Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

Released: April 23, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 323

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Review: 
 To be honest, I expected more out of this book. I thought that a lot of it was unnecessary. And even though most teenage girls do get confused on what boy they really want, I was pretty annoyed with how often America would always be switching between Aspen and Maxon, only to end up changing her mind every other day or so. Also, there were multiple rebel attacks added in just for something to write about, I feel.

I do love the politics, though! I love that we got to read the journal of the country's creator, even if we found out aggravating information. It's interesting to see how everything plays out and how it's so different, especially to see how other countries are when they visit the palace.

I was also upset with how it ended. Throughout the entire 323, only one person was eliminated, so when The One comes out in 2014, it will be the tale of how the five left become just one, which does sound enticing. Especially considering how Maxon and America left off, it will be interesting.

The thing is that I honestly can't say much without spoiling it. But since I just downloaded The Prince, which is an e-novella about Prince Maxon before The Selection happened. Along with The Prince, Cass's next novella The Guard, which comes out February 4, 2014, is about Aspen. What about, I have no idea. The Guard will be printed along with The Prince in The Selection Stories. And then don't forget that The One comes out May 6, 2013. I definitely can't wait.

Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Released: March 22, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 359
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (a.k.a. witches, shape-shifters, and faeries). But then she discovered the family secret, and the fact that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie's a demon, one of only two in the world-the other being her father. What's worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will either destroy her powers for good-or kill her. 

But once Sophie arrives, she makes a shocking discovery. Her new housemates? They're demons too. Meaning, someone is raising demons in secret, with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they're using Archer to do it. But it's not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
Review:
This book made me really happy. I loved pretty much everything about this book. It reminded me of this dramatic, romantic movie. I could so see this being a movie! Oh, how fabulous would that be?

So let's get to it. Demonglass picks up about six months after Hex Hall ends, which ended with Archer Cross, her crush whom she had just made-out with, is a demon hunter, and Sophie had just been told that she was a demon. And she had just seen her demon-ghost great-grandmother thing kill her best frenemy. So yeah... things kind of suck in the Sophie Mercer world.

So it's May at Hex Hall, and her defense class is working on how to escape being thrown into a pond by Cal, who is this healing warlock who's only a year older than her and works at Hex Hall. Oh, and he's also her betrothed. To be honest, I never liked Sophie and Archer together, so I shipped them automatically. Cal is so stoic and he has this half smile thing going on, so it made me like the idea of them together. I figured that when her father, who's head of the council, wants them to go to Council Headquarters in London (her, Cal, and her best friend Jenna, a vampire), I figured that there would be a lot of heated Cal and Sophie time. But sadly, there wasn't.

NO. Instead she goes out with Jenna and the other two random demons Nick and Daisy and then The Eye (demon hunters) find out that Sophie is out and go hunting for her and Archer is there. Ugh. If only she stayed away from him like her father, and everyone else, told her to. Although it was a good thing that she saw Archer because she found out about some sketchy stuff going on at Hex Hall. 

The only reason I didn't like it as much as I thought I would is because I felt like it was sort of slow. Like, everything was so necessary and I loved learning more about the Prodigium and her learning and what was going on at Hex Hall and all, but I just wanted some romance I guess, or something really big to happen. But when it finally happened, I loved every minute of it. 

Demonglass ends with a bigger cliffhanger than Hex Hall did. But that doesn't matter, since I have the third and final book in the trilogy, Spell Bound, over on my shelf. I'm excited to see who she ends up with, where Jenna is (oh, yeah, she went missing), who stayed alive, and how the war is going on (and The Eye started a war at Council Headquarters, too). I just can't wait whatsoever.

Favorite Friday (#2)

Today's Favorite: Fan Cover Art

When I post reviews on here, I always go and post them on goodreads as well. So, I was on there posting my review of Anna and the French Kiss, right? And then I came across this beauty:

And good lord, I fell in love with it. Why couldn't have this been the original cover? Granted, the font could be a little better and easier to read, but it's just so perfect and amazing and cute and look at Anna and St. Clair kissing I just can't. It's just so perfect.

This girl named Nina posted it, but she said that she found it online somewhere, so I have no idea who actually created this. Probably someone on tumblr, let's be real. So if this is actually yours, feel free to email or comment and I'll give you credit for making it! It's so fabulous and I'm telling you; it's so perfect. Props to you, mystery designer.

Review: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Released: October 1, 2012

Publisher: Sourebooks Fire

Pages: 242

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

Review: 
 I fell in love with Stealing Parker instantly, just as I did with Catching Jordan. I read it in under five hours, I was so addicted with it. I kept wanting---- no, needing more. This novel keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing about a lot of things. It's just so... intriguing.

My thing about Kenneally's novels is that I just don't know sports. I mean, write a novel about swimming and I'm your girl. But football and baseball? Nope. But that's not her fault; I'm in the minority of girls that doesn't at least understand those two sports. But I love that she teaches me things about these sports.

I also love that we got to see a little bit of characters from Catching Jordan; Henry is the major one, since he's on the baseball team that Parker manages for a while. You hear about Jordan, and JJ, and a few of the other guys, and even girls. I just love companion novels for this reason.

So let's get to it. Poor Parker. She's had such a hard year, with her parents getting divorced, best friends (well, ex) spreading rumors about her, fighting for valedictorian, and also dealing with her downward-spiraling older brother. She only kisses so many guys because one of the rumors is that she's gay, just like her mother. So, yeah, she became a little boy crazy. And she wasn't getting attention from anyone other than her best friend, Drew, so when Coach Brian Hoffman, the assistant coach of the team she manages (who's only twenty three) pays attention to her, they become friends. And then they become more than friends.

I wasn't sure at first how I felt about it. They definitely did seem to be good friends, which was something Parker needed. But when things heated up, I felt awkward. It reminded me of Aria and Mr. Fitz/Ezra from Pretty Little Liars. But I gotta admit: I couldn't tear my eyes away when there was a scene with them, whether it was just at a game and they were just two people, or when they were making out in his car, sneaking around.

And I couldn't believe how he handled their break up. He could've at least said something. But guys suck, no matter what age they are.

Kenneally has a theme: girl is dating boy, girl has a friend boy that falls for her, girl realizes (while dating original boy) that she loves the friend boy, but girl screws it up somehow. Eventually girl and boyfriend break up and the book ends with girl and friend boy suddenly dating and they're already in love. I've only read two of Kenneally's books as of now, and she writes them really well, making tons of readers happy. People can't live without a romance like that!

I won't tell you anything about the friend boy, not even his name or his significance.

One thing that made me really sad was the fact that Parker's best friend just ignored her and wouldn't even listen to her side of the story when she tried to explain what happened between her and Friend Boy. Like, what kind of friend is that? But everything was okay in the end, so that's what matters.

No matter what, I absolutely adored this book. And it really inspires me, too, so I'm sure it'll make a good impact on most readers somehow.

Bonus! I ordered this book off of Amazon, right? When I cracked open this book for the first time to read it, I noticed that it was previously signed by Miranda Kenneally herself! SURPRISE!

Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Released: June 1, 2009
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 290
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.
Review:
It is safe to say that I loved this book to death. It is also safe to say that I fell in love with a fictitious dead boy. I mean, Matt was going to study Comparative Literature. He loved reading and bookstores, and also loved sea glass and the ocean. And he was pretty romantic, of what we knew. And cared about his family so, so much. 

I'm in love with a dead fictional character. And I'm not afraid or ashamed to admit it.

Alright, so here we go. This was my first Ockler book. That's because when I hear of an author, I always like to start with their debut novel, and go up, and see how they grow as a writer. This was such a perfect debut novel. It had a great plot, interesting back story, perfect writing style, awesome characters, and a number of plot twists that made this perfect.

Like the synopsis says, Anna (the main character) fell in love with Matt, who is Frankie (the best friend)'s older brother. The day before he goes to break the news to Frankie that they're together, he dies. It's a year later, and nobody's still over it. And then Frankie's parents decide to go to the same beach house they had been going to all their life, and bring Anna with them. Anna still hasn't told Frankie about her and Matt. And Frankie, who's been going wild the past few months, decides to make a bet to meet and flirt with twenty boys during the three week duration at the beach.

And then they meet boys. And I was so heartbroken how every time Anna would think something, she'd be talking to Matt in her mind. She even has a journal (one that Matt bought her for her birthday, the one that he kissed her for the first time at) and she writes letters to him every once in a while. That comes very important later on in the book. You could tell how important he was to her just by the fact that she still kept their month-long relationship a secret because he wanted to be the one to tell her. 

I feel like I can't really say much about this book without spoiling it because all I want to do is talk about what I loved about it. Let's just say that you'll just be so surprised in many different places. I couldn't believe what Frankie did to Anna towards the end. I mean, she was drunk, but still. You don't go doing that. But it made for a good plot, and that's what matters. 

There was only one thing I didn't like about Twenty Boy Summer: I felt like it took too long to get them to California, where things started happening. I mean, the first few chapters had to explain the back story, and the one right after that had to bring them to where they were 'now,' a few weeks before going to the beach. We had to find out how everyone was doing. But I felt like it just took too long for something to actually happen. But it went by quick, and fun things happened, and interesting things were found out, so it was completely necessary and I definitely did enjoy it. So I'm really glad that Ockler made everything interesting enough to the point where it didn't turn me off from the book. Yay, Ockler :)

That little thing aside, this book is a great summer read. Great romance (not between her and the dead guy, I promise), you sort of get a small feel like you're in California yourself, and there's some catty girl drama. Who doesn't secretly love catty, fictional girl drama?

I can't wait to read all of Ockler's books! If they're any close to being this addicting, they are all going to be so, so perfect.

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Released: April, 20, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen 

Pages: 327

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: 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 a palace and compete for the heart of 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.

Review: 
I had no idea what to expect from this book. It's set in the future, I wouldn't really say post-apocalyptic, but definitely far enough into the future to the point that there had been four World Wars, and The United States had been taken over by China, and (what I think is Russia) turned into a new country, Illéa. (So dystopian). There's a caste system set up in Illéa, and America, the main character, is a five, which is three from the bottom. She's a singer/musician, and her family doesn't have a lot of money. So when the Selection comes up, her parents and current boyfriend Aspen bribe her to enter.

And then, she gets in. (That reminded me of the part in Tron: Legacy when Flynn goes into The Grid and they say pretty much those exact words, hehe, nerd alert.)

So when she gets to the palace, I have no idea what too expect. I didn't see almost anything coming, so I was always on my toes and always surprised when something happened. Not many authors can do that, so props to you, Kiera Cass!

So anyways, back to the review. I absolutely have no complaints whatsoever. Everything was perfect: the characters, setting, description, length, writing style, cover, minor characters... just everything.

 Cass's writing style is different than most authors I read. It's in first person but it's in past tense. She uses said instead of say, pretty much, and most authors I read use say. It was a nice twist, and I thought I was going to not like it, but I didn't even notice after the first ten pages or so.

The characters were all so great. America is so lovely and confident (for the most part) and she's talented (not only has she mastered singing and three instruments, but she's fluent in English, French, and Spanish), and she has red hair. With so fits the fact that her name is America (which is because she was a fighter when her mother was pregnant with her). Aspen seems really nice and so in love with America, until he decides to break up with her because he was too proud to let her pay for dinner.And I couldn't believe that he showed up in the palace as an officer! (Plot twist.) Her mother is okay, she just act like she wants to live her life through America. Marlee seems so sweet and I want to be her best friend, and the entire time I read about her, I kept thinking of Rapunzel from Tangled for some reason. Celeste can just shove it, and I can't believe she's going through to the Elite. And even though I haven't read The Elite yet, I'm going to guess that it'll be Celeste and America going into the final two? If it goes into the final two. I guess we'll find out?

And Prince Maxon. Oh. My. God. I just can't with this guy. I wish he were real. I instantly fell in love with the prince myself, and how much he truly cared about the country he would eventually be leading all on his own. He's so sincere and lovely and strong apparently and he cares so much about America, you can obviously tell. It's just so great.

The entire thing is so great, honestly. When you finish this one, it makes you want to go read the second novel in the trilogy, The Elite, immediately. Luckily for me I actually saw The Elite by itself first and bought it, and then bought The Selection. I just hate that now I have to wait until May 2014 for The One. This will be a fun wait...

Okay, so this is perfect everyone go read this if you haven't already, thank you.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Released: December 2, 2010
Publisher: Dutton
Pages: 372
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review:
AH. 

I don't know how to review this because it was literally just so perfect. So, so perfect. 

I literally felt like I was in France, honestly. And I had no idea what as going to happen after each and every page. I didn't call almost anything, besides Anna and St. Clair getting together. 

This is the hardest review I've ever had to write. It shouldn't be this hard to write a review.

Okay. So I obviously adored this book so much. The beginning was okay. I didn't really like Toph at all, and didn't see his significance until the Bridgette thing happened. I looooved the friendship of St. Clair and Anna, especially around Thanksgiving, and even more so at Christmas. I hated that his mother got cancer and I hated his father even more so, for obvious reasons (at least if you've read the book it's obvious). I loved the fact that everyone was in love with St. Clair, including Anna's best friend, Meredith. I didn't like the fact that we only got to see a chapter of the two of them dating.

That is my only complaint, really. I wish that they dated sooner on in the book so that we could get to know their relationship better. Granted, I guess things really didn't change all that much except for the fact that they started making out a lot, but I still wanted to know... you know? I want to know about how the friendship between Bridgette and her is going. How college is. How St. Clair's mother is doing, and don't forget about Anna's little brother, Seany. Kid was adorable with his Star Wars obsession.

Either way, everyone should read this book because it is perfect, perfect, perfect.