[Review] Titan Magic by Jodi Lamm

Title: Titan Magic
Author: Jodi Lamm
Published: September 30th 2011
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology.
Purchase it: Amazon
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads summary:

Mute, heartless, and tormented by auditory hallucinations, Madeleine Lavoie never questions why her family has hidden her from the world. But the night her brother casts her out, she learns the mysterious voice she thought existed only in her mind is no delusion, and no matter how hard she tries, she can never disobey it.

Now Madeleine must find her own voice in a cacophony of powerful tyrants, monsters, and gods. If she fails, she will forfeit her life and the lives of everyone who loves her. But if she succeeds, she may finally gain the ability to love someone in return.

Emma's thoughts:

I was drawn into this book from the very first line of the summary. Mute and mad, Madeleine Lavoie has lived her entire life confined to bedposts in her room. Her life is not what she believed it to be...

To say I was so excited to read this after the first chapter(here) may be an understatement. Mythology is something I absolutely adoooore. I think it's absolutely magical that Jodi took something that NOBODY has tried to recreate and made it into something beautiful! I shall bow down to Jodi for making me see golems with a totally new perspective. Because honestly, when was the last time you read an amazing story about golems?! Those clunky, clay things? This is what I love most about reading mythology. We've all had those long, droning history lessons about Greeks, Romans, and whatnot. But really, history's about the way you interpret it. So here's a fascinating interpretation of golems!

The heartbreaking moment when Maddy learns about her true nature, I just wanted to wrap her in a hug and assure she's just as human as any of us! Her creator/master, Jas, is one aggravating and confusing character. No, actually Marcus, Jas, and Eli are confusing. Their motivation and reasoning is just a shocker, really. I never knew what to expect out of this book. It just kept turning and turning and at the end, I was just left... flabbergasted.

All in all, Will Taylor was my favourite character. He's so sweet and and true gentleman. Oh and Marcus.. Marcus, Marcus, Marcus..! He's just...! I really love what Jodi did with his character! Yes, I got extremely confused throughout the book about Marcus, her supposed brother, but it made sense. It had me going: 'YES. I GET IT NOW!' because it was just such an ingenious twist to the book!

It was a such pleasure to read this book, to be introduced to this new way of looking at clay creatures. I think this will be one of those book I'll end up thinking about in the middle of class, contemplating the way I look at things now. I can't wait to see else Jodi has up her sleeve!

I recommend this to: Anyone who loves mythology with a twist!

Rating: 4 stars~ Books like these make the impossible seem possible♥

First:

Tonight, no matter what the voice said, Madeleine Lavoie would not listen to it, she would not sympathize with it and, most importantly, she would not obey it.

Favourite:

 "...love makes people stupid. It doesn't matter whether the person you love could ever love you back. You'll still follow them everywhere. You'll still do anything for them."

Teaser:  

"Nonsense. She's just a gorgeous piece of clay. You know that as well as I do."

Thanks to the author for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review!

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[Review] Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Published: January 31st 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers
Series: Trilogy (Newsoul #1)
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads summary:

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Emma's thoughts:

I had trouble getting myself into this book. I blame this on the fact that I started reading it on the plane, got half way, and left it for almost a week.

I love this story though, know that. The whole world, Heart, the people, the idea. I mean, just imagine, living with the same million people, the same souls, having the same past. Imagine being reborn over hundred times, being a boy, being a girl, being elderly, being a child and remembering your past hundred lives. Imagine knowing that no matter how many times you die, you'll come back again, always. Of course, that didn't apply to Ciana, but hey, here's Ana!

I think what confused me most is how? This story isn't set after our civilization, it wasn't set before. This is how I imagine life would be on another planet. With our pianos, of course. Can't deprive Sam of his music!

What really made me smile was the way Ana's character grew and developed through the book. She started off thinking she was a 'nosoul', worthy of nothing, and a disgrace to their world, but Sam.. oh Sam! He's the sweetest and most sensitive lead male character that I've ever had the pleasure of reading about! Their romance is one of the most adorable and swoon worthy stories ever. It's a beautiful piece of work. I admit, I have my own dreams of a handsome boy teaching me how to play piano, properly!

I have to say, all the characters were well written. Each individual person had their own cute, quirky attributes (annoying or not). You grow to love Stef and Sine, who aren't convulsed by the idea of Ana being a 'Newsoul.' They definitely deserve the Awesome People awards.

One of my favourite scenes in this novel is the rededication dance. As much havoc is wreaked afterwards, I feel like this is when Ana finally realizes, she's not a 'nosoul', she deserves her life just as much as the next person does. And Sam (oh, I'm still gushing about him). Please read this book, just for the dance!

I very much enjoyed the journey of reading this book. The last few chapters will blow your mind. The chaos that is created is: Oh. My. Gosh. I am impatiently waiting for the sequel because I know it will be amazing. So much is due to happen, and the mayhem Menehem has brought is bound to set an action-packed journey for the next two books!

I recommend this to: Fantasy & supernatural readers, and maybe you dystopian lovers too!

Rating: 4 stars~ An unforgettable story about self-discovery in a daunting world with no escape.

 

First:

 What is a soul, but a consciousness born and born again?

Favourite:

"I hate being a teenager."
"Why?"
"Hormones."

Teaser:

"Where's the section on music history? I'm sleeping there."

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[Review] Pure by Julianna Baggott

Title: Pure
Author: Julianna Baggott
Published: Expected publication: February 8th 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
Series: Trilogy (Pure #1)
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads summary:

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.
Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.
When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

Emma's thoughts:

The Maze Runner meets Gone, and their baby? Meet Pure.

Dive into this world ten years after a devastating catastrophe that leaves half the population cowering in Domes, and the other half... gruesomely disfigured. Told from the perspectives of five very different characters, we see this new world as broken and totally out of it's mind.

I adored each of the characters in this novel. We're first introduced to Pressia and her doll-head hand. The whole concept of being 'fused' to objects had me really confused, but it gave each of the characters a little more quirk. I especially loved Bradwell's birds. At first, I assumed birds referred tattoos, so imagine my surprise when I found out they moved! Think about that, having to live every moment of everyday with birds in your back.

Partridge's life was a little easier to relate to. Having a father with the ultimate power ensured him a safe life within the walls of the Dome. His life is perfect. No one is suffering. No one is disfigured nor poor. They don't even realize the horrors that go on outside of the walls. Partridge wants to get out. Find the mother that hurt his father so dearly.

I think, wanting to escape is something we all can comprehend. But, what happens when you do escape? Where are you escaping to?

Prepare yourself for an exciting and riveting journey. Meet El Capitan and Helmund, Ingership, Our Good Mother, and the two masterminds, good and bad. Again, I have to say how well each characters were written. The evil ones too. The twists and turns in this book were most definitely unexpected.

Everything is weaved together with intricate detail and obviously a lot of work as been put into the process. I had a hard time keeping up, but wow. I cannot explain how intense this entire book was. I couldn't stop reading, I couldn't even stop to catch a breath. I was constantly freaking out for Pressia, or Partridge, even Bradwell.

Bradwell started off as an annoyance ('pedantic' as Pressia put it), but his passion for his beliefs really struck me. He understood so much, and took all into consideration, but he stood his ground. I admire people like him.

Also, I liked the theme of birds in this book. Partridge, Lyda's wire bird, Bradwell's back, and the story of the mother swan! I think that's all that I can think of from the top of my head.

I'm so very looking forward to the sequel of Pure! It's bound to be another gripping adventure that'll have the readers' clenching their seats in anticipation!

 

The covers above are the Australian covers. I saw these in my local bookstore a few days ago. Isn't it just striking??

I recommend this to: Anyone who loves an intense, action-packed and thrilling read!

Rating: 4 stars~ Everything a dystopian lover could ever dream of! 

First:

There was a low droning overhead a week or so after the Detonations; time was hard to track.

Favourite:

"Beautiful? It's a scar."
"It's a sign of survival."

Teaser:

"If you were smart, you'd walk away too," Bradwell says. "Generosity and charity can get you killed."

Thanks publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review (via Netgalley).

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[Review] Brightest Kind Of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Title: Brightest Kind Of Darkness
Author: P.T. Michelle
Published: June 27th by Patrice Michelle
Series: Trilogy (Brightest Kind Of Darkness #1)
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads summary:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

Emma's thoughts:

"How do I fight something I can't see?"
This terrifying, chilling question was something that kept me on the edge of my seat for a good half of this book!

Last year, I attended a philosophy colloquium where we discussed the aspects of destiny vs. free will. It was by the far, the most confusing and 'stimulating' conversation I've ever had. All we did was go round in circles, trying to decide whether we actually had a choice in our lives at all, or if our decisions in life were predetermined. Are we destined to make the wrong choices, or could we have made the right one and continued life in an alternate universe?

But that's not really the point is it? Whether or not our days have already been outlined for us, we, as the individual pieces on the chessboard, don't know what will happen.

So, how do you go about fighting something already predestined, from a dark, intangible shadow?

Nara's little 'knack' for seeing ahead of her day obviously has her advantages. She knows what to do, and what not to do. She knows which route to take to school, which pair of shades to wear, and the direction the ball's going to shoot for goal. But when Ethan comes along, well...

My feelings for Ethan are a little mixed. It was hard to like him in the beginning, because their love story was such the typical 'we-share-a-big-secret-therefore-we-love-each-other' relationship. It makes me wonder if Ethan would even give Nara a second glance if he hadn't been stealing her dreams (but then again, this whole book was predetermined by P.T. Michelle, so who I am to questions the what-ifs of these fictional lives?) Their romance does develop better later on, but it took me a while for me to stop believing they weren't totally complete strangers. It sort of jumped from Ethan being 'that lonely guy with a bad past' to 'we can't keep our hands off each other'(not literally!); I just felt like there was no gradual growth. Regardless, there were still times where my cheeks hurt from smiling that goofy grin when they get cute!

This book had me shivering and gasping. It was all kinds of creepy and disturbing. Even now, I'm trying to shake off the chills, because there's nothing that frightens me more than invisible sources moving, influencing physical objects. I'd rather look at the monster's hideous face charging at me than be attacked by something I can't see. So I commend P.T. Michelle for writing the creepy scenes so well, as much as I want to crawl into a ball and never leave my safe haven. I vow to never read these types of books alone in the dark again! Hovering shadows and devilish fates? I know I'd break if I was in Nara's position.

She was strong through the entire book. She did what she believed was right, and had the guts to stand up to the horrific Fate. Even though some of her decisions were stupid and aggravating, I know I would've done none different. I loved that I didn't find myself getting really annoyed at her (which is happening way too often with the MC's these days).

One thing that really confused me was the portrayal of 'Fate'. It's a shadow, it's a man, it's a what?! Nara's trying to fight Fate?! I mean, what if she was fated to fight Fate? But then it wouldn't really be 'fighting' fate, because then she'd be doing what she was fated to do all along...

See how mind-boggling that is?! I really hope that whole Fate dilemma will be explained further in the next books. I'm really looking forward to the novella, Lucid, coming out soon (COVER REVEAL: February 1st!).

I recommend this to: Paranormal/romance & urban fantasy readers, and fans of The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer.

Rating: 4 stars~ absolutely bone-chilling, teeth-clenching, and heart-stopping!

First:

For me, being surprised was like wearing my best friend's favorite shirt; cherished for its borrowed uniqueness.

Favourite:

"Um, it's just... I had no idea you had such an awesome smile."

Teaser:

"Déjà vu and me..." I crossed my fingers. "We're like this!"

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[Review:] Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Obsidian (Lux #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: December 6th by Entangled Publishing
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads summary:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

 

Emma's Thoughts: 
I really wanted to give Obsidian five stars. Really, I did. When aliens were mentioned, I was like, 'Oh, alright, I'll give it a go', but as I continued on reading, it only reminded me more and more of I Am Number Four. (Anyone else read that epic book?) It felt like the book was predictable, and that I'd seen it all before. Aliens fleeing from their destroyed home planet, other aliens chasing those first aliens for power, and of course, the awesome to-die-for supernatural powers.

But don't get me wrong. If I hadn't read I Am Number Four previously, this would definitely get a five star (or at least 4.5) review. Katy is a likable protagonist. She even has her very own book blog. Events such as 'Waiting on Wednesday' and 'In My Mailbox' are mentioned - and at this, I had to laugh. Katy is living such an unlikely life, her having a book blog just seems so... ordinary. I guess this is Jennifer's way of saying, 'Hey, even boring people like book bloggers can have extraordinary things happen to them!' And oh, I won't complain if I ever get my own Daemon. As arrogant and cocky he appears to be at the start, you begin to love their hateful banter. Katy doesn't fall head over heels for Daemon at first sight, which is something I liked. And if only someone as delectable as Daemon truly existed!

The other characters in the novel were slightly irritating though. Some totally clichéd. Or you can call it predictable. ***SPOILER*** the true nature of Simon was NOT surprising *** But, oh, Dee's a sweet one. Daemon's the protective older brother (by a whole four minutes and thirty seconds), and there's Dee. You can't help but to feel sorry for her when her only friends are the alien boys and the big, bad, bitch. As unwelcoming these aliens are to Katy, you learn to understand why. Families have to stick close. 

The planet of 'Lux' was nicely explained. I look forward to more details in the rest of the trilogy though. The book didn't end ever so shockingly, but there are still so many questions left unanswered. Onyx (Lux #2) is expected to come out May of 2012 (that's half a year!! D:) but the summary is yet to be released. I want more of Daemon ASFGHJKL.

Rating: 4 stars - the plot seemed a little too similar, but everything else was great! 

First Line: 

  I stared at the pile of boxes in my new bedroom, wishing the Internet had been hooked up.

Favourite:

"We aren't weak. And you're on our planet. How about a little respect, buddy."

Teaser:

"Are you asking if I'm attracted to human girls?"

PS. Does anybody else find it weird that these two models are used on so many other covers?

 PPS. First ever review! Weeew! :D

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