Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu (4/5 stars)

Hey, guys! Sorry that posting has been a little less consistent. I've just started college and have much less time to read!

Anyways, after reading Marie Lu's earlier books (Legend series and The Young Elites series), I was excited to hear that she was writing another series, Warcross!

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows the title of the book forming a virtual cage of some sort. It shows both the technology side of Warcross as well as how not everything is as pretty as it seems, that danger lurks. It's a fun cover that can relate to the book if you stretch it a little. A- cover

Official Description:
For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

My Review:
Warcross was an interesting book. The writing was great, typical for what I expect of Marie Lu. The main characters were complex. The plot started out great. Then, it took a plot twist that, honestly, it would have been better to leave out. More on that later.

The writing style was captivating. It mapped out the scenes beautifully, and, as a result, Warcross was very easy to get sucked into. The writing itself was the best part of this book.

The characters were also interesting. You have Emika, the main character, who makes her own path and retains her independence. Then, you have Hideo, a successful businessman at a young age and with an air of mystery to him, who may end up being the bachelor Emika doesn't even know she wants yet! In all seriousness, Hideo is a very well formed character with his own thoughts and ambitions. The rest of the characters in the book were indistinguishable from one another. These characters really weren't that important, so I doubt it mattered that I could barely tell them apart.

Now, the plot. It was a bit of a mixed bag. I'm a sucker for virtual reality books (see list of my favorites at the end of this post). And, Warcross just doesn't stand out from the other VR books I've read. The only real difference was that Emika was a bounty hunter. 

However, I was starting to get really into the plot. I was ready to see more of the competition to win Warcross. Instead, right as I was really starting to love this book, it took a complete 180. I'm not going to spoil it, but a plot twist occurs which just derailed the book I wanted to read. Instead of a winner of the game being announced, Marie Lu decided to start an apocalypse plot. It was such a questionable decision. It felt like Warcross was meant to be a single book, but someone decided to merge it with a different series to continue to make profit. 

Overall, Warcross was a good, but not great, virtual reality book. I'd recommend reading it if you like more of the bounty-hunting side of the description than the VR side. The writing was good, but some of the plot was a little haphazard.

Warcross comes out September 12, 2017.

Phrase:
My father's artwork

*Note: I received a pre-release copy of this book from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

Favorite Virtual Reality Books:
Ready Player One
The Reality Bug (Pendragon #4)
More Than This
The Eye of Minds
BZRK

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!

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The Midnight Star (The Young Elites #3) by Marie Lu 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! After reading The Young Elites and The Rose Society, I was excited to read the third, and final, book in the Young Elites series. I had forgotten a lot of the details though, and one thing this series isn't good about is refreshing you on the last books. If you don't remember very much, maybe try to refresh yourself first!

The Cover:

The Cover:

It shows the night sky above a mountain range, the setting for the final battle of the series. It fits the theme of the first few covers, which I appreciate. But, while dramatic, the cover isn't very relevant. B- cover

Official Description:

There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.
Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all she’s gained.
When a new danger appears, Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds, putting not only herself at risk, but every Elite. In order to preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger.

My Review:

I love the idea of this book. The premise is to follow a character as they slowly become corrupted by power. You are rooting for Adelina, but should you be? It's a neat idea that is very well executed. The Midnight Star starts with Adelina as a harsh dictator, ruling by fear. She kills without mercy, her only goal to continue to conquer.

The character development is the strong point of the series. You can see these characters grow and become corrupted or maybe more pure as events shape them. While I wouldn't go as far as to say I liked any of the characters, I can appreciate them.

The plot of The Midnight Star was the weakest of the three books. The first third was Adelina with her army, the second third was filler, and the last third was a weird storyline that involved travelling to appeal to the gods. The last section seemed to come from nowhere. It wasn't really relevant and detracted from the story in my opinion. It didn't fit with the theme of self-reliance and felt like a hurried way to wrap up the series. 

I was happy with the overall ending to the book, but the way that ending was achieved was sub-par at best. 

Overall, I'd recommend The Midnight Star if you enjoyed the previous books and still remember them well. If it's been a year, or more, like it was with me, you may want to refresh yourself. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier books, it was still interesting to read and worthwhile.

Phrase:

An illusion of pain

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Red Queen
The Young Elites / The Rose Society
The Wrath and the Dawn

The Legend series (also by Marie Lu)

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!

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The Rose Society (The Young Elites #2) by Marie Lu 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I just finished The Rose Society by Marie Lu.  It was great... once I figured out what was happening.  It had been about a year since I read The Young Elites (click for review of book one!) so I had forgotten quite a bit of the book, including the entire ending.  If you are reading this review and you don't remember, do yourself a favor and reread the last fifteen pages of book one.  The Rose Society will only explain it at page 250 or so.

The Cover:

The cover shows Adelina's codename (the White Wolf) looking over some water.  I'm not impressed with the image, but it's okay.  The name of the book, The Rose Society, is the same thing that Adelina names her secret society.

Official Description:
Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she flees Kenettra with her sister to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good when her very existence depends on darkness?

My (Super-Simplified) Description:
Adelina got kicked out of Raffaele's secret society, so she decides to make her own secret society.  All's fine, except her secret society is a lot bloodier and not opposed to fighting Raffaele's society.

My Review:
The purpose of this series is to watch Adelina slowly become the villain of the story, which is great.  She is not high and mighty, her sister is mildly afraid of her, and she takes what she wants without regard to consequences.  It's an interesting premise and is executed wonderfully.  

The plot was not the focus of the book, but it was good and engaging.  There were numerous action scenes as well as character development scenes.  The book went by quickly.  There were two main storylines, what was going on with Adelina and what was going on with the Daggers.  At times, one was much more interesting than the other, making the book go by a little slower.

My only real complaint was that Adelina's inner monologue became repetitive at times.  I get that it was an important part of the book, but there was a lot of repetition going on.

Overall, I enjoyed The Rose Society and would recommend it.  Be sure to refresh yourself on The Young Elites before you start it though.  It doesn't warm you up at all.  

Phrase:
Why did you kill him?


Happy Reading!

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Red Queen
The Young Elites
The Wrath and the Dawn

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The Young Elites by Marie Lu 5/5 stars

Hey, guys!  So, I've been a big fan of the author of this book, Marie Lu, after reading her first series, Legend (which you should check out if you haven't already).  I was excited about reading The Young Elites, but ended up waiting a long time before I could get my hands on it.  Then, of course, I fell in love with the book and read it in a single day!

The Cover:

The Cover:

It shows a darkening sky with the title in front.  The sword in place of a "t" sets the stage for the medieval sort of warfare ever present in this book.  It's simple, but I like its simplicity.  A cover.

Official Description:

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.
Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.
Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

My Review:

I loved this book!  It was exciting and a really quick, enjoyable read.  Just as a warning to all of you Legend fans: this series is quite a bit darker.  It's not overly dark, but its main character is more a villain than a hero.  Also, before I started reading, I couldn't tell if it alternated point of views or not.  If you were also wondering, it is in first person from Adelina's point of view with maybe five chapters in third person about other characters for some background info.  

The plot moved very quickly and had plenty of twists and turns.  It was exciting and keep me hooked. 

The characters were also complex.  I loved Enzo, and Adelina was definitely a different sort of character.  They were unique, and I loved getting to know them throughout the course of the book.  

While I loved and would definitely recommend The Young Elites, I am worried that the second book, The Rose Society will not be as good because of the direction I think the series is about to take.  I look forward to reading it, though!

Phrase:

An alignment with fear, anger, and passion.  

Happy Reading!

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2014, A Year of Books

I thought that since the year is ending, I'd give you the highlights of the books I read this year.  I read 75 books this year, most of which I loved, and I had a hard time narrowing it down, but here are most top 10 favorite books of the year, in no particular order. (If I read multiple books in a series, they're counted as one).  All of the official descriptions came from Goodreads, and the brief reviews were written at the time that I finished the book.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Official Descriptions

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washedup child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun–but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

Or

Katherine V thought boys were gross

Katherine X just wanted to be friends
Katherine XVIII dumped him in an e-mail
K-19 broke his heart 
When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type happens to be girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.
On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun--but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.

My Brief Review:

This book was incredibly funny.  I loved the characters, the situations, and even the calculations.  It was truly masterful, and one of my favorite realistic fiction books.  It's the second-best John Green book, by far.

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Official Description: 

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

My Brief Review: 

I really loved the book's voice. (In a way, it reminded me of the narrator in Beautiful Creatures.) The entire book flowed very smoothly and the storyline was very engaging. This book was definitely worth the hype, which so few books are. It was fantastic. Highly recommended!
In an unrelated note, I love how the author's name on the front cover was so small unlike some others like James Patterson whose name fills each of his books' entire cover so that it's difficult to tell if you are reading "Blah Blah Blah Book" or "James Patterson". I really appreciate it when authors make the book more important than themselves. You go, Ransom Riggs!

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Official Description:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

My Brief Review:

Easily the best book I've read in a long time. I cried during the last third of the book, but I loved it so much! It is one of those books that seem to reach into your soul and brighten some small essential part of yourself. At least it did for me.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Link to Full Review from earlier this year

11/22/63 by Stephen King

Official Description:

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away...but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke... Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten...and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.

My Brief Review:

An amazing book. Not a single slow second in all 800 or so pages. I highly, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone! It was both a mystery, romance, and science fiction book all in one! I've recommended 11/22/63 to more people than I can count.

Misery by Stephen King

Link to my review from earlier this year

Legend by Marie Lu

Link to my review of this entire series from earlier this year

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Link to my review of this entire series from earlier this year

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Official Description:
Vane Weston should have died in the category-five tornado that killed his parents. Instead, he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past - except one: a beautiful, dark-haired girl standing in the winds. She swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she's real.
Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a sylph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian - Vane's guardian - and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs.
When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, Audra and Vane start to realize that the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them. 

My Brief Review:
I loved this book! It was just perfect. I do not have a single complaint (which is a first). The characters were wonderful and non-annoying. The romance was believable, and the plot line was really engaging. Also the voice of the novel (both Vance's and Audra's). 
It's kind of similar to Beautiful Creatures. But better. 
I highly, highly recommend!

Winger by Andrew Smith

Official Description:

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids in the Pacific Northwest. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.
Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

My Brief Review:

Amazing. It was probably one of the funniest books I've ever read. I just loved Ryan Dean's narration style. It's also not very rugby-oriented like the official description would have you believe. (I'm not entirely sure what rugby IS and I loved it). 

I highly recommend Winger (but only if you have at least a high-school maturity level). 
I didn't have high hopes for this book, but it surprised me by being completely amazing. It had everything you could ask for and placed it all together perfectly.

If you are looking for a book to read this coming year, I strongly suggest trying out one of these.  They are all incredibly different but they were completely amazing, nonetheless.  

Happy Reading!

Legend series by Marie Lu (Awesome)

I'm going to do a mini series review of the Legend series by Marie Lu.  I loved the series and read the entire trilogy in about a week.  It was fantastic, and I loved it and think you will too!  (All of the reviews were from my thoughts as soon as I finished and were not at all influenced by the books afterwards.)

Legend:

The Cover:

The cover simply has the Republic's seal marking it.  The Legend it mentions is Day, of course.

Official Description:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. 
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. 
Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills. 

My Review:

All of the reviews I've seen of Legend rather supported the-best-book-I've-ever-read cause or the-worst-book-ever-why-on-earth-do-people-like-it side. 
That said, I've been waiting on hold in the library for Legend for about two months now. Well, before that I requested it from the library and got it almost immediately, only to find it was in Swedish instead of English... I had to return that one and get a readable copy, of course. There was so much excitement and disappointment is trying to read Legend. I was so excited when I got it and for good reason! Legend was fantastic! I loved the way the story was put together and the characters and basically everything! It was a great book. 
Of course as soon as I finished, I started the next challenge: finding book two. (Why my library has the first and the third, without the second, I have no idea.)

Prodigy:

The Cover:

I'm not entirely sure what is on the cover... (If you have an idea, tell me in comments.)  But the prodigy mentioned is June.

Official Description:

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

My Review:

4.5 stars
Prodigy wasn't nearly as fantastic as Legend was, but it was still a good book. Quite a bit of the book felt like filler/ fluff. A good deal of the book was focused on Day/June's love story, which I didn't care nearly enough about, considering how much airtime it got. 
On the other hand, I really do care about the characters. While the storyline is a bit repetitive (the classic Book 1: terrible stuff is happening, Book 2: main character is the face of the rebellion, Book 3 (probably): they change the government system and the main characters love each other), I still enjoyed the story. Marie Lu had a slightly altered take on the story. Also, based on the very end of this book, she will most likely veer even further away from the classic YA Dystopian novel (Hunger Games, Delirium, Matched, etc.). 
I'm looking forward to read the next book because whether or not it's original, Marie Lu can WRITE!

*Update: This was also the book where June started to get on my nerves.

Champion:

The Cover:

I think the cover shows a rose on fire, just like Day's dream had in the beginning of the book.  The champion who is mentioned... Well, I don't know if anyone won.  Maybe it references the winner of the Republic/ Colonies war.

Official Description:

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

My Review:

Champion was a wonderful book with a wonderful conclusion. It was on par with Legend while being better than Prodigy. I can't believe the series is over. I want more! To tell the truth, I can't even tell if I hated the ending of Champion or loved it... I am deeply satisfied either way though, so it doesn't really matter! A great, great book. I can understand why this series is so popular. Marie Lu is a truly talented author, and I hope she writes much more!

Series Phrase:

If you do that, you will have a revolution on your hands.