Hawksong -- Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Title: Hawksong

Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Publisher: Delacorte Books

Series or Standalone? The first in the Kiesha'ra series.

Summary: Danica Shardae is an avian shapeshifter, and the golden hawk’s form in which she takes to the sky is as natural to her as the human one that graces her on land. The only thing more familiar to her is war: It has raged between her people and the serpiente for so long, no one can remember how the fighting began. As heir to the avian throne, Danica will do anything in her power to stop the bloodshed–even accept Zane Cobriana, the terrifying leader of her kind’s greatest enemy, as her pair bond and make the two royal families one. Now Danica must convince her people that Zane is just as committed to peace as she is–though she can’t help fearing that, despite his word, he will strike as swiftly and lethally as the cobra that is his second form. Among the serpiente, she’ll have to pretend to be in love, though when they’re alone, her reserve threatens to keep her and Zane worlds apart. And in their midst are dissenters who will do whatever it takes to destroy this union. Trust. It is all Zane asks of Danica–and all they ask of their people–but it may be more than she can give.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: I'm not gonna lie, I picked this book up solely because the whole marriage-without-love-turns-passionate plotline is one of my favourite tropes, it gets me every time. Bonus points as non-werewolf shapeshifters are involved. The world building was also very interesting and I liked reading about the differences between the avians and the serpentine clans.

Nonetheless, even the presence of one of my favourite tropes couldn't blind me to the feeling that the book as a whole was a bit flat. It storyline had a lot of potential, what with the ingrained hatred between the 2 clans and the awesome powers of shapeshifting. I think the book could have gone a lot further if the world and the shapeshifter's powers, along with the relationship between the serpents and the avians were further explored. Alas, Hawksong remains very character driven and unfortunately... the characters of Hawksong aren't so great. I never felt connected to Danica, despite being told everything from first person's point of view. Zane, her husband-to-be and love interest, had potential to become the type of dangerous yet sweet male character type that I always go ga-ga over; but he also became very 2-D. Needless to say, I'm a little bit disappointed.

The plot line was quite predictable, there was really no twist or even a decent climax. Nonetheless, the book wasn't very long so at least it's good if you're looking for a light, fun read.

COVER: My cover has Zane and his glowing red eyes on it, it looks better on screen than it does in real life. I actually prefer the version where both Danica and Zane are featured, it makes more sense to me since Danica is the one narrating after all. I think the one in the cover of the next book, Snakecharm, is also Zane as he's the narrator of that one. I doubt I'd be reading another one of these books, though.

Catching Fire -- Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic

Series or Stand-alone? Second in The Hunger Games trilogy

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Review: If you've read The Hunger Games, it's unlikely that you'll need reviews to convince you to purchase Catching Fire since the first of this trilogy was so super, but I'll add my 2c anyway.

I was afraid that my expectations for Catching Fire would be too high after reading all of the glowing reviews, but fortunately I was totally wrong, the book is amazing in everyway. The only reason I took half a star off is because the beginning 100 pages or so was quite slow, and the plot didn't pick up until the twist occured. And what a wonderful twist it was! I never saw it coming - and still, I was doubtful that Suzanne Collins would be able to carry the story in that direction without the plot going stale. However, she is an amazing writer and I spent the last 300 pages or so squealing and babbling to myself over the events of the novel. The point deduction was also partly due to that cliffhanger ending, which sorta broke my heart a bit. How will I live until next September?!!

I really love that we got to see more of Panem in Catching Fire as while The Games was great, it reminded me too much of Battle Royale. Panem shows that Suzanne Collins is able of crafting a realistic and intriguing world outside of the bloody arena.

Aside from the world-building and the brilliant plot, we also got to revisit some beloved characters. Katniss is still as spunky as usual, though she's lost a bit of her edge from the first novel - but this may be due to her being kept in the dark about events that are taking place. A couple of my RL friends are die-hard fans of Gale, so they would be pleased to know that he has much more scenes in this book. The frustration and unsatisfaction that he feels for the Capitol is further explored here. Haymitch's character history is also glimpsed at, and of all the characters I find him most interesting. I'm also very glad that we got to see Cinna and Effie again. My favourite is still Peeta, and with this book I love him even more! The boy is such a saint and I really want to see him happy. GO PEETA.

There are also many new and awesome characters. But I guess saying anymore is a spoiler so :( Just know that I adore the additional cast too.

Anyway, I don't really think I need to recommend this book. Really, you should already own a copy! Now don't mind me as I go sit in a corner to wait for the day the third book comes out.

COVER: At first I just liked it because I thought it was really eye-catching and shiny, but after reading the second to last comment here I am truly amazed. If the symbolism were intended, I bow down to the cover designer, as that's just way too cool.

Another Faust -- Daniel & Dina Nayeri

Title: Another Faust
Authors: Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri
Publisher: Candlewick
Stand-alone or Series? The first of the Another... series. But I'm not sure if it's a continuing series or just a collection of companion novels.
Summary: "One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption."

RATING: 2.5/3 out of 5 stars.

Review: I'm not gonna lie, I picked this book up because of the trailer, which promises involvement of a "lethal superjock". I mean lethal superjock? I was completely sold. Then of course, there was also this particular post (younger readers, avert ye eyes~!) by Yan of Books by Their Cover which may or may not have helped me made my final decision 8D

Another Faust has a premise that is very different from other recent supernatural YA in that it deals with bargaining with the devil. There is also minimal romance in this novel, something that sets it apart from other books of its kind. Needless to say, Another Faust was a very refreshing and different read, and if that's what you're seeking, you need to go get this book now. Don't worry if you're not familiar with the original Faust (I'm still hazy on that story myself), prior knowledge is not needed for this tale. After all, the Nayeri siblings wrote the novel with the intent of introducing this classic to the uninitiated.

That said, there was some problems with Another Faust that prevented it from becoming a completely enjoyable read. Mainly, the book was really inconsistent and choppy, the plot was everywhere at once. Usually, I really like it when a story is told from multiple point of views, but here it sometimes made things confusing. The 'POV' that I liked best took place at the beginning of each chapter, where we're shown a bit of history and the important figures who have had women like Madame Vileroy involved in their life.

Speaking of point of views, I could not relate to any of the characters in Another Faust, including Bice, who was the nicest of the bunch. I couldn't take Victoria and Valentin's supposed lust for power or their "evilness" very seriously for most of the book because they were so over the top. Christian and Bice didn't leave much of an impression on me. Belle was by far my favourite, but even she was a bit lackluster. Madame Vileroy didn't have as much presence as I thought she would, and for all her cryptic talk she didn't accomplish much in the end. I still don't get her motivations... How is getting the 5 kids to the top of Marlowe meant to cause any "large ripples" in the course of human history.

*****SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING BELOW*****

I also had a lot of troubles accepting Another Faust's ending, which I found ridiculous. Why would Bice suddenly be 'just like a mother' to Belle and Christian at the end, when she's lived through all those years for the entire book? Is it because she looks older now? I was completely baffled. And the idea that an ancient language was all it took to defeat Madame Vileroy was... strange.

*****END OF SPOILERS***

Cover: I quite like this cover, it has the air of a ball in which the debutantes have a sinister ait about them - which is basically a scene from the book. There are also moths on the cover and on the spine, and these creepy little creatures features muchly in the book. All in all, I think it's a very fitting cover - even though I don't care much for Victoria's glasses.

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

This week I am WoWing a Tenner book, because Tenners are awesomesauce.

Title: Guardian of the Dead
Author: Karen Healey
Release Date: Around April/May 2010

Summary: New Zealander Ellie Spencer just wants to spend her last year of high school in peace, even if she does have to spend it at boarding school and not in her hometown. But the moment her secret crush enchants her – literally – Ellie is drawn into a supernatural crisis that threatens everything she loves.

The creatures of Māori mythology aren’t so mythological – and some of them are murderous. Once her eyes are open, there’s no peace for Ellie; only a magical war the right side must win. Ellie must do what she can with her rusty tae kwon do skills and her newfound magical abilities to save her friends, her country, and millions of lives.

This is a book featuring taniwha, student theatre, boarding school politics, New Zealand pop culture references, and several good reasons to protect your feet while running for your life.

Why We Wants:

• This book is set in New Zealand! I live in NZ so this excites me :3! It also features a taniwha, which reminds me of that song I use to sing back in kindergarten.
• The cover is the most gorgeous thing ever, I haven't swooned this much over a cover image since Hush, Hush's cover was revealed.
• Apparently there is a creepy mask involved in the plot line~ The promise of this makes me ridiculously happy.
• It's been blurbed by Holly Black, Libba Bray and Becca Fitzpatrick. This heavily implies that the book will be awesome.

Meridian -- Amber Kizer

Title: Meridian
Author: Amber Kizer
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Stand-alone or Series: Could be read as stand-alone, but there's a companion novel tentatively scheduled for 2011.
Summary: Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Let's get the things that disappointed me out of the way first. Meridian had so much potential but they were never quite fully realised. I felt that a lot more world building could have been done, and it would have been interesting to learn more about the history of the Fenestra, the Aternocti, the Sangre, etc... But they were never elaborated upon. We basically only learned that Fenestra = Good. Aternocti = Bad without really knowing why. The ending was also rushed and anticlimatic... basically a super strong angel comes in and obliterate the bad guy within the space of 2 paragraphs. Far too convenient, and it also leaves a lot of unanswered questions. What happened to Meridian's family? What are the Aternocti really after? If a Sangre appears that easily to beat up the bad guy, why do Fenestra still get turned into Nocti? Why tell us that Tens is a sort of prophet if his power never really comes into play (except that he dreams of Meridian)? I hope these will be resolved in the companion novels.

Leaving that aside, Meridian was very entertaining and a solid paranormal romance. I liked Meridian's character, she was a damsel in distress who realises she doesn't always need the man to come to her rescue. At the same time, she will accept his help when she knows she can't overcome the problem on her own. I loved Auntie, who was a sweet and strong woman, Meridian is so lucky to have her as a mentor. Meridian's love interest, Tens, was a strange one. He constantly gave her mixed signals for the first half of the book-- and then all of the sudden, they accept that they're in love with one another. I'm not sure how I feel about him, it seems the author tried to make him too much of a mystery and so we never really see him developed as a character. There's also the question of Tens and Meridian's love being predestined... an idea that doesn't sit well with me and makes Meridian uncomfortable as well. I wished that this part was elaborated upon, but like much else in the book, it was left hanging. However, I can say for sure that their romance is sweet and they have a balanced relationship. Tens does not try and boss Meridian around and play Protector to her damsel in distress 24/7, I like that.

Another good thing about Meridian is the way the overzealous followers of the local church was portrayed. It's interesting to see how mass brainwashing and faith in the wrong places can be such a terrifying thing. There's little else that bothers me more than people who believe they're carrying out God's will when they're just satisfying their own needs.

I also like the idea of Fenestra, they are personification of the light at the end of the tunnel. I thought it was touching how they could glimpse at the passing person's favourite things in life. Amber Kizer has created a lovely version of heaven where all your loved ones are waiting for you on the other side. The Fenestra also brings more diversity to the YA paranormal romance pool of supernatural creatures, which is still overpopulated by vampires, werewolves and faeries.

All in all, if you don't mind a couple of unresolved plot points then Meridian is a good book. I especially recommend it to people looking for a paranormal romance with a strong female characters (we have 2 here! both Auntie and Meridian are awesome).

COVER: I've already gushed about this cover before, and I still stand by it! The colour scheme red and black has been done to death ever since Twilight, but here it's interesting and eye catching. The model on the cover has an unearthy glow to her, which looks really cool and is totally fitting for a Fenestra.

LINKS:
- Visit Amber Kizer's website.
- Visit the official Meridian website.
- Read the excerpts for Meridian.
- Buy Meridian from The Book Depository.

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

A lot of the books I ordered from bookdepository last week has just arrived, I am filled with much glee x3! But I digress... today I am currently pining for:

Title: Ice
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: 6th October 2009

******************************

Summary: When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back -- if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her -- until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.

Why We Wants:

• Firstly because it's a fairy tale retelling, and not just any fairy tale at that but a relatively obscure one: East of the Moon, West of the Sun. I'm gonna confess that I have not heard of this one before, but um... at least now I've read its summary on Wikipedia? It sounds like a Beauty and the Beast on ice and thus awesome.
• It's been blurbed by Juliet Marillier and Tamora Pierce! If I don't trust these two ladies there's no one I can trust.
• The cover is uber pretty. I love the splash of red hair in the blue palette.
• I've just read the excerpts for the first chapters at Simon and Schuster's website... I want more!

For Now: I'll read East by Edith Pattou, which is a retelling of the same fairy tale.

Teaser Tuesdays (2)

"Teaser Tuesdays" is a weekly meme hosted by Mizb of Should be Reading. To join along simply follow these instructions:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

This week I'm grabbing a couple of lines out of Meridian by Amber Kizer:

"We drove into Revelation a full day after I'd gotten on the bus. Relevation, Colorado? Someone's idea of a joke, right? My school uniform was wrinkled and smudged with God knows what. My leg hurts from sitting all that time. I wanted a shower. Real sleep. Someone to tell me this was a mistake. Ha-ha! Anyone?"

I'm about half way through and it's quite good at the moment~ I've been so lucky with books lately <3