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Boundless by Cynthia Hand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.
Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.
As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.
In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

In the end, my allegiance lies with Christian...

Oh wow. I actually finished a series I completely and utterly adored for the past few years. And I feel satisfied. After a bitter disappointment over Hallowed, I can safely say that this series has earned that special place in my heart for years to come. I CANNOT wait for more from Cynthia Hands. She has this way of making her books so easy to read but thoughtful at the same time.

Boundless started slow for me. I found that there weren't much to anticipate once the characters left the high school. But when I was struck with what actually happened to Angela, the reading experience was effortless from here on.

Oh boy, how can I forget how hard I fell for Tucker after Unearthly. After Hallowed, Christian got me swayed a bit and in Boundless, well, lets just say, I'm all his. XD Kinda unfair to be honest, since Tucker didn't get much exposure in this book to begin with. [Still, when in the climax, we were convinced that Tucker actually had died, a single, lone tear actually rolled l from my eye and I thought, so it all came down to this, eh?

Lo and behold, this was the point where the book loses its 0.5 star because resuscitating the dead and somehow the guy who came back to life becomes the prophet was all a little bit too grandiose for my liking. But at least, the ending wasn't as silly happy ever after-ish as offered in Breaking Dawn where nobody loses a limb. So there's that.

The baddies weren't as badass as I expected. Heh, I couldn't even recall his name. Amyst? Armasd? Uh, this memory of a goldfish. Samjeeza was dashing in this book. Somehow.

That creep.

Gee...never thought I'd be rooting for him as the leader of The Watchers back again.

The annoyings. Jeffrey and Angela. Wished they could be more useful. But I didn't like them since the first book anyway.

The I-need-more-of-you-beybeh! Micheal and Thomas. Why didn't I get MOAR? They deserved more airtime, helloooo? (hide spoiler)]

***Spoilers alert***


Still, when in the climax, we were convinced that Tucker actually had died, a single, lone tear actually rolled l from my eye and I thought, so it all came down to this, eh?

Lo and behold, this was the point where the book loses its 0.5 star because resuscitating the dead and somehow the guy who came back to life becomes the prophet was all a little bit too grandiose for my liking. But at least, the ending wasn't as silly happy ever after-ish as offered in Breaking Dawn where nobody loses a limb. So there's that.

The baddies weren't as badass as I expected. Heh, I couldn't even recall his name. Amyst? Armasd? Uh, this memory of a goldfish. Samjeeza was dashing in this book. Somehow.

That creep.

Gee...never thought I'd be rooting for him as the leader of The Watchers back again.

The annoyings. Jeffrey and Angela. Wished they could be more useful. But I didn't like them since the first book anyway.

The I-need-more-of-you-beybeh! Micheal and Thomas. Why didn't I get MOAR? They deserved more airtime, helloooo?

***Spoilers finished***


So yeah, basically I think I used up my long weekend pretty well, considering I still can't stop smiling over this book and this series altogether. :)

Sweet baby penguins! A 4.5 stars.

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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hobbit is one of the greatest fantasy sagas of all time, a classic that has captivated generations of readers and is now an eagerly anticipated film by Peter Jackson, Academy Award–winning director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

When Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim the hoard of gold stolen from them by the evil dragon Smaug, Gandalf the wizard suggests an unlikely accomplice: Bilbo Baggins, an unassuming Hobbit dwelling in peaceful Hobbiton.

Along the way, the company faces trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and worse. But as they journey from the terrors of Mirkwood to the wonders of Rivendell and beyond, Bilbo will find that there is more to him than anyone—himself included—ever dreamed. Unexpected qualities of courage and cunning, and a love of adventure, propel Bilbo toward his great destiny . . . a destiny that waits in the dark caverns beneath the Misty Mountains, where a twisted creature known as Gollum jealously guards a precious magic ring.

This is a double-review for The Hobbit (the book) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (the movie). I have to admit that I watched the movie first before I read the book (I listened to The Hobbit audiobook once but didn't understand the whole book since I got distracted literally every two seconds).

Personally, I actually liked the movie adaptation better than the book. I suspect this is because the movie was made such that it appeals to people of every age. As The Hobbit is technically a children book, it's impossible not to give this masterpiece a five-star because the lessons that you can get out of it are really powerful and wonderful.

The Hobbit, the movie for me struggled to remain faithful to the original book while maintaining the bad-assness and the emotional depth as seen and felt in The Lord of the Rings films (expectations, people haz it).I did get bored a few times especially during the first hour!

[SPOILERS, SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!]

What I liked about the movie;

- The part where the dwarves unexpectedly intruded into Bilbo's house. Bilbo was more polite in the book but I think I prefer the grumpy Bilbo in the movie. I'd feel equally as annoyed if a random bunch of strangers raided my pantry!

- Bilbo only agreed to come along with Thorin and his companions after they all left the hobbit hole so it can be said that he is the only person responsible for that decision. In the book, Bilbo went along half-heartedly after Gandalf personally persuaded him.

- The handkerchief scene!

- Thorin. Of course Thorin received greater exposure in the movie than in the book. I liked how he was portrayed as a tormented character. We get to see a more emotional and a more respectable version of Thorin.

- The goal of the journey itself. This line;
Thorin Oakenshield: Why did you come back?
Bilbo Baggins: Well, you were right. I do miss my home. I miss my bed and my hearth. But you lot... you haven't got a home. And I'm gonna help you get it back, if I can.
...almost made me weep for the dwarves. In the book, the journey was for me very material-orientated.

- Azog the Defiler. Without his character, I wouldn't feel for Thorin this much.

- Bilbo himself! Contrary to in the book, the Bilbo in the movie is more resourceful. He tricked the Trolls and saved Thorin from Azog.

- Kili.

No explanation needed. I swear I'm going to cry once I saw the third movie.

- The trolls. They weren't as volatile as in the book. I particularly liked the part where one of the trolls pointed out to Gandalf and asked, 'can we eat him too?'.

- Gandalf. He is weaker in the movie and I liked how less dependent Bilbo and the dwarves were to him considering Gandalf is expected to dissapear in the last third of the book.
Bilbo Baggins: [asking Gandalf about Radagast] Is he a very great wizard, or is he more like you?

- Radagast
Radagast: I'll draw them off.
Gandalf: These are goblin wargs. They'll outrun you.
Radagast: These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try.

- The Necromancer. With his mention, it's clearer how The Hobbit is linked to the LOTR trilogy

What I disliked about the movie;

- The scene where Bilbo first met Gandalf was awkward LOL. While this part is portrayed as very similar as in the book, I felt that the scene should be more condensed.

- If I remember correctly, the Great Eagles don't actually talk. So when they dropped Thorin and the rest, still a long way from The Lonely Mountain, I questioned why didn't they choose to drop them as far as they can! They are eagles, right? Only in the book, I found the answer; The Eagles are afraid of arrows from the people on the land who could mistaken them for birds seeking to prey on their livestock.

- The scene in Gollum's cave. I really liked this part in the book although it was longer with more riddles! But somehow, in the movie, it felt draggy. But I appreciated the early scene where Gollum was shown to actually eat a goblin! Gross! Now I know how twisted Gollum really is.

I'm not going to elaborate these points since I'd like to compare them with the subsequent films first.

What I liked about the book
- The illustrations.
- Breun.
- Bilbo's transition.
- The Archer.
- Bilbo's conversation with Smaug.
- The ending.
- Bombur. Although I'm expecting to be annoyed by him once I saw the Mirkwood scene on screen.

What I disliked about the book;
- How Smaug meets his end.
- Lack of female characters! Saying this, in the end I strongly think that there's not one thing I'll change about this book (hence, the five star). But when I finished the book, there's a tiny bit of me who longed for characters like Eowyn but I was satisfied with the book nonetheless.

Sweet baby penguins! A five-star.

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Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

PARTY.



How often do you find a book which terrified the shit out of you and made you cry, really cry, like really ugly cry? If you know other books with these criteria, puh-lease recommend them to me! Because man, my heart is ready to beat a hundred times faster and gets broken again for a book as amazing as this!

In Girl of Nightmares, following the departure of Anna to Hell (because she needs to drag Obeahman's butt away before he murders Cas and his sidekicks), Cas is having trouble coping with the loss of Anna. Worse, he starts seeing gruesome image of Anna being tortured and mutilated regardless if he is awake or asleep. Kendare Blake dedicated about a quarter of this book just for the part where Anna is haunting Cas. Although we already know this from the blurb and usually I detest this because why would you spent about a hundred of pages for something we already know from the blurb, in Girl of Nightmares' case, it works. We get to know a different facade to Cas, I feel for Cas, I feel his loss, his desperation and his longing for Anna. And remember Cas is this butt-kicking ghost hunter! In wrong hands, I believe Cas would sound like Richard Gere, but hell yeah, Blake truly knows how to handle this intricate characterization because he is still the badass Cas I always knew.

Once Cas has some ideas as to how to find Anna, the story stalls a bit but that didn't make me stop reading. During this short time-out, we also get a valuable insights into Carmel and Thomas relationship which was cute. I also liked how Blake dropped a few hints and made me wonder if a couple of characters are the antagonists.

The biggest highlight of the book is definitely the Suicide Forest part. It was scary as hell and I IMMEDIATELY regretted my decision to read this book at night. Shit, I wish I can erase my memory of this scene. I'm not sure if I'm able to walk into ANY forest ever again.

THE ENDING! I won't lie, I was hoping for this kind of ending for Hereafter (yes, I wish this was a standalone). The rougher and more brutal tone of Anna Dressed in Blood didn't convinced me if Girl of Nightmares is deserving of such ending.

*Chuckles*

I surrender to your wicked writing skills, Kendare Blake. This series deserves such ending and more. Much more. I had to repeatedly read the same two pages in denial, and when I came to my senses, as you already know...


As always, I'm really suck at writing a positive review. But trust me, Girl of Nightmares is much better than Anna Dressed in Blood.
Somehow.
I'm not sure how my body was able to absorb this much awesomeness.

Sweet baby penguins! A 5-star!

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Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.
In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .
Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.
Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

Actual rating 4.5 stars. It would've been 5-stars if it weren't for Warner's wet dream. Okay, maybe it wasn't a wet dream but still! Yikes!

Aaaaaaaahhhhhh, this novella is doing things to me.

Heyyyyy, Warner...


I will not talk about Warner.

I will not talk about Warner.

I will not-

Damn, Warner.

WHAT IS THIS SORCERY?! I usually like nice guys but I'm sorry Adam, I think Warner totally kicked your butt with the birth of this novella.

I don't knooooooooooow!!! I feel like I want to run to Warner, to comfort him, to tell him it's going to be alright, to tell him, it's okay to take long bath, it's okay to be barefooted, it's okay to be shirtless for a while...

The ever-abundant shirtless-ness.

Jee...I know it's borderline fanservice but I don't knoooooooooooow. Can I say it's okay because it's Warner we're talking about here, pwehty pwease?

And it's okay if he keeps falling or collapsing all the time because it's Warner, no? I mean, come on! His father is an abusive evil maniac and he didn't expect to find Juliette also went through the same trauma as he had and still has been going through.

Huuuu...this is wrong~ I never feel this fangirlism for a fictional guy for a long time and what's more peculiar is that I hated Shatter Me. I thought the plot is really loose, the make outs unnecessary and disgusting and to top it all, Juliette is tiring.

Magically, reading her journal in Warner's voice was absolutely touching and riveting. And strangely, I only made it to two paragraphs of Unravel Me excerpt before I decided to stop.

Yup, I still hate Juliette.

LOL! I never feel this conflicted for a book series before.

Unravel Me - To read or not to read, that's the question.

You can never be wrong with Warner's POV. 4.5 sweet baby penguin faces!

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Pantomime by Laura Lam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.
Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star.
But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

"Byssian music played - brass and nickel instruments, large drums, and twanging strings. It made me think of sunsets and yellow eyes and deep growls in dark jungles."

Ah, such a cruel way to end a book. But Pantomine...PANTOMINE...gee, I'm at lost for words.


Nope, I'm not just throwing a random picture from the internet. This picture gave me the same effect as Pantomine did - it messes with my head in the most wonderful way I could ever imagine.

This is an art.

*Takes a deep breath*

I don't know. I really don't know where to begin. I mean, of course I was looking forward to read it but I had my worry as well. I was afraid it turned out like The Night Circus i.e. a book filled with extraordinary imaginary plus amazing prose but sadly, I couldn't connect with it.

Pantomine is both commercial and experimental. It's odd, bizarre, shocking, fearless, magical and real. It's a combination of all things that shouldn't be put together but somehow it works. I mean, Laura Lam, is this truly your debut book? Seriously? Hah, I don't buy it. It reads like the author has a dozen books to her name previously. She did not create a book, she had created a world.

And I'm so grateful that there's no map plastered at the beginning of the book. This is a fantasy book, alright, but not that fantasy, fantasy book, you see. (Blah, classic Zuleeza, can't even explaining herself right).

Seriously, just take my words. Pantomine is not that fantasy, fantasy. And despite the similarities to The Night Circus, Pantomine's circus is no The Night Circus' circus.

I think I might have just given myself a headache.

Some might find the pacing to be a bit slow but I think it's just appropriate with the whole theme and the tone of the book. It's okay to take your time reading Pantomine because it's important to devour it, to imagine yourself in Micah's or Gene's position. To feel what they feel, to think of what sort of decision you would take if you were put in their spot. No books had such impact on me for a loooong time.

I'm positive that it's impossible to elaborate on the characters without giving anything away. Micah and Gene - WOW! I like how 'neutral' they sound. Drystan, the white clown - who would've thought a clown could be this charismatic! Overall, there isn't even one character I didn't like. I'm not even sure if there's anyone deserved to be called antagonist. Some characters made mistakes not by choice but because of the pressing circumstances or by accident. All the primary and secondary characters received just the right amount of character building and back-story. While I wish to know more about some of the other circus members, I wouldn't change anything about the way the characters were presented.

Scratch that! Actually, there's nothing I would like to change about this book. :)

But I have to mention this, about 15% through the book, a shocking secret would be revealed and at that point I thought 'Eh, isn't it too early to give away the big secret? I think this will kill my interest in this book soon.'

You know what? The big revelation didn't kill my interest even one bit. In fact, I felt more drawn into it afterwards. But as I said before, the book ends with a cliffhanger. There are still secrets yet to be revealed AND IT'S KILLING ME! :(


And it's decided that you have to pre-order this book ASAP! :D

Sweet baby penguins! Definitely a 5-stars read

**An ARC was provided by Strange Chemistry in exchange for an honest review.

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Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It happened like this. I was stolen from an airport. Taken from everything I knew, everything I was used to. Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. And he expected me to love him.
This is my story.
A letter from nowhere.
Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back?
The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

A truly 5-stars-worthy book, largely because I cried.

For the camel.

More about the camel later on. But wait, what? This book was originally written as Lucy Christopher's PhD thesis? Boy, I'd be wearing my caped-Superman t-shirt, dancing to the grooves all night if my thesis not only secures me a doctorate title but also a best-selling author title.

As you may or may not know, I currently live in Australia. Always complaining about how dry, how hot it is during the summer here, how rapid the temperature can drop at night, how...cloudless it is during the day.

I took an Ecology course too and I agree with the author, Australia is a place both terrifying and beautiful.

I mean it, if you can't stand the sights of spiders, snakes, or bats, don't bother coming here.

Reading this book was like reliving my visit to Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, Port Agusta last spring. Here's the proof;

(I'm sorry I had to throw in a picture of me here because I can)

Flies, flies everywhere. Note that the flies out here are big, stubborn and they could torn into your jeans because they bite. Haha. I went to the desert area near Newcastle for winter break last year too for sandboarding and it was awesome despite I nearly broke my thumb.

I haven't review the actual book, have I?

Well, just like I expected, I honestly don't know what to write. This book doesn't sugar coat you with the idea of Stockholm Syndrome. Believe me, I first thought that this book is going to be somewhat romantic. Well, it does but not in the dreamy sort of way, it's realistic and justifiable.

AND THAT POOR CAMEL!

I cried myself to sleep because of that poor thing!

Jeez, I feel like crying now.

And that ending...is just perfect!

Sweet baby penguins!

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Renegade by J.A. Souders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been altered.
Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.
And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

Hey, you! Yes, you there. I am talking to you. You may deny it but I can tell that you need something.

These: links to buy Renegade either from Book Depository / Kindle / Amazon.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

Yes, guys! Renegade is THAT good. Did I anticipate it? A bit. It has a very gorgeous cover but I thought this is just another irrelevant 'girl with a pretty dress' cover. Heh. I was wrong. That cover is completely relevant to the story.

I didn't add Renegade to my TBR list until I saw Giselle and Keertana reviews. My expectation wasn't that high either because it's a dystopian book. And you do realize how hard it is to write a great, unique dystopian book these days, right? Tettttt!!! I was wrong again. J.A Sounders did the impossible; she wrote a great, unique dystopian book.

I was wrong.

I was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong.

Fuhhh!!! Renegade is truly a spectacular little gem. I seriously can't hide my fangirlism. I was convinced to read it purely based on words of mouth and I hope this trend continues.

By all means, this book isn't perfect. I wouldn't go as far as saying Renegade is as good and as ground-breaking as The Hunger Games but it came pretty damn close. In fact, the best part of reading Renegade was to be swept away by Evelyn's journey for freedom and self-discovery. And by reading it, I can tell that not only the characters grow, the author showed a remarkable growth herself. J.A Souders made an exponential leap on her writing skill, world building, character development all within 369 pages of Renegade. And truthfully, I am scared plus excited to see what she can do next for its subsequent sequels. I believe they will be HUGE!

Renegade started a little shaky. Just at a few small parts of the story, the writing gets a bit stiff. I was a bit annoyed when Gavin kept gawking and drifting off at the initial stage of their escape. It's a bit unrealistic considering it was his life that was on the line. And for the first quarter of the book, I tried hard to stay content with a goody-two-shoes heroine. I had to keep telling myself, 'it's okay not to have a tough, kickass heroine for a dystopian book'.

Tettttt! I was wrong again.

You will not believe how drastic and how quick the story unfolds right under your nose (literally). Renegade was again, literally unputdownable! There was never a dull moment. And whenever I started to jot down something that was impractical or unrealistic, I had to cross that out because the author always came out with the answer or the explanation afterwards. Renegade gets darker towards the end and I like it! By the end of it, all I can say was 'as if this book was written for me'. It offers everything I ever wanted in a YA book. A heady mix of memory loss, mistaken identity, genetic manipulations and a genocidal dictator!

Again, by all means, I do not think that Renegade is perfect. But here's the thing; whenever the history, politics, or technology details of Elysium was mentioned, I knew I had to take a moment to connect everything up to that point to see if it's logical but it was impossible because I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! So, probably if I re-read it, I might find a flaw or two. As for now, I can convincingly say that Renegade may own the top spot of my best 2012 reads, just slightly above The Assassin's Curse and Slammed.

I think J.A Souders is very brave to tackle the subject of memory loss. It's easy to succumb to paradoxes when it comes to memory loss. When you read Renegade, don't worry if you end up as confused as I was and wonder why Evelyn can remember certain things and not the other things. J.A Souders has answers for that, so don't worry.

***Spoilers ahead***

Even with the answers (Conditioning, programming etc), some of the things still bother me to be honest. For instance;
- The perfume in Evelyn's room. Once she smelled it, she remembered that she'd been conditioned before. Did she never smell that fragrance before? If yes, then how Evelyn ended up being conditioned again once she regained her memory? Wouldn't she try to escape Elysium straight away?

- Wouldn't the citizen question why would the Daughter of the People have a memory loss problem? Or are they too scared to question Mother's order? As for Evelyn herself, wouldn't it never cross her mind that why she had been chosen if she has that kind of problem. I thought she believed that she was chosen because she has the perfect genetics. Technically, a person with a perfect genetics shouldn't have a memory loss problem unless it's due to injury or something.

***Spoilers finished***

The romance developed just a bit too quick for my liking. Only a bit. After all, at the end, Evelyn and Gavin went through a lot together anyway. So, yes, at the end, it is totally justifiable.



***Spoilers ahead***[Before I end this review, my one little criticism is that I hope there were more descriptions given as to how the citizen actually live their life. Are they really happy going to the festival every year? Are they okay with the occasional missing people? Or does the conditioning take away so much of themselves that they can't feel much anymore? (hide spoiler)]

Before I end this review, my one little criticism is that I hope there were more descriptions given as to how the citizen actually live their life. Are they really happy going to the festival every year? Are they okay with the occasional missing people? Or does the conditioning take away so much of themselves that they can't feel much anymore?

***Spoilers finished***

To sum it up, Renegade came along as an early birthday present for me. I finished it yesterday and today is my birthday (yay!) Wouldn't it be perfect if someone would actually give Renegade hardback as my birthday present.

Yes J.A Souders, you heard him. I need MOAR!!!


Five brilliant stars!

An ARC was provided to me by Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review.

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This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Nope. I won't re-read this.

I won't buy the book.

I hope there wouldn't be any sequel. If there is any, I won't read it.

Now you're asking me, why did I rate this a 5-stars?

Lemme tell you something. First, the cover is gorgeous. That was what drawn me to read this at first. Second, I don't like zombie books. Hmm...let me rephrase that. I refuse to read books such as Warm Bodies and Dearly Departed because I think no one should ever be romantically involved with zombies. Yucks. If you think these books are indeed great, I'll take my chance. I read Tomorrow Land and it was mediocre.

But then, I saw a lot of positive reviews for This Is Not a Test. I read the reviews and re-read the blurb, they still didn't make sense at that time LOL! Anyway, even after I checked it out from the library and read the back blurb by the other authors, I didn't know what to expect from this book. "This Is Not a Test is both sexy and desolate..."? "...the end has never been something to fear."?

Around 20 pages in...

OhGodOhGodOhGod...

I hope for those who have read this book, you would understand why I don't what to re-read this, why I don't want to have it in my possession, why I hope there'll be no sequels. Because this book is so heartbreaking. And impossibly beautiful at the same time. It made me question my own reasons to live, but I really don't want to re-live this book.

I think This Is Not a Test is a perfect dystopian/post-apocalyptic book. I seriously don't want to be in Sloane's world. Like ever.

Gah, I still find it hard to believe that a zombie book could be this devastating. Screw it! I shouldn't be labeling this book as a zombie book. Or a dystopian book for that matter. I could even call this a realistic fiction. But nah, This Is Not a Test is more than that. This Is Not a Test is a genre of its own.

*Silence*

Sheesh, I actually don't know what else to write except I still can't believe how much I understand Sloane given that I have so little things in common with her. Courtney Summers is truly a brilliant author. :)

But again, the only minor thing that bothered me was there were plenty of swearing and as always, they gave me headache LOL.

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Kuroshitsuji - Black Butler by Yana Toboso
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just a stone's throw from London lies the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom and its master, one Ciel Phantomhive. Earl Phantomhive is a giant in the world of commerce, Queen Victoria's faithful servant...and a slip of a twelve-year-old boy. Fortunately, his loyal butler, Sebastian, is ever at his side, ready to carry out the young master's wishes. And whether Sebastian is called to save a dinner party gone awry or probe the dark secrets of London's underbelly, there apparently is nothing Sebastian cannot do. In fact, one might even say Sebastian is too good to be true...or at least, too good to be human...

Ah, sorry guys for the lack of updates. Hate to make excuses but yes, I've been super busy with Uni stuff. But hey, here's a mini review for my ever favourite manga. I think this review is meant for the entire series LOL.

Bite me, but I do have a maaaaaaaajor crush on Sebastian. Oh wait, he's a demon? But he can cook and he fights with silverware. Can we just forget that he is...ermmm...a demon? I always wondering, wouldn't it be better if Ciel is not a boy but is a 18 years old girl. That would save me some sanity. Honestly, somehow by watching this series, being a gay pedophile doesn't seem like a distant idea.

Anyway, back to the series, I can hardly believe my luck, stumbled across this manga. 19th century London setting? Check! Epic wardrobe collection? Check! Paranormal twist? Check! Flawed, revengeful yet cute Ciel? Check!

In short, it's hard not to be a fangirl when you constantly have a constant nosebleed throughout the series. Beware of Grell Sutcliff, even he is certainly not going to cause you a nosebleed, you'll adore him...or her? Nevermind!

And I started drinking the exotic Earl Grey tea because of the series! Now, it's my favorite tea flavour!

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The Star Dwellers by David Estes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After rescuing her father and younger sister, Adele is forced to leave her family and Tristan behind to find her mother in the cruel and dangerous realm of the star dwellers.
Amidst blossoming feelings for Adele, Tristan must cast his feelings aside and let her find her own way amongst the star dwellers, while he accompanies Adele's father to meet with the leaders of the moon dwellers and decide the fate of the Tri-Realms.
Will Adele be able to rescue her mother and make it back to the Moon Realm before the President and the sun dweller soldiers destroy her family?
Can Tristan convince the moon dweller puppets of the error of their ways?
Was Adele's lost kiss with Tristan her one and only chance at love?
In her world there's only one rule: Someone must die.

Aaah, finally! The Star Dwellers tour is stopping here today! I'm going to post the first review for the tour and I know I am very meaaaaaann because my review contains a lot of spoilers :( So, please proceed with caution. :)

Review:

Disclaimer: This review is originally written as a beta review and I have modified it as I read the final version. But since I read the ARC with a speed of Usain Bolt, I might have missed a few changes here and there.

Another disclaimer: Spoilers are everywhere since, like I said before, this review was intended as a beta review.

Well, here comes one more disclaimer: Following the rules of math, the actual rating is 16-stars because the beta version is twice better than The Moon Dwellers and the final version is twice better than the beta version. :)

So...everybody's familiar with KFC's "Original Recipe" of 11 secret herbs and spices? Now, I think David Estes has found 11 secrets to write a smashing Young Adult hit.
1. Double POV
2. Dystopian setting
3. Admirable bromance
4. Sweet and innocent young love
5. Mr Nice guy hero
6. Kick-ass heroine
7. Charming secondary characters
8. Witty and humorous lines
9. Fast-paced and action-pack story
10. Heart-wrenching flashbacks and background stories
11. Narration in present tense

Wow, Mr David Estes, just wow! I couldn't believe how much you have grown as an author in just a few short months. If I don't give this book the five stars it deserves, then I'm just a mean, sadistic, I-like-to-watch-the-world-burns reviewer.

My comments (not necessarily in chronological order of this book);

***SPOILERS AHEAD***[1. We get to learn more about what had happened right before and right after Year Zero, how the technology was build to sustain life underground.

2. When Tawni tells her story of how she had been bullied in school because of her parents. This is genius because, one, it emphasizes the realistic impact of her parents' doing in her life (or so it seems like), how while she used to live in wealth, she had been treated badly in her school days. Second, it highlights the strength of Cole and Tawni's friendship.

3. Ben's words, "You're thinking about this all wrong. You're an idea, Tristan. The idea that someone from the Sun Realm could be on the side of the people in the Lower Realms; the idea that someone from within the highest government ranks is helping the Moon and Star Realms; the idea that injustice will not go unpunished. If we can get the moon dwellers to believe in that idea, maybe, just maybe, we can unite the people". Well, it gave me goosebumps. Definitely one of the best quotes in the book.

4. The (still) awkward metaphor. "If we were sandwich, the shooter would be the meat in the middle, or the cheese perhaps. I'm the top layer of bread and her friends are the bottom crust". Okay, maybe the author intended the line to be humorous in nature but for me, it was just tad strange?

5. Hallucination within hallucination, I'd been fooled by it like Adele. Very, very clever writing and imaginary here.


6. "Something about how you want to kiss her and hug her and marry her"
"Dork."
"Butt monkey."
I can't stop myself from laughing. "Butt monkey? Really, Roc?"
"I never said I was mature"
Roc!!!!! <3 br="br">
*Pushes Tawni out of the way*
You're belong with meeeeeeeeeee!!!

7. I still can't understand how Maia is among of the Resistance council members given her young age. I'm eager to learn more about her.

8. "The General is her. The General is my mom" Opps, I think I might have dropped my jaw on the floor. Well played, David, well played.

9. Anna's diary and Mep's background story deserve short novellas. They were mentioned at the right time and very heart-breaking. I wished to read more about them.

10. "I'm confused-so freaking confused that if my mom suddenly turned into a dog and started licking my face it would make just as much sense." Can't.stop.laughing.

11. Roc's drawing. Briefly mentioned, yet a very heart-wrenching moment.

12. It's good to FINALLY find an Asian in YA books despite Han's brief cameo. Novels with dystopian, post-appocalyptic, world-has-coming-to-the-end setting, yet everyone who survived are white and American are just too many, not realistic and don't forget subtly offensive.

13. "Roc's looking at me strangely, like I'm a weird new animal species who's just demonstrated a bizzare mating ritual." Can't.stop.laughing.again.

14. While the revelation of Trevor and Brody true identity had taken me by surprise, I wanted to know more about where does Trevor's undivided loyalty to Anna had come from. Why he chose to obey Anna who is a moon dweller rather than the other generals who are from The Star Realm like Trevor himself?

15. "...but violence just keeps finding me, time and time again. I'm a magnet for it." Sure, Adele is devastated but I think we all had enough with self-blaming heroines in YA. Adele is better than that.

16. "So Brody saved them from Brody? Are there two Brodys? Wait...what?" Can't.stop.laughing.#3.

17. Well, the part where Roc decided to tell Elsey about his real father seems unnecessary and out of place.

18. The last flashback where Adele's family is back in Subchapter 14 made me lose my dignity by shedding a few tears.

19. WHAT IS IT THAT TRISTAN WANTS TO TELL ADELE RIGHT FROM THE FIRST BOOK? This drives me innnnnnnnnnssssssaaaaaaaaaaannnneeeee!!!! Why would you be this cruel, Mr David Estes? Sob2. Just tell me that Tristan is indeed a woman so that I can put a stop to this agony! (hide spoiler)]

1. We get to learn more about what had happened right before and right after Year Zero, how the technology was build to sustain life underground.

2. When Tawni tells her story of how she had been bullied in school because of her parents. This is genius because, one, it emphasizes the realistic impact of her parents' doing in her life (or so it seems like), how while she used to live in wealth, she had been treated badly in her school days. Second, it highlights the strength of Cole and Tawni's friendship.

3. Ben's words, "You're thinking about this all wrong. You're an idea, Tristan. The idea that someone from the Sun Realm could be on the side of the people in the Lower Realms; the idea that someone from within the highest government ranks is helping the Moon and Star Realms; the idea that injustice will not go unpunished. If we can get the moon dwellers to believe in that idea, maybe, just maybe, we can unite the people". Well, it gave me goosebumps. Definitely one of the best quotes in the book.

4. The (still) awkward metaphor. "If we were sandwich, the shooter would be the meat in the middle, or the cheese perhaps. I'm the top layer of bread and her friends are the bottom crust". Okay, maybe the author intended the line to be humorous in nature but for me, it was just tad strange?

5. Hallucination within hallucination, I'd been fooled by it like Adele. Very, very clever writing and imaginary here.

6. "Something about how you want to kiss her and hug her and marry her" 
"Dork." 
"Butt monkey." I can't stop myself from laughing. 
"Butt monkey? Really, Roc?"
"I never said I was mature"
Roc!!!!!











*Pushes Tawni out of the way*
You're belong with meeeeeeeeeee!!!

7. I still can't understand how Maia is among of the Resistance council members given her young age. I'm eager to learn more about her.

8. "The General is her. The General is my mom" Opps, I think I might have dropped my jaw on the floor. Well played, David, well played.

9. Anna's diary and Mep's background story deserve short novellas. They were mentioned at the right time and very heart-breaking. I wished to read more about them.

10. "I'm confused-so freaking confused that if my mom suddenly turned into a dog and started licking my face it would make just as much sense." Can't.stop.laughing.

11. Roc's drawing. Briefly mentioned, yet a very heart-wrenching moment.

12. It's good to FINALLY find an Asian in YA books despite Han's brief cameo. Novels with dystopian, post-appocalyptic, world-has-coming-to-the-end setting, yet everyone who survived are white and American are just too many, not realistic and don't forget subtly offensive.

13. "Roc's looking at me strangely, like I'm a weird new animal species who's just demonstrated a bizzare mating ritual." Can't.stop.laughing.again.

14. While the revelation of Trevor and Brody true identity had taken me by surprise, I wanted to know more about where does Trevor's undivided loyalty to Anna had come from. Why he chose to obey Anna who is a moon dweller rather than the other generals who are from The Star Realm like Trevor himself?

15. "...but violence just keeps finding me, time and time again. I'm a magnet for it." Sure, Adele is devastated but I think we all had enough with self-blaming heroines in YA. Adele is better than that.

16. "So Brody saved them from Brody? Are there two Brodys? Wait...what?" Can't.stop.laughing.#3. 

17. Well, the part where Roc decided to tell Elsey about his real father seems unnecessary and out of place.

18. The last flashback where Adele's family is back in Subchapter 14 made me lose my dignity by shedding a few tears.

19. WHAT IS IT THAT TRISTAN WANTS TO TELL ADELE RIGHT FROM THE FIRST BOOK? This drives me innnnnnnnnnssssssaaaaaaaaaaannnneeeee!!!! Why would you be this cruel, Mr David Estes? Sob2. Just tell me that Tristan is indeed a woman so that I can put a stop to this agony!

***SPOILERS FINISHED***

Overall, this still earns the top spot for the best dystopia I've read this year. Granted, this book doesn't have sophisticated word building that usually makes reviewers have this knee-jerk reaction to give such books a 5-stars rating. But The Star Dwellers simply serves its purpose you see...to actually entertain readers while delivering good life lessons at the same time .

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About the Author: 

Hey, new official photo! Me likey

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010. He´s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. Author of the Evolution Trilogy Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Tour Schedule: 

Follow the tour!

Oct 1st
Maghon http://www.magluvsya03.wordpress.com 
Author Info, Book Blurb, Cover & Giveaway (paperback)

Oct 2nd
.- Terri My Book Boyfriend. http://Mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com
Excerpt 1

Oct 3rd
.- Zuleeza http://zue-leysza.blogspot.com.au/ 
Review & Giveaway

Oct 4th
Alana http://darkobsessionchronicles.blogsp...
Interview and Character Bio (Adele)

Oct 5th
.- Rachel http://www.moosubi.blogspot.com/
Guest post 1

Oct 6th
.- Kayleigh http://k-booksxo.blogspot.co.uk/
Review & Giveaway

Oct 7th
.- Roxy Kade http://roxykade.blogspot.com.- 
Excerpt 2

Oct 8th
.- Alana http://www.passionatebookdivas.com/ 
Character Bio (Tristan)

Oct 9th
.- Martha http://theshortone08.blogspot.com/ 
Review 

Oct 10th
.- Katrina http://www.athousand-lives.blogspot.c... 
Character Guest post 2

Oct 11th
.-Jennifer http://randomjendsmit.blogspot.com 
Review 

Oct 12th
.- April Http://myparanormalbookreview.blogspo... 
Characetr Bio (Tawni)

Oct 13th
.- Marni http://wordtodreams.blogspot.com/ 
Guest post 2 

Oct 14th
.- Shieka http://doctorsnotes-shy.blogspot.com 
Review

Oct 15th
.- Tana http://tana-someofmyfavoritebooks.blo... 
Excerpt 3

Oct 16th
.- The Cover Contessa http://thecovercontessa.blogspot.com 
Interview & Review

Oct 17th
.- Laurice http://lauricewithlove.blogspot.com/ 
Character Guest Post 1

Oct 18th
.- Marissa http://beneaththemoonandstars.blogspo... 
Character Bio (Roc)

Oct 19th
.-Think http://thinksbooks.blogspot.com 
Review and closing giveaway TMD &TSD paperback

Giveaway

If you noticed, there will be a The Star Dwellers paperback to be won at the first stop (from Maghon's blog) but just to increase your chance to get this awesomesauce, I'm hosting an e-book giveaway here at my stop (yay!). Open INTERNATIONALLY. :)

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Mary Mary Quite Contrary by Cameron Jace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fifth Prequel.
The Devil's take on fairy tales, exposing the origins of some of the most important, yet never explained, elements in the fairy world. Darker things the Brothers Grimm didn't want you to know about. More hints would just spoil the fun.
Let's just say that at some point in the Dreamworld even the devil was about so sell his soul.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE...

We have candy...and Cameron Jace.

(Wait, I heard there is a gif war among GR users? But, but my reviews need gifs and gifs need my reviews).

*Continue derping around as if the gif war didn't happen*

I AM AT LOST FOR WORDS, Mr Cameron Jace! Well played sir, well played. Strangely, there are still a couple of minor spelling mistakes but they didn't take away my attention from this little gem. I'm just so happy to witness how the author has (bloomed? evolved? metamorphosized? improved? okay, let's stick with improved) into an entertaining storyteller not just another writer anymore. I'm just amazed how drastic my opinion towards the prequels has changed. Before this I thought what's the point of writing so many prequels (there are seven in total) even though readers can get them for free? I thought prequels are just fillers and they will just take away the anticipation and the patience from the readers because it's like giving people seven appetizers before they can eat the main course! But in my case, it was the opposite because I seriously in dire need for Snow White Sorrow!

One thing that worries me is that the prequels up to this point has gotten somewhat complicated and let's face it, not everyone will want to read all the seven prequels first. For us, the prequels readers, I don't think we want to read many repetitions in the full book. So, Snow White Sorrow must meet the requirement for both groups and I'm really intrigued to see how the author will handle this.

Geez...I rant a lot these days.

Okay, Mary Mary Quite Contrary. Definitely my favourite prequel so far. There was no dull moment. Less dialogues, which is something that usually causes me to lose focus but not in this case because The Devil voice was very entertaining! A lot of references back to the earlier prequels were made and this novella ties many loose ends until by the time you finished with this, you will have your...

Sorry, I just freaking like gifs.

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Things you might want to know:Cameron writes books that he can't find elsewhere, basically to amuse himself. Everything Cameron does is for fun, so don't take him seriously. Never call him a writer. He hates that. He prefers the word: Storyteller, or the boy next door who claims he can tell stories.
If you like his books, horaaaay! He loves ya too. If ya don't, hoooray! Now we know in advance that this relationship isn't going to work.
Although his books are ordinary on the surface, they hold many secrets that he might reveal one day. What matters the most to him are characters struggling to find their identities and place in the world.
He also writes under another pen name that shall be revealed later.
Things you Don't need to know:He celebrates his birthday twice a year, the day he was born and Friday the 13th. He wants to live in a bubble house. He lives in San Fransisco when he has no money. When he does, he travels away, and that's when he writes best. He is a damn good guitar player. He is damn good architecture college drop out. He likes boats, beaches, bears, beards, bananas, bars, barfights, beans, bikes, bones, butter, babes, bakery, blizzards, and pirates ( he thought it was spelled Birates when he was a kid. )And honestly, writing in third person sucks! It's so fake.
you can follow him: Twitter / Goodreads / Email: camjace@hotmail.com

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