Browsing Category

reviews

reviews July 25, 2013

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium (Delirium 1) by Lauren Oliver

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie. (Goodreads)

When people turn 18 they’ve procedure to cure themfrom a disease called love, or amor deliria nervosa. Love is the reason that made evything to turn into chaos and a cure was developed. The feeling of love for a best friend, a parent, or a pet is not tolerated.

Lena can’t wait for her procedure but then she meets Alex. At first she’s horrified at the feelings she now has but slowly starts to question the way of life. She has always wanted to be happy and ordinary and the procedure is the answer to that. But what if there is another way?

I haven’t read many dystopian books before and I’m surprised how much I liked this. And I think the idea of love thought as disease is interesting.

It started little slowly but things starts to go swiftly little by little. I actually liked Lena. At first she is rather insecure and feels like she is in her best friend Hana’s shadow. Hana is the type that catches all the attention at first and then there is Lena’s mother’s suicide that still cast a shadow on Lena’s life. I loved to see that Alex made her start believing in herself more. But when Lena’s procedure starts to approach she starts to think about running off with Alex .

While I liked the book there was few things that bothered me. I would have liked to learn why the government suddenly started to force everyone to be cured. It was said love and feelings was the reason for wars and that people were unhappy but I kept thinking if there was something that really set things off.

And it’s said that it’s dangerous to take the procedure before you turn 18 because of side effects but then later on we’re told that some people who has gotten the deliria is forced to take procedure earlier. It kinda came out like it’s a normal thing when just before it’s stated to be dangerous.

But all in all it was fascinating reading and I’m looking forward reading more of her books!

4/5
Published: Hodder & Stoughton (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 393
Source: library

reviews July 25, 2013

The Tudor Secret by C.W. Gortner

The Tudor Secret (The Spymaster Chronicles 1) by C.W. Gortner

Summer 1553: A time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the king’s brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil, who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth’s quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and an audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder. Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret is the first book in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles. (Goodreads)

Brendan Prescott was abandoned as a baby and he was brought up in the Dudley family. Living with the Dudley boys isn’t always easy and they makes sure that Brendan knows he’s just a foundling. When he’s 20 he is brought to court to be squire to Robert Dudley. Soon an errand for Robert takes Brendan to meet Princess Elizabeth. She makes quite an impression and soon Brendan finds that making Elizabeth safe doesn’t go well with serving the Dudleys. It doesn’t take long for him to come to the attention of William Cecil and finds himself to be a spy in exchange to learn who he is.

I truly enjoyed this and almost read it in a day. I adored Brendan and I loved watching how he grows from the quite innocent boy to more mature and intelligent young man. Living in the court isn’t always easy and you find yourself growing tougher.

I also loved Peregrin and it was great that Brendan found someone to watch he’s back.Robert was vain, short tempered and kind of a bully but it was refreshing to see that side of him. He certainly had ambition. I loved how Elizabeth was portrayed and how she came through as a person and friend.

While the book takes certain liberties and I admit having a thing for historical accurancies, I didn’t have problems with this one. It’s mystery and not straight historical novel and it’s stated in the author’s notes.

Great book and it seems you can never go wrong with Gortner and I can’t wait for the next book in the serie!

4/5
Published: St. Martin’s Griffin (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 327
Source: publisher

reviews July 25, 2013

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen (Fallen 1) by Lauren Kate

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history. It’s only when she sees Daniel that her life looks a little better. But Daniel has a secret which will put their lives in danger… (Goodreads)

Luce was in a fire where her boyfriend died and she gets shipped to a new school for troubled kids. On her first day there Luce sees Daniel and she gets the feeling they’ve met before but he makes it clear he doesn’t want anything to do with her. And then there’s this other guy who wants her…

I really wanted to like this more. I mean with this gorgeous cover you would hope the book lives up to it. And it made me sad that it didn’t and kept waiting it to get better which never happened.

Luce was ok but when she was near Daniel or Cam I just wanted to slap her.I mean I get she’s swooning for them but really… With back cover saying it’s the “ultimate love story” I was expecting some sparks. But I didn’t feel anything between Luce and Daniel. He spends nearly whole book running away from her and telling he doesn’t want her stalking and harassing him. He made it so clear and yet she she can’t let it go and goes into stalker mode. If I was being mean I’d called that pathetic. I couldn’t feel anything between them.

And then there’s Cam who’s supposed to be this charming, popular guy and of course he seems to know always how Luce feels and what she wants. They just gave me the creeps. Plain and clear. He gave me the feeling that he was 50+ old slimey guy after teenager. But maybe that’s just me.

And there wan’t lot going on. I kept waiting something to happen and when we learn about flallen angels I thought finally! But that didn’t really go anywhere and all we hear is that Luce can’t hear everything at once because it’s such a shock. Really?! At the ned there is a battle but we don’t see it so it kinda fell flat too.

Of course the school is supposed to be highly secured place where some wearstracking bracelets but still people just seems to sneak around when they feel like it.

In the end I felt there was too much telling and too little showing. But I’m saying again that I loved the cover.

2/5
Published: Doubleday (2009)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 452
Source: my own

reviews July 25, 2013

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling (Graceling Realm 1) by Kristin Cashore

In a world where people born with an exceptional skill, known as a Grace, are both feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing.

Feared by the court and shunned by those her own age, the darkness of her Grace casts a heavy shadow over Katsa’s life. Yet she remains defiant: when the King of Lienid’s father is kidnapped she investigates, and stumbles across a mystery. Who would want to kidnap the old man, and why? And who was the extraordinary Graced man whose fighting abilities rivalled her own?

The only thing Katsa is sure of is that she no longer wants to kill. The intrigue around this kidnapping offers her a way out – but little does she realise, when she takes it, that something insidious and dark lurks behind the mystery. Something spreading from the shadowy figure of a one-eyed king… (Goodreads)

When Katsa was 8 year old she accidently kills her cousin and she learns that she has the Grace of killing. Her uncle King Randa uses her to punish everyone who displeases him and Katsa learns to hate him for this. Katsa organizes a Council that tries to help people and it is the Coucil’s job to rescue the King of Lienid’s father whe he’s kidnapped. While on the rescue Katsa meets another Graceling with matching fighting skill who turns out to be Prince Po of Lienid and looking for his missing grandfather.

I have some mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed it but I’m still having problems writing my feelings about it.

I liked Katsa, she was tough and nice but I felt that I was supposed to be more scared of her than I was. And at times she was more childish than 10 year old Bitterblue who acts much older than her age. And if you can’t feel pain then why make such a huge thing about hairpins digging into scalp?

But I liked Po (what kind of name is that?) and Raffin. Po was so cute and fun and loved the way he understood Katsa.

It wasn’t bad and I liked it but guess I was again expecting something more. I have Fire also so I’m curious to see how that one goes.

3/5
Published: Gollancz (2009)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 371
Source: my own

reviews July 25, 2013

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

Luis de Santángel, chancellor to the court and longtime friend of the lusty King Ferdinand, has had enough of the Spanish Inquisition. As the power of Inquisitor General Tomás de Torquemada grows, so does the brutality of the Spanish church and the suspicion and paranoia it inspires. When a dear friend’s demise brings the violence close to home, Santángel is enraged and takes retribution into his own hands.  But he is from a family of conversos, and his Jewish heritage makes him an easy target. As Santángel witnesses the horrific persecution of his loved ones, he begins slowly to reconnect with the Jewish faith his family left behind. Feeding his curiosity about his past is his growing love for Judith Migdal, a clever and beautiful Jewish woman navigating the mounting tensions in Granada. While he struggles to decide what his reputation is worth and what he can sacrifice, one man offers him a chance he thought he’d lost…the chance to hope for a better world. Christopher Columbus has plans to discover a route to paradise, and only Luis de Santángel can help him. (publisher)

Luis de Santángel is chancellor to King Fernando (Ferdinand) of Aragon but he is also a third generation Christian, converso, but when the Spanish Inquisition starts in full force it’s not safe to have Jewish connections. At the same time Luis grows curious about his Jewish heritage and starts to see theologian in secret but soon catches the eyes of inquisitor and soon finds out that he or his family isn’t safe.

We also hear the story of Judith, a Jewish silversmith, who catches Luis’ eyes. Luis falls in love with her but is he willing to give up everything for her?

I’m not very familiar with Spanish Inquisition or Jewish religion and the little I know about Inquisition comes from reading Katherine of Aragon’s childhood. It is not a pleasant subject giving the worst example of humanity but it’s fascinating in a horrible way.

By Fire, By Water is certainly very thought provoking and well researched. While the books has lot of religious themes and has theological discussions it manages to not sound preachy.

It’s not action packed but gives one man’s journey while trying to find who he is and remaining true to himself.

The only minor problem I had was with the time. I wish it would have been stated better how much time had went on or mentioned on what year was going on.

What a great debut from Kaplan! I truly enjoyed this and couldn’t put it down.Can’t wait to read more from this author!

5/5
Published: Other Press (2010)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 284
Source: from author for review