Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (Cruel Beauty Universe)

Title: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Published: January 28^th, 2014 by Balzer and Bray

Source: ARC from ALA

Format: Paperback

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal | Romance

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: C+

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny. Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Liza’s Review

Well, that was not what I expected.  Cruel Beauty was pitched at a Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast and that it was not. Instead, the book is a mix of a Greek mythology fantasy, romance, and magic. 

I love Beauty and the Beast and retellings based on the story and thus I was eager to read this book.  Cruel Beauty was confusing, which is not something I like to feel when reading.  At first, the world that was introduced to is very strange.  It is based on Hermetic principles – four elements that create or destroy everything – that are studied by the people of the island of Arcadia.  It is believed that the island has been isolated from the rest of the world by magic created by the Gentle Lord.  Nyx, our protagonist, was raised to destroy the Gentle Lord upon marriage (more about that later), and trained on Hermetic principles and other useful things, since birth.  Are you with me so far? 

Let me try to explain something really quickly: the book can be divided in two parts that I will call Before and After. When Nyx marries the Gentle Lord, which is called Ignifex, is when my confusion starts.  What ensues next is a series of encounters with the very handsome demon and his shadow.  Nyx spends a lot of time searching the castle for clues and trying to steal keys to said rooms from Ignifex.  At the end the ‘Before’ part Nyx does the unthinkable, bound by a promise that she made to her sister.  I didn’t like this ending at all.  I think it was precipitous and disjointed. 

Also, I didn’t particularly liked Nyx.  Before she was cruel, hateful, and insecure.  She did have some redeeming qualities though, she was smart, fearless, and learned to love.  On the other hand, Ignifex was more straightforward.  He didn’t remember how he ended up the way he did, but he was unapologetically good and bad at the same time and more importantly, he was happy that way.  I like them both better when they were together. 

After the ‘first ending’ (confused yet?), we get to meet the same characters, but they are different.  Not only is the world itself altered, but the story takes a different turn.  This second part (the After) is much shorter, the last three chapters, and that might be why I was taken aback.  This Nyx is easier to like and much braver.  Ignifex is weaker and we don’t get to spend any time with him to even get to know him. 

Astraia is Nyx’s twin sister and it seems like the only purpose for her being in the story is for Nyx to have someone to hate.  Nyx’s father and aunt were horrible as well (at least Before) and expected Nyx to figure out how to defeat the Gentle Lord and fix everything, even though it was an impossible task. These are very minor characters because

The setting is weird.  Most of the story takes place while Nyx is inside the castle.  True to the B&B story, it is enchanted and changes all the time.  Another similarity is the mirror that Nyx uses to look to the outside. The world building is good and heavily based on Green mythology. The writing is straightforward and easy to read.

Overall, I enjoyed Cruel Beauty, but unfortunately I didn’t love it.  I’ll still read the next book settled in this universe and hope that they improve with time. 

Some quotes for you:

“If you start wondering how this house works, you'll likely go mad. That could be amusing, I suppose. Especially if it's the kind of madness that causes you to run naked through the hallways. Do feel free to indulge in that anytime.”

“You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could." I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. "I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me." I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.

He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. "That's what makes you my favorite." He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you.”

“Why is he scared of the dark?"

I meant the words for a joke, but Shade nodded seriously. "Like all monsters. Because it reminds him of what he truly is".”

About the cover:  It’s gorgeous, and one of the things that had me reading the book in the first place. The roses have a very deep meaning in the Beauty and the Beast story, but not so here.  Also, the spiral stairs emphasize the confusion of the ever-changing castle. 

Review: Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Published by: Point

Release date: February 25, 2014

Source: ARC from ALA-MW

Format: Paperback

Genre: Contemporary romance

Age group: Young adult

Grade rating: A+

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way. Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated? From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

My Review

How good was this book?  It was so good that I read it in one sitting.  You might think that that’s nothing extraordinary, but when you have three kids, this is quite a feat!  I couldn’t put it down, Better off Friends was AMAZING!

The layout of the book is different.  Each chapter starts with a conversation between Macallan and Levi, then the story is told in the first POV from each of our main characters.  We know who is talking because each of their “voices” have a different font associated with them. 

Macallan is recovering from her mom’s death and starting a new school year when she meets Levi, who just moved from California.  They find that they are both fans of a British TV show called Buggy and Floyd, and that’s all it takes to make these fast friends. They grow up together, so to speak, and each family adopts each other as well.  Macallan is so strong.  She stands up to bullies to defend those that she loves and all the injustice in the world.  She is really smart, loyal, and has a strong belief of what’s right and wrong.  Oh, and she’s a great cook, which can’t hurt any relationship, right?

Levi is funny, handsome, and eager to be accepted and to be popular.  In Macallan he finds a loyal friend that he just ‘gets’.  The banter between these two is SO good and comical.  It’s like they think like one person and finish each other sentences.  Their moments and dialogue together are like little treasures.  Everyone thinks they are a couple because the chemistry between the two is incredible. When their feelings from each other start changing, their relationship and friendship is put to the test.  It must be excruciating to have to see someone you love with someone else. It takes a lot of hurt and heart ache to bring these to together and figure out if they are really better off friends.

It is nice to see that both Macallan and Levi’s family were very involved in their lives.  This is not a tale of drugs, underage drinking, abandonment or abuse.  To me, it is more realistic because these teenagers have supervision, and people in their lives that care.  Macallan’s dad and uncle and Levi’s mom are really family to them all.  Other characters are well defined and had an individual voice.

The writing is funny, descriptive, and easy to read.  Ms. Eulgerg really has a gift for storytelling. The plot is simple, but unpredictable.  I just love Macallan and Levi, I felt invested in them as characters and I couldn’t wait to see if they ended of together (thus the reason I couldn’t stop reading!)

Finally, to quote the words of the master: Blimey, that was brilliant!

Here are some quotes for you:

“I’d never seen Macallan so mad.  I knew she had very little tolerance for crap, but I’d had no idea how much it would set her off.  You’re right,” I told her “And I’m proud of you. I also know to never make you angry. That was something else.”

A smile started to warm her face. “Sorry. I can’t help myself.”

No, I’m serious. That was awesome. I never saw you as the confronting type. Lesson learned.”

“Silence fell between us.  This was a common occurrence whenever we’re alone. When you’re comfortable with someone, you don’t need to always fill the void with noise. I like it when we would just be.”

“… Listen, nothing will change with us.  I promise you rith here, right now, that I’ll be there for you through good times, bad times, friend issues, boy issues, teacher issues, whatever issues.  And you’ll always have a date to any social event that requires a male companion. I hear I clean up nicely.”

About the cover:  The cover has Levi and Macallan in their favorite hangout, Riverside Park, sitting on the swings. Lovely.

Review: Black City by Elizabeth Richards (Black City #1)

Title: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Published: November 13^th, 2012 by Putnam’s Sons

Source: ARC provided for review

Format: Soft cover (ARC)

Challenge(s): Dystopia Challenge

Grade rate: B+

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

My Review

What an awesome book!  I started reading Black City a while ago and for some reason I stopped about 2/3s of the way.  I want to kick myself now for taking so long to read it!

Natalie is only 16, but she’s had a difficult life. She has seen death, betrayal, loss, love and what politics and lies can do first hand.  Natalie is brave, loyal, smart, and tries to do the right thing.  Ash is a half-blood Darkling, is in the Black City side of the wall that divides humans from Darklings, and is the only of his kind there.  Ash had a very hard and lonely life, full of loss and discrimination.  Neither of the characters is perfect, far from it; and the fact that I like them and was cheering for them is a testament to the Richard’s writing.

Other characters are well developed and add a lot of depth to the story. I liked Natalie’s friend Day, Ash’s friend Beetle, Mr. Fisher. I distrusted Sigur and despised Sebastian and Ms. Buchanan.  However, Puritan Rose sounds a lot like President Rose from the Hunger Games and, like him, is both vile and charismatic. I reserve my judgment about Evangeline until later.

The relationship between Ash and Natalie develops really fast, which normally is very off-putting to me, BUT I loved it in Black City.  The reason is that this fact is a critical point in the plot and part of Darkling’s believes (and even anatomy); it is a beautiful concept. I’m glad that the couple felt deeply in love with one another, enough to overcome incredible opposition.

The story is told in alternating points of view, thus we get to know both Ash and Natalie quite well.  I really like this format as it allows the reader (me!) to be in more than place at a time and to understand the characters better.  As you can tell form my incoherent gushing, Black City has incredible characterization, not only regarding the protagonists, but also secondary characters.  The writing is well paced, fluent and descriptive.  The plot is a gem.  I have read many vampire books and this one is unique. There are different types of Darklings (‘vampires’) that not only look different, but have their own language, culture and rituals.  Richards creates a unique world, which undergoes the same struggles and problems of modern society, namely racism, discrimination, segregation and the aftermath of war.  Please note that there are very mature topics in here, such as addiction, nudity, discrimination, and sex (even though is not graphic).

Black City made me cry and I’m happy with the ending (thank goodness!).  I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Phoenix from Putnam (thanks!) that I plan to read very soon!

Some quotes for you:

“I love you, Ash,” she says.

“I love you too,” I say. “So begins my heart…”

“So begins our life,” she whispers back, remembering the words I told her the night we first kissed…

“Everlasting,” we say together.  The Blood Vow…

“What was it like not having a heartbeat?” I say softly…

“It was hell.” He eventually says. “It was like being stuck between life and death; I could walk, talk, breathe, eat, but I never felt truly alive. I never felt part of this world.”

“And now you do?”

“Yes. Because of you.”

About the cover:  The cover is breathtaking!  A flower (I presume is a rose), a thing of beauty violently exploding and in the background the city.

Review: False Memory by Dan Krokos (False Memory #1)

Title: False Memory by Dan Krokos

Published: August 14^th, 2012 by Hyperion

Source: ARC from BEA

Format: Paperback

Challenge(s): Debut Author 2012

Grade rate: B

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving.

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter... when there may not be a future.

Dan Krokos’ debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.

My Review

I picked up this book from BEA earlier this year and I was a bit hesitant about it, because it sounded to me like another ‘amnesia book’ (that’s what I call it when someone looses their memory).  I was pleasantly surprised with False Memory.

Miranda is a weird character, not only because she can’t remember anything, but because she seems to be a little ‘robotic’.  She obviously has trouble assimilating all the information thrown her way, but anyone in her place would be too.  Now, if something like that happened to me, I think I would be in a state of panic and I would become a crying mess (but that’s just me :)  Overall, she is a good, loyal friend, a good fighter, and is as stubborn as a mule. 

I liked Peter from the beginning; he seems to genuinely care for his ‘team’ and most especially for Miranda.  I still don’t understand why Noah did what he did to Miranda; it seems to me that not remembering why you have to be on the run is dangerous and would make her more vulnerable. I really like the interaction of the group of friends.  Rhys is a welcomed addition as he sheds some like on what is going on, even if there are still mysteries to uncover.

The real star of False Memories are not the characters, but the plot.  Mr. Krokos has a big imagination, thus the story is full of unexpected twists and turns.  Half the time I felt as confused as Miranda, constantly on the run, learning new (and often weird) things in every page.  I don’t want to give the story away, but suffice to say that it involves, kick-ass, navy seal teenagers with a special (and very scary) paranormal power that are being trained for the greater evil.  The writing was straightforward, and the book was a breeze to read.

False Sight, the next book in the series, is due to come out in August of next year, and I will definitely read it.

About the cover:  The cover makes me think about a thriller: the couple running and the blue mist seem intense and a bit creepy.  I like it!

Have you read False Memories? Do you think you would give it a try?  Did you like Miranda?  What do you think is going on?

Review: Every Day by David Levithan

Title: Every Day by David Levithan

Published: August 28^th, 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Source: ARC provided for review by publisher (NetGalley)

Format: eBook

Challenge(s): eBook

Grade rate: B

  

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

My Review

Every Day is the second book by author David Levithan that I read; Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, which he co-wrote with Rachel Cohn, is one of my favorite books ever.  I am glad that I had the opportunity to read Every Day.

The premise of this book is very original and different; of course I have read books before in which a ‘being’ inhabits another’s body, but never for just a day.  The ‘being’ in question here calls him/herself “A” in an effort to distinguish himself from the host/body.  He has a way to access the host’s memories and tries to leave the life as untouched as possible.  One day “A” wakes up as Justin, Rhiannon’s boyfriend, and falls instantly in love with her.  I understand the ‘insta-love’ on A’s part because he really does have only a limited number of hours to inhabit a body, therefore it is believable.  The same is not true for Rhianon though.  She struggles with what A is (which, by the way, is never answered) and with a way to make any type of relationship work. 

I have to confess that I also struggled with the concept of an ‘asexual’ being that inhabits both boys and girls bodies.  Since I also like boys I would feel completely uncomfortable in viewing a girl (and a stranger at that) as a possible love interest.  I understand the way “A” feels, as this is very normal for him (please note that it’s easier to keep assuming that A is a boy) and he had years to get used to the idea, but I found it unfair of him to reproach Rhianon for feeling uncomfortable.  I think that Rhianon did the best she could under the circumstances; I’m not even sure that I would have gone that far or believe A in the first place.

The writing is truly amazing and what I enjoy the most.  There is a lot of narration and explanations and not as much dialogue, but the story is never boring.  Mr. Levithan also approaches difficult topics, such as drug use, depression, suicidal thoughts, bullying, poverty, religious fanatics, racial differences, alcoholism, and same sex relationships. 

The only thing that I wasn’t crazy about was the part about the involvement of the church and the ‘possessed’ pastor, especially when it didn’t answer any questions, and it seemed too ‘out there’ to be believable. 

The ending was bittersweet, but expected, and I have to confess that I cried.  Overall, Every Day is a great read. Oh, and by the way, the setting of the story is Maryland; I’m having really good luck with books set in the state I call home :)

Here are some non-spoiler quotes from Every Day:

“This is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build the scenery, guide the plot.”

“I don’t have the heart to tell him that’s the wrong way to thing about the world. There will always be more questions. Every answer leads to more questions.  The only way to survive is to let some of them go.”

“Every relationship has a hard part at the beginning. This is our hard part.  It’s not like a puzzle piece where there’s an instant fit. With relationships, you have to shape the pieces on each end before the go perfectly together”

About the cover:  The cover is different and beautiful in its own right.  We can clearly see a boy and a girl and some other person too.  Is like ‘something’ represented by the light here is separating them.

Have you read Every Day?  Did you like it?  What do you think of this premise?

Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Sweet Trilogy #1)

Title: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Published: May 1^st, 2012 by Harper Teen

Source:  Won from Goodreads

Format: ARC

Challenge(s): 2012 Debut Author

Grade rate: A+

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences?  This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

My Review

I was fortunate enough to win an ARC of Sweet Evil from Goodread’s First Reads and I was so excited to see it arrive at my door that I started reading it right away. Oh, my goodness, this book is awesome!

I love the characters!  Anna is good to the core, courageous, innocent, loyal, loving and more.   She is accepting of her own abilities and quite happy to understand the reasons that she is the way she is.  Kaidan is one of my favorite male characters of all time!

Patti, Anna’s father, Kaidan’s friends… the characters make a wonderful story come to life.   The story line: angels, nephilim, and demons are not new, but Higgins’s take on it is excellent.  She creates a world in which rules are clear cut and everyone knows their place in it.  Although there is a lot of world building in the book, there is plenty of action and interactions that made Sweet Evil a quick read. 

The writing was amazingly easy to read and straightforward and the story was well paced.   This is such a beautiful, romantic story, I cannot wait for the next book to see what is in store for Anna and Kaidan.

My favorite quote:

“A vibrant energy rushed through my body as the pieces slammed into place. Oh, dear Lord. I was in love with him.  And there wasn’t a thing on earth, in heaven, or in hell that could have stopped me.”

About the cover:  Beautiful, right?  The play of light and dark, good and bad and the contrast of the bright red are all amazing.


Please come celebrate Reading with ABC's first Blogiversary with me!  Click here for the giveaways and remember to check often as I will post more giveaways throughout the month. 

Review: Wrecked by Anna Davis

Title: Wrecked by Anna Davis

Published: May 1^st, 2012 by Simon & Shuster Books for Young Readers

Source: Won from Goodreads First Reader

Format: Paperback ARC

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: D

Ever since the death of her parents, Miranda has lived on Whym Island, taking comfort in the local folklore, which claims a mysterious sea witch controls the fate of all on the island and in its surrounding waters. Sometimes it’s just easier to believe things are out of your control.    

But then a terrible boating accident takes the lives of several of her friends, and Miranda is rescued by a mysterious boy who haunts her dreams. Consumed by guilt from the accident, she finds refuge in late-night swims—and meets Christian, a boy who seems eerily familiar, but who is full of mystery: He won’t tell her where he is from, or why they can only meet at the beach. But Miranda falls for him anyway…and discovers that Christian’s secrets, though meant to protect her, may bring her nothing but harm.    

Seductive and compelling, Wrecked brings a contemporary, paranormal twist to a classic enchanting tale.

My Review

This is the second mermaid related book that I’ve read (The Mermaid Mirror was the first one) and I have to say that I was disappointed by it.  Believe me when I say that I don’t like to write unfavorable reviews, but I try to be as honest as possible.

As you can imagine by the description the story is very similar to The Little Mermaid (the Disney version actually).   This is not necessarily a bad thing and I do love re-telling s of the classic stories, Beastly is a great example, but I do have some issues with Wrecked.   The characters left much to be desired.  Miranda is so depressed and whines and complaints a lot.  I really tried to put myself in her shoes, but I just couldn’t.  If I found myself to be this unhappy and being blamed for something that was not my fault, I would take my fancy car and leave *period*   I think Miranda did have serious issues and needed help. 

The story is told from alternate points of view (between Christian and Miranda). I did like Christian, although he wasn’t given as much light to shine as I would have wanted.  He is more practical and more mature than Miranda is.  The attraction between them seemed too fast and not believable.  I did like Miranda’s grandmother (even if no one else did) since she had a strong character and was doing the best she could under the circumstances.  The Sea Witch was, as you might expect, the stereotypical villain.  

There are many inconsistencies and loose threads throughout the story.  Since I read an ARC, I can only hope that the final version was heavily edited to catch and correct these.  The school scenes didn’t add much to the story and the way everyone was shunning her was completely unreasonable.  The writing was just okay for me. The ending was quite abrupt and poorly crafted.

As I said, I really wanted to like the story, but it just didn’t cut it for me. 

About the cover: I like the cover, the guy’s shiny skin, the water and the coloring. I think it is beautiful.  I just have to mention that it might be a tad too much for a YA book, but that’s just my opinion.  

Please come celebrate Reading with ABC's first Blogiversary with me!  Click here for the giveaways and remember to check often as I will post more giveaways throughout the month.