Reading Review - These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

These Broken Stars on Goodreads      Amie Kaufman's Website       Meagan Spooner's Website

I was lucky enough to begin 2014 by reading an awesome book. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner is a survival story set in a far off planet after a spaceship crashing strands the only two survivors. Lilac and Tarver come from very different worlds, and they must find a way to survive in an unknown, mysterious world. I rated this book 4.5 stars and happily added it to my favorites shelf on Goodreads. 

This book was a really interesting premise to me. The characters are interesting, good narrators, and develop throughout the novel. The plot is overall well paced and engaging, especially as the two explore the planet and begin their struggle for survival. This book is written in dual POV, and as some of you might know if you've read my other reviews, I have been loving multiple point of view books lately. Having both narrators be characters that I enjoyed reading was another benefit of this book. There are two reasons for why this book lost .5 a star. Firstly, Lilac's character was good, and actually developed even more than Tarver's as the novel progressed, but some of her actions and choices disrupted the flow of the plot. Secondly, the ending of the novel felt incomplete in a small way that hopefully will be expanded upon or resolved in the next book. Now, I want to talk about each of these qualities in more detail.

Beginning with the characters, let's talk about the two narrators. Lilac is a wealthy, privileged girl who is completely different from the stereotype that typically entails. She is not fickle or snobbish. Instead, her situation is a bit more unique. This added a lot to her narration and how her character developed. However, one of my problems with the book were the cryptic yet cliche endings Lilac would sometimes end her narration with, and more importantly, how some of what she did would disrupt the plot. Overall, these moments were scarce and so the overall pacing of the book didn't suffer, but it was something that detracted a little. Her character would grow to be a great one, and Lilac's character development has been some of the best I've read in awhile. Tarver was a wonderful narrator as well. He didn't necessarily change as much as Lilac's, but Tarver was already a stronger character to begin with, especially in regards to their situation and struggles. Reading in his POV was always interesting, and while I did prefer Tarver's narrations, I found that neither was irritating or slow paced. These two characters were very dynamic, worked well together, and proved to be interesting and engaging narrators.

The plot was well paced and intense. Although there were small interruptions as I mentioned earlier, the overall story was mysterious and engrossing. As the two explore the planet and recover from the crash, I found myself reading more pages every time I picked the book back up. That was a wonderful quality about this book- it felt as if the story was unfolding and becoming more and more intricate without slowing down or sacrificing world building. However, my one other problem with the plot was at the end. It felt as if a sudden shift occurred in the final pages that really left the story feeling a little unresolved. Looking at the description for the sequel and the series, I think this was done intentionally. It seemed to be a way to connect the sequel, which will focus on a different pair of characters. However, I am hesitant about this because it is something that needs to be addressed or resolved in the next book, and it was an ending that I was slightly disappointed with because it had seemed to be resolved already. Nonetheless I am excited to read more of this series.

In general, I found that this was a very well done book and that it's very enjoyable and interesting. The sequel will be focusing on another set of characters, but I find that overall the story in this book was finished. I'm excited to read more from these authors, and this world. If you've read this book, let me know what you think of it. These Broken Stars is now one of my favorites, and if you have any suggestions of YA that's similar, let me know!

From the paper world,
V

The Five Star Spotlight - Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

*this is a review of a sequel, so there may be spoilers for the first novel. You can find my review of the first novel in The Arcana Chronicles, Poison Princess, here.*

Shocking secrets.
Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies.
With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery.
When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember—but Death can’t forget…

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Endless Knight on Goodreads                 Visit the Author's Website

It's time for yet another Five Star Spotlight, and today's is on a sequel that I read in February and loved. Endless Knight is the second book in the Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole. The first book, Poison Princess, is one I read within a day or two because it was so fast paced and interesting. I immediately picked up the sequel and this book was even better. This is a really unique series, and as I've already reviewed Poison Princess I wanted to share my thoughts on its sequel.

The last book was very interesting and fast paced, and this book continued on that trend. Evie's journey is filled with action, danger and intrigue. The story develops and this installation adds a lot of intrigue as we learn more about the characters and their histories. The histories of these players goes back further than we'd seen in Poison Princess, and there's a lot of reveals that are going to impact the rest of the series. The story went in a unique direction, and I loved how this story was different from the first book. I really liked how this book developed with more intrigue as the characters developed.

Speaking of character development, this book was fantastic in that area. Evie faced a lot of internal conflict in the last book, and while that was still present it wasn't overdone. Instead, this book reveals more about Death, and he is probably the most interesting character in the book to me. These two characters were really interesting in their interactions and story, and I'm curious as to how their characters will be in the next book. I wasn't a fan of Jack in this book, even less so than in the last book, but all of the characters grew in this story, and it was great to learn more about them in this sequel.

This is a fantastic sequel to a series that's very engaging and interesting. The plot has definitely grown even more complicated, and the ending leaves a lot of conflict to be resolved in the next book. Evie and Death particularly had some amazing character development and interactions, but overall every character grew in some way. After this book I can't wait to read the third book, Dead of Winter, and this series has books that are quick reads and well developed characters. I hope this is a series and not just a trilogy, because I love reading about this world and these characters! 

Have you read The Arcana Chronicles? Let me know your thoughts!

From the paper world,

V

Reading Review - Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.

Poison Princess on Goodreads              Visit the Author's Website

Today's review is on a book that I've been curious about and finally picked up at the beginning of February - Poison Princess by Kresley Cole. The idea behind this book is really unique, and the book was engrossing. I ended up reading it in two sittings, and it was an enjoyable read. The one area that seemed to be weaker than the others was in the characters, but aside from that this is a great start to the Arcana Chronicles.

Typically, I begin a review with my thoughts on the characters, and so I thought I'd address why I thought they were lacking. The protagonist, Evie, was a good narrator. I found her character to be interesting, undergoing a major internal conflict, and developing into a very interesting lead. However, the other characters didn't read as well to me. The male protagonist, Jack, was interesting but not my favorite lead. His and Evie's relationship seemed random to me, and as characters they lacked a good dynamic. The supporting characters were all mysterious enough, but also annoying and again lacked a good dynamic with each other. Selena's character in particular bothered me, as she didn't seem to add anything to the story in general. However, I think that the characters can improve in the sequel and I'm hoping that they will prove to be more interesting and have more interaction and development in the sequel.

The story itself was very engaging. I was engrossed in the story and with what was going on. The idea is unlike anything I've read, and I'm curious to read on in the series. There are a lot of details and obstacles in the world that kept the story fast paced. Generally, the world building was limited to the aftershock of the Flash- not much is explained in terms of the supernatural that's in the story. However, as Evie learns more about what's happening, there's more to discover in the sequel. 

I really enjoyed this book. Although some of the characters were lacking, the world and concept are interesting enough to make this book a good start to the series. After reading it, I'm definitely excited to pick up the sequel and continue on.

From the paper world,

V

The Five Star Spotlight - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Eleanor & Park.

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Fangirl on Goodreads                  Author's Website

Today is a Five Star Spotlight on a contemporary novel that has been talked about for quite awhile- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell! I finally picked this book up in February, and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure if I was going to love it as much as everyone else, since I'm not a fan of contemporary, but I was impressed by this novel.

To begin, the main character Cath is written to be very life-like. Cath suffers from social anxiety and reading along in the beginning was even making me nervous for her! All of the other characters are written in such a way that the reader connects with them as well. They are interesting, dynamic, and don't have the cliches that I see in many contemporaries. There are problems in Cath's life, and they aren't perfectly resolved by the end of the novel. 

The book is very fun and lighthearted, but it's not all fluff. Cath really develops as a character in this book, and her sister does as well. Cath and her love interest don't have a perfect romance, but again it stays away from cliches. This really is a story about Cath, and who she is. Although there's romance, family drama, and other difficulties that come up in life, Fangirl shows how Cath learns and grows from these. A major aspect of this is also her writing, which was fun to see glimpses of and also what inspired it throughout. This book was so wonderful and unique that it was fun and romantic without being overbearing or overdone. Even if you aren't a fan of typical contemporary like me, I would still suggest you try reading this book. It's fun but with realistic characters, and I throughly enjoyed reading it!

Have you read Fangirl or Eleanor & Park? I've yet to read the latter so let me know your thoughts!

From the paper world,

V

Reading Review - The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

Goodreads                          Author's Website

My Rating - Four Stars

Today's review is of The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd. When I first picked this up, I had thought it was a historical fiction, which typically isn't among my favorite genres. However, I found out soon after that this book is actually a retelling- which many of you know I love. The Madman's Daughter is actually a retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau, and this entire trilogy is retellings of the grim and creepy nature. In short, this is a series I should have known about long ago, and honestly a lot of my reactions throughout the first part of the book were astonishment, wonder, and 'Why didn't I pick this series up sooner?'. I've yet to read The Island myself, but I'd certainly like to after finishing this book.

The protagonist is Juliet Moreau, the daughter of the infamous doctor. She's struggling to survive in London in the aftermath of losing her parents and the enormous scandal her father left. Juliet is a really interesting character- as the story progresses she has an intense internal conflict. Juliet is a really interesting character to read about and journey alongside. She wasn't my favorite protagonist, as I felt she would become so mired in her thoughts and puzzlings that sometimes there would be more lengthy narration than interesting action furthering the plot. However, Juliet is generally an interesting and unique narrator with a moral dilemma and an internal conflict that drive her character throughout the novel.

  

The other characters added to the eerie and strange atmosphere of the island. Montgomery and Edward were always intriguing when they had a scene with Juliet. The doctor was an infuriating character, but definitely added a unique presence in the group. The characters interacted well, and scenes with multiple people in it were always interesting and engaging to read. However, the scenes when Juliet is alone and narrating her thoughts sometimes dragged on and slowed the pacing of the story. Since Juliet is unaware of any of the island's mysteries, following her along as she thinks about everything and doesn't come up with a conclusion wasn't as compelling as the rest of the novel. These instances slowed the plot down for me, although whenever other characters came into the scene there was a lot of mystery and suspense throughout.

I gave this book four out of five stars, and I ended up going to get the sequel shortly thereafter. In case you were curious, the sequel Her Dark Curiosity is said to be a retelling of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. The third and final installment is going to be a Frankenstein retelling. I am really excited to continue on with this series, and read more of these eerie retellings!

Have you read any retellings like this? What did you think? 

From the paper world,

V

Reading Review - Angelfall by Susan Ee

Welcome back! Today's review is going to be on a book I read during the Bout of Books. That is Angelfall, by Susan Ee. I think that this was her debut novel, so even though I deviated from my set TBR, I did stay with the theme. I read this book with Kerrie, and it was a lot of fun and the book is wonderful. Initially, we had thought to read about six chapters a day, but we both wanted to read on, and suddenly six became twelve which became random six chapter sprints throughout the day as we wanted to know more about the novel. Here's the cover and official Goodreads synopsis -


It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Recommended for ages 16 and up.

Angelfall on Goodreads      Visit Susan Ee's Website

 Angelfall is a post apocolyptic novel about Earth after angels have come into the world. The main character is a survivor of the ensuing chaos, and she, along with her family, are struggling to survive in a world now overrun by violence and destruction. Penryn, the protagonist, is a determined, loyal character who is trying to save her family and find some hope for a life. In the midst of all this, Penryn's younger sister is abducted by some of the angels. Now, Penryn is allied with another, injured angel in order to rescue her sister. Raffe, the angel, is sarcastic and enigmatic, but also endearing and a really interesting character to read about. Together, these two have a great dynamic. They were entertaining, but also had good character development and their characteristics and personalities complemented the other's well. The supporting characters in this book were also very well written. For example, Penryn's mother is very different from any YA character I've read, and whenever she was involved, the entire scene could be different depending on what she did. The characters in this book were very well done. They were interesting, dynamic, and worked well together.

Overall the pacing of the book was good as well. It was difficult to stop reading, and I was really interested in what was going on, and how the world building and story went well together, neither overshadowing the other. However, I did have a problem with the ending. I'm going to keep it spoiler free, but at the very end, things seemed a little unlikely in the turn of events. It felt like some of the practical qualities that had been included in the world and character building were lost. That did affect the way the story ended, but it wasn't something that drastically hurt an otherwise fantastic novel.

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. Again, my problem was with the execution of the ending. Regardless, it obviously didn't hurt the overall quality of the book too much, with such a high rating, and this is definitely a series I'm looking forward to continuing. The sequel, World After, is already published, and so Kerrie and I have plans to pick that up soon. I'm very excited to continue on with the series and I would recommend it!

From the paper world,
V

2014 Goals and Challenges - A Summary

If you've been here on the blog a few times, you've probably seen a random post or two about some reading challenges that Paper Worlds and Swirls of Ink are going to be participating in. Also, there are quite a few buttons appearing in the side bar, for readathons, read alongs, challenges, and other events that I'm going to be participating in through the blog. And I'm really excited for them, and I want to spread the word so you can see if it's something you would be interested in participating in. Now, before we start, yes these are a lot of challenges. However, I looked at them all carefully, set myself very realistic goals, and I'm not going to worry about everything excessively. Book blogging is something I do because it's what I love to do, and these challenges are a great way to inspire myself to have more reviews for you guys, and to also be able to see others' reviews, blogs, and thoughts. The challenges are also ones that, with almost any book I read, a review for it will count towards one or more of these challenges. So, I think I'll be able to successfully meet my goals, which are all very reasonable. Without further ado, let's talk about some of the yearly challenges I'm undertaking, and how they coincide with some of my blogging goals.

First, I'd like to talk about the first book blogging challenges I heard about and signed up for. The 2014 TBR Pile Challenge, hosted at Bookish is one that I'm really excited about. This was the first one I'd heard of, and I was so excited because it was a chance to review some books and then be able to see other's book reviews and share some of my own. Plus, the idea of this challenge is to read some books that are already published and that you've wanted to read for awhile. For this year's challenge, the books must be published in 2013 or any year before that. I set myself the goal of reading and reviewing 21-30 books for this challenge, and even with all the other challenges I'm undertaking, I think this is a reasonable goal. I've wanted to have more book reviews on the blog, and this challenge was great motivation for that. A few other bloggers I know, namely Sunny and Kerrie, are doing it as well, and I'm really excited to meet some other bloggers, read some reviews, and write and share some of my own. I'll link the sign up page here, and that gives the challenge details as well.

Sign Up for Bookish's 2014 TBR Pile Challenge!

Another challenge I'm really excited for is the 2014 Debut Author's Challenge. This is hosted at The Story Siren, and the goal of this is to read 12 debut author books for this year. I signed up for this after I saw how many YA 2014 Debuts I was adding to my to-read as I looked on Goodreads under various Listopia. There are plenty of authors that are debuting this year with books that really do sound fantastic. In my sign up post, I linked the books I was considering reading, and so I'll link that here. Since the goal is 12 debuts, and we have the same monthly link-ups as all of these challenges have for reviews, I knew this would be an opprotunity to discover some new authors and series, which perfectly lines up with my 'Start at least 5 new series' book goal, and this would be a lot of new content for reviews for you all. I'm thinking of starting a feature about favorite Debuts of mine, so let me know if you guys are in favor of that idea. I'll leave the sign up for this challenge as well so you can see if it's something you're interested in.

Sign Up for The Story Siren's 2014 Debut Author Challenge!

Next is the 2014 Prequels & Sequels Challenge. This is hosted by both Novel Heartbeat and Writer Grrl Reads. The goal of this challenge is to read and review prequels, sequels, and complete series. I thought this was a perfect opportunity to expand on my Series in Summation feature, and to have more reviews in general. I picked the lowest target for this, which was 10-25 points and so I'll have this challenge completed early into the year.




Sign Up for Novel Heartbeat and Writer Grrl Reads's 2014 Prequels & Sequels Challenge!

I'd like to take this time to announce my participation in yet another 2014 reading challenge. Fiktshun is a blog I've been following for awhile, and so when I saw her post about the 'Don't Let It End Challenge' I was really excited. One of my 2014 goals is to 'Finish 5 series' and the goal of this 6 month challenge (From February 14 to July 14) is to finish series that you have dreaded finishing. I can think of a few that are already out (Sentinel, Champion, Allegiant, Emerald Green, etc.) as well as some coming out I'm dreading seeing the end of the series (City of Heavenly Fire!!). This challenge is great motivation to finish these series. It will also overlap with the Prequels & Sequels Challenge. I know it seems like a lot to add on another challenge, but there is no book number requirement for this. I don't need to set a goal or level to reach. I just read what I can, and link up the reviews. So, I'm very excited, and I'll link the sign ups for you all here.

Sign Up for Fiktshun's 2014 Dont Let It End Reading Challenge!

My Goodreads Reading Challenge is 75 books. Last year I didn't update my reading for six months, so I'm going to keep a closer track of what I read through Goodreads. 

Those are all of the reading challenges I'll be participating in this year. Yes, it's a lot, but I think I can handle my goals. I'll keep you posted in my Monthly Wrap Ups, and update how I'm doing in each challenge. Also, my Goodreads reading challenge is in the sidebar with the other 2014 Reading Challenges, and you'll be able to see how many books I've read there.

What are some reading challenges you'll be participating in? Are you doing any of the same challenges? 

From the paper world,

V

Reading Review - Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Hello, everyone! You might know I've been participating in the Incarnate Readathon that's hosted by Bonnie and Alexa. 

This was something I was really excited about because I've been hoping to read this series for some time, and so I was glad to have the opportunity. Today I'm going to be reviewing the first book in the trilogy, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows.

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Incarnate on Goodreads        Visit the Author's Website

This is a really interesting book. Let's start with the thing I loved the most about it- the world building. This world defies any genre and is completely different from anything I've read before. I went into the story expecting some sort of paranormal, modern world. Then, I thought it was high fantasy. But, honestly, it's not a world that perfectly fits into any YA classification. This world definitely has some high fantasy elements- there are fantastical creatures, like dragons and sylphs, and it's a magical world. But, there's a technology advancement to this society that's really unique to the story. There are data tablets and screens that the characters use. The world building was excellent- everything was new to the character, too. As I read, I found the world almost jarring as I read along, assumed it was a high fantasy type world, and then suddenly there's data screens and coffee makers in the houses. I really appreciated the unique world we were given. It was well described and interesting to read about, and it's one I want to read more of because it's so different from anything I've read, including basic generalizations of a type of book.

The characters in this book are also well written. Even after reading the first book, I don't fully understand Ana. Even as I was reading, I couldn't predict what she was going to do next. Although she didn't make the best decisions and could be annoying at times, Ana was generally a good character. She had this admirable, intrinsic strength to her that really shined throughout the novel. Ana's upbringing was dark and miserable, the book doesn't gloss over that and how it affects her character. But her character development was remarkable, and she is a very unique character. I look forward to seeing more of this complex, brave, and reckless protagonist in Asunder.

Now, let's just talk about Sam. Sam is one of my top fictional crushes. He booted several others off the list in a matter of 50 pages. Already Sam and Ana are one of my favorite couples of the year. I love how these two characters are together, and how their personalities complement the other's well, yet each is a unique character. I love how they find such joy in beautiful things in life, and the moments between the two.

However, I did have some problems with this book, and those were mainly concerning the plot. This is a first book in a series, and so there is a lot of world building and characterization that needs to go on. Incarnate did those wonderfully, and that is essential for the rest of the series to have as its foundation. But, there was a lack of a plot in the sense that there was no centralized conflict or problem specific to the book. Ana's identity crisis was important, but that pertains more to her character and how she'll grow throughout the series. This book was a lot of exposition and introduction, which is good for the series as a whole. It did have intrigue and plot twists, and by the end the beginnings of what could definitely be the sequel's conflict were revealed. But, to me, there wasn't that conflict as much in this book. As it is a first book with such a unique world and complex characters, I still really enjoyed the book, and I can't wait to continue. 

Overall, I gave this book four stars. It's a great start to the series, and it introduced an amazing world and some great characters. I can't wait to see more of both, and so I'm very happy to be participating in the readathon to marathon the series. If you'd like to sign up, the link is in the sidebar. 

From the paper world,

V

Reading Challenges - 2014 Prequel & Sequel Challenge

Welcome back to another episode of joining a ton of reading challenges for 2014! Looking at the books I want to read this year, all of the challenges I've been signing up for have really been fitting my TBR perfectly. This particular challenge is The 2014 Prequel & Sequel Challenge. This is yet another challenge I heard about through Elizziebooks and although I keep linking her Youtube channel when I mention her, I actually heard about these blog. This challenge is going to complement my participation in the TBR Pile Challenge and some prequel novellas for the 2014 debuts I'm reading for the Debut Author Challenge. (If you're curious about any of those, the buttons are in the sidebar, and clicking on those takes you directly to the sign ups) I'm still a little uncertain about the scoring details, but I've linked the sign ups so you can read them as well. Regardless, this will definitely be the cause of quite a few Series in Summations that will be coming to you guys this year. I'm really excited about that because I like writing those features, but didn't think I'd be able to in light of my other challenges. 

TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2014

Hello inhabitants of the paper world! Violet here to bring you some awesome news: this blog is going to be participating in the 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge! This challenge  is hosted over on Bookish, and this is exactly what I was looking for. Want to see what we're going to be involved in for next year?