[Review] Onyx

Paperback Version

Audio Version Cover

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‘Onyx’
by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Lux # 2

Synopsis:
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.
Something worse than the Arum has come to town…
The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there’s this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that’s possible. Against all common sense, I’m falling for Daemon. Hard. But then everything changes…
I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me? No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
At the moment I’m just dumbfounded and unsure what I should think about the book. I’ve really liked the first part in this sci-fi series – it was incredible – but this book had his up-and-downs.

I had my biggest problem in Onyx with Katy/ Kat/ Kitten because for me she often was very nerve-killing, undecided and mean to Daemon. Particularly at the beginning and in the middle, I could have strangled her when she has pushed him away over and over again, although he has changed himself by 180°, and has done everything for Katy. And what was she doing? – She was hanging around with another boy, only because he is supposedly normal -> very nice, Katy and so grown-up. So, yes, I think, Katy and I didn’t have become friends in this book, there it also didn’t helped, that I found her book- fanaticism and blogger-passion just great. I only hope, that she becomes more grown-up in the next book, more determined and won’t make again such stupid decisions, which concerns everybody and hurt or injure others.

And now to Daemon!! Oh, he’s my new Bookboyfriend and he’s soo adorable. *swoon* In the first part he was still quite an asshole (where we know the reason for it now), which he’s also sometimes in this book, or also narcissistic – but a witty, very charming one, who you can’t be angry with … especially not at all with his charismatic appearance, cheeky statements and with this look and body. *sigh* He’s meant for dreams, especially now when he has become really nice, sweet and caring. ♥

I’ve also liked the plot very much after the first half. At first it was too stretched, but then when the thing with Blake happened and the thing with him, Vaughn or Daemon’s brother, together with Katy, got more interesting, it even became a page-turner, for which I haven’t counted on any more.

Of course I wasn’t happy with everything that has happened in the book, but the most part, particularly the end, has worked out really great for me and also has led to the fact, that I rated the book with four points. The look-out to the next book and the unknowing and what will wait for us there, makes it for me very tingly and I can hardly wait to read on soon, because at the end there was also a little cliffhanger. I’m very curious what will happen next with Daemon and Katy or with Daemon’s brother or all around him and which role this devil underground will play in the further course.

Cover:
Very nice cover and I like it even better than the first one – probably because of the color – with violet you can’t do something wrong!

All in all:
A little stretched beginning, which also made me crazy because of Katy’s behavior, but it could persuade me at the end and won me over with action and much thrilling tension. Now I want more and I wait with longing for book three, which I probably will also read very soon!

Rating:
4 of 5 points – (Great, great, great)

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Quotes:

 Jesus.” Blake rubbed his throat. “You have anger management problems. Its like a disease.”
Daemon: “There’s a cure and it’s called kicking your ass.

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Daemon pressed his forehead against mine. “Oh, I still want to strangle you. But I’m insane. You’re crazy. Maybe that’s why. We just make crazy together.”

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Daemon: “If there is anything, there is us.
You and me. No one else.”

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Succession:
0,5: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Shadows (Short Story)
#1: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Obsidian »»
#2: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Onyx »»
#3: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Opal
#4: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Origin
#5: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Untitled

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(© goodreads.com)

About the author – Jennifer L. Armentrout:
USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in West Virginia. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.
She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don’t Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion)
(Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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[Review] The Eternity Cure

(© goodreads)

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‘The Eternity Cure’
by
Julie Kagawa

Blood of Eden # 2

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Synopsis:
In Allison Sekemoto’s world, there is one one rule left: Blood Calls to blood.
Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire, Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie’s birthplace in New Covington, what she finds there will the change the world forever – and possibly end human and vampire existence.
There’s a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago – deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries. If Allie can get to him in time…..  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I’m just speechless and that doesn’t happen very often
But after the end I don’t know whether I should be glad about the hopefully soon released next part or should cry because we don’t know what is going to happen next…

However, better I start right with the beginning:
Some months after Allie’s and Zeke’s ways have separated at Eden, she is still following the psycho-vamp Sarren, who has Kanin in his catches and torments and massacres him over and over again – Allie can feel this, because of her blood connection with Kanin. But instead of him, Allie hits in further results other old friends. At first by some of them, I immediately would have liked to turn around again and by others I’ve been enormously glad!! ♥
But about that I’m going to write more of it, further down.

Now to the writing style of Kagawa, which I find simply brilliant, admirable and desirable. Though she sometimes stretches her descriptions a little, but she makes the surroundings-descriptions so special and fantastic that it don’t disturbs me and so I’m just even more enthusiastic about it – whether it is about a fantastic fairy kingdom or like here about a cruel, somber area in tunnels or in wastelands, in which hope stands shortly before the end. *great*

Without any problems Kagawa also could create characters which got me, carried me away and with which, I simply fell in love with and I constantly worried about them. Even with Jackal I had this feeling, although I only wanted to strangle him at the beginning – but he could persuade me with his cheeky, unabashed behavior and change my opinion about him. (To tell the truth, he reminds me a little of Grimalkin from the Iron Fey series ^^)
But also Kanin was one of my favorites – and now that where I’m okay with the idea, that there will be no romantic incident with him – I’m glad about his fatherly behavior and for me he is a little like a grumpy bear, on which you also can lean on or is able to give you a good advice.

Now to the two main characters: Allie was just great once again and totally great. I like her even more than back then Meghan in the Iron Fey series, because she sorts things out and doesn’t hesitate long, doesn’t whine and in addition, she still has feelings and tries to hang on to her humanity. Alas, she is awesome and we could use more such female main characters in books.

And ZEKE – what I should say more about Ezekiel than that I’m absolutely in love with him! ♥ Although, in the first book I already liked him, but there he was sometimes too blue-eyed for me and was too nice for this sad, dreary world, which he lived it. BUT now he has grown up and has become more masculine and a fighter. That sounds stupid, but it is like that! Moreover I buy everything from him and he is in the right mood, he is still sensitive, sweet and caring, like in the first part. He virtually had a tuning, which made him a lot better and yeah – now, I’m in love! xD

So – and now to the end – which has totally got me down and made me cry like a little baby! Therefore, now I would like to address only those, who have already read the book – because I would like to know your opinion on this subject and what you think, how it goes on now in the third part … because on the internet I can’t find any info about when part three is going to be published or how it will be titled, never mind a synopsis! *whine*

So from here -> SPOILER!!!

I saw it coming when Allie has said goodbye in the evening to Zeke, especiallay because she saw Stick lurking around in the shadows … this was just soo evident! And then when Zeke was really gone and we hear the tortures and the screams – oh god, I’ve cried like a baby and also yet, when I think back of it, it’s killing me. It was really very hard and sad and I felt so sorry for Allie. :’-(

Now to my questions: What do you think after this prologue – do you think he has also become a vampire? Which I liked, to be honest – or do you think, Sarren just let Zeke live as a human? But this would be too easy for me! Moreover, then he could be together with Allie – be together for a long time, because they both would be immortal. Of course he didn’t wanted this, and hence, I think, the third part will be focused on the fact that Allie has to find her humanity again and Zeke has to master his existence as a vampire and to try not to perish – and yeah, they also have to find a cure against rabidsm and to kill Sarren – this psycho-asshole. Okay, do you think my opinion is right or is my supposition totally wrong? What do you wish for in the last part?

Cover:
Once again it fits perfectly to Allie, but I liked the cover from the first part a track better.

All in all:
An emotional rollercoaster, which though gets starting a little slowly, but then takes up such a rapidly drive and doesn’t stop up till to the end, until you are breathless when you read the last page. *wow*

Rating:
4,5 of 5 points (soo aswesome!)
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Quotes:  (Between Allie and Zeke)

Allie: “Promise me you’ll keep fighting, for as long as it takes. We’re not dead yet.”
Zeke gave me the smallest of grins. “Technically, you are.”

Zeke: “You haven’t changed. You’re still beautiful and dangerous and incredible. and I’ll keep telling you that for as long as is takes you to believe it. But right now, all I want to do is kiss you, except I’m terrified that if I try you might throw me off this balcony.”

Zeke drew back, looking a little dazed. Gazing down at me, he gave a wry smile, licking his lips. “That… didn’t have anything to do with him over there, did it?” he asked, sounding suspiciously amused, and a little breathless. I bit my lip.
“Does that bother you?”
“If it involves kissing you? Please, use me to prove a point anytime.”

His hand framed my cheek, brushing my skin. “No one who fights so hard to do the right thing is evil.”

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Succession:

# 1: Julie Kagawa – The Immortal Rules »»
# 2: Julie Kagawa – The Eternity Cure »»
# 3: Julie Kagawa – Untitled

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Julie Kagawa:
Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. Then she worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.
Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.
(Source: juliekagawa.com)

Visit her Website »»

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[Review] Obsidian

Old Version

New Version

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‘Obsidian’
by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Lux #1
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Synopsis:
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Who the fuck is Superman!? If I would choose an alien, then it has to be a Luxen!
Seldom a book has gripped me so much right from the beginning and has presented so many different facets, like this here. I am a critical reader and although, I‘ve found here also two tiny critic points; I can say that the rest of it is simply fantastic and I would love to read on immediately.

The writing manner of the author fits perfectly to this New Adult version (a little ‘more‘ than YA) which plays with teenagers in their last Highschool year. Armentrout used pleasant formulation, but also short, crisp sentences and dialogues, which just fitted to modern teenagers at this age – but not exaggerated, like other authors like to do – but it has felt authentic and very real.
But the best for me were the dialogues and here mainly the bickering/ arguments between Katy and Daemon. With them you never know whether they immediately fall into each other’s arms or start to hit the other… … and here Katy was really a witty, perky antagonist, who never shrank away from the good-looker Daemon. But not only with her stubborn manner, but also with her cheeky answers, which made me smirk more than once. *great*

Also the other characters – beside the courageous, determined, cheeky Katy – were for me a highlight and here I liked mostly Dee, who is the neighbor and soon also the best friend of her. I really liked Dee’s cheerful, open behavior and therefore everyone can use someone like her as a friend. And of course I was also a fan of Daemon – bad if it wouldn’t be like that. But he also irritated me at the end with his moody behavior, so that he sometimes was really sweet to Katy and then again gave her the cold shoulder. This was more than just a little ‘slithery drive’ of emotions, but a huge rollercoaster²!

The plot was okay for me, although a lot has already been spoiled in the synopsis of the book, which has decreased the reading pleasure a little. It would have been more exciting and thrilling if everything would have come unexpected and when it wouldn’t have been clear right from the start, that there are aliens in the story. Hence I’m in excited about the book, because it still could captive me and I didn’t could stop reading and I was through it within only one day. Well, I think, from now on I’m a fan of Armentrout!

What I also found brilliant, were Kats references to her Blog and how she got excited about her new books and her blogging. Oh yeah, babe – I know how it is! *lol*
With that I totally felt connected to her and I think every other blogger, who will read this book, will feel the same.

I liked the idea with the aliens and the light very much and I want to read on with the next book as soon as I can, to find out how it will go on between them. I think in the next part there will be something about his brother Dawson, or at least I hope it and I also wish that are less arguments between Kat and Daemon, because otherwise it would become grueling, because we already know that they actually like each other – much.

Cover:
I can hardly decide which version I like more. I find the older one with background with the flashes great and it’s also good, that you can’t see the girl from the front, because that leaves some space for your own imagination. But in the second cover I love the beaming green eyes of Daemon.

All in all:
Up to now Alien and I were no good combination, but here this book has disabused me and now I’m a fan of it. Actually for me it is rather an Urban Fantasy book than a Sci-Fi – but the separation makes no difference – because the book is just awesome and I recommend it gladly to everyone, although it’s a hyped book (usually they don’t work for me ^^)

Rating:
4,5 of 5 points – (soo aswesome)

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Quotes:

Katy: ‘Beautiful face. Beautiful body. Horrible attitude. It was the holy trinity of hot boys.’

Daemon: “You look like you got more of a bath than the car. I never
thought washing a car would be so hard, but after watching you for the last fifteen minutes, I’m convinced it should be an Olympic sport.”

Daemon: “I checked out your blog.”
Katy: “Stalking me again, I see. Do I need to get a restraining order?”
D.: In your dreams, Kitten. Oh wait, I’m already starring in those, aren’t I?
K.: “Nightmares, Daemon. Nightmares.”

Katy: ‘Because this was absolutely insane – the craziest thing I’ve ever done. Worse than giving a one-star review, scarier than asking for an interview with an author I’d give my firstborn to eat lunch with.’ (*lol*).

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Succession:

0,5:   Jennifer L. Armentrout – Shadows (Short Story)
#1:     Jennifer L. Armentrout – Obsidian »»
#2:     Jennifer L. Armentrout – Onyx »»
#3:     Jennifer L. Armentrout – Opal
#4:     Jennifer L. Armentrout – Origin
#5:     Jennifer L. Armentrout – Untitled

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(© goodreads.com)

About the author – Jennifer L. Armentrout:
USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.
She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don’t Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion)
(Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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[Snapshot] Dearly Beloved (eng.)

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Snapshots are short- reviews of my already read books, which sould give a litte insight of how I liked the books, if I think it’s worth reading and for which taste it would fit..

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‘Dearly, Beloved’  by Lia Habel.

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(© goodreads)

My opinion:
I‘ve really tried to like this book, more than part one, with which I already had my problems, but again it hasn‘t worked. If I had to use two words to describe it, I can only say ‚too long‘ or ‚boring’. Honestly, you just have to read the synopsis of the book to recognize that here is somebody, who has immense problems to be brief – and it’s like this in the whole book. I‘ve read more than 500!! pages, with a slow, tough course, which could also be written in 250-300 pages, and everybody would have been happier with it.

The plot ran incredibly slow without building up a great tension and it was a too much unnecessary gossip in between. As annoying was also the fact, that again with every chapter the narrator view changed from one character to the other. Of course this happened primarily between Nora and Bram, the main characters of the story, but nevertheless, many others figures also got a chance to speak, like the best friend Pamela, or also they ‚bad persons’ in the story, what I found absolutely unnecessary, because it didn’t interested me what they thought or felt. For me it’s enough to get a summary at the end, where I can read why they have done this or that.
Furthermore at the beginning were too many info and characters, so that it was hard to picture every character or to classify them properly.

In the second part, it was positive, that I’ve better got along with Pamela, because she appeared more realistic and authentic and also in spite of her big problems to handle all the things with the zombies, she didn’t duck her head, but instead admitted her weakness. But not in an annoying way, but it felt real, as one could imagine react, in such a situation. Hence her chapters were almost my favorite ones and I found her development with this Lord very interesting and this is also the reason, that I wanted to read on – and that I’ve got the second book on netgalley
Here I was also more thrilled by Nora than in the first book, though I found her sometimes a little too outstanding and too fearless, but then I also liked her cheeky, independent behavior. Whether her character fits in this described background of the story or not, because on the other side everything in the story is presented very strict and prude.

Moreover, I find it – sorry to all fans – disgusting, how Nora could make out with Bram. I mean, this guy is a zombie! Okay, sure – he is one of the zombies, who haven’t rotted yet in a strong way, like the others, and he also still looks rather nice …, however, but he’s still a zombie, damn! He has scars, his body is already patched up several times and he virtually rots away during the story … and Nora smooches with him! *gag*  – Here for example an extract from the story – this just doesn’t work for me at all!:

His lips found my brow, the sensation instantly identifiable due to the bit of thread that stitched his broken lower lip together. I loved his every scar.

After the second part I’ve decided to break up this series. But because I’m still a little curious what will become of the zombies (–I count on a healing, so that Bram don’t has to die), and I would like to know how the relationship of Pamela and this Lord develops in the next book. Therefore I simply plan to read the reviews from the last book. But not more, that’s really enough. .

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Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

© netgalley.com

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Snapshot: Never Let Me Go

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Snapshots are short- reviews of my already read books, which should give a litte insight of how I liked the books, if I think it’s worth reading and for which taste it would fit.

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‘Never Let Me Go’
by Kazuo Ishiguro

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(© goodreads)

This book tells about a world in which the people have been able to create complete human clones. With it the humanity caused to cure the most fatal illnesses and to guarantee a long healthy life. Hence the human clones are virtually only ‚produced’ for later, when they are adults, to donor their organs and to let operate on them over and over again for donations, till they are ‘completed’, which means up to death.
But this story isn’t about the people who have got a better life because of this new ‚achievement‘, but about the human clones.

The story is told from the point of view of 31-year-old Kathy, who is after 12 years as a ‘carer’ just before the time when she will also become a donor. The whole book Kathy remembers about her past live: It is starting with her childhood in the boarding school in Hailsham, through her youth time in the cottages and later to her time as an adult, working as a ‘carer’. But not the question of the donation and the inevitable death stands in the centre of the topic, but above all the friendship and love between the three central figures Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, who all grow up together in Hailsham. They already got explained as little children what’s the reason for their existence is, but they never really got to know the whole information, but always only fragments of it and in times when they’re still too young to understand.
It also behaves like this in the whole book. Kathy tells anecdotes, flashbacks over and over again and because of that there’s never a proper central theme in the book, but a constant change to and fro of a time in the next, in the present and again back to 2 years before it or 3 years ago. *totally confusing*

I don’t know how the book has managed to get nominated in 2005 for the highest British book price the ‚Booker Prize‘, or why it was added by the ‚Time’ to their list of the hundred best English-speaking novels from 1923 to 2005. Maybe they haven’t read the complete book, but only the synopsis and liked that. Who knows!? ^^

Unfortunately the book hasn’t worked for me at all, although I’ve found the description and also the circumstances which ruled in the book very interesting. Moreover because of the topic it would be a really exciting book for group discussions or for school classes because it raises many questions as for example: How would we handle an inevitable death if we were the clones? Or the question whether we would also close our eyes on how the clones were treated, if we were the organ recipient and it was about our own survival. Who has more right to live and who decides which methods are justifiable to provide the collective health? Is it tolerable to clone ‘humans’, only to harvest their organs afterward like ripe fruits? What is a defensible progress of science or what is morally wrong?

As I said, it’s a book which is very keen of discussions and the subject really leaves nobody cold and makes everybody think over their own opinion and to ponder the Pros and Cons. Hence the two points for the book, on account of the topic and the given conflict.

BUT now to the things which I haven’t liked in the book and have reduced the rating so drastically: The writing manner was okay and it also was easy and fluently to read, but the narrative perspective was dreadful and these whole flashbacks and time jumps were the pure horror. I didn’t like these whole jumps in the time in the least.

First it was confusing and I couldn’t get into a reading fluently, because it was too chopped off and incoherent. Furthermore the whole tension and the motivation were taken away and it wasn’t like in other books where I want to read on as fast as I can to get to know what happens after some actions, because here Kathy has always told what resulted out of some actions first and then how it came to it. Hence, it was never really thrilling to read on because I always already know before a new memory started how I would end and what happens as a result, because Kathy already told beforehand.

I know this sounds a little bewildering but to be honest, it was like this all the time in the book and in addition also just irritating and unnaturally. If I didn’t have to read this book for my ‘Book2Movie’ Challenge, then I probably would have broken it off several times.
For me the reading was very strenuous and I had to force myself over and over again to continue to read. But at some point I simply wanted to know, after all I have been through, how it would end. Not because I’ve cared so much for the characters, (this wasn’t the case and in my opinion her best friend Ruth was a ruthless, rotten piece who I wouldn’t have told any secret), but finally to know what the whole book actually was about. After the whole exertion I just wanted to get some answers after countless vague indications and these temporal jumps, but even here I got disappointed.

Even if there were also every now and then sensitive passages, which particularly described the special friendship of the three main characters or the perspective on life in general and on which reasons the people react and what results from which actions. But it wasn’t enough and I also never got a connection with the main character Kathy because she never really told how she felt. She didn’t let anybody look behind her facade and she just told her memories and hasn’t given anything from herself as a feeling person.
I’ve thought this book pursued a higher purpose and that at the end a solution or something like that would be presented, or an end that gives an ‘aha’-affect, but I didn’t even get that. It just ended and I as a read was virtually left hanging in the air without anything. It was very disappointing and I’ve still a grudge against that ending.

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I’ve read this book for the ‘Book2Movie – Challenge’ 2012 !

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[Review] White Horse

English Cover

German Cover

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‘White Horse’ by Alex Adams

White Horse #1
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Synopsis:
Thirty-year-old Zoe leads an ordinary life until the end of the world arrives. She is cleaning cages and floors at Pope Pharmaceuticals when the President of the United States announces that human beings are no longer a viable species. When Zoe realizes that everyone she loves is disappearing, she starts running. Scared and alone in a shockingly changed world, she embarks on a remarkable journey of survival and redemption. Along the way, Zoe comes to see that humans are not defined by their genetic code, but rather by their actions and choices. White Horse offers hope for a broken world, where love can lead to the most unexpected places.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
The world is at the end and the people who are still alive, have either changed into monstrous beasts, or have lost all morality to save their own skin and to put off the fight against the omnipresent death. In the middle of this scenario the book begins and we follow the course of the tragic story with the help of the central character Zoey, who doesn’t only describe in the present how the world is destroyed, but also looks back to the time before the epidemic, before the war and before the downfall of humanity.
This happens mostly within the different chapters and thus is marked with a small heading (Then/ Now), so that the read don’t lose the orientation between the varying times, although the flashbacks into the past are also not written in a chronologically order and this got me confused sometimes. I don‘t know, whether others had also this problem or not, but at the beginning I had a hard time to follow the plot and I would have found it better, if at least a date would have been written at the flashbacks, to get a better overview of the events.

At the beginning of the book is an absolute chaos, not only in the destroyed world, but also for me as a reader and a big question mark stood here first of all. To be honest, I needed some time and chapters to understand the first relations, to form connection and to recognize a red thread. Although this is the case, nevertheless it was a great reading, full of tensions and ‘guessing game’ and I couldn’t stay away from book, because I just had to know how it goes on what happens next to Zoey on her way.

As you can see, Zoey is a character with whom I felt and for whom I worried throughout the book, because though Zoey is strong, grimly and aim-oriented to protect herself and the people in her surroundings and to get her to her goal, BUT still she tries to remain human, not to kill other if it can be avoided, and in spite of all cruel circumstances, tries to offer friendliness and helpfulness.
Which was amazing for me, because often I would have already giving up or have crept away in a cave, only by reading about the scenery and cruelty of some other people, because everything is simply so hopeless, desperate and somber. Moreover there are some scenes, which are really creepy and depressing and sad, so that sometimes I’ve just waited for some positive things, some small glimmers of hope.

Beside the plot and the great central figure, the writing manner of Adam was just wonderful and for me also like an own poetry. She has described everything very visually, put imagines in the reader’s head to grab Zoe’s feelings and to empathize, to feel and to see everything, as if the reader is a part of the story.
In my opinion this is partly good, but on the other side the book got too thick and the action thereby becomes also a little too slow, because of the detailed descriptions surroundings or the graphic representation and poetry of the sentences.
I think that is a personal preference and some will find it great and others won’t like it at all. I can’t choice between one of these two fractions, because I’m right in the middle, because I’ve loved her writing but also would have liked a little bit more actions and events and less descriptions.

Luckily for me, after all the sad things and strain, the end could again completely satisfy me and I was able to finish the book also with a good feeling. Otherwise I would have been – to tell the truth – a little bit mad. Because for what else we do everything in life and risk all, endure all adversities and hang on – just for love – and I think that is one of the basic messages of this book. And that in spite of everything, each of us is still able to decide how we care about others and whether we show humanity and cooperativeness, even if we receive none anymore ourselves.

German Cover:
For me the cover is succeeded brilliantly and it’s also one of the reasons, why the book has struck me. It tragically catches the plot and reflects perfectly the somber atmosphere.

All in all:
A book that leaves nobody cold and which pulls you into it from the first pages on, without a chance to escape. For me this one book would have been enough and hence, I’m really curious what the author has planned for the next installment. We’ll see what the future brings – I’m looking forward to it!

Rating:
4 of 5 points – (Great, Great, Great)
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Quotes:

Zoe: “When I awake, the world is still gone.”
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Zoe: “He reels me in, cups my face with both hands, and becomes my whole world. This is a kiss–maybe the last one we’ll ever know, so we stay there forever, warm and safe. When he pulls away, something is lost. I think it’s my heart.”
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Succession:

#  1:    Alex Adams – White Horse »»
#  2:    Alex Adams – Red Horse
#  3:    Alex Adams  – Untitled
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Success.

(© goodreads)

About the author – Alex Adams:
Alex Adams was born in New Zealand, raised in Greece and Australia, and currently lives in Oregon–which is a whole lot like New Zealand, minus those freaky-looking wetas. Her debut novel, White Horse (Emily Bestler Books/Atria) hits shelves April 17, 2012. Her fingers are crossed that the world won’t end before then. (Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»
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.A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

© Piper

Review: Renegade

English Cover

German Cover

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‘Renegade’
by J. A. Souders

The Elysium Chronicles #1
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Synopsis:
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…   (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
First of all – the cover is absolutely beautiful and it partially also shows greatly the contents of this underwater town. I’ve been totally glad when I’ve got the book and also after the first shock, I’ve liked it really much. Why a shock? The first pages were written very easy, the statements and thoughts of the central figure Evelin, or briefly called Evie, were childish and very irritating, because they sounded like rehearsed texts and they’ve also confused me, to be honest. I already thought ‚oh no’ – what is this for a weird person and the book probably won’t be right for me. Moreover I had the feeling to be stucked in the movie ‘Groundhog Day’ and I was already expecting the worst.

But there I have judged a little too rash, because Evie has entirely changed and transformed and then her ‚true-self’ appeared and there is also a reason for her first weird behavior and thinking, which got explained and solved throughout the story.

Of course at this point you ask yourself what has happened to start this abrupt change, in a society which lives completely isolated and self-sufficiently in a built world below in the sea – in the so-called ‘Elysium’. The people of Elysium fled from the war, which has ruled some decades before on the surface, to live in this refuge and come to peace. Of course they are ready to do everything for this peace and for the protection of their town in the deep ocean, some more than others. Particularly ‚mother’ – the leader in Elysium – has prescribed her life for this town and for the backup of the future. Evie is her adopted daughter and therefore she is trained in all to become the next leader in the Elysium.

But her destiny changes, after a surface dweller succeeds in breaking into Elysium. He gets arrested by the guards and now Evie should try to receive special answers from him. How did he find them? How did he get in? Whether there are even more, which will follow? etc. But Gavin – this is his name – doesn’t let himself get into this questioning so easily and involves Evie in a questions–answers-play and with that he not only lures her slowly from her reserve and win her for himself – but also the readers and above all me

I also liked Evie, because she’s a figure which can also sort things out and stands up for herself and for other people or important values. I found that great – no matter which consequences she may gather from it. But Gavin, Gavin, was simply great! Slowly I’ve fallen in love with him together with Evie more and more, also although he had bright hair and I have pictured him at first dark-haired. He is the typical warrior, with a gentle side and a bright mind. He only could have had quietly some more rough edges, but I think, we will see them in the next part.

Otherwise, according to other characters in the book, it was quite thin. Primarily it was about these two figures, or also about ‘mother’, the remaining ones were just minor characters and thus they also appear neutral in the action.

There we would be at the story of the book, which has increased greatly, with a slow entrance – to describe the situation in Elysium – with growing tension, which tapers almost at the end to the final highlight. Sometimes it was a little bit nerve-wracking for me and particularly the second part – at the end – it was also a little fierce. So the also appears blood – a lot of blood – dangerously, also terrible scenes for the head cinema and though here it hasn’t disturbed me, I even found it super-duper. But I think that the recommended age for the book is too young with 13-17 years, and I think it should be raised to 15+.

I have liked the end very well and I was glad about how it has gone out. For me it was a ‘true end’ and if you ask me, this book also wouldn’t need a second part, but could also stand alone. It even would be refreshing to read once again an independent stand-alone book in the fantasy/ YA book genre. But of course a few threads and questions stay open and point to another, second part and I’m curious on the further ideas, Souders still has to offer here.

German Cover:
Really wonderfully and it reflects perfectly the story of the book (except the hair color^^)

All in all:
A gripping book which didn’t leave me cold and it’s to read virtually like by itself. *great*

Rating:
4 of 5 points – (Great, Great, Great)
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A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

© Piper ivi

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Succession:

#1: J. A. Souders – Renegade »»
#2: J. A. Souders – Untitled
#3: J. A. Souders – ??
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Success.

(© goodreads)

About the author – J. A. Souders:
J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble.
Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She now lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children and is an active member of the RWA, SFWA, YARWA and SCBWI.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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Review: Shatter Me

English Cover

German Cover

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‘Shatter Me’
by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me # 1
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Synopsis:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Now here I’ve again a book which splits the opinions. One group find it fantastically, the others can only shake their heads and don’t understand the hype for the book. I’ve started the book without any expectation and have already counted on the worst, after some bad reviews I’ve read on other book blogs, but now I can clarify: I belong to the first group – the fans!

Astonishingly I’ve liked it really much and I don’t understand completely why the book was torn to pieces by some other readers. Up to the writing style, okay – there I also really have to get used to, particularly at the beginning – it is really exciting and also Juliette is a good character with which I could feel with. She doesn’t cry too much (at the start), exactly in the right measure and for the situation, in which she finds herself and so her reactions are also quite understandable.

Now again briefly back to the lot discussed writing style: The beginning is really bewildering and Mafi plays with the words: she juggles and throws the dice with them and add them again apparently at first vaguely, crosses out some words or repeats other words again several times one after the other without any punctuation mark.
Who would like to read only normal standard texts, neatly written under the rules of the orthography, is wrong for this book and will probably have problems with it.
But if you can get really into it, can accept it for what it is and if you’re open minded for something new and allow experimenting with the language, than you’ll find a great book here.
But as I said, this is only mostly at the beginning of the book, when Juliette is still confused and stands completely beside herself and hence, I found this manner of writing also so great because it shows very authentic the mental world of her. And it changes throughout the story and the text become more normally and more suitable for the mass, after also Juliette changes as a character and become stronger and clear. Though Mafi also writes later still a little different, it didn’t disturb me at all. She doesn’t use common phrases, but invents completely new comparisons which do not seem suitable at first, but if one is open, they have something special, unique – I would even say something lyrical and I really liked that.

The plot was bewildering at first, became quickly faster and has changed up again in the end. Most of the time it was really exciting and I’ve virtually flown over the pages. Though the end went out well and I was glad with it, but it also was a little bit too simple, too foreseeable and the explanation with the powers and this organization, has reminded me too much of X-Men and hence, also from here comes the point reduction – it was for me too uncreative, after the great beginning with the unique and independence style.

But in return the characters were really for my taste. Juliette could change well and then she showed her strength and courage, stood up for her opinion and has cried only now and then, when it was suitable. Okay, later on she has cried a little too often for my taste, after the middle of the book and also Adam – who I really like and I thinks he’s a hottie *yummy* – often did the same think, like constantly strike through his hair. It was great that even Juliette has mentioned that fact once, as a sign of his concern and restlessness. Otherwise it would have already become a little absurd.

But Adam is up to this little thing a main male character who I also would like to meet with pleasure. He has inspired me and I were engrossed with them and felt for them both, more than with some other characters of late. Adam looks simply stunning, he has his heart at the right spot and in addition he’s a strong fighter, and still a kind big brother and a sensuous lover – my heart, what do you want more? ;D *nice* From my side, there could have been even more and more intensive ‘kissing/ love scenes’ in it. But the reason for that is probably that I’m also totally succumbed to Adam’s charm! *oh man*

Cover:
I find both covers absolutely great, no matter whether the German one or the English cover. I only think that the title of the German one isn’t as suitable to the story as particularly in comparison to the English title.

All in all:
A new prelude of an interesting story with likeable characters of which I would like to read more with pleasure. I’m very excited and curious about the next part – I can hardly wait for it.

Rating:
4 of 5 points – (Great, Great, Great)
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Quotes:

Juliette: “I spent my life folded between the pages of books.
In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.”

Juliette: “All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.”

Adam: “You have no idea how much I’ve thought about you. How many times I’ve dreamt”- he takes a tight breath- “how many times I’ve dreamt about being this close to you.” He moves to run a hand through his hair before he changes his mind. Looks down. Looks up. “God, Juliette, I’d follow you anywhere. You’re the only good thing left in this world.”

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A huge THANKS for the reviewer’s copy to:

© Random House

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Succession:

#1:      Tahereh Mafi – Shatter Me »»
# 1,5: Tahereh Mafi – Destroy Me (Short Story – eBook)
#2:      Tahereh Mafi – Unravel Me
#3:      Tahereh Mafi – Untitled

got it at: girlsinthestacks.com/

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About the author – Tahereh Mafi:
Tahereh Mafi is a girl. She’s 24. She writes books and reads books and drinks way too much coffee. SHATTER ME is her first novel, and the first of a trilogy, coming from Harper/HarperCollins on November 15, 2011. Film rights have been optioned by 20th Century Fox. Her work is represented by Jodi Reamer of Writers House, LLC.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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