Review: A Little Friendly Advice

One of my own advice to you would be to not expect too much coming for this blog for the time being.

2 stars/5 stars

A wonderful debut for any teen with friendship issues (i.e. all of them)

Ruby’s turning sixteen . . . but the day doesn’t turn out to be as sweet as it’s supposed to be. Her long lost father shows up, and Ruby doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. Instead, she wants to hang out with her friends – loyal Beth, dangerous Katherine, and gossipy Maria. They have plenty of advice for her – about boys, about her dad, about how she should look and what she should be feeling. But really, Ruby doesn’t know what to think or feel. Especially when a new boy comes into the picture . . . and Ruby discovers some of her friends aren’t as truthful as they say.

Didn’t like this book either. While it is relatively (and not very, shall I say) closer to reality by grappling with very real problems and such I felt that Siobhan Vivian isn’t good enough (I know that hurts) to eliminate the better part of drama, including betrayal and plot twists that were shockingly obvious that I saw it coming within the first ten miles or so. This book had some potential, but I never had much taste for unnecessarily long descriptions of the clothes worn by a character that I really disliked for being not just selfish but weird with handling situations.

Siobhan Vivian was trying too hard to create creativity. The insta-love didn’t work, however dimensional she had tried to make the male love interest seem, because ultimately there was very little chemistry and a lot of fabrication on the part of the writers, and therefore you’ll probably find that most of the characters except for her best friend and even or mother and her father are highly unnecessary. The story narrated was both unconvincing.

Her friend who is supposedly loved by all boys is just an anxious peacekeeper who hangs pathetically from one person to another. And Katherine. Well, she’s just weird, because you don’t call Katherine a “friend” the way Katherine treats her and the way she treats Katherine. This story is mostly just about Ruby and her best friend, called IForgotHerNameAndIsTooLazyToCheck, and the unreal situations they were put into.

I would say that Siobhan Vivian has very little sensitivity to the world at large, for her solutions to the ultimate family and relationship questions are nonexistent– there wasn’t a conclusion in the end, just that everybody is selfish and she would go off to a college. So a brief rundown.

Daddy shows up.

OmiGod, what are you doing here, like, you totally abandoned my mom and I and now you’re coming back, you’re here to get me back and who do you think you are, running around leaving scars?

Runs Out crying and very intelligently gets drunk. Not punished (duh).

Why is IForgotHerNameAndIsTooLazyToCheck hiding something from me? OMG

Instead of just facing the problem, she waits and feeds herself crap.

Everything is getting worse, but meeting a boy and immediately making out is good. TeeHee!

The ultimate “I’m Leaving you”

Why?! Why is my life this way? Stupid Katherine. Stupid IForgotHerNameAndIsTooLazyToCheck.

Cues Huge Plot Twist.

OMiGod like seriously what! IForgotHerNameAndIsTooLazyToCheck how could you?

Never Mind.

Let’s all be good friends and go off to college together!

And..that’s pretty much it. So, little substance, a truckload of emotional issues and a lackluster ending. Sounds like the ultimate YA novel.

Review : Heart's Blood

Heart's Blood (Whistling Tor #1)
Juliet Marillier
Published October 2nd 2009 by Tor

I started reading this book because of Wildwood Dancing. These kind of stories are my favourite and Heart's Blood effectively captured my interest. Juliet Marillier has managed to put in every element of fantasy, love and logic in such a way that the story is successful and I really enjoyed it. Fantasy and romance with a little bit of action would be my cup of tea. When it's a little medieval though, I tend to fall in love with the book more. As such, her books are set in a time it feels really medieval so I can't help but find myself automatically drawn to the book. The book covers are gorgeous. People who are used to contemporary and modern fantasy wouldn't exactly find the covers likeable but I love that style of drawing. Wait, am I gushing? Let's get on with the review then.

The lead female, Caitrin, is a young woman who is running desperately to get away from the cruel people in her past. I was intrigued and Anluan's past was shrouded in mystery. As expected. I was, without doubt, pretty freaked out at some parts ( I shall not spoil it for you ).

I liked how the side, as well as the main characters were fleshed out. While Caitrin was reluctant to share her past ( come on, who wouldn't be? ), it wasn't kept in that much suspense. The reader would be able to roughly guess what had happened and that's fine. The more interesting thing that everyone would want to find out is Anluan's past and exactly what was going on right? If a story can keep just enough suspense, make sure it builds up and then revealed, it makes everything a whole lot more enjoyable. Instead of just exploding it in you face that makes you go "What?". And while building up this suspense, Marillier certainly made sure to build up the romance. It certainly wasn't "His smoky green eyes" or whatever talk about muscles at first sight. Neither was it crush/love at first sight.

To be honest, I actually wondered "Is this guy going to be the love interest?"

It's so rare to see romance like this ( please, compared to some books, I've seen better fanfiction ). Meaning? A romance that builds up, with the guy being kind of mean ( it's not cliché ) because there's a reason behind his mean-ness. And the only rival for love is the bad guy. Hell, he's not even after love. There. I spoiled it.

Either way, Caitrin is a really cool lead character and I like, no, love her relationship with Anluan ( um, duh? ). It develops so subtly yet you're so excited till the moment that they really confess their love.

Well that's pretty OOC for me but I guess that's what's in me when I'm high --"

The ending was like this ; it's like, I kind of seeing it coming, but not really yet when it did happen, it shocked surprised the hell out of me. And I cried. I cried.

I didn't know which fairytale it was from. But that doesn't really matter 'cause, as I mentioned, the side characters were just as awesome and, um, let's forget the bad guys. While some parts were slightly predictable, you certainly wouldn't be able to guess a huge part unless, maybe, you know the fairtyale.

Let me end off with, I loved this book for the above reasons and you should try reading it. It's not something that's so common to be found these days. That's why I love these books. Anyway, I'm off now. Thank you for reading this review up to this point.

WELL

_____________________________

“How could you not know?" His voice was full of wonderment. "You changed me utterly. You were like a...like a bright, wonderful bloom in a garden full of weeds. Like a graceful capital on a page of plain script, a letter decorated with the deepest, finest colors in all Erin. Like a flame, Caitrin. Like a song.”

Rating : 5.00 

Review: Matched

Matched (Matched #1)
Ally Condie
Published November 30th 2010 by Dutton Juvenile 

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to slap a girl so much as now.

I never had high expectations of this book, but seriously? I love dystopia, but I really can’t stand dystopias that work on the premise of instalove, unless the author can justify that instalove.

 I’m going to find it bad to write this review/rant, because I have NEVER, repeat never, bashed a book before.

Well, there’s always a first time.

Plot

Well, the plot can be summed up this way.

Girl rides on train with Best Friend to her Match ceremony.

Girl vainly states all her beauties while staring at compact.

Girl finds out her match is her Best Friend and is soooo excited.

Girl later sees cute boy on the back screen of her Match and falls in love with him. Because we all know that The True Love that forms fascinating love triangles always occur in few seconds.

Oh yeah. True Love guy is called off-limits. What’s life without a bit of danger?

Oh yes, that was Catherine.

Girl feels bad for Best Friend, now her Match, but wants to be with Cute Boy.

Girl goes on a hike to talk to Cute Boy. Finds out that he has “nice blue eyes”. Swoons.

Rants to herself about his “nice blue eyes”, how life has to be so hard for her because mating is such a difficult matter.

Wants to run away with Cute Boy.

.___. Umm…

After reading six pages, I was fed up with Cassia’s vanity and stupidity (we’ll touch on that later). I felt like slamming it shut and putting it in some forsaken corner and never look at it again. Well, Cat told me to read on because I’ll have a good time laughing to myself.

I think I’m going to stop here, or the entire review will be a full-out rant of Crossed.

Oh wait, it already is.

The Characters

Cassia

To say the least, Cassia is a vain girl. VAIN. Let me quote to you.

                                    “I want to open the compact and check in the mirror to make sure I look my best. But I don’t want to seem vain, so I sneak a glance at my face on its surface instead. The rounded lid of the compact distorts my features a little, but it’s still me. My green eyes. My coppery-brown hair, which looks a more golden in the compact than it does in real life. My straight small nose. My chin with a trace of a dimple like my grandfather’s. All the outward characteristics that make me Cassia Maria Reyes, seventeen years old exactly.” (*Emily narrates in a sarcastic tone*)

And lusty.

“Ky presses next to me blocking her, too. It’s the second time we’ve touched, and although I’m worried about Em, I can’t help but notice it, can’t help but want to lean into him a little in spite of the fact that I still feel Xander’s kiss on my lips.”

Seriously? I can tell you’re reallyyyyy worried about Em.

Besides that, Cassia is a self-centered, whiney little priss.

Am I going to far? I’m going to stop here.

Xander

I think Xander is the only reason why this book didn’t get a 0.5 rating. He’s the saving grace of this book. He was really nice and kind. (I won’t put in that he is handsome because you don’t start liking characters because they are good-looking) I really don’t think he deserved to be treated by Cassia that way. He is smart, and he can think on his feet and act spontaneously. And even after how Cassia betrayed him and his heart time and time again, he helped her. So that means he’s forgiving too.

Ky

I really can’t stand this guy.

I’m Team Xander, by the way. Not that I’ll be reading the sequels.

The Romance

This is the best instalove story I have read in my entire life. (*rolls eyes*) Well, I already did say that this book worked on the premise of instalove, so I maybe you can guess how bad it is. So Cassia sees Ky on her Matching screen, thing, whatever. And she falls in love with him. Great! But then she realizes that she loves Xander too. Oh no! What is she going to do? But she decides that she loves Ky more, so she would rather run off with him. But she doesn’t want to break Xander’s heart. Well, dearie, you already did. So deal with it.

The Language

At least the language here was all right, but I already deducted points from it for the other… components.

Writing Style

Let’s just say that I hated Cassia’s voice. And I think Miss Condie should not have described Cassia in such a way that made Cassia sound vain. That and many other things.

All in all…

Well, seeing from this review, you can probably guess that you shouldn’t read this book unless you are looking for a good laugh at irony or the best case of instalove.

I’m sorry Miss Condie, but this isn’t a sexier version of the Giver. Just. No.

RATING: 1.27

Emily Drema

Review: Obsidian, A Lux Novel

Merry Christmas, kids. Review is going to be drastically less jolly, like most of the angry reviews are 

2 stars/5 stars 

 

Starting over sucks. 

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 

And then he opened his mouth. 

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.  

The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.  

If I don't kill him first, that is.

So Obsidian is getting a lot of love on Goodreads (4.23 average rating, last I checked). 

I disagree. 

I may or may not follow the crowd, but here's the outline of the story where everyone will probably understand where the issues lie to begin with. Insert a standard story template.

1. Beautiful (but she doesn't know it) girl moves to new neighborhood, with one parent. The other is either dead or divorced, or maybe a complicated mix of both.
2. Hot guy appears. Inhumanly hot. Girl starts swooning and dying and melting, and he opens his mouth and she immediately gets annoyed and finds some snappy comeback. Or something.
3. A nice sister to talk to! Yay, let's be BFF!
4. Why can they eat ice cream and so much nice food? Why are they so pretty?
5. Eh. What are they talking about while I am supposed to be asleep? Are they supernatural beings or something.
6. Somebody saved and healed me from dying. No prize for who guesses it.
7. That same somebody now has to be my shadow and we have plenty of moments.
8. Winds up in hospital, out again.
9. Bad guys. Called the dark. Revealed that inhumanly hot kids are in fact, inhuman. What a shock. I know, right?

And on it goes with unneeded tension. This author knows what to avoid, which is insta-love and happily ever afters. This author makes Cady (Cathy? Caty? I don't know.) like an author, what with book blogging and some books that she detests. And so on. Yet I don't see the point of dragging everything out enough. Sure, this author is really aware of everything now in YA Paranormal novels that are sorely lacking, but she hasn't picked up the challenge because this is classified as pretty much anything I've read. I'm also seeing lots of plot cliches that are potential cliffhangers and so-called "plot twists". We've been reading too much and these little details jut out, just begging to be noticed. 

I'm betting that Dawson is not really dead and he makes some return. 

Another infuriating thing is also using foreign language to give your -insert paranormal creature-  a name. Frankly I'm just sick of the light and the dark in which the light are the perfect, beautiful and peaceful residents while the dark are resentful, jealous creatures by nature. Remember, jealousy may be in the self but resentment takes actual interaction to be nurtured. I can't stand the fact that there are the evil, and then the victims, end of story. And using Latin to substitute for a name called "light" is both unoriginal, albeit fitting. 

I can't handle Paranormal YA fiction these days.

Posted on behalf of 
Catherine