Release Date: September 18, 2012
(Thank you to ATWT for allowing me to participate on this tour!)
Published by: Scholastic

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

Ten likes/dislikes:

1. (+) Blue, the protagonist - Eccentric, brave, hard-working, stubborn, willing to accept the paranormal due to her psychic family but unwilling to tolerate when someone treats her wrong (i.e. her first meeting with Gansey). One of the things I like most about Blue is that she's not psychic like the rest of her family, yet she doesn't become sullen or resentful for it. She stays devoted and her own person.  I also liked it when she would step up to a challenge even before the boys would.
2. (+) The World-Building - Several aspects of world-building come into play here - the Aglionby school, Henrietta and its quirks, the limits of Blue's psychic family's powers, the amount of paranormal in the world, Gansey's quest for Glendower, a sleeping Welsh noble who escaped the English and will grant a favor to whoever awakens him. Before I had the chance to read The Raven Boys, I had read the starred Publisher's Weekly review of it, which mentioned something about how Maggie Stiefvater didn't take the time to explain why her characters were the way they were, how she played it as they were normal, and how that allowed them to shine. I couldn't agree more - suspension of disbelief in full working mode here. The story didn't ask what you thought of the search for Glendower, or if you believed in something like that ever being possible; it just took you along. Stiefvater does world-building well - she tells you the essentials, like the hunt for Glendower, and the things the boys already know but shows you the rest, and this especially comes into play when the boys discover something new, and you feel like you're discovering it along with them.
3. (+) The Romance - Two romantic interests here -- there were moments when I asked whether or not there was a love triangle, and whether Maggie would put that in as a plot twist to the prophecy about Blue's love life. That's part of the suspense. Though there's not all that much romance, especially considering Stiefvater's previous books, what's there is nice and slow-building, and is clearly laying the foundation for the next novels when maybe something more--for either couple--will happen.
4. (+) The Characters - What really takes the cake in this novel are these characters. Even though they're really strange -- a teenager with enough money to go on a quest for magical glory, etc. -- you still want to believe in them.  I hate making these generalized statements, but each of the characters is dynamic and well developed (esp. Adam, Gansey, and Blue since you see things from their POVs), and each has his/her own wants/needs and backgrounds that influence the former...Blue's quirky family, Ronan's secrets and familial history, Adam's desires, and Gansey's fear...
5. (+) Class - You want diversity in YA?  Sometimes, it's not just racial and cultural diversity that YA lacks but also class diversity, and Maggie Stiefvater at least addresses that. Class is often one of those things that people don't talk about, but it affects us so much, and YA authors don't usually own to the fact that maybe teenagers won't always find their way around, because they don't have the money for the bus, etc. etc. (how many books have you read that acknowledge that? Class becomes a non-issue.) Stiefvater does it in several ways - Blue and Adam vs. Ronan and Gansey; Blue vs. the raven boys etc. etc. -- and with different things, like accents and clothes. I don't particularly like Gansey's attitude towards money, but the book addresses that issue too, and it was great to see how Stiefvater shaped her characters based on these perspectives.
6. (+) First Book in a Series - Sometimes the first book in a series can just set up the rest of the series and not feel like it had its own plot. Sometimes it's its own book in a series of stand-alones. The Raven Boys functions on its own--definitely has a plot, and with more unpredictable plot twists than I would've expected of a Stiefvater book--and has an obvious, larger series plot. I can't wait to read more about the raven boys' quest for glory.
7. (+) Cliffhanger - Honestly, I don't usually like cliffhangers. However, at the end of this novel, there was such a sense of fulfillment and completeness and longing ('cause I was already like I WANT MORE) that the cliffhanger felt more like the punch line to a joke than something cheap to bring the readers back for more. Brilliantly done.
8. (+) The Writing - Maggie Stiefvater, oh, Maggie Stiefvater. The writing isn't as experimental and prose-like as that in Shiver, but it's as atmospheric as that in The Scorpio Races, though it's now alternating third person instead of first. Few authors can create as sinister a mood as Maggie Stiefvater can.
9. (+) Pacing - I thought that Stiefvater's previous books suffered a bit in terms of pacing, but I always had the sense that things were moving in The Raven Boys - from the first meeting between Blue and Gansey, when Blue would begin hanging out with the raven boys, etc. etc.
10. (+) The Cover - I love that it's so simple but that it also has a way of capturing the atmosphere of the novel. And of course the raven and the ley line triangle are important.

I loved The Scorpio Races, but Maggie Stiefvater outdoes herself with the Raven Boys. With plenty of atmosphere and action, and characters you'll adore, The Raven Boys is a book you don't want to miss. One of my favorite books of 2012, and I hope you mark September 18 on your calendars.

Release Date: September 11, 2012
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher!)
Published by: Random House

Unspoken (Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan


Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?


Ten Likes/Dislikes:


1. (+) Kami, the protagonist - Kami is my kind of heroine. She's smart, loyal, independent, quirky, and strong, holding herself together when everything falls apart around her. When she investigates the bloody happenings of Sorry-in-the-Vale, she doesn't act like the kind of protagonist you want to shake, because he/she is doing something stupid, and you know something's going to go wrong because of that. Kami goes about her investigation in a bold but measured way. She's the lighter, more fun version of someone like... Bitterblue, who's not physically strong but whose strength you never doubt anyways. Also, she embraces her quirks, and I couldn't love her more for that.
2. (+) World Building - The magic in this novel is fun. It wasn't something I expected, and there are so many twists thrown in there when you least expect. A reason for Jared and Kami's connection, which in itself, gets explored really well, the rivers and tales of Sorry-in-the-Vale, what kind of power the Lynburns hold over everyone else, and what the limitations are to those powers, the sacrifices that are made.  The Gothic elements play really well with the magical elements.
3. (+) Romance - Jared and Kami share an intense mental connection. They've spilled their secrets to each other and know how the other thinks. When they meet, they have to deal with the loss of privacy among other things. I liked the twist this gave their relationship, liked how Jared and Kami were close friends before anything else. I especially liked seeing how everything evolved for them and how they balanced each other out. And just when you think Jared and Kami might get used to each other, just when their love is evolving, Sarah Rees Brennan disavows you of that comfort. The two form quite the twisted, tortured couple but with wry humor strung along the way.
4. (+) Gothic Feel - I'm no connoisseur of Gothic novels but I love the Bronte sisters, and I love the feel of Sorry-in-the-Vale. First off, how great is that name? All the names in this book are fantastic. This town oozes creepiness with its dark history, the things that go bump in the night when the Lynburns return, the secrecy/the way everyone gets closed mouthed when it comes to the Lynburns...
5. (+) Humor - There were a few times when the humor caught me off guard because it didn't seem appropriate at the time, but it's such a nice surprise amidst the dark feel. I love that Kami, in the first 75 pages when she gets attacked (I don't consider that much of a spoiler), is still able to joke about her position. The banter between the characters makes this novel more enjoyable.
6. (+) Side Characters - All the side characters in this novel seem well developed; it's clear that they all have their own motivations, even if some of those are suspect. I love that Sarah Rees Brennan created parents who were not of the typical neglectful, absent sort, and that she created a wonderful family dynamic for Kami to lean on. I didn't Angela, Kami's best friend, at first but she grew on me as did Ash, Holly, and the twin Lynburns. Look forward to finding out more about all of them.
7. (+/-) Predictable - This is one of those books where I could see what was going to happen, but it still didn't take away my enjoyment of the book. I wanted to find out what other magic things would happen along the way, what each character would specifically, how Kami and Jared would fare. Have you read John Green's post on anticipation vs. predictability?  Sarah Rees Brennan is good at the former. 
8. (+) Writing - There were a few times when I paused, thrown off balance by either a change in POV or a sudden transition, but other than that, it flowed nicely and did a great job of establishing both the quirky and the dark tone.
9. (+) Pacing - There's very much a setting the stage feel in the beginning, but I never once felt bored, or like something wasn't happening. The book is split into six parts, and there's plenty to keep the momentum going until the climax and its aftermath.
10 (+) The Cover - Not much a fan of the stereotypical girl figurine, but I like that she's a silhouette, the darkness there, and the way she's just about open the gates. Very nice feel, though the pink might be a bit overdone for Kami; red would've been scarier.


This book was absolutely fantastic. Quirky humor, a great heroine, awesome supporting cast, tortured, angsty love, a dark, creepy town--what's not to like? Sarah Rees Brennan has done an amazing job, and I can't wait for the sequel!

Release Date: October 16, 2012
(Thank you to ATWT for allowing me to participate on this tour!)
Published by: Farrar, Straus, Giroux BYR

Crewel (Crewel #1) by Gennifer Albin

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Ten Likes/Dislikes:

1. (+) Adelice, the protagonist - Adelice was my kind of protagonist, and honestly, the kind of character I'd hope to be if I was cast in a book. She was strong, smart, sarcastic--she knew how powerful she was, but she didn't cross into arrogance. It was refreshing to have someone who could take charge but still make mistakes. Oh, and believe me, she has her flaws (tends to assume things, etc.), but those are the times I sympathized most with her (not like she doesn't make a mistake we all haven't made before) - then, and when she was acting the smart ass to lighten the mood.
2. (+) World-building - The world was one of the most original ones I've read, and it definitely drives the story. Taking weaving, and making it into a power; creating a misogynous Mad Men like society where women can either be secretaries or Spinsters but regardless are beneath men, forced to make themselves up, to stay pure for a double standard that steals their control... Details of each are delved into deeply. The world unravels slowly--you're taken along with Adelice as she explores the new dynamic of her world. If you like detailed world-building and imagining where you'd fit in the society, this book is for you. What I took issue with was some of the sci-fi parts, particularly the way the Guild assumes control; that irked me as a neuroscientist and was also something that I had seen in other books.
3. (--) The Beginning - That being said, the beginning was almost overwhelming - it has so many details that it's hard to keep up with everything that happens in the first fifty pages. For example, Adelice tells us what a complant is but when it next appears--way later I think--I couldn't remember what it was. Too many details at once, I think. Even now, I don't think I could explain everything.
4. (+/-) The Romance - Argh unnecessary love triangle! Neither romance felt fully developed. I liked that they both had clear stages--it wasn't really both at once, and the girl feeling traitorous to the other guy etc. etc.--but having a love triangle in general overrode that; it doesn't matter how much I liked the idea of the protagonist being able to compare her experiences with each guy / that she wasn't completely innocent/naive. Furthermore, yeah, it's realistic in the sense that girls were segregated from boys, and Adelice would embrace different surroundings and experience the things that had been forbidden to her, but why is she really attracted to these boys anyways?  Their conversations seem more friendly than flirtatious at times.
5. (+) Functional Dystopia - By which I mean that the protagonist already knows from the start that there is something wrong with her world ... and you get to be there with Adelice as she shows exactly what is going wrong, and what elements are going to be fixed later.
6. (+/-) Hints of Rebellion - I liked the hints of rebellion and knowing where the sequel would go, but I thought the former was frustrating. One of the characters says women were easier to control, and that's why this all happened / how the Guild assumed control etc. Though it doesn't really feel like the author or the MC encourage the misogyny, I still don't like this explanation. It just feels incomplete to say that when war arose, men took power over women, who do a lot of the work and who really should've risen up long ago.
7. (+) Antagonist - I liked how every character who was an antagonist was one who had a very clear reason for being so. It made them feel real. In general the character complexity in this book was impressive because I got the sense that each person was following his/her own motivations, and I wasn't sure what would happen next, what they would choose to do.
8. (+) The Writing - There were so many lines in this book that made me think: wow, beautiful imagery, or wow, that'd make a great quote! And they never once felt out of place - like Adelice was being too mature, too wry. The writing was perfect for the kind of social commentary and coming of age story being told.
9. (+) Pacing - You don't have a chance to put down this book. Constant action, constantly moving Adelice through her world and onto another adventure. Crewel is very good at playing with both anticipation and unpredictability.
10. (+) The Cover - You know, it took me the longest time to realize that there was a girl in the top right corner. I really like the way it reminds me of Mad Men, with the red lipstick. All the colors are beautiful, and the way they swirl is a nice way of hinting at the weaving.

Though I sometimes had trouble with all the details of the world-building, it still entranced me, and Adelice herself was the kind of character I'd want in any book. Can't wait to see where Gennifer Albin will take the Crewel world and characters next!

Release Date: October 30, 2012
Source: RT Convention
Published by: Philomel

Venom (The Secrets of the Eternal Rose #1) by Fiona Paul

Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

Here's a quick convo my friend and I had about Cass, the protagonist of Venom.

The Protagonist

Friend: She just got threatened for going into the graveyard and what is she doing?  Going into the graveyard again.
Me: Yeah, that's what we call the Too Stupid To Live syndrome.
Friend: Huh?
Me: TSTL. Definitely present in a lot of YA protagonists.
Friend: *thinks about it for a moment.* You're right. That's what this is.
*pause*
I especially like this line.  "She'd draw less attention in a servant's cloak than her own. Now that there might be a murderer lurking, she would take no chances" (65). Like that's going to protect her.
*pause*
She's going at night. At night.
*pause*
She's taking a knife with her. Oooh!
*pause*
"Show yourself!" (66)
Me: Like that one girl in the horror movie who you know is walking right into a trap, and you kind of don't want her to live.

Basically, Cass the protagonist (because of the decisions she makes), and the ending / how the love triangle was dealt with were what irritated my and friend and I. We disliked how the romance played out because it seemed more like an excuse to have a love triangle than something that was believable. Falco was definitely an interesting romantic interest - arrogant, flirtatious artist trying to make the most out of his social situation, but charming as he may be, I wish we'd gotten to see more of his flaws (besides the "mysteriousness"), something more concrete in his character. Luca, Cass's studious, stiff, intelligent but awkward fiancee, also didn't feel like much of a contender to me, since he came a lot later in the book, and his actions--possessive, protective without offering an explanation--irked me. If this love triangle is going to continue, I hope we will get to know more about each guy. I would have also liked to find out more about the Eternal Rose, given that between each chapter is a quote from the book (creepy, creepy quotes that add to the sinister feel) and the organization is only briefly mentioned, but it does seem like a promising premise for the future novels--how involved this organization is in Venice's underworld.

Told in third person past perspective, Venom has the workings of a thriller - lots of characters, great suspense, mystery, intrigue. I didn't know who the murderer would be; Venom played with both anticipation as I wondered when the killer would catch up with Cass and when she'd figure out his/her identity, and unpredictability as each twist brought something new to the table. The plot and setting--the beautiful setting and cultural workings of Renaissance Venice--I greatly enjoyed. The pacing was pitch perfect as there was constantly something going on, though I think the beginning could have been a bit faster, and had everything connect quicker.

If you're someone who gets easily frustrated with your protagonists, this book might not be your cup of tea. On every other level (besides, perhaps, the love triangle at least for me), Venom succeeds as a historical thriller that will keep your attention riveted.

If you're interested in this book, be sure to enter the giveaway for my ARC.

Review coming soon for this one!  It's atmospheric, and though the ending disappointed me a little, the plot kept me guessing.  Want to read it for yourself?  I'm giving away my copy!  More info. on the book below:

Release Date: October 30, 2012
Source: RT Convention
Published by: Philomel

Open internationally and ends in about a month!

Venom (The Secrets of the Eternal Rose #1) by Fiona Paul


When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

You ready for it?

I read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.

Yeah, I fell for the hype. I wanted to know why everyone was buying it, why there was "going to be a Fifty Shades baby boom" (or something along those lines)... And for the first time, I was actually curious about erotica as a genre.

I only recently started venturing more into adult books over YA, after all. Though I didn't like Fifty Shades very much (had the same problems with it as Twilight -- Ana! Make up your mind. Stop letting Christian walk all over you. And also, what is up with your sub-conscious? etc.), the book(s) made me want to explore more of the genre.

So many people have mentioned how much sex there is in Fifty Shades, how little tension there is to keep the book(s) going. I thought it was just a Fifty Shades thing, and yet I've found the same problem in other erotica novels (though, to be quite honest, I haven't read lots and lots of them). Yeah, some authors write really hot sex scenes (way hotter than those in Fifty Shades)... but there still doesn't seem to be enough build-up before the characters get hot and heavy, and the rest of the book focuses on more sex, and the issues that arise from that rather than character chemistry issues.

Personally, that's what I think makes the stakes rise. Meredith Duran's one of my favorite romance authors. You put the kind of character relationship that she created in the Duke of Shadows with erotica? Yeah, that'd be hot. I heard that Bared to You was not only a better written erotica than Fifty Shades but also had a stronger female protagonist and a more dynamic romance pair. It was/did, but it still jumped into the sex too quickly for me. Is most erotica like that? I actually don't know.

Maybe I've been reading the wrong books, or maybe I'm just not the right person to read erotica. But I confess: I'm kind of disappointed.

Release Date: February 5, 2013
(Thank you to ATWT for allowing me to participate on this tour!)
Published by: Harper Teen

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Ten likes/dislikes:

1. (+/-) Juliette, the protagonist - Juliette and I have had a rough past and I still found it hard to like her in this book. She and the other characters were so self absorbed that it was hard to relate to them. She, especially in self pity; in the first 200 pages, she undergoes what I'd call a regression--keeping to herself, that strength she gained towards the end in Shatter Me fading in the face of a new environment, enough so that for a while, Adam is basically her only friend (though she lives with a group of people with paranormal abilities, maybe not as scary as hers but still). I thought her struggle trying to stay good while protecting herself and her friends was really interesting, and I found I could identify with her more in those moments than when she'd complain about how people would judge her, though really she'd made no effort to talk to the other members of Omega Point. After the first half of the book, I grew to like her more. At one point, she's assigned a pretty dangerous mission, and she says something like "Maybe I was just meant to die." There was something about her, her unlikely response, that endeared me to her more this time around.
2. (+) World-building - By no means is this world building complete, but I'm fine with that--that is, I'm fine with not knowing precisely how our world devolves (there's a brief mention of growing cancer rates and the weather becoming terrible) so long as I'm given something concrete. Unravel Me details the way Juliette and other paranormal powers work while exploring the extent of Juliette's and whether or not she can "project" the way others can. It also gives more details on Omega Point's structures underground and on how The Reestablishment is organized, though it's kind of vague about how it came to power. One thing I will say is that the Reestablishment is weird. Really weird. Of all the elements in this world, I'd like more information on this, so I could visualize the Reestablishment better than I do now, this pseudo government that rose to power and stripped people of almost everything without the people fighting back? or before they fought back? or? Why the obsession with repeating numbers (3333 sectors, 555 in each area)? That just seems like an odd reason to split ruling regions, not something a logical corporation like this pseudo govt. would do. Now that we know more about Juliette's powers and the war has started, it seems like the next book will really focus on the two factions, and we'll know more.
3. (+) Romance - You learn the reason why both Adam and Warner can touch Juliette. You learn Warner's first name. Warner gets a whole lot of screen time, and good screen time in this with less outlandish maneuvers, though not less manipulative.  I found Adam and Juliette's relationship to be extremely dramatic and honestly, kind of annoying in this novel. Teen angst to its max. I was also kind of frustrated that both Adam and Juliette had kept secrets out of fear for how the other would respond, but Adam was the one who got angry for that; Juliette doesn't pay attention to that part? She gets frustrated no one will tell her what happened but not angry at Adam... I was always more of a Warner fan just because his character seemed more complex than Adam's (Adam is that typical broody, protective, I've always loved you type, which I'm quite sick of), so I enjoyed seeing Warner's relationship with Juliette become deeper--I'd be surprised if the people who said they hated him before still hated him after reading this.
4. (+) Character Development - First 200 pages, Juliette regresses... but after that, after people trust her to get shit down, she does--seems like she just needed a little push?--and she becomes fiercer, more willing to use her power. I was happier with her decisions when she grew more confident of herself and her needs in the growing war. I was especially proud of the ending, and if Juliette sticks with what she said... then she's truly going to kick some ass in the next book, and I'm quite looking forward to that.
5. (--) Villain - You know... I'm not sure there can be as dangerous a villain as Warner was in Shatter Me. The villain that rises to take Warner's place didn't have the same panache and realism.  Two reasons for this, I think: one, Juliette can take the villain down if she acts quick enough; two, every time she met with him, it felt like it was a bad-guy-explains-all type of thing.
6. (+) Side Characters - Thank God for Kenji. He completely stole the show. When I was giving Juliette the evil eye for her self pity (and for the DRAMA), he came in and told her what's what. He provides humor for this dark, dark book and is also admirable for his strength and tenacity, and the charisma he exudes. Other characters like Winston and Castle are further developed, and new ones like Juliette's roommates--"the girls"--and Brendan are introduced. Though this book doesn't have a huge character cast, the ones that are introduced I'd like to know more about.
7. (+) Plot - Much better this time too. Last time I took issue at how little progress was made, how it was like they were constantly on the run, like nothing had really happened. I'm not saying there's a whole lot of action in this one--this trilogy is very much also a trilogy on Juliette's growth character-wise, so I don't fault the plot for not being as action filled--but I got the sense that the war was progressing, that there was growing tension, and both sides were about to make a move on the other.
8. (+) Writing - Tahereh Mafi's writing style reminds me of spoken word, and I love it. I can imagine it being performed, with the dramatic imagery and prose and the way the words flow. She makes Juliette's voice so, so strong, like I'm there with her, even if I'm not Juliette's biggest fan. Mafi also writes killer hot and steamy romance scenes, which is great for this trilogy.
9. (+/-) Pacing - I've already kind of mentioned how character development went in stages, and for me that also correlated with the pacing. Not much is happening in the beginning--Juliette is hiding herself away from the judgment--and as such, I struggled a bit to get through that part and onto the action.
10. (+/-) The Cover - It's pretty, artsy like the writing, and symbolic with the bird in the eye and the coldness of Omega Point, but it freaks me out a little.

A sequel that surpasses the first book, and I can't wait to find out what happens next. Especially look forward to reading more of Tahereh Mafi's writing.

Release Date: August 7, 2012
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher!)
Published by: Bloomsbury USA

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Ten Likes/Dislikes:

Release Date: January 15, 2013
(Thanks to ATWT for allowing me to participate on this tour!)
Published by: Simon & Schuster

Level 2 (The Memory Chronicles #1) by Lenore Appelhans

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow prisoners, Felicia passes the endless hours downloading memories and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and the boy she loved, Neil.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber disappears, and nobody but Felicia seems to recall she existed in the first place. Something is obviously very wrong. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, she learns the truth: a rebellion is brewing to overthrow the Morati, the guardians of Level 2.

Felicia is reluctant to trust Julian, but then he promises what she wants the most—to be with Neil again—if only she’ll join the rebels. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself in the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

Ten Likes/Dislikes:

1. (+/-) Felicia, the protagonist - There were times when I really wanted to empathize with Felicia. She's trying to be a better person after doing something terrible, so I gave her a second chance. I liked that Lenore Appelhans created such a flawed protagonist, someone who felt more realistic than the cut and dry smart and strong female protagonist. At times, though, it was just too hard to relate to Felicia. For one, it takes a very long time to get the big reveal(s), so whenever Felicia would mention how she wasn't worthy, etc. etc., it seemed more like she had self esteem issues, not that she felt guilty. She is smart and strong at times, but she's also a bit self-absorbed. She travels a lot because of her mother's job, so when it comes to "renting" memories, hers are often chosen because people love to travel. That might seem like a normal statement - there's a bit of dry humor re: people renting her memory of a good steak - but there's something about her tone then that just rubs me the wrong way. And especially when I think of how this whole book seems to revolve around her, Chosen One and all. She has had bad experiences (the traveling led to one particularly frightening scene), and her parents are clearly neglectful--her father is nice, but her mother chooses work over her--but none of that was enough to really make me like her. It made her feel real.
2. (+/-) World Building - Again mixed feelings. Everything is white and bland and you have no hair or clothes besides a white sheath as you sit in your pod and relive your memories, doped by gas whenever you try to do something else. I liked the idea of reviewing your memories before moving on. But was I supposed to imagine Level 2 as a building? There's also the Isolation mist and the Lethe and the Phlegethon, so then is it more like an arena or? What is the scope of Level 2? I had a very hard time, even after the description re: the amount of pods per block, imagining the world.  And I didn't understand why certain Greek mythology/some rivers were included but not others. I wanted the world to be more developed.
3. (+/-) Romance - More mixed feelings. I loved that Lenore Appelhans made Felicia's main love interest, Neil, be a church-going nerd. Pretty original and sweet and the kind of guy you'd want to support you. That being said, while I understand that we're coming at it from Felicia's POV (she thinks herself unworthy of Neil's attentions), he seemed too perfect, and as such, he didn't feel as real to me. Maybe I'm just really cynical to not believe in that kind of teen guy existing? I don't know. They also didn't feel all that compatible -- they lacked chemistry. Why was Neil attracted to Felicia? Did he want to fix her or something? I could see why Felicia turned to him but not the other way around. I also appreciate that Lenore Appelhans differentiated between Julian and Neil's love - obsession and actual love vs. the way some love triangles are written - but found it ironic that Felicia would sometimes criticize Julian for having an obsession with her when her love for Neil sometimes bordered on co-dependent/obsessive. Also, Julian is just a confusing subject. There are a lot of twists regarding him, his past and his choices that still don't make sense to me. And Felicia's behavior towards him is questionable because sometimes she says she doesn't trust him, and then she stays with him/turns to him for help.
4. (--) Explanations - A lot of the explanations in this book did not make sense to me. You see that last line in the synopsis about Felicia being really special? I didn't understand why, or rather the given explanation was one I didn't believe. I would give more details about it, but I don't want to spoil it for you. Julian's explanations didn't make sense to me either. You learn about some secrets other characters are keeping too, and those I didn't understand either--why even pretend?  Everything still feels like one big mystery.
5. (--) The villains - The Morati did not feel real. Perhaps this is because I thought the last 1/3 of the book was really rushed, and that was when they played their part. Maybe it's also because you find out what the Morati do, and then they're there for not very long. They also don't have one specific leader to name; they're an entity? (or what feels like an entity) of evil, which I find harder to believe.
6. (--) Big Reveal(s)/Transitions/Pacing - There are two big reveals about Felicia's past -- one, what she did that makes her feel so unworthy, and two, why she has nightmares. Both felt rushed and underdeveloped to me, given how much weight they have in Felicia's conscience. In general, I thought that there were a lot of elements that were rushed in this book, like the transitions from stages one to three in the Rebels' plan. The pacing was pretty uneven (as I said above).
7. (+) Incorporation of Religion - One thing I will say is that this book managed to incorporate religion well / in a  non-preachy way. It's a book about the afterlife, and Felicia meets Neil at church camp, and yet that's what happens. It wasn't offensive nor was it trying to pass on a message to the readers.
8. (+) Unpredictable - I also couldn't predict what was coming next, which is really good since this book is full of twists and turns, and it kept my interest since I did want to know what would happen next...
9. (+) Writing - It's smooth and easy to read.
10. (+) The Cover - This cover is a fantastic representation of Felicia in her memory pod (though I'm a little uncertain as to why she has hair. If I remember correctly, they were supposed to be bald?). It also has a very futuristic/alternate universe type of feel to it, much like the book does.

I'm still kind of confused thinking about everything that happened. I don't know what I'd rate this book or really even how I feel about it. Would a reread help? I don't know. I think one of the problems (for me at least) is that this book is very much a Felicia book. If you can't get on board with Felicia, you're going to have a hard time.