Books and Sensibility

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Book Review: Beautiul Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

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“It was crazy how a hearse and a pair of sneakers could cheer a guy up.” 

― Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Beautiful Chaos

 

Synopsis: Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena’s Claiming. Even Lena’s family of powerful Supernaturals is affected – and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What – or who – will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?…

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Book Review : Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

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“A world of nevers under a never sky.” 

                         – Veronica Rossi, Under The Never Sky

 

Synopsis : EXILED from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland–known as The Death Shop–are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild–a savage–and her only hope of staying alive.

Under The Never Sky is a post-apocalpytic road story sprinkled with  dystopian elements. The female protagonist, Aria lives a safe and secure life in underground pods, spending her days in vitural realms. Perry lives on the outside or “The Death Shop” a world filled with tribal warfare, Aether storms and savagery.When their worlds collide they learn they may not be as different as they thought.

The novel starts out a little shaky to me, almost everything in the story is told or explained immediately, in an almost checklist like fashion. There is very little mystery and I would have liked to slide easier into the story. Once we get past the introduction the writing does get better and the story begins to take shape.

Basically, Aria and Perry each have their own plot MacGuffin that propels them to journey together in search of what they are looking for. While this jump starts the plot it isn’t my favorite set up.

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Book Review : Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

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“Ah,” said a voice from the doorway, “having your annual ‘everyone thinks Will is a lunatic’ meeting, are you? 
“It’s biannual,” said Jem. “And no, this is not that meeting.” 

― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince

I’ll start this review much like Kat did for her review for City of Glass. In Clockwork Prince; Jem is kind, Will is a jerk, Tessa is confused, the plot fades in and out of the background letting the various love triangles, squares and polygons shine. Oh and as per Cassie Clare style the characters keep cutting each other off when they are about to say something im—

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Book Review : Remembrance by Michelle Madow

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“What we have is strong enough to transcend time. I’ve never trusted anything more in my life.” 

                                                                                           – Michelle Madow, Remembrance

 

 Synopsis: New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England … but she doesn’t know it yet. 

Remembrance is the debut novel in Michelle Madow’s Transcend Time Saga. Since I started book blogging, I’ve heard a lot about Michelle and have been very impressed by her success. So, when Michelle put the Kindle version of Remembrance on sale for Black Friday I couldn’t resist.

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Book Review : All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

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“Daddy always said you only explained things to the people that actually mattered.” 

― Gabrielle Zevin, All These Things I’ve Done

Synopsis : In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city’s most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.’s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she’s to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight–at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family. 

Anya Blanchaine is  the daughter of a Russian mob boss, but she isn’t exactly Growing Up Gotti. All These Things I’ve Done is a novel comprised of  17-year-old Anya’s confessions.She has the world on her shoulders; having to take care of her ailing grandmother and siblings while trying to keep out of the notorious family business of selling chocolate–which has become illegal in 2083.

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Book Review : The Next Door Boys

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“When you’re no longer afraid of death, there are a lot of things you’re not afraid of anymore”

– Jolene B. Perry, The Next Door Boys 

 I received  Jolene B. Perry’s Next Door Boys from NetGalley. I choose it  because the name jumped out at me and the cover art reminded me of a Sarah Dessen novel. Within a few minutes of reading the book, I realized this is a LDS novel. Something I didn’t quite expect

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