Review: Only Human

Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel
The Themis Files #3
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Release Date: May 1st, 2018
Source: Netgalley
Date Read: 3/18/18 to 3/24/18
336 pages

In her childhood, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. As an adult, Dr. Rose Franklin led the team that uncovered the rest of the body parts which together form Themis: a powerful robot of mysterious alien origin. She, along with linguist Vincent, pilot Kara, and the unnamed Interviewer, protected the Earth from geopolitical conflict and alien invasion alike. Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find her old alliances forfeit and the planet in shambles. And she must pick up the pieces of the Earth Defense Corps as her own friends turn against each other.

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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

I bit late with this book but hey at least I actually completed the review. 

So just to back up a bit, this is the third and final installment of this trilogy, and I guess to get straight to the point, I don’t think I loved this as much as everyone else did. Which is fine because I still very much enjoyed it, BUT it just didn’t meet my expectations. 

Review: The Boy on the Bridge

The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
The Girl With All the Gifts #2
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: May 2nd, 2017
Source: Macmillan
Date Read: 2/16/18 to 2/19/18
392 pages

Once upon a time, in a land blighted by terror, there was a very clever boy.

The people thought the boy could save them, so they opened their gates and sent him out into the world.

To where the monsters lived.

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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

The Boy on the Bridge is the sequel, or really the companion novel, of the The Girl With All The Gifts. The latter is now a movie and has won a whole bunch of awards, hence the reason behind my low expectations for the follow-up. Yet in the end, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Boy on the Bridge.

Review: Waking Gods

Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel
The Themis Files #2
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: April 4th, 2017
Source: Netgalley
Date Read: 4/5/17 to 4/14/17
325 pages

As a child, Rose Franklin made an astonishing discovery: a giant metallic hand, buried deep within the earth. As an adult, she’s dedicated her brilliant scientific career to solving the mystery that began that fateful day: Why was a titanic robot of unknown origin buried in pieces around the world? Years of investigation have produced intriguing answers—and even more perplexing questions. But the truth is closer than ever before when a second robot, more massive than the first, materializes and lashes out with deadly force.

Now humankind faces a nightmare invasion scenario made real, as more colossal machines touch down across the globe. But Rose and her team at the Earth Defense Corps refuse to surrender. They can turn the tide if they can unlock the last secrets of an advanced alien technology. The greatest weapon humanity wields is knowledge in a do-or-die battle to inherit the Earth . . . and maybe even the stars.

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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

I read this awhile back, but I actually received this from Netgalley as a "Wish for it", and I wasn't expecting it at all. So I had to fit this in my reading schedule, because I HAD TO. I didn't absolutely adore the first book, Sleeping Giants (my review here), but I did at least enjoy it! I pretty much enjoy anything that is extra-terrestrial.

If you haven't read Sleeping Giants, I'll try to be non-spoiler-y in my review. Well, I will mark anything as spoilers so you're good!

Well, to start off, I definitely enjoyed this second installation of the series! So if you are thinking of starting this series, I can say that it does get better! Basically, in the first book, we're introduced to this huge robot thing (think Iron Giant), and the different body parts have been scattered around the world. The characters in the books (or at least one of the main characters), believe that this robot was left behind by a superior alien race, left to us as humans in order to defend ourselves. Because why leave such a powerful machine in our hands otherwise? 

That theory is quickly destroyed in this sequel.

Overall, I enjoyed this a ton. I think much more than the first book. Though again, my complaints kind of remained the same across the series. The first is that I have little to no memory of the characters. The format is similar to books such as Illuminae, in that the story is told in logs, interviews, and phone calls. But because of this, there are multiple times where we as the reader need to be brought up to speed as to what happened. I felt that this second book did a better job with this by showing us the important scenes through live action webcam videos or phone calls, which wasn't greatly executed in the first book. So I applaud that.

Other than that, I'm a bit stressed because [spoiler] EVERYONE IS DEAD and HOW EXACTLY CAN WE GO ON? I think mainly since the main mysterious dude that brought everyone together is DEAD, I don't know how the series will go on? [end spoiler] I guess I will have to trust that the author knows what they're doing.

Either way, I will definitely be keeping up with this series. I'm very excited to see how this concludes, though I don't really have any hope that there will be a very happy ending. I can HOPE.

Review: Nevernight

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
The Nevernight Chronicle #1
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Release Date: August 9th, 2016
Source: Netgalley
Date Read: 7/19/16 to 7/20/16
448 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

I've been putting off writing this review because I already know I'll be repeating myself over and over again, saying how amazing Nevernight is.

First off, not only does it revolve around assassins, but there's also a school that trains them all, called The Red Church. Honestly, it reminds me of Hogwarts, but less safe. Don't expect to come out of this book with all your faves alive, because it just won't happen.

Mia has been training to attend The Red Church ever since her family was taken away from her. In order to get back at the ones responsible, she aims to succeed at the "school" and become one of the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder. But to do that, she has to overcome a number of trials, decide whether love is worth it or not, pick her friends and enemies. Plus it doesn't help that students are dying left and right, whether it's due to murder or class. Honestly, Nevernight has been one of the more bloodier books I have read in awhile.

Let's go into more detail about what I liked! (Surprisingly there were a lot that I can pinpoint, and that makes writing this review so much easier! Go me.)

• There is a talking cat. Technically it is not a cat, but it didn't make a difference to me. I love talking cats. I love talking sassy cats. I don't know exactly why I love them so much, but nothing can go wrong with them.

• Blood, gore, just the fact that no one is safe in this book. No one. You have a favorite character in one chapter? They're gone in the next (somewhat of an exaggeration haha). All I'm saying is that Nevernight really keeps you on your toes. It really was never boring.

That's it, that's the book

• The flashbacks gave more depth to Mia, especially as to how she acquired her shadow-y (not) cat in the first place. They took place between chapters, especially at the start of the novel.

• Oh, sex (yay! wooo!). I would say there's two pretty graphic scenes. So if you're not into that stuff, then don't read this or maybe skip those parts.

• And of course let's not forget about about our love interest Tric. Although I liked him as one, I can't say that I have strong feelings about him.

• The twist that killed me. Books like Nevernight are why I have trust issues.

And there we go! Did I mention that I read most of Nevernight in one day? Because that happened. Also, I have to mentioned that I may have skipped reading most of the footnotes. And I still loved it. So if you happen to also have an eARC (or an ebook of it I suppose? I don't know if the placement will be changed), then don't worry about them! I'll probably check out the footnotes later but I don't think you miss much.

I went into Nevernight blind, not sure at all whether I would like it or not. But here I am now, raving about its awesomeness. 

Review: Sleeping Giants

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
Themis Files #1
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: April 26th, 2016
Source: ALA Midwinter
Date Read: 4/18/16 to 4/22/16
320 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰1/2

A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.

Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.

But some can never stop searching for answers.

Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand’s code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of the relic. What’s clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history’s most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?

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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

I've been drawn to this book since last year, because who DOESN'T want to read about the makings of this mysterious stone giant? Doesn't it remind you of that movie, The Iron Giant? Well it did for me, and I really loved that movie, so of course I had to pick this up at one point or another.

The prologue introduces us to a young girl who discovers the an enormous stone hand, illuminated by glowing carvings. Fast forward to the future, and this girl, Rose, is now a well known physicist. By luck, she's been asked to lead the project on researching the hand, and also finding the rest of the pieces. And putting it together, and seeing how it works, or whether it works for that matter.

Sleeping Giants is told through interviews, a couple of journal entries, and recorded phone conversations between the mysterious interviewer, and a number of other characters. Although I loved how everything came together, and we got to know more about the events that were taking place, I felt that I would have liked it better as prose? There were a countless number of times where I felt left in the dark, and I wouldn't find out what happened until it was reported or the interviewer asked about it. This led to a weird pacing, as there were many time jumps between certain events.

Like I mentioned before, there were many characters. Although there were the main four, a couple more were introduced to put everything in perspective. But I just couldn't wrap my mind around all these characters.

But other than that, the plot completely pulled me into the story. Where the heck did this giant come from? How is it so powerful? What sort of technology is it? And more importantly, what the heck happened at the end there? I'm going to need that second book, because I need all my answers.

Overall, I enjoyed Sleeping Giants, even though it doesn't live up to other adult science fiction novels I have read in the past. It definitely satisfied my "Iron Giant" feels.

Review: Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights

Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: September 8th, 2015
Source: Library
Date Read: 11/4/15 to 11/10/15
290 pages

Rating: ✰

From one of the greatest writers of our time: the most spellbinding, entertaining, wildly imaginative novel of his great career, which blends history and myth with tremendous philosophical depth. A masterful, mesmerizing modern tale about worlds dangerously colliding, the monsters that are unleashed when reason recedes, and a beautiful testament to the power of love and humanity in chaotic times.

Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, this is a spectacular achievement--enchanting, both very funny and terrifying. It is narrated by our descendants 1000 years hence, looking back on "The War of the Worlds" that began with "the time of the strangenesses": a simple gardener begins to levitate; a baby is born with the unnerving ability to detect corruption in people; the ghosts of two long-dead philosophers begin arguing once more; and storms pummel New York so hard that a crack appears in the universe, letting in the destructive djinns of myth (as well as some graphic superheroes). Nothing less than the survival of our world is at stake. Only one, a djinn princess who centuries before had learned to love humankind, resolves to help us: in the face of dynastic intrigue, she raises an army composed of her semi-magical great-great--etc.--grandchildren--a motley crew of endearing characters who come together to save the world in a battle waged for 1,001 nights--or, to be precise, two years, eight months and twenty-eight nights.

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Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope.

Guys, I don't know if you have ever read any of Rushdie's books, or even heard of this one because it is adult, but I just have to say that it really caters to a specific type of reader. And that reader is not me.

I'm not sure WHY was the November book for book club, but I am discontent. I honestly do not even remember voting for this, which is sad to say. Either that, or I was completely misled as to what this would actually be.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ABOUT: Humankind is at stake, as the descendants of a djinn have their powers revealed due to the cracks in the universe. They have cool powers like levitation, detecting corruption, shooting lightning from their hands, etc. Like seriously, it's like X-Men, or it could have been.

WHAT IT REALLY WAS: Sex, sex, sex, random facts about the neighbors of the characters' neighbors and I don't even know what's going on because I DO NOT CARE ABOUT ALL 30 OF THESE SIDE CHARACTERS.

Luckily, I wasn't the only one that brought up my hatred of this book. One of my friends thought that most of the women portrayed in the story were only used to incorporate sex in the novel. Which again, not something I was interested in at all. AND WHY? Ugh. Also, the writing, it is not something you can read in a night. Even if it is less than 300 pages. It is just so dense and even skimming the rest of the book wasn't worth it. I understood nothing. And frankly, I'm glad I didn't.

As you can see. This isn't a book for me. And I know you guys have probably never heard of this, but I'll just say this is more of a warning than a review. I do not recommend this to readers who hate dense, detailed writing about characters that are not the main characters, and about unnecessary details about "romance". This does not truly focus on the fantasy aspect of all the characters and the djinns, which is why I was misled in the first place. 

LE SIGH.

(If by some chance, you HAVE read this, then I am thoroughly impressed because this is a really hard book to get through!) 

Review: The Memory Painter

The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: April 28th, 2015
Source: Library
Date Read: 10/7/15 to 10/9/15
336 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰✰

Two lovers who have traveled across time. A team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research. A miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery.

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills...like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people's lives.

Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

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I read The Memory Painter for book club, and I was completely misled as to what this was going to be about. Then again, maybe I should have read the blurb for it first.

What I thought I was going to get with The Memory Painter: A nice, mellow tale about a man who could paint his past memories, and meets a woman and falls in love with her.

What I ended up getting: DEATH and REINCARNATION and DECEPTION

What I thought was a book about romance with a supernatural twist ended up being more science fiction driven, filled with tons of historical references and mystery. Not that I am complaining because I enjoyed it completely.

Bryan has these dreams of what he thinks is his past lives. It has gotten so bad that he ends up passing out in the middle of the day. However, these are more than just dreams. When he wakes up, not only does he learn all the language and the skills of the person he has dreamed about, but he also ends up painting a scene from their lifetime, subconsciously. This is why he has such a hard time fitting in with society, because he can't.

Which is why, when he meets Linz, it's kind of a rough start. Yet Linz also has dreams, though it's only one particular dream in general. But still, after visiting a gallery and finding a painting of HER specific dream, of course she has questions for the painter. And the painter is none other than Bryan, so cue excitement.

But it doesn't end there, oh no. If you think this is the end, be prepared. Not only is there a reason behind the dreaming, but there it also involves something even deeper. And you have to read til the end in order to figure it. Because I was hooked until the end. The characters were easy to get into, the historical snippets of different people in the past were super interesting to read as well, and then THERE WAS A FREAKING TWIST. And it completely threw me off guard because I was already so immersed in the other parts of the story. 

One of the reasons I couldn't give this a full 5 stars was not because of the idea of reincarnation, but the people that were featured as being Linz's and Bryan's past lives (and all the other characters for that matter). I know that this is fiction, but it just seems highly unrealistic to have your main character be reincarnations of famous people such as Lord Asano, Origenes Adamantius, and etc. Like there are millions, billions of people on the planet, let alone in history. Why did you have to be someone super important? This probably had more to do with having material to write about in the book, I suppose.

Other than that, The Memory Painter was such an intense read, and it definitely wasn't something I was expecting. Which turned out to be great. I highly recommend this, even if this may not be in your comfort zone.

Nessie Review ☆ Fiend

Fiend by Peter Stenson
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: July 9th, 2013
Source: Library
Date Read: 3/18/15 to 3/22/15
295 pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰

There’s more than one kind of monster.

When Chase Daniels first sees the little girl in umbrella socks tearing open the Rottweiler, he's not too concerned. As a longtime meth addict, he’s no stranger to horrifying, drug-fueled hallucinations.
But as he and his fellow junkies soon discover, the little girl is no illusion. The end of the world really has arrived.

The funny thing is, Chase’s life was over long before the apocalypse got here, his existence already reduced to a stinking basement apartment and a filthy mattress and an endless grind of buying and selling and using. He’s lied and cheated and stolen and broken his parents’ hearts a thousand times. And he threw away his only shot at sobriety a long time ago, when he chose the embrace of the drug over the woman he still loves.

And if your life’s already shattered beyond any normal hopes of redemption…well, maybe the end of the world is an opportunity. Maybe it’s a last chance for Chase to hit restart and become the man he once dreamed of being. Soon he’s fighting to reconnect with his lost love and dreaming of becoming her hero among civilization’s ruins.

But is salvation just another pipe dream?

Propelled by a blistering first-person voice and featuring a powerfully compelling antihero, Fiend is at once a riveting portrait of addiction, a pitch-black love story, and a meditation on hope, redemption, and delusion—not to mention one hell of a zombie novel.

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To be honest, outside of The Walking Dead comics I've never really read much zombie fiction. I thought it was cool and provided an interesting background to test humanity and morality and stuff but I never really got too into the whole genre. But look at that summary! An addict making their way through a zombie apocalypse? That's something that I'd definitely heard of or imagined before so I had to check it out.

So the plot has the same straight forward as any other other zombie story--survive. The one key difference is that in addition to food, water, shelter, and guns, our heroes need meth. Throughout this book meth is their number one priority, which is makes sense. Literally the first thing Chase and his friend Typewriter do after figuring out that the end of the world is really happening is drive to their dealers house to see if they can find some meth.

They are so focused in their drive for this drug that we never really learn more about the outside world, and why all this is happening, and the state of everywhere else. We do learn that these zombies are called Chucks because they laugh when they are trying to kill you. But that's really all, nothing about what caused it or anything. However, that didn't bother me at all. That's because it made sense that the characters wouldn't know since they are just concerned about getting their next fix.

This book is written in present tense, so it moves pretty fast but it works. It's even a bit stream of consciousness-like at some points, it's actually really cool to be in the mind of a drug addict like that. Also one thing I liked is that the main character is a HORRIBLE person. He lies, throws his friends under the bus, is self-centered, disgusting...and somehow, I still end up rooting for him and sympathizing with him a tiny bit. It's weird, but cool.

My only complaint is HOW SUDDENLY IT ENDED. LIKE JUST BAM.

But outside of that this is a cool, and really different read you should definitely check out.

Vanessa is Val's bestest buddy, and she will be guest posting throughout because she loves to read and write. She loves video games, reading comic books, working out LIKE A BEAST and photography. You can also find her at her own blog, Musings of an Aspiring Writer.

Review: Written in Red

Written in Red by Anne Bishop
The Others #1
Publisher: NAL Hardcover
Release Date: April 5th, 2013
Source: Library
Date Read: 2/28/15 to 3/6/15
433 pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

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Where has this book been all my life? WHERE? Of course I love Written in Red now, but I know if I was still a young teenager, I would've adored it. Like more so than now. I would have definitely let go all the minor things here and there.

Where to start. Oh right, I have to thank everyone that pushed me to read this series, Paula, Faye, where would I be without you guys? I will gladly join the waiting club for the next book, even though I haven't read the second or third one yet. (Ok maybe not gladly, but you know what I mean).

Before I get into the plot and characters, I think it's important to discuss me, well mostly my reading tastes. As I said before, I loved paranormal YA when I was younger. I was obsessed with The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. I loved plots where the main character had some sort of power while everyone else didn't. Although my tastes have matured a bit, Written in Red still hit all of my favorite tropes. 

Our main character, Meg Corbyn, is a blood prophet in that she can predict the future when she's cut. As she runs away from her owner, she stumbles upon The Courtyard, which is run by THE OTHERS (Thee Odders *cue Lost theme* hahahah). Since the Others, the terra idigne, are considered superior to humans because they can shift to their animal skin, The Courtyard does not follow human law. This is why Meg seeks employment there, because she at least knows that no one can touch her on their property.

And thennnnnnn she meets Simon! The wolf terra indigne. And then everything is great. I love where this slow burn romance is going, even though nothing has happened yet in this book. I'm just glad that it's NOT a fast developing relationship. The Courtyard, and everything relating to The Others, is very well developed and executed. The most surprising part was that I had no trouble with all the characters, probably because it had to do with animals (and everyone knows I love animals).

Not amused

On the downside, I'm not sure how I feel about how everyone loves Meg and how she gets out of bad situations easily. This is weird for me to admit, because I often hate characters that create problems for themselves by being reckless or being naive. Yet, I actually expected Meg to mess up much more than she did, or get into more trouble for crossing the line. But this rarely happened. Either I'm too used to what should happen in YA, or I think that Meg's naivety should've warranted for more mess ups.

Overall, I WILL CONTINUE THE SERIES. In this case, I think the pros outweigh the cons, and I am very happy that this book satisfied by teenage self!

Review: The Well of Ascension

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn #2
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: August 21st, 2007
Source: Library
Date Read: 1/30/15 to 2/21/15
590 pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰

The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler – the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years – has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

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Ahhh Well of Ascension. I'm just going to come out right now and say that I thought it wasn't as good as The Final Empire, the first book in the trilogy. Readers looking for another replica of The Final Empire, you won't find that here. There's a different sort of setting, situation, more politics.

Looking for my review of the first book in the trilogy? Here it is!

Here are a couple of reasons why you should start Mistborn, or anything by Brandon Sanderson because come on now, get on it!

• It's an awesome world, EPIC and FULL OF ACTION. 
• There is a whole crew of amazing characters that you will fall in love with, I guarantee it
• Kelsier 
• You will not regret getting into this fantasy, I swear to you. There isn't much I can do other than what I have been saying all this time. But I will say it again: go go go go read it.

I completely failed at pitching Mistborn, because I cannot even begin to describe how good it is. I just hope that I managed to at least convince you to think about it.

Watch out! Spoilers ahead!

As I said before, The Well of Ascension is different from it's prequel. It's a different pace, less action, and just more political. It's not only about the skaa uprising anymore, because the rebellion already happened and succeeded. The problem now, is maintaining that stability.

Due to the nature of this book, a lot more emphasis is placed on what happens afterwards a revolution. A revolution that was only performed by a small thieving crew. Sure, the skaa want to be free, but they also crave stability. What happens when you take that away? What happens when the people would rather have a dictator that enslaves them, instead of being invaded by three other armies? 

Also, the lack of Kelsier still kills me a little. But I knew why Sanderson did that. Ugh.

While I was reading this, more and more complications kept arising. It kind of frustrated me since nothing was being solved. And then that ending made everything EVEN WORSE. I thought nothing was solvable in this book, I can't even imagine what it will be like in the last book of the trilogy. 

In conclusion, I'm still in love with the Mistborn trilogy. Even though The Well of Ascension dragged on a bit, it was still an amazing fantasy read. I'm expecting a lot from the last book, The Hero of Ages, SO IT BETTER BE GOOD. 

Review: All The Light We Cannot See

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Publisher: Scribner
Release Date: May 6th, 2014
Source: Bought
Date Read: 2/16/15 to 2/18/15
530 pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When Marie-Laure is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

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This is the review where I flail and drown in my emotions because MAN. If I were to describe this book in one sentence, it would be "Simultaneously bringing you hope while crushing it by forcing you to face the reality of WWII." I. FREAKING. HATE. REALITY.

All The Light We Cannot See is a beautiful story about WWII, a blind girl in France and a boy who's an expert at fixing any broken radio, whose lives end up crossing even though they are miles and miles apart, and on different sides.

Do you remember how I said that I loved it when two characters are developed apart, and then they finally meet up? Do you remember how I said that one of my favorite books is The Book Thief? Do you remember how much I love stories about WWII? Well this is basically why All The Light We Cannot See is my new favorite book (one of). First off, every single one of the characters each had their own story, and much time was spent on developing them all. Second, Marie-Laure is blind, yet the author pulls off the most beautiful imagery through her POV, even though she is BLIND. KEY WORDS THERE! And lastly, this book is almost like the adult version of The Book Thief (well okay maybe not, but I saw some elements that I thought were pretty similar)

My babies

Plus, my heart broke for everyone. Marie-Laure, her father, her uncle Etienne, Werner, his sister Jutta, Frederick, and Madame Manec. And especially for the love that never happened, but could've. If only things weren't the way they were.

Have I mentioned the magical realism that happens in this book? But wait, is it actually magical realism? In the book, the story of the Sea of Flames is brought up, a mythical diamond that resembles a little flame within a whole lot of blue. Although it is beautiful, legend says that anyone in possession of the diamond will never die, but instead cause misfortune upon everyone around him. Throughout the novel, questionable events happen involving the diamond, but it is up to the reader to decide to believe in this story or not. 

One small, little gripe I had with the novel was that it wasn't enough. I mean come on, MY HEART was broken into two and the author teased me with this one scene but then THAT'S IT. As the novel goes on, we go further and further into the future and I can just see my hopes being crushed because I know it's not going to happen. And it hurts. 

   

There is one thing I can say for certain, and that's everyone must read this book. It's beautifully and emotionally written. When I finished the novel, I just sat there speechless because I had no idea what to do with my life because it ended realistically and there was nothing I could do about it. 

PSA: Unrelated note, my laptop is fixed which is why I'm here! Yay!

Review: Landline

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: July 8th, 2014
Source: Library
Date Read: 8/25/14 to 8/25/14
310 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.

Maybe that was always beside the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

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So first I have a couple of things to say because Landline blew my socks off. I'm sorry for the weird phrase, it's just that, this is the first thing that came into my mind. But let me just say:

• First of all, I have now read every single Rainbow Rowell book! Yes, all 4 of them. No I don't care that that's a small number. It matters to me. Moving on...
• Second, the library gave me the large print edition, because I don't know why? But either way, I still loved the book. I already have horrible eyesight for objects far away, I don't need reading glasses now. (Though I'm doomed to get them, my dad said so)
• AND EVEN THEN, I still read this book in one day. 

Have I reeled you in yet? Yes? Good.

Landline is about a couple, well more of a marriage, that has had more downs than ups. Our awesome main character, Georgie, realizes this. But she isn't sure what to do. And when Georgie chooses work over visiting her family during the Christmas season, she feels as if she's ruined everything. 

Her husband, Neal, is never available when she calls him.

And his mother and Georgie's daughters always pick up instead.

And this is a huge problem to Georgie. Because maybe this time, Neal really did leave her. Or at least he would be thinking about it, right?

ENTER IN MAGICAL PHONE, THAT CROSSES TIME AND SPACE TO 1998 NEAL. Georgie's husband from the past, but he doesn't know that he has a family with Georgie.

Yet, whenever current time Georgie talks with 1998 Neal, everything is okay. It's as if 1998 Neal, and current time Georgie were meant to be, even though it's impossible. 

The book divides itself into three time periods, the past with 1998 Neal and 1998 Georgie which serve as flashbacks to describe their early relationship, the current time with their marriage troubles, though we don't get much Neal here, and then the middle. The middle was the most unique, since this is the bridge between the current time and the past.

Also, I grew very attached to both characters, which was really surprising! I haven't fully been assimilated into adult fiction, and I didn't like Attachments as much, but I've never gotten attached to adult characters. BUT I DID WITH GEORGIE! And I can't say why for certain, but I'm glad I did!

But yes, this is completely different from what I've been reading so far (all fantasy haha), but the introduction of the magical phone really did it for me. You would think that Rowell, being mostly a contemporary writer, wouldn't get the whole topic of time travel, right?? WELL I WAS WRONG. It was done so neatly, and it was in the background enough for it to NOT get on my nerves. No plot holes, no intricate science terms, because everything was just accepted after awhile. Sure, Georgie thought she was hallucinating, but that's normal!

I APPROVE

Now, why have I taken off a star?

It was purely for personal reasons, aka MY FEELS. And what DIDN'T HAPPEN. 

Which I will put in as a spoiler, because even though it isn't, I still don't like to imply what has happened and what has not happened:

SO GEORGIE NEVER MENTIONS TO CURRENT-TIME NEAL ABOUT HER PHONE CALLS TO 1998 NEAL. Being a huge fan of reveals, I thought this would be A GREAT REACTION from Neal. He does kind of grow a little confused at the end, BUT HE DOESN'T PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER. Wah.

Haha so yeah, I'm a little mad about that. But either way, I still loved it! Plus, there's a little LGBT in here that made me squee! And also, PUPPIES!

Yes, go read Landline. Order it, buy it, request it from the library. GET YOUR HANDS ON IT.

Also, I have updated my list of Rainbow Rowell books, from my favorite to least favorite:

Fangirl > Eleanor & Park = Landline > Attachments

Review: Child of a Hidden Sea

Child of a Hidden Sea by A. M. Dellamonica
Hidden Sea Tales #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: June 24th, 2014
Source: Library
Date Read: 7/30/14 to 8/16/14
336 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰

One minute, twenty-four-year-old Sophie Hansa is in a San Francisco alley trying to save the life of the aunt she has never known. The next, she finds herself flung into the warm and salty waters of an unfamiliar world. Glowing moths fall to the waves around her, and the sleek bodies of unseen fish glide against her submerged ankles.

The world is Stormwrack, a series of island nations with a variety of cultures and economies—and a language different from any Sophie has heard.

Sophie doesn't know it yet, but she has just stepped into the middle of a political firestorm, and a conspiracy that could destroy a world she has just discovered… her world, where everyone seems to know who she is, and where she is forbidden to stay.

But Sophie is stubborn, and smart, and refuses to be cast adrift by people who don't know her and yet wish her gone. With the help of a sister she has never known, and a ship captain who would rather she had never arrived, she must navigate the shoals of the highly charged politics of Stormwrack, and win the right to decide for herself whether she stays in this wondrous world . . . or is doomed to exile.

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To be honest, I'm kind of a little disappointed in Child of a Hidden Sea. When I first saw it, I was super excited because the cover screamed PIRATES, ANOTHER WORLD, ASSASSIN'S CREED BLACK FLAG (yay to my video game obsessions), but I wasn't prepared for all the politics that was thrown at me.

THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE GAME

Most of the novel involves our main character, Sophie Hansa, getting caught up in an inheritance problem with her half sister after her aunt has been murdered brutally by magically transformed monsters, that used to be human. Oh, and did I mention that Sophie's the only one from San Francisco, while the rest of her family is from this new, maybe parallel world, called Stormwrack? She was pretty much CAST ASIDE by her birth mother, and was then later adopted.

BUT NOT ONLY do we have problems with her inheritance, there's also the matter of finding the heart of the Temperance, which is some sort of huge military ship, I think? And the reason why her aunt Gale was murdered in the first place, was because she held the magic that let her know where the heart was, while everyone else magically believes that it's just a legend. Yup, so the culprits are now targeting Sophie, and are determined to find any way to get her to give them the heart.

And as vague as that last paragraph sounds, I can't tell you anything else, just because I'm so confused on what happened and why. I'm not sure if it was just the whole political thing throwing me off, or that I needed more information than was given. But basically, I was only able to understand 60% of the novel. There are just a number of questions that I really need answered! Such as:

• The whole magic system involved the use of someone's true name, and since the culprits had Sophie's full name in possession, why didn't they just use that to control her? Why go through so much trouble with everything?

• THIS MAGIC SYSTEM IS NOT 100% EXPLAINED TO ME

• So confused at what the heck the Temperance actually does. I don't even know how to go about questioning this. All I know is that it's a big ship that's good at destroying other ships, I think?

• GAH

• WHY IS THERE NO ROMANCE :(

But other than that, I did like the fact that Sophie brought all of her technological gear to study up on the sea life and different species on Stormwrack, after being contacted by her half sister to come back, of course. And not only that, but she brought her queer adopted brother as well. Both of them are literally the smartest people I've ever read about, well ok, maybe just her brother Bram, who learned a language in around a week's time (because MAGIC let Sophie learn the language). BUT THEN, both of them didn't even focus on the COOL THINGS about such a world. Nope. It's all about geography, marine life, and land masses, and "How is this new world connected to Earth? I see some Italian influences, blah blah". I think that's cool and all for the first couple of chapters, but then wouldn't you want to know more about the magic?

Maybe I should've concentrated more, but I don't think I could've. I think Child of a Hidden Sea would've been perfect for someone more knowledgeable in the realm of politics, but that's not me. And in the end, I think that's what caused my inability to enjoy the novel, which is why this is 3 stars rather than 2.