Tour stop: Oppression by Jessica Therrien (Children of the God's #1)

Title: Oppression
Author: Jessica Therrien
Publication date: Feb. 22nd 2012
Publisher: Zova Books
Age group: Young Adult
Genre: Greek Mythology
Cover rating: 5/5
Content rating: 4/5
Buy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble (grab it while it's on sale!)

Description:
Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks.

Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

My thoughts:
Oppression had my full attention before I even started on the first page! The cover is stunning and the description made it sound like exactly my kind of thing. I've been reading quite a few of these Greek Myth YA books that are popping up lately and I'm really enjoying all of them; oppression was no exception! I think the premise is brilliant and unique and I couldn't wait to dive into it.

Thankfully, it did not disappoint! Elyse was a wonderful character and I loved following her on her journey. She ages five times slower than regular people so while she looks like every other teenager on the street, she's actually an elderly woman! I found this concept very interesting and thought Elyse's character was portrayed well. Elyse has always known she's different though she hasn't quite known the full extent of it. It was so intriguing watching Elyse find out her past and I loved discovering more about the powerful world she belonged to.

I think a lot of people will be in two minds about the relationship between Elyse and William. On one hand, it moves mighty fast. But on the hand, there are definitely reasons for this and it was still handled very well. It was definitely believable and one to root for! Elyse is a genuinely nice person who just wants to use her powers for good. She is a very strong and loyal friend and it's hard not to like her.

Overall, Oppression is a well-paced, fantastic novel that I'm sure many people will enjoy. It offers something different to a lot of YA novels out there at the moment and I'd certainly recommend it. Besides, it's only .99 cent on Kindle and Nook right now! 

Cover reveal! Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas

Hello everyone! Today I'm taking part in the cover reveal for Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas. Here you go:

Isn't it lovely? I'm so excited about this book! Here's the description:

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since. 

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me. 

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

Like what you see? Click here to add it to your Goodreads shelves! And if you really like what you see, you can go here and pre-order it on Amazon!

Happy reading everyone!

Review: The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

Title:  The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver
Author: E. Lockhart
Publication date: March 22nd 2005
Publisher: Corgi Children's
Age group: Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Cover rating: 4/5
Content rating: 4.5/5
Buy: Amazon

Description: 

Ruby Oliver is 15 and has a shrink. She knows it's unusual, but give her a break—she's had a rough 10 days. In the past 10 days she: 

• lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list)  

•  lost her best friend (Kim)  

•  lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket)  

•  did something suspicious with a boy (#10)  

• did something advanced with a boy (#15)  

•  had an argument with a boy (#14) 

•  drank her first beer (someone handed it to her)  

• got caught by her mom (ag!) * had a panic attack (scary)  

• lost a lacrosse game (she's the goalie)  

•  failed a math test (she'll make it up)  

•  hurt Meghan's feelings (evn though they aren't really friends)  

• became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)  

• and had graffiti written about her in the girls' bathroom (who knows what was in the boys'!?!). 

But don't worry—Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists. 

My thoughts:

This was a seriously fun book, just like I thought it would be! I was first drawn in by the cute cover and the interesting title and I'm so glad I decided to read it as it certainly did let me down. I was expecting something along the lines of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (which I loved) and while it definitely reminded me of those books, this felt more mature and less silly. Ruby is a really awesome character and I loved getting to know her- which really do get to do as she spills her heart out in this book. She's had a crazy time lately and made lots of mistakes. She's been having some panic attacks so her parents refer her to a therapist who helps her work through what went wrong. I loved that Ruby tackled it head on but with humour. She never takes life too seriously and is fun and witty throughout the whole book. Ruby's a strong character and pretty easy to empathise with me. What I loved most was how her character grew and matured as the book went on. She didn't keep making the same mistakes again and again and doing nothing about them. Instead she talked about them and took a step back to see how she could make it better. She's really sweet and her stories are hilarious. And I ended up highlighting a lot of her parents' sentences... they were certainly an interesting pair. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book! If you're looking for a fun and easy book that still has some depth to it, I would recommend checking this one out!

Review: Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant

Title: Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK
Author: Betsy St. Amant
Publication date: January 1st 2012
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Age group: Young Adult
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Religious
Cover rating: 4/5
Content rating: 4/5
Buy (pre-order): Amazon

Description via Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Addison Blakely has tireless played the role of PK—preacher’s kid—her entire life. But after Wes Keegan revs his motorcycle into town and into her heart, Addison begins to wonder how much of her faith is her own and how much has been handed to her. She isn’t so sure she wants to be the good girl anymore. Join Addison Blakely as she attempts to separate love from lust, facts from faith, and keep her head above water in her murky, fishbowl existence.

My thoughts:


This doesn't appear to be a series but I think it should be.

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK really kept me entertained! I was genuinely engrossed in this story. It was nothing like I thought it would be- it was much better and a very pleasant surprise. I really could not put this book down and read it straight through in about two sittings.

I really liked Addison. She was a little irritating at times but it's nice to see such an honest character. She didn't pretend she knew everything and she wasn't afraid to question the way she'd been brought up. Although I may not have agreed with all her ideas, it was certainly refreshing and admirable to see a female protagonist who has principles- and sticks to them!- and doesn't go out of her way to change herself just for a guy. I really did like watching Addison grow as the book went on and I thought her character was very well developed.

Wes was also a pretty likeable guy. I thought it was a bit obvious what he was hinting at times, and felt like Addison should have been more alert and not so oblivious. I liked that we got to see all sides of him and that he didn't pretend to be something he wasn't. He wasn't afraid to admit that he wasn't perfect and he was also really sweet and went out of his way to do the right thing, even if he wasn't sure how to do so!

The more minor characters such as Addison's dad, Kathy, Claire and Marta were incredibly well developed considering how little time was devoted to them. I was impressed at how well we got to know them. The plot itself was a tad predictable, to be honest, but I still found myself racing to the end to find out what was going to happen.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't amazing but it was fun and still deep at the same time. I felt I really new the characters by the end. Also, it made me laugh a few times which I always appreciate!

I am currently reading...

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella 

Matched

Title: Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication date: November 30th 2010
Age group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction
Cover rating: 5/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Description via Goodreads: 

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. 

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dare to follow.

My thoughts:


Dystopian books appear to be the 'thing' in YA literature at the moment but I haven't really read many to compare Matched with. A lot of people are saying it's a rip off of multiple books but I can't comment on that right now. I did enjoy the book, though. It was very easy to read and get lost in, and I read 3/4 of it in one sitting. I liked the world it was set in and found it fascinating to learn how everything worked. I didn't, however, connect with the characters all that well. I found Cassia a bit annoying and silly and couldn't see the appeal of Ky at all. Xander, on the other hand, I did enjoy and I was disappointed that he didn't get much of a look in. It's all Ky Ky Ky and I really wasn't that intrigued. The book was good over all and kept me entertained but I didn't like the direction it headed towards the end. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see how the sequel is.

Fallen Grace

 Title: Fallen Grace

Author: Mary Hooper

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing 

Publication date: June 7th 2010 

Age group: Young Adult 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery 

Cover rating: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5 

Description via Goodreads: 

Grace Parkes has just had to do a terrible thing. Having given birth to an illegitimate child, she has travelled to the famed Brookwood Cemetery to place her small infant's body in a rich lady's coffin. 

Following the advice of a kindly midwife, this is the only way that Grace can think of to give something at least to the little baby who died at birth, and to avoid the ignominy of a pauper's grave. Distraught and weeping, Grace meets two people at the cemetery: Mrs Emmeline Unwin and Mr James Solent. These two characters will have a profound affect upon Grace's life. But Grace doesn't know that yet. For now, she has to suppress her grief and get on with the business of living: scraping together enough pennies selling watercress for rent and food; looking after her older sister, who is incapable of caring for herself; thwarting the manipulative and conscience-free Unwin family, who are as capable of running a lucrative funeral business as they are of defrauding a young woman of her fortune. 

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one. I wasn't all that intrigued by the premise but the story actually turned out to be really good. I found Grace to be an incredibly lovable character and I found myself really caring about what was going to happen to her and her sister, Lily. The story is really interesting and the corrupt nature of London's rich added a shocking element to it. I was quite annoyed that Hooper put in that small chapter about the baby at the start... it took away any twist at the end when Grace found out the truth. It would have been nice to have been as surprised as Grace was, instead of knowing it all along. Overall though, it was a nice book, well written and full of excellently developed characters.

Lock and Key

Title: Lock & Key

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Puffin 

Published date: April 22nd 2008 

Age group: Young Adult 

Genre: Realistic fiction, Romance, Coming of Age 

Cover rating: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Description via Goodreads: 

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she
hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future—it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

My thoughts:

I really liked this. It's not the best book of Dessen's that I've read (I think it's very hard to live up to the brilliance of Just Listen!) but it was still really interesting and enjoyable. Dessen dealt with a lot of different issues in this book and dealt with them quite well. 

Ruby is not the most likeable of characters at the start but I think that's probably the point. She's been changed by what she's been through and becomes withdrawn because that's how she deals with it. I liked that she developed and changed throughout the book and wasn't afraid to admit when she was wrong. I really liked her by the time I reached the end of the book. Nate was a fascinating character but he was definitely pushed to the side a lot and while we got to know a lot about this situation at home, we never really got to know him as a person. His story added a lot depth to the book and made it much darker. 

I loved Ruby's sister and brother-in-law. I enjoyed seeing Cora trasnform and come out of her defensive shell once she got to know Ruby again and it was interesting to see how quickly Jamie came to care about Ruby and what she was doing. They added a lot of fun to the book and were probably my favourite characters- which is not what I expected when we were first introduced to them.

Overall, it was a really sweet story and Dessen's writing style made it lovely to read. I would recommend this book and I will probably re-read it at some stage, too.