Review: The White Rose (The Lone City #2) by Amy Ewing

The White Rose (The Lone City #2) by Amy Ewing

Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.
But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.
But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?
The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.

GR
Publishes in US: October 6th 2015 by Harper Teen
Genre: ya light dystopia
Source: library
Series? The Lone City #2
The Black Key (The Lone City, #3) expected release October 4th 2016 by HarperTeen

My review of  The Jewel

Buy it:

Author stalk away:~site Facebook Twitter

Karen at For What It's Worth and Mary at The Book Swarm occasionally post twitter-style reviews. Karen calls hers Short and Tweet, and I am going to borrow that review style here.

My short and tweet (longer) review: 

   I am glad that I continued with this series, and will read the next one as well. I liked the romance more in this one, and I liked the character development, not only of main character but side characters as well. Some characters and plot twists surprised me, but still enjoy the ones that I saw coming. I like the strength and power that has developed in Violet, and the ways that she sees she can help, and love the continuance of her seeing through other people. 

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Would you rather know how to fight with weapons or magic?

Short and Tweet Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

The Jewel (The Lone City #1) by Amy Ewing

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

Publishes in US:  September 2nd 2014 by HarperTeen
Genre: light dystopia
Source: library
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.
Series? The Lone City #1
The White Rose (The Lone City, #2) already released
The Black Key (The Lone City, #3) expected release October 4th 2016 by HarperTeen
plus novellas

Buy now at:

Author stalk away: ~site Facebook Twitter

Karen at For What It's Worth and Mary at The Book Swarm occasionally post twitter-style reviews. Karen calls hers Short and Tweet, and I am going to borrow that review style here.

My short and tweet review: 

   I liked the main character and premise. Romance felt like insta-love. Agree with others that it has "The Selection" by Cass feel. Will continue the series. 

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Could you be a surrogate?

Review: Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

The Scarlet Letter meets Divergent in this thoughtful and thrilling novel by bestselling author Cecelia Ahern.
Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule. And now faces life-changing repercussions.
She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.
In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where obedience is paramount and rebellion is punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her-everything.

Publishes in US: April 5th 2016 by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: ya dystopia (with contemporary feel)
Source: Macmillan via Netgalley
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.
Series? Yes Flawed #1
book 2 Perfect expected publication: April 4th 2017 by Feiwel & Friends


Buy it: Amazon IndieBound Book Depository Barnes and Noble

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook

    I wanted to read flawed because it sounded like an interesting mix of a dystopia with more of a contemporary feeling if that makes sense. It's like The Scarlet Letter whenever people make a mistake they get tattoos like if they steal they get one on their hand if it's through their mouth that they did the wrong they get a tattoo there and so on. These people are called the flawed and they are forever marked and there's also restrictions on how late they can be out in what they can eat theirs consider lesser and society.
I identified and related to the main character Celestine she is most certainly a people pleaser and she got perfect grades and she acted in the way that her parents and society expected her to. well until she didn't. she had a really big heart and seeing with new eyes what the flawed had to deal with really opened her eyes after her neighbor was charged and arrested. she was their teacher on the piano and she was overall good person but she did something that was wrong in the eyes of this society and she had to answer for the that.

    Celestine saw someone in need, in pain and sick and she saw the past the fact that he was flawed and tried to help him and that is where her life really changes. she had to wonder who is still going to be on her side. If it was going to be her parents or her sister that up until that day she didn't really realize how alike they thought in some ways. that was also her boyfriend whose dad was a judge in overseeing the charging and the marking of the flawed.

   Flawed ended up being a whole lot more political than I expected. I skimmed through that a bit, because it doesn't interest me in real life. I appreciated that she didn't want to play into the government who wanted her to admit she was wrong, or the rebels who wanted her for their new face and voice. 

   The ending worked for me, it did progress the plot, but I don't think that I will be continuing the series. She was a girl trying to do the right thing and ended up being used a lot of people and had to decide for herself how things would continue to do. 

Bottom Line: Good premise and I liked the main character... Too much politics for me though.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Do you think that you could avoid the flawed marks?

Review: Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Champion by Marie Lu

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?
June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.
But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.
With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

Publishes in US: November 5th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile
Genre: ya dystopia
Source: library
Series? Yes. Legend #3
 my review of Legend #1, Legend #2

Buy it: Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound Book Depository

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook

 

    I wanted to read this one because I am invested in the series, and June and Day. They doubted each other and made hard decisions about their future together, their own obligations, and what they would do in order for the government to be rebuilt and reshaped from the corruption. 

    I really enjoy it when I have time to read a series and all of the books have already released. Yes, some of the anticipation of waiting for the next book is fun, but sometimes its just nice to not have to wait for the next and binge read. 

   This one picked up months after Prodigy, but unfortunately Day and June are still cities apart, and their romance is left in the last place we found it. So I was sad that they were apart, because I know why Day wanted to stay away, and I understand June's desire to guide the nation into a new peace and in a different direction than it was under the last Elector. 

   Day is with Eden finally, and for this I was glad, but the republic really wasn't done with Eden because the plague has hit the colonies and it is threatening the peace that they were working towards. And with a new and young elector in place and the colonies scared, they are at a very vital and tough position. But that isn't the only thing that Day has to worry about. He is having the issues with his health that stemmed from the experiments done to him under the last elector.

   Champion is fast paced and engaging just like the previous two. There were a lot of high risk situations that put both main characters in danger. They have to make hard decisions and a lot is hanging in the balance. 

    It was bittersweet to say goodbye to Day, June and the other secondary characters like Tess and Eden. It was wrapped up pretty well, and had a lot of hope for the future for both the leaders, the military and for the common people. The epilogue was nice, and I am glad that it gave that hope as well, but I do wish for a more solid sense of knowing how they would be. 

Bottom Line: Good ending for the series.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Do you think you could hide a serious illness from someone you love?

Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.
But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.
Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

Publishes in US: May 5th 2015 by HarperTeen
Genre: YA Light Dystopia
Source: library
Series? The Selection #4
#1 The Selection
#2 The Elite
#3 The One
Untitled (The Selection #5) 

Buy it: Amazon IndieBound Book Depository Barnes and Noble

Author stalk away: website. Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook

 

    I wanted to read The Heir because I flew through the rest of the series and hoped the same for this one. I ended up liking it the same and would have read the whole book in one sitting if my meds wouldn't have knocked me out. 

    Eadlyn is fierce, and she has been raised to lead the country next. She has let in her parents and siblings, but she hasn't really formed many friendships or relationships outside of them. When there is some unrest in the country even after the abolishment of the caste system. And Maxon and America had the idea to have a selection for Eadlyn. She was completely against it at first, and I can understand because it was something that she'd never really prepared for. She wasn't ready to get married, she wanted to keep learning and getting ready to take over the throne. 

   But she does care for Illea and she begins to see some wisdom in this, giving the people something to cheer for, and take their minds off of their instability. Eadlyn had a hard time when the men came to the castle, but when she finally did realize she needed to put forth full effort, and flirt a bit, we got to see some of the guys personalities and who they were. 

    I actually had a favorite, and it was someone who shouldn't have even been in the selection to begin with, but she kept getting closer to him because he was seen as a safe person, and she wanted to give something to the media. But as the book progressed and she got to know some of the guys more, I also formed soft spots for them, and could see how they could make her happy. 

    There were also some scandals, some of the guys were violent, some didn't show respect for Eadlyn. But like Maxon, and America, she figured it out more and more as the process went on. It went from a duty, to something that she got so much out of emotionally and intellectually. She was able to sympathize, and have new ideas that could work with the new violence and people not understanding they have more control over their life instead of their hardships being solely on the monarchy. 

    It ended at a cliffie spot, and like the previous, I am totally ready for the next one. 

Bottom Line: Flew through it just like 1-3.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Would you consider having a selection?

Review: Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

Publishes in US: January 29th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile
Genre: ya dystopia
Source: library
Series? yes, Legend #2 (rest of series is already published)
 my review of Legend #1

Buy it: Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound Book Depository

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook

    I wanted to read Prodigy because I really enjoyed the characters of Day and June in Legend as well as their romance. They were dealing with a dystopian government and even though June had been their golden girl, the death and truths surrounding her brother has made her question everything she though she knew. 

   I was submersed in the story that begins right where Legend ends. Seeing them have to make hard decisions and deal with a government that is unstable and changing day to day. They join up with the Patriots even though they didn't want to at first, but they buy into some of their goals.

   Lots happens in Prodigy and it kept me guessing and trying to figure out who I should be trusting. It was action packed and full of surprises. Not only from plot twists, but also people that it turned out are trust worthy and sincere and who is a traitor. 

   It was hard to read at times because Day and June are separated some, and they have to make decisions and judgement calls. Some of their actions cause the other to doubt them. It brings out their fears about themselves and each other, and it makes those against their relationship sound like they might actually know what they are talking about. 

    I liked this one and will def be reading the last one. This was just missing some of the romance of the first and I think that is why its not rated similarly.

Bottom Line: Good sequel, lots of action. A bit sad about them second guessing each other, and as a result not as much romance as first.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Can you see yourself being a military golden girl or a street rebel?

Review: Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1) by Richelle Mead

Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1) by Richelle Mead

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.
Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of Xseries, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

Publishes in US: June 4th 2013 by Dutton Adult
Genre: na paranormal
Source: library
Series? Age of X #1

Buy it: Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound Book Depository

Author stalk away: site twitter facebook blog

 

     I wanted to read game board of the gods because I've been on a mead kick lately. Mae is one of the two main characters. She reminded me a lot of rose and Georgina, which isn't a bad thing since I absolutely adored the strength and literal and figurative kick ass ness of the two from vampire academy and succubus series. Mae is part of the military in the futuristic world.
Justin is the second main character and his details were a little harder to figure out. He has voices in his head which he refers to as ravens. I am kinda unsure of me is crazy, or of it odd from the gods, or perhaps some sort of implant which is partly why Mae is so strong and killer reflexes.
While the writing was good and I liked Mae, setting up the world and getting the plot going took a bit. I kept in mind though that it took me a bit to get into her other series and the effort was well worth it.
 

    The shifting perspectives threw me off, because Mead usually only does one pov, and I think that is how I prefer it. Although we would be missing a lot in this story only having one or the other, but still.

     The romantic tension was great. We got to see them together before it came out that they were working together. But each made an impression on the other, and it builds as they realize Mae is his protector and as she sees his addictive lifestyle, but she still can't stop thinking about that night they were together and their conversation ans connection.

    While I enjoyed some of it-it was not my favorite by Mead and I will not be continuing the series. Because this turned out to be more political than I expected. In the middle I got caught up in all of it and then it slowed down a bit for me. I was trying to follow and weed out what was important and what was just false leads. I ended up skimming quite a bit but I cared about Mae and Justin enough to get to the end at least.

Bottom Line: Good characters but too much politics for me.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Do you believe in the work of God or gods in our lives?