4.5 starsIf I had any doubt about this series after reading the first book (which I did), that doubt has totally been blown away. This sequel is better in almost every way. I don't know why Zeke and Kanin fell flat for me in the the first book, but this time, they jumped off the page with personality. And Jackal is a great addition, whose true heart and intentions are confusing, and whose character is not black or white. The world is so vivid, so real, and so creepy. And Allison kicks ass.
I kept passing over this book because I wasn't sure of the synopsis. A re-telling of Peter Pan? Narrated by Tinker Bell, from Tiger Lily's perspective, before Wendy came into the picture? Hm,…sounded interesting, but maybe sad. So I kept putting it off. Well, I am entirely glad I decided to finally pick this one up. It has such creativity in its re-inventiveness, and it certainly has touched my emotions in the deepest way.This story is not about the Peter Pan and Neverland you knew of. This story is much grittier. It is the tale of Tiger Lily, a native of Neverland, a character in the Peter Pan stories that you probably don't remember. Elements of the original stories are woven in expertly; yet all characters had such complexity and soulfulness, …even villains like Hook and Smee, in all their soullessness. The camaraderie of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys is so well-delivered that it makes you want to be a part of it. The loneliness yet quiet strength of Tiger Lily is to be admired; and I love the character Tik Tok, her shaman father, in all his crazy and tragic gloriousness.And while the ending may not be happily-ever-after, it is also not completely sad. It is both beautiful and heart-breaking in every way, such as life is. The inherent sense of loss you might feel about change and growing up, versus the sure constancy the past represents that you won't ever lose…it is all one and the same. What a very fitting way to portray the underlying theme of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew old.After I put this book down, I could not stop thinking about it. It is one of those stories that will probably stay with me for a long time.
3.5 starsThis book was an overall fun read. It didn't move me much on an emotional level, or explore character growth, relationships, or anything deeper. But it had your supernatural hunk, your tough heroine, lots of "action" of various types, and humorous dialogue. Great escapist reading!
This book really resonated with me, as it took me back to a time in my life when I backpacked for 7 weeks as an 18-year-old. The details were slightly different, but the essence of what it is like to be a young nonconformist and off-the-beaten-path wanderer was really well-captured. Loved this quote from the book: "You got to find your own places. The places you get, girl, the ones that stick in your heart. And if you're lucky, you find people to share them with." If you love traveling, you'll appreciate this one.
4.5 starsI found myself skimming…not because I wanted to get the book over with, but because I could not turn the pages fast enough in anticipation of what was going to happen next! This book was that good! Prodigy in my opinion is leaps and bounds better than its predecessor, Legend. Legend felt a bit like light entertainment, but Prodigy delivered a much meatier story. It sends you fully emersed into the world of the Republic, the Patriots (a rebel group), and the Colonies. The author really pushes the boundaries of June, Day, Anden and Tess, by putting them in situations that force them to react in such ways that truly show their characters. And after that ending… oh that ending… oh how can you do this to us Ms. Lu? The last book can't come fast enough.
3.5 starsI am writing this review after having read Prodigy, its sequel and better, which probably skews my rating of Legend toward 4 stars instead of 3. Legend is a dystopian book, set in futuristic Los Angeles. The United States is now the Republic, and at war with neighboring Colonies. The story is about two teens, from opposite sides of the track, who end up crossing paths. June is a 15-year old prodigy, and part of Republic's elite. When her brother gets murdered, all signs lead to Day, a notorious criminal from the slums whom the Republic has been hunting for a long time. The heart of the story is old, tried, and true, but doesn't introduce anything new. While this first book felt "light" on the world-building, the second book made up for it and more. However this book kept me on my feet and turning the pages, and it is sure to entertain.
Pivot Point
Pivot Point was a fun contemporary sci-fi read! This one was worth staying up until 2am for, and left me feeling giddy and happy. Addison comes from a place called the Compound where everyone has a specific ability of the mind, such as Mood Controller (controls emotions) or Telekinetic (moves objects with mind) or Eraser (erases memories). Addie's ability is a unique one called Divergence, which is when faced with a decision, she can see both paths into the future. When her parents get divorced she has to choose whether to go with her father and leave the Compound to live among the "Norms," or whether to stay at the Compound with her mother. As she "Searches" each path, she finds that each one brings something different. The author weaves 2 paths together very well, kind of like of the movie "Sliding Doors." And if you thought that having a power like this would make any decision easy, think again. Highly recommend this novel for anyone looking for a solid, fun read.
A very original book, and wonderful companion to Ultraviolet. It is well-written, suspenseful, and not your typical YA paranormal book. Synesthesia, asexuality, racism, defying stereotypes... this book went there and more. As a sci-fi fan, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and as a female engineer I thoroughly enjoyed it that much more!
4.5 starsWhile Everneath mostly takes place above ground, Everbound takes place in the underground, which is exactly what I had wanted... to finally explore the world of Everneath. This novel is an adventure-like, action-packed story through Everneath, with the Greek Mythology element playing a larger role. The same 3 characters that felt a little flat in the first book (Nikki, Cole, Jack), become multi-dimensional. I know what authors/screenwriters/storytellers are up to when they give the villain a little bit of heart, but it never fails to pull me in and make me more invested in the characters.
Boundless
As far as paranormal romance goes, this is about as good as it gets. Although there was romance, it did not consume the story or feel like it was the only thing driving it. The platonic relationships of the story were just as strong and heart-wrenching, especially with Clara and Angela, her mother, and even supporting characters like Billy. The love triangle (as much as I hate love triangles) was well-written. Both Christian and Tucker were healthy for Clara, and there was none of that angst-ridden bad-boy thing going on that you see time after time in books like this. I did not know whom she would end up with until I was about like 90% done with this book. Both were great options, and both were worthy. It probably isn't fair of me to take off a star cuz of my disagreement on whom she ends up with, but I had to, just cuz I was rooting for the other one. Aw makes my heart hurt! Overall though, a brilliant story.
Through the Ever Night
This sequel did not disappoint (as sequels usually do!) Perhaps I've had more time with the characters now, but they've grown on me, especially Roar. I really enjoyed the setting of this book. Even though it takes place in post-apocalyptic times (i.e., the future)...it had such a pre-historic feel to it (and I love pre-historic stories like Clan of the Cave Bear.) It is an interesting concept to think that hundreds of years into the past could be so similar to hundreds of years into the future. I'm not sure if it's a statement the author intended to make, but I thought it was a powerful one nonetheless.
3.5 starsOverall the book was engaging enough to make me want to read it through, and follow the next books. However, I kept wishing there was just a little more depth / complexity to the story. If you like high-fantasy simplified, with magic, princesses, kings, and politics, this one's for you.
This novel was more romance-centric than the previous two. I feel that a romance like this can only carry a series so far and there has to be more story beyond that in order to keep my interest. The story on the Lux / Arum did not progress very far, and took a backseat to Daemon and Katy. I wanted more on the aliens! It will probably please a lot of Daemon / Katy fans, and teenagers, but it's just not really my cup of tea.
I appreciated the gritty take on vampires in this book and the post-apocalyptic setting. There are no sparkling creatures of hotness here. After reading the Iron Fey series, I was really eager to try out Kagawa's other stuff. This one was promising. I will be following this series.
3.5 starsDespite the failure of the last book in the Vampire Academy series, I kinda wanted to be back in that world! This series is a spinoff of Vampire Academy. Sydney the Alchemist seemed a bit boring of a character in VA, but I rather liked her as narrator. I liked hearing more on the Alchemists and their history. Adrian is the same and still much loved by me! He is one of the characters that actually makes the story worth reading.
