SweetKleis Reads and Writes!

3.5 stars?

There really wasn't a whole lot that happened in this here book. It's like your old, rickety, cataracts-riddled, grandmother's version of Veronica Roth's Insurgent isn't it? I don't normally make book comparisons because I like for books to stand alone but the nature of this plain-clothed, oatmeal for breakfast eating society reminded me something of Abnegation . Not everything was the same, of course but that's what was prominent to me. I also chose Insurgent over Divergent because there was a hint of rebellion. It was the watered-down Earl Grey version said grandmother drinks while nibbling on butterscotch covered in bottom-of-the-purse lint rather than the action-packed rebellion in Insurgent but it was there.

As per my updates, in the beginning something in me was bored beyond all recognition. Nothing was happening and nothing kept happening. We got caught up in a love triangle before we even knew what was going on. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition abounded and we were constantly reminded of how this society works. I have seriously decided that Young Adult fiction is indeed written this way on purpose. It is clear that Young Adults and the people who read this material are decidedly unable to follow a story line long enough to grasp the complicated intricacies woven by the authors and so in order to make absolute sure that we have understood the extent of their creative genius in world mapping they repeat, repeat, repeat everything over and over again. Thank you but I am not a complete idiot and can follow your simple dystopian imagery and all of it's rules and shit without falling ass over elbows in confusion. Moving on.

So, we are briefly given a glimpse at Xander the bestfriend/Match and he's so wonderful and handsome and no one ever thought that they could have a chance at him but look at lucky Cassia and her hot assed match that's perfect in every way and she doesn't have to be matched with a stranger because she knows everything about Xander. Oh La Di Da!! EVERYTHING IS SO PERFECT. Then, Oh no! another boy's face appears on her microcard and she knows him IRL too! Oh Gosh! He's not her best friend but since Cassia is a little jealous that she doesn't get the chance to "get to know" someone she must, she just must seek out this kid and make sure she doesn't love him. But guess what? *sad face with a tear* --> :*( She does. And just like that the girl that was sooooooo lucky to get hot, smart Xander doesn't want him and the nice kid with sweet, not steamy, kisses gets kicked to the curb for being a best friend instead of the mysterious, enigmatic Ky from the Outer Providences... I could have told this story in my sleep. I probably just did.

Along side all of that there are some issues within the Society, of course, things aren't as they seem.

Even with all of that, I still kind of liked the story, hence the 3.5 stars. There is something about Dystopians like this. I like them. I like the whole "perfect Utopian world" idea and I like to see it done differently and well. I do have to say that by not focusing too much on Cassia's relationship with Xander was a relief and an annoyance. While I didn't have to read about her all over Xander and then running back to Ky at first sight, it made Xander into a mere footnote of thought. "Hmmmm, I know Xander would be hurt if he found out about me and Ky". That kind of a footnote. Then Cassia would think something like "But I can't care about that because meeeeee!" or whatever because all the chicks in these books are always self-proclaimed selfish people like saying out loud makes it any better.

All in all: I have this thing where I want to finish a series when I begin it unless it's horrendous but I'm not sure about this one. I don't know that I've come across a book this boring but at the same time piqued a bit of interest. I already know the ending. Do I want to take the journey? Hmmmm

This was a very good second installment with it's fight the power theme running through it. I loved that.

There is just something about this series that has me hook-line-and-sinker. I am completely and blindly in absolute love with this creative premise. I can't get enough of it. It's so different from what I usually find lurking in the midst of the ansgt-filled, dramatic-romance filled Young Adult world and for that I am eternally grateful.

I am committed to these characters wherever it is they may end up. I am committed to the cause. I want them to succeed and I also want minimal collateral damage. Do you hear me Shusterman? Make that happen!

I don't want to give anything away so I won't go through the characters less you deduce who makes it at the end of this book and who is introduced and such. Just know that I adore this story and where it's going.

IT'S TIME FOR A REVOLUTION!

TO THE NEW TEEN UPRISING!!

All in all: This is one of those book series' that just needs to be read. Do it and hold on to your socks!

WTF Shusterman????

That was just 50 pages of damn sadness. Also it did not tell us everywhere Lev was between him leaving Cy-Fi and getting to The Graveyard. Liar. I still want to know how Lev found the Underground Railroad.

Bull-S man, bull freaking ess.

Wow. I am pleasantly surprised.

I love the idea. It's so...new

When I read the synopsis of this book I was horrified. Then I opened it up and read The Bill of Life and that took horrifed up another notch. The idea that someone could unwind a person that had been there for 13 years is still unimaginable to me. How do you not love your own child??

As unimaginable as this is I really feel like there are nut jobs out there who feel that yes, this truly is a great compromise... Well psychos it's not. So stop nodding along with it's twisted logic. It's disturbing. I'm deeply disturbed.

I think the reason this book scares the shit out of me is because people, humans, can twist things to fit into their realm of reason. They can look at each other and decide that once a child reaches the age of reason it's okay to shirk their responsibilities in the name of a noble cause such as unwinding. "They aren't really dead, they go on to live in other people." BOOM!! Justified. I can see those thoughts processing and once someone that knows someone that did it and it worked out well for them, I can see it sitting well larger and larger groups of people. Once a certain amount of time passes and it's no longer considered taboo but a socially acceptable practice it's just out there in it's disgusting glory. People can make themselves believe what ever they need to believe to justify their actions, however morbid they may be. And that my friends scares the piss out of me. It also why this premise could take hold and become a possibilty. You may sit back and shake your heads No, No, No but you are deluding yourselves. Besides it's goverment that makes laws and if enough of them are on board we're screwed and you know it.

The book itself is very well written I haven't read any other reviews for this yet but I wouldn't know how anyone could dispute that. It is very well written. I was wishing I could gobble this up in one sitting but alas real life got in the way.

I loved that the POV was mainly three character but that it sidetracked sometimes to allow the reader to see things from other important roles. That was really quite nice. I know that I liked that I got a chapter here and there to know the inner workings of another chracters' mind so that I didn't have to find out information at the same time as the MC's. I don't really care to be kept guessing, with exception of few situations.

All in all: Quite the solid read here. Well done Mr. Shusterman.

I am really, really sad right now. As in, unbeliveably so.

This story is very well written. The dysfunctional relationship that built between a brother and a sister after surviving a life of abuse was insane but not only that, I also think that it rings realistic. I am not too sure about that because I have never spoken to anyone that has lived through such an ordeal but something about the material just seems right. Which is sad.

The whole premise and how it all fell together there seemed like it rang a little too real. As in, three people going through something like this may acquire similar feelings and their lives may ultimately evolve into the destruction that followed. And that makes me sad, angry, repulsed and a slew of other emotions all at the same time. Flawed will definitely evoke serious emotions from the reader. It's so dark that sometimes I forgot to breath.

I usually try not to give too much away with my reviews so, honestly, read this at your own risk. Because this isn't some happy, paranormal or dystopian read, I am not going to recommend this to anyone. At least not to anyone that I didn't think could take it.

Ms. Avelynn, A remarkable job was done here. Work well done.

All in all: This is a heavy, heavy read. While I won't be reading this again it will always be rolling around in my brain and will pop up whenever my thoughts go idle, I just know it will.

Holy Effing Jesus! That's some creepy shit.

Um, yeah. Wow. I'm super scared right now. And it's midnight so that's awesome.

This book. Hmmmm. What to say. Let's see.

It was well written. There wasn't much to the story so I understand why it couldn't have gone on any longer. The ending read just like ending of any of those crazy-possessive-boyfriend/girlfriend movie. That was great!

What I don't get is how this whole book took place in the course of about a week...Yeah. What? All the MC kept saying was how it felt like they had been there for ages but in reality it had only been like four days. The book set itself up to take place over 10 weeks but in actuality took place in 6 days. That was really weird.

The love interest:
Jordan, sounded pretty cute for Gingery Blonde buuuuttt he says that he was into Psycho McPherson (Anna) for the first week before all the other help got there and then when he met Meg he switched gears. That is all well and good but what is not well nor good is that he loved Meg in 5 days and had the slap in the face to say that Anna had gotten intense in her swooning over the course of a week and a half... Weird. At the rate we're all developing feelings here Anna was in the right to expect him to wife her up after 9 days. That's the way I see it.

The MC/best friend:
Megan. She took crazy in stride and I'm not sure I understand that. Anna was showing signs of instability from word "go". The whole weird thing with that teacher *shudders* and yet she still was accepting of the absolute crazy sparkling in her friends' eyes. Hmmmm. I don't know that Meg would have stayed an outcast her whole life if she tried to distance herself form Anna before high school. I could be wrong though. I guess there are people like this character out there.

The Cray-Cray:
Anna. She was totally, awesomely, gawddamned insane and that my friends was wonderful.

All in all: this was good. A short read that will have your hair standing on ends and will probably give me a nightmare (I'm a lightweight when it comes to scardy shit) but it's worth the read.

Ahhhhh! I can't get enough of these books!!!

I am so mad that I picked this series up when the last has yet to be written.

This sequel was amazing. I knew that something bad was going to happen. I felt that badness in my bones before I even began reading because there is no such thing as a happy fricking ending for everyone. Someone has to shoulder loss and it sucks that it was Roar.

I am silently hoping that Liv didn't actually die but that she was struck in the shoulder or something and is recovering and then when The Tides get to the Still Blue she's there! Oh Happy Day! And everyone can live Happily Ever After because what is the HEA when only one of the main couples gets it?? IT'S NOTHING!

So listen up Rossi, make it happen Captain.

Look at me rambling like a crazy.

All in all: I'm freaking buying a house. I love these books. Just love them.

I loved this little story about Roar and Liv.

It was like a little cut-away into the absurdly handsom boy's romantic life and it proved to be cute. I really adore that Roar is written to be so attractive and at times he's a little cocky but for the most part he's a great guy. He's a wonderfully loyal best friend and boy friend.

I also love Perry more. This novella not only showed a glimpse into Roar but it showed more of Perry. I may not have had a chance to read things in his perspective but I almost didn't need too.

All in all: A nice little short. I beleive that I am beginning to like novellas.

Love. Love. Love.

The ending of this was warm like Shiver and I absolutely LOVE that. Where are all my Stiefvater fans? Yeah, you know what I mean.

I've read a review or two that said that this was like Blood Red Road , while I can see some small similarities I'm not sold on that comparison.

I am sold on the part where there wasn't any of that "just-add-hot-individual" insta-love garbage (anyone who disagrees may I direct you to Halo… You picking up what I'm puttin down?) I adore an author that can make a believable romance spark within 270 pages. I like for my Young Adult romances to take their time. To stroll around being slightly annoying to each other. To stop and smell the violets along the way, if you will. I even like it a little when the two loveies dislike each other in the beginning and then over a course of the journey they decide to take some time and really see the other person and then they want to be all encased in their warm midnight voices and tight embraces because they've gotten to know that person. (I know, alot of italics, bear with me).

I really like it. A lot.

And Rossi has done it. Brava!

This book is well written. The characters, all of them, are likeable.

Friendships forged, bonds developed and pledges made. That right there is my kind of story. Take me on a well planned journey and I may follow you forever.

All in all: A solid read. I, of course, am completely ga-ga for Perry and Aria. I want the brightest for Roar and Liv. and that's the best feeling. Rooting for the characters instead of booing them and wishing horrific, enduring pain on them.

P.S. I'm on a good reads roll here! woot!p

Amazing I am in complete awe.

I'm still reeling.

When I grow up if, at any point I decide to be a goddamned psycho, I aspire to be Amy Elliott Dunne.

Wow.

She was insanely, crazily, epically smart, all of those in equal measurements. I mean this freaking story... My god.

I really have to applaud Gillian Flynn and also be a tiny bit afraid of her. She did a phenomenal job writing this little gem. Taking her time. Doling out the story at a pace I could both hate but admire because this kind of story needs to be slowed down and digested. There is no 'balls to the wall' with this one, lest you set yourself up to miss something undeniably genius.

Every time I felt comfortable as if I was finally getting a handle on Amy's psychosis I got a little booster shot that left me wide-eyed and my mouth hanging unattractively open. I mean, vomit in the freezer? This Crazy thought of everything!!! The frozen semen??? Holy shit! Bases covered. I am in complete awe.

Complete. Fucking. Awe.

All in all: A good read. Short by no means, but epic. If you like a little mystery and reading about dysfunction in it's purest form pick this up. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

P.S. Gillian, If I may call you that, Where did you get the ideas for this book? Are you married? Is your husband afraid? 'Cuz I would be. Seriously.

Amazing.

One word. That one.

I kept hearing about how great this book was. I read freaking everywhere how utterly astounding it was and I kept thinking LIARS! because let's face it, Goodreaders can be so damn deceptive! Some truth to back that up? Alexandra Adornetto, Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, Abbi Glines and whoever the author of Losing Lila is...SMH. A bunch of damned liars. Four plus stars as an average rating on those monstrosities?!?!? Get the F*@% outta here.

Sickos.

BUT THIS??? THIS IS GOOD!

The prose alone was enthralling. I laughed so many times at the thoughts that ran through Josh's and Sunshine's heads and at the conversations that were had.

I loved the realtionships that were built and the connections that were made. I felt them. And it's always nice to be able to feel like everything that is unfolding is real. I don't feel like this story was rushed at all. It took it's time all the way up to the end and for that I am grateful.

So, Brava Ms. Millay!
You have yet another fan.

All in all: I wish there was more. An incredible read. Take the time out of your life to read this one. You won't be disappointed.

True Story.

Hmmmm. Okay.

Jekyll definitely has "second book syndrome". It was in no way as good as Hyde was for a number of reasons.

For those reasons I feel like I should "spoiler" them, though I'm not sure that I would find these "spoilers" but who knows what everyone else feels. So here goes:

This book is written in the perspective of Eden for a large majority. I've come to realize that I don't care much for the whiney repetitive voice of the female lead. It's always so...weak even for a supposedly strong character such as Eden/Chastity, or whomever she is now.

Her thought process:

1) Don't trust The Clinic or anything they say. (Over and over again.)
2) Get Mitch, he's all thay matters.
3) Save Mitch, he's all that matters.

While this is all fine and dandy these lessons were branded into the readers' mind over and over and over again. It was truly obnoxious. I get it: Mitch is all that matters.

Mitch's thought process:

1) I'm a terrible, no good, person that deserves death.
2) Eden is perfect and deserves a life without me and so I shall find a way to martyr myself for her because she's so perfect.
3) As soon as I take down The Clinic I shall seek death because that's all I'm good for.
4) I can't keep Hyde at bay any longer therefore the only way to make everyone happy is death to me.

Um. Seriously. I get it. I got it 10, 15, 100, 200 pages ago. Can we pump the breaks on the death shit? God. It was ruining the joy I got from reading Mitch's perspective.

I'm sure there were more things that were slapped in my face the entire time I read this installment but it's late and while I can tell myself I'll come back and put those in here I would just be lying.

Oh! yes and the use of italics were immeasurable...I swear every paragraph had five words in italics. I cannot stress words that often. It hurts my brains.

All in all: I was not happy with this one and to tell the truth, I'm not really looking forward to the next one. Such a pity too. There is some of that good 'ol Mitch sarcastic, funny banter that will give you a chuckle here and there but at the end of the day? Boo.

Holy Hell I loved this book!

From the very first words written I felt in my heart that this was a work or art. Its prose is so well written there was no way I could not love it.

Well done Mr. Marion, well done.

I love stories that have original flair. Maybe that is why I often read books of the same genre even though 80% of them are painful, vexatious, repititious piles of steamy shit; because I'm a dreamer. I want so badly to read that someone had the originality and creativity to do it differently.

This, friends, is different.

Yes, you could take the time to debate the "ickyness" of a zombie love story or you could be a person that more people liked by simply enjoying the read.

Be the person that others want to be around.

Read this book.

Lose yourself in its quirk and humor. Laugh out loud, feel downright sorry for that zombie and cheer on the happy ending.

Be amused, gawddammit!

All in all: I love this book, all day everyday.

P.S.: Let's all pin this "Hope" to our 'Hope Wall': Please don't fuck up this movie I know my fingers are crossed, are yours?

4.5 stars

Well Gawddammit that was a good read!

Don't get confused by the amount of time it took me to finish this book. I was nervous about finishing because a fellow Goodreader told I was going to "hate the bitch" as in straight up loathe and so I couldn't allow my Travis to get hurt and I thought that if I didn't read it then it couldn't happen..it was just all bad.

I really did love these two dysfuntional scamps.

There are things that I would do to Travis... just, so many things...

I'm not saying the book didn't have it's moments where I was screaming oh come the fuck ON! , I am by no means saying that but as a whole I'm hard pressed to see why someone wouldn't like it. Well maybe some feminists...and complainers. But it's in not only the synopsis but also the title, you are going to read about some dysfunctional people and their wading through all of their dysfuntion in order to make that shit work.

If you don't want to read about that and/or that kind of read is not your cup o' java then DO NOT READ THIS. See? So simple.

Let me get something straight here I didn't find Travis abusive to Abby mentally or physically. He was jealous, super jealous but he also had his own shit to work out. He had a nasty temper that he didn't take out on Abby, he took it out on his own things, that were his.

The way some people make this book sound it's like he was he beating Abby and then breaking her down verbally. I didn't get that impression.

Whatevs, I'm over it.

It seems that if any character has a personality outside of "sweetness and butterflies" everyone pokes holes in them. But then they also say how unreal "sweetness and butterflies" over there was. Which is it people? Not every character you read about is going to be like a Nora Roberts character, completely on the straight and narrow with all their shit figured out.

I don't know about you but I like it that way. Give me something new to read about.

I am a bit confused though as to why college students were all up in their Kool-Aide like a bunch of high schoolers? Anyone? I know that when I went to college, which wasn't that long ago, I really, really could have cared less about others' relationships. Like, for reals. Small student body or not. No one batted an eye at lovers' quarrals.

All in all: I would have Travis' badass babies...wait. Phrasing. He was hot. Abby was a little annoying but in all honesty she mostly reacted in the way that I expected her to and for that, I'm happy.

P.s. Travis was just as hot as Brad Pitt was in Fight Club for reals...

This is another case of "got good within the last 50 pages". I honestly should make that a shelf since I come across it so much.

I wanted to like this book. It's about a genius kid and I love smart kids. There are also fairies, goblins, dwarfs and it's told in a cute narrative. Buuuuuutttt, I found it boring and I'm quite upset about it. For being only 143 pages I should have finished this book in two days, alas, here I am about a week after starting writing my review.

I can't really even state what it was about this book that I found mundane. It was just an overall feeling I got. I dreaded coming back to it. I wasn't enraptured (is this a word?) within the first few pages and then it drug ass.

All in all: Unamused. I don't know that I will be reading the others.

2.5 stars

Hmmmmm. I can see why this didn't get high marks. To be quite truthful it was so boring for much of the book.

The last 50 pgs were good enough but I was a little irritated with Bliss and Lawson. When I had read the synopsis it said something about these two kids who had both lost someone to The Underworld teaming up. I thought 'Oh good! Then there won't be a love interest situation!' but I was wrong...

Mere days after losing his "mate" our friend Lawson is thinking about his new pal Bliss in a romatic light. What? You just lost someone that you supposedly love and are actively trying to save when a hot little number with crimson hair blows in and now you can't stop thinking about the possibility of making her your mate?!? Well, I guess it's safe to say that the term "mate" is to be used broadly and applied when situations may deem it advantageous.

Why did there have to be a love interest at all? This book was moseying along in it's boring glory without one just fine. And it's not like the addition of the love aspect made the read any better. All it did was make me roll my eyeballs.

I found this read also really repetitve. Give it a read and then tell me you didn't feel a deja vu sensation every third page. I really don't like being fed the same information over and over again. I get it because I'm an adult and as such I have an attention span that last longer than a few paragraphs. Remind me every other chapter what's up in case I stopped reading to do other things but not every few pages. I wonder if teens have shorter attention spans and that's why YA is written like this? Anyone?

All in all: While I do like history lessons in books, I don't like being bored. I need action! And putting the action in the last few pages does not a redemption make. So, while I remember liking the first four Blue Bloods books I was rather dissapointed in this spin-off. I don't know what I was expecting but, I dunno, this just didn't do it for me.

P.S. It's a short read (under 200pgs on Nook) so if you want to give it a go, by all means, it'll only take a day or two, more if you get bored : )