Book review: The Prince

The Prince by Kiera Cass

Goodreads synopsis

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection...

Before Aspen broke America's heart...

There was another girl in Prince Maxon's life...

Don't miss this thrilling 128-page original novella set in the world of the New York Times bestselling novel The Selection. Also features a teaser to The Elite, Kiera Cass's hotly anticipated sequel to The Selection.

Review

This is less of a book review and more of a quick opinion on a short novella in The Selection series. I am starting the books so I decided to read the novella first. It may not be the best idea but then again, it's labeled #0.5 so maybe it's the right order of things.

It was short, simple, nicely written and pretty intriguing. I had no clue what was going on most of the time. Well, the main idea was clear, of course, but the names, faces, reasons for the events were still a mystery to me. I was looking forward to start the books a lot so I was very interested in the whole thing. I did raise my attention high enough so that I already started The Selection as well. 

"Knowledge isn’t love."

I am not all that amused about Maxon, he's a bit dim to be honest! I hope the full books shed some more light on him because right now he's not my favorite person. His use of the word 'dear' makes him 80 in my mind, offering menthol candy around. And Daphne ... how insane is she exactly? She sounds kind of unhinged. The character development was odd, in short.

The world building was a bit better, short and to the point, it left a lot to the imagination. So I created this special representation of the world in which Maxon lives. I think this is always a good tactic: give just enough for the framework and leave the rest up to the reader to fill in the blanks. 

All in all it was a fun read that I enjoyed and I will definitely read more, if only because I got The Elite on NetGalley. True, this was a little predictable; I think I have a pretty good idea of where The Selection will go, but I hope I'm wrong. 

Pretty good short read!

 

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read

A great topic! I am a sucker for pretty covers and that's often what I look for when picking books. It's a shallow and lame criteria but I just cannot help myself. So here are the prettiest covers:

 

I should read more of the books so I'd have a bigger selection! I also really love the adult Harry Potter covers, they are so simple and gorgeous.

This weekly meme is from The Broke and the Bookish.

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters sneak peek!

This image has been shared on twitter by Official VA movie and if you follow them you may have seen it already.

Click to enlarge

It's a list of all the (currently known) actors that will be part of the movie! So exciting! Do you like the cast? What do you think of them so far?

Source.

Book review: The Eternity Cure

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Book Depository

Thank you Harlequin for NetGalley approval!

Goodreads synopsis

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

Review

I was a little skeptical to start this book because book one was a big disappointment for me. I tried to have an open mind about it and see where it got me without judging it from the start on.

I liked that Allie finally had a mission, a goal. Because in The Immortal Rules she kind of wandered around and happened to stumble upon something, and the real action only began at the end of the novel. Here, however, she had a mission, a purpose, and she finally accepted who she was - a vampire - and acted accordingly.

"There are no good choices, Allison," Kanin offered in a quiet voice. "There are only those you can live with, and those you can work to change."

What was annoying were her memories of Zeke and constant longing for him at the beginning. I get they had a thing (that can barely be described as romance) but focus, woman! I wanted ti slap her so many times it was insane. I tried to look past it though and hoped she will let go eventually. Alas. The love story sucked. No pun intended.
I immediately liked this book way more than the first one though. It was more action packed, it had a direction and a few new characters that were a little less annoying than the book one gang. I really liked Jackal, he was a proper vampire.

"The lesser of two evils was still evil."

Still, it was again a slow read and I had no desire to camp down and flip pages like a maniac. I was pretty busy as well so it was another obstacle, but I think I wouldn't read much faster even if my schedule was clear.
It was evident from early beginning of the book that this one will be a way better read than book one, and I was more excited to read it. It actually had cliffhangers and surprised so I was forced to read on even when I was about to close the book. So that was a nice change and a definite improvement.
There were also a few improvements characters-wise: we had heroes and villains both and inner struggles. They had more depth and it was easier to read about them.
The chapters were once again bloody endless and I had to stop reading mid-chapter because I could not make it to the end. The story should have been cut into smaller portions, or maybe with a little less dragging. Some of the things went on and on for pages even though they were quite boring. Not to mention some of the things remained unresolved at the end.

"Now we're going to save a bunch of dirty meatsacks from a bunch of dirty cannibals? Why don't we rescue some orphaned kittens and put food out for stray puppies while we're at it?"

All in all the book was still a better read than the previous one, more dynamic, action-packed and it had a purpose, a theme, a villain. I think I may actually read the third book as well. Toward the end all of it was a little too convenient and cliché, and I expected the ending we got, so no surprises for me there. It was a good read in the end.

A good read!

 

Dystopia Challenge books read count: 11/24

QOTD Monday

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. 

― W Somerset Maugham

You've got mail!/Showcase Sunday/Stacking the Shelves/Owl Post

Showcase Sunday a weekly meme hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea.

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Owl Post is a weekly meme hosted by Eleusinian Mysteries.

I had another amazing week even though I had an exam and more are still coming. I was reading way too little but that did not stop me from getting new books. I got Enchantress and Sora's Quest from Freebie Friday post this week as well as

I got A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, a great sounding book that I look forward to starting. It looks really good.

I got A Conspiracy of Alchemists by Liesel Schwarz, a nice looking novel. It has so many things I like reading about, vamps and steampunk among others. I also got approved for A Discourse in Steel by Paul S. Kemp on NetGalley, which sadly is book two I just realized, so I will have to get the first one as well.

Leah from Uncorked Thoughts has sent me Foreseen by Terri-Lynne Smiles, it looks good and I hope I get to like it because it sounds good s well. Thanks Leah! I also finally got The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey! I have been wanting this book for the longest time. I am so happy to have it.

I also got first three books in the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins, a series people seem to be liking a lot. These look pretty good so I hope they don't disappoint.

From the Shelves Reviews: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The Book Depository

Goodreads synopsis

Harry Potter is an ordinary boy who lives in a cupboard under the stairs at his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon's house, which he thinks is normal for someone like him, whose parents were killed in a 'car crash'. He is bullied by his aunt and uncle, and his fat, spoilt cousin Dudley, and lives a very unremarkable life with only the odd hiccup (like his hair growing back overnight!) giving him much to think about. That is until an owl turns up with a letter addressed to Harry and all hell breaks loose! He is rescued by a world where nothing is as it seems and magic lessons are the order of the day. Read and find out how Harry discovers his true heritage at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, the reason behind his parents' mysterious deaths, who is out to kill him, and how he uncovers the most amazing secret of all time, the fabled Philosopher's Stone! All this and Muggles too. Now, what are they?

Review

I first read this book when I was eleven. I got it for my birthday (my parents bought it "because there was such a fuss about it in the store") and I didn't immediately grab it and read it. Only after I was told how good it was by others did I brave it and I finished it in a day. For an 11 y/o that's a pretty big deal. I loved it so much!

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

It offered so many new things! Wizards, Quidditch, feasts and beasts, awesome school that I would actually not mind attending at all and fun classes! It was fantastic. I loved the world building because it was unlike any I have ever read in my entire life. So many new things, described with such ease... I was immediately taken in with the story and and whisked away to another place, heartbreakingly wishing to be there in reality every time I just think about the series.

The characters were so much fun! So many but so diverse, all kinds of faces, sizes and weird quirks. I loved them all (okay almost all, I admit I never liked Draco and Snape was pretty bad as well). I enjoyed everything from page one and that's also the reason why I reread the books every year.

"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

The story was sad and funny, a little scary, mysterious and above all, magical. I am in love with the series and it's safe to say these are my favorite books out of all I have read in my entire life. 

The evolving of the story was fantastic, from an innocent baby to a bullied boy to a well respected boy wizard, who has to battle a grown-up dark magician at age eleven because the man wants to kill him. Not to mention the mystery elements and the final twist none of us (most likely) never expected. And all the hidden meanings in the story that slowly come to make sense, this book has it all.

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

The story is written so deep it makes you think and gasp while reading it and it's a great feeling. I would absolutely recommend this book, if there are people out there who haven't read it yet. It may not be aimed at adults but that should not stop you. I cannot guarantee you will love it but you can try.

One of my absolute favorites!