Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: February 28, 2012
Genre: YA, dystopian
Pages: 375
Series: Delirium #2
1. Delirium (review)
2. Pandemonium
3. Requiem (expected pub Feb 2013)

**WARNING: SPOILERS**

Synopsis:
I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

From Goodreads

The bottom line in this book is: survive. Whether it’s “Now,” 6 months after Lena’s escape, or “Then,” within days of it, the only thing that matters is to survive. Lena was having trouble doing so in the Wilds because it’s hard to survive when you’re still so dependent on the Insiders. In “Then,” Lena is helping the resistance and her survival isn’t as jeopardized… that is, until she’s kidnapped with the son of the leader of the Deliria Free America (DRA). And then survival is once again her main concern.

I loved how this was told in “Then” and “Now”. The tough thing about it was how each chapter seemed to end in a cliffhanger! And then I’d turn the page expecting to see what happens next, but it’d jump to the other time frame, and I’d have to get to the next chapter for relief from the cliffhanger. It was like this almost constantly, but I loved it. It made me want to keep reading and reading until I’d read it all.

I have to say, I’m still in love with Alex. Throughout this book, I refused to believe he was dead, even though Lena was convinced that he was. Every time she mentioned him (which was rare) or thought of him, my heart hurt for her. And now I don’t know what to think. So much happened in this book and I don’t know what to think or feel anymore. I’m sure Lena feels the same way. But you’ll have to read to find out exactly why.

There were so many new characters in this book, which is to be expected since Lena knows no one when she runs away to the Wilds. Raven was a great character, but I kept forgetting she was so young because she had so much responsibility and acted much older. For some reason, I really liked Hunter even though he was hardly a big character. And I have mixed feelings about Julian… I can’t figure out how I feel about him.

Pandemonium is a fantastic sequel! I didn’t expect what I found in the pages, but it was a beautifully written, intense story that I didn’t want to put down. I can’t wait to see how this series ends in book 3, Requiem.

Teaser Tuesday (52)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

Here's what you do:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page
Share the title and author
Try not to include spoilers!

I'm currently reading J. Meyers's debut novel, Intangible. She sent it to me for review, and it's interesting so far! Here's a teaser:

But he sure as hell needed to figure it out now. Right now. It was Sera. Sera's life. His breathing quickened again just thinking about it. Threads of fear wove around inside his chest and ever so slightly squeezed. Sera.
He had to save her. Had to. But how?

Luke is a seer and Sera is his twin sister, and a healer. What I find interesting about the writing is that it doesn't entirely centre on Luke and Sera. There's at least 5 characters whose stories we follow. But they're all clearly interconnected, so it's really just you as a reader getting more of the story and the other characters trying to figure things out. It's fun to read!

Feel free to share your teasers! I'd love to see what you're reading.

In My Mailbox (40)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that gives bloggers a chance to share what books they've received in the last week. It's hosted by The Story Siren and you can find out more info about it here.




Now that I'm finished school (yay!), I've started accepting a few books for review again. So I have some to share with you this week! Here's what I got:

Bought
Devoted (Elixir #2) by Hilary Duff {Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon}

For Review
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu {Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon}
Deadly Intentions (True Intentions #2) by Lisa Kuehne {Goodreads}
Florence by Ciye Cho {Goodreads}
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Lisa, and Ciye for the ebook review copies!

I'm really excited to read all of these books! I'm happy that I'll have more time on my hands and hopefully be able to read a lot of books this summer. And it makes me really happy that I can accept review books again.

What did you get this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (58)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!





This week I'm waiting on...

Survive by Alex Morel
Publication Date: August 2, 2012

Synopsis:
Hatchet meets Lost in this modern-day adventure tale of one girl's reawakening.

Jane is on a plane on her way home to Montclair, New Jersey, from a mental hospital. She is about to kill herself. Just before she can swallow a lethal dose of pills, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black. Jane wakes up amidst piles of wreckage and charred bodies on a snowy mountaintop. There is only one other survivor: a boy named Paul, who inspires Jane to want to fight for her life for the first time.

Jane and Paul scale icy slopes and huddle together for warmth at night, forging an intense emotional bond. But the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive.

From Goodreads

Why I want it: "Only one of them will survive"?!?! REALLY?!? And I love that it's compared to Lost. (I miss that show.) Also, debut author! But really, "only one of them will survive"...  I feel like crying already.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Publication Date: July 3, 2012

Synopsis:
Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair...

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

From Goodreads

Why I want it: Retelling of Peter Pan! Love that story. I'm interested to see the story from Tiger Lily's point of view.

Touched by Cyn Balog
Publication Date: August 14, 2012

Synopsis:
Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn't? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over... and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn't work.

But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift... and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?

In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover - or the choice he will be forced to make...

From Goodreads

Why I want it: I wonder what the Book of Touch is. And there's lots of cover love going on here, too.

What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

Review: Ember by Carol Oates

Title: Ember
Author: Carol Oates
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Publish Date: July 19, 2011
Genre: YA, paranomal
Pages: 256 (ebook)
Source: From publisher for review
Series: Ember #1
1. Ember
2. Iridescent (expected pub 2012)

Synopsis:
When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn’t her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.

From Goodreads

Anyone who tries to get between me and an angel book better be careful. I devour them like nobody’s business. As soon as I started reading Ember, I couldn’t stop. The characters drew me right in. So did all of the questions that are brought to light within the first few chapters. I had to read more to figure out what was going on and what kind of situation Candra was stuck in.

I got the feeling from the synopsis that there would be a love triangle, but not like the one I got. Candra’s relationship with Sebastian was... difficult to say the least. And what goes on between Candra and Draven... I don’t really know what to call it or say about it. It’s odd and complicated. But Sebastian is my guy for sure. It was a bit hard equating Sebastian’s thoughts and feelings. He’s not supposed to like Candra for what she is, but he’s trying to protect her. He knows he feels something more, but tries to deny it. It was so frustrating knowing that he cared about Candra, but was trying so hard to avoid his feelings. He was a jerk a lot of the time because of this. And very hot-and-cold. Sometimes it was so quick I felt like I was getting whiplash, and I know Candra felt the same way. He is a very complex character with lots of layers.

It was really interesting seeing Candra slowly learn about who she is and who Sebastian, Lofi, and Brie are. It was confusing at some points, where I felt there were gaps in the story or that I’d missed something. I actually skipped back a couple of times to see if I’d forgotten something I’d read because I was confused, but only realized that it hadn’t really been explained at all. Eventually, these gaps were closed in later or by method of deduction on my part. So I feel like there were some continuity issues that could have been better handled.

Ember is another great angel story to add to the list. I can’t seem to get enough of angel stories. Although it is comparable to some stories purely because of the angel lore, it definitely stands on its own as a strong story with great characters. Aside from the continuity issues, this is a fantastic novel that I’m super happy I got to review!

Thanks to Omnific Publishing for the ebook review copy!

Teaser Tuesday (51)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

Here's what you do:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page
Share the title and author
Try not to include spoilers!

I just started reading Destiny and Deception, book four in Shannon Delany's 13 to Life werewolf series. I love Shannon's werewolves, and I'm so happy to continue reading about them and her wonderful characters. Here's my teaser:

Sorry, but **WARNING: SPOILERS** for this one.

But even as encouraging as it was, there was still something odd about Pietr after the cure - something softer, something quieter, something...
Less.

So far, this book is pretty heartbreaking with respect to Pietr and the Rusakovas. Poor Jess is trying to pull Pietr back together after losing his mother and the wolf within. However, there was a surprise waiting in the pages... a new narrator that I wasn't aware of. I'm really interested to see what comes of that.

Feel free to share your teasers! I'd love to see what you're reading.

Waiting on Wednesday (57)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!





This week I'm waiting on...

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Synopsis:
In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network. When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers. As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse. In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

From Goodreads

Why I want it: Debut author. Dystopian. Kind of reminds me of Lauren Oliver's Delirium series because of the suppression of emotions. Love the supernatural shift, though.

A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2)
by Jocelyn Davies
Publication Date: September 25, 2012

**WARNING: SPOILERS**

Synopsis:
When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. But it's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

A Fractured Light picks up right after A Beautiful Dark's shocking cliffhanger ending and is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga.

From Goodreads

Why I want it: Second in the series. The last one had such a big cliffhanger, I have to read more. And I love angel stories. Can't put them down!

What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

Teaser Tuesday (50)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

Here's what you do:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page
Share the title and author
Try not to include spoilers!

I have two teasers for you this week! I never do this, but I want to share from both since I'll probably be finished them next week.

I'm reading Lauren Oliver's Pandemonium, sequel to Delirium, which was one of my favourite books of 2011. I'm also reading an ebook review copy of Ember by Carol Oates. Here's my teasers:

Everything is wrong here, upside down and inverted: the door frames that open into air, invisible structures - buildings, signposts, streets, still casting the shadow of the past over everything. I can feel them, can hear the rush of hundreds of feet, can hear old laughter running underneath the birdsong: a place built of memory and echo.

I am suddenly exhausted.

"How did this happen? Why are you here?" Candra whispered only to Brie.

At exactly that moment Sebastian decided to speak up, banging his fist off the wall by his hip and stepping further away from the wall. "Enough!" he spat at Gabe. "She can't be expected to take everything in right now."

I thought of doing short teasers since I have two this week, but I couldn't help it. I loved both of these parts too much not to share.

Feel free to share your teasers with me! I'd love to see what you're reading.

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publish Date: November 29, 2011
Genre: YA, dystopian
Pages: 305
Series: Legend #1
1. Legend
2. Prodigy (January 29, 2013)

Synopsis:
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbours. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

From Goodreads

I have to admit, I love star-crossed lovers. I really enjoy reading about a love that overcomes so many obstacles and can come out strong on the other side. Legend has one of the ultimate star-crossed lovers: June, prodigy of the Republic, and Day, most wanted criminal.

This book definitely has non-stop action and emotion. It kept me turning the pages, wanting to read more, know more, feel more. It was really interesting seeing the relationship between Day and June grow, before June realized she was with Day. It gave my hopeless romantic heart something to yearn for, because I knew how difficult things were going to get for them.

I really enjoyed the writing because it was written from both Day and June’s points of view. I think I love reading from multiple POVs so much because then I know what both characters are thinking and what they want. I can tell how much they like and need each other, and it gives me a reason to keep reading. I read and wait for them to see what I see.

The conspiracies that fly around this book are intense. There’s the Colonies, the Patriots, the Republic. In the poor sectors, there’s plague, Skiz fights, appointed jobs. Then there’s the Trial, the test that all citizens must take at age 10 that determines the rest of their lives. But overall, nothing is what it seems in the Republic, and it was so intense discovering this with both Day and June, who each discovered them in their own ways, at their own times.

As I neared the end of the book, I was getting really nervous. And when it ended, I wanted it to go on. Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to reading the next book, Prodigy, when it comes out January 2013!

Judging a Book by Its Cover (7)

I do Judging a Book by Its Cover randomly, when I collect several book covers that I think are worthy of being judged as awesome! You can see all my Judging a Book by Its Cover posts here.

Links will direct you to the corresponding Goodreads pages.

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate | October 2, 2102
Erasing Time by C.J. Hill | August 28, 2012

Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu | January 31, 2013
Nerve by Jeanne Ryan | September 13, 2012

Asunder (Newsoul #2) by Jodi Meadows | Expected publication 2013
Origin by Jessica Khoury | September 4, 2012

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna | August 28, 2012
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa | October 23, 2012

Splintered by A.G. Howard | January 2013
The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2) by Michelle Hodkin | October 23, 2012

Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall
Author: Susan Ee
Publisher: self-published
Publish Date: June 14, 2011
Genre: YA, paranormal, dystopian
Pages: 340 (ebook)
Source: From author for review
Series: Penryn & the End of Days #1
1. Angelfall
2. Untitled (expected pub 2012)
3. Untitled (expected pub 2013)

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.

From Goodreads

This book totally caught me by surprise. I was interested in it when I first heard of it, but then kind of lost it in my big TBR pile. I am so dumb.

I loved the combination of dystopia and angel mythology in this story. It was such a different way to look at angels. One of the things that I loved about the concept was how it was about angels, but not about religion. A lot of angel stories delve deep into religious topics, such as those in the Bible. In Angelfall, the existence of angels is crystal clear, but they are still unsure of the existence of God. Some of the angels’ names were familiar as religious characters, and fallen angels as well as Nephilim were mentioned, but it wasn’t as blatant and in-your-face as some angel novels.

This plot is non-stop. Like, never. And for this reason, I fell behind on schoolwork, I stayed up late, I was distracted in class... I did not want to be doing anything other than reading Angelfall. Penryn, Raffe, and their world and situation consumed my thoughts until the very end. And even then, I was left thinking about what would happen next, and how much I wished it had ended with more. I can’t say more than that.

Penryn is such a stubborn, courageous, stubborn, reckless, and loyal character. Did I mention she’s stubborn? I love her as a character and how she develops throughout the book. She is bent on rescuing her sister and she doesn’t care who gets in her way. Especially not someone (or some angel) from the race that destroyed her world. Raffe is her ticket in. Her way there. She doesn’t trust him, he doesn’t trust her. But they need each other to get to their endpoint. There was some sexual tension growing between Penryn and Raffe throughout the book, and I was left with a swollen and sore heart at the end. Their relationship blossomed and grew in such a fantastic way.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! I’m still kicking myself for not reading this sooner. I want to read it again. I want to make everyone I know read it. As soon as I finished this book, I immediately added it to my favourites list. I am dying to see what happens next in this series. All I know is it’s coming out in 2012, but nothing more specific than that. But I really hope it’s sooner rather than later!

Thanks to Susan for sending me an ebook copy for review!

Waiting on Wednesday (56)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!





This week I'm waiting on:

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Publication date: May 22, 2012

Synopsis:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

From Goodreads

Why I want it: Debut author. Two narrators. Mermaids, which I have yet to read but really want to. And I have a feeling it'll have mythology intertwined somehow because of the title.

Embers and Echoes (Wildefire #2) by
Karsten Knight
Publication date: August 28, 2012

**WARNING: SPOILERS**

Synopsis:
Ashline Wilde is about to discover that when you’re the reincarnation of a Polynesian volcano goddess, “new beginnings” are just a myth.

Leaving the fiery ruins of her sophomore year behind her, Ash travels to the sizzling beaches of Miami, hot on the trail of the little sister she’s only seen in visions. But her happy family reunion isn’t all palm trees and paradise. A cult of evil gods-on-earth, known as the Four Seasons, has kidnapped her sister to use in its terrifying new religion. Soon, the streets of Miami erupt in chaos and violence... and Ash gets caught right in the tropical crossfire

Ash isn’t without help, however. Unexpected romance arrives in the form of Wes, an Aztec god of night with his own vendetta against the Four Seasons. As memories of Ash’s previous life begin to flicker into her dreams, the boundaries between ally and enemy, life and death, and love and hate all bleed together. And when a mysterious trickster from her past reappears to derail her new quest, Ash must choose between the echoes of a once-forgotten yesterday and the embers of an uncertain future.

Because when old flames return from the dead, even a volcano goddess can get burned.

From Goodreads

Why I want it: I really enjoy how kick-ass Ashline is as a character and can't wait to read more about her. Also, that cliff-hanger ending in Wildefire!!

What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

Teaser Tuesday (49)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

Here's what you do:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page
Share the title and author
Try not to include spoilers!

This week my teaser comes from self-published author, Susan Ee. I'm currently reading her debut novel, Angelfall. It hooked me right from the beginning. Here's my teaser:

I look to make sure the door is locked.
When I look back at the couch, the angel is gone, with only shreds of duct tape where he should be.
I feel a breath on my neck as the scissors are snatched out of my hand.

I'm really enjoying this book. I got it for review from the author a while ago, but never found the time to read it. I'm starting to regret that now, because I can't put it down! It's action packed and witty and I'm really looking forward to learning the story behind the angels.

Feel free to share your teasers. I'd love to see what you're reading!

Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Title: The Near Witch
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Disney*Hyperion
Publish date: August 2, 2011
Genre: YA, fantasy
Pages: 282
Series: stand-alone

Synopsis:
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

From Goodreads

I really enjoyed the mystery and intrigue of this book! It was a short book, and only took place over the course of a week or so, but a lot happens in that week: a stranger appears, children disappear, the wind comes alive, witches share secrets, the townspeople converge, and sneaking around happens.

Lexi is a strong character. She’s another MC who has lost her father, and it makes her stronger as a person, and more courageous (or reckless). She doesn’t listen to her uncle, who is the man of the family, and her mother is a shell of a person since her father died, so she doesn’t pay much attention to what she does. So when the stranger appears, Lexi is out tracking him on her own to get answers. And when the kids start disappearing, she’s out tracking them, using the skills her father taught her in order to find them and bring them home.

The relationships in this story were really well developed, especially those Lexi has with the stranger, her uncle, and the sisters. Each has its own feel and was consistent throughout the book. I trusted in Lexi and the relationships she had. I trusted her instincts, and it’s a good thing that she did, too. She wasn’t unsure of much. And this shows what a strong character she is.

It was frustrating reading this book, only because so many things kept going wrong for Lexi. There were so many roadblocks. She would decide, “Ok, this is happening tonight,” and then something would go wrong or someone/something would get in the way and prevent things from happening. It made the story seem realistic. You’re not always going to succeed on the first try. Things will go wrong and you just have to remember to try and try again no matter what stands in your way. If you believe in yourself and in what you’re doing, then don’t stop trying. This is definitely the mind frame that Lexi was in for the majority of the book. She never stopped fighting, and I loved that about her.

Victoria has an awesome way of writing. It’s so fantastical and lyrical. I really felt like the wind was whispering and the grass was swaying because she’s so great at describing these things in a magical way. I like that The Near Witch is a stand-alone, and it ended really well. But I’ll definitely be looking forward to V’s next book, The Archived, and having the opportunity to take in more of her beautiful writing.

Teaser Tuesday (48)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

I just started reading Marie Lu's debut novel, Legend, which came out in November. I'm only a couple chapters in, but really liking the tone of the story. Here's a teaser for you:

My mother thinks I'm dead.
Obviously I'm not dead, but it's safer for her to think so.

These are the opening two sentences of the book. It starts with Day as the narrator. I love books that switch narrators, I feel you get a much better understanding of the characters. I think I'm going to enjoy Legend already!

Feel free to share your teasers. I'd love to see what you're reading!