~Waiting on Wednesday~ These Vicious Masks

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas

Out:  2/9

From Goodreads:

Jane Austen meets X-Men in this gripping and adventure-filled paranormal romance set in Victorian London. 

England, 1882.  Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations.  So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent.  But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose.  The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers.  Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                I was sold on X-Men adventure-filled paranormal romance in Victorian London.  Now I’m not normally one for time/historical books in general (probably why I’ve never read Jane Austen) but I do love the paranormal aspect.  Also it makes me think of the Infernal Devices series so win/win there.  It sounds like a mystery, discovering powers and secrets and all but also finding her sister.  I look forward to it.  I also  received an ARC of this and plan to get to it this week all things permitting!  Plus the cover is awesome!  I love masquerade masks!

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out!

~The Young Elites by Marie Lu~

                Hi!  Hope everyone had a good weekend.  Mine was somewhat productive but not nearly as productive as I would have liked.  Okay mostly I slept.  I also did some reading which is what is most important.  I also wrote up some reviews to share with my fellow book lovers.  One of those is The Young Elites by Marie Lu.  I had previously read the Legend trilogy and really enjoyed it and was excited to start a new series by her, but after buying it as a new release it sat on the shelf until recently.  It's an ever growing problem but I like to buy books!

Rating: 5 Stars

                Adelina is a survivor of the blood fever.  A decade ago this illness swept through the nation and killed most everyone infected.  Many of the children who survived were left marked, for Adelina her black hair turned silver and she lost an eye (this part always crept me out and made my eyeballs water whenever it is mentioned) and only has a scar.  She is a malfetto, an abomination.  Her father is a cruel type and doesn't take well to her sullying the family name.  Some malfetto's are said to have developed powers/gifts, known as the Young Elites.  We follow as Adelina is thrust into a cruel world and finds herself among the Dagger Society between them and the Inquisition Axis.  Her powers are something different than they have seen.  Something darker, a vengeful heart and a desire to destroy all who cross her.  Her life collides with Enzo, a Young Elite and Dagger member, and Teren, Lead Inquisitor for the Axis, and she must find her place and a way to survive it all. 

                I have to say first that I was completely blown away.  I was also somewhat thrown.  I went into this thinking it was going to be a middle grade book.  I don't know how or why this idea was in my head, I swear I read/saw it somewhere.  It was clear from the start this is so not a middle grade book.  It deals with much darker themes, so if you also had this misconception here is your update.  Adelina was easy for me to like from the start.  She is rough around the edges and bitter but given her life, I thought she was handling herself pretty well.  Throughout the book my affection and understanding did waver here and there but I think that was well done by Lu in the development in the character starts and stops.  No one do straight upward, everyone falls back, it's a work in progress.  Plus it’s never clear if she will be the hero or the villain of the story, which is very intriguing.

                 This story is rather dark.  It deals with the darkness and hate inside of a person and how it can consume them.  I rather liked the darkness of the story, it was a huge change from what I had been expecting.  Also while the book is rather short it packs one hell of a punch.  Struggling along through the mess she finds herself in.  Life dealt her a bad hand for sure but seeing how she deals with it and rises above was enthralling. 

                The world Lu created and flushed out so nicely had me on the edge of my seat, not a place I’d like to visit myself on vacation but a great one to read about from the safety of my PJs.  Adelina might be the main character but she was not the only character by far.  There were so many different personalities among the Young Elites and then add in Teren, who always gave me the creeps.  Everyone is working towards their own end but what made it more interesting is that everyone was operating under the belief that they were doing what is right.  The strength of their convictions makes you think about their cause even if you know they are wrong.  One thing Lu can write for sure is determination and strength of conviction, they have it in spades.

                Overall I really loved this book.  It was a quick one day read that left me wanting more.  Because while I won’t spoil it for you shit hits the fan and it leaves you with your mouth hanging open needing more!  That’s it.  Well and I’m excited I don’t have much longer to wait for the sequel.  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this book and the series so far. 

                Until next time…

Top Ten Tuesday! Books to check out if you like...

               Hello everyone!  Top Ten Tuesday is just how it sounds, a topic is picked and we put our Top Ten for that in a post and share and check out everyone’s answers.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke andthe Bookish.

The top today is:  Ten Books to Read if you like The X-Men!  Basically people with cool powers!

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

The Holders series by Julianna Scott (reviews: Holders & Seers)

The Geneva Project by Christina Benjamin (reviews: Truth, Secrets, Character Interview)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The Shadow Ravens (Cipher and Quanta) by Ink Monster (review: Cipher)

Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi (reviews: Shatter Me, Unravel Me, Ignite Me)

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (review)

Rivulet by Jamie Magee (review)

 And more magic than powers but still:

Worldwalker series by Josephine Angelini (reviews: Trial by Fire & Firewalker)

                That's it for me this week.  Do you know any other good books/series that focus on people with powers I should check out?  Share in the comments below.

                Until next time…

Ignite Me and my imagination a Shatter Me conclusion

                Okay so this is the end of the Shatter Me series and my reviews on it.  I'll discuss the last novella Fracture Me and the final book Ignite Me.   You know the drill there will be spoilers for the previous books in the series so read at your own risk of being spoiled. 

                Fracture Me is the second novella in the series that takes place during the end and just after book two Unravel Me.  We get to see things from Adam's perspective.  We see the battle and the aftermath.  Adam isn't in the best place emotionally.  He's reeling from his breakup and trying to make do with everything else happening. When he nearly loses the person who means more to him than even Juliette he is a mess.  He has to find a way to keep moving on.

                Now we move onto Ignite Me, a heart-stopping finale.  Omega Point is gone.  Juliette doesn't know if any of her friends are left alive.  She was nearly a goner herself.  But now she has to trust Warner, the one who saved her, and who she never thought she could really trust.  But he promises to help her master her power and save their world, even if he wants more than that. 

               

Basically everything I loved in the previous books is still things to enjoy in this one.  It keeps building the characters and developing their stories.  Secrets come out and powers are focused.  There is action and political power games/struggle.  It's a full package.

                 My love for Kenji only grew as you see just how important he is to her and their friendship is tested a time or two.  The emotional drama meter is through the roof, there is some serious tension happening in the book.  Mainly between Juliette, Warner, and Adam.  I've talked about the triangle of sorts in the series and this was the final part.  It was never a real triangle.  She and Adam broke up, not because of Warner but because of other issues in the previous book, and she didn't run right to Warner to get with him.  She took time to herself not knowing what her heart was saying.  I love this.  Take some me time to get your head clear and don't rebound.  This, for me at least, makes both relationships seem complete.  We also as a result get to know a lot more about Warner and our suspicions are confirmed on a few things as well, or at least mine were.  I'll talk a little more about that in a bit once I move to spoilers.

                The conclusion of the series met my expectations.  I was expecting some bad ass action scenes using a combination of powers and good old fashioned human means.  You get some good military plotting and strategy and such and the powerful feeling of going against a corrupt government.  The David verses Goliath feeling.  I was not disappointed.  I was on the edge of my seat at some points, those intense scenes that as you get into them everyone and their mother wants to suddenly distract you and you strangle them in your mind so you can finish.  Yep that happened.  Now I just need to talk about things that will involve some spoilers because this was the end and I need to talk about it.  If you haven't finished the series skip ahead to the bottom and share your thoughts on the series thus far.  What do you think of the Juliette/Warner/Adam situation or whatever else is on your mind in the comments below. 

*****SPOILERS*****

All the covers are so PRETTY!

                For those of you who have finished this series, or those who don't care if some of the major things are spoiled for you (weirdos) let's discuss shall we.  I said I would have to bring up the relationship drama again so here goes.  I've made it clear I was anti-Warner in the first book, I was so upset at the prospect of him being a love interest to her.  However, I did soften overtime and not just to his character as a whole once he was developed more and away from his normally perfect routine/act he plays but also as Juliette grew and changed.  I could see that she was growing and Adam was still in love with the helpless and broken Juliette.  I still loved him but he wasn't right for her as she came more into herself.  Then Adam lashed out proving he wasn’t the guy I fell for in the first book any longer.  He was the perfect guy in book one.  He was just what book one Juliette, nearly broken and terrified of her own shadow, needed.  Not so much for the Juliette she became.  He helped her and she will always love him but they grew apart.  Just like I don’t think her and Warner ever would have worked if she hadn’t loved Adam first.    

               

                Adam got the short end here, I felt more for him before he went and made her touch Kenji.  His actions are that of a hurt person and I get that, minus trying to hurt Kenji, no one can do that.  Even in the heat of battle he was busting jokes about Bruce Lee.  He helped her become confident in her own beauty and showed her that she can be loved.  Warner grew as a person and he knew he screwed up but he admitted it and apologized for the unnecessary pain and explained the other areas that he didn't apologize for.  I liked that.  He didn't change completely.  He warned her not to try and change him, and their relationship helped them both grow and change yes but in a way that is substantial and done for oneself not for another.  In my opinion that is why it works.  In the end it worked out and I have to wait to admit defeat when my book buddy finally finishes the books (she hasn’t started Unravel Me yet) and her warm spot for Warner and our back and forth before I moved ahead of her.  I’m going to happily eat my words and admit she was right.  You were right Bo.  I did warm to him. 

                The ending.  There was also the battle at the end and the take down of Warner and Adams evil daddy.  Yep that sicko had to go.  I really enjoyed how they pulled everyone to come together.  It was an amazing standoff at the end.  And the way it ends…it left it open for more in the series, in this world if Tahereh Mafi decided to do more.  It was satisfying but also left you able and wanting a bit more. 

Rating: 5 Stars

                That is it.  An entire series knocked out.  I'm still catching up on some amazing books but that just means more reviews for you all.  I'm working on some giveaways and such to make everything more interactive.  So please share your thoughts in the comments below.  Tell me what you thought of the series.  What couple did you ship?  Did you swap sides like me?  What book/series do you think I should start next?  Thanks for reading.  

Let's talk Shatter Me

Look isn't it so pretty

               At the start of the year I completed a series I had been hearing about for a while but had put off.  My reasons are not story related but simple book nerd problems.  The covers changed by the time I heard of them so I had to wait for them all to be in paperback so they could match.  Plus the last one was about out so I figured why read them then have to wait so close to the end?  So I waited and marathoned them.  Yep this is the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi.  I read them all, Shatter Me, Unravel Me, Ignite Me, and the two novellas Destroy Me, and Fracture Me (novellas also available in a bind up called Unite Me).  I’ve went back and forth on doing a group/series review but I find I can’t do that without the whole thing being super vague or one big spoiler so I’ve decided to break them up. 

                Today I’ll be discussing only Shatter Me the first book and what brings us into the story and world.  The reader follows Juliette, a girl who is not quite normal.  She hasn’t touched anyone in 264 days and that was an accident that was branded murder.  The Reestablishment is the government and have branded her a murderer and locked her away because her touch is fatal.  As long as she doesn’t kill anyone else in the looney bin no one cares, they have more to worry about with the world falling down around them than a 17 year-old girl.  The Reestablishment said they had a way to fix the world when they took power but now with so many dead the survivors are whispering war and The Reestablishment has changed its mind to help.  Juliette could be more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body and just maybe she is what is needed.  But she’ll have to make a choice to be a weapon or be a warrior. 

                I have to point out the cover, the redesigned cover, is beautiful.  I have a thing with eyeballs, when hurt they make mine water but when done beautifully and artistically they are fascinating.  Also I love the added feature of the bird image in the iris very subtle but it carries through with the other books.  Totally superficial but let’s be honest we all love a pretty cover.

                Shatter Me does have more to offer than a pretty cover.  I found the plot to be gripping and intense.  I also immediately felt for Juliette.  To have a lethal touch and be unable to touch or be touched without killing someone, she reminded me of Rogue from X-men, which I adore so points there as well.  That would be a harsh way of life.  This book did take a little bit for me to adjust to it style wise, there is a lot of strike through.  I wasn’t accustomed to it but once I acclimated to it, it became part of Juliette and helped it fly by.  Also if this is something that bothers you stick with it because it lessens through the story as our main character grows into herself.  She no longer needs to cross out or retract her own thoughts as much. 

The original isn't bad but I like to match!

               

                This story has a lot going for it and interesting characters.  Some things are left vague and unexplained but as we know what she knows and she’s been locked up for a while it’s part of the story.  You want to know more and that’s important.  Oh and some of the characters be it love them or hate them.  Juliette like I said I related to some of her pain and isolation and felt for her.  I wanted to see her take charge of her own life.  She is strong.  Even if she doesn’t know it or is afraid of it and not just physically with her power but mentally and emotionally.  To go through what she has to this point and still keep her head is amazing.  Her love interest, Adam, at first leaves you unsure who and what he wants but as you read you see their connection and he is able to give her the one thing she’s never been able to have with another person, physical contact without the overwhelming dread of killing or hurting someone.  Warner, the young leader ruthlessly ruling his section with an iron fist and no heart.  He is obsessed with Juliette and the weapon she can become.  Oh how I hate him.  The vile things we see him do are just….yes horrid.  Then we have Kenji.  I ADORE Kenji.  He is hilarious and sarcastic even when he's in serious pain.

                The romance between our characters is sweet.  It's a first love and totally new and amazing because for Juliette she has never even hoped she'd be able to have this.  Add his soft and sweet way with her and their shared past and you have some cute first love.  You root for them and hope they don't get caught or get in trouble, or at least I did. 

                I enjoyed this book and gave it 5 stars for being different and captivating.  There were some parts that I found to have a lot of coincidence happening in them.  Some luck of the draw and hard to believe this just happened naturally, but not enough that it detracted from my reading experience.  By a certain point in the book, which I won't say directly because I don't want to ruin anything, but yeah it cleared up any doubts I had about some future story line paths.  That part had me fuming as one of my book buddies can attest. Still I enjoyed the story and I liked where things were going overall with the world, the powers, and the rebellion.

Rating:  5 Stars

                What did you think of Shatter Me?  What was your favorite part?  Also I am getting the chance to interview Sarah Negovetich, author of Rite of Rejection which I reviewed here.  I've opened up for questions to add to the interview on my Twitter page (@Evilous88) and on here.  If you have any questions and post them on my Twitter or in the comments I'll try and ask them.  I'll also be hosting a giveaway then as well, I'll post more on dates when I have them so stay turned.  Next I plan to finish reviewing this series. 

                Thanks for checking in.  Don't forget to take a moment to comment please J