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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Release by Patrick Ness 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! As many of you know, I am a huge fan of Patrick Ness (links to my reviews of his books at the bottom of this post). When I heard about Release, I was super excited. A new Patrick Ness book? Count me in! 

The only problem was that it's been released for a month or so in the UK but wasn't supposed to be released in the US until September. I've been jealous to say the least. Thankfully, Edelweiss and the publishers provided me an ARC of the US version to read and give you guys an honest review.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Adam desperately holding on while the world turns upside down. It's simple and still communicates a lot of the feeling behind this book. A+ cover

Official Description:
Adam Thorn doesn’t know it yet, but today will change his life.
Between his religious family, a deeply unpleasant ultimatum from his boss, and his own unrequited love for his sort-of ex, Enzo, it seems as though Adam’s life is falling apart.  At least he has two people to keep him sane: his new boyfriend (he does love Linus, doesn’t he?) and his best friend, Angela.
But all day long, old memories and new heartaches come crashing together, throwing Adam’s life into chaos. The bindings of his world are coming untied one by one; yet in spite of everything he has to let go, he may also find freedom in the release. 

My Review:
Release tells the story of the day that Adam Thorn's life seems to fall apart. It is a deeply captivating, character-driven story that blew me away, mostly. I read this book in a day and loved it. 

If I was just reviewing the main storyline, I would give it 5 stars, no questions asked. However, in every chapter, there was a page or two revolving around a different, supernatural storyline. In a gist, it was about a dead girl in the town who got to roam the earth for one night. She is accompanied by a faun who is making sure she doesn't cause too much trouble. This storyline is almost entirely unrelated to the rest of the book (barely any tie-in to Adam's story) and is just distracting. You can just skim over it pretty easily and ignore it, so it doesn't ruin the book. However, it seemed completely unnecessary. (I suspect it's only added as a nod to Septimus in Mrs. Dalloway, which Ness claimed to model Release after.)

Ignoring the supernatural subplot, Release was spectacular. The characters were complex and realistic. Adam was easy to root for and likable, in part, because of his flaws. He was a character that you could get behind and relate to. The supporting characters had depth to them as well, and their relationships felt natural. 

The writing skill in this book is what really brings it to life. While the story is simply a day in a teenager's life where he gets in an avalanche of bad news and tough situations, it feels riveting. I was on the edge of my seat, heart aching on behalf of Adam. Release sucks you into its world. 

Overall, I would recommend reading Release. It was an amazing book with memorable characters and writing. You'll love it. Just don't get your hopes up for a tie-in with the supernatural plot.

Phrase:
Sexual Harassment Claim

Other Books by Patrick Ness:
The Rest of Us Just Live Here
The Knife of Never Letting Go (book 1) / The Ask and the Answer (2) / Monsters of Men (3)
More Than This
A Monster Calls

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

Happy Reading!

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City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I was able to receive a copy of City of Saints & Thieves during Yall Fest in October, and it is now official out in stores!

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Tina blending into the background of the colors of Sangui City as a refugee from the Congo. It's a neat cover that fits with this book. A- cover

Official Description:
In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn't exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill's personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it.

With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang. It’s a job for the Goondas that finally brings Tina back to the Greyhill estate, giving her the chance for vengeance she’s been waiting for. But as soon as she steps inside the lavish home, she’s overtaken by the pain of old wounds and the pull of past friendships, setting into motion a dangerous cascade of events that could, at any moment, cost Tina her life. But finally uncovering the incredible truth about who killed her mother—and why—keeps her holding on in this fast-paced nail-biting thriller.

My Review:
I wasn't sure how I would feel about City of Saints and Thieves because I wasn't sure what to expect. This book felt like a mystery novel meshed with an adventure novel, with some political documentary mixed in. The main story was Tina's attempts to get revenge for her mother's murder, as well as make sure she knows who the murderer is. The backdrop is refugee-crisis and the effect of war-torn African countries on the women and children in those places. This set-up added depth and an interesting element to the story, yet still did not seem preachy at all.

The characters were fun to read about. Tina was a well-thought out character who was easy to route for. She was not perfect, but her imperfections improved her as a character. The supporting characters (Boyboy, Michael) were also interesting and developed, though to a lesser extent than Tina. However, the other characters in this book were a bit one-dimensional. For example, Tina's sister is frequently mentioned yet is flat with very few relevant emotions.

The characters were also really representative. They were a variety of races, from different backgrounds, different sexualities. It had a nice variety that is not often represented, and, again, this book was able to have a diverse cast of characters without really unnatural (like it was trying to prove something).

The plot was mostly fast-paced. It was easy to get involved with the story. It moved quickly for the most part, with only a few slow parts.

I especially liked the transition between characters with one of Tina's "rules" for surviving on the streets of Sangui City. It allowed a smooth transition between chapters and a comedic break.

Overall, I would recommend reading City of Saints & Thieves if you like stories about murder mysteries, street gangs, or African politics/ refugees. It is a nice mix of all of them!

(Warning: While being a Young Adult book, it does mention some adult themes (i.e. rape).)

Phrase:
Kiki

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Six of Crows

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Happy Reading!

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This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp 4/5 stars

Hey, guys!  I just finished This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp today.  I had some mixed feeling about it in the beginning but ended up really enjoying it.  If you love suspense, this is a great book!  (Warning: It can be violent at times.)
The Cover:

The Cover:
I really like this cover.  It shows pieces of chalk being obliterated by a bullet with the title written in chalk.  I like it.  The subheader, in case you can't read it, says, "Everyone has a reason to fear the boy with the gun."  A+ cover

Official Description:
10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.
10:05
Someone starts shooting.
Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

My Review:
First, I need to talk about this books formatting.  It's told from the alternating first-person perspectives of four students at Opportunity High on the day of a school shooting.  Each POV only lasts for about a page and a half, and each chapter is a set of all the characters' POV over the course of about two minutes of story-time.  This makes it very confusing to keep track of the characters for the first few chapters, but them adds to the suspense and keeps the tension up as the story progresses.  After most chapters will be texts or tweets that are being exchanged between minor characters of the story.  I understand Nijkamp's choice but wish it had been written in third person instead of first person.  
Each of the characters have a unique relationship with the shooter, which gives a neat perspective on all of the events.  The characters were interesting, though I feel like their life-stories were a bit forced and added some unnecessary expositional pages to the book.  That being said, I loved the interactions between the characters.  It was a great decision to compare Sylv and her brother to Autumn and hers. 
The plot was great.  It somehow managed to stay suspenseful constantly.  It can get extremely intense at times.
Overall, I would recommend it if you can handle violence/suspense and remember that it gets better once you understand who the characters are. 

I just checked and This Is Where It Ends doesn't come out until January 5, 2016.  
(I got it a while ago from the folks at Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

If you liked this book, you may also like:
Rage by Stephen King
Misery by Stephen King
The Long Walk by Stephen King
(or really any Stephen King book)

Happy Reading!

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Boo by Neil Smith 5/5 stars

Oh. My. God.  I would write something witty or nice here but my brain can only form three words in a loop: Oh my god. Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!  This book!  Suffice to say, this book blew my mind.  It was fantastic in the way that I hope all books could be, but rarely manage to even reach the threshold.  This book was greatness that I could hold in my hands, and I am not even exaggerating. I beg each and every one of you to read it.
The Cover:

The Cover:
This cover shows Oliver (AKA Boo) shut inside of his school locker.  The number of his locker is 106, which happens to be exact number of elements in the Periodic Table, which Boo has, of course, memorized.  This is super symbolic and everything, but since I don't want to give out spoilers... You'll understand though, and if not, comment and I'll explain!

Official Description:

“Do you ever wonder, dear Mother and Father, what kind of toothpaste angels use in heaven? I will tell you.... This book I am writing to you about my afterlife will be your nitty-gritty. One day I hope to discover a way to deliver my story to you.”
It's the first week of school in 1979, and Oliver “Boo” Dalrymple—ghostly pale eighth-grader, aspiring scientist, social pariah—is standing next to his locker, reciting the periodic table. The next thing he knows, he finds himself lying in a strange bed in a strange land. He’s a new resident of a place called Town—an afterlife exclusively for thirteen year olds. Soon Boo is joined by Johnny Henzel, a fellow classmate, who brings with him a piece of surprising news about the circumstances of the boys’ deaths.
In Town, there are no trees or animals, just endless rows of red-brick three-story dormitories surrounded by unscalable walls. No one grows or ages, but everyone arrives just slightly altered from who they were before. To Boo’s great surprise, the qualities that made him an outcast at home win him friends; and he finds himself capable of a joy he’s never experienced. But there is a darker side to life after death—and, as they attempt to learn what happened that fateful day, Boo and Johnny discover a disturbing truth that will have profound repercussions for both of them.
Hilarious and heartwarming, poignant and profound, BOO is the story of a truly unforgettable character. Here Neil Smith gives us a unique look at the bonds of friendship in what is, ultimately, a book about finding your place in the world—be it this one, or the next.

My Review:
This book was just so fantastic!  It was exciting and funny and beautiful.  Picture combining some of the best characters you've ever read about with the writing style of a muse and then mixing in a plot with the surprises and greatness of your favorite book.  I think that describes Boo. I have little doubt that this book will be a huge hit.  If it doesn't, something is seriously wrong.
Anyway, the characters of this book were really complex and complicated with a human level of messed-up-ness.  They messed everything up with the purest of intentions.  They were kind and mean for their own reasons.  They were the people you've met and will meet.  You see only the one side of them until the truth is revealed.  They were beautifully crafted people who gave this story its wings (pun intended).  It usually takes multiple books for me to feel as connected with characters as deeply as I managed to do in this book's 310 pages. 
Boo has three stages of reading.  (1) This is really neat and cool.  A quirky spin on heaven.  I think I'll like this book, (2) Wait... WHAT?!?!, (3) Stab me in the heart, it'll hurt less. 
Each of these stages was amazing; I loved each of these even more than the last.  It was simply perfect.  The plot had so many twists and turns that I did not expect at all.  I was constantly floored.  At certain points, the story got so intense that I had to set down my book just so that I didn't accidentally have a heart attack and end up in an afterlife especially for fifteen year olds.  
The formatting was also really neat.  Instead of chapter numbers, each chapter opened with an element from the periodic table, the atomic number serving as the number of each chapter.  It was really neat and added to the book.
Also, I thought that it was really funny that Boo would replace the word 'God' with 'Zig' throughout the entire book because their heaven's god reminded him of a hippie.  It was just really random and funny.  I'm glad Neil Smith added these little moments of comic relief.

Quotes (NOTE: my copy was an ARC so these quotes may not be completely accurate with the published version):

"'Look, if he acts like a freak here, kids will sh*t on him just like they did back in America.' Rest assured, Mother and Father, that Johnny is speaking figuratively. Nobody ever defecated on me (though, as I said earlier, I was urinated on)."

"I feel prouder than the time I increased the pH of my urine by consuming citrus fruits"

"A geek was originally a circus artist who performed morbid acts like biting heads off live chickens and swallowing frogs. I am obviously, given my vegetarian diet, no geek"

"I try not to let the outer world wreak havoc with my inner one"

This book comes out May 12, 2015

Phrase:
Thank Zig!

(Note: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

Happy Reading!

Read Bottom Up by Neel Shah and Skye Chatham 5/5 stars

Hey, guys!  So, I just finished reading Read Bottom Up by Neel Shah and Skye Chatham.  It was amazing!  However, I must warn you, it is a "letter-book" (more on that later) and it is not aimed at kids/teens like many books on my blog, so there is a bit of mild adult content.  If you are in high school, like me, you are definitely fine, but if you are like ten, maybe not?

Anyway, the cover:

The Cover:

The cover shows our couple, Madeline and Elliot talking at some restaurant.  Its not a particular scene in the book, but it kinda works for this book.  The title is very creative, too.  "Read bottom up" is something that Madeline wrote when she forwarded her best friend one of Eliot's emails.  She was supposed to start at the bottom of the conversation and read it up.  It also seems very metaphoric, but I'm not going to get into that right now.

Official Description:
A charming novel about falling in love, or like, in the digital age, told in an inventive, creative style.
Madeline and Elliot meet at a New York City food event. Flirtation, online, ensues. A romance, potentially eternal, possibly doomed, begins.
And, like most things in life today, their early exchanges are very public, available to be scrutinized and interpreted by well-intentioned friends (aka amateur love doctors) who are a mere click away. Of course like all good email trails, this one reads from the bottom up.
Madeline and Elliot's relationship unfolds through a series of thrilling, confounding, and funny exchanges with each other and with their best friends. The result is a brand new kind of modern romantic comedy, both in format and in content. Read Bottom Up is a brilliant, fresh portrait that captures how enchanting, exciting, and downright confusing falling in love twenty-first-century style can be.

My Condensed Description:

Elliot and Madeline meet at the restaurant that Elliot works at and they start spending a lot of time together.  They share all of their romantic hopes/dreams/conversations in emails (and a few text messages) between themselves and their two friends, David and Emily.  The relationship is cute at times and doomed at others.

My Review:
This book was great! If I had to pick one word, I would call it "realistic" because it has none of the dramatic fanfare that fictional relationships sometimes have.  Madeline over analyzed everything that Elliot said, they were noncommittal, it was awkward at times, and most importantly, it wasn't perfect. There were constant snags and irritations in their relationship.  This made it really interesting to me.
The characters were also really three dimensional.  Even David and Emily, the best friend characters, were developed and unique.  They were not many characters because of the way that this novel was written, but each character that did exist was treated, if not equally, than well.
So. The writing style.  It was different. It took me a few pages to understand the way it was written and easily read the book, but it worked.  After I understood how to read it, I had no trouble at all getting into the story.  Don't let its difference push you away.  Basically, there were just a lot of emails back and forth to the four main characters of this cast (Elliot, Madeline, Emily, and David).  It was actually a great way to write this particular story, and it made it much more enjoyable to me.  One reason was that we had multiple character's points of view.  For example, Madeline would describe a situation as awful and terribly awkward, while Elliot would think it went well.  There were just so many little inconsistencies between their stories (he was 3 minutes vs 2 hours late) that it made each situation full of doubt and humor.  I normally don't like "letter-books" but this book made these modern-day "letters" work!
It was also surprisingly deep, as well as sort of romantic-comedy-esque. The messages sent were what actual people would send in these situations.
My only real complaints were that the formatting for the text messages (which happened only a few times throughout the book) was off.  This was almost certainly because I was reading an uncorrected ARC, but it was a little irritating.  I am 99% sure it will be fixed by the time you guys read it.  Also, the fact that the characters were expected to respond instantly to emails irked me.  Now, keep in mind that I am a teenager, and I find that we rarely email/check our emails.  I know that the characters in this novel were NOT teenagers, so it might be different for them, but I was a little skeptical about that.
All in all, it was a great book.  It was cute, deep, interesting, and just a quick read in general.  I'd strongly recommend reading it!

Quotes (NOTE: These may change in the official published edition!) :

"did not go home with her. I mean I did walk her back to her apartment, tell her I'm still madly in love with her, and offer to stay over (just spoon) and do her laundry in the morning... but she said no to everything, so all good. Except the laundry part. She did let me come in and do that."

"Well, there's also that adage about not buying the cow if you can get the milk for free but WHAT IF YOU'RE LACTOSE INTOLERANT"

"Conclusion: he is the dead cat of my dreams"

"Do you want me to start with the part where she called me 'an emotional vegetable'" ....
"the part where she said that I was more interested in being 'in a school play about a relationship than in real intimacy'"  ....
"Or when she accused me of using her to get a cookbook deal?"

This book comes out April 7, 2015.

Happy Reading!

Solitaire by Alice Oseman 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! A while ago, I received Solitaire in exchange for my honest review from Edelweiss.  It was amazing! I think that a good way to describe it would be Catcher in the Rye meets Perks of Being a Wallflower meets Winger.  It was fantastic, but I feel obligated to give a warning: "This Book Contains Some Extreme Teen Angst, Proceed With Caution".  That being said, it wasn't too much, but the angst definitely existed, and I know that some of you hate those kinds of books... so beware.
Anyway, the cover:

Official Description:

In case you're wondering, this is not a love story.
My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that's all over now.
Now there's Solitaire. And Michael Holden.
I don't know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don't care about Michael Holden.
I really don't.
This incredible debut novel by outstanding young author Alice Oseman is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and all unflinchingly honest writers.

My Description:

While the above description is accurate, and I feel like I need to add... the premise of the book.  

At Tori Spring's high school, an anonymous group starts pulling pranks and posting about it on their blog, Solitaire.  The pranks start out simple enough, playing Sexy Back when the principle walks onto the stage, but start to escalate... and escalate.  Meanwhile, Tori (the chronic pessimist) has a few personal problems.  Her brother has a mental illness, her best friend Becky is behaving differently, her best friend from grammer school (Lucas) transfers to her school and wants to be friends with Tori (ugh. Socializing), and a new boy Michael Holden always seems to be around.  

And, also to clarify, in the official description is says that "this is not a love story" in a way that implies that it actually is a love story, but I disagree.  This is NOT a love story. If anything, there's more hate than love contained in Solitaire's pages, so don't let that turn you off of it!

My Review:

I loved this book! I was deep, it was funny, it was ridiculous, it was philosophical, and it was real.  

Alice Oseman took care too develop all of the characters to the extent where they felt like real, complex people who had lives outside of the events of this book.  They were incredibly realistic, and there was so much character development! It wasn't just for the main character, but for almost all recurring characters. At certain points, I had some disagreements with Tori (You hate the Beatles? You don't like reading?!?!) but I managed to get past them remarkably easily and could still relate with Tori.  Even if you are nothing like her, I think that you will still completely understand her character!

The plot was very exciting. I couldn't wait to read of Solitaire's latest escapade or really any of the other plot lines. I was spellbound.  However, I must admit that some aspects were predictable. I  was thrown off by certain moments, but I knew the "surprise" orchestrator of Solitaire fairly early on as well as a few other things that Tori was seemingly oblivious to. That didn't affect my reading experience, but you should know.

The writing style was very similar to a modern-day Catcher in the Rye. You might disagree, but the narration style, if not the rest of the book, was definitely reminiscent of it.  I really loved the way Oseman told this story. It was the perfect way to write it, and I deeply respected it. 

Also, my inner fangirl loved everything about this book.  For example, the characters argued over whether Drarry (Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter) was a thing. There were just countless references to books, movies, and TV shows that I love. It made the entire book kinda cool.

Overall, Solitaire was amazing.  I highly recommend reading it.  It is aimed at teenagers, so keep that in mind, but I don't think your age will affect your reading experience. 

Quote Bonus Round:

I don't normally do this, but I don't think that you can truly appreciate the majesty that is Solitaire without reading at least some of it. 

(Note: Since I read an 'uncorrected proof' of Solitaire, these quotes might be altered in the physical books.)

"Rebecca Allen is probably my only real friend at the moment. She is also probably my best friend. I am yet unsure whether these two facts are related."

On Bruno Mar's Grenade: "it's unlikely anyone would want to catch a grenade for anyone else. Or jump in front of a train for someone else. That's very counterproductive."

"'you're Sherlock Holmes. I'll be John Watson. But we've got to be the Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Sherlock and Watson, because the BBC Sherlock is infinitely greater than all other adaptations' I stare at him. 'It's the only adaptation that gets the bromance right.'

'You're a fangirl,' I whisper"

I hope that was enough for you to get the feel of this book!

Phrase:

It's funny because it's true

Solitaire by Alice Oseman comes out March 30, 2015.

Happy Reading!

The Path by Peter Riva 3.5/5 stars

Hey guys! A few days ago, I decided I would put Food: A Love Story and Darkest Before Dawn on hold for a little while.  I needed a break from them and decided to dive into The Path by Peter Riva.  I enjoyed reading it, but it did have a few drawbacks.  I received it a while ago from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

The Cover:

The Cover:

The cover shows rather Simon or Agent Cramer doing... something to the System, I imagine.  While I was looking at the cover, trying to think of something else to say about it, I noticed that its the first in the Tag SERIES? I thought that this was a standalone book.  I can easily say that I have no idea where the rest of the series will go.  This book did not have the feel of an opening book of a series...

My Description:

Simon Bank's job is to go into the System (the computer system that controls all of American life from national security to food production) and give it human interaction.  He basically tries to mess it up, and theoretically it will learn from him to better itself.  Except this plan works too well.  The System becomes sentient, and the task of fixing the derailing System falls to Simon.  Simon has help though from an agent of Control, Cramer, who while loving chocolate is rude and loves to be in charge.  Things go from bad to worse as Simon, Cramer, and a few others attempt to save everyone in America and maybe even the entire world.

My Review:

The good parts? 

Everything had a greater significance than it first appears.  The plot built on itself in complex yet understandable levels.  There were frequent plot twists, and you could never tell where anyone's loyalties truly lay. In fact, there was a huge mystery element to the entire book. I was definitely intrigued and zipped through this book. 

It also had a very unique universe in which it took place.

The bad? 

At times, it was a bit confusing for a number of reasons. (1) Abbreviations.  There were probably thirty or forty different things that were all identified by their initials, and I had a little trouble keeping them straight. (2) The Fictional Universe. I never felt that I fully understood the rules of the world the story took place in.  They would introduce a new story element and I would have no idea that that was even possible before it became a critical part of the plot.  There was no gradual integration into Simon's world, the reader is mainly just shoved into the deep end. While I figured it out, I wish I didn't have to. (3) Transitions and the Like.  I found myself having to reread entire pages because I couldn't figure out who was talking or what the characters were talking about to begin with. (4) Technology. There were many long complex computer programming moments in this book. While I found that I could follow them mostly, I am afraid that some people would be completely lost during them.  In general, they didn't effect your understanding of the book but be warned.  

I also had trouble comprehending the plans that were created by the characters, and there were a lot of plans.  Some of them just didn't make any sense. (SPOILER: What was the benefit of giving Cramer invincibility? I don't think that it helped anyone! SPOILER OFF.)  Some of the plans were so complex and dependent on others ignorant reactions that I just didn't buy them.  That being said, the plans weren't horrible.  I am always a little skeptical of the plans that books propose.  

All in all, I enjoyed reading The Path.  I was interested.  There were a few issues that I had with it, but they were minor.  I suggest reading it if you were interested in the description, but if not, I recommend holding off.

Phrase:

Mary's a Genius

Happy Reading!

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun Hutchinson 5/5 stars

*Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley was a truly fantastic book! I loved every minute of reading it, which, sadly, wasn't very long because I was so interested!  It was a whirlwind of love and hate, joy and despair, and life and death.  I haven't been able to stop thinking about it and hope you will give yourself the opportunity that is this book (i.e. you should read it).

The cover:

The Cover:

Andrew (Drew) is on the cover.  I like this cover, for some reason, but there really isn't much to say about it, though it works.  I'm not even annoyed by the "A Novel".  (That's a pet peeve of mine.  I don't get the need for clarification.)

My Description:

Drew is a teenager who lives at the hospital, though he's not a patient.  He works in the cafeteria and never leaves, sleeping in an abandoned wing of the hospital.  He entertains himself by writing a comic book, Patient F, and through the friends he's made at the hospital, such as a few kids with cancer and the ER nurses.  Drew won't let anyone know him too well, otherwise they might notice that he's not who he says he is.  

However, when a boy, Rusty, is brought into the emergency room after being burned alive, Drew finds himself wanting to help the other boy in any way that he can, and he slowly realizes that he can't stay in the hospital forever.

(I thought that the official description had a few too many minor spoilers in it, but if you want to read it... Link to Official Description )

My Review:

I really like The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley, but I have to warn you that it is depressing.  It isn't a book that entirely focuses on tragedy.  There are points of pure happiness, but the sad moments, while less in number than you would anticipate, can be pretty sad.  (I imagine you picked that up from the title, but one can never be too careful.)  Aside from the tragedies, this book was actually really sweet.  There were multiple romances occurring in the hospital that were insanely cute at certain points.

I loved all of the characters.  There weren't just unique, but they were like-able!  I felt every character's pain and joy like it was my own.  They were complex and very, very complicated.  They also had this amazing thing, character development! Drew ended the book as a completely different person than he was at the beginning.  Even smaller characters, like Drew's boss, Arnold, had extreme character growth over the course of the novel.

The plot was amazing.  It kept me in complete suspense.  Shaun Hutchinson kept just the right amount of details from the reader to make the characters' backstories a mystery that was worth solving.  

At the end of every couple of chapters was a one or two page excerpt from Drew's Patient F comic book.  I really enjoyed this small aspect, as the life of Patient F mirrored Drew's life perfectly and added to the experience of reading this book. Still, there was not too many comic book panels, so it did not detract from the story.  (It was done in a way that kind of reminds me of Winger by Andrew Smith, it supplemented the story.) 

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley was both sweet and heartbreaking, but it was mainly wonderful.  I would highly recommend it! To be warned, it does contain some adult themes such as death, so don't give it to your seven year old niece, but for the rest of you, I strongly recommend that you try to read The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley.  It was a really great read.

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun Hutchinson comes out January 20, 2015

Phrases (I can't decide):

Andrew. Andy or Drew. Whatever.

AND

Death likes scrambled eggs

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff 5/5 stars

I recently read an ARC from edelweiss for Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff.  It was amazing! I loved it!  I wouldn't be at all surprised if this doesn't become an instant hit.  It had all the qualities needed for a fantastic book, and I think that people will really like it.

It reminded me a bit of Paper Towns by John Green, except it was much more intense.  

Anyway, here's the cover:

The Cover:
The cover shows Sam, our protagonist, listening to Hayden's playlist with Astrid.  I particularly like the sentence at the top of the cover, "You never really know someone until you listen."  It really fits this book, and I'm glad they put it on the cover.

The Description:
Sam found Hayden his best, and only, friend dead one morning.  He had committed suicide and all he left Sam to help him comprehend this was a playlist of songs and a note: For Sam- Listen and you'll understand.  But that's not enough for Sam as he attempts to uncover the events that led up to Hayden's suicide.  The mystery unravels a little further with every page and every person Sam meets, including a girl, Astrid, who claimed to know Hayden before he died.  Song after song go by on the playlist as Sam learns more and more about his friend and even more about himself.
It was partially a mystery, love story, thought-provoking, and grief book all in one.

My Review:
I loved it! It had everything that you could possibly want in a book.  It was deeply thoughtful, funny, heartbreaking, and beautiful all at the same time.  Playlist for the Dead is kind of similar to both Perks of Being a Wallflower and Paper Towns.  It falls under the same categories as those books and cause you to think about the same type of issues that the above books do.
It was also organized in a really neat way.  Instead of chapter titles, it had song titles from Hayden's playlist that corresponded to each chapter.  They fit the story perfectly and really added to the experience of reading this book.  I strongly, strongly suggest listening to the songs during or after each chapter.  You might even find a new song/band that you like!
The characters were superb.  I felt really connected to the main character, Sam.  That might have been mainly because it was written in first person, but he was a really developed character who went through changes throughout the book.  Character development definitely occurred to most of the established characters.  Everyone was very complex and different.  They were also written to be very relatable to.  Even the characters that I am nothing like, let's say Ryan or Eric, I found connections to by the end of the book.
Even while set in a normal school setting, I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout entire chunks of the story.  The plot was interesting and kept me hooked.  Every few pages, we would learn a little more about the circumstances leading up to Hayden's death.  I was constantly surprised by the next installment of the story!
I'd highly recommend reading Playlist for the Dead to anyone looking for a new book to read!

Phrase:
Metallica T-shirt

Playlist for the Dead comes out January 27, 2015.

The Rogue Knight (Five Kingdoms #2) by Brandon Mull (Awesome)

The Rogue Knight is the second book in the Five Kingdoms Series, the first book being Sky Raiders.  I loved both books immensely.  Brandon Mull did it again.  He is an amazing author who I've enjoyed reading basically everything from.  My favorite series from him is the Beyonders series (link to information of the first in that series), closely followed by Fablehaven and Candy Shop War.  His books tend to have this strange characteristic of sounding absolutely terrible and goofy, at least until you start reading and engaging with the story.

I'll post a really tiny review I wrote of Sky Raiders before I move on. (For more information, follow the link to Sky Raider's Goodreads page)
Review:
While probably meant for twelve year old boys, I loved Sky Raiders. It was unique and awesome. I love Brandon Mull and everything he does (writing-wise anyway). He even got a lot of points for making the book's epigraph lyrics from the Killer's song Dustland Fairytale. It is full of great comebacks, irony, exciting plot points, cool characters, and a surprisingly large amount of slavery (possibly too much slavery).  I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend for you to as well.

Back to The Rogue Knight.  For this point on, there may be spoilers for the first book, sorry!

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows the Rogue Knight swinging at Cole and Mira with his sword.  Meanwhile, Cole attempts to defend Mira and himself with his Jumping Sword which is glowing.

Official Description:
Cole Randolph never meant to come to The Outskirts, but when his friends were kidnapped on Halloween he had to try and save them. Now he's trapped in a world that lies between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death.
Cole's search for his friends has led him to Elloweer, another of the five kingdoms that make up The Outskirts. He's accompanied by Mira, Twitch, and Jace, new friends he's met here in the Outskirts who each have their own important missions.
The group is following news that Mira's sister, Honor, could be in danger. However, Cole and Mira are soon the ones facing direct threat, and must resort to a fascinating new kind of magic to protect themselves. Their journey brings them across familiar faces, some more welcome than others, until their paths ultimately cross with the infamous man known throughout Elloweer as the Rogue Knight.
Will he turn out to be an unstoppable enemy, or a key ally?
Every move is filled with danger as Cole and his new friends try and outwit the High Knig, who will stop at nothing to regain what he has lost.

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading The Rogue Knight.  I was constantly surprised by where the story was going and was completely caught off guard by one key plot twist.  This novel was beautifully written, creative, and even very funny at times.  It was a perfect sequel to Sky Raiders and picked up right where the last book left off.  It was a fast-paced and easy read for all ages.

I loved the characters in this series for the most part.  For example, I loved the returning characters (Mira, Cole, Jace, Twitch, etc.) even more during Rogue Knight but I found some of the new characters a little bit irritating.  (However, my annoyance with them might not have been entirely with them but with the altering of the previous characters' dynamics.)  Either way, there was plenty of character development that occurred during this book, as well as really amusing banter.  Who doesn't love a good comeback? or some excessive sarcasm?

I loved all of the plot lines of The Rogue Knight! Seemingly unconnected circumstances would slowly connect themselves as I was reading, conquering up a puzzle board that slowly pieced itself together.  Yet still a few pieces are missing.  Even more reason to continue the series as it comes out. (The following book is Crystal Keepers out this March.)

The Rogue Knight was a great installment in the Five Kingdoms series, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has read Sky Raiders, which I would, in turn, recommend to everyone.  Both were exciting reads with complex characters and lots of fun.

The Rogue Knight comes out November 18, 2014

Phrase:
Brady's Wilderness

*Note: This book was given to me by Aladdin through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

The Unhappening of Genesis Lee by Shallee McArthur (Awesome)

I LOVED The Unhappening of Genesis Lee!  It had an unique premise which was presented in a very plausible way.  It kept me guessing throughout the entire book, and even included some powerful messages about memories and human existence.  Very impressive.

The cover:

I'm not sure what I think about this cover.  It shows our main character, Gena (Genesis), dancing while possibly dissolving.  Stars dot the background.  After reading this book, the stars seem to have their own significance.  However, the cover does no suitably illustrate the tone/mood of this book.  This isn't what I would classify as a "dancing girl" book.  The cover just doesn't seem to properly merge with my idea of the book.

Official Description:

What would it feel like to never forget? Or to have a memory stolen?

Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything.  As one of the Mementi-a small group of genetically enhanced humans-Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve the perfectly.  But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena's best friend.

Anyone could be next.  That's why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims not only that they have met before, but also that Gena knows who the thief is.

The problem is that Gena doesn't remember Kalan, she doesn't remember seeing the thief, and she doesn't know why she's forgetting things-or you much else she might forget.  As growing tensions between Mementi and ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they have to solve the mystery fast...because Gena's life is unhappening around her.

My Review:

I enjoyed The Unhappening of Genesis Lee about ten times more than I expected to, which is saying something considering how interesting the description sounded to me.  However, it took a while to get into the story, I have to admit.  The first 10% (sorry, didn't have page numbers, just percents) of the story went really slowly since McArthur needed to set up the premise of the book so the reader would understand the basics.  After she introduced Kalan, however, everything sped up exponentially.  

I loved the complexities of all the characters in this book.  They seemed like real people with hopes dreams, and severe misconceptions.  There weren't really villains, but people who made mistakes.  I love that; it makes everything seem more real, in a way.  

Also, The Unhappening of Genesis Lee was DEEP! Are you the same person even without your memories? What exactly are the boundaries before the collateral damage becomes too great? And a lot more questions (which I'm not sharing because they are spoilers) are asked.  This book makes you question the definitions of things that you've for granted in the past.  

I was very impressed by Shallee McArthur's debut novel, and would highly recommend it to almost anyone.  It was fantastic and might even become one of the next "big books"!

The Unhappening of Genesis Lee comes out October 14, 2014.  

*Note: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review through Edelweiss*

Phrase:

You don't remember, do you?

Story Thieves by James Riley (Great)

I was sent a copy of Story Thieves in exchange for an honest review.  (Thanks, Aladdin!)

I read the description for Story Thieves  and thought that it sounded different and that it could be a good book.  That original thought pales in comparison to how great the book really was.  This book is classified as a 3-7 grade book, and those are most certainly the prime ages.  However, as a person in grade 10, I still really enjoyed reading it and didn't feel as if it talked down to the reader at all, which I consider to be a great feat.
The cover:

The cover:

The cover shows Bethany and Owen (or maybe Kyle?) jumping into/ out of a book.  In the background, the universe from the book Kiel Gnomenfoot is seen.

Official Description:

Life is boring when you love in the real world, instead of starring in your own book series.  Owen knows that better than anyone, what with the real world's homework and chores.

But everything changes the day Owen sees the impossible happen - his classmate Bethany climb out of a book in the library.  It turns out Bethany's half-fictional and has been searching every book she can find for her missing father, a fictional character.

Bethany can't let anyone else learn her secret, so Owen makes her a deal: All she has to do is take him into a book in Owen's favorite Kiel Gnomenfoot series, and he'll never say a word.  Besides, visiting the book might help Bethany find her father...

...Or it might just destroy the Kiel Gnomenfoot series, reveal Bethany's secret to the entire world, and force Owen to live out Kiel Gnomenfoot's final (very final) adventure.

Review:

I really enjoyed reading Story Thieves! It was a fresh and different, in a good way.
The characters were all complex with varying and relatable motives for all their actions.  Even the fictional characters (the characters of the books within the book) were nicely developed and did not feel two demential at all.  I found myself relating more than I expected with both Owen and Bethany. Bethany was overly worried about consequences and yet enjoyed herself when the going got tough, which I feel quite a few people understand.  Also, Owen was so excited by the idea of jumping into books.  I don't know a single reader who doesn't wish to jump inside another world, and Owen learned he could!
The plot line was super engaging.  While the pace started off a little bit slow, once it started going, I loved it.  Parts of the book were told from from both Bethany and Owen's alternating perspectives and I was interested in both story lines.  (More often than not in books, one storyline is exciting while the other is just... there.)  Nearing the end, especially, the pace increased so much that Story Thieves was impossible to put down.
Another positive, in my opinion, was the whole book-within-a-book concept.  I love that.  The characters would be talking about how one of them wasn't real because he was "fictional", and the reader is on the sidelines thinking "But you are fictional, too!"  I think that whole situation is terribly ironic, whether you focus on it or not.  It's definitely a plus if you like that type of thing.
I would recommend Story Thieves to anyone who likes reading.  It was a good book, but I imagine it would be difficult to relate to if you don't enjoy books.  Also, I would recommend it more to the middle grade readers than older audiences.  While still enjoyable for all, it truly is aimed closer for the Lower/Middle School level of readers.

Story Thieves by James Riley comes out January 20, 2015.

Phrase:
Magic vs Science