Review: Fallen

Fallen by Lauren Kate

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Imagine Twilight but with Fallen Angels. Yea that is this book in it's most basic form. The ONLY saving grace to keep it from falling into the deadly "Minda's most hated books" category is that Luce is a little less annoying than the Queen of Mary Suedom, Bella Swan. That is not to say they aren't strikingly similar. Both heroines fall in love with a guy while he is basically giving them the cold shoulder. Both heroines gush about how BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT he is... and how irresistibly drawn they are to him. Both heroines are flat and make completely idiotic decisions even though they are supposed to be "oh so intelligent ya know cause they make good grades and stuff".... Lemme just say not all "intellectual girls" fall for the first pretty face that comes their way. BOTH HEROINES ARE STUCK IN A GRIPPING LOVE TRIANGLE!!!!

Seeeeeeeeeeeee.... That and the simplistic writing of both books mark them as THING 1 and THING 2. Impossible to really tell apart unless you understand that the devil is in the details. Thankfully, Lauren Kate didn't try to put sparkles where sparkles don't belong. Although she did put Gold Eye Shadow/Eyeliner on one of the dudes? At least thats how I interpreted it as looking. Now this works when Suzanne Collins does it to a character, Cinna, but you know all those crazy capital people wear weirdo fashion anyways.... OK back to my point. Thank you Lauren Kate for sticking KINDA..... to the whole Angels lusts after women mythos.

The plot didn't really take off and even appear until about the last (checks book really fast) 50 pages. (Bear with me if it appears at a different point in your book...I'm working from the Ebook here.) Then things got interesting but were not explained until the EVIL VILLIANESS unveiled her plot. WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS DOING THAT!?!?!?! Just have your plot in your mind and keep your lips sealed so 1. You don't waste time talking when you should be killing your victim. 2. You don't reveal, make things so easy for the reader!!! Sometimes a challenge is OK Alright, yea, you are right it would make people complain cause they wouldn't know why the villain killed the victim, good point. (Talking to my head voices again)

Now I've heard the next two books are better and I have nothing but time on my hands, so what the heck I'll give it another shot. If I can suffer through the entire depressing....annoying....Facepalm that is Twilight. I can live through this.

Cheers!




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Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I absolutely LOVED this book. The setting drew me in, I'm a sucker for the Victorian Era. I felt the characters were very well developed. At times they acted a little too modern for the time period. Gemma seems to be quite an interesting young lady and I can't wait to read more about her in the second and third books.



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Review: Breaking Dawn

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



Lets just not even discuss this ok.....I feel a headache coming on......but I am relieved that it's finally over. WooooHOOO!



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Review: Dust City

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This was a great twist on retold fairy tales and certainly deserves four stars for it's plot. But I felt the world building was a little lackluster. Something about it just didn't grab me and make me wish I could be there seeing the glimmering towers of Eden or smell the pepperminty smell of Grandma's house....I can't quite put my finger on it though.

I though the idea of Henry battling with his inner wolf while trying to be the good guy he is was just a little bit overdone. That being said I did enjoy the book and wish there was more to it. Perhaps a sequel. I never did figure out if Skinner was supposed to be a remake of Rumpelstiltskin or Humpty Dumpty or both. I'm betting he is supposed to be a blend of both.




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Review: The Willoughbys

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was such a cute read. I loved the way the children interacted with one another and I found myself laughing out loud many time. The plot was interesting and certainly drew from elements of "old fashioned" children's stories. All the characters were charming (except for the parents..no they were Nefarious) and I especially enjoyed the idea of Nanny as an alabaster Aphrodite. That was very comical. I must say I learned a few new vocabulary words from reading it and the addition of a glossary at the end of the book along with some examples of "old fashioned" children's stories was great.



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Review: iDrakula

iDrakula by Bekka Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this quite a bit even if it left out many of the aspects of the original Dracula that make it so great. It is a very interesting take on the story and serves the purpose of laying out the basic plot to Bram Stoker's novel in a modern way.



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Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book. The idea that people would be separated into different factions based on their personality attributes was interesting and I enjoyed the way the author conveyed the idea. At times though the plot seemed predictable and I guessed the true identity of Four long before it was revealed. I also guessed the main plot before it was revealed.

I thought Tris was a little disappointing at times. I felt her attachment to her friends and her good character traits were admirably described. Peter made me mad and I felt myself hoping for a unhappy ending for him thorough-out the entirety of the book.

I enjoyed the action sequences and pace of the book. I will be looking forward to the next in the series.




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Review: Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I felt that the world constructed within this book was ok. I don't see a world where teen are forced to undergo brain surgery as plausible though. I think there would be too much scientific evidence against the procedure and the risks would be too high in order for it to be required of everyone. I also can't see a world where all manner of emotion is medically removed working out. Seems like it would crash and burn within a few decades.

Too much about this book seemed implausible. I felt the characters where exactly flat but they could have been developed just a little more. I just really couldn't sympathize with the characters. The relationship between Alex and Lena was too unbelievable. I mean in a world where teens are segregated from the opposite sex I felt it was too unbelievable that they would have that much freedom. I understand Lena was lying to her Aunt the whole time and saying she was with Hana, but still it seems like freedoms would be restricted quite a bit more if LOVE was that dangerous.

I just didn't like this book very much. I mean it was OK...but it never really grasped my attention and pulled me into the story. I felt myself skimming through many parts just to be done with it. In my opinion love isn't such a strong emotion that it would cause people to completely lose their minds. And don't even get me started on the animal abuse present in one part of the story. That just annoyed me. If love and desire are not present then why in the heck would a family even have a pet? It just didn't make sense. You have to have a DESIRE to have an animal companion which would cause you to have a feeling of attachment (ie Love) toward the animal so that you would be willing to feed, water, care for the animal properly. If the procedure supposedly removes these emotions and feelings then why would anyone even seek a pet in the first place?




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Review: The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I found this book very exciting and the storyline seemed very realistic. This is a world I could see happening. Even in our present society we seek pleasure and happiness over pain. But what happens when our memories of pain are gone and we no longer remember what it is like to hurt, not physically, but emotionally? How can we call ourselves human if we actually feel nothing?

The main characters were a mix of flat and well-rounded. But for this novel that mixture works. Mother, Father, and Lily seemed flat but I expected that given the subject matter. If they were as well rounded and fleshed out as The Giver and Jonas, I do not feel the book would not have the same pull and meaning to the reader.

Asher was a bit cliche as your typical hyperactive and fun seeking child. This is what I call the "poster child for Ritalin" and it was not surprising when his assignment was revealed. I felt Fiona was only mentioned by name in order to advance the plot and give a reason for the changes brought on by Jonas' maturation.

The world built within the book was fascinating and I felt it was the right choice for details to be withheld until needed in conjunction with the storyline. I did not expect color to be absent until it was mentioned that Jonas was beginning to see the color red. This took me by surprise but made sense as too much unrest could be created within a society based on coloring alone. Not just unrest over differences in skin color but the concept of beauty based on coloring or the mental notation of all members of a certain profession having a certain coloring similarity could create apprehension in Elevens. There are so many reasons for the absence of color that I could see why it would be reserved only for the Receiver of Memory.

I felt the pacing of the novel was just a bit hurried toward the end but that fits well with the danger and fear that Jonas felt fleeing the community. I would have loved a further discussion of the significance and meaning when the Giver said that Rosemary was his daughter. Does this mean that Jonas is genetically his son? What about Gabriel? Or was it meant that she was his "daughter" in his family unit? How do geneticists get the DNA used to create the newchildren? I know there are Birthmothers but how is the process of insemination started and where do the male sex alleles come from? I wish it was discussed in further detail.

I gave this book a five star rating because I was deeply interested and entertained by the storyline. I felt the writing was spectacular, and I enjoyed the use of flat and complex characters. There was meaning behind the construction of the world within this book. And I found it thought provoking and contemplative. My only complaint with the book was that it ended too soon. LOL.




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Hey right now my Broadband card with T-Mobile is out of service, gotta pay the bill *blushes*, so whenever we can get to a T-Mobile and get it back on I'll be able to post the reviews as I get them done. But for right now I'll probably be posting a lot of r
eviews at one time whenever I can get free WiFi.

Sitting at the truck terminal for the company my husband drives for right now, so I've got free WiFi and I've posted around three reviews?(I think)

I even read one of the books my brother bought me for my birthday!

I've been reading some of the books out loud to my husband while he drives. He enjoys it sometimes but he really wants me to finish the Twilight Saga soon cause my annoyance at the series is driving him crazy. LOL...but the great thing is he asked me the other day about possibly getting him a Nook! Can you feel my excitement right now!MICHAEL...READING!!!