Little Brother

Title: Little Brother
Author: Cory Doctorow
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, 
Favorite quote: “Never underestimate the determination of a kid who is time-rich and cash-poor.” 


Blurb: 

Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems.

But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days.

When the DHS finally releases them, Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: to take down the DHS himself.

                                              My Review:

This book was assigned to me for summer homework{ what is wrong with these people?} so like every other rational teenager I was not going to  do it til last minute! Sadly, however  my inner nerd would not shut up and kept nagging me to do it. So I read it and it surpassed my expectations. I was expecting a boring I-want-to-kill-this-author book, but it was actually very interesting!!!!   

I feel in love with the main character Marcus,  when he stops a car to get medical help for his friend he had no idea it wold change his life forever. I love how much Marcus changes through this whole book but still stays true to himself. He greatly matures from the young, smart mouth kid to an amazing smart mouth leader. He is a reluctant leader but in my opinion those are the best kind. But the fighting for freedom thing is only one part of Marcus's story. You see him dealing with his naive dad and falling in love with an amazing girl. 

There are a lot of amazing quotes that I just love from this book, some funny some more serious.There are a lot of amazing books out there some make you cry, others laugh, but this makes you think. Hours after I finished this book I was still thinking about it and not many books can do that to me.

Side Note:

Cory dedicates each of his chapters to a different bookstore. One of which is a favorite of mine see if you can find it :D

Sorry for the short review I have not been feeling well lately and was not up to it to write a super long one.

Rating: 5 Roses 

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines, #2)

Title: The Golden Lily 
Author: Richelle Mead 
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, YA
Favorite quote: 
“I tried to be a better person for her– but it was to impress her, to get her to want me. But when I’m around you, I want to be better because… well, because it feels right. Because I want to. You make me want to become something greater than myself. I want to excel. You inspire me in every act, every word, every glance. I look at you, and you’re like… like light made into flesh. […] You have no clue how beautiful you are or how brightly you shine.” 


                                                Blurb:
Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.


                                   My Review: 
I honesty was not planning to do a review on this book. When I read it, I was about to do a review but then life happened and I just forgot about it. Then the most craziest thing happened...Adrian entered my dreams!{I swear this actually happened} I wouldn't go into detail about the dream lets just say it was a very very nice one. Now here is the thing, the next morning I just shrugged it off as a crazy dream. But then one of my  fellow bloggers told me she was doing a review on The Golden Lilly! Right then and there I knew Adrian was sending me a sign to do this review. So here is this review for one of my favorite bad boys. 

Loved:

Even though Sydney is the main character she is not the only one with a problem. All the supporting characters have problems themselves and you can see a huge growth at the end of the book in all the characters. This book surprised me because I thought it would be very predictable. There are twists and turns though out the whole book. {Especially the last chapter but we will talk about that later....} 


There is no love triangle for the main character!!!! How many novels have I read were the main character is just sooooo amazing she has  two guys pinning for her? A LOT believe me when I say that, but this book is a refreshing because you don't see that. { Well there is this one guy....but he is not wroth my blog space}


You never see Rose in this book! Now, I love Rose but its nice that this is Sydney's story and not part 2 of Rose's. Rose is only mention  a hand full of times. While Lissa is only mention once or twice. 

NOT SO HOT:

I had a couple of moments in this book where I want to roll my eyes at the cheesiness of some of the scenes. I mean really, they were laying it a little thick with the lines in this book. Also I really wish there was a little bit more butt kicking in this book. I know Sydney is no Rose but I hope in the next book she will kick some butt!!

Last Chapter:

I just have one last thing to say to you Adrian lovers out there, when you read the last chapter you will have this look on your face: 

I can't decide who earns this look more: Syndey for what she did or Richelle Mead for making us wait til 2013. 


Rating: 5 Roses               

                 

Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1)

Title: Masque of the Red Death  Author: Bethany Griffin 

Genre:  Steampunk, Dystopia, Romance

Favorite Quote: 

She has to live, Eliott. I owe her a lifetime of apologies.”

“Sometimes I think that’s all we owe our parents.”  

                                        Blurb:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.  



                               My Review:
 
Thank you Olivia {even though she will probably never hear this...} for bringing this book to my attention! It did not disappoint.

Something that I really loved about this book was the grittiness and horribleness that you see. The author does not shy away from the true colors of the plague, but she does not just make you see it: she makes you visualize every rash, bruise, and oozing sore. I bet many of you are thinking "eww" but that's the point: who every said the plague was a beautiful thing? In this madness of the corpse collectors and dying people on every corner is Araby the main character. Araby is a very flawed messed up character, but who wouldn't be if they lost their twin brother? She believes her brother was the better, more loved child and feels guilty for being alive when he is dead. Araby is not one of my most favorite characters but she is not a character that makes you want to slap the author for creating her. I'm hoping that in the next book she will grow tremendously as a character.

Now let’s talk about the love triangle in this book. The first boy in this triangle is Araby's best friend’s   brother Elliott. Elliott is reckless, arrogant, ruthless, and a liar. But even with all these bad qualities you pity him and grow to like him. Elliott wants to take over the city from his uncle’s { Prince Prospero} who does not give a care to the poor and letting the city destroy its self because of the plague. He promises Araby that if he were to take control of the city he will take care of the poor which why she agrees to help. I myself don't know if he will keep his promise and do well for the city. He makes it clear to Araby that he will do anything to make his plan succeed even if it means hurting her.

The second boy in this love triangle the proprietor of the Debauchery Club named William. Will is honestly the one I think Araby should be with. He really brings out the best of her and helps her overcome the loss of her brother. He is sweet and honestly cares for her. *SPOILER* I do not blame him at all for betraying Araby. As an older sister I understand that your younger siblings come first and we older siblings will do anything to protect them.Elliot cares for her and tries to help her but it’s not the same as what Will does.

For those of you who don't know, the inspiration for this book came from the story of the same name by Edger Allen Poe. For those of you how have not read it I would definitely give it a read before you come to this book: it will make this book much better.
Link:http://www.online-literature.com/poe/36/


Rating: 4 Roses 

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)

 Title: Grave Mercy 

Author: Robin Lafevers

Genre: Historical Romance, YA, Fantasy 

Favorite Quote:“When one consorts with assassins, one must expect to dance along the edge of a knife once or twice.”  


             Blurb: 
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?


                                      Review: 
I require a few things in a book to keep me happy: a kickass heroine, good romance, good supporting characters and an engaging plot. Grave Mercy has all those things and more.

The heroine Ismae is the perfect mixture of badass awesomeness and vulnerable young girl. she has been trained all her life in the art of killing and can handle herself better than most men. But at the same time you see her vulnerable side when she is trying to find her way though court and who she is with out the church to guide her. That is the best part of the book, is to see the change in Isme   from confused young girl to a confident woman. 

The romance was very good. Gavriel is a well developed character and Ismae and him make a very nice couple. I can see why he loves her so much and vis versa. Which is different because in some novels I can't see why couples are attracted to each other. But I do have too complates in the romance department: first I hated that even though she is a highly train assassin she acts like a weak simpleton around Gavriel. I mean come on girl, have some pride! Another thing is that it would have been nice to have more intimate scenes between Ismae and Gavriel it is part romance after all...

I just adored all the supporting characters{My favorite was the Beast he may be ugly but he has a heart of gold!} The plot was fast paced, there was a dull moment here and there but they quickly passed. 


Can't wait for book two!  
   Rating: 5 Roses

   

Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)

Title: Wither

Author: Lauren Destefano

Genre: Sci-fi, Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia

Favorite Quote: "Tell freedom I said hello."
                  Blurb:

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

                         My Review

So I start reading this book at 10:00 only God knows what complied me to do so because once I start a book I can't put it down until I finish. When I finished it was 3:00 in the morning I had this face on: 




























I was swearing up and down that I had found the holy grail of books, I was ready to get the computer out and give this book 5 halos. Luckily I was too tired to give the review at 3 in the morning. When I woke up I was like this: 

I  vowed I would never ever give reviews in themiddle of the night. With that said lets start the review!

Rhine never really had a spark for me. Instead of showing she was a strong brave heroine, she appeared very desperate and very scared....ALL THE TIME. Also she was not very smart her escape plans aren't very well thought out and are hurried she doesn't think: she goes. The romance between her and Gabriel sucked too. The "romance” with her fake husband was better than her and Gabriel. Maybe it was because Gabriel is flatter than a piece of cardboard, he had no depth I almost feel asleep just reading about him.

 My favorite character in this book was Jenna. I wish I could tell you why she attracted me so much: maybe it was her pure undying hatred for her new "husband," Lindon, maybe her observant nature and how she never missed a thing, or maybe it’s her view on the world and what she had to go through to survive in it. You may not feel like I do about this character she’s honesty not that great but there is something about her......  

Out of the many things I dislike about this book there is one thing I like about it: I like the idea of dying at a such a young age. Now adays all you hear is immortality {vampires!} and it refresing to see something new and it makes you ask your self: is escape worth it if you only have so many years left?

Rating: 2 Roses 

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)

Title: Vampire Academy 


Author: Richelle Mead 

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal 

Favorite quote: " Do you think I'm pretty?
I think your beautiful
Beautiful?
You are so beautiful it hurts sometimes."                    
                        
                                         Blurb:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever. 

                                       My Review:
I have already read this whole series, but in light of The Golden Lily the second book Bloodlines series I decided to reread the whole series: I felt in love all over again!

While I was reading this book I remembered how much I loved Rose! Now in real life Rose would be the beautiful fearless girl that won the hearts of all the boys, while I sat in the back reading my books secretly envying her. Good thing shes not real right? But for real, I would love to have a friend like Rose. she is fiercely loyal and would do anything for her friends no matter the cost.

One thing that some books do is make the main  character seem badass but instead is a whiny weak brat, Luckily Rose did not disappoint, she was badass from beginning to end. Always ready to kick some heads around, very refreshing!Also there is a lot of character development happening in just one book. You see a dramatic change in Rose from older girl to young woman though I kind of wish the book went into more detail about the way Rose acted in the past. It would have made the change more effective.     

Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir is Rose's best friend and the last princess of her line. Lissa does not kick butt like Rose but she is strong in her own way. When I was reading this book I expected myself to only like Rose but Lissa is a like-able developed character with worries and fears. I really like how well Rose and Lissa balance each other out. When Rose is recklees, Lissa is responsible, when Lissa is angry, Rose is calm etc.  
   
I know this review is draging on and on but let me just say one last thing: I really disliked the term blood whores, Every one in the book uses it but to me it was a very degrading term and rubbed me the wrong way.

I hope you love the book as much I do! 
P.S This is my first book review, so please feel free to leave comments and advice!


Rating: 5 Roses

New Site

Hi everyone! Kat, Nyght, and I have decided to each make our own blogs. My blog my is still going be about book reviews and I will be moving all my posts from the HHEIB site to here. But until I get this site up and running all my reviews will still be here: http://hheib.weebly.com/home.html