Review: Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie

Publisher: Penguin
Published: November 1, 2011
Pages: 367
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 Stars

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.
Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

In short: While Crossed by Ally Condie was distinctly lacking in action, there was just enough intrigue to keep me interested in reading Reached.

I am such a lemming. People say how great Matched is and I find a way to read it as soon as I can. People say how disappointing Crossed was and I put off reading it for a year because of that. And unfortunately - and despite how much I loved Matched - I can't help but agree with reviewers who thought Crossed was a slow and sort of monotonous read. Not a whole lot happens and it seemed more like just a set-up book for the final book in the Matched Trilogy, Reached. I mean, Matched was a slow read as well, but I found that it at least held my interest throughout with its excellent world building and beautiful writing. With Crossed, the detailed introduction to the world was supposed to be over with in book one and I wanted some of the action promised to me at the end of Matched.

I'm also very much disappointed that I don't feel like I have any particularly strong connection to the three main characters - Cassia, Ky, and Xander. Especially Cassia. She's a bit on the bland side. And again, I remember feeling the same way about her character in Matched, but I was willing to excuse it at the time because I thought maybe all the characters were supposed to be sort of bland and similar because of their restricted freedoms and limited choices. And with how Crossed was set up at the end of Matched, I thought for sure this was going to be Cassia and company's time to come into their own a bit more. But alas, this was not the case. They're not bad characters by any means - I just don't have any particular attachment to any of them.

Okay, okay, so it may seem like I didn't like Crossed at all, but that's not true! I am still a huge fan of Ally Condie's writing style. She somehow manages to incorporate poetry and symbolism flawlessly into the text and not have it be distracting or over-thought. Ally Condie's writing accounts for the bulk of my enjoyment of Crossed. And I can't deny that there was just enough intrigue in Crossed to keep me coming back for Reached. So what am I hoping for in Reached (to be released November 13, 2012)? Ideally, more character depth and I really hope Ally Condie takes this opportunity to ramp up the action to make a truly exciting read. It is the final book in the trilogy after all!

Previously, my review of Matched.

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Review: Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: October 9, 2012
Pages: 432
Source: For Review from Hachette Book Group Canada
Rating: 4 Stars

In most fairy tales, princesses are beautiful, dragons are terrifying, and stories are harmless. This isn't most fairy tales.
Princess Violet is plain, reckless, and quite possibly too clever for her own good. Particularly when it comes to telling stories. One day she and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a hidden room and find a peculiar book. A forbidden book. It tells a story of an evil being -- called the Nybbas -- imprisoned in their world. The story cannot be true -- not really. But then the whispers start. Violet and Demetrius, along with an ancient, scarred dragon, may hold the key to the Nybbas's triumph . . . or its demise. It all depends on how they tell the story. After all, stories make their own rules.
Iron Hearted Violet is a story of a princess unlike any other. It is a story of the last dragon in existence, deathly afraid of its own reflection. Above all, it is a story about the power of stories, our belief in them, and how one enchanted tale changed the course of an entire kingdom.

In short: If I were to describe Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill in one word, it would be Charming.

Middle Grade fantasies featuring strong and charismatic protagonists and creative world building are among my favourite kind of books to read and I had a feeling Iron Hearted Violet would give me exactly what I wanted - and it did. Kelly Barnhill has crafted an adventurous and unconventional story with a completely endearing protagonist. And what's more, there was SUBSTANCE here in the themes and messages of the novel. If I had to describe Iron Hearted Violet in one word, it would be Charming. I was utterly charmed by the story, characters, and writing.

Iron Hearted Violet is narrated not by Violet, but by the Court Storyteller, stepping away from the more traditional first person and third person omniscient points of view, which added a lot of interest and texture to the story that I really appreciated. It also really brought home the message of the power of storytelling and gave the story a fairytale feel, which was genius on Kelly Barnhill's part. Her bewitching prose was a delight to read and so very playful. The plot was well done - perhaps a bit too predictable at times - but very intriguing and whimsical.

I loved Violet. She is not your typical princess - she isn't graceful or fragile. And she is described as being a homely princess, with a lopsided face, mismatched eyes, and a frizzy and unruly mane of hair. Though I have to say, even though I knew all this, I couldn't help picturing her as an adorable and charming girl, just based on the strength of her personality. She may not be princess-conventionally-pretty, but she is unique and beautiful in her own way. It's hard not to be charmed by such a clever, inquisitive, and dauntless protagonist!

I was mostly impressed by the illustrations present in Iron Hearted Violet, as drawn by Iacopo Bruno, though I have a few quibbles: first off, that awesome scene depicted on the cover of Violet riding on the back of a dragon? NEVER happens. So that was disappointing and misleading. Also, Violet as illustrated by Iacopo Bruno is not the Violet at described by Kelly Barnhill: the illustrations of her are more conventionally pretty than the physical characteristics described in the book and I would have preferred to see her as her unique and adorable self instead.

Overall, Iron Hearted Violet was a super charming read and I look forward to reading more books from Kelly Barnhill in the future. Iron Hearted Violet is a standalone.

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Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: May 1, 2012

Pages: 525

Source: Bought

Rating: 5 Stars

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

In short: Insurgent by Veronica Roth is a solid and enthralling sequel to its predecessor.

Hmm, what's that? You've been dying to read yet another Insurgent review? Oh good. I was hoping you'd say that.

Insurgent picks up right where Divergent leaves off, leaving no time for exposition and rehashing of the events that took place at the end of Divergent. I would have been completely lost if it had not been for Veronica Roth's Catch-Up Guide, which I read just prior to starting Insurgent. As it was, I actually quite liked that Veronica Roth didn't waste any time going over all the details of the previous book as it would have slowed the pace down considerably and Insurgent is the kind of book that you want to devour as fast as possible. And devour I did, even though Insurgent is over 500 pages long.

I am just endlessly fascinated with the world building of the Divergent trilogy, specifically the Faction System, that is so expertly developed by Veronica Roth. I swear I could read about even the most mundane aspects of the Factions and still be interested. Lucky for me, Insurgent was the perfect book when it came to finding out more about the specific processes, cultures, and backgrounds of the Factions - Tris and Tobias visit all five Faction Headquarters over the course of Insurgent. And I am dying to learn even more secrets about the workings and history of the Faction System, especially with how Insurgent left off.

Though I didn't like Insurgent quite as much as Divergent and though it wasn't without its faults - Tris and Tobias got on my nerves a few times, for example - there is no way I could not give it 5 Stars considering how much I enjoyed myself while reading it. Everything else in Insurgent - the pacing, the action, the world and character building - more than made up for any minor pet peeves that I had. Insurgent is truly a solid and thrilling follow-up to what has become one of my favourite series of all time. I can't believe we still have to wait a year for the as yet untitled Book 3 - though does anyone else suspect it will be named Convergent?

Previously, my review for Divergent.

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Review: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: April 24, 2012

Pages: 320

Source: For Review from HarperCollins/Edelweiss (Thank you!)

Rating: 2 Stars

Everything is in ruins. 
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. 
So what does Araby Worth have to live for? 
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all. 
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. 
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

In short: Though I really wanted to like Masque of the Red Death by Bethanny Griffin, I couldn't get past the seriously TSTL protagonist.

Though I have not read The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe - and so cannot speak to the specifics of how well this book was adapted - I think Bethany Griffin manages to replicate the dark and creepy atmosphere present in all of his stories quite well in her own adaptation. Death and horror are present in abundance in Masque of the Red Death, as is inevitable in a story where a horrific plague has decimated the population. There were also some elements of steampunk, which combined with the dystopian-horror genre, created these sort of strangely and darkly beautiful images of ladies in corsets and porcelain masques and steam carriages and hot air balloons.

Unfortunately, and though I really, really wanted to like Masque of the Red Death because it very much seemed like my kind of book, I found much more fault with it than I liked it. The plot was a bit too reminiscent of The Chemical Garden Trilogy (Wither, Fever) by Lauren DeStefano. A dystopian world with a population decimated by illness, a girl with a twin brother and a scientist parent trying to find a cure, ways of avoiding the reality of life for the rich and complete hopelessness for the poor, and an overall dark and dismal atmosphere. I read so many dystopians that admittedly, many of them start to blend together, but I was still looking for more originality in Masque of the Red Death to really make it a great read.

The worst offense of Masque of the Red Death though is protagonist, Araby, who is Too Stupid To Live in the biggest and baddest way. Some of her TSTL moments include - but are not limited to - blindly following and betraying her family for a guy she just met without questioning who he is or what his motivations are, accepting a drink from the seriously evil Prince Prospero without thought and ending up poisoned, and falling for a guy who in one moment is holding her suspended over croc-infested waters, threatening her life, and in the very next second is confessing his love for her. I wanted a heroine to root for, to take control of the situation and to independently think on her own, and though I got a few glimpses of that girl, she was sorely lacking throughout the majority of the novel.

I really dislike writing negative reviews for books where the popular opinion is overwhelmingly positive; it makes me feel like maybe I am missing something, maybe I got this wrong. Still, I stand strong in my dislike of Araby, who pretty much ruined the novel for me. If I had to recommend Masque of the Red Death to anyone, I would say it may be liked by fans of Lauren DeStefano's Chemical Garden Trilogy. And of course, I recommend reading other reviews because even though Masque of the Red Death wasn't the book for me, it clearly was for most reviewers.

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Review: A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis

Publisher: Penguin

Published: January 10, 2012

Pages: 386

Source: Bought

Rating: 4 Stars

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. 
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies. 
But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart. 

In short: I literally gasped out loud several times at the exciting plot and surprise reveals in A Million Suns by Beth Revis.

Across the Universe, the first in Beth Revis' series, was such an exciting and fun read. It seemed like with every chapter, there would be some sort of surprise or reveal about the deep, dark secrets of the ship, Godspeed, or the people on it. So I was a little apprehensive going into A Million Suns. I mean, with every secret seemingly revealed in Across the Universe, what's left for the characters to uncover?

Well, as it turns out, a whole heck of a lot. I literally gasped out loud a few times while reading. It occurs to me how very, very much planning Beth Revis would have had to put into creating the Across the Universe Trilogy. Every reveal and clue always seem carefully and assuredly put into place for the maximum entertainment of the reader. And I have no doubt Beth Revis will continue to bring the big surprises in the final book, Shades of Earth, even though there doesn't seem like anything more to be revealed.

I didn't quite like A Million Suns as much as Across the Universe, though. There were a few plot holes that bothered me. In A Million Suns, Amy is sent on a scavenger hunt by a certain character - who I will not name to avoid spoilers - to find an important message left to her through a series of many, many tailor-made clues. It was completely unnecessary for said character to have left so many clues for Amy, when they were already tailor-made for her. As it is, Amy spends the entire book hunting down these clues for this critical message when a few clues and less time would have sufficed, so that was pretty silly.

Still, even a few plot holes couldn't stop me from loving A Million Suns. An amazing thriller with fascinating and exciting world-building, A Million Suns is an excellent sequel and a must-read. I can't believe we have to wait so long until Shades of Earth (to be released January 2013)!

Previously, my review for Across the Universe.

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Review: Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: February 21, 2012

Pages: 341

Source: For Review from Simon & Schuster Canada (Thank you!)

Rating: 3 Stars

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. 
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary. 
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

In short: Though Fever by Lauren DeStefano lacks a lot of the intrigue that carried Wither, DeStefano's gorgeous writing is still a treat to read.

Fever picks up right where Wither left off - with Rhine and Gabriel fleeing from the mansion, away from Rhine's husband, Linden, her sister-wife, Cecily, and her disturbingly creepy father-in-law, Vaughn, who likes to perform experiments on bodies (living and cadavers alike). The thrill of freedom only lasts so long though, as Rhine realizes that though she was imprisoned in the mansion against her will for a year, at least she was safe. In Fever, Rhine and Gabriel end up in various horrible predicaments while in search of Rhine's twin brother, Rowan.

I didn't enjoy Fever as much as I did Wither and the problem lies in the plot. The pacing was very slow and I found myself a little bored throughout most of the book. That's not to say that Wither wasn't also on the slow side of pacing - because it was - but there was an intrigue in Wither that managed to keep my curiosity that was somehow lacking in Fever. Sure, the demented carnival-brothel that Rhine gets herself mixed up in in the beginning was interesting (and obviously, very disturbing) and the last 50 pages were exciting and mind-bending (and also, very disturbing), but everything else in the middle dragged a bit.

The high point of Fever is the same as it was for Wither: Lauren DeStefano's writing is gorgeous. DeStafeno is able to craft and incredibly dark (and yes, again, incredibly disturbing) dystopian world that makes you cringe and want to turn away but are somehow unable to. Interwoven through all the darkness are little tidbits of flashbacks from happier times when Rhine was still with her family, which are beautiful and poignant. Character development is mixed, however - I feel like some characters are wonderfully developed and enigmatic, while others are lacking - especially Rhine and Gabriel, unfortunately. I also noticed quite a few plot holes and scientific inaccuracies, which were frustrating due to the sheer number of them.

Overall, though Fever lacked the intrigue present in Wither to truly carry the story, I would still recommend it to people who loved Wither. There is still some interest in the plot, especially near the end, as well as Lauren DeStefano's beautiful writing, that are worth reading. Fever will be published February 21, 2012. The third and final book in The Chemical Garden trilogy, as yet unnamed, will be released in 2013.

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