Review: Kalahari (Corpus #3)

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Jessica Khoury
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Rating: 6 out of 10

Summary (Thanks, Goodreads): Deep in the Kalahari Desert, a Corpus lab protects a dangerous secret…
But what happens when that secret takes on a life of its own?
 
When an educational safari goes wrong, five teens find themselves stranded in the Kalahari Desert without a guide. It’s up to Sarah, the daughter of zoologists, to keep them alive and lead them to safety, calling on survival know-how from years of growing up in remote and exotic locales. Battling dehydration, starvation and the pangs of first love, she does her best to hold it together, even as their circumstances grow increasingly desperate.
 
But soon a terrifying encounter makes Sarah question everything she’s ever known about the natural world. A silver lion, as though made of mercury, makes a vicious, unprovoked attack on the group. After a narrow escape, they uncover the chilling truth behind the lion’s silver sheen: a highly contagious and deadly virus that threatens to ravage the entire area—and eliminate life as they know it.
 
In this breathtaking new novel by the acclaimed author of Origin and Vitro, Sarah and the others must not only outrun the virus, but its creators, who will stop at nothing to wipe every trace of it.

My Thoughts: Side note: this is the third in a series but the other novels only provide basic background information. They aren't actually important to this novel at all. New characters, new plot, new location. I'm assuming that eventually all the novels will tie together but it wasn't an issue here.

ANYWAY, this novel was full of twists and turns. Surprises were around every corner. The beginning worried me because I wasn't sure that I could get into a novel that was full of whiney teenagers (I didn't read the summary before I began, to be honest with you; I just like the author) but it turned out to be fine. The various characters ended up rounding out the novel very well. The cast was necessary for all the twists and turns, for the excitement. I thought that they oddly worked well together and they seemed like real people in many ways. Their priorities were a little messed up, even for spoiled rich kids, but it was fine, I suppose.

I was a little disappointed in the major "plot twist" that was built up to be much larger than it actually was. Even so, I wanted the kids to survive, to make it through. I thought that Sarah was a genius and was constantly impressed with the survival skills. Obviously she had to have some but I am a city kid and know nothing of surviving in the wilderness (not that I want to after reading this novel). I lived a unique life through the reading of this novel.

The bad guys were an interesting sort. It was further away from the corporation that the rest of the series was but that was okay. The bad guys were still bad enough and you didn't know enough about them to think you had everything figured out. I believed that they were horrible people that would do whatever it took. 

Basically, the survival skills taught you something and that plot was kept busy and moving at a fast pace with enough near misses and character development to keep everyone happy. I enjoyed this novel quite a lot. I almost wish that it was a little bit longer. Check it out.

Review: Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin #3)

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Robin LaFevers
Format: ARC
Pages: 444
Rating: 9 out of 10

**This is the third in this series. The review for Grave Mercy is HERE but I don't think this is too spoilery**

Summary (Bless Goodreads heart): Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...

My Thoughts: I won this novel from the love of my life, Goodreads. 

I really enjoyed this novel. I think that it might have been better than the first (I haven't read the second but I have it). I love the time period it's set in. It affects everything about the novel, especially in this one, I think. 

The characters are great because they don't take anything from anyone. I fell in love with this characteristic in Grave Mercy and it seems to have been something the author continued on with. And I felt bad for Annith. All she wanted was to serve the person she joined the convent for and they wouldn't let her. All she wanted to be was who they made her to be. She was the most loyal of all the girls in that place. 

I knew what was up one of the characters before anything happened with them but that didn't make it any less important when it happened. Guessing didn't make me sad because it was so well-written that it didn't matter. 

I think the ending was sufficient but I'm not so sure that immortal characters would react in the ways that we write them. 

My favourite thing about this novel is that it's the kind of novel that puts you in another place with a bunch of people that you feel like you know. You go on an adventure that you could never go on otherwise (not that I would necessarily want to) and you get to experience a million things that will never happen to you (in most cases, it's a good thing). It's just so outside your experiences that you learn something else about the world and you get to be somebody and something else. This is the kind of book everyone means when they say that reading means living a thousand different lives because you get to be something new when you read it. I love that this book, this series, had the ability to make me feel strong and smart and like I can do anything (not unlike Black Widow, I won't lie to you). I think that we need more books like this one. They are the best kinds of books.

So: If you are into that adventure/action thing and are looking for a good series, you can kind some kickass female leads in this series. They are strong and do what needs doing. I like that these books can be read together or apart. Check it out.

Review: Vitro

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Jessica Khoury
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 384
Rating: 6 out of 10

This is the sequel to Origin (Click here to view) but I don't think there are any spoilers.

Summary (Nothing is equal to Goodreads): On a remote island in the Pacific, Corpus scientists have taken test tube embryos and given them life. These beings—the Vitros—have knowledge and abilities most humans can only dream of. But they also have one enormous flaw.

Sophie Crue is determined to get to Skin Island and find her mother, a scientist who left Sophie behind years ago. She enlists hunky charter pilot Jim Julien to take her there. But once on the island, Sophie and Jim encounter more than they bargained for, including a charming, brilliant Vitro named Nicholas and an innocent, newly awoken one named Lux.

In a race for their lives, Sophie and Jim are about to discover what happens when science stretches too far beyond its reach. 

My Thoughts: I don't think that this novel was quite as wonderful as Origin was. Mostly, I think that the characters in this novel were much stupider than they were in Origin. Really, you see a scary island that everyone says horrible things about but you think that it's a fantastic idea to try to waltz right onto it? WHAT PART OF THIS TRIP WAS A GOOD IDEA? Who are you? Ditzy girl #5 in a horror movie? You just gotta run back up the stairs. You know what? Here's a concept. LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE TELL YOU AND DON'T GO THERE. Your mother is a grown adult and can take care of herself since she sure as shootin' wasn't taking care of you all these years...stupid head.

The island sounded pretty? You know, except for all the horrible things happening there...

Jim was just as stupid as Sophie. Maybe more so because he knew all the stories and had been there this whole time. 

Plus, I mean, the plot twists weren't major plot twists that you wouldn't see coming. 

All that said, it wasn't a terrible novel. It was written well enough and was easy to read and follow. The characters had redeeming qualities and it openly led into the next novel (which I have waiting for me at home, by the way). I concept for this series is just terrifying enough to keep you reading while worrying about the future of the world and wondering what scientists are really doing out there (Conspiracy theories ftw). 

So that's my rant.

Basically, check our Origin first. If you like that than read this one. Maybe the next one will be better.  If you are concerned about whether or not you will like this novel, I should tell you that I didn't really put it down just because I wanted to see how badly everything would end up. It wasn't not worth it.

Review: Ensnared (Splintered #3)

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: A. G. Howard
Format: Hardcover (somehow managed to get it three days before release?)
Pages: 384
Rating: 7 out of 10

**Spoiler Alert: This is the third in a series. You can find Splintered Here**

Summary (Thanks Goodreads): After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?

So: I'm finding myself wishing I had made notes for this book while reading. I am so disorganized. Blah!

Okay...I was super excited for this novel. Like, I found it on the shelf before it was supposed to come out and I attacked it and hugged it and bought it and was prepared to fight if one of the works told me that it was a mistake that it was already on the shelf. I would have taken that poor sucker out man.

I suppose that it was worth the hug, but it would not have been worth an assault charge. The novel was less out a let down then Ruins was but it didn't go exactly where I thought it was going to. 

Yes, I loved the world that Howard painted, as always. The mystery and beauty and pure craziness of the world was what got me into this series in the first place. Howard writes so well that I would jump on any other novels that she might write in the future. There is just something about how the world is spun so that its fascinating and dangerous but so that you still want it.

However, I was a little... I don't know. I guess I didn't mind it too much but it seemed like a little bit of a cop-out. All this build up. Who is it going to be and it ends up just being. All that build up was a little bit for nothing. Still, I have the urge to strangle Morpheus. I have never loved and hated a character so much at once. I guess that was the point of him since Alyssa felt the same way about him. That right there is some pretty freaking awesome character writing, let me tell you. Sadly, the manipulation of Alyssa continues and even with her explaining it all away, I hate him for it.

This series though, people...

Basically: I loved this entire series and wish I could have a really in depth discussion about it with someone but I refuse to give any spoilers. I think that if you like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or books that are a little strange and heavy in the fantasy, this book is for you. Push through the pure weirdness of Splintered. It was rough in the very beginning but you get into it pretty quick and I couldn't put any of them down. I bet you will like it. 

Review: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

►Well, isn't that photo nice and blurry for all of you.

I asked my cousin to do an honest review of this book so that our followers could get another perspective than the usual views of Kristen and myself. Just a little background. My cousin is a girl and is 13 years old. This might be important knowledge when reading the following review. Please enjoy!
     - Kelsey

Kelsey's review for this same novel is right HERE

Reviewer: A secret grade 8 student who shall remain nameless
Author: Lewis Carroll
Pages: 327
Format: Paperback

Summary (borrowed from Goodreads but hardly a full description as the novel reviewed was comprised of both the first and the second in this series): Bored on a hot afternoon, Alice, a bright and inquisitive child, follows a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole, and finds herself in Wonderland, a very odd place indeed. This unique story mixes satire and puzzles, comedy and anxiety, Mock Turtles and Gryphos to provide an astute description of the experience of childhood.

Cousin's Thoughts on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: [some editing]

I specifically asked Kelsey for this book because of its weirdness and original story line. Though sometimes I had to read over some things just because of the way things were described or told. At one point I had my mom read a chapter to me just so I would understand what was happening.

Overall I think the writing and describing was very well done seeing that what he was writing was so original and unique. The book really caught my interest because the book itself is described so well and it’s a classic. That just cant be beat!

I do have to say that like any book it did have its ups and downs. My least favorite part was when Alice grew too big in the White Rabbits house because it was kind of confusing when all the creatures were talking. Enough of what I didn’t like in this book! My favorite part was when the three cards where trying to paint all the roses red because they accidentally planted white roses instead. This totally reminded me of all the things that I have done on accident and had to fix before anyone saw. Like the time I spilled something on the carpet and had to race around the house trying to find the carpet cleaner to get the stain out before my parents got home.

For the record, I loved all the characters in this book, but there are two that really stood out to me. The crazy and confused Mad Hatter was one, for always ending up in places he shouldn’t be and for his historically acclaimed question, “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” And the snippy March Hair for all his remarks to Alice when she came to the tea party.

I think anyone who wants to read this novel needs to be a good reader and need to be able to think while they're reading. Keep in mind that if you over think this, you’ll give your self the biggest headache ever!! Plus, you can’t find any other book like this great original.

Cousin's Thoughts on Through the Looking Glass: [some editing]

Since I liked Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, I was compelled to read the second story of her travels. To me, this one was easier to understand than the first. I’m not sure if it was because I was so used to reading the first book and the way it was written or if this book was generally easier to understand. The writing was just as good in this book as it was in the first one. I liked the story line in this one better because it was all planed out [via a chess board] in the beginning so you sort of know what to expect (depending on if you could remember).

Just like the first book, this one did have its ups and downs. My least favorite part was when Alice arrived at the store where the sheep handed her oars and they were gliding along between banks because during that time I found it very boring and a little confusing because they where in the store, but not in the store at the same time. My favorite part was when Alice was walking with the White Night, because the way the book described him was weird and original with all his inventions.

My favorite character in this book was the White Night because of all of his silly and unique ideas and just the way he acts. Plus, the way he rides a horse is just hilarious!

My overall impression of the book was very good. Therefore I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first one.

So there you have it folks.

Review: Siege and Storm (Grisha #2)

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 432
Rating: 6 out of 10

** Spoiler Alert: This is the second of a series. Read the review for Shadow and Bone HERE **

Summary (thanks to the siege of Goodreads): Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Thinking Stuff: This novel began much differently than I had anticipated. I was extremely excited for this novel but I didn't really know what was going to come of it. After all, the Darkling had been killed. He was gone. Except that he wasn't gone at all. Curses!

Can we just take a moment to rant and rave about how awesome their new friend is? I refuse to spoil this novel complete so I'll just say that he is wonderfully sarcastic and full of interesting and exciting secrets. I liked that his secrets remained as such until the reader needed to know what was happening. I like that there are other characters with different goals and plans all working and living together at once. I despise when I know every single detail of a novel while I'm reading it. Books like that lack surprise. There is a reason why people don't always know what everyone around them is thinking. It's the same thing in novels. Knowing everyone's plots and plans removes any traces of intrigue a novel might have started out with. This novel doesn't have that problem, even after we start getting little glimpses into what is happening with the Darkling.

This novel was a satisfactory continuation of this series. However, it was definitely and very obviously the middle book in a trilogy. There was a lot of connective tissue that lacked its own purpose at the current point in time. It was there but why? We don't need to know yet. Yes, the plot continued on its path and moved the story forward but it was pushing it towards the third novel more than it was pushing towards a resolution in the second. It's not really surprising.

So: I can't tell you why I like this series so much. It's hardly more than average but I have a serious drive to finish it. I think that I love the characters and their interactions more than anything else. I'll get back to you on that.

Review: Signed, Skye Harper

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Carol Lynch Williams
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 304
Rating: 6 out of 10...a high 6.

We were given this book in return for an honest review.

Summary (signed, Goodreads): In trying to reunite with her mother, Winston discovers the many meanings of family and finds friendship in an unexpected place in this coming-of-age novel from the author of Waiting, which Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, called "exceptional" and Glimpse, which Booklist called "gripping."

Life is just fine for fourteen-year-old Winston. She loves her dog, Thelma, and although she never knew her dad, and her mom left ten years ago in search of Hollywood fame, Winston has family with Nanny, who is in her forties, and that doesn't even make her old. But a "just fine" life gets a lot more exciting when a letter arrives from Skye Harper, aka Judith Fletcher, aka Winston’s mother. She needs help, and Nanny says the best way to give it is to take a cross-country road trip—in a "borrowed" motor home—to go find Mama once and for all. Winston’s not so sure about this plan, but with a cute stowaway named Steve along for company and an adventure on the horizon, this is sure to be a summer to remember.

My Thoughts: I suppose I should start with the cover since it's the first thing that you see. Kristen doesn't like it. She thinks that it's too washed out or something but I don't agree. I liked the cover a lot. I don't have many novels that use this colour palate. I know that isn't really important but I don't care. It needs to be said. It's a cute cover and would pick this novel off the shelf because of it.

The time of this novel threw me. It never flat out told me a year. At least, I didn't notice if it did. The novel gave hints as to the year through references. Talk of Olympics and Elvis and Richard Nixon were my hints. Later in the novel, it becomes clear which Olympics was being discussed; however, I had to have my mother explain what was happening and tell me some back story. I was thus sucked into a very long talk about the Olympics...it was a bit of a boring conversation. The time thing make me sad. I wish it would have started with a date (side note: if it was said than I apologize for not seeing it) but I did enjoy the little history lesson. Related to this is the strange slang. The wording took a little while to get used to. It's not bad, just different.

That way that chapters were divided was a bit annoying. There was a ton of wasted space which means wasted paper which means that recycling was not happening with this novel. So much for being GREEN! Okay, so it didn't bother me that much. I just got a good work out flipping the page all the time. 

A MOTHER ISN'T A MOTHER JUST BECAUSE SHE GIVES BIRTH TO YOU. HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE? If your mother is awful to you, please just cut her lose and move on with your life. There is a large chance that you're better off without her. It's harsh, sure, but also probably true. I just want you to have the best life you can have. I don't recommend spending all your money and chasing her down. I hated that whatshisname was basically forcing her to be with her mother.

I wish there would have been more on how it ended. It wrapped up and, I guess, it explained everything. There just wasn't enough. It seemed kind of sudden. I don't really know how to explain it to you except that I was left wanting a lot more than I was given. 

I liked that the main character had a thing. She had a thing that she always went back to. It was clear who she was and what she wanted and that she would do anything to get what she wanted. She was steady because she had this thing to tie her down. That makes it even better when she related to others because of this thing. Also, major second hand embarrassment (this word has far too many consonants) ensues. P.S. to women of the world: WEAR A BRA!! Trust me, you look better with it. I would never lie to you.

It's a pretty good book people. You should at least give it a quick flip through before you ignore it. I've never read a novel with the same premise. It was definitely a unique read.

Basically: This was a cute novel but it felt like something was missing. The ending just didn't give me enough. I think this novel had tons of potential but it just didn't meet my expectations. I still enjoyed it though. I think it's a decent YA novel. I can't say I'll read it again but it wasn't a waste of time either.

Review: Ruins (Partials Sequence #3)

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Dan Wells
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 464
Rating: 7 out of 10 (This makes me so sad but it's true)

** This is the third in this series. Start with Partials. Read the review here **

Summary (from Goodreads): Kira, Samm, and Marcus fight to prevent a final war between Partials and humans in the gripping final installment in the Partials Sequence, a series that combines the thrilling action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Blade Runner and The Stand.

There is no avoiding it—the war to decide the fate of both humans and Partials is at hand. Both sides hold in their possession a weapon that could destroy the other, and Kira Walker has precious little time to prevent that from happening. She has one chance to save both species and the world with them, but it will only come at great personal cost.

The Story of My Copy: I need you to understand my pain so that you can understand my disappointment. Thus begins the saga of my copy...

March 11, 2014: Release date. After school, I race to the book store. Now, I've been waiting for this novel for too long. I'm so excited to get it. Kristen joins me at the book store to share in my joy. We head straight back to the Teen Section. I find Partials and Fragments in five seconds flat. Alas, where is Ruins? IT'S NOT THERE! I run to the fancy, new-fangled computer thing that tells you where the books are in the store. Guess what? THEY DON'T HAVE IT IN YET! Kristen and I wander around the store while I try to contain my tears. Of course, she mocks me by telling me that it's the final book in the series and she reads the summary to me, just to be mean, I'm certain of it. Now, I'm basically crying as I go up to a worker and ask her about the novel. She messes around on the computer for like an hour before telling me to try again tomorrow. What happens the next day? A HUGE SNOW STORM and I can't leave my house. The next day? I have school and my parents get home from Cuba. I called home to tell them I wasn't going to home until I got my book because I needed it. I go back to the book store after school. Now, it's getting close to closing time thanks to my night class on Thursdays. I run to the back but it's STILL NOT THERE! I find a computer that says they are in stock but I can't find them anywhere. I find a worker guy instead and I flirt my face off. I literally tell him that he will be my favourite person in the entire world if he will get my this novel from the stock room. He goes off and is gone for so long that I fear he won't come back with it. He finally returns with an "I guess I'm your favourite person in the whole world." I considered kissing him. He even offered me my choice between two copies in case one was bent or something. Then, I run to the line...where I stand for 30 minutes thanks to the attractive man working the register. I could've murdered him right then and there. So now I finally have my novel but can't start it because I'm going away for the weekend and have no time to read it. I thought I was going to die.

Thus we come to what I thought of the novel that took an entire week of my life: It was such a let down. I mean, it mostly tied everything up but it took forever to get there. There were plot points that seemed to come out of nowhere, and I don't mean that in a good way. They were suddenly just in my face with no build up to them and they were a big deal. There were too many plot points to just have them all show up suddenly at the end. The worst one was the thing with Kira's dad which just happens and isn't explained all too well. It was like plot overload.

I'm glad that from the first novel, we were able to get a glimpse into many of the character's heads. This novel focuses a lot more on the other characters, not just Kira. It's a good thing too because so much is happening and she is no longer at the center of it. I find it interesting that so many people came to the same conclusions about all their problems at the same time when nobody else considered these solutions for years.

The most upsetting part was the end. It ends alright. It ends rather suddenly I felt. What it really needed was an epilogue. I need to know that they survived. I want to know what the world is like after the novel ends. Do things change? Do they stay changed? Do the characters survive the winter? I just want to know if it ends happily ever after. All it did was end and I'm so sad because of it. I am happy with where all the characters ended up, I just wish we could see farther into the future than just the last moment of the novel. For all I know, they all died within the next two months and I hate that.

I don't know what to do with where the reader is left. I'm just sad. Ask me again in a few months. Oh but, can this please be made into a (really good) movie (that doesn't mess up the plot or the characters), please? I'd go see it.

So: Getting this book was a pain in my ass and it let me down. It might slip from my favourite series. I almost regret all of those book challenge answers where I call it my favourite. I'm so sad. I'm taking a break from reading. Finish the series if you've started. If you haven't started it, it's a good read and worth your time but the ending might disappoint you like it did me. I mean, maybe it won't. Let me know what you think.