Book Review: Masque of the Red Death

I usually can't read during car trips. When I read in the car, nausea is usually involved. Which is horrible. But on my way home from Jeffersonville, Ohio yesterday, I was able to read.

The Masque of the Read Death by Bethany Griffin isn't your basic post-apocalyptic story. And trust me, I would know. I have read more teen fantasy books then I would care to admit. The story is based around the rich and the poor. After a horrible plague wiped out regular millions, a way to prevent catching the sickness was found in a mask. Araby Worth, the main character, is the daughter of the inventor of the masks. She gets caught in the regular which side should I chose type fighting. That is the basis of the story.

Araby is a good character. I really enjoyed watching her grow throughout the book. In the begining, she seems like the regular rich kid type. Obviously something wrong in her background, but the druggy type. As you learn about her background and her promises to herself, she really develops from a stupid little rich girl who can't make up her mind, to a strong young woman.

The boys in this book are very well written. The first romantic interest is Will, the manager of the club she parties at. Imagine the strong tattooed but extremely hot silent type. That is Will. Griffin does a great job at building his background. As the reader, I immediately wanted Will and Araby to get together. He is sweet and loving towards her. Elliot, however, is not. The brother of his best friend, and also nephew of the king, Elliot is kind of a d-bag. Not because of his background (well yes because of his background, but not the snobby rich kid background you would imagine), but with the things he does to Araby. He somehow is able to treat her like shit and be protecting at the same time. He is a good character to switch back and forth from loving to hating. I don't think Griffin focused enough on building his character, but she did good enough to make him enjoyable.

Like almost every post-apocalyptic story, there is political turmoil. I won't go much into this, simply because if I give to much away, there is no point in reading the book. There is a really good twist when it comes to this part of the story. I feel like I should of known it was coming, but I'm glad it didn't.

Overall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5. I would give it a 5, but I am mad about the next book not coming out for another couple months. So if you are looking for a great well-rounded fantasy book, I would definitely give this one a shot!

Book Review: Showtime by Chloe Kayne

When I was little, I used to go to the circus all the time (at least it felt like it.) Mostly it was the cheap little circuses that come to town and leave all the free kids tickets everywhere. Once though, I went to Ringling Circus. I don't remember too much, but I remember the place being huge. I remember watching in amazement at the people seemingly flying through the air. It seemed like a dream. So many things happening at once.

I recently agreed to review the book Showtime by Chloe Kayne, a young adult novel about the circus, circa 1920s.

"The grandeur of the traveling circus is at its peak in the early 1920s when sixteen-year-old Laila Vilonia is searching for an escape from her bleak future. Behind the gates of the legendary Marvelle Circus, she is thrust into a mysterious world she never knew existed—a paradise populated with outcasts. It’s in this glamorous new home that Laila sparks a controversial romance with notorious sideshow performer, "The Disappearing Man," and learns just how dangerous her new life can be.

Touring the picturesque eastern coast of America, Laila’s immersed in friendship, vaudeville, festivals, sequins, and serial killers. But behind the curtain, a sadistic plan is brewing that will crack the very foundation upon which she’s become so dependent."

This book is REALLY good. I really enjoyed the descriptive writing. Like this, from the begining of the book, for example:
"GLOWING RED AND yellow lights splashed across the crowd stationed on the Midway, rendering the constellations above dull and lifeless by comparison. MARVELLE CIRCUS sparkled down on the assemblage in light-encrusted block letters, bowing across the top of a pair of ominous black gates. The full moon hung in the black sky, beset by a frame of opaque grey clouds that gradually floated passed."

I mean, damn. With me, I can imagine it perfectly. I see the circus, the roar of the giant crowd. The giant black gates welcoming me into the circus. The entire book is like this. It is so full of description, and description done well, that I felt like I was there watching the entire thing happen. 
Showtime had a little bit of everything. Murder, romance, action, mystery, friendship, family issues. I honestly think that anyone could pick up this book and enjoy it. 
The romantic part of this book was good. The main character, Laila, has a best guy friend, James and a mysterious crush, Dex. Until the end, I wasn't sure what the outcome would be. While Laila is never really romantic with James, everyone knows that you can fall for your best guy friend (like me!) before you even realizing what is going on. But I also know what it is like to like the bad guy. Which even with my experiences, I really wanted her to go for Dex. He is mysterious, annoying and kind of mean to Laila. But the heart wants what the heart wants. 

My least favorite part of the book: it ended. No, honestly. I was pretty pissed the way it ended and the fact that I have to wait till 2014 to find out what the hell happens next. 

Overall, I recommend this book for 12+, simply because it does have some violence in it. But I think that anyone mature enough to read violence of any kind should be able to get into this book. I give this book 4/5 stars for awesomeness!

Review: Ever Shade: A Dark Faerie Tale by Alexia Purdy

I love books about faeries. I have loved faeries as a child, especially after I read Tithe by Holly Black. So when I found Ever Shade: A Dark Faerie Tale on my kindle I had really high hopes. Yeah, those were pretty much dashed within the first four chapters.

"Ever Shade is a dark twist on faeries. For Shade, a chance meeting with a powerful Teleen faery warrior who wields electrical currents and blue fires along his skin-has her joining him on a treacherous mission for the good Seelie Faerie Court across the land of Faerie. Magic and malice abound and nothing is what it really seems to be."
 - taken from Amazon.

See? The description makes it sound really interested. It also makes it sound like a book about just Shade and the Teelen Fairy. Yeah, its not.

It starts out really well. You learn about Shade and how she hears voices in her head. You also get a huge description of her friend, who completely disappears after that chapter. Seriously. You learn all about this character and she is never mentioned again. Come on. Why even both writing about her?

The story line picks up when the voices force Shade to go in this creepy old building. There she meets the Teleen faerie, Jack, and another warrior, Vange. Again, you learn all about Vange and yet there no other mention of her in the book. When she meets Jack, he is throwing out lightning from his skin. I'm sorry, but any normal person would go hightailing it out of there, not sticking around to make friends. And when this stranger with the magic powers is just like hey, you should come with me into the forest to meet all my pals, NO ONE EVER WOULD GO WITH HIM. No one is that stupid. Hell, even a child isn't that stupid.

She does go with him, which is so unrealistic, and meets an oracle. Which is understandable, she wants to know why she hears voices. But when Shade is told who she is and that she has to go on a horrible journey to help the fae, she just goes right along with it. Again, no normal person would just be ok with being told that they are part fae and have to go risk their life to help strangers. Again, most people would be running in the other direction. Even when you find out that Shade doesn't want to go with them, does she say no? Does she protest at all? No. None at all. She just goes right on along with her life and journey.

Honestly, I could keep going like this through the entire book. Its that bad. Except for one element. I did like the amount of foreshadowing and connecting in the book. I wish I could give you an example, but that would ruin huge parts of the book. But there is lots of connectors which give the book something more than just bad dialogue and horrible characters and plot points.

Overall, if you don't really care about reading a great book, you just need something to read, or you love horrible writing, you should read this book. Its bad, but its due-able in a pinch. Plus its a series, which means that I will probably get sucked into reading the next one. I give this book 2 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Alice in Deadland by Mainak Dhar

While I was sitting over my boyfriends, needing something to do, I pulled up my kindle app and searched through my books. Most the books I have on my app, I look at the title and think, huh that looks interesting and just download it without looking at what it is about. Which is pretty much what I did to pick out a new book to read the other day. And I chose good.

Alice in Deadland isn't really a Alice in Wonderland in a different setting. Which is what I was expecting.

Again, because I suck at writing descriptions without giving away all the good stuff, I copied the info from Amazon.

"Civilization as we know it ended more than fifteen years ago, leaving as it's legacy barren wastelands called the Deadland and a new terror for the humans who survived- hordes of undead Biters.

Fifteen year-old Alice has spent her entire life in the Deadland, her education consisting of how best to use guns and knives in the ongoing war for survival against the Biters. One day, Alice spots a Biter disappearing into a hole in the ground and follows it, in search of fabled underground Biter bases.

What Alice discovers there propels her into an action-packed adventure that changes her life and that of all humans in the Deadland forever. An adventure where she learns the terrible conspiracy behind the ruin of humanity, the truth behind the origin of the Biters, and the prophecy the mysterious Biter Queen believes Alice is destined to fulfill.

A prophecy based on the charred remains of the last book in the Deadland- a book called Alice in Wonderland."

Unlike some other book descriptions, this one hits it right on the head. I have never really enjoyed a zombie book before, but this book was a fabulous read. I was reading during commercials, before I went to bed, while I was supposed to be listening to my boyfriend.... LOL! I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Alice and her band of fighters.

While I did love the book, there were parts that I was "quickly reading over." It was mostly in-depth descriptions about fighting or weapons. I don't really even watch fighting movies, so I didn't really care about what gun she was using or what tactical they were coming back with. But it didn't really take away from the book that much.

What did suck about the book was the dialog. It was very dry and expected. There didn't seem to be much imagination put into the dialog between the characters.

I do want to give a warning about the book. There is 2 scenes where Alice is almost raped. Its not too graphic, but, at least to me, any type of rape or sexual assault scene can be disturbing to read.

I think this book could be good for anyone 5th grade up to adult. If a younger person is reading it though, I would recommend talking to him or her about it, just so there isn't anything they are confused about.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars! I can't say it was the best written book in the world - no where close honestly. But if you want a quick read that is something different, I would recommend this book. I can't wait to read the next one, but I'm too cheap to buy it. So I'll have to wait till goes free!

Book Review: Abandon 2: Underworld by Meg Cabot

I recently read Abandon, and I knew I had to continue the series and read Abandon 2: Underworld. This book continues right where Abandon left off. At the end of Abandon, Pierce and John are in the Underworld together. A2:U starts off with Pierce waking up in John's arms. I really loved that that was how it started. I absolutely HATE when a sequel picks off months later with a billion things have happened in between.
Here is the overview I stole from Amazon

" Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape. "

 Again, this overview casts a very scary and negative light on the book. Its not scary. While Pierce is "held against her will" in the underworld with John, she doesn't seem to hate it that much. What I liked about this book is that all (well, most) of the unanswered questions in the first book are answered. Why does Alex hate the Rectors? Why did Uncle Chris really go to Jail? Who really was John before he became ruler of the underworld?

In the book, there was a "sex" scene. As a YA book, you don't usually see this. It's usually, they laid into bed and shut the doors, next chapter. Which is stupid. I'm sorry, but in our day in age, most girls know whats going on and have probably tried some form of sexual activity by age of 16. So its dumb to not write anything. But Meg did a great job writing the "sex" scene to be age appropriate. It was enough to let the reader know exactly what was going on but not overdone so you are like, am I reading 50 shades or am I reading this book? 

Unfortunately there was a part of the book that I didn't like. In the middle to end of the book, suddenly there was a crime theme added. And seriously, it seems rushed and thrown in. Like Meg was like oh, I have an idea! How can I add it into this already written book! But it didn't diminish the book that much.

Overall I give this book 4 Stars. I enjoyed reading it, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. It kept my attention, even at 2 in the morning.

Book Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

So while I was sitting here thinking about what I should blog about, my mind wondered to the books I just read. And it kind of just clicked; why don't I review the books I read? I read more than any normal person should. I'm that girl who says shes going to bed at 10, but notice that she still has the light on at 3am with her nose in a book. So, I'm going to take my shot at reviewing the 8 million books I read.

I recently read Abandon by Meg Cabot. I had high hopes in this book, simply because I have never read a Meg Cabot book that I didn't like. This includes adult and young adult books. I was not disappointed.

I stole this from Amazon:

" New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld. "

This is a pretty good overall description of Abandon. But at the same time, it makes it seem really dark and scary.  And its not, not at all. While the main character, Pierce, is afraid of the underworld and the man that lives in it, she is also madly in love with him. Which she pretty much knows from the beginning. I liked the overall writing structure of Abandon. Except how the book kept referring to her death, the teacher incident, and other things without just coming out and explaining them. It took a couple of chapters before you actually understood what the hell was going on. I can understand ending a chapter referring to it, and then starting the next explaining it. But no.

Overall, this was a really good book. I had it finished in less than 5 hours. This book is aimed towards YA's, but can be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good romantic fantasy. I give this book 4 Stars!

Free Rock What You Got Book from Seventeen

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Bzz Agent Daily Bzz Sept 19, 2011

Has anyone heard of Bzzagent? I have been participating with them for awhile. It is pretty cool actually. What you do is join a campaign, receive a product, test the product, and then "Bzz" or talk about it to your friends. Tell them if you like it, if you don't. And then you get to keep the product when you are done! They also have this new thing out that allows you to invite yourself to a campaign. They have one new everyday, and all you have to do is spread the word about it. Pretty simple right? So thus, this is what I am doing. I love participating in campaigns, so I will be posting everyday!

Todays campaign is for The Help. I saw the movie and honestly loved it. It was was funny and thought provoking at the same time. Even though life is hecktic with school, I would still take the time to read this book! Especially if it is as good, and probably better, than the movie.

This is what BzzAgent says about it:
The movie may be taking the country by storm this fall season, but before that came the book. Told from the perspective of three women dealing with life in a racially charged Mississippi during the 1960’s, The Help deftly weaves together the personal and political history of the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.