Hey guys! Sorry I've been absent from this blog for a while; Between finals and IB stuff and just general stress, I've been radio-silent for the last couple of weeks. So, finally, I'm here with a review of three books that actually came out a couple of years ago. Normally, I'm the kind of gal who keeps up the latest releases and will try to get a review up on those as fast as possible. Honestly though, I personally feel like the month of june was like we fell into a shithole after the amazing YA releases in May. Like, tripping on your dog's leash and falling into the shit, kind of bad. You must be thinking - it can't really have been that bad, Alana -.... trust me, it has.In fact, I've been struggling to find ANYTHING to read AT ALL which is why I decided to do some rereading (which is not very common). So, this will be more of a general overview of the pro's and con's of a whole trilogy. If you're worried about spoilers, just skip the descriptions of the sequels below

Nightshade (Nightshade #1) by Andrea Cremer

Publisher: Philomel

Publication date: October 19th 2010

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

Publisher:Philomel

Publication date: July 26th 2011

"Wolfsbane" is the thrilling sequel to much-talked-about "Nightshade".


Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer–one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack–and the man–she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive. 

   

  Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer

     Publisher: Philomel

         Publication date: January 3rd 2012

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. In this remarkable final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, international bestselling author Andrea Cremer crafts a dynamic novel with twists and turns that will keep you breathless until its final pages.

- Goodreads Description

Pros
Humor. I did find myself relating to the characters, especially Bryn and Mason. Maybe, it's because I'm around that age too but I really liked their wittiness. However, I can see how this might not convey well with an audience that is any older. 
Endings (All except the last one). I know, I know, the last one is the one that really counts, but to me, I still feel like Cremer did her best to leave the first two books on some pretty damn awesome cliffhangers! 

Cons
Lack of explanation...for pretty much everything - things just tend to happen without any consideration of the consequences or any thought at all really
Love triangles. Granted, I liked both love interests but still...A love triangle is a love triangle and continue to hate it I shall.
Random moments that ruin the tension. I don't really know how to explain this but there were moments in all the books where the suspense should have been sustained but there was too much of a nonchalant attitude conveyed by the characters. Comic relief overdone. 
                                             -Alana 

Sea of Stars (Kricket #2) by Amy A. Bartol

Publisher: 47North

Publication date: March 31st 2015

Eighteen-year-old Kricket Hollowell was looking for her place in the world when she discovered that the universe was bigger—and more dangerous—than she had ever dreamed. Now, whisked across space to the planet Ethar, Kricket learns that her genetic ability to see the future makes her a sought-after commodity…and the catalyst for war between her star-crossed parents’ clans. According to Alameedan prophecy, one house will rise to power and the other will be completely wiped out, and Kricket’s precognition is believed to be the weapon that will tip the scales.

A target of both the Rafe and the Alameeda houses, Kricket finds protection—and a home—in the arms of Trey, her Etharian bodyguard-turned-boyfriend. But her visions of what’s to come disturb her deeply, especially since she must discover whether the gift of foresight will allow her to rewrite the future, or if her fate is as immovable as the stars.

-Goodreads Description

Honestly, this book kind of snuck up on me. I mean, I knew it was coming out soon but before I knew it, I was reading reviews and realized that it had been released so I knew I had to get out and pick this bad boy up. After a series of mediocre reviews following Under Different Stars , I have to say I was one of the odd ones out who actually really enjoyed it. This book was pretty different to what I expected it to be so let's have a look,shall we?

Pros

Action and pacing - I really liked how action-packed this novel was, especially in the way that it was still equally balanced with the emotional aspects 

 El amor.. ahh, the Loo..oo...ove was so good..just my kind of thing :)

The tone..that sounds so sophisticated but it created a really great vibe that just sucked me in from the start

The humor.. just enough so that some of the tension still soaks through

The ending ... sets the reader up for a long, painful wait till the next book. 

Cons

Now, I'm the kind of gal who loves me some of that sexual tension ;) but at times, I think the characters tended to go a little..bit overboard. Like honestly your in the middle of a fight, you do not have the time to go make out right now, ok? :I ..even though we really want you too :) 

Definite recommendation for people who are looking for an action-packed read filled with romance and comic relief.

                                                       - Alana xxx 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication date: April 28th 2015 

Hey guys! First I want to say that I'm sorry It's been such a long time since I've uploaded a review... I've just been so busy with school that I haven't been able to fit in the time to do much reading at all, which just sucks. But anyway, today, I finally found the time to sit down and review a book which I think could very well be one of the best books I've read so far this year. To be fair though, I've read some pretty epic books so far but this one is extra special as I know many of you guys have been waiting for this book for a while! So without further ado....

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES is a thought-provoking, heart-wrenching and pulse-pounding read. Set in a rich, high-fantasy world with echoes of ancient Rome, it tells the story of a slave fighting for her family and a young soldier fighting for his freedom.

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

- From Goodreads

Pros

Double P.O.V is a definite reason why you should pick up this book. Having the backstory of both protagonists was something that I think made this book so much more enjoyable and suspenseful.

 The plot - super creative and unique; I have to admit, it is unlike anything I've read in a long while..So bravo to Miss. Tahir for thinking outside of the box.

 The gritty stuff.. Honestly, some parts in this book were utterly shocking, especially in the blunt way some events were described but personally, this only served to be all the more effective in making this a compelling read. 

 The emotions...God, how can one survive with so much emotional turmoil? Truly, Ember in the Ashes will grip you and your flimsy heart or rather, crush it to pieces.

 The writing. - Sabaa Tahir has crafted a beautifully written novel for her first attempt.

Cons

Love...shape? Damn, I don't even know what to call it. Basically, there were two love triangles which, in my opinion, is just pushing the boundary when it comes to the amount of love interests a book can have.

 Sequel? Apparently, this book was originally planned to be a standalone but with the way in which it ended, a sequel should definitely be considered.. Talk about unanswered questions ....

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Publisher : Henry Holt & co (macmillan)

Publication date: February 3rd 2015 

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper. 

-Goodreads description 

If you keep up with my Waiting on Wednesday segments, you'll know that this was one of my most anticipated reads so far of this year. Luckily, less than a week after that, I was able to get my hands on this little beauty and I am here to tell you that it certainly exceeded my expectations! 

Pros

The story line; it was honest and genuine and reflected on the hardships that many  members of the military service deal with..truly, this book made me appreciate even more the sacrifices that are made daily by our soldiers. Plus, I liked how it dealt with some more low-key yet still heartbreaking issues through Skylar's character.

The characters were so well developed and it was really hard to stay angry at any of their mistakes because...you just can't..too much love exists for this book for that to happen!


The romance.. it was like a persistent ache in my chest that just wouldn't go away until I finished the book! To be honest, I'm not completely satisfied with how it ended because I know this is a potential stand-alone. One heart can only deal with so much.

 The POV changes..I don't know if I've told you guys this but I love it when a book does this. It just makes me feel so much more connected with the whole book in general and makes my emotions act like a pot of honey, all gooey and deliciously content :D

Cons
At times, the story felt a little repetitive but on a larger scale, it did not have that much of an effect on the overall amazingness of the book! 

I didn't really like Dylan as a character but again, it was not a major player in lowering my glowing review of the book. 

                                                        -Alana xxx 

Collide (The Taking #3) by Melissa West 

Publisher: Entangled:Teen

Publication date: February 9th 2015 

Military legacy Ari Alexander has survived alien spies, WWIV, and a changing world order. But when the new leader of Earth uses Jackson—the only boy she's ever let herself care about—to get to her, Ari has no choice but to surrender. 

To free Jackson, she agrees to travel to the national bases to train others to fight. What she discovers is a land riddled with dying people. Ari has the power to heal by turning the fighters into aliens—half-breeds like her. If she succeeds, together, they have a chance at overthrowing the alien leader, Zeus. But if she fails, everyone she holds dear will be wiped away forever.

Once again, everything Ari’s come to believe is thrown into question. In a world of uncertainty, loyalties are tested, lies are uncovered, and no one can be trusted. If Ari and Jackson have any hope at survival and at preserving a life for the future, they must fight the final war with their eyes wide open.
-From Goodreads 

Nope. It just didn't cut it for me. AT ALL. I really didn't like it....like really, really didn't like it. It was such a disappointment for me that it took over a week for me to gather my thoughts on how this could even be possible. Having loved the first two books, I thought without a doubt that this would be a home run, boys. But it just wasn't ;( . I don't know if it's because I have read so many great books since then but my opinions on her writing style and the quality of Melissa west's books have only taken a drastic turn for the worse.

Pros

Fuck..There really aren't that many :/ I guess, maybe the sweet romance 

The humor is consistent and not that bad either

Cons

unrealistic. unrealistic. unnnnreeeaalistic. When I was looking over my notes, I realized I wrote this like 28 bazillion times. Like c'mon, how fucking unrealistic is this Example: “I’ve always loved him, you know? I only ever wanted him to love me back. Tell him that, okay? Tell him that I love him.” And then her eyes turn glassy and her head droops, and I know that she’s gone.” Oh yea, cuz you just happened to coincidentally have exactly the right amount of time to say all of that. :I

Lack of emotions - this was one of the main things that turned me off. Like, no matter what is happening, you should still feel emotions when something unsettling and devastating happens. Like, who can just brush it off and say "hey, we'll deal with it later".. It just doesn't happen that way. 

The plot...not interesting at all, no sense of anticipation, nada.

The ending.. my god, I have not read such a horrific ending to a novel, much less the end of a trilogy, in a while.. It not only felt unsatisfying but rushed like even the author was getting fed-up with the crap that was "Collide" 

                                             - Alana xxx 

Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1) by Victoria Aveyard 

Publisher: Orion

Publication date: February 10th 2015

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

-Goodreads description 


What can I say? I loved it! Although it was completely different from what I had expected, I was happily surprised nonetheless. Unlike many of the books that I have read recently, I felt at ease with the storyline and I felt really invested in the characters and the world that was created, I mean, what more could you want? (virtual book reading,perhaps?) :) I've also decided to try a new style of reviewing, so I hope you like it!

Pros

Plot development and story building
- I especially liked the tension between the silvers and reds.

ACTION, ACTION, ACTION! If I sat here for an hour, I could still probably not even describe all the thing that happened in ‘Red Queen’

The ending - YESSSSS <3
+ the prospect it brings for the rest of the trilogy

The author’s writing style (and for a debut novel) is pretty on point 

 The romance  (even though it was a love triangle, I know)

Cons

Unrealistic development of trust between characters = Stranger Danger, people. c’mon.

Clarification of the time period - If you asked me if we were in the future or the past, bro, I couldn’t even tell you. 

The God-Forsaken Love Triangle, particularly bad in this case because it affects the characterization some of the characters