edge." (381)

It's not just Becca Fitzpatrick. Countless other books describe characters' emotions only through their eyes. So many books do this, and it's just not cool. Eyes that "held more depth" and were "sharpened by a protective edge", really? We get it, you want your male lead to be shown as a sensitive, tortured soul, but there are other ways of describing emotion. Reading lines like these, instead of feeling a pang of emotion for Patch I pretty much did this:

So yes, I definitely did have a lot of problems with this book, but Hush, Hush did have it's strong points. The writing, Patch's humour, Vee, the final action scene, and even Nora's sane side make me not have to smack this book against the wall, even if it is all an overused cliche. Will I be reading the rest of the series? Probably, but only in the desperate hope that the worst of the cheesiness is over.

My Rating:

3 Brains out of 5

Recommended if:
-you enjoyed Twilight
-you're big on romance

Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Title: Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1)
Author: Meg Cabot
Released: April 26, 2011
Genre: YA paranormal, fantasy, supernatural
Pages: 304 (U.S./Canada hardcover)

Publisher: Point

"Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone... because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.


Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.


But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld."

This story has so much potential to be dark, mysterious and exciting, but unfortunately, the narrative drags on so long that it falls flat.

This book definitely has an interesting premise, which is why I picked it up in the first place. Abandon is somewhat a modern retelling of the Greek myth of Persephone, in which Hades, the god of the Underworld, kidnaps the beautiful Persephone and takes her as his consort for eternity. In this novel, Persephone is Pierce, a high school senior who is being stalked by John, ruler of the Underworld, after escaping from his Underworld kingdom where he took her for his eternal companion.

The beginning of the narrative is interesting, fast-paced, and well-written. Meg Cabot does a good job of revealing just enough at a time to keep the reader’s curiosity burning. However, it wasn’t long before my curiosity died out and everything just became tedious.

The novel is long, but all of the in-the-present events take place over a span of only two days . This is because Pierce and John’s backstory is told in a series of long flashbacks. The somewhat random flashbacks to the often-referred-to “accident” and “incident” only make the story drag on and the backstory more confusing. Needless to say, it could have been done better.

The protagonist and narrator, Pierce, is tolerable, but certainly boring. She’s presented as a stunningly beautiful girl who cares for the well-being of animals (which does make sense, considering that Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest). Other than that, she doesn’t seem to have any endearing qualities, or even any real flaws. The entire time I was supposed to be sympathizing with her I was only thinking about what a cardboard cutout of a heroine she was.

The romance was the thing that bothered me most. John, the love interest, was possibly even more flat than our heroine.. Throughout the first 250 pages of the narrative, John is shown as an angry, hot-tempered, controlling man who follows the protagonist around and whose only personality consists of the “pain” Pierce sometimes sees flashing in his eyes. Later on, bam! The reader is supposed to swoon over him after he confesses his love to Pierce. Not only is the romance nonsensical and unbelieveable (these two characters have talked to each other for a total of how long? An hour?), but because Pierce’s entire opinion of John changes after she discovers his love for her, Pierce begins to appear more self-centered and annoying.

Meg Cabot’s writing style is for the most part well-crafted and makes the book a bit more bearable. Cabot has also built up a story that has quite a bit of potential to grow and become more complex. The exciting last 50 pages give a preview of what could come in future installments. Although the story and characters fall flat, the most curious of readers may want to pursue the series, but only if they have the patience.

My Rating:

2.5 Brains

Recommended if:
-you're a fan of paranormal romance

Hope you enjoyed the review (and the new rating system)!

Review: Notes From The Blender by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin

Title: Notes From The Blender 
Author: Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin
Released: May 24, 2011
Genre: YA contemporary
Pages: 240 (U.S./Canada hardcover)

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Rating: 8.4/10 (Great!)

"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."

This book isn't just quirky and funny. It's full of emotions and awkwardness and family and lessons about life and sarcasm and witty jokes and is a total roller coaster ride, which is basically what it's like to be a teenager.

Notes From The Blender is written in two alternating perspectives, which I personally loved. Every other chapter is written by either Declan or Neilly, which is awesome because we get to hear the equally funny voices of Declan, a sarcastic, hormonal teenage boy, and Neilly, a typical "popular" girl who is surprisingly witty and likeable. Though the characters are opposite of each other, the two authors' styles of writing are similarly quirky and charming. There is quite a bit of foul language. Some people don't like it, but I actually thought  it made the characters more realistic. There's also quite a bit of sex talk, but hey, we're talking about teenagers here.

This book also has quite a bit of meaning. The family aspect of the story is totally comedic, but it' also emphasizes the importance of family. I also loved the inclusion of the gay parents and the all-accepting church, both of which taught a lesson about love and acceptance.

Declan and Neilly both seem like teenage stereotypes, but in reality, they each have surprising amounts of emotional depth. Their experiences with family, friends and life are challenging but fun. Above all, they're relatable, which is what makes this book totally awesome for teenagers (or those who are just mentally teenaged).

You might like Notes From The Blender if you:
- like comedy
- enjoy reading books with multiple points of view
- don't mind swearing
- are comfortable with sexual subjects (no sex scenes here, but there is quite a bit of sex talk from Declan's point of view)
- can relate to teenage awkwardness

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched (Matched Series, #1)
Author: Ally Condie
Released: November 30, 2010
Genre: dystopia, science fiction
Pages: 366 (U.S./Canada paperback)

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Rating: 7.3/10 (Good)

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

The dystopia trend in YA fiction right now is going at full speed, and publishers are churning out dystopian novels like there's no tomorrow. Matched by Ally Condie naturally had a lot of hype surrounding it (Look at that cover! Just look at it!) and was rumoured to be one of the best YA dystopian novels in years.

My expectations for this book weren't high in the first place; I knew better than to believe the hype created by publishing companies (shame on you for getting my hopes up all the time!). But hey, Matched exceeded my expectations! The book had quite a few flaws, but it was enjoyable at the same time.


My favourite thing about the novel was the narrator/female lead, Cassia. She's such a refreshing heroine because she's mentally tough without being hard or closed off to family and friends. In fact, she has a great relationship with family and friends in the novel. She's generally polite, intelligent, and likable (which is less common in YA than you'd think it'd be). Most of the background characters are well developed. I also enjoyed Ally Condie's writing style, which was smooth and enjoyable to read. 

Because this is a dystopian novel, setting is crucial to the success of the story. Unfortunately, Condie's world development of the Society just didn't do it for me. The dystopia just wasn't well developed enough. Some elements of it don't make any sense to me (why are teenagers allowed to have romantic flings outside of their matches in such a restrictive society?). The only reason I'll let this slide is because there is room for more development later in the series. Still, it's not an excuse. 


This novel goes at a snail's pace. For 366 pages, not very much happens. There is no real climax, and there are a lot of times when I feel that the author/narrator asks way too many questions and is just using them as filler. 


Most of all, Matched just didn't have the "disturbing" factor that a dystopian novel needs.


From all the negatives that I listed I'm sure it seems that I hated this book. But I didn't. I don't know. All in all, there's just too much potential in this series to give up hope on it. 


You might like Matched if you:
- don't mind slow books
- like science fiction
- like love triangles

Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian

Warning: This review contains spoilers for the previous four books in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series.

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian
Author: Rick Riordan
Released: May 5. 2009
Genre: fantasy, adventure
Pages: 381

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Rating: 9 (Awesome!)

"All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.


While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.


In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate."

The last installment in a series always makes me emotional. Like really emotional. Sometimes I start to tear up in the middle of the book, not even because of the story, but because of the knowledge that this will be the last time I share an adventure with the characters.

But I did not expect The Last Olympian to get me emotional. 

Don't get me wrong. I truly did enjoy the first four books in the Percy Jackson series; I loved the twists on Greek mythology, the sidesplitting humour, and the fast-paced, monster-filled adventures. Before The Last Olympian, I always thought, it's just a series I read for fun, right? No emotional attachment to the characters here.

But I don't think I ever realized how much I loved this series until I read the final book. And trust me, I got emotional.

The Last Olympian was truly a great finale for the Percy Jackson series. It's definitely my favourite book of the series, along with The Lightning Thief.

The problem I always had with the earlier Percy Jackson books was that the characters just felt sort of two-dimensional to me. It's especially common in middle-grade and children's novels, but it's not necessarily fatal to the books. A lot of the time, books for younger readers are plot and humour driven, so the story can still be fun to read, even if the characters are not as fleshed out as they could be. This is how I felt about the Percy Jackson books in the beginning. The original story lines and the hilarious dialogue always made up for the lack of character depth. 

As the series went on, this improved. And The Last Olympian definitely surprised me.
There was character development!  It was amazing! As Rick Riordan revealed the mysterious pasts of several characters, I found myself understanding and learning to love characters I had never liked before. Even Annabeth, who I had always thought of as a "meh" character, grew on me as Riordan revealed glimpses of her past. 

This novel is quite a bit darker than the previous ones, and that lead to the exploration of serious themes: death, betrayal, guilt. This only added to the development of the characters and the depth of the story itself.

Naturally, as the last book in a series about an impending God/Titan/Demigod war, the vast majority of the book is battle. Riordan also has dozens of loose ends to tie up, so there are a lot of flashback scenes. However, there is rarely a boring moment. Riordan's imagination, the fast-paced plot, and Percy's lasting humour add up to a fantastic finale for a fantastic series.

And now I have to get my hands on The Lost Hero ...