Quickie Review: The Selection By Kiera Cass (YA)

The Selection 

By: Kiera Cass

I have been on the fence about reading this book. When I read the blurb it sounded something like Disney's version of The Bachelor..

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon. 

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. 

It was an addicting tale! Although many may say that is a combination of The Hunger Games meets Divergent meets The Bachelor.. The characters themselves bring the story to life. Not only becoming addicted to the the main story but also the minor character competing! 

LOVED:

• The Heroine- America is of course one of the lower caste (class). I really liked her character, she is very down to earth and is always thinking of others before herself. She is thrust into this new world and manages to remain honest and fair as she begins to realize that the competition she came into believing it was ridiculous and a financial help, has become a much more personal one. 
• Maxon, Maxon, MAXON! or better known as His Majesty, The Prince. I was expecting a cocky, maybe dark, cold prince that our heroine worms her way into his heart. Instead he is a genuine, honest  and caring. There is a love triangle, but Aspen (the other guy) claims to love America but to me seemed self-absorbed, fake an seemed to have a hidden agenda. Not really caring about America's feelings while Maxon is bluntly honest from the very beginning.
• I really enjoyed the events pertaining to the The Selection process and the world building.

Not So Much:

• The writing was easy to read but I felt if there was just a little more descriptive detain on how America felt certain times, I could have been more emotionally connected to the character. I love when I'm reading a book and actually feel what the character is feeling. Here it was mostly just stated. 

Overall, really great read!! We are left with many loose ends and mysteries that I really want to know!! The author decides of tease us with an evil cliffy leaving you wanting more!!

Cassandra Clare's Next Project!! More Shadowhunters!

For all you Cassandra Clare fans!! There is no end to her Shadowhunter series....yet. Hopefully more to come after that. It has been announced that author Cassandra Clare has signed another three-book deal with Margaret K. McElderry Books (an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s publishing) to write 'The Dark Artifices'

Series: A trilogy

Setting: Los Angeles, 2012

Characters: Emma Carstairs, Julian Blackthorn, Mark, Helen, Carmen, Olivia, Tiberius, Arthur + more

Release Date (s): 2015 (Book One)

~Review~ Revealing Eden (Save The Pearls #1) by Victoria Foyt

Rating:

Revealing Eden (Save The Pearls #1) [YA]

By: Victoria Foyt

Publisher: Bookmasters
Released: Jan. 10, 2012

Pages: 307

Blurb:

Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl. If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her. But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land. Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.

_____________________

Review:
1^st line in the book---> Eden jumped at the sound of approaching steps.

A Fast Paced, Intriguing, Thrill ride that doesn't let you go!!! Set in a dystopian world, Eden is one of the few fair skinned humans that survived the apocalypse. “Pearls” they are called and are the least desirable in a society where dark skins hold beauty and power.

Eden is pale, fair skinned and alone in a world that looks down on her. She is almost to her 18^th Birthday and if she doesn't receive a proposition for a mating, she will be cast out of the cave tunnels where society now lives in. Outside the sun burns the earth at high temperatures that would kill Eden within less than a week. She works in her father's lab, that is overseen and owned by a “Coal” (dark-skinned person) named Ronsom Bramford. The most desired person, who any lucky woman would be happy to marry. Who Eden absolutely despises. Eden's father has been working on an important experiment that only them three know all of its knowledge. Its a way for humans to evolve and survive in the harsh environment without fearing the sun's deadly rays. The experiment takes a turn for the worst, transforming Ronsom into a beast. From there they must flee and together venture out into the world in order to survive.

I really enjoyed this book!! I had to keep reading because everything was moving really quickly and you are thrown into the action from the very beginning. Ronsom is a great character! I love tortured heros, and he is no exception. He is such a mystery throughout the book! You keep wanting to know more about him, but are only giving small bits of information as you read. The only problem I had was that the love connection between Ronsom and Eden wasn't fully explained. I mean one minute she can't stand him and then the next she desires him. She really can't decide what she wants. There were times where she would be in life/death situations and she would be thinking about how sexy the Beastly Ronsom was. Which to me doesn't seem logical. I would be more worried with trying to live. At times I felt she was thinking more for herself and her needs, than trying to make the best out of the situation. There are some steamy scenes so I think this is more of a 16+ YA novel, but I had no problems with them.

I am looking forward to see where the author will take this series. The world she has created is very fascinating and we are left with a major cliffhanger. There were many twists and revelations in this book and I can't wait to read more!!!

**Review copy was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley**

Purchase

BN | AMAZON | KOBO

~Review~ Darkride by Laura Bradley Rede

Rating

Darkride 

By; Laura Bradley Rede

YA Paranormal Romance

Blurb:

Ander McNair used to be the favorite son of a great monster-hunting family – until he was bitten by a werewolf and the hunter became the hunted. Now anything that makes his pulse race, even a kiss from his girlfriend Cicely, is enough to turn him into a monster. When he finally gets a chance to earn his cure by killing a vampire prince, he finds he has to choose between his own past and the future of the girl he loves. Can a guy who’s not even human learn what it means to be a man?

Luke Marianez used to be an immortal vampire prince – until the witch he loved betrayed him and cursed him with the ability to die. Now he lives in the world of vampire blood bars, where the waitresses are the drinks, and dreams about killing the last of the witch’s line so he can live forever. But revenge doesn’t just mean breaking the curse. He wants to break the girl’s heart, too. Can Luke seduce Cicely without falling in love himself?

Cicely Watson doesn’t believe in werewolves or vampires. She’s not even sure she believes in true love. But she’s about to discover what every werewolf knows:

People change.

________________

Review:

1^st line in the book---> The boy is a mystery to me.

There is no lie in the title of this book! Darkride keeps you guessing from the moment you read page one. Author Laura Bradley Rede does a great job of keeping you hooked till the very end.

This story is Dark & Intense filled with teenage Angst, Love and value of friendships. There is a major love triangle between Luke the vampire, Ander the werewolf & Cicely the human, but this is no Twilight romance. That's as close as it come when comparing, instead Cicely is mature enough to know what she feels and fights to keep her boys and friends safe from the evil that comes after her.

I really enjoyed the characters!! They each keep surprising you throughout the book. Of course I love both Luke and Ander because they are so different and in their own way win over the reader. I will say that for me the story hooked me in the beginning but it took a while to finally get to the part where the action kicked in. There were times where I would get annoyed with Cicely in the beginning because she would give up real easily, or make assumptions but I had to remember that she's a loner and a teenager...it wasn't until halfway through the book where she becomes the strong heroine and I cheered!! LOL

OMG!!! The side-characters were I think my favorite! They are wonderful and you get to know them and their history. Just when I was getting slightly tired of all the love triangle drama, they brought a breath of fresh air to the plot. I was totally blind sided when there was a shocking revelation near the end of the book!! I really couldn't believe it at first, I don't want to spoil anything so I will just say it left me heartbroken...

Overall I really loved this book! We are left with a climax, hanging on to every last word. I can't wait to see what comes next.

Fave Quote:

Yes, I am addicted to the girl. I am finally immortal again but I feel more vulnerable than ever, as if I carry my heart outside my chest. I would die for her, if dying were still an option. But since I cannot give my life, I must live it, and I will not live it anywhere but with her.

                                             Purchase Links: 

                                       AMAZON | iBookstore

~Review~ Redemption by R.K. Ryals

Blurb:

“The Time has come when He will come looking. She is ready. I have faith in her. She is her father’s daughter. She carries my blood. And I will never forgive myself for feeding her to the wolves.” Bezaliel from Redemption

Dayton Blainey is a foul-mouthed, grief stricken teenager forced to live with a religiously eccentric aunt she barely knows following the death of her parents. Often upstaged by her moral older sister, Amber, Dayton is often flung into the shadows. Little does she know that there is more to her than meets the eye.

When Dayton's Wiccan best friend, Monroe, sees a vision outside Dayton's bedroom window, a catalyst of events is set in motion that will change Dayton's life forever. She is faced with one major question: Who is she?

Dayton and her friends discover the truth behind this question is so much bigger than anyone ever imagined.

Redemption is the story of one young woman who must disentangle herself from a web of lies endangering her soul, and who discovers an attraction to a mysterious stranger that may just kill her.

REVIEW:

1^st line in the book--> It was dark.

Tragedy. Secrets. Revelations. Angels. Demons. Redemption.

In author R.K. Ryals first book in the Redemption series, we are introduced to Dayton. She has lost both of her parents and is sent along with her sister to live with an aunt she has never known. Her aunt is a deeply religious Abbess and the head of a strange religious order. Her best friends are Conner & Monroe. All is normal until Dayton discovers a deep, dark secret. She is a Naphilim, the product of a union between an angel (her father) and a human (her mother). From there she is thrown into a world that she never could imagine. She doesn't know who to trust and to complicate thing more. Dayton discovers that she is bound to a demon named Marcas in hopes that they will create a child. The blood of this child, half demon and half Naphilim, will bring the demonic forces redemption (or so Damon hopes). Now they must work together along with her friends to survive against not only the evil following them but also her aunt's cult that are set to destroy Dayton.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. At first I thought it was going to be a simple plot to the angels & demons storyline but I was pleasantly surprised. Dayton is the typical rebel teenager causing trouble. What I liked about it is how Marcas came into the mix. You can tell the is the beginnings of a love triangle at work which of course has you taking sides. There's Conner the golden boy, who Dayton loves as a friend and Marcas. The dark and mysterious demon who has turned his heart to stone because of having loved & lost a woman (an angel) and now is bound to Dayton. I love a bad boy so I would lean towards Marcas ;) I will say that it took a while for the story to pick up. I think I was half-way through the book when it got exciting! We are left with a thrilling climax, which we then have to wait for book 2 to see what happens to the characters!

Fave Quotes:

“Mr. Reinhardt, Ms. Blainey, if you two would please refrain from conversing in my class, I would appreciate it,” Mr. James announced loudly. I hadn’t even heard the bell. Conor shrugged. “I’m afraid she’s a lot prettier than you, Mr. James. I got a little distracted.”

"I'm going to make one thing clear. I’m not here to get to know you. I could give a damn how you feel, and I’m not here to explain myself to anyone. I’m here because my brother has wild ideas that are going to get a lot of people killed. And because he didn’t give me a choice,” Marcas fumed. I just stared at him. “That was helpful,” I remarked sarcastically. “If you’re done with the whole Demon tirade, can you tell me what I have to do with any of this?”

 Redemption
AMAZON


Ransom will be coming soon in 2012!!

 R.K. Ryals
 BLOG (where she has Chapter 1 of Ransom posted!) | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

~Review~ Spiritus by Dana Michelle Burnett

Blurb:
A love that refuses to die…

“As I watched him vanish into a soft mist that faded away, I knew that he was no ordinary spirit…I knew that he was a dangerous entity that could be in some corner of another realm planning his revenge, but I also knew that I was hopelessly in love with him.”

When Becca moves into her ancestral home in Corydon, Indiana, her life takes a puzzling and thrilling turn when she meets the ghost haunting the halls. As the seductive spirit lures her closer and closer, she learns about her own past and starts to understand that some mistakes are meant to last.


Becca McAllister has always been different from other girls her age. Never part of the "in crowd", Becca never really fit in anywhere. When her mother dies and her father moves them to the small town of Corydon, Indiana, Becca didn't expect things to change.

But things do change when Becca accidentally makes contact with a one hundred and sixty year old ghost, Alastor Sinclair, that haunts the halls of her new home.

To Becca, Alastor is a seductive spirit that seems to see straight into her soul. To Alastor, Becca is what he was waited a century for--A second chance.

But the closer they get, the more Becca realizes that this isn't the first time she and Alastor have known each other. Worse still, is she the one responsible for his death so long ago? And if so, did he come back for love or revenge?

REVIEW:

1^st line in the book--> Death. It always seemed such a strange and far off event I never thought about what it would be like to actually die.

Spirits. Something that some people believe to have seen and to walk among us. Now imagine that you move in to an old home and see one of a handsome *cough* Sexy..young man who claims that he is your true love from the past. Well that's what Author Dana Michelle Burnett gives her readers in Spiritus.

Becca is just trying to find her place at her new school, when she invites some new friends over to her home and they have a séance in her room for fun. Little do they know that they have caught someone's attention. From the moment Becca meets her ghost Alastor, she feels a connection to him. At first she is doubtful that he is real, but she starts to remember things. Memories from another time. As Becca struggles to separate past from present. She also struggles with the love Alastor claims he has for her and a question... Does he love her or the one from the past??

The characters were great! I think I loved Alastor a little more than Becca, but I just have a thing for sexy, tortured heros! Alastor is protective, loyal, sexy and still completely in love with his Becca after all those years. At times, I got annoyed with him because even though Becca does remember him and their memories together, she isn't the same one! They may look the same but they are two different people. His anger would frighten me. I wanted to say ITS NOT PAST BECCA!!!! LOL but what can you expect from a ghost who at last believes he has been given a 2^nd chance with his long lost love?!?

Spritus was great! I loved it!! This is only the beginning and I am waiting for book 2, Haunted, to come out later this year. You can feel the desperate need of the characters to be together while knowing they can't physically touch!! Check it out and find out what happens!

Fave Quotes:

“Do you still believe that I am only a dream?” A voice asked in the darkness, soft and beseeching.

I cried against his nothingness as he held me. I felt trapped, caught in the wrong time and cheated by fate.

 Spiritus

 AMAZON | BN | SMASHWORDS



You can find Dana at her

WEBSITE (where she has a free excerpt) | FACEBOOK | TWITTER!!