Solstice Review

Solstice by P.J. Hoover

Title: Solstice

Author: P.J. Hoover

Series: None

Publisher: Tor Teen/Macmillan

Publication Date: June 1, 2013

Genre: Science Fiction; Futuristic; Mythology; Fantasy; Romance; Young Adult

Pages: 384

Format: Hardback

goodreads

Piper's world is dying. 

Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.

Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.

An imaginative melding of mythology and dystopia, Solstice is the first YA novel by talented newcomer P. J. Hoover.

Piper lives in a world that’s boiling and above 120 degree temperatures are to be expected. Piper, living under the control of an overly-protective mother, has never had much of a life. On her eighteenth birthday, all of that is about to change. She’ll discover worlds she never thought existed and secrets never meant to be uncovered. With the help of Shayne, a mysteriously dark guy who seems to know more about her than she does, she’ll learn things that will turn her life upside down. Solstice combines Greek mythology and dystopian science fiction to create a novel about discovering who you really are.

I was not impressed for about the first half of this book. The whole time I was reading it, the thought “two stars, two stars, this such a two star book,” kept floating around in my head. Honestly I didn’t even think I wanted to finish it. A serious case of nauseating insta-love made me roll my eyes every two pages and the shallow depth of the characters about made me want to gag.  I had serious problems with this book. It was only past the half-way point where I actually thought, “okay, fine, maybe I can actually finish this sucker”.

First of all, the setting. I will give credit to Hoover, it was interesting that she combined two genres on the opposite ends of the spectrum of YA. Greek mythology and science fiction are an interesting combination. Sure, it was a good idea. Was it done well? Eh. Not really. If you are going to combine two different genres, you have to give equal time to both genres, and that is just not something that Hoover did. Her focus was more on the mythological part and the dystopian part took the back seat. Without the development, the setting was confusing and left too many loose ends. The book probably would’ve been better if there wasn’t a dystopia element at all. The mythological element of the story, however, was an entirely different story. You could tell the Hoover knew what she was talking about. The Persephone and Hades spin off was enough to keep me interested (and is probably the only reason why I rated this two stars, not one). But let’s face it, after Percy Jackson, there just really isn’t any competition for Greek myths anymore.

Secondly, the characters. I could not stand the main character, Piper. Too fake and superficial. And stupid. I found out the big “surprise” about five thousand pages before she did. And her reaction to learning these “secrets” and “revelations” was way too accepting. It wasn’t realistic. There was no denial, at all. And don’t even get me started on the sickening insta-love. Yuck.

Overall, not impressed. The Greek in it was good, everything else was not. Wouldn’t recommend it and not worthwhile. If I want to satisfy my Greek myth craving, I’ll just reread Percy Jackson. 

Unspoken Review

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Series: The Lynburn Legacy

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 11, 2012

Genre: Supernatural; Fantasy; Romance; Gothic; Mystery Young Adult

Pages: 370

Format: Hardback

goodreads

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Get ready kids, for some serious bookage.

Kami Glass, an aspiring world-changing journalist, is like any other ordinary girl. Well, except for her witty sarcasm, slightly overenthusiastic go-get-‘em attitude, and her obsession with discovering the secrets of her little English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Oh, and the boy in her head that she’s never met and loves that keeps talking to her in her head.

Okay, so maybe she’s not so much like any other ordinary girl.

When the Lynburns (the mysterious legends of Sorry-in-the-Vale) come back to their home, two Lynburn sons, one of which has a special connection with Kami, make an appearance in her life. Something strange is happening over at the Lynburn mansion, and Kami intends to get the scoop. What starts as secret digging quickly turns into a murder mystery as peculiar killings happen all over their quiet (or quiet up until now) town. Gothic romance and supernatural mysteries collide in this original story about magic and dark secrets.

I actually read this book about a week ago, and I am just now writing the review. I have a good reason, too. If I had written it any time before now the review would probably look something like this: I can’t…I–I don’t…Why is–Why can they–How is–Ahhhhhh!

And no one wants to read that.

No joke. This book is amazing. You may have to excuse the rare peeks at the narcotic fangirl I am so desperately trying to conceal as I write this review. Hey, nobody’s perfect.

First off, the writing. The writing!! I want to be a writer, but when I read someone with this level of talent, I get depressed. Cause really? No one should be that awesome of a writer and be that funny. I cracked up out loud like twenty four hundred times throughout the entire novel. IT WAS SO FUNNY! (See: narcotic fangirl just make an appearance. Deep breathes, Blots) I would share with you some of the few incredible genius hysterical moments, but I don’t feel like writing a novel of a post today. Cause seriously that’s how long it would take.

Secondly, the characters were perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. One more time now, Perfect. I loved Kami. You know when you read a character that is so incredibly awesome that you say, the entire time you are reading the novel, “I wish I was like her/him”. This was the character that I couldn’t stop saying that about. She was so spunky and had so much gumption and was so hilarious. And Jared was the best bad boy. So deliciously dangerous and swooningly endearing. Yeah, Ash was okay, but he wasn’t a Jared. And I really liked Jared. I also really liked Angela, Kami's lazy and bristly best friend who didn't like people in the slightest. Yeah, she was a joy to read. 

To any of those reluctant readers out there who may be wondering: “What about the inevitable insta-love that is obviously going to happen?” My answer to you is, “There is none!” And there isn’t. No matter how much you want there to be, there isn’t. No matter how much you pray and pray for the romance to come quickly, it doesn’t. It’s excruciating. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And the best, best, best, best, best part about all of this is that I don’t have to wait for the sequel! It’s already out! And the third book is following quickly behind. There is goodness in this world.

I loved this book so much, and the fangirl inside of me is ready to devour the sequel and any more that comes after that. That kind of makes the fangirl in me sound like a stomach, which I guess she kind of is, always ravishing for the best books mankind has to offer. That also sounds kind of gross…Anyway, please read this book, and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Untold

Tandem Review

Tandem by Anna Jarzab

Title: Tandem

Author: Anna Jarzab

Series: Many-Worlds Trilogy #1

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 8, 2013

Genre: Science Fiction; Romance; Young Adult

Pages: 428

Format: Hardback

goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

"Everything repeats. You. Your best friend. Every person you know. Many worlds. Many lives-infinite possibilities. Welcome to the multiverse."

Sasha has an unfortunate crush on the best-looking guy in school, named Grant. She is pretty sure he doesn’t even know she exists. But when Grant asks her to prom, she is surprised but quite understandably happy. Prom night is perfection: the dancing, the guy, the dress. Sasha doesn’t think it can get much better than this–until Grant takes across something called the Tandem into another universe that parallels ours. Then, he tells her that his name is not actually Grant but Thomas and she is going to be forced into impersonated a mysteriously vanished princess if she ever wants to go home again. Yeah, this is going to be fun.

It’s hard to do parallel universes right. I have read so many bad ones that I almost didn’t believe that a good one even existed. But, apparently it does. Parallel universes are hard to do (which is probably why nearly everyone gets them wrong), but Jarzab makes it surprisingly simple and even a little bit interesting. You’ve gotta admit, the thought of another universe with another you that may or may not look identical to you, may or may not love the same things you love, may or may not speak the way you do is intriguing. It certainly entertains my mind for hours on end. I could probably just sit and think about the possibilities of parallel universes and never be bored. While Jarzam could’ve added even more depth to her story by elaborating on the exact implications of parallel universes, I am glad she kept as simple as she did. No one wants to read something that gives you a headache.

I finished this book relatively fast. What can I say? I’m a saucebucket for romance. And Jarzab does romance almost as well as she does parallel universes. I loved Thomas even though there was that whole Stockholm syndrome thing going on. Couldn’t help it. I just really like Thomas. Callum, the prince whom Princess Julianna (Sasha’s doppleganger) is supposed to marry, however, was oh-so coincidentally movie-star handsome and seemed very very fake the entire book. I really could not stand that character or how he was written. It just made me frustrated. The “chemistry” between Sasha and Callum was forced and unbelievable. It was annoying.

Overall, not a bad book. Just relatively okay. A good book for filling up time and space. Maybe in another universe, I love this book, but not in this one. I’ll probably read the sequel, but I’m not falling out of my chair waiting for it. 

Tether