Review: Roar and Liv (Under the Never Sky Book #0.5) by Veronica Rossi

Title: Roar and Liv (Under the Never Sky Book #0.5)

Author: Veronica Rossi

Published by: HarperCollins

Released: October 2012

Summary: One thing is clear from the Under the Never Sky trilogy, we love Roar! This is a story about Roar from before he ever met Aria. Told in Roar's POV, it chronicles the events that happened before Under the Never Sky. Experience the love of Roar and Liv. The friendship of Roar and Perry. The tension that Vale brings in his leadership of the Tides. And finally, experience the ultimate shock of Liv leaving for the Horns territory. Spend a little more time with the awesomeness that is Roar.

My Thoughts: What a fun little extra to the Under the Never Sky trilogy. I really enjoyed this, getting a story from Roar's point of view and getting to witness a little of his and Liv's love story. I had already finished the whole Under the Never Sky trilogy, so the story was a little bittersweet for me because I know what happens ultimately. Reading this novella just made me feel even worse for Roar. I want him to find happiness.

Now there's always the question with 1.5 and 0.5 ebooks in a series, do you really need to read them? If you just want to experience the Under the Never Sky trilogy as it was originally intended, then no, you don't have to read this. But if you want some exciting little extras and a peek back into a world you loved, then yes, read this! I liked how this showed the tension between Vale and Perry. It kind of made you lose some sympathy for Vale and be semi-okay with what Perry had to do ultimately. It was also nice seeing Roar and Liv together as they were before. 

So I really enjoyed this e-book novella extra to the Under the Never Sky trilogy. I got more Roar and I love Roar.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.5/5

One of the best side characters ever!

Review: Skylark (Skylark #1) by Meagan Spooner

Title: Skylark (Skylark #1)

Author: Meagan Spooner

Published by: Carolrhoda Lab

Released: 2012

Summary: With the world outside torn apart by wars, the only place to be safe is the City in which Lark lives. Powered by magic, the City relies on harvesting the magic of the City's young children. Lark is one of the oldest children to have not been harvested. Lark wants to be harvested, so she can finally become an adult. When the fateful day comes, it turns into a nightmare. Lark learns that she is a Renewable, her magic once removed is able to charge back. The city plans to use her unlimited power source and keep her like a slave or piece of equipment. Seeing this as a fate worse than death, Lark escapes the City and journeys into the vast Wasteland that was once the world. As Lark journeys, trying to find other people like her, she must fight to survive the harsh conditions and dangerous creatures.

My Thoughts: This book was like a kiddie roller coaster, it had highs and lows, some twists and turns, but generally wasn't as exciting as the adult ride. I picked this book up because I absolutely loved These Broken Stars and wanted to read some of the authors' other works. This book kind of disappointed me because I thought it was going to be better. I thought it would have that same feel as These Broken Stars.

The beginning started off a little slow and it took me a little while to get into it. It then got interesting, but after Lark escaped the City, it got a little weird and confusing, and at times annoying. The ending had a couple twists and turns that kept me interested as well.

The world in this book is a little confusing. There are these wars that happened sometime in the past that pretty much destroyed the world, but the reader doesn't get to learn anything about them. Then there is the magic that exists in the world and pretty much does weird things to the environment. It's like a weird mix of steampunk, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic all rolled up (unsuccessfully to me) into one.

Our main character Lark annoyed me the majority of the time, especially when she was in the wilderness outside the city. I kind of get what Spooner was trying to do, having Lark experience this whole new world after being trapped in a dome, but Lark was just annoying. She was deathly afraid of the sky, thought she was going to drown in a thunderstorm. I just wanted to roll my eyes and tell her to get it together. It's a wonder she even survived the journey with how stupid she would act sometimes.

I also wasn't really a fan of the possible love story/triangle thing. One was a case of insta-love that I just didn't really buy. The other love interest grew on me, but Lark's treatment of him was so hot and cold. All over the place. Even at the end where you're pretty sure they like each other, he does something and Lark is disgusted by it and him. If the author is trying to build a relationship for Lark, it's just turning out more weird than sweet.

I only thought Skylark was okay. It didn't turn out as good as I was hoping. The confusing world, weird mix of genres, an annoying main character, and a lukewarm love story really hampered my enjoyment. There were a couple of twists, turns, and revelations that made me semi-interested to see what happens next. I already have the second book in the series, so I do plan on reading it. Skylark is nothing like the epicness of These Broken Stars which was a tad disappointing. 

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3/5

Confusing world, annoying main character, and a lot of random magic.

Review: Hexed (Hexed #1) by Michelle Krys

Title: Hexed (Hexed #1)

Author: Michelle Krys

Published by: Delacorte Press

Released: 2014

Summary: The most important things in Indigo Blackwood's life so far have been cheerleading, being part of the perfect couple, and being popular. She lives the regular teenage existence in sunny L.A., but all that changes when a mysterious boy dressed in leather shows up and a family heirloom is stolen from her mom's shop. Suddenly Indie is thrust into a life she never knew existed. A life of witches, sorcerers, and a mad dash to save the world. It's kind of hard to be popular when she's surrounded by this weirdness. Indie will have to choose what is more important to her, high school popularity or saving the world.

My Thoughts: My overall opinion of this was that it was good. I liked it. It mostly provided me with a supremely fun read. I loved the mad dash around L.A., the bickering between Indie and Bishop, and the secret world that we got to find out a little about.

I really loved the first half of this book. It was so quick and fast paced, and most importantly it was just really fun to read. I love a good, fun book. I don't need serious issues, Austen like writing, or massive amounts of world building to deem a book good. What I base pretty much all my rating off of is whether I enjoyed the experience of reading the book, and I definitely enjoyed the majority of this one.

I really liked Indigo's relationship with her mom. Having parents is such a scarcity in most YA. I also really enjoyed Indigo and Paige's friendship. Bishop and Indigo were a lot of fun too. This book was just really fun.

Then around the middle of the book, things got serious. That kind of took some of the fun away for me. The situation was so sudden and so shocking, and I had a hard time believing it was real. That took away some of the lightheartedness from the story, which was sad, because that lightheartedness was what made it so much fun to read. I also had some questions about the whole witchcraft thing, and this world of sorcerers and witches, The Priory and The Family. They were kind of absent from the story.

I enjoyed the ending, although I did greatly questions Indigo's plan. I doubted that her "plan" would even work. She's lucky that it did really. The end end made me very curious for the next book, which I do plan to pick up and read hopefully soon.

So all in all, this was a refreshing read. It wasn't aiming to be the next great classic and I appreciated it for that. Sometimes all you want is a fun book to pick up and enjoy, and this was definitely that for me.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Fun Times.

Review: Fire & Ash (Benny Imura #4) by Jonathan Maberry

Title: Fire & Ash (Benny Imura #4)

Author: Jonathan Maberry

Published by: Simon&Schuster BFYR

Released: 2013

Summary: Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong have finally found the mysterious jet, only to find out that that jet isn't the miracle they've been hoping for. They find a place called Sanctuary that is filled with the dead, the sick, and caretaker monks and nuns. The residents of Sanctuary believe the zoms are The Children of Lazarus, who are here to inherit the Earth and therefore must not be killed.

When Benny finds clues to the possibility of a cure and a person who can make more of a cure, he sets out to find them.

The Reapers are still on the move, led by St. John. Their mission: to slaughter everyone in the Nine Towns. Benny and the crew have a big job on their hands. They must save the towns, find the cure, and live to see the next days. The thrilling conclusion to a zombieriffic series!

My Thoughts: First off, I just want to say that this is the third series I've finished in the last couple months. I see that as an accomplishment, seeing how I'm constantly starting new series or are in the middle of series. So enough jibber jabber, on to the review...

I've really enjoyed this series as a whole. Jonathan Maberry has become an author that I really enjoy reading. Starting with Rot & Ruin, I was entertained, but not blown away. I thought Rot & Ruin was a little preachy in some ways. The series really became one of my favorites in Dust & Decay and Flesh & Blood. There was so much action, zombie mayhem, wild beasts, religious fanatics, and character's that I really enjoyed. In Fire & Ash, we get a satisfactory ending to a pretty good series.

One of the things I really enjoyed was seeing Joe Ledger in Imura's world. If any of you have read Maberry's adult series, (starting with Patient Zero) then you know the Mr. Awesome that is Joe Ledger. I just really enjoyed having him in the story and how Maberry tied his two zombie worlds together. Also, there was an awesome Walking Dead reference and I love anything Walking Dead.

The story was quick, full of action, and some really epic battles. The Reapers are awesome villains! Religious fanatics that are absolutely terrifying and extremely dangerous. I wasn't disappointed by this ending and Maberry didn't really leave any loose ends. I won't say this was my favorite book in the series though. I just didn't get that feeling that comes from reading a 5 star book. It was definitely good though. I did feel like there wasn't enough heartache in the ending though. Not that I love heartache, but I just think in this kind of world, with these kind of battles, losing some characters wouldn't have been that shocking.

All in all, a good ending to a really cool series. This will definitely be one of my recommended series to anyone who wants a good zombie read. Plenty of action, danger, zombies, and enjoyment. Also, I find that any book Jonathan Maberry has blurbed has been an enjoyable read. He's got good book taste.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

A good end to a good series.

Review: Bad Island by Doug TenNapel

Title: Bad Island

Author: Doug TenNapel

Published by: Graphix

Released: 2011

Summary: A busy family tries to reconnect by taking a fishing trip. Unfortunately, they end up stranded on a mysterious island. The family must work together to survive and figure out the island's secrets. This trip might just bring them closer than they ever dreamed.

My Thoughts: This was a quick, fun read. My review might not be very long because there's really not that much to say. I picked this one up for two reasons: 1.) I really enjoy reading graphic novels, they are quick, fun, and easy to read and help break the monotony between larger, longer books. 2.) I saw the title and summary and was immediately reminded of one of my most loved shows, Lost. I'm in that time where I'm still mourning the end of Lost, so anything remotely resembling it, I will read.

This was just a very quick and pretty fun read. I liked the story of the family reconnecting as they try to figure out the mysteries of the island. I also thought the artwork was fun and the full color illustrations were a nice visual.

I would recommend this to people who are searching for a quick graphic novel read. It doesn't necessarily have all the depth you'd find in a longer graphic novel series, but it presents a cute story where everybody gets their happy ending. It was fun.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Fun and Quick

Review: Incarnate (Newsouls #1) by Jodi Meadows

Title: Incarnate (Newsouls #1)

Author: Jodi Meadows

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Released: 2012

Summary: Ana is an abomination in a world where the same souls are reincarnated from one life to the next. When Ana was born, she replaced the soul of another permanently. Ana is raised away from the city with a "mother" who views her as someone who was never supposed to exist. Ana can't wait to escape her "mother" Li, and on her 18th birthday decides to journey to the City of Heart. In the city, Ana hopes to discover why she exists and what happened to the soul she replaced. In Heart, Ana makes friends, enemies, and finds out more than she bargained for.

My Thoughts: I read this with my friend Ali, we were both excited to read it because we had heard so many good things about it from so many different people. Sadly, this book was overhyped and only ended up being an average read for me. It had an interesting premise and an interesting ending, but the majority of the book just kind of ambled along without much happening.

Ana as a main character was like an annoying teenager a lot of the time. She was moody, confrontational, and didn't really thing things through. There were times where I wanted to yell at her because of some decision or action she was taking. Thinking back, Ana felt more like a 16 year old than an 18 year old.

I did kind of like Sam's character, but he really felt like a middle aged man to me, so that kind of caused questions about his relationship with Ana. Although they were so hot and cold with each other that a true relationship was questionable in the first place.

The part I probably most enjoyed about this book was the world and the concept. The same people (essentially) coming to live life after life in this strange city of Heart, that just happened to be sitting in the middle of nowhere for them. The dragons, slyph, ogres, and trolls that are a menace to the humans. And why Ana came about in the first place. I still have questions about the city and temple though. It seems slightly sinister and that there's more to that story.

All in all, just an average book that sadly didn't live up to all the hype. Definitely a story with interesting aspects, but with a moody Ana and monotonous middle, it didn't end up being an amazing read. I'm still curious as to what happens next, so I probably will read the other books in the series eventually. 

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3/5

Didn't live up to the hype.

Review: Into The Still Blue (Under the Never Sky Book #3) by Veronica Rossi

Title: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky Book #3)

Author: Veronica Rossi

Published by: HARPER

Released: 2014

Summary: The hunt for the Still Blue is on. Perry and Aria are in a race against Sable and Hess to get to it. They must also rescue Cinder, who is being used as a tool by Hess and Sable for his abilities. Survival for the Tides and the Dwellers rests in the hands of Perry, Aria, Roar, and Soren. Finding the Still Blue is the only chance for survival in this dangerous, Aether ridden world. The stunning conclusion to the fantastic Under the Never Sky trilogy.

My Thoughts: Another completed series to add to my list. This trilogy is fantastic. I loved every second of the journey it took me on. This last book, Into the Still Blue, was a lot of fun and satisfying. This book was full of action and was a very quick read. There was danger, romance, surprise, and heartbreak. I had a lot of fun reading this one and plan on reading the two novellas, so I can get more of these characters and this world.

My favorite aspect to this series has to be the world that's presented. I love a good post-apocalyptic tale, where the struggle for survival is real and the world is out to kill you. The Under The Never Sky trilogy presents such a beautiful and deadly world, I loved reading about it.

I'm also a big fan of all the characters. Perry and Aria are great characters and it's fun experiencing the story from their points of view. I like all the other characters too. Roar is fantastic, you just root so much for Cinder, Soren really grows on you in this one. As a reader, I just wanted all the Tides to survive. They feel like a real community of people living in this dangerous world.

There was a little bit of heartbreak in this one,  I won't lie. We lose some people in this book. Every time we'd lose someone, there was a part of me that just didn't believe it, that was sure they would come back somehow.

This whole series is just a win. Fun world, fun characters, an engrossing and dramatic adventure. I just really like it. My favorite book in the whole series is probably the second, Through the Ever Night. Into the Still Blue was a satisfying conclusion to a great series. There's a big part of me that didn't want it to end, but I knew it had to. I would love to maybe one day be able to experience their future lives, revisit them a little. Veronica Rossi has become an author I'm going to keep my eye on and I'll be sure to read whatever she writes next. Definitely a book and series I recommend.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

A satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series.

Review: Light (Gone Series #6) by Michael Grant

Title: Light (Gone Series #6)

Author: Michael Grant

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Released: 2013

Summary: The final installment in the epic Gone series. The end game is coming. Gaia is coming. Some sacrifices will have to be made. Will the dome come down? Will the kids get out? Who will live and who will die? The final battle is coming to the FAYZ. Old enemies will become allies in the hope of beating Gaia and getting out alive.

My Thoughts: I'm gonna keep this short and sweet because my thoughts are these: FANTASTIC, AMAZING, CRAZY, INTENSE, BRUTAL, and SATISFYING. Yep, those words pretty much encompass everything, all of my feels.

I've been a fan of this series ever since I picked up the first book. This is one of those rare series where every book is good! The ending does not disappoint and really feels like an ending. This series is so intense and good and I recommend it to everyone.

This series might not be for the faint of heart, what with carnivorous worms, coughing up lungs sickness, parasite bugs eating kids from the inside out, but I love it. The story never falters, never bores, and feels like an epic movie. 

Of course there is a lot of death in this series, and Light proves to be no exception. We do lose some characters in Light that will cause shock and sadness, but the ending to the series is satisfying and that's all that fans can ask for. Love it, Love it sooo much! If you haven't started this series yet, then get on it and enter the FAYZ!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 5/5

If it had to end, at least it ended AWESOMELY!!