review: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

You or your Alt? Only one will survive. 

"Dualed" is a thrilling high-concept YA where citizens must prove their worth by killing their Alts--twins raised by other families. 

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage--life. But then a tragic misstep shakes West's confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she's no longer certain that she's the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her. 

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

REVIEW:

So, I read Dualed in June. June 2012. That’s a really long wait for the sequel, but the good news is: there isn’t a cliffhanger. Which makes me super happy because maybe now the wait will be bearable.

I doubt it. I’ll just have to reread Dualed because HELL YEAH IT IS THAT AWESOME. I do love a good action-packed novel, even when I do love the romance. I love that Elsie Chapman worked both into this fantastic debut, and she does such a great job with it.

I love love love West. She’s so mature for her age, and in this world Chapman created, it works. You sorta have to be mature instead of a young teenager when you know you might have to kill your Alt soon. Or have them kill you.

I have to admit that I did think about this idea a lot—You or your Alt?—and came to the conclusion that if I had to face against my Alt, and be the person that I am today, I wouldn’t make it. BUT if I lived in that world and had been training for killing my Alt? I think I could, because hello, I have been TRAINING for this moment, so it makes this book’s premise a little OH HOLY CRAP. What BIG thing happened to West to make it seem like she couldn’t do this?

You guys, I just absolutely adored the idea behind Dualed. It was unique and made me REALLY think, and I love thinking. I love books that challenge me to think of an alternate world.

Such a fantastic idea. Anyway. The romance fan that I am wanted more kissing; West and Chord have amazing chemistry between them, and man, I LOVED Chord. He was so sweet! Like he’s probably the sweetest YA love interest out there. LOVED HIM SO MUCH. He’s just . . . amazing. All the hearts for Chord.

The ending totally made this book for me, especially the big climatic event. I reread it after I finished the book because omg it was just perfect. And no cliffhanger! Yay! I’m really excited to see where Elsie takes the sequel. I can’t WAIT for that one. I would sell parts of my soul for it. 

Dualed by Elsie Chapman is out now. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via netgalley.

Moving

Hey everyone!

As you can tell, I have been failing at keeping my blog up to date. The truth is I'm in a type of law school and I spend a lot of time doing homework. Like 98% of my time is all about law, which doesn't leave a lot of time for other things.

So when Megan was looking for more bloggers, I jumped at the chance. I've joined the team at Book Brats as a guest reviewer. Seeing as I typically only read three books a month, I think it'll be the perfect way for me to still read and review but also not feel guilty for not updating.

If I have a book of yours for review, I'll be posting the review over at Book Brats, unless I've decided to not review it. Also I'll be closing down my gypsybookreview's email. You can email me here: ashelynn @ book-brats.com I won't be accepting review requests, however. ;) I'm still catching up on my backlog. I probably won't ever be open to review requests ever again, unless I've previously worked with you.

So that's my good news. I can't wait to start posting on Book Brats!

review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

I’ve heard such great things about The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. But I didn’t really hear what it was about, just that it was Amazing with a capital A. I also heard it was a dystopian novel, and guys, I am so tired of those novels. But The Darkest Minds is more science fiction than dystopian; it’s actually a pre-dystopian novel, about how a country can turn into a dystopian country.

I loved The Darkest Minds. First, we have Ruby, our narrator, our main character. I loved her character. She seems weak, and shy, and not the bravest person in the camp—and I absolutely loved that about her. While I like strong characters, there ARE other types out there, and sometimes you aren’t the strongest, the bravest person ever. You can be shy and afraid to do anything because of the reaction, and that’s Ruby. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to her.

Then there’s IAAN, the Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration, which is killing off the children, except for a select few who survive. You guys, Alexandra Bracken absolutely killed this story with the science. And I mean that in a good way; I love it when a science fiction novel has actual science in it. But anyway, back to the IAAN—I loved that there was a disease that was killing off children, except for a select few. It put the entire world into panic. It put the entire country into panic.

So the children that survive are shipped off to camps, much like the camps Hitler put all the “unpure” races in, or what the U.S. government did with the Japanese in the United States during WWII. I thought it was genius, even if it’s horrible that children—who were as young as eight—were being brought to camps to “protect” themselves and their country, all while being “rehabilitated.”

Like I said: Alexandra Bracken absolutely killed this story. The Darkest Minds is a brilliant story about survival, not knowing what you exactly are, friendship, and even romance. I loved that the romance was low-key and not the focus of the story. Absolutely adored that.

But mostly I adored Ruby. Guys, I just can’t praise this girl high enough. She is seriously an amazing main character, and I loved her growth throughout this story. I can’t wait to see what she does next in the sequel.

Also, I’d like to give Alexandra Bracken a thousand brownie points for her writing. It’s not overly flower-y, but it’s also not straightforward. It’s simple, yet there are a few lines here and there that just take your breath away. It’s everything I love, all typed up into a single word. And it’s so brilliant.

The ending is totally cruel, but I knew it was going to happen—it’s exactly the sort of thing you expect from someone with Ruby’s type of power. And speaking of powers, or abilities, can I say I loved them? I especially loved how they categorized it: Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, and Green. I want to know what Reds can do, but it has to be something very, very powerful since they are the ones at the top. I hope it’s something we learn in the sequel.

And honestly, I just adored The Darkest Minds. I adored Chubs, Liam, and Zu—and I loved the world building. I keep repeating that The Darkest Minds is “brilliant,” but it’s honestly the only word that can describe it. Simply put, The Darkest Minds is a very, very brilliant novel that I hope everyone loves.

I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via netgalley.

review: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

At nearly 500 pages, Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger seems like it’d be a slow read, one to take your time with and really think about the story. But in reality, it’s actually a fast-paced read, starting with a bang and ending with a lot of questions. After reading the jacket copy, I thought by the end, we would know what Sophie’s mind held and why she was put into the human world. But in reality, we only learn about the organization who put her into the human world, and what part of her mind holds—not all of it. And I really want to know why Sophie’s so special!

Sophie, when we first meet her, is incredibly smart. And that really didn’t bother me, but her parents DID bother me. I don’t know why they didn’t want the spotlight on her, and it really isn’t explained why. But I absolutely hated that Sophie wasn’t good at alchemy (hm, seems to be like Harry and Potions…) and it made me want to tear my hair out that her Mentor in alchemy was so set on failing her prodigies. I do not understand WHY teachers do that. What’s the point? To me it makes the teacher seem like a failure because s/he isn’t doing his job well enough that her/his students are retaining the knowledge and passing the class.

As for the world: I want to know more about it. She has such trouble with alchemy because the rules of chemistry she knows are “wrong.” Why are they wrong? Because the world is different? Or because humans are just so stupid that they don’t understand chemistry like the elves do? They have this air about them, the elves, towards humans that is very condescending because the humans broke the treaty. Why? When? GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION. I want to know how this world works, especially since it’s so “different” from ours.

When Sophie moves to the Lost Cities, she gets guardians, who run a sanctuary for animals . . . that are extinct in our world. So there’s dinosaurs, wholly mammoths, etc. Which is cool, because wouldn’t you love to see dinosaurs? I would! Except these dinosaurs are way different than what we know of and Grady and Edaline, Sophie’s guardians, train them to be vegetarians so they don’t hurt one another. Okay . . . that. Um. Okay. Don’t you realize that animals aren’t like humans, and if they’re carnivorous, they don’t have molars to eat plants? They have teeth to rip apart meat. So training carnivores to be vegetarians (and getting rid of their urges to destroy one another), you are going to starve them because they don’t have the teeth to eat vegetables. Plus, all animals are here for a reason. Like if we have a low wolf population, the elk population goes up, which means there are more animals eating the grass, which could lead to elk starving because there isn’t enough feed for them. So having an equal balance of wolves and elk protects the ecosystem. There is a REASON why animals are carnivores and you can’t change that because you don’t want them to hurt one another. (I mean, there’s also a reason why animals are extinct, but that’s another rant for another day…)

There were also a few times were the middle grade voice felt a little too simple, and Keeper of the Lost Cities seems like it would appeal more to elementary-aged children (like second grade) than upper middle school children. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but again, Keeper of the Lost Cities is nearly 500 pages long. What eight-year-old would want to read 500 pages? I barely want to read 500 pages but that’s mostly because my time is limited and I am a lazy person.

But the story is enchanting, even if it doesn’t give us all the answers to all the questions, and the characters are very, very real. Also I’m not sure about Keefe. Does he have a crush on Sophie, because if so, ew. While I like him as a character, I’m just not so sure about his intentions towards Sophie. Then there’s Fitz, who Sophie has a crush on.

The characters are very real, even if they are just elves. Shannon Messenger has really captured their story in Keeper of the Lost Cities and I really am excited for the second book. I hope it has more answers than this one, and explains the world a little bit more.

I received a copy of this book from Stephie. She bought it for me because she loves me I won a contest from her. 

review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

REVIEW:

I’ve read reviews, heard people rave about Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, which is why I bought back in April—but I never got around to reading it until I was going home for Thanksgiving and saw the audiobook sitting on the shelf at the library. I was intrigued by Girl of Fire and Thorns, so I thought it’d be the perfect way to read it—through audio and leave my hardcopy at my home.

Boy was I wrong.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is 12.5 hours on audio; I drove four hours the first day and was so hooked that I was beating myself up for not bringing the hardcopy with me because I HAD to know what was going on. I drove around my little town just so I could figure out what the crack was going to happen.

A few days later, I drove back home and as soon as I got into my room, I launched under my desk (because that’s where my books are held) and dragged out The Girl of Fire and Thorns and began reading.

I think The Girl of Fire and Thorns is perfect to listen to; since it has such a huge Latin influence in its world, it’s nice to hear how the words are pronounced (if you don’t know Latin/Spanish) so when you go to the physical copy you know how to say them, and really be immersed in the world. The world is one of my favorite parts of this one; it’s so magical and real all at the same time; when they’re in the desert, I thought I was in the desert, too. I could picture Elisa’s world and I absolutely love when that happens.

I also love Elisa and her transformation. I love how, in the beginning, she’s insecure, but by the end she’s this badass warrior. It was a fantastic character growth and I just. GAH. I love it.

The main focus of The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson is the war brewing between the Invierne and Elisa’s people. But I also love that Elisa falls in love and that the romance doesn’t overtake the focus of the novel.

Rae Carson also isn’t afraid to push her characters to their very limits and I always love it when that happens but oh my god, so many deaths, so many . . . I am TERRIFIED for Elisa because I’m sure Carson isn’t afraid to push her until she’s a broken character lying in the sand of the desert. I’m equal parts terrified and excited for The Crown of Embers, book two in the trilogy. The ending for The Girl of Fire and Thorns is satisfying (yay), yet still leaves you wanting for the second installment.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, along with The Crown of Embers, are both out now from Greenwillow, an imprint of HarperCollins. I bought a copy of The Girl of Fire and Thorns and got the audiobook from the library.

review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

REVIEW:

Prepare to be enchanted. Laini Taylor’s Days of Blood and Starlight is one of the best written sequels I’ve read, and one of the best supernatural war novels ever.

Days of Blood and Starlight has a different feel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone; Days is slower, grimmer, darker. It took me awhile to get hooked, and in fact, most of the action didn’t happen until after I read half of it—then I had problems setting it down and not thinking about it. But I was still captured by Taylor’s gorgeous prose, and by the monsters and story she weaved. I loved that Zuzana got to tell her side of the story, because Zuze is one of the best friends in YA fantasy that is, dare I say, amazing? With her humor and wit, I would love to be Zuze’s best friend. And I love, love, love that she knows the truth about Karou—there are so many best friends kept in the dark and their friendship is ruined that it’s a nice change.

“Please tell me you have to pee.”
“What? No. No, I do not. Don’t even ask.”
“Oh, come on. I’d do it myself if I could, but I can’t. I’m a girl.”
“I know. Life is so unfair. I’m still not going to pee on Karou’s ex-boyfriend for you.”
“What? I wasn’t even going to ask you to.” In her most reasonable tone, Zuzana explained, “I just want you to pee in a balloon so I can drop it on him.”
“Oh.” Mik pretended to consider this for approximately one and a half seconds. “No.”

- p. 1 (kindle)

Then there’s poor, sweet Akiva. The one fighting for hope, the one fighting for Karou. Even after knowing what he’s done, I still have so many feelings for Akiva—and I still, desperately, want to hug him because of all the angst leaking onto the page during his scenes.

And with the beginning, you can’t help but think: is Karou dead? Told in chapters alternating between Zuzana and Akiva, we still don’t know what happened to Karou, with Zuze sending her emails, and Akiva trying to find her. There was so much hope and devastation in those chapters that when Karou finally responds to Zuze, I swear my own heart exploded.

What I loved most about Days of Blood and Starlight was the characters. (As you can tell.) Laini Taylor has a way of creating these brilliant characters that stick around, almost like she’s resurrecting them and putting them into paper form. I also absolutely loved getting to know more about the world between seraph and chimaera, and the war brewing between them. I loved the setting—it was so rich, and bright.

For those who fell in love with Daughter of Smoke and Bone and are afraid to read Days of Blood and Starlight, don’t be.  Laini Taylor has taken our expectations and has exceeded them—I can’t wait for what she does with book three.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor is out now. I received a digital copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

book haul: Indiscretion of the Snow Child at Splendid Academy

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin: thanks to Nikki Loftin!
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey: bought
Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans: thanks to Simon & Schuster
The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban: thanks to Knopf!
Indiscretion by Charles Dubow: thanks to HarperCollins!

I know it's been awhile since I've been active, but this semester has seriously been kicking my trash. I thought last semester was the semester from hell--I WAS WRONG. You guys, I was so wrong. But I plan on posting at least once a week for the rest of December and 2013. Even though next semester might be tougher since I AM completing one of my degrees and will still be a legal student . . . but it's the plan! and that counts, right?

So tell me: what have I missed?

The Epic Giving Thanks Scavenger Hunt Post: A Gust Post by author Julie Cross + giveaway

I’m so excited to blog this Thanksgiving week about all things book related that I’m thankful for. I’ve decided to just list some of my top items because I LOVE writing lists.

1)      Copyeditors: they’ve saved me from looking like an idiot

2)      Media mail: I can send a Tempest hard cover anywhere in the USA for $2.47

3)      Fifty Shades of Grey: For being a gateway drug into the world of fast-paced, page-turning, commercial stories. For turning the public eye away from the computer and television and onto stacks and stacks of books.

4)      Fifty Shades of Grey readers: I just know Tempest is going to end up on their TBR list eventually.

5)      Teenagers who throw tantrums in Barnes and Noble: I saw you. Yes you. And I saw Dad give in and buy you 3 new YA books instead of 1 even though he just got you new clothes at the mall. Keep up the good work.

6)      ARCs: still one of the most amazing discoveries I’ve made since becoming a publishing insider. Who doesn’t want to get an awesome book BEFORE release date?

7)      The Fault In Our Stars: a story that will live in our hearts for years to come.

8)      The librarians at YALSA YA Lit Symposium: Their passion for books and spreading the word reminds me who I’m really working for.

9)      My Editor, Brendan Deneen:  He is relentlessly and unconditionally there for me in all phases of my writing career. And shockingly not sick of me yet.

10)  Agents like Kristin Nelson: Proof that business and love of books can go hand-in-hand.

11)  Fan emails: I love all of them. From the upbeat polite ones to the borderline threatening ones telling me Jackson and Holly MUST end up together or the world might end.

12)  Readers too shy to email: I love that you’re out there even if we haven’t met. But please do email me anytime.

13)  Rick Riordan: For writing books that cause my 12 year old son not only to step away from the computer and Wii to read, but also to start looking up release dates and dragging me to the store to buy the next installment.

14)  My Childhood Favorite Books: Little Women, Number The Stars, anything by Judy Blume and Roald Dahl, The Babysitter’s Club series.

15)  The Perfect 10, My teen panel: They’ve given me a direct connection to the people who read the type of books that I hope to keep to writing forever and ever.

16)  Authors Who Are Clearly Better Writers Than I am: They push me to work harder.

17)  Amazing and Kind Authors I’ve Met: John Green, David Levithan, Erica O’Rouke, Simon Elkeles, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan, Megan Miranda, Antony John, Stephanie Perkins (okay there’s a whole lot more but I won’t list them all here because it feels like name dropping)

18)  The Phrase, Chapter One: Because reading or writing, we all start in the same place.

19)  All The Fans of Tempest and YA books: You are the reason I have the opportunity to write this post today.

20)  The Power of Fiction: It’s changed me, shaped me, and made me a better person. Even if it isn’t real.

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About Julie Cross: 

I live in central Illinois with my wonderful husband and three kids currently between the ages of 7 and 12 (the kids not the husband). My writing journey began in May, 2009 with a short story in a notebook.

Within a year, I had written seven (some good some God-awful) young adult novels. Not being a college graduate and having spent the previous fifteen years teaching gymnastics and working as a YMCA Program Director for Recreational Gymnastics, professional writing wasn't in my plans. Not even close. But ever since the day I started that short story, I haven't been able to stop. It was love at first sight.

After about a year of writing, I had a three book deal with St. Martin's Press, and a film option with Summit Entertainment. Crazy, right? I know. It wasn't until August of 2011 that I quit working full time in order to be at home with my kids more and of course, write more. My young adult time travel debut novel, Tempest, released on January 17, 2012. The rest of my personal story remains unwritten. 

cover reveal: Betrayals in Spring by Trisha Leigh

I've reviewed WHISPERS IN AUTUMN and freaking loved it.
I revealed the cover for WINTER OMENS, saying it was "SO, SO gorgeous."
Now, are you ready to see the third book's cover in this AMAZING series? (I have only read a little bit, but let me tell you, it's good. This series is kickass amazing.)

UM. YEAH. I'll just leave that there.

And want to know what BETRAYALS IN SPRING is about? Head on over to Trisha's blog then!

Vlog Tour: The Lies That Bind + Giveaway #3

Welcome to the The Lies That Bind vlog tour! I freaking LOVED The Liar Society last year and can't wait, WAIT, WAIT to read the sequel. And lucky for you guys, you have a shot of winning a fantastic prize pack just by watching the vlog and filling out the form! But first, what the books are about:

Since when do the dead send emails?

Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here... sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...

 Just when Kate Lowry thought she had life at elite private school Pemberly Brown figured out, she cracks open a fortune cookie to find a message from her best friend Grace--who's supposed to be dead.

Another Sister Gone

A classmate has gone missing, and Kate soon realizes that the disappearance is tied to the secret societies that rule her private school. Her best friend died for their secrets, and there's no way she'll let them get away with it twice. It's up to quirky outsider Kate to get some answers, but in a school where every answer leads to more questions and nothing's as it seems, who can she trust?

Coming from Sourcebooks Fire, November 6! 

Week 3— Road Tripping across the USA!!: Lisa & Laura are heading out on Get Real: Contemps on Tour in November – it will be epic!! But packing is a pain.  What do you think of their outfits for New York, California, and Virginia?  Tweet us your fashion dos & don’ts #lie2mefashion

And if you missed Week 1, just click here. Week 2 is here.


Now do you want to win this EPIC prize pack? Just fill out the rafflecopter form!

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