About my absence

It's been, what, three months since I've last posted a review on my blog? Certainly far too long. I can't even bring up a plausible excuse for this, other than... well, I just needed a break (a very, very long break). School, and my personal life, just kept getting in the way of blogging, and though I love to post reviews and talk about books, I just didn't have the time to do so anymore. You guys may have noticed my absence on Goodreads and Twitter as well. I apologize for all of this. Now that it's summer break here in Brazil, I'll get back to reading and posting reviews as quickly as I possibly can.

In the meantime, I apologize. Again!

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore

- Graceling Realm #1
Release date: October 1st 2008
Published by: Harcourt
Genre: Young Adult/ Fantasy
Find it on: Goodreads, Amazon

In a world where people born with an extreme skill - called a Grace - are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.



I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't have high expectations when it came to Graceling. I've seen some really good reviews around lately, people loving this book to death, but for me, it wasn't all that good. I'm not saying that Graceling is a bad book (far from it!) but it didn't hold my attention the way I wanted to. It took me nearly three weeks to read a 400-page book, and that's too much for me. 

The world-building and the characters are really solid, and when I say solid, I mean it. They're consistent, and complex enough for you to understand their motivations, but still know that there's more to it than it looks like. I've learned to read Katsa's point of view and think of her like a real person, not a character. That's pretty damn impressive. Kristin Cashore has a way with words, and because of that, she can create realistic scenarios and beautiful descriptions that are as detailed as possible without being boring. 

I had no idea what to expect from Po and Katsa's relationship - on the summary it says that they become friends, but I've seen a lot of people saying that they're cute as a couple, so I didn't know what to believe - and I was incredibly satisfied when Kristin Cashore took this aspect of the book down to a whole different road. I can say for sure that their romance, and their friendship, are intertwined, and it's as perfect as it can possibly be. I'm happy about how this turned out. 

However, I had a hard time connecting with everything in Graceling. I could see how the descriptions were beautiful and could be very engaging, but it failed to capture me. I wasn't enthralled by Katsa's awesome fighting skills - they were very cool, though - and while I understood and liked Po a lot, I didn't fall for him, not the way I wanted to. Graceling was pretty entertaining, but I'm afraid I can't say it's one of my favorites. I will continue reading this series, though. It has a lot of promise, and I still hope that Cashore will manage to wow me and show me what she's really capable of doing with her readers. 

The Lost Prince, by Julie Kagawa

- The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1
Publication date: October 23rd 2012
To be published by: Harlequin Teen
Find it on: Goodreads, Amazon

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

It's no secret that I love Julie Kagawa's books. The Iron Fey is one of my favorite series ever, and The Immortal Rules enchanted me in a wonderful way. I had high expectations for The Lost Prince, obviously, and though it didn't disappoint me, I still had some issues with it, especially when it came to Ethan himself. 

I was used to see Faery through Meghan's eyes, and now that we have a new main character and the same world through a different POV, it all changed. I still felt that rush of familiarity with the faeries, and Nevernever, but I couldn't connect with Ethan the same way I did with Meghan. It wasn't just the fact that he's a different person, but because it's weird to see a grown-up Ethan. I knew him as little Ethan, Meghan's younger brother who loved her and was only a victim. Now, he's this badass, trouble boy with this badboy vibe, and this difference made me hesitate. Because of that, I was unable to feel the rest of the story the way I was supposed to. I'm sad that this has happened to me, but at the same time, this allowed me to focus on something else - the secondary characters. 

Keirran, Meghan, Grimalkin, Ash, Puck - they made it all up for me. I was so, so happy that they appeared in The Lost Prince. Keirran, especially, was a treat. It was wonderful to know Meghan's son, to see him interact with his uncle. Keirran reminded me so much of Ash and Meghan - he had Ash's personality, from the way he looked at people to his badass skills; and he had Meghan's heart. To put it in a simple and direct way, I loved him more than I loved Ethan, and while that was expected, it still surprised me. I expected Julie Kagawa to win me over with her characters once more - I just didn't expect these characters to be the secondary ones. 

The plot and pace of The Lost Prince were carefully controlled; it had its slow parts, of course, but they weren't boring, not really. There was so many things going on it was impossible for the story to slow down enough for it to be boring. The only aspect of this book that didn't win me over in the slightest was the romance. Kenzie was an interesting girl, and she had a good chemistry with Ethan, but it didn't work out for me. It wasn't exactly insta-love, but it was close to it, and I didn't enjoy it. I hope their relationship will be more explored in the second book, and while I wasn't thrilled by the idea of a romance blossoming between these two, I'll keep an open mind about it. Who knows? Kagawa has blew my mind more than once. I'm sure she can do it again. 

Overall, The Lost Prince was a really great book. It failed to blow my mind, unfortunately, but the rest of the story - the plot, the pace, the action scenes, the writing, the secondary characters, and the world-building - was so engaging that I can't bear to give this book less than 4 stars. Julie Kagawa's world felt like going home, and for that, I'm grateful. I'm excited to read The Traitor Son, and to see more of Ethan Chase and his adventures. I'm pretty sure he'll surprise me in the future. 

A review copy was provided by the publishers via Netgalley. Thank you!

Tiger's Destiny, by Colleen Houck

- The Tiger Saga #4
Release date: September 4th 2012
Published by: Splinter
Genre: Young Adult
Find it on: Goodreads, Amazon


With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.  It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all. 





Oh, my. This is was a hell of a ride, that's for sure. Tiger's Destiny took long months to get published, and when it finally happened, I read it as fast as one can possibly read a book. It took me 5 hours to get through this 400-page monster, but it was worth it. It was so worth it. One of the things I like most in a series is when it has a sense of finality, or even a sense of purpose, when you know that what're you reading will make sense in the future. In Tiger's Destiny, I got exactly that. It all got wrapped up so perfectly in the ending - answering questions so long overdue - that it was easy to forget all the negative aspects and give it a 5-star rating. Now, however, I'll try to explain both the good parts, and the bad parts. 

Kelsey herself, the main character, was an interrogation point for me. She was a very likable and relatable character through the story, but when it came to the love triangle between her, Ren and Kishan, I disliked her a lot. She was immature, and her lack of good sense put both boys in a lot of trouble. I'm not saying I would behave much better, had I been in a situation like this, but Kelsey could've thought some things over before saying them. There's an specific scene in my mind right now, but I won't spoil it for you. Let it just be said that I wasn't completely satisfied with Kelsey. 

The Big Bad Love Triangle that Colleen Houck created in book 2, Tiger's Quest, still amazed me - when it came to the boys, of course. It's incredibly easy to like both Ren and Kishan, even with the obvious differencies between them - Ren being the more provocative and protective type, and Kishan being a little more sweet and understanding when it came to Kells. The author did an excellent job at making us feel torn between these two, and feel everything - every decision, every blow in the heart - that Kelsey had to go through. Maybe it's because of this that I didn't quite like Kelsey - I didn't always agree with what she chose. 

When it came to the plot and storyline, Tiger's Desting was just as complex and confusying as the previous installments. The Indian culture and history background play and enourmous role in setting the stage for Kelsey, Ren and KIshan, and while I failed to understand much of it when it came to time periods, I was still blown away by it. Here in Brazil we have a very famous saying: "Reading is culture". I always say that this series has the power to prove this sentence true. The amount of culture that you absorve when you're reading The Tiger Saga is frightening!

The Tiger's Destiny was everything I thought it would be, and much, much more. It had just the right dose of action, a little too much of romance (not that mind!), a lot, a lot of heartbreak, that left me sobbing sometimes, but most important of all, it offers this series a conclusion that I didn't see  coming. Colleen Houck is a genius... she's answered every single question that has haunted us since Tiger's Curse, and honestly, the ending couldn't have been better. It just felt right. I'm really satisfied with the way this book has turned out, and I'm excited for the next book, Tiger's Dream. I have no idea what it'll be about, and I'm afraid of how Colleen is going to continue with the storyline, but I'm anxious nonetheless! 

 4.5 stars

PS: I'm really sorry about my absence lately. School is crazy, but my tests have just ended, so now I can finally catch my breath! It feels so good to be posting on my blog again :D

The Iron King, by Julie Kagawa

- The Iron Fey #1
Release date: February 1st 2010
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult
Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

When you think about faeries, what exactly comes to your mind? I used to think Thinkerbell was all there was to it, but Julie Kagawa, thankfully, proved me wrong. Faeries aren't glittery little beings. They're soulless creatures that crave a good bargain, and are always looking for ways to trick a human. They're beautiful, alluring, and may be the death of you. It's so refreshing to start reading a book in which the mythology is something unique and - though not unexplored - open to endless possibilities. 

In The Iron King, first book in the Iron Fey series, we have Meghan, an ordinary high school girl whose life turns upside down when her brother, Ethan, is kidnapped and taken to the Nevernever, home of the faeries. The story basically is about a girl trying to get her sibling back, and though it was never boring, it failed to blow me away completely. 

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of this series, and it's been a wonderful ride to read all the books all over again. However, I couldn't help but notice how The Iron King isn't perfect like I thought it was. Maybe it's my own sense of criticism that is changing, but maybe the thing that drew me to it a year ago, when I first got my hands on this series, doesn't appeal to me now. And that factor is Meghan herself. 

She is a pretty strong heroine, but only in general. She matures greatly as the series progresses, but in The Iron King, specifically, she's still that same protagonist that I've seen so many times in other YA books - fierce, beautiful (but thinks she's flat), and a Mary Sue sometimes. It's interesting (and a little amusing) to compare this Meghan to the girl she has become later on, but I can't help but notice these differences, and how - if this had been my first experience with the book - this would've bothered me. 

The side characters were the best part of the book for me, especially Puck and Grimalkin - not that I'm saying that I don't like Ash. It's just that in The Iron King, we don't get to really know him, and though he passes off as an alluring, dark prince and a good love interest, I didn't immediately fall in love with him in this novel. That said, Puck and Grim are the best characters in this book. They're just so funny and entertaining! I wish I had a best friend like Puck. It would surely make my life more interesting, LOL. 

With a fascinating mythology and captivating characters, The Iron King has two different flavors mixed together: the flavor of Disney's magic, and the darkness of a medieval movie, especially one with fantastical creatures and handsome knights. I do believe this series is a must read, but more than that, it's something that will make you squeal like a fan girl, and satisfy your need of action scenes. It's no wonder Julie Kagawa is one of my favorite authors!

Showcase Sunday #8

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Books, Biscuits, and Tea, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie and The Story Siren. Its aim is to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week.


Well, I can't say I wasn't excited for September - a lot of good books are coming out this month, and I bought way more than I should. Oh, well.

Origin, by Jessica Khoury

Archangel's Storm, by Nalini Singh

The Dark Light, by Sara Walsh

I finally got a copy of Origin - I've been dying to read this book. The setting is what attracts me most in this novel. I mean, come on! Amazon jungle! \o 

Nalini Singh is an awesome writer, and I fell in love with her Guild Hunter series. Now, however, each book in the series is about a different angel, and I don't like that. The first three books were about Elena and Raphael, and I still wish she'd keep writing about them. I'm not overly enthusiastic about Archangel's Storm, but you never know!

The Dark Light sounds so good (also... hot cover). 

And last, but totally not least, Tiger's Destiny, by Colleen Houck. Words cannot describe how excited I am to read this book. The Tiger's Curse series is fantastic, and I cannot wait to see what's going to happen in the fourth installment.

What about you? Leave me a link, or just tell me in the comments!

Heaven, by Alexandra Adornetto

- Halo #3
Release date: August 21st 2012
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Young Adult
Find it on: Goodreads, Amazon

Only sixteen when she started the series, Ally Adornetto knows how teen hearts beat, and this long-awaited conclusion is certain to be her most popular book yet.

Bethany, an angel sent to Earth, and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier, have been to Hell and back. But now their love will be put to its highest test yet, as they defy Heavenly law and marry. They don’t tell Beth’s archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, but the angels know soon enough, and punishment comes in a terrifying form: the Sevens, who are rogue angels bent on keeping Beth and Xavier apart, destroying Gabriel and Ivy, and darkening angelic power in the heavens.

The only way Bethany and can elude the Sevens is to hide in the open, and blend in with other mortals their own age. Gabriel and Ivy set them up at college, where they can’t reveal their relationship, and where there is still danger around each corner. Will Bethany be called back to Heaven – forever – and face leaving the love of her life?

It's incredible how much taste in books can change over the years. When I first read Halo, two years ago, I loved it so much I read it again three times. I adored Hades as well, although I agreed about everything the negative reviews said (ironic, I know). When Heaven came out a couple of weeks ago, I knew I probably wouldn't like it, but well... I decided to give it a try. 

I wish I hadn't.

Let me be honest with you guys: I didn't finish reading this book. My review is based entirely on the first nine chapters, because that's as far as I went. I'm not saying this book is awful from the beginning to the end - that would be highly hypocrite of me - but from the beginning to chapter 9? Yeah, it's pretty bad. A few gems were enough for me to drop this book and want to burn it.

Bethany and Xavier are going to marry (and they're not even nineteen, let me tell ya), and apparently Heaven has a problem with this, since, you know, Bethany is an angel and Xavier is a human. An earthquake strikes the town, and suddenly, Bethany knows something is wrong in the Kingdom. And what do they do? They hurry to a chapel, and get married. 

Oh, how romantic. And stupid. 

Bethany, you know something is wrong in Heaven, and it all started the second Xavier tried to put a ring in your finger, and you still run to the freaking chapel and get married. Do you want to die, or is it just a subconscious wish?

All right, moving on. They get married, the priest dies in front of them, and they're suddenly being chased by the Seven, rogue angels who want to keep them apart. Actually, Heaven itself wants to keep them apart. Gabriel and Ivy defy the laws to help them (as if the Archangel Gabriel would defy God to protect an angel and a human and allow them to be together. Go figure), and you know how Beth and Xavier feel about all of this?

They're okay with it. They don't regret the fact that they got married and a lot of people could die because of it. They don't regret it at all, and that just pissed me off. They're feeling guilty because the priest died, but not because it was their decision to marry in the first place. I can't even begin to say how wrong this is. 

Also, there were a few quotes that jumped at me (meaning, I wanted to kill myself when I read them):

"We can think of it like a game," I replied. "Winning the right to be together... that's our goal, and we're just playing against an especially difficult team."

Yeah, you're playing against Heaven. And a person has already died because of it. What are you going to think of that, Bethany?

"You know that won't ever change, right? I'll always be here." Xavier pressed his forehead against mine. "You can bet on that. Besides, fending off these Sevens should be a piece of cake after what you've been through."
I thought about that for a second and decided he was right. What could be worse than being dragged to Hell and trapped in an underworld where those you loved couldn't find you?

LOLOLOLOL. Seriously, I laughed out loud at that. NOTHING happened to her in the underworld! NOTHING! She stayed in a first class hotel, being pampered by the Prince of Hell himself, and not even once was she hurt in the process. Yes, emotionally, that was hard, but come on. Being hunted by rogue angels who wanted to kill you and would do anything to accomplish that is slightly more tormenting, isn't it?

"How many babies do you want to have?" With any other teenage boy, that kind of question would have set off major alarm bells. But as usual, Xavier was unfazed. 
"Probably no more than a dozen."
"Be serious."

They're teenagers. She's an angel. They're being hunted by Heaven. People can die. Gabriel and Ivy are going through Hell to help them. And that's what they're talking about.
Oh, God. Why.

And that's not even the worst of it. They're in bed, trying to get some sleep, and Bethany just won't shut up about it.

"Do you think there's much change of it happening?"
"Of what happening?"
"Us having kids."
"Sure. Definitely. One day."
"Can we call our first born Waylon if it's a boy?"

Oh, PLEASE. GIVE ME A BREAK.

If you're asking yourself "Could it get any worse than this?", well... yes. Yes, it can. Bethany's stupidity can reach unspoken levels, to the point where they're supposed to stay in a cabin, and not come out, for anything, and this is what happens:

"Can we drive into town today?" I called out to Xavier, trying to sound blasé. "I really want to get out of the house."

Sure. Why don't you hang a sign on your neck, as well?

"Fine." He sighed heavily. "But if we're going outside you need to cover up to make sure you're not recognized."

"By who?" I asked sarcastically. "The paparazzi?"

I can't even.

Apart from those little gems that I just loved, there's the obvious things that pretty much pissed me off as much as those quotes. The fact that everybody just adores Bethany, even those who don't even know her:

"Oh, I can wait," she said emphatically. "You're so nice and pretty I don't wanna mess you up."

Oh, please.

There was also the fact that Xavier spoke British English most of the time, even though he's supposed to be American, through and through:

"But I reckon he must be pretty pissed off at someone."

Xavier was forced to smile at my analogy. "Reckon we can beat 'em?" he murmured. 

However, I must give credit where credit is due. Gabriel and Ivy surprised me a couple of times (positively!) and I can't help but mention these wonderful quotes:

"Do you expect us to keep defending you no matter what you do?"

"You do not experience emotion, Bethany - you wallow in it, you are controlled by it, and everything you have done is based entirely on self-interest."

"Just because you don't understand love doesn't make it wrong!"

"This isn't about love anymore. It's about obedience and responsibility. Two concepts you appear not to understand."

To those two, I only have one thing to say:

 

Apart from those quotes, Heaven failed to impress me. It was shallow, uninteresting, and the characters made me want to kill myself. I know this review is insanely long, but I had so many things to say, it was impossible to make it short. I regret all the time I spent reading this book, and honestly, I'm glad this trilogy is over. I know there are a lot of fans out there that are really sad Heaven is the last book, but for me, three books about Bethany was enough. More than enough, really.