Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade (Nightshade #1) 
by Andrea Cremer
Release Date: October 19th, 2010
Publisher: Philomel
Format: ebook,  452 pages
ISBN: 978-0-3992-5482-6
Get a Copy: 
         Barnes and Nobles
         Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Cindy's Review: I saw a book review of this on one of my friend's blog and decided to read this. I can't say, it's a bad book, but I didn't even get to finish the last fifty pages even if I wanted to.

The Cover: 
I think I first saw this on the recommendation shelf at Goodreads. I didn't really bother looking at it, because I was looking for another book at that time. Let me guess. I think the flower in the front are called nightshades, since that's the title. 

The Characters: 
Three main characters in this book. The one telling the story, Calla Tor. She is a guardian, in other words, a werewolf, since she can change into a wolf or a human. Guardians are basically warriors who carries out orders from the keepers and protects whatever they are supposed to protect. Calla Tor is the alpha female, which means she would later become a pack leader and lead a new pack. Calla is supposed to marry the most popular boy at school, the boy she likes, Ren Laroche.

Ren Laroche is the most popular boy at school. A cute, handsome, bad boy. Someone every girls fall for. And he is destined to become Calla Tor's alpha male. That means Calla Tor would later marry him. What more could Calla want. Right? But no.

Some guy named Shay has to butt in and Calla has to fall for him. Like nooo!  You just ruined everything! I think Shay is a smart-aleck guy who is too chatty for his own good. I like his name though. But he is quite annoying. 

The Plot:
Calla's life is basically all planned out for her. She would marry Ren Laroche and help lead a new pack of young guardians and continue on with her life. But an unexpected guy named Shay popped up the the packs were told to take care of him. Calla had saved his life earlier in the woods and somehow, she started to like him, even with her obvious attraction to Ren. 

This is where I get so mad. Ren is so perfect. He's her boyfriend out of all the other pretty girls in the high school. Like really. Why did she have to suddenly go and like Shay? Ugh. I wanna know who she ends up with though. 

Book Comparisons: 
This book reminds me very much of Matched by Allie Condie. Ren is like Xander. Calla is like Cassia, except maybe Calla has a higher level of authority and that's why she shouldn't have done what she should. Shay is like Ky who just butted in on everything. Gahhh. I hope the ending of this series didn't end like the Matched series did. 

The Ending:
Of course, they wouldn't tell us who Calla ended with. Just yet. And I couldn't even read the last 50 pages of the book because my Nook was acting up. It took like 5 minutes just to turn one page. And later I found out it turns out it isn't the Nook problem since nothing happens with other books, it's just this one. Ugh.

The Bad:
Ugh. Shay. Why him? But I guess there would be no story without him. It would just be a happily ever after.

The Good:
Okay. Right now, I'm listening to this really sad song. Totally fits what I think about the ending of this book. Except the concept of the song doesn't lol. Anyways, the good. Uh. Admiring Ren. LOL. ;) And I like how Ren and Calla are pack leaders. It just seems like they are so cool and everything looks at them for directions. 

Rate: (1-10): 8.5

Happy Reading~

Book Review: Changeling by Philippa Gregory

Changeling
by Philippa Gregory
Release Date: May 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: Paperback ARC, 256 pages

Goodreads Summary: Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of the first-ever teen series from #1 bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl.Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days.

     Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can’t inherit any of her father’s estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape.

     Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq. The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon.

     The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs. It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing. With Philippa Gregory’s trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

Cindy's Review:  Okay. This is gonna be a super duper short review. Just one sentence: I didn't even bother finishing the book. It was that boring. I mean, I read it because one of my friend owned it and the author had written The Boleyn Girl book and I heard it was pretty good. But this one here, is not my thing. 

THE END.

Well, Happy Reading, anyways~

Book Review: Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Ultraviolet (Ultraviolet #1)
by R.J. Anderson
Release Date: June 2nd, 2011 (My birthday <3)
Official Release: January 28th, 2013
Publisher: Orchard
Format: Paperback ARC, 303 pages
Get a Copy: 
      Barnes and Nobles
      Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. 

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her. 

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison’s condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can’t explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori—the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that’s impossible. Right?

Cindy's Review: Um. Let me see. Well. This book is okay. It just didn't hit me hard like the other books.

The Cover: 

Well, remember the purple cover books I was talking about? Yeah. This one is the third one. I really like the title though. It sounds really cool. 

The Characters: 

Alison is the main character of this book. I don't really get her that much. I mean, she can see sounds, taste emotions, hear colors, and see her emotions in colors. She sounds high. I took this Health and Sexuality class in the summer and I learned that these are the results of getting high. The only thing that proves that Alison is not high is the swirling world that happens to high people. Either way, I still don't get her.

Another important character is Tori. I guess. I mean, Tori's the most popular girl at school. She's pretty. Ya know, popular. And Alison hates her. Alison thinks Tori is a female dog. It is all because of Tori why Alison is in a crazy house. 

Mr. Faraday is a psychologist at the crazy house. He supports Alison a lot, even though he's a little fishy. I don't how old he is, but I have no idea why Alison likes him.

The Concept/Plot:

So one day, Alison was having an argument with Tori, which led to a fight. In the middle of fighting, Tori suddenly just disappeared. Alison went home to her mom with blood on her hands and Tori no where. The evidence somehow, points to Alison murdering Tori and hiding her, but they don't have enough proof. 

Alison was like going through self-destruction, so her mom called the police. Alison, then woke up at a hospital and was soon transferred to a mad house. There, Alison works with Mr. Faraday to find where Tori really is and how to prove the Alison isn't a murderer. Mr. Faraday, basically kinda holds the key to everything.

The Ending: 

I'm not satisfied. Well. Actually the part where Tori became Alison's friend is okay. I liked that part. I mean, who doesn't want to have a popular girl as their friend. 

Sorry I'm spoiling the ending for you, but like, ewww i don't like it.

Well, I'm going to write this part in the "The Bad" section.

The Good:

This book has its own unique taste. I have never read a book with the main character's unique gifts.

The Bad: 

I don't like the romance here. It's just like eww. How old is Mr. Faraday. He's a man. He' s a little too old for Alison. Like in Fifty Shades of Grey, Christian Grey is like 27 and she's like 17 or 18. He's too old for her. And he has a weird personality. Either way, I just don't like the romance. And I"m a romantic person too.

Honestly, I kinda skimmed through the end.

Rate: (1-10): 6.5

The romance brought it down. The wacko gifts of the main character also brought it down. Well this is still a three star so it's not that bad. 

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Blood Debt by Nancy Straight

Blood Debt (Touched #1)
By Nancy Straight
Released Date: July 15th, 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: ebook, 194 pages
Get a Copy:
           Barnes and Nobles
           Amazon
           Smashwords

Goodreads Summary: Her whole life, it had just been the two of them. Before her mother’s last breath, she gave Camille the information she had craved her entire life: the identity of her father. Daring to contact him, Camille was welcomed by an entire family she never knew existed. But nothing comes without a price, as she discovers when her family claims a legendary heritage tracing back to a centaur touched by Zeus. 

As she learns the secrets of her Centaur bloodline, she is drawn into a forbidden love with Drake. Her life may be the blood debt required to pay for her mother’s transgressions. The same person who once held her mother captive, and forced her into decades of hiding, now controls Camille. Her only chance is to seek a piece of her mother’s past that will win her freedom and the life she desperately wants.

Cindy's Review: One thing I got to say. The romance is not what I wanted. At all. Man.

Cover: 

It wasn't the cover that had caught my attention. Well. She is pretty. But probably not placed among my "Most Attractive Covers' list. 

Characters: 

Camille just learned that she was a Centauride. You guys know the famous Chiron? The half-human, half-horse who trained Greek heroes (in Camp-Half-Blood if you've read Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series). Well. Yeah. That's the one. Camille is a descendant of him. Which means she has more powers than most common Centaurs.

The Centaurs marriage system is weird. Since there are a lot more males than females, the females get to choose a male she wants to marry. Once they're engaged, they can't change it. If they break it off, one would owe a blood debt to another. Most males that had been broken off would never get a female again. Which means they die alone, unless they chose a human wife. 

Drake is a male Centaur. He is engaged to Bianca, but when he touched Camille, he instantly felt some spark. But he can't break it off with Bianca. That's like against Centaur laws.

Bianca is, yes, Drake's fiance, but she doesn't love Drake. She wants Gage to be her husband, but her mother won't let her. Bianca had no choice but to take Drake. 

Gage is the son of Camille's mom's ex-fiance. Is that a bit confusing? Camille's mom was engaged to Gage's dad, Kyle (if I didn't get the name wrong) , but she ran away instead and ended up breaking the engagement. That means Camille's mom owes a blood debt to him. But since she died (sorry, I didn't mention that she died), Camille now has to owe the blood debt. 

I find Kyle kind of nice. He says if Gage doesn't have a Centuaride by the age 28, Gage will have to marry Camille. Kyle isn't as agressive and scary as I thought he would be. 

Concept/Plot:

The storyline and plot seems pretty original to me. I have never a read book like it so yeah. It's pretty cool. I mean, I never read anything about descendant of Centaur except maybe the Party Ponies from the Percy Jackson series. 

But either, my big thing! The romance. Like I don't want to ruin it for you, but I pretty much told you already in the characters. But I won't say names anyways. Why does Camille have to end up with him? Like ew.. Totally ew.. Like why not her best guy friend? Or her the guy she was supposed to marry? Like why him? Gah! 

SO yeah. That leads on to my rate.

Rate: (1-10): 7.5

It's a lovely book and everything, but I Do Not Approve of the Romance. 

Well, Happy Monday~