The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

 

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine had the promise to be something amazing… but it fell short for me.  About 40% in a realized that this was sensationalized fiction; the situations that the characters found themselves in were too ridiculous to be truthful, almost a 1 in a million story.  There are two main characters, Wren and Grayson.  Wren is on the verge of losing it, since she is “too quiet” and will possibly never get into a college like Harvard.  Her issues are realistic for kids her age during senior year.  Grayson on the other hand has done some bad things, the one I will spill in the review is the fact that he was part of a term paper scheme and was thrown out of his high school; however, Grayson has other issues and dirtier secrets.  One pig in a blank is what unites these two, as Grayson almost chokes to death on one and Wren saves him, since she is the waitress at her family owned restaurant. 

I don’t know how to fully explain my disappointment in the characters.  Not only where the situations ridiculous but the characters’ reactions were beyond ridiculous.  At some point I had to stop, because I was laughing too hard and just couldn’t deal with the issues unfolding in the book.  I do have to say that I laughed and had fun, because it was so short I couldn’t hate it too much.  I appreciate the author putting herself out there in her first novel, but my advice would be to try to reign in the ridiculous and make it more believable.  For instance, Wren’s way of dealing with the situations presented to her during the book made her look like a weak character as oppose to a character that grew (which is what I felt the author was going for.) 

2 out of 5 stars.  Thank you Edelweiss and the Publisher for an ARC.

Control by Lydia Kang

Control by Lydia Kang was uncontrollably good… sorry, I had to say it.  The tag line on goodreads.com states “An un-putdownable thriller for fans of Uglies.”  I haven’t had the pleasure of reading that series, but I will tell you one thing; this is a thriller that is written by someone who knows their stuff.  Remember when Harry Potter came out and everyone wished there was something magically special about them?  Well, I have seen variations of this story spun countless of times, and there always seems to be magic involved.  That is not the case in Control, there are a group of kids out there that are special, but their specialties come from variations of their genomes… or something scientifically smart like that.  It is so nice to read something that sounds so ridiculously technical, it must be true (I googled some things, turns out most of it is true if there was a crazy geneticist out there… I’m surprised there isn’t, really). 

Enough of the legitimacy of the fictional world created by Kang.  Zelia and Dylia are sisters, and they just saw their father die in a terrible accident.  Taken through the foster system, they are separated when Dylia is taken by some tough looking people.  Zelia is taken by Marka, an old colleague of Zel’s father.  What Zelia is not prepared for is the fact that her father worked with mutant kids, and that her sister is one of them.  Desperate to find Dyl, Zelia slowly finds her way at Carus House, her new home and home to genetically modified kids.  Here she discovers herself, her father’s real work, and something called love. 

Love:  I loved the love in the book.  There was a moment when I thought there would an infernal triangle (which could still happen in the series), but thankfully the author spared us all a huge dramatic cry fest by not having a love triangle.  At Carus House Zel meets Cy and boy is he something.  Cy has the ability to heal all wounds, so every day as part of his self-torture he tattoos his whole body.  The tension between these two is ridiculous in the beginning, especially since his hologram professor looks exactly like what Zel would look like, if she decided to wear a skirt and heels, coincidence, I don’t know.  Cy also has dark secrets that intertwine with Zel’s predicament.  Will he be able to help her?  Why is he always trying to hurt himself?

World Building:  Awesome world building in this book.  Set in the future this is an obvious dystopian novel.  To give some background of what is in store for readers, here is a small description of what the world for Zel looks like:  “…after the country couldn’t agree on religion or politics or how to wipe your butt the right way, they divided into clustered States.  Alms, Ilmo, Neia, Okks…each stewing in their happy ideals, all of them unified under a federal government weaker than my left pinkie.”  It was exciting to see a future so hauntingly close to what could really happen.  I am not comparing this book to 1984, but the realism of the changes to come was comparable. 

Best Description Used for Character: 

“He stands there, a pillar of ash and ink.”  If you read the book and get to know Cy you will feel as if this is an accurate description of him.  I love Cy J!

 

4 out of 5 stars.  Thank you Edelweiss and to the publisher for an early ARC.

Angelbound by Christina Bauer

 

 

Angelbound by Christina Bauer was not the most amazing book this year, but it was pretty entertaining.  It’s your classic (weird that it is now a classic…) Angel vs Demon vs Humanity vs Souls.  Myla is a quasi-demon, meaning she is a mix of some of the previously mentioned groups.  She lives in a world where everyone coexists in Purgatory, with issues of course, and she is the bottom of the totem pole.  Have you read books with angels and nephilim?  The whole time everyone is hunting down, or talking down to them because they show the greatest weakness of the fallen?  It’s almost like that, but with a twist.  “I am a quasi-demon (mostly human with a little demon DNA).  I’ve spent all eighteen years of my life in Purgatory (…aka the most boring place in the history of ever).”

There is also a love story, and of course she falls for Lincoln, someone she shouldn’t want to be with because of what he is and what she is; however, there’s a twist!  Myla isn’t what she thinks she is, and her mother has been keeping it a secret from her.  Now Myla must figure out who her father is, where he is, what she is, what she feels for Lincoln, pass school, avoid being on Armageddon’s radar, and bring a revolution like Purgatory has never seen before.

Was it exciting?  Yes, but sometimes I felt that it was too long, some scenes too unnecessary.  What I did like was Myla’s personality… to a point; she really likes killing (FYI).  There are some golden nuggets of conversations that were really funny.  Overall the experience was not terrible, I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars, and I will most likely be reading the next book.

 

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an early ARC.

These Broken Stars by Aimee Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

 

 

These Broken Stars by Aimee Kaufman and Meagan Spooner has to be one of the most original Sci-Fi stories this year, possibly in the past couple of years.  Not only was it sci-fi, but there were intense survival issues throughout the book, along with romance and social barriers being broken.   I even love how the title just makes sense in the last scene.  Tarver and Lilac’s little world eventually became broken stars, ones that I hope they will be able to see throughout time. 

Sci-Fi:  It probably looks obvious, but this is a Sci-Fi book all the way.  You have a huge space ship cruising through space with rich, poor, and military.  I have to agree with some responses to the book that it reminds me of the titanic, crash and all; however, this was much more electrifying (no pun intended) and at no point did I feel a sad lull, because there was too much action.  By the time Tarver and Lilac descend onto the planet nearest the crash, no one is left alive.  They are the sole survivors, and now on this new planet they must learn to adapt and also grieve their loss… that’s when the sadness comes on.  It was easy to follow along during the space talks and the world building was phenomenal. 

Lilac:  Lilac LaRoux is the residential rich girl, daughter of the most powerful man in the universe.  Her father is the owner of LaRoux Industry; they inhabit planets, make them into livable places and have colonies on those planets.  Her father is feared, and that makes Lilac untouchable much to her chagrin.  Many men fawn over her because of her status, and others steer clear of her because of fear of her father… that’s every man, except Major Merendsen.

Tarver:  Major Tarver Merendsen is the new hot shot decorated soldier.  Coming from a poor background, he will never fit into the rich life, however much they want to make him mingle.  He knows he’s only on the upper class deck for photo ops, no one there really wants to get to know him, and it’s all a show… that is, until Lilac catches his eye.

The Planet:  Holy creepiness.  I think that is what made this novel the best Sci-Fi so far.  Everything is creepy about the planet.  It’s inhabitable, but there are no inhabitants.  What there is are whispers, illusions, recreations of your thought, and rift from one dimension to the other.  Something is on the planet; Lilac and Tarver are not alone.  What they need to figure out is whether or not this something is a threat, or better yet what are they trying to communicate.

Bad Guy:  Guess who the bad guy is… that’s right!  It’s Lilac’s father.  I have noticed that the upcoming books will be companion novels, following new star-crossed lovers… but the baddie is still LaRoux.  He is dangerous, disturbing, and a bit controlling.  Throughout the novel you never see him, or even scenes of him, it’s hard to know the man behind the villain, thus far.  The closest we get is the end, when Lilac gives him a little bit of that hard earned LaRoux attitude and makes me so proud!

This was such an achingly sweet novel, with equal parts creepiness, romance, action, craziness, and heartbreak.  I had to put the book down for grown up reasons like my job; however, I did wake up at 1 AM because I just had to finish the book!  You will not be disappointed.

4/5 stars!  Thanks NetGalley.

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

 

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes is the second book of the Falling Kingdoms series.  Much like its predecessor, it contains narratives from most, if not all of the major characters in the book, even if they only got one chapter.  Last time we left Cleo, Jonas, Magnus, and Lucia Auranos had fallen in to the clutches of King Gaius.  Lucia played a very integral part in this acquisition, as she is the prophesized sorceress.  Cleo has lost her father and sister at the hands of King Gaius, along with her kingdom and freedom.  Magnus is still his father’s, King Gaius, shadow; meanwhile Jonas is the leader of the rebels.  Too much happened in this book and my head is still spinning.  To summarize the main points: people will die in this book, people will marry in this book, there are a few surprise kisses (one will be extremely “ship” hot, while the other is so awkward and surprising it isn’t hot until a couple of pages, and then you will think… really, well I fancy those two together, Go Nic!), treachery and double crossing, weird alliances, more death, the Watchers are now making a big presence, new crazy villain, a resurrection, oh and more death.

Magnus really grew on me in this book.  There was definitely more of him in this book than the previous; the first book really centered on Cleo and Jonas.  Now that Magnus is the heir to the new kingdom of Mytica and Lucia is stuck in “The Sanctuary” since she is in a coma, they both seem to have bigger roles in this book.  Lucia is also going through this crazy sorceress stage, while Magnus is trying to cut the umbilical cord attached to his father.   The ending was too swift, almost as if you have been running a marathon for the past 2 hours and then all of a sudden some hand juts out to stop you.  Now your defenses are up, your heart rate is askew, and you no longer have anything to keep running to.  That is how it ends.  The next book will most likely zero in on Cleo and Lucia, since one holds the key to the other’s power.  That will be interesting to see: 

“And you’re not afraid of me?”

Terrified beyond words.

“No, I’m not afraid of you.”

 

4 out of 5 stars.  Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.

Pawn by Aimee Carter

 

 

Pawn by Aimee Carter is her first book in her new series The Blackcoat Rebellion.  After reading the Goddess Test trilogy, I was a small fan of Carter.  I enjoyed the series about Hades, but if that is what you are after then you will be sorely mistaken.  Pawn is a thrilling ride in a dystopian world. 

“I’d seen the posters and heard the speeches.  Everyone had.  We all had our rightful place in society, and it was up to us to decide what that was.  Study hard, earn good grades, learn everything we could, and prove we were special.  And when we turned seventeen and took the test, we would be rewarded with a good job, a nice place to live, and the satisfaction that we contributed to our society—everything we would ever need to lead a meaningful life. 

That was all I’d ever wanted: to prove myself, to prove that I was better than the Extra I really was.  To prove I deserved to exist even though I was a second child.  To prove the government hadn’t made a mistake not sending me Elsewhere.”

This is Kitty Doe’s story.  All she wanted was to become a IV, with that rank she would be able to marry Benji and live an okay life; however, on the day of her testing she received a III and standing orders to relocate to Denver, where she would lead a life as waste management.  Desperate to wait until Benji is assigned his number in a month, Kitty decides to work as a working girl.  On her first night her virginity is bought by the highest bidder, Prime Minister Hart.  But what he has in mind is something more sinister and dirtier than she could ever imagine.  Hart gives Kitty a choice, she can remain a III and possibly die by his goon’s hands or she can agree to a deal that will make her a VII and give her the life she never thought she could have.  The catch—Kitty will be remade into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s deceased niece, with plastic surgery and all. 

Kitty is transported into a politically criminal family.  Some believed in the cause that got Lila killed—the rebellion, while others wanted to remain status quo, hence her untimely death.  Kitty must now navigate the Hart family and figure out what she must do, so that she can survive this ordeal and keep Benji safe.  What she doesn’t expect is being transported into the biggest rebellion yet, or to be part of crazy identity fraud scheme.   Where everyone is the pawn in the game, who will eventually call out checkmate?

4 out of 5 stars.  Thanks NetGalley

Pushed by Corrine Jackson

Pushed by Corrine Jackson is the second book in the Sense Thieves series.  Remy and Asher are trying to enjoy life following the aftermath of the previous book.  Even with life starting to make sense for Remy and her powers of a healer and her love for her enemy, Asher, Remy is missing a maternal connection.  When a letter from her grandfather arrives, Remy feels like she can finally understand more about her mother and the Healer community.  Blinded by this, Remy decides to spend a month with her grandfather and Asher will be following her.  There she meets her grandfather Franc, and a whole community of healers, but lurking in the woods is danger and other Protectors that what Remy.  One night Asher and Remy are captured.  Can they make it out alive?  What will they do when they realize that Remy is starting to obtain Protector traits?  Who will make the ultimate sacrifice for love?

Completely saw the twist at the end with Asher, Gabriel, and Remy… totally sucks for the characters, but I felt that it was handled well, at least in this book.  It will be interesting to see what occurs now that Remy is on the run.  Even with the predictability of the ending it was still a fun read, and it was nice to see more of Gabe in this book, he’s by far my favorite character.   Franc is not what I was expecting at first, but slowly he reveals his true nature.  Remy is still her annoying self, healing the practically dead and subject herself to their illnesses without thought of consequences.  Asher is still kind of controlling… I know, many like him but can Remy just tell him to back off a little bit… perhaps things would have been different for him if he had backed off a little in this book.

Overall I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.  Thank You NetGalley.