"Shades of Earth" Across the Universe Book 3 Review

Date Published: January 15, 2013

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it on Amazon or B&N

Number of Pages: 369

Publisher: Razorbill

Caution: This review contains spoilers! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, read no further.

First Thoughts:

This book just blew me away; I honestly didn’t know what I was going to get myself into when I started this book. But boy did this book surprise me, there were new things appearing all the time throughout the book and the action was almost non-stop! Loved the creativity and realism to the new world, it was definitely creative and fun to read about. There’s so much positive about this book, it was hard to put down, I wanted to keep exploring right alongside the characters and the ending?! Loved it.

Plot:

There was definitely a lot going on in this book, you’re introduced to this new earth and the creatures and plants that inhabit it. There’s always something happening, this isn’t one of those books where you can sit back and lazily read. No you need to be up there in the action, shouting the next moves in this life sized game. I really enjoyed the fast paced and exploring the new world. There was always something new to explore and there were so many mysteries and back doors in this book that it kept the read fun and entertaining. This book really wasn’t predictable, you seriously knew what was happening the moment it was happening; epic. The actual world had a lot to offer to the reader and the similarities and differences to earth was creative and fun to watch unfold. There weren’t that many sub-plots in this book, it was mainly focused on the main conflict and discovering the solution to it. So overall I did enjoy the plot to the story, definitely original and creative.

Romance:

The romance was about the same in this book than in the previous two. There was a little extra conflict thrown into this area of the book but not enough to annoy or distract you from the main conflict. I thought the author did a great job concluding all the relationships that had been building up; they all got to their bitter or happy end. So overall this aspect was about the same as in the previous two books and I found it quite enjoyable.

Characters:

Loved the characters just as much in this book than in the previous two books. I loved seeing Elder’s serious but at times neutral expressions and comparing them to Amy’s comical and at times serious expressions. I loved seeing the two of them interact both with the new set of characters and the old characters. I also don’t think the author included any extra or useless characters, they each had their own role to play. And I thought the author did a great job on creating several interesting personalities and seeing how they clashed with some of the other characters personalities. So overall I enjoyed the characters in this book and loved how the author incorporated each individual into the story.

Transformation of the Character:

Amy’s transformation was finally completed by the end of this book. You were able to see her change from the very first book all the way to the end of this one. I really enjoyed the surprises that came along with the transformation and thought the author was thoughtful and creative with the way she got Amy to transform. It’s all about the situations and conflicts that determines the characters transformation. So overall this was a good aspect to the book.

Description:

The description is definitely my favorite part of this book. To build a new world one must describe in a way that the reader can picture it because if they can’t, what’s the point of the new world if you can’t show it off! And Beth definitely over-succeeded in this area. She described so much of the new world that I had no problems picturing each and every scene. I loved the way she described the little details, like the atmosphere, how it was always hot and sticky and describing the way the breeze hit the characters bodies and the wonder of the rainstorm….the nature scenes in this book were just gorgeous, I wanted to be in this world if only to discover the beauty of it. And the way she described the new characters and situations was just right for this world. So overall I really thought the author excelled in this sense of the book and loved the amount of attention she put to details.

Style:

This was written in two POV’s and in first person. I think this allowed the author to get a better view of the story and to see this new world in two different views….makes it less tainted or biased that way. As for the author’s writing, I loved it, she has a way of describing the littlest of details and making them worthwhile. So overall this was also a good aspect to the book.

Quote of the book:

““Earth is sending aid. We only have to survive a few more days, a week, max.”

I snort. “Oh? Well, they killed off a third of us in one morning. A week shouldn’t be too hard.””

Goodreads Summary:

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this to “Across the Universe” fans and to any sci-fi lover. This is definitely a creative and wonderful series. I’m sad to have to leave it behind now but I did think the author concluded this series in the most perfect way and she leaves us the readers a few things to ponder in the process. So I look forward to reading any future books by this author; she rocks!

My to-read List...

Here’s my list of books I need to read:

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

Anna Bloom is depressed—so depressed that her parents have committed her to a mental hospital with a bunch of other messed-up teens. Here she meets a roommate with a secret (and a plastic baby), a doctor who focuses way too much on her weight, and a cute, shy boy who just might like her.

But wait!  Being trapped in a loony bin isn’t supposed to be about making friends, losing weight, and having a crush, is it?

I

n her fiction debut, Julie Halpern finds humor in the unlikeliest of places, and presents a character whose voice—and heart—will resonate with all of us who have ever felt just a little bit crazy.

Once the flames are ignited . . .

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Out of these four I don’t know which one to read….

"Cracked" Review

Date Published:January 3, 2012

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it on Amazon or B&N

Number of Pages: 312

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Note to my readers:

Before you read this review, I just want you to know that I relate to this book so much, I have actually gone through some of the actions of these characters….I’m still trying to heal but I know that it is going to take time but I have the faith I can make it. So please be easy on my review due to the sensitive nature. I wouldn’t be writing this review if I didn’t think it could really open the eyes of its reader….so without further ado….

First Thoughts:

To me this book was so raw and truthful. The realness of the mental hospital was similar to my experience. And the events and reasons leading up to both Victors and Bulls stay is both heart stopping and tragic. I couldn’t bear with half the stuff these two young teens had to go through. This book really opened up my eyes to situations that revolve around a serious issue. This book isn’t something to be tossed aside after reaching the last page, no this is a book to take a lesson from; I know I did.

Plot:

So this revolves around two main characters; the bully and the bullied. The only comic thing about this book is they end up in the same hospital room in the psych ward. This book both devours the subject of suicide and the many attempts people do make. This really helped me cope with what I’m going through, it let me see that there are others out there like me, that I’m not in this alone. The plot is very deep and raw, it really yanks on your emotions and makes you see something serious; something that happens all around you each day. The silence of these two young boys is enough to point out that people are suffering in silence because they have yet to find their inner strength and voice. This is a story so relatable that it brought my emotions high and center, the memories it brought back was almost overwhelming but it was an experience I’ll never experience. This book is pretty fast paced and occurs over roughly a week’s time and two epilogues at the end. But overall I really enjoyed the story.

Romance:

There was romance but it wasn’t really the focus of the book, it was definitely a sub-plot to add a little more action into the story. So overall the romance didn’t bother me but there were a couple of romantic scenes.

Characters:

The characters were very easy and relatable. They were the best part of this book because they showed such powerful actions that it struck me in the heart. These two main characters have earned a place in my heart and I’ll never forget them. They have made me feel not so much alone anymore.

Transformation of the Character:

There were two big transformations in this story and I really loved seeing these two blossom. They still have a ways to go before they’re truly transformed but they definitely made some improvement by the end of the book. So overall I loved seeing the transformations and how much they evolved.

Description:

There wasn’t that much detailed description of the actual physical objects and places. I think the description was more focused towards the emotions of the characters and the thoughts they constantly had going through their minds. The true emotions of these characters brought the subject matter to light and made the reader listen to what these boys were going through. This description was pure manipulation in the sense that it forces you to learn about suicide and about the people around you each and every day of the pain they live in silence. Coming from someone who keeps their emotions bottled up, its hard admitting your weakness…the pain you constantly live through each day…so yes this description brought me there and beyond.

Style:

This was written in first person and two POV’s; Victors (the bullied) and Bull(the bullier) this book definitely needed these two types of views because without them this story wouldn’t be unique, it wouldn’t be so powerful. The two voices of these characters are enough to make me cry, the pain and torment they went through was so similar to mine that it made the book that much better.  The authors writing itself was fluid and colorful. She did a great job getting the two characters voices across. They rang loud and clear.

Quote of the Book:

“After my face is covered in pathetic weakness and the sounds I make deteriorate into whimpers, I know I have nothing left…school started a long time ago. And it hits me again: the fact that no one will give a damn that I’m not there today, No one will even notice.”

Goodreads Summary:

Sometimes there's no easy way out.

Victor hates his life. He has no friends, gets beaten up at school, and his parents are always criticizing him. Tired of feeling miserable, Victor takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills—only to wake up in the hospital.

Bull is angry, and takes all of his rage out on Victor. That makes him feel better, at least a little. 

But it doesn't stop Bull's grandfather from getting drunk and hitting him. So Bull tries to defend himself with a loaded gun.

When Victor and Bull end up as roommates in the same psych ward, there's no way to escape each other or their problems. Which means things are going to get worse—much worse—before they get better…

Last Thoughts:

I would caution a younger audience from reading this, both for the content and language used. This is definitely for young adults and to anyone who thinks they’re hopeless and they have no voice. This book really allowed me to go through my thoughts and realize how deep and serious they are. This is a strongly voiced story and I urge you to give it a chance, I know I’m glad I did.

My Rating:

Sacrifice Review

Date Published: October  23, 2012

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it on Amazon or B&N

Publisher: Harlequin

First Thoughts:

I thought this book was the perfect ending to this series. If you haven’t already, you need to check out the first two books in this series, “Legacy” and “Allegiance”. This book just really opened up the world even more and allowed the reader to get more connected with the characters and their conflicts. I didn’t feel like I was cheated of any experiences the characters should have had, I believe the author did a great job tying up any loose ends and making the ending enjoyable to just about any audience. This was a moving and exquisite read. This will definitely be a series to reread in the future.

Plot:

So you pick up right where you left in “Allegiance”. You see the old characters come back into action and start to continue this extensive plot. I found all the sub-plots and conflicts to be fitting for this book. This was definitely filled with a lot of suspense and action. Theories after theories were tested till the end where everything was revealed. I thought the ending of the book was one of the best things about this story because it ended in such a great and hopeful way. I loved the how the author created a sort of maze of a plot, where some of your theories led to a dead end while others darted forward forever chased by conflict. I love this world and sad to see it ending but I also think this world doesn’t need any more telling, all that happened was tied up and nothing was left unanswered. I think if we were to continue with this book it would only be extending the unavoidable and therefore the conclusion of this world was much needed. But overall I thought the plot was just as great as the first two and thought the ending was just perfect.

Romance:

The romance was excellent in this book. I loved just about everything about it and the questions to the romance of the couples were definitely fulfilled by the end of this story. I loved that it was such a sweet and gooey kind of love but at the same time had some touch edges to it. It was almost like a truffle, with the hard chocolate on the outside and the gooey chocolate in the inside. So overall I enjoyed the romance in this book and didn’t think it detracted from my view of it in any way like some YA books have done in the past.

Characters:

Loved the characters just as much in this book then in the first two books of this series. I found them to be just as comical, sweet, unpredictable and catty as we’ve seen them before. I even enjoyed some characters I had disliked in the first books, which I must say surprised even me. I just loved the introduction to a few minor characters, they seemed to fit into the world and story just right. Overall I enjoyed the characters and are sad to see them go.

Transformation of the Character:

The main character did finally complete the transformation that had started in the first book and it was so beautiful to see all the changes and new beginnings of her. As for the other characters they as well made some small transformation and I have to say they all turned out beautifully. So overall the transformations in this book were good and finally finished.

Description:

The description is one of the things I loved about the author. She has a knack of describing the simplest of things and turning them into these amazing objects. I love her writing of the landscape; I could literally picture each scene as I read through the pages. As for the battle scenes, I thought they were well thought-out and well described. Coming from an amateur writer, fight scenes is one of the hardest scenes to write due to the intense fast action happening. This author really seemed to be able to zero in on the action and describe it to her readers. As for the amount of description I didn’t think it was too much, I think it was the right amount for this story. So overall I loved this element of the book just as much as I loved it in the first two books.

Style:

This was written in multiple POV’s and in first person. I think this was best suited for this world because of all the sub-plots and detail to the world. The first person allows the reader to get familiar with the characters and feel more connected both to the character itself and the world around them. I love this author’s writing style, it’s like a delicate type of writing, something that not all writers can accomplish. It was definitely just as good in this book then the other two books previous to this one. So overall I very much enjoyed the style of this book.

Quote of the Book:

““I think you’re only a problem for those people who are trying to turn you into something you’re 

not.”

“A lady?” I wryly suggested, regaining my sense of humor, I leaned back on the fence, certain he would agree.

“No,” he said “They need to stop trying to turn a free spirit into a traditional wife.””

Goodreads Summary:

This is not the time for the fight to end. Now is when the fight will begin. This is the time to regain what has been lost. Alera.

Queen of a fallen kingdom, secretly in love with the enemy.

Shaselle

Daughter of a murdered father, rebel with a cause.

One lives behind the former Hytanican palace walls and walks the razor's edge to keep the fragile peace in her beloved homeland. The other slips through the war-torn streets, seeking retribution for her family's tragedy, following whispers of insurgency.

Both face choices that will separate them from those they cannot help but love. As their stories intertwine, a conspiracy ignites that may end in slavery or death—or lead to freedom anew, if only each can face what must be sacrificed.

Last Thoughts:

Loved almost everything about this book and found it to be an enjoyable read. I would recommend this to any YA reader or fans of the “Legacy” trilogy. Sad to see this trilogy end but glad on how it ended. This was definitely the end of one of my favorite trilogies. I look forward to reading any future books by this author, she has a knack of getting her characters to worm their way to my heart.

My Rating:

Crewel Review (Ps. I'm back!)

Date Published: October 16, 2012

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it on Amazon or B&N

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

First Thoughts:

This book just blew me away with the creativity of the world and conflict. It was both a unique and creative world that made the situations both life-like and unrealistic at the same time. The pureness of this world was so astonishing that I was thinking about this books days, weeks after I finished it. I know there were some negative reviews for this book but I personally thought it was one of the best books I read in 2012.

Plot:

The plot was thought-out and through. I found that the situations and conflicts involved with the characters were well timed and created. I did not feel any forced conflict on the story itself and the major conflict was easily explained and understood. As far as the pace of the book goes, it was rather fast, there was plenty of action to keep the reader on their toes but at the same time give the reader that much needed comic relief. I really did enjoy this book’s world. The idea of places and things being connected with a string of color was absolutely creative. I had not really seen any of the ideas presented in this books that I have had read. I thought this author really took the time to build a world that was both new and fascinating to the reader. I enjoyed the conflict itself and the building of tension throughout this book, it really made the climax that much more intense with the slow build up. So overall I really enjoyed the plot and I didn’t really see any major flaws in it.

Romance:

As far as romance goes there was some (No surprise there). This had to be one of the only parts that wasn’t perfect. There was kind of a love triangle in the story but by the end it kind of almost straightened itself out. And the love itself was nothing new, it’s the kind of romance you see in a lot of the young adult books today. You have the supreme guy and then you have a guy who is considered a “bottom feeder”. So overall I didn’t really enjoy the romance to the story and instead enjoyed the major conflict instead.

Characters:

The characters were beautifully creative though there was some that I considered cookie cutter character; meaning characters that we’ve seen in other stories/books. But the main character especially I found refreshing and very easy to connect with. From the first page you are already connected with her and want her to be happy. And within a couple of chapters the world really flips up and you’re introduced to more charming and charamastic characters. There is a few annoying characters but we’ve all had them in the books we’ve read in the past. So overall I enjoyed the characters in this book and aside from some unoriginal characters thought they were well created.

Transformation of the Character:

There wasn’t a lot of transformation happening in this book, it was all about setting up the world and introducing all of the conflicts and characters. So though you can see a trace of a transformation this wasn’t really an aspect that held any weight in rather I found the book enjoyable or not.

Description:

I loved, loved, loved the description in this book. I think this was one of the best aspects of the world because the author really zeroed in on describing the new world and all the little details that went along with it. I especially enjoyed how she explained the process of the strings of lights and how they fit into the story or conflict. I also enjoyed when she expressed the characters emotions, I could definitely feel the confusion, fear, and happiness of all that was happening. And as far as the amount of description I didn’t think there was too much of it because without all the description the world wouldn’t make sense. The details are the most important part of this book.

Style:

This was written in one POV and in first person. I found this to be the best way to tell the story. You want to be able to connect with the main character and at the same time get a good view of the world through her eyes (she is the one experiencing and telling the story after all). And as for the authors writing itself I found it smooth and beautifully crafted. I found some of the writing to be almost poetic and creative. So overall I did enjoy this aspect of the book and have to compliment the author on her writing style.

Quote of the book:

“I’ve touched pieces of a weave before, but never sections that contained people. There’s a charge running through the piece, and I realize that what I’m feeling is the energy of thousands of lives that rest under my fingers.”

Goodreads Summary:

Enter a tangled world of secrets and intrigue where a girl is in charge of other’s destinies, but not her own.

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls.  Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power.  Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this to young adults and to anyone who has an open mind because this book does dig deep into the thinking process. I really enjoyed this book and hope that a few of you will give it a chance also. Go to the library if you don’t know if you like it, I’m sure the library would be more than willing to let you borrow this piece of a world for twenty one days. So overall I did enjoy this book and look forward to book two in this series.

My Rating: