REVIEW: Saved by Allegra Skye

TITLE: Saved

AUTHOR: Allegra Skye

GENRE: YA, Supernatural

WHERE I GOT IT: Google Play store

READ FROM: October 25^th to November 1st, 2013

BOOK BLURB: Kiera and Amanda are twins. Kiera is always overshadowed by her sister Amanda. Everyone seems to prefer Amanda, even by the twins parents. So when they move and start in a new high school, Kiera once again feels like an outsider. This new town isn't what it seems though. Kiera meets a boy Cooper who is hiding a secret of his own. 

MY THOUGHTS: 

some things that really bothered me: (I'm pretty sure I stopped jotting them down after awhile.) 

- The twins parents are horrid people, especially the mother! Who treats their kids like the way she treats them. You shouldn't have kids if you can't love them both equally!

- SERIOUSLY I would NOT be driving her ANYWHERE until she put that seat belt on! Besides being dangerous it is also illegal and the way she was throwing a fit. Yeah you can walk there if your going to act like that. Most people put their belts on so I don't see why she flew off the handle like that! 

- The accident was just an ACCIDENT! It was not the fault of anyone! Here again, maybe you should be happy that one of your kids was pretty okay and that they both weren't severely hurt. OH wait! You don't care if Kiera lived or died, after all she should be the one on the hospital bed and not Amanda. 

- Explain to me how a day after this bad accident Kiera is strong enough to go to school but not strong enough to talk to the Police and tell them what happened? Sure she could just be too emotionally distraught to talk to them, but if that is the case she shouldn't really be going to school now should she! Especially where everyone and their uncle will be asking her a million and one questions about what happened!

- I hate how the mother is such a bitch that she refuses the let Kiera see her sister! OMG hello they are TWINS! Even if they aren't that close they still shared a womb together, there for on some level they still have a connection. Maybe it would help Amanda, wouldn't it at least be worth a shot.

- Also what kind of road as really deep ravines on either side of the road that goes behind a school. I cannot picture this for the life of me?

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I don't even know what to say about this book anymore. I finished it awhile ago and honestly have barely any recollection on what happened through the whole thing.

It follows in the same vein as the last book I read. Badly needed to be edited, it seems more like a first draft and I'm pretty sure that Cooper just comes out of nowhere. I won't be continuing with the series at all.

RATING: 1 star

REVIEW: Sworn by Emma Knight

TITLE: Sworn

AUTHOR: Emma Knight

GENRE: YA, Supernatural

WHERE I GOT IT: Google Play store

READ FROM: October 19^th to October 21^th, 2013

BOOK BLURB: Rachael Wood has to move to a new town when her father has to move for a job. She is the newbie of the school, things are going crappy for her until a football player takes an interest in her. But when he starts to act weird, she meets a loner of the school who doesn't seem to be your average teenager.

MY THOUGHTS: I don't even know what to say about this book. I only downloaded it off of the Google store because it was about vampires, free and I needed something easy to read. The only good thing about it was that it was fairly short.

The most frustrating part about it was that about half way through I realized that so far there has been no introduction to any 'person' that could be a vampire. We don't see him until almost the end and it was instant love. ~rolls eyes. She literally just was snubbed by her first true love, runs into this guy and then is madly in love with him. She just says oh well who knows why the other guy (I can't even remember his name that's how much I don't care about him) snubbed me but that's okay because I just met real my true love....again. 

She doesn't even know this person for a day and notices all these strange things about him. It ends with her demanding to know what he is and saying that if he doesn't tell her she doesn't want to see him. I mean really? He leans over to whisper and then it ends! I mean, come on, it would have been more effective to have the last line of the book "I am a vampire"! We KNOW he is one considering Sworn is book #1 of the VAMPIRE LEGENDS. GEEZ if the author was trying to build up suspense it really didn't work.

I rated it one star because this book seems like a first draft. There were lots of grammar errors, repetition of thoughts right after each other, and incomplete sentences. Also it really bugs me when things that are normally a common occurrence, but change all of a sudden and then switch back and then are not explained. For example Rachael (her name was Rachael right?) and her siblings always, ALWAYS, get picked up by their mother from school but conveniently one day she decides to walk home and meets the 'vampire'. There is no mention on how her mother knows she doesn't have to wait for her or anything. Wouldn't her mother worry or sit there waiting for a long time. It wasn't like it was planned that she would walk home. She literally walks out of the school and then decides to walk home and I think even mentions that this way she wouldn't be a debbie downer in the car when her sister shares her excitement with her mom about making the cheerleading team. Then the next day she is being picked up by her mother again. There are probably other examples but I don't remember.

I would say pass on this book. I won't be reading the next in the series. I don't care for any of the character, nor what happens to them, and it really is hard to read with so many glaring errors.

RATING: 1 Star

Review: A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

TITLE: A Memory of Light

AUTHOR: Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

GENRE: Fantasy

SERIES: Wheel of Time # 14

WHERE I GOT IT: borrowed

READ FROM: August 5^th to August 12^th ,2013

BOOK BLURB: The last battle continues, will Rand be able to save the world and defeat the dark one?

MY THOUGHTS:

"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning."

This quote I have always loved and every time I read it now it sends chills down my spine. I love this series to pieces even though some of the books along the way slowed to a crawl. I was in my early teens when my sister lent me the first book. I was instantly hooked and have been waiting for the conclusion ever since.

I decided early last year that rereading all the books would be a good thing to do, so that everything would be fresh in my mind when the last book was released. I was so excited to finally get to read this book (and funnily enough my sister is the one who lent me her copy of this last book because I really didn't want to wait till the end of this year for the soft cover to come out.) It just seems fitting that she was the one that got me started on the series and she is the one that lent me the last one.

I'm honestly still not really sure what to think about this one. I can't decide if I liked it or hated it but I am thankfully for a ending.

I thought it seemed a bit rushed in parts even though the last battle essentially started a few books back and this one was also massive, some 900 pages. Some events seemed to be glossed over and it really bugged me that one of the forsaken, Demandred, was so insistent that Rand was out on the battlefield some where. He just kept ranting on and on. I don't know, I can't decide if he went completely crazy or what. I mean GO look for him not shout from the mountain top and demand that he come to you over and over again. HELLO he is destined to fight the dark one not you!

I also am shocked at some of the casualties of the war! I expected loses but nobody likes it when characters you have grown to love dies! :( I am still really bummed about that. Then the ending came and it left me scratching my head. In ways, I am happy that it ended but at the same time it left SOOO many questions and I can't even imagine what would happen next. I mean the battle ended, then the story ended after a few more pages! Such a unsatisfying ending in my opinion. Although one thing did happen at the end that shocked me because I really didn't see it coming.

Also I think this book has to take the record of longest chapter ever. The actual main part of the last battle lasted over 200 pages long! It was jam packed with action though so I read through it fairly quickly.

I still love this series even if I don't particularly like the ending but I'm glad that Robert Jordan left enough notes and was able to tell others how he had planned to end the series, before he passed away. It probably will be a long while before I attempt to reread the series though.

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.”

(Another quote that I love!) I can't help but to wonder how the fight with the shadow would be the next time. Would the Dragon need to do the same things as before or would the prophecy be fulfilled with different events leading up to the last battle as well. I guess we will never know.

RATING: 4 stars

REVIEW: Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

TITLE: The Towers of Midnight

AUTHOR: Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

GENRE: Fantasy

SERIES: Wheel of Time # 13

WHERE I GOT IT: Own it

READ FROM: June 26th^th to July 10^th 2013

BOOK BLURB: The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight.

The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age.

Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way--at long last--to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever.

Meanwhile, Matrim Cauthon prepares for the most difficult challenge of his life. The creatures beyond the stone gateways--the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn--have confused him, taunted him, and left him hanged, his memory stuffed with bits and pieces of other men’s lives. He had hoped that his last confrontation with them would be the end of it, but the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The time is coming when he will again have to dance with the Snakes and the Foxes, playing a game that cannot be won. The Tower of Ghenjei awaits, and its secrets will reveal the fate of a friend long lost.

This latest novel of Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling series--the second based on materials he left behind when he died in 2007--brings dramatic and compelling developments to many threads in the Pattern. The end draws near.

Dovie’andi se tovya sagain. It’s time to toss the dice.


MY THOUGHTS:

This is another 1000+ paged book but it honestly didn't feel like it. I read through this fairly quickly. It's nice to finally be near the end of this series. I wish thought that I would have written my review right after I finished it because I forget specifically what happens. I mean this is the 13^th book so it's hard to remember what events happened in which book.

Anyways I did find Perrin in this one to be fairly annoying. He was continually whining about how he is just a blacksmith and not a lord and that he doesn't understand why people follow him. I wanted to reach into the book and shake him! Seriously they follow you because they feel that you are a good leader, you just pulled off what seemed like the impossible and yet you stand there and say crap like that. Perrin used to be one of my favourite but not anymore. It's almost like when Rand, Matt or Perrin where in a situation where they had to talk to a girl and they were like “ I wish I could talk to girls like Rand..” etc. It got so annoying that my husband and I have a little joke where we say that line in a high squeaky voice. I mean come on!! At least they stopped that after awhile. Perrin though needs to just get over it already! The last battle is upon them.

Elayne I still hate. I have never liked her. As the story line progressed her actions just kept annoying me more and more.

I looked forward to Matt, Thom and Noal finally going to the tower of Ghenjei and while it was exciting it was over really quickly which was a disappointment. I was a bit shocked at the price Mat had to pay to get them out safety though. All I can say is ouch!

Looking forward to reading the last book finally!

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: The Death Cure by James Dashner

The Death Cure

TITLE: The Death Cure

AUTHOR: James Dashner

GENRE: YA, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic,

SERIES: Book #3 of the Maze Runner Trilogy

WHERE I GOT IT: Borrowed from the library

READ FROM: March 03 to 05, 2013

note: I try my hardest to give a spoiler free reviews but sometimes when talking about a book it is hard to keep it that way. When that is the case I like to warn readers that my review will give things away. This review might have some things that could spoil parts of the story for you. So read with caution.

BLURB: They cracked the secret of the maze and crossed the scorch. Now WICKED has one more task for them and that is to finish the blueprint for the cure. Just one thing, Thomas knows that he can't trust them to tell the truth.

WHAT I HATED: I was SO disappointed with this book. I loved the first one and thought the second one was okay but I had really high hopes for this one. I was totally disappointed. I started skimming parts near the end because I just wanted it to be done!

I felt that parts of the book really seemed to drag. This was probably due to the fact that once they made it to their next destination something happened that stalled them for awhile. Then once they finally started moving to the next point they were stalled again. I just wanted them to get to the end point so I could get some answers. It's almost like in a suspense movie. The person is running away and getting so close to the safe spot, that your sitting on the edge of your seat biting your nails hoping they make it but knowing there is the possibility that the won't. .

I was really hoping that Thomas would get his memory back. As bad as it sounds I was practically cheering when WICKED was going to force him to go through with the procedure because I wanted some concrete answers. On the other hand I can understand why Thomas wouldn't want to remember anything but since he was one of the most mysterious characters I felt like he should have anyways. But once it seemed like that wasn't going to happen I expected maybe learning something from Teresa but she was barely even in the book! 

CHARACTERS: I feel that Teresa and Thomas had so much potential to make the story really interesting considering we get snippets of how they were involved with WICKED from a young age, how they could communicate mentally with each other and how they had a big part in the development of the maze. I really wish that Dashner would have chosen to let us in on a bit more. The whole thing is shrouded in so much mystery that we are left to make up our own minds and to be honest I really don't like that. There is just to much left unanswered for my liking.

While I was interested in Teresa, I really hated Brenda. The only point I saw for her being there was to make Thomas continually debate about who he should be with. It got annoying after awhile. Sometimes love triangles can be interesting, this one definitely was not. Plus was she a WICKED spawn or was she really on Thomas's side and in love with him? It doesn't seem like it could be both since Wicked really doesn't seem to be “good”?

ANOTHER THING I HATED:  I also was so disappointed with the letter Newt gave Thomas to read at the right “moment”. I was willing Thomas to read that note at least a half a dozen times and when he finally did I had to reread to make sure I read it right. I was thinking it was going to be something profound, something moving, something that made me think. Instead it was 'if your my friend, kill me when I get past the gone”. WHAT!?!?! Why couldn't he have just pulled Thomas aside to ask him that and make him promise then? I mean come on Newt! You can't tell him he will “know” when the time to read it is and when he doesn't, get all mad at him because he let you down! Seriously. If it was that important to you that he kill you right after you go crazy you should have taken him aside and made sure he understood! Not leave it up to a letter you wrote! I get maybe that would have been a hard conversation but still at least he would have known your wishes. Considering the world that they are living in there are a million possibilities why Thomas wouldn't read the note at the 'right time'! I felt sooo cheated that there was all this suspense leading up to reading that note and that was all we got.

PLOT: I really did believe that WICKED was close to a cure. I really, really, really did. Even though the explanation on how they were going to reach that really didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. So I was hopeful when Thomas went back.

Then rat man said this: “Thomas we need your brain” I knew at that point (and was slightly disappointed because the story was totally going in a direction I didn't expect) that rat man, and quite possible all of WICKED were all way past the gone and had been for a really long time. UGH!

Then Teresa DIES! WHAT? But to be honest, while it shocked me I found I really didn't care. She was barely in the books anyways so I was not attached to her at all. I was sort of appalled that Thomas basically was like 'meh that sucks.' 

WHAT I LIKED: I actually found that their style of swearing/slang humorous for some reason. “Those Cranks are way past the Gone.” I have a feeling I might be saying 'what the clunk' a lot or thinking people are being real 'slintheads' for awhile.

THE ENDING: While there was an ending of sorts, I was left with so many more questions. Like what was the extent of Thomas and Teresa's part in building the trials? Why were they able to communicate telepathically to each other? How did they learn that? Why can't everyone do that? Who is Chancellor Paige? Why didn't we learn about her sooner? How did they think this research was going to help them find a cure? Why did they find everything so necessary? Why didn't WICKED hire more munies to oversee their research? How did WICKED think it was going to solve the flare infection? Why didn't WICKED send immunes to this magical start over place before they discovered failure!? Was WICKED really good? Sigh, I could go on.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I have to give Dashner a high five for being very creative in this trilogy. He did create an interesting world, even if he left us with a million more questions then we started with. I guess I will have to use my imagination as to what happened to the ones that were sent to start over, even though I don't want to. I just really wish that I wasn't given such a free rein to come up with my own conclusions. I may have ranted a lot with this book but it really did make me think a lot about the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE TRILOGY: As a whole I really loved this series, I think maybe to go on as far as to say, one of my favourites even though I didn't like book 2 and 3 nearly as much as the 1^st one.   I'm actually pretty excited to see that the first one is being made into a movie. Should be interesting to see when it comes out. 

My final thoughts on the trilogy is this: is WICKED really good? I can't really decide. I think their quest to find a cure was a good thing but I think they way they went about it was bad. Who knows maybe they were already starting to go past the Gone when they decided the trials were the only way to go. I guess we will never know. Your thoughts?

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

TITLE: Darkly Dreaming Dexter

AUTHOR: Jeff Lindsay

PUBLISHED: September 2006

GENRE: Fiction, Serial Killer, Suspense,

SERIES: Dexter #1

SETTING: Miami, Florida

WHERE I GOT IT: ebook borrow from the library

ABOUT BLURB: Dexter Morgan isn't what he seems. By day he works for the Miami Police Department as a blood splatter analyst, by night he is a killer. Except he only hunts and kills other serial killers. When the Miami Police start to track a serial killer Dexter takes notice but can he beat them to him and serve his own justice?

EXPECTATIONS: I had really high hopes for this book considering I LOVE the TV show. I watched all the seasons on Netflix again recently but since Netflix doesn't have the newest season yet I decided to try reading the series since I am starting to go through Dexter withdrawal.

CHARACTERS: It's really hard to judge the characters on how they appear in the book because I watched the show first. When I was reading this I pictured the actors from the show, their mannerisms and how they interpreted the character and that is how I saw the characters when I read it. That sort of sucks because I can't form my own opinion of the characters myself. Although I think if I had read the books first, then watched the show I still would probably picture the actors in their respective roles if I reread the books again anyways. It happened with the Sookie Stackhouse and Harry potter series as well.

Of course I found Dexter to be interesting considering what he does in the dark of night. I think Deb is my favourite in the show and in the books I can see some of what I love about her. But to me I feel like all characters fell flat for me. What I love about them from the show is there but it feels like it only scratches the surface of their personalities. Then again this is only the first book in the series so hopefully it will get better.

PLOT: I am going to have to say that I liked the plot better in the TV show but that might be because it was more flushed out then it was in the book. But that makes sense right, the show is 12 episodes long and if you just followed the book that probably would make for one boring and even shorter TV season. I still found the book interesting though because I really didn't know exactly what was going to happen or should I say how they were going to get to the conclusion since it does differ greatly from the show. That in itself was kind of nice since it almost feels like I am getting more information on Dexter and his world.

PACING: I found the pacing of the book to be odd. I found Dexter's character interesting enough but for some reason I feel like the story line was a bit too disjointed for my liking.

WHAT MADE ME THINK: Dexter is one of those characters you hate to love because after all he is a killer. His situation is one of those grey areas in life. Sure maybe all those people he murders deserve it for what they have done but does murder justify murder? I don't really think there is a clear answer to that question.

WHAT I LIKED: I really liked the concept of the book. I haven't read another story that has a main character quite like Dexter.

WHAT I HATED: I hated that by watching the show first it has ruined the book for me. Sure I still liked the idea and the setting but I was not able to form my own opinion on what the characters looked like since I couldn't get the actors from the show out of my mind. That really doesn't have anything to do with the way Jeff Lindsay wrote the book however.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I thought the book was okay. I found it to be a quick read and it does differ from the TV show that it was still interesting to read. However, I didn't love the book either. I will continue to read the series though to see if they get better.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars