False Sight - Dan Krokos

Synopsis: All Miranda wants is a normal life. She's determined to move past the horrible truth of her origin as a clone so she can enjoy time with her boyfriend, Peter, and the rest of her friends at school. But Miranda quickly learns that there's no such thing as normal - not for a girl who was raised to be a weapon. When one of her teammates turns rogue, it begins a war that puts the world in jeopardy. Now Miranda must follow her instincts - not her heart - in order to save everything she's fought so hard to keep. with the image of a terrible future seared into her mind, what will she have to sacrifice to protect the people she loves?Dan Krokos's sequel to the tour de force False Memory is a mind-blowing thriller with high-octane action that will leave readers begging for the final book in this bold and powerful trilogy.

This was not what I was expecting. At all. I love False Memory, but when I read it, it was a little hard to keep up. Miranda is constantly on over-drive and I don't remember her sleeping, ever. In False Sight, she sleeps! The pace is still very fast, but it was a manageable quick pace so I was able to finally connect with Miranda, Peter, Noah and Rhys in a way I couldn't really in False Memory. I followed them through book one, but in book two I really came to care about them. So one of the things that really shocked me in this book was the fact that the end had me tearing up and it's actually making me a feel a little weepy just thinking about it again.

False Sight went in a different direction than I was expecting. It was a little jarring at first, because the story seemed to be on one track and then suddenly, you’re not even on the tracks anymore. I was skeptical, but that went away pretty quickly. I feel a little bit like book one was super humans and book two is super heroes. There’s this more intricate back story with more about where they come from and what they were meant to do that just bumped them up a level. I’m not huge into comics, but I feel like there’s a bit of classic superhero influence that went into this. I could be way off on that, but that was my impression. 

The thing I carried with me from book one, a year later, into book two was the relationship between Peter, Miranda and Noah. In False Memory, Miranda wakes up with no memories, so when she finds out Noah is her boyfriend she’s not really connected to him and instead falls for Peter. I had so many conflicting moments that caught me off guard in False Sight. Noah’s character has an interesting role, which is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. If there’s any testament to Dan’s skill as a storyteller and a writer, it’s in the way he connects Noah to Miranda and makes an unconventional relationship feel natural. Noah amplified the pain I felt at the end, as if he was in my own head telling me it would be okay when I knew it wouldn’t.

This book is actually hard to talk about, because there is magic in the way it unfolds and the places you end up unexpectedly. And because of that I can’t be specific or talk about the things that kept me glued to the page. I blew through this book so fast, partially because Miranda seems to just speed through life and I was trying to keep pace. I really liked False Memory, but False Sight knocked the breath out of me and I love it for that.

The Rules - Stacey Kade

Synopsis: 1. Never trust anyone.
2. Remember they are always searching.
3. Don’t get involved.
4. Keep your head down.
5. Don’t fall in love.
Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules… 

More science fiction (seriously, I’m loving this stuff)! I completely zipped through this book, its character and its way with being light and intense at the same time just pulled me from one page to the next. I was quickly invested in Ariane’s life and I was kind of surprised at the way I connected with her. She took me into her world and showed me what it was like to have to hide who you really are. Her world and everything that’s at stake make an intense background, but there are times when it’s so light and happy. Because it all comes down to the fact that Ariane is just trying to be a teenager.

Ariane knows what makes her different and she knows she has power inside of her, so rather than trying to figure out who she is, she’s trying to hide herself and rediscover herself at the same time. She starts out pretty meek and invisible, but with so much room for growth, she really steps up to that challenge. She also doesn’t completely understand social cues, so it was fun to watch her try to figure out some nuances of human behavior. She’s just such a rounded character that I know her quirks and her habits without ever remembering learning them.

I also really adored that it took place in small town Wisconsin, because small-town Midwest is where I come from. And Stacey Kade pretty much hit that whole atmosphere right on the head. I liked, too, that it had the added mystery and intrigue of one really large company that pretty much ran things – even though no one really knew what it did. That company is, of course, the same one that Ariane is hiding from so you always have that great threat looming.

Everything about this book is really great. It’s well balanced, it’s enticing and entertaining. I can’t really point out anything that deterred me from it. However, there’s just something about it that’s keeping it from being really epic. Still, it’s a great book that kept me fully engrossed. I am looking forward to book two, because the beginning is definitely a solid foundation for a great series.

False Memory - Dan Krokos

Synopsis: Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn't at all surprised by Miranda's shocking ability.
Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn't easy--especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn't seem to matter...when there may not be a future. (From Goodreads)

I finished this book a few days ago...and I'm still not quite sure what happened to me. The pace was breakneck, the concept was insane, and every five seconds I felt like the ground was pulled out from underneath me. Generally, I like to be able to establish myself within a story, and to connect with and feel like I completely understand a character. I didn't really get any of these securities with this book, but in this case - I kinda liked it. There were a lot of crazy things going on, but it was impossible to tear myself away. I needed to know what was going on, and the more Miranda started to learn about who she was the more dimensions this book held.

I have to start with the romance aspect, because, honestly, that's the only area where I felt grounded. I know who I wanted Miranda to pick. Where I didn't know who she could trust, I did know which boy was right for her. This is what kept me tethered to this story and this world. Which, the more that I think about, is so amazing. Generally, love is the great mystery, the thing that could potentially leave you confused and hurt - but without apparent effort, Dan Krokos made it the one safe and stable thing in a world where not even your own thoughts are to be trusted. Genius.

Moving on from the most girly thing I could pick out of a book that contains next to nothing that could be classified as girly - I want to talk about Miranda. Now, when we meet Miranda all she knows is her name. The opening scene in this book, by the way, was one of the best first chapters ever. There's so much confusion and chaos, yet it somehow you can read it with perfect clarity. Again, genius. But back to Miranda - I don't know how she has time, with all the missions and people trying to capture her and all, but every time she remembers something or someone tells her about who she used to be, I just completely gave myself to her and her story. She isn't a trustworthy narrator - but, when she's remembering something she's completely vulnerable - and those were my windows into the world.

Other than those moments - the love and the memories - I was floundering through the story. I kept trying to grasp who was who, who remembered what, who was thinking what, why they needed to complete certain missions at certain times - and I came out with no solid footing. This is where I'm still kind of just trying to figure out what happened to me. Because I remember reacting to the action while I was reading, but for the life of me I can't remember what my thoughts were or what actually was going on. And again, maybe that's part of relating to these characters who can lose their memory so easily.

This is a book I kind of want to read again and then talk out. But I can't say much more here without heading into spoiler territory so I'm gonna chill. Even with my uncertainty, I do know that this is a great book. It's different - with totally bad-ass characters, some crazy government stuff, some science fiction, and a whole lot of action. If you're looking for something that doesn't slow down, doesn't ever get soft or quiet, and will just move through your life like a tornado and move on - then this is the book you're looking for.

"The Ash-Born Boy" and The Near Witch Paperback Release

It's May 15th!

Not only does The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab come out in paperback today, but to celebrate its release, "The Ash-Born Boy" is finally up over at Disney*Hyperion's website!

So what IS "The Ash-Born Boy"?

It's a free story that Victoria wrote as a thank you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer one question: "Who was Cole before he came to Near?"


Now, if you've already read The Near Witch, "The Ash-Born Boy" is guaranteed to change the way you see Cole.

And if you haven't read The Near Witch yet, don't worry, "The Ash-Born Boy" won't spoil anything!

So basically, either way, you should read Cole's story!

And if you want to wait and read The Near Witch first, it's no problem. Cole's story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion's website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free.

AND

Cole's story isn't the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. In the back of the paperback itself, you'll find the first chapter of Victoria's new book, The Archived, which doesn't come out until January!

So what are you waiting for?

Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at "The Ash-Born Boy," and don't forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of The Near Witch!

After you read "The Ash-Born Boy" come let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Spell Bound - Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis: I'm not putting the synopsis here. Because it in itself is spoilery if you haven't read the 1st two books. In fact, while I will do my best to keep out the spoilers in this review I still want to warn you that, while it is not my intention, sometimes they still happen. If you want to read what this book is all about, click on the cover to go to IndieBound and read the synopsis there. If you're coming here to see if Spell Bound is worth continuing the series, read on! and if you're here to see what the Hex Hall series is all about then exercise caution. (And might I suggest that you pick up Hex Hall as fast as you possibly can? Because if you haven't read these books yet, you're missing out on a whole lot of awesome.)

Hex Hall and Demonglass were up there with some of the first books I ever reviewed. Okay, I reviewed them a little over a month after I started the blog, but since it feels like I've been doing this forever, it feels like one of the first ones. Anyway, I just went and check on that review to see what I said about it (you can read it too if you wanna) and I had to giggle a little bit. Mostly because I pulled out this quote from Hex Hall:

“Jenna gave me a sympathetic look and cleared our empty plates. ‘Sorry in advance for what you’re about to see.’
‘What?’  I asked as the dining hall began to empty. ‘What’s going to happen?’
Jenna just shook her head. ‘Let’s just say you may regret that second piece of cake.’
Oh my God. Regret cake? Whatever was about to happen must be truly evil.”

And then said that if you couldn't see why that's awesome, we couldn't be friends. Which I still maintain. The reason I'm digging up the past is because, like it's hard to know a person without knowing where they come from - it's hard to talk about Spell Bound without revisiting where it came from.

Since all convention and structure has already been thrown out the window here - I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to go back to the lists I used to make of reasons I loved a book - both for nostalgia and because I'm having a hard time articulating all the love I have for this book without letting some stuff slip. Because, really, I only have two complaints - one I can't tell you about (and it's not  a complaint as much as a HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?! type-thing) and the other one is that it needed to be longer (or just to go on forever and ever).

So - 8 (of the countless) Reasons I love Spell Bound:

1. Sophie Mercer is one of my favorite heroines. EVER. Everything that comes out of her mouth is pure awesome.

2. Archer Cross.

4. Cal. Sigh.

5. Archer Cross

6. Clearly I love the characters. Every single one of them is huggable (well, the ones who aren't villains anyway - they're more of the run the other way sort). I love Jenna too, can't forget the vamp who loves pink.

7. I love Sophie and Archer together. So stinkin' much. They're so in sync, and their verbal banter just makes you feel like they get each other. I also very much appreciate that they fight over some pretty serious issues, because it just makes their relationship feel genuine. They like to sugar coat things with sarcasm, but there's real stuff in there too and that doesn't get completely swept away.

8. Let's face it, the paranormal genre is crowded (in a rock concert kind of way, not in a I need my coffee and there are too many people in the coffee shop way...). But, this series stands out as unique and exceptional. It's so refreshing. In a dark world, Sophie and gang bring the flashlights to play flashlight tag. On the way they just so happen to kick some butt.

Ok - so bad metaphors and a lot of incoherent spewing (seriously, this post got out of hand) aside - all I really want to say is - Spell Bound = Awesome.