Gone by Michael Grant – Book review

Author: Michael Grant

Pages: 576

Language: English

Series: Yes

Quote: “Yesterday I sent Edilio to the power plant to get two things. First, a cache of automatic weapons from the guardhouse.” Sam said
“Machine guns?”  Astrid said
“Yeah. Not just for us to have, but to make sure the other side doesn’t get them.” Sam said
“Now we have an arms race,” Astrid said.
Her tone seemed to irritate Sam. “You want me to leave them for Caine?” Sam said
“I wasn’t criticizing, just… you know. Ninth graders with machine guns; it’s hard to make that a happy story.” Astrid said
Sam relented. He even grinned. “Yeah. The phrase ‘ninth graders with machine guns’ isn’t exactly followed by ‘have a nice day’.”
— Gone

Gone is the first book in the series GONE by Michael Grant. This dark dystopian book can be seen as the modern Lord of the Flies with the way it brings together societal problems and the reaction of those who cannot yet create their own societal structure perfectly, the kids.

Suddenly, everyone over 15 is just gone. No teachers, parents or doctors and no internet, phones or television. These kids have to figure out what happened themselves. As hunger threatens, animals mutate and bullies start a twisted rule of the town, a sinister creature lurks somewhere outside the town. The teens themselves are also changing; gaining powers that would have been unimaginable before.

Welcome to FAYZ, as the kids christen the hell they now are stuck in. People are choosing sides, tensions are increasing and time is running out; on your birthday you will disappear.

Gone by Michael Grant is an extremely thought-provoking story. The reader cannot help but react to the images created and the plot development with a million questions. What if it was happening to me? How would I react? And many, many more questions of the same type, it might be hard to imagine how you would react, but it does not stop the reader from wondering as they keep reading the series.

As you worry about what you would do you also get caught up in the mystery that is FAYZ as well as worrying if the kids will survive the hardships or not.  The author has created a world that keeps you biting your fingernails in worry as you follow the story of the FAYZ kids.

Sure, the story might seem a little unrealistic as total war almost breaks out after a few days with bullies becoming torturers and murderers, but this increase in tension and action makes it impossible for anyone to take their eyes of the pages as you wonder what will happen next.

Sam is the main character, and unlike many others whom after a while seem to naturally fall into the hero category, Sam is always reluctant to take on the role as saviour. He too is only a kid after all. Such heroes are often my favourites though as they seem to do the right thing, just because it has to be done. When the problems start escalating he does his best to do what needs to be done, without any major character changes taking place. He doesn’t want to be a hero, but he does what no one else seems to want to do.

The ‘bad guy’ of this book is Caine; rich, delusional and from the private school for more or less troubled children on the hill. He is the perfect counterpart to Sam, the position of power that Sam so reluctantly holds against his own will seems to be what Caine craves most. And as Sam tries to keep calm and collected Caine seems lost in his own dark thoughts.

One of the darkest characters in the book is Drake, Caine’s right-hand man. The boy enjoys causing others pain and could be characterized as a psychopath who does not know how to feel guilty after hurting others.

There are too many characters to mention every one, but the variety is quite good because of it. The different ways they react to the fall of their society makes for an interesting read.

Though dark and dystopian with a cultural structure falling apart, even Gone had some romance, between Astrid and Sam, an innocent childlike love that grew after being brought together by the catastrophe. They complement each others strong point and yet their relationship is far from perfect and quite realistic for the situation. Astrid was clearly my favourite person, not only did she take care of her autistic little brother, but she was also a really smart. Acting as the brains behind most plans without seeming overly conscious of it.

This book is not suited for those under thirteen due to the intense scenes and the use of violence as the town goes of the hinges. A lot of the children in the book get hurt very badly as well as some using extreme measures of cruelty, so it might not be the right book for those whom cannot deal with these types of things.

However the book is a great read that might be more suited for the mature reader due to the violent scenes that happens in the book. The level of action and excitement is high too, making it a book you don’t want to put down.

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You can watch the trailer video for the series here or on the video page and read more about Michael Grant on the author page.

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Summer reads – YA books released in July

What does summer mean for you? For me summer is lazing on the beach on a sand-covered towel with a good book in my hand and a cold bottle of water next to me, whichever song I am addicted to blasting over my Ipod into my ears as I immerse myself in someone else’s world forgetting about the noise of the beach and barely noticing the sun scalding my back. Or if I have no money, the exact same thing except the sun will be changed out with rain and the towel with my bed, but none of that matters… The only thing summer really means for me (until I get a job) is being able to spend all day long reading a good book and ignoring the part of my brain that wants me to be active.

This summer there will be quite a few books waiting for me in the bookshelf, due to a busy last year in college having stopped me from reading, but still there are a few coming out this summer I HAVE to get. This list is just a quick mention of some of the books out this summer for those that have time to lazy around and read.

 

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris – 201 pages
Published July 12th 2011 by Delacorte Press

Kate Garble gets the shock of her life when she finds out that the coach of the football team has given the team steroids, and the steroids seem to have a very bad side effect. Somehow the drug is turning the drool-worthy hunks into zombies. Kate needs to fins an antidote before the whole school ends up eating each other.

 

Beautiful Beings (Beautiful Beings #1) by Kailin Gow –
Published July 18th 2011 by theEDGEbooks.com

This story takes place in an ethereal exclusive boarding school with unearthly beautiful students. The rebel girl Lux has been seeing angels and demons since she was only two-years-old. Bad boy, Asher, spends the time he’s not on his motorcycle, sketching angels. Then there is the hot guy, Brax who captures Lux’s eyes when she moves in to the neighborhood. And finally the filthy rich twins whose parents were murdered. These very different people were all brought together, all part of the puzzle behind the Beautiful Beings.

 

Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1) by Sarah Porter – 304 pages
Published July 4th 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Fourteen-year-old Luce thought for sure she was going to die as she was assaulted on the cliffs near an Alaskan village, tumbling into the freezing waters below. Luce can’t help to be thriller when she transforms into a mermaid. That is, until she discovers the catch.

 

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore –  416 pages
Published July 12th 2011 by Random House Children’s Books

Amy Goodnight comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer is being spent at the Goodnight Ranch, a ranch that is far from normal, and this summer it is further away from  the norm than usual. Bodies are showing up, a ghost is running wild and the hot cowboy is in her face everywhere she turns.

 

Starstruck by Cyn Balog –  256 pages
Published July 12th 2011 by Random House Children’s Books

Gwendolyn “Dough” X doesn’t think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires. She can’t help but thank the stars for the long distance bf Pjilip P. Wishman aka “Wish”, he moved away fro Jersey three years before, but suddenly now he is moving back to Jersey. Dough freaks out, she has gained about 70 pounds since the last time they saw each other, and Wish’s facebook page shows him to be a blonde god. Convinced she’ll be dumped the minute he sees her, she tries to delay their first meeting as long as possible, but when they meet at school he looks at Dough as if she is as hot as him. Wish has changed quite a bit though, he is obsessed with the sun and freaks out when it rains. Even the creepy new guy at the bakery is convinced there is more to Wish’s sudden good looks than just good health and sun. Does the mark on Wish’s neck really mean he’s a member of the Luminati? Is Wish and Dough’s love meant to be, or are they star-crossed?

 

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater – 400
Published July 12th 2011 by Scholastic, Inc.

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater. In SHIVER, they found each other. In LINGER they fought to be together. In FOREVER the stakes are even higher than ever. The wolves are being hunted, lives are threatened and love is becoming harder to hold on to.

 

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy, #2) by Kiersten White – 352 pages
Published July 26th 2011 by HarperTeen

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be, well, kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Unfortunately one disastrous misson leads to another and Evie wonders if she made the right choice. On top of that a battle is brewing between the faerie courts. What are they fighting for? Evie herself.
So much for normal

 

Wildefire (Wildefire #1) by Karsten Knight – 400 pages
Published July 26th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. Her boyfriend cheated on her, she can’t find her place in school and her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to drop by. Eve’s violent behaviour escalates to such a point that Ash needs to transfer to a remote private school in California’s redwoods to forget the tragedy that followed Eve. However, her fresh start doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash begins to enjoy school with romance and being captain of the tennis team, she discovers the group of gods and goddesses that goes to her school. And somehow she is one of them. To make things even worse, Eve is back… And she has some strange powers of her own.

 

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard – 272 pages
Published July 21st 2011 by Razorbill/Penguin

Lexi is cursed. Each day she goes to school, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren – a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. Tragedy makes Lexi shut herself off from the world to protect the people she loves. But then she finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi’s curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she’s always longed for – or the love she can’t live without?

 

A Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1) by Jennifer Estep – 336 pages
Published August 1st 2011 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. Lately things have been weird, even for Mythos. As if murder and theft isn’t bad enough, knowing I should have been the one who died makes it even worse.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Book review

Author: Rick Riordan

Pages: 384

Language: English

Series:Yes

Quote: “Hades raised an eyebrow. When he sat forward in his throne, shadowy faces appeared in the folds of his black robes, faces of torment, as if the garment was stitched of trapped souls from the Fields of Punishment, trying to get out. The ADHD part of me wondered, off-task, whether the rest of his clothes were made the same way. What horrible things would you have to do in your life to get woven into Hades’ underwear?” — The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is the first book in Rick Riordan’s best selling Percy Jackson series. The book has also been turned into a movie, though I must say (as is almost always the case) the book is much, much better.

Percy Jackson was just a normal kid, well he was really never completely normal. He suffered from ADHD and dyslexia and somehow always manages to get into trouble, but the only thing he really wanted was a normal life. He manages through expulsions and boarding schools with just this in mind, that is, until he accidentally vaporizes his math teacher.

At that moment his life changes completely and everything starts going completely wrong. He is swept up into a world of swordfights, gods and mythological creatures, fighting for survival in a world he didn’t even know existed. Monsters are after his blood, all because he is a half-blood, the illegitimate child of some Greek God. And as if all this excitement wasn’t enough, poor Percy is accused for stealing something from the main man himself, Zeus. As the story progresses Percy and his new friends set out on a quest to clear Percy’s name and stop Mount Olympus from breaking out in total war.

The pace of the book is quick, not letting the reader take even the smallest breath between the action scenes and as the story moves along it is filled with more and more mythological creatures. My own love for Ancient Greece made this book perfect for me, but even those who know nothing about Greek mythology will fall in love with this story.

The plot is full of twists and turns, though the more mature reader will figure many of them out quickly they are still quite enjoyable and as the book moves along small hints and clues are thrown around about who actually stole Zeus’s precious lightning rod. All in all it makes it a fantastic read for all ages.

However, the characters are slow to develop, as one will usually see in a series, but as the go on their quest they start learning more about not only themselves but also about their travel companions, bonding the main characters together in a much stronger way.

The language is fantastic, full of witty comments, deep thoughts and fantastic imagery that is all simple to understand as a children’s book should be, but with enough depth to not put off any older readers. The idea of Percy’s own problems with ADHD and dyslexia being tied in with him being a half-blood was a nice touch that made for some funny quotes and misunderstandings along the way.

The book is a great start to a great series which modernizes the ancient tales and makes for an enjoyable read that even an adult wouldn’t feel guilty about enjoying. As Harry Potter was before it, it is a children’s book that the whole family can enjoy fully. The simple, yet great writing style, the quick pace and the lovable characters are all mixed into a piece of history that is full of action in itself. All in all it is a good summer read.

I just simply picked this book up due to this involvement with ancient Greece, and until I finished the series I barely stopped reading. Watch the trailer for the series here or on the video page or read more about Rick go to the author page.

Video © belongs to Disney Hyperion

Funny Young Adult Book Quotes

It’s Friday! Which means it’s time for another list. Today’s Friday Fever list focuses on my favourite funny quotes from young adult books I have read. Laugh out loud moments are always some of my favourite in any book I read, so todays post is going to be long enough without me rambling on before giving you guys the quotes. Some books will be repeated to the extremes on this list (Like quotes from the Mortal Instruments, that book is just full of awesomeness), but that’s just because some writers are just fantastic at creating those quirky, funny quotes that can lighten the mood of even the darkest of stories. Later on, on another Friday, I will probably for others of this type with quotes about love or quotes that make you think, but for now I will focus on the funny ones It’s raining here and I need to get out of this gloomy mood the rain always brings with it, so as a selfish act this list will help me too. Enjoy and laugh!

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine – Book review

Author: Rachel Caine

Pages: 288

Language: English

Series: Yes

Quote: “The second bathroom’s downstairs – that’s kind of the emergency backup bathroom when Shane’s in there moussing his hair for like an hour or something….”
“Bite me!” Shane yelled from behind the closed door.”
— Glass Houses

Glass Houses is the first installment in the paranormal romance series Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine and is definitely worth a read if you love vampires and at times cheesy romance. Oh, and good/bad-boys, God how I love bad boys that are good at heart…. Erhm, review time…

Brainy Claire Denvers wanted nothing more than a normal college experience, even though she is, at sixteen, the youngest student in the college. Her parents however didn’t want their little girl to head off too far and would only agree to send her toMorganville,Texasa forgotten part ofAmerica. She bites her tongue and takes up their offer, happy to get a chance to become independent, but she’s soon had more than enough of the dorm situation where the popular, yet quite simple, girls won’t leave her alone; making it very clear that she is not wanted in the dorm or even in the town.

Leaving the dorm after the last bit of harassment Claire finds herself wandering the eerily empty town looking for somewhere to live, finding an old-looking mansion with a room at a prize she can actually afford. At first the others living there; Shane, Eve and Michael all have reservations about letting her stay, mainly due to her young age, but finding out her background they reluctantly let her stay. This however is just the beginning for Claire who soon finds out that being bullied at college is not the worst thing that can happen to her inMorganville,Texas. The town is run by the more nocturnal residents and taxes are paid in blood.

The Morganville Vampires series is a great series for those that like vampire novels. The characters are all easy to like, yet there is great character development, especially with Claire as she tries to get used to her new town. Shane is the perfect good, yet bad to the bone character that makes girls melt and all the little mysteries of Morganville will make you keep reading till the last page, and then only put it down to get the next in the series.

The smaller characters however are mainly one dimensional and almost too easy to hate or love, except for a few that are developed slowly from book to book. And these characters are developed in such a way that even though the main character might not notice the changes, the reader does, delighting the reader with a strange form of voyeurism as they continue reading.

Rachel Caine has created a wonderful town and a great story, though some elements are clearly taken from other works of fiction, the series is still quite strong with a strong romance focused sub-plot that carries the main plot over any weak moments. The writing is very clean with intriguing metaphors and quick, witty comments sparingly placed into the text. The story runs quickly and drives the reader forward with chapters ending in cliff hangers and light and easy conversation between the four roommates.

However this book is clearly young adult, it will not be enjoyed as much by the older group as the plot has some inconsistencies about Claire’s readiness to believe and her unwillingness to ask questions. Such weaknesses create a small crack in the story and causes the reader to ask unnecessary questions, and with the main characters young age it might be harder to put yourself in her shoes if older too.

Some unrealistic points do pull the book down a little, the sudden willingness to let a sixteen-year-old girl share their house, the strange and mainly unexplained entry into college, etc. But these points do not bring down the worth of the book too much and it is still a great read that will hook you easily and make you melt and squeal like a fan girl at some of the (very innocent) romance sequences.

My friend turned me on to this series a while back and I was hooked straight away, I have read all the available books in the series, devouring book after book and all I will say is that it’s definitely worth a read. You can watch the official music video for the series here or on the video page and read more about Rachel Caine on the author page.

Video © belongs to MTP Productions

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Book review

Author: Suzanne Collins

Pages: 464

Language: English

Series: Yes

Quote: “Trust me. Killing things is much easier than this,” – Katniss.

“Although for all I know, I am killing you.” – Katniss

“Can you speed it up a little?” – Peeta.

“No. Shut up and eat your pears,” – Katniss

Hunger Games is the first installment in the action-filled series by Suzanne Collins and one that has the best space on my own bookshelf and definitely worth a read.

Katniss spends her days hunting in the off-boundary woods to save her mother and sister from starvation. Life in District 12 is never easy, but after Katniss’ father died it is even harder for them. Yet nothing is worse than Reaping Day, a day once a year that is feared by most of the districts. The government chooses one girl and one boy on this day from each of the 12 districts to compete against each other in a gruesome reality show made to create fear and entertain. In the hunger games twenty-four kids enter and only one leaves.

The Hunger Games is a strong dystopian novel that grips you from the first page, making it impossible to put the book down. Suzanne Collins has created a future that does not seem too far-fetched. Though it is not tied to a specific date her fantastic narrative drags you into a future full of intrigue, danger and government plots all with a pinch of romance added on top.

The characters really make this book. Katniss is a strong heroine that knows how to fight and survive, though she is mainly blind when it comes to the subject of love. Lovable Peeta makes her character even more believable. Where she is strong he is weak and the other way around, they compliment each other perfectly and make the book a great read. As the characters evolve there are more stabile characters around them that drive the story and bring out a few chuckles even in a story as dark as this.

The plot of the story is not new, but Collins makes a masterpiece out of it. Grabbing the reader with words and sentences that take your breath away all whilst holding onto the book whilst reading for dear life. There were several times in this book I told myself I’d put it down and go to sleep after one more chapter only to have that chapter ended by a sentence or paragraph that pushes the reader forward. Forcing me to stay up just a little while longer.

Though there is quite a bit of violence implied in the story Suzanne Collins does not come straight out and show it to us. She ups the fear factor by keeping the monsters and violent acts in the shadow, giving the reader more than grotesque details ever would. Yet there is still a good bit of violence and due to that one would not recommend this book to anyone under twelve.

Hunger Games is one of my personal favourites and I have already read all three, but for all new readers out there I won’t ruin anything by saying too much or reviewing the rest of the series. All I will say is that it’s definitely worth a read. You can watch the trailer here or on the video page and read more about Suzanne Collins on the author page.

Video © belongs to Scholastic

Interview with YA author Marie Lu about her book Legend

1. Your book LEGEND is coming out this  November, tell us a little about it.

Thanks so much for having me here!

‘Legend’ is set some time in the future, when the United  States has split into two warring nations–the western  Republic and the eastern Colonies. 15 year-old Day is  the Republic’s most wanted boy criminal, while 15 year-  old June is the Republic’s most famous girl prodigy.

When June is hired to hunt Day down, the two begin a  dangerous game of cat and mouse that ultimately reveals  the dark secrets that their country is hiding from them.

 

2. How did you come up with the idea for the book?

A combination of several things.

First, I’ve always been fascinated by eugenics and by ancient Sparta, where they would leave babies considered “weak” to die on a hill outside the city. This was something that contributed to how I envisioned the Republic.

Second, the main boy protagonist (Day) is a character I’ve had in my head since high school. I was never able to find a good counterpart for him, though, someone who could take him on and hold his/her own. Then, one day, I was lying on my living room carpet and lazily watching the movie version of Les Miserables when the rest of the idea came to me: Day vs. an equally sharp detective girl.

I combined that with the eugenics idea and ended up with ‘Legend’.

 

3. What was your inspiration for your characters?

Ever since high school I’ve always wanted to write about a teen vigilante, some notorious kid with enough spunk to take on The Man or The Society. I also love watching parkour videos on YouTube. You know, those guys who can run up and down the sides of a building like a squirrel. I thought, what an awesome skill for a teen criminal to have. So Day became a most-wanted-criminal with expert parkour skills.

June came to me a little later. She was born, oddly, from a lot of research I was doing at the time about Mozart as a child. Since I needed a character who could be Day’s rival, I thought that a super-intelligent teen prodigy with a Sherlockian mind might be able to take him on. In a lot of ways, she ended up becoming the real story arc of ‘Legend’. She was fun to write.

 

4. What was the hardest part about writing LEGEND?

One of the hardest parts of writing ‘Legend’–and one of the most entertaining–was getting June’s voice down. How can I write in 1st-person about a super-intelligent prodigy when I am average-intelligence? I got myself into all sorts of situations I couldn’t figure out how to get out of. And I did research online on a lot of topics that have probably landed me on the CIA’s watch list by now.

 

5. Why are you so interested in dystopian stories?

Dystopian stories are a little like bad accidents you can’t look away from. They’re disturbing and horrific and tragic, so surreal that they make you wonder–how could this ever happen in real life? And then you realize that real life can be as bad as the worst dystopias writers can come up with.

A look through history shows us Nazi Germany, the early 20th century’s eugenics movement, China’s Cultural Revolution, North Korea, slavery, the U.S.’s Japanese internment camps during World War II….. Real dystopian concepts can and do exist.

So dystopias in fiction really fascinate me because they are such great cautionary tales for what can happen if we let our irrational fear take over our better judgment. Reading about fictional dystopias is like getting a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future.

 

6. What do you hope readers will come away with from your book?

More than anything, I hope readers come away thoroughly entertained by the story and the characters. But beyond that, I hope I can show there are two sides to every story, that good people can do bad things and bad people sometimes don’t know they’re bad. People are complex and almost never black and white.

 

7. Where and when do you prefer writing?

I always write in the morning. I’m such a morning person. My productivity is highest from 6:00 am to about noon, and then it starts dropping exponentially. If I don’t get my writing done in the morning, I probably won’t get it done for that day. I like writing either on the coffee table in my living room or curled up in front of the computer desk in my bedroom.

 

8. Do you have any writing habits?

Aside from always writing in the morning, I also always have some sort of soundtrack playing in the background. For “Legend” I listened almost exclusively to soundtracks from the trailer music studio Two Steps From Hell (they write amazing trailer music for movies like Narnia).

 

9. Do you have any tips to share with aspiring writers?

1) Be brave. Don’t be afraid to write a bad/unpublishable book, or even 4. Or 10. Have faith that you can get published someday, but be brave enough to learn how to write better each time you try. When agents and editors reject your manuscript, 98% of the time the fault can be found in your manuscript. Don’t blame the market or the publishers. Just be brave enough to write a better manuscript.

2) Keep working on your writing and storytelling skills. I highly recommend the following books on writing: Writing the Breakout Novel (Donald Maass), The Fire in Fiction (Donald Maass), The First Five Pages (Noah Lukeman), and The Forest for the Trees (Betsy Lerner).

3) Read. Always. You have to constantly keep updated on what other authors are producing in your genre as well as outside of it. Know your industry. And most importantly, you have to read because you have a duty as a writer to support your fellow writers.

 

10. Are there any specific authors that inspire you to write?

When I was a young teen, I read a news article about a 15 year-old named Amelia Atwater-Rhodes who got a book deal. That was the point when I realized that books didn’t just materialize in bookstores–they were written by real people who submitted their work to publishers, people who could even be my age (at the time). I’ve been writing with the goal of publication ever since. Other authors whose work inspire me include J.K. Rowling, Orson Scott Card, and of course Suzanne Collins.

 

11. How did it feel to find out your book was being published?

It’s the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had in my life. I don’t think anything that happens to me in writing/publishing will ever match it again. To find out after twelve years and four unpublished manuscripts that I was actually going to be published by none other than Penguin….. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried when the deal was finalized.

 

12. The movie rights for your book has already been sold, do you have a dream cast?

I’m so excited that CBS Films and Temple Hill are going to work on ‘Legend’! What’s tragic is that the one person who I think could have made a near-perfect Day (young Leonardo DiCaprio from his ‘Romeo + Juliet’ days) is too old to play Day. Sigh.

Otherwise, I’ve always pictured Ben Barnes as June’s older brother, Metias. And I would love Hailee Steinfeld as June. She looks smart, pretty, and athletic. Of course, this is all out of my hands!

To find out more about Marie Lu and her book “LEDGEND” go to: http://marielu.org/

Hardcore Heroines – The best female leads in YA books

It is that time of the week again, Friday Fever, this weeks list is focused on the strongest, most kick-ass heroines of the Young Adult book genre. Many people (well me at least) immerse themselves completely in a book they read, laughing crying and facing hardship right along with the main character. And this just becomes so much better when the heroine doesn’t need a knight in shining armour, but instead kicks his ass for trying to save her! So today we celebrate these strong female characters in this list of hardcore heroines.

1. Katniss – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Anyone who has read the hunger games series will understand why this girl is on the list. She basically gives up her own life to save her sister, survives in the most horrible place anyone could ever have dreamt up and is awesome with a bow and arrow! I don’t want to say too much in case someone reading hasn’t read the book. But any one of Katniss’s several action scenes would tell you why she deserves first place on this list! She is the leader of all hardcore heroines.

2. Dru – Strange Angels by Lilith SaintCrow

Forget Buffy, she’s nothing next to Dru. In book number one Dru hunts paranormals with her father, and already then you can see how awesome this girl is. She is clearly the definition of girl power. Not only is she in great physical shape, she also knows several ways to kill the different monsters hiding out there and can use just about every firearm available to man. She is independent, trustworthy and can hold her own in most fights. Dru is clearly not a girly girl who just sits down and waits for someone to save her from the things that go bump in the night. She takes matters into her own hands.

3. Rose – Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Rose is a fantastic heroine who is strong both physically and mentally. She has her flaws, just like any great character, but her flaws do not make her seem in anyway weak. She fights to protect those that she loves and at times makes rash decisions because of them, but in the end she always ends up giving some bad guy a serious ass kicking. Rose gains that little bit extra of strength for the way she seems to want to shoulder all of Lissa’s problems. Only a real friend would do such a thing, and with the amount of problems that girl has… Only a strong friend could.

4. Evie – Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Evie is funny, quirky and basically has none of the life experiences that a normal teenage girl has, but boy can she slay a vampire! She acts like she wants to act, talks to whom she wants to talk to with almost no restraint, and has also been trained to ‘catalogue and neutralize’ paranormals. When you’ve grown up doing that of course you’re going to be a little strong. She also doesn’t need anyones help; instead she throws herself into immense danger to save those closest to her. On top of all this she has been kept away from the normal life she craves and still manages to laugh and smile; when you can smile through such heartbreak, then you’re strong.

5. Fire – Fire by Kristin Cashore

The heroine with the same name as the book, Fire, is a tough girl who is very independent and doesn’t want any one to go out of their way for her. Her power of mind control could give her anything she wants, instead she works for it and fights to use her powers as little as possible. From the first part of the book Fire is strong physically as well as mentally, and as her character develop so does she. Fire is also kind, thoughtful and cares about others almost more than herself. She is an all around strong heroine in a great book.

6. Tally – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally doesn’t seem strong in the beginning of Scott Westerfeld’s great series, but as the story progresses she grows into a fantastic heroine. She is thoughtful and kind, yet not without flaws and ready to face the consequences of  her actions. She becomes stronger and stronger through the story though in the beginning she is weak in several ways. Her place on this list is secured through that progress and how strong she becomes. I don’t want to say anymore for people that haven’t read the book.

7. Claire – Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

Claire is young and extremely smart. Her intelligence is the main reason she makes this list, but her character also develops quite nicely growing stronger as the series progresses. Even though she is young she is still courageous. She definitely deserves her place on this list. You’ve got to love a girl with brains!

Who’s your favourite YA heroine?

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White – Book Review

Author: Kiersten White

Pages: 352

Language: English

Series: Yes

Quote: “Do you have a driver’s license?”
He laughed. “That’s important?”
I leaned back against the wall, sighing. “Man, that must be so cool.”
“It ranks right up there with lockers. In fact, sometimes I put my drivers license inside my locker, and it’s so cool I worry that the whole thing might explode with the sheer coolness of it all.” – Paranormalcy

Beautiful, original, funny and down right fantastic!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White is nothing less that fantastic. This debut is a stunning story, written beautifully with an original plot line. I might sound like a crazy fan, but I kind of guess I am one.  It’s not often I find a book I would love to read over and over, this is such a book.

Evie knows little about herself or where she comes from. All she really knows that the International Paranormal Containment Agreement (IPCA), an organization cataloguing and neutralizing the paranormals in the world, protects her, and somehow she can see beneath the glamour of the paranormals in the world.

After meeting a very special paranormal and faced with an entity killing paranormals, Evie learns some truths about herself. And gains many new questions. In the midst of action, teenage problems, conflict and romance, Evie has some choices to make.

The dark, tragic and sometimes funny story is fast moving and full of emotion. The book had me turning the pages until my boyfriend and my family was sick of looking at the cover and my eyes were tired, then I’d read some more.

Evie is a strong character with mixed emotions and strong feelings. She is sixteen, and she acts sixteen (which one does not see often). Evie is real, funny, honest and a normal teenager, I never knew how much I missed that in a YA book before reading this one. Her little quirks add to her character a lot, and her dream for a normal teen life is heart breaking. Especially the way she keeps comparing everything to her favourite television show is great, and really shows how little she knows about teen life.

The other characters are strong too, and develop nicely. Lend, the mysterious boy, is written in a great way that makes the reader fall in love right along with Evie. Reth, a fey that seems to have an eerie obsession with Evie, attracts and scares me at the same time.

The progression and change is easy to see as the plot moves along, and makes for a great read. Kiersten’s use of twists and turns is great and the mystery stays that way for quite a long while, making you wonder what will happen next. The style of writing is easy and quick with nice descriptions that makes one picture the scenes and feel as a part of the world instead of an inactive reader.

The plot is strong, and easy to follow and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat the whole way through. Unlike many other YA paranormal books it is not all too angsty, yet it does seem to cover some very important teen issues of identity and place in the world.

The world Kiersten White has created is a deep, original world full of hidden mysteries that keep you guessing. The world develops nicely and the story progresses in just the right speed.

The story did at times bring tears to my eyes with its tragic shifting story line and beautiful emotive writing. It is a world full of all the greatest bits of paranormal culture, with little twists that make you wonder and at times even laugh.

The inner and outer conflict in the book, and the narrative is done in a great way that makes you wish for more when you read the last page. I missed Evie, Lend and the world of Paranormalcy the minute I put down the book. It is a great start to a series and I cannot wait for book number two.

For more information about the author visit the author page. Underneath you can see the trailer for the book or alternatively you can go to the video page to watch it.

Video © belongs to Harper Teen

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl – Book Review

Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Pages: 592

Language: English

Series: Yes

Quote: “Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures.”  – Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures is the first book in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It is a beautiful story of magic, love and a dark secret.

Ethan Wate is sick of his school and the “in” crowd he hangs around with, he is counting the days until he can leave the small town Gatlin. That is, until he meets the decisively unpopular girl Lena Duchannes. Lena is literally the girl of Ethan’s dreams, for the last few months she has been in his nightmares.

Beautiful Creatures is a beautiful, romantic fantasy with a dark secret creeping up on the couple. The historical background is big and the characters are original and interesting. Ethan and Lena’s world is one that is quite unique from what one usually finds about magic in YA books.

The characters are not always the strongest, but the dark thoughts one can see in Lena and the little quirks and great descriptions work very nicely and makes the story a thrill to read. Ethan seems like your normal teenager, maybe at times he might be a little too good, but Lena’s indecisiveness and dark artistic streak makes up for it. And the way they develop makes them stronger as the story moves along.

Plot wise it does at times drag out a little, but these moments of false security just adds to the building of the mystery that is the Duchannes family. And with a few small and one bigger subplot running through the story you will not be bored.

Though it is a paranormal story it is easy to see normal teen problems in the mix too. Problems of popularity and bullying are especially visible. And the authors deal with the problems in a great way.

The romance was great, sweet and the romance developed quickly. It was only made better since the story is seen through the eyes of Ethan. Having the point of view being the guy, and in first person, adds a lot to the story. And the fact that the two seem to face real problems make their relationship feel real in a way that one often does not see in YA books.

The story is great and original and not too fast paced like many other stories. The characters develop in a great way and the story is beautifully written. I love the originality, how real the high school feels and the setting of it all.

I have already read book number two and would recommend both greatly. More information about the two great authors of this paranormal romance will soon be added to the author page. The review was a little short this time, but this book mostly speaks for itself.