Splat the Cat What Was That? by Rob Scotton

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Title: Splat the Cat What Was That?

Author: Rob Scotton

Length: Approx. 14 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books/HarperFestival

Classification: Children's Book, Halloween

Release Date: July 2013

Source: paperback 

GoodReads
Amazon
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Splat the Cat and his friends have a Halloween adventure in Splat the Cat: What Was That?, a  lift-the-flap book by Rob Scotton, creator of the beloved Russell the Sheep. Halloween should be a black cat’s favorite holiday, but Spat the Cat is nervous about visiting a creepy haunted house. He’s worried it will be too scary. Splat’s friend Spike tells Splat not to be a scaredy-cat—the haunted house is just for fun! Splat and Spike’s visit to the haunted house turns into a rescue mission when Splat’s pet mouse, Seymour, gets lost inside.Kids will relate to Splat’s apprehension about visiting a haunted house and they’ll enjoy the exciting surprises under every flap in the funny, spooky book. (From GoodReads)

Cutie Pie’s Rating:

What is this book about?

About Splat and Spike hearing weird noises in the spooky old house.

What was your favorite part of the story?

When they found Seymour. 

Why did you like it?
Because they were kinda like investigators finding Seymour.

Is there anything you didn't like about this book?

It was all good.

Do you like the illustrations?

Yes, a lot. I think the flaps were cool.

Who do you think will like this book?
Everyone that likes Splat the Cat.

My Rating:

Splat, Spike, and Seymour are treat or treating and there is only one house left. A big spooky house. Splat is hesitant to go in (with good reason, it is a big spooky haunted house!) But Seymour doesn't stay to hear what Splat thinks about the house, he runs inside.
Splat and Spike decide they need to go and find Seymour so they go into the old spooky house too.
Not long after entering the spooky house they hear noises. But instead of running away from the spooky noises, they continue on their search for Seymour.
They find the type of stuff that one would think they would find in a haunted house. Creepy paintings, something that looks like a witch (but isn't), possible ghosts, spider, and eyes in the dark that are really vampire ducks (my kids thought that was really funny). They find the source of the noises that they hear and they eventually find Seymour.

I think that this is a fun and cute story.
I like that this book isn't really scary. Which I think is good, there were a couple parts that my little one thought were a little spooky but she wasn't scared.
The recommended age range is 4 to 8 years old.
My almost 4 year old loved the story. She really got into wanting to find out what was behind the flaps and what would happen next. Cutie Pie (almost 8) enjoyed the story a lot, but I don't think she got into it as much as my younger one did. So I think that this is a good age range.

My Recommendation:
I think this is a fun (not really scary) Halloween story that younger kids will probably enjoy. Especially if they already love Splat the Cat!

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

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Title: Tiger Lily

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson

Length: 292 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Retelling, Fantasy

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Source: e-book (purchased)

Read: June 2014

GoodReads

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . . Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell. Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart. (From GoodReads)

My Rating:

I just LOVE this cover. It is so pretty.

I really enjoyed reading this Peter Pan Retelling. I wasn't really sure what all to expect before I started reading this one, other than seeing several book bloggers tweet and post about how awesome this book is.

I haven't read Peter Pan and my knowledge is comprised from watching Disney's animated movie. I haven't seen any of the other movies.

And I didn't know much about Tiger Lily as a character. And I found it very interesting that this story was a retelling based mostly on Tiger Lily's side of the story rather than reading more about Wendy Darling's side.

The Story:

I found the story itself to be very entertaining and engaging. I became really wrapped up in what I was reading and had a hard time putting the book down.

I found this to be a darker side to the way that I thought the tale of Peter Pan was. This book had some happy moments, but there were also some heartbreaking and sad moments that clenched my heart. I think that it was beautifully written.

I really liked how the author had a lot of the familiar Peter Pan characters in this retelling. I felt they were very well developed and I liked finding out more about these characters. I found that the author did a wonderful job creating back stories that were full of depth and interesting information.

The Characters:

I thought the characters were amazing. I was completely fascinated by the characters and their lives. I couldn't wait to see what happened to them and how they would handle the situations that came.

I loved that the story is told from Tinker Bell's perspective. It made the story feel even more unique and interesting to me. And I loved that it helped me as a reader experience parts of the story that I probably wouldn't have been able to if it was told from Tiger Lily's point of view.
I also loved knowing Tinker Belle's reactions and emotions towards things that happened and the different characters that made appearances in this book.

My Recommendation:

I think anyone that likes to read Retellings or is a fan of Peter Pan should read this book. It is a beautifully written retelling that grabbed my heart (squeezed it some) yet left me satisfied at the end. I highly recommend it!

Panic by Lauren Oliver

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Title: Panic

Author: Lauren Oliver

Length: 408 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Source: ARC (ARC Tour hosted by On The Same Page)

Read: April 2014

GoodReads

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.
Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most. (From GoodReads)

First I want to thank Brittany, Alyssa, and Amy (On The Same Page) for hosting the ARC tour. It is fun to get to borrow a book that I am interested in reading.

My Rating:

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was full of action and suspense. I was really interested in knowing what happens next and what the next part of the game would entail.

After finishing, my first thought was "I am not really sure how I feel."

But upon reflection, I decided that I liked the book.

The Story:
I found the story to be interesting and engrossing. I didn't want to stop reading. It took me a few days to read it, but it was mostly due to having other things going on at the same time. If I wouldn't have been so busy, I would have probably read this book in a day.

I love Lauren Oliver's writing. Everything flows nicely and I find that it was quick-paced. There were some twists and surprises that I didn't see coming that made the story hard to put down. There were also a couple things that I did guess and see coming, but it didn't take away from me enjoying the story.

 At first, I personally felt that some of the challenges were a little far-fetched. I do not doubt that a game such as Panic would come about or exist. I have lived and been to small towns and I know there can be limitations on finding fun things to go out and do. But I found a couple of the challenges to be INTENSE. And I kept thinking to myself, "They wouldn't really do something like this, would they?"
And after thinking about it, I think, "Yes. It could happen." There are so many horrible things that happen in our world that I wouldn't ever have thought would happen. So I think that the challenges could be possible. At least that is how I feel.

The Characters:
Oliver does a great job creating characters that have flaws. I feel that these characters were well developed.
I liked that there were things about them that bugged me, it made the characters well rounded and more realistic.
I also liked that the main characters were each going through their own individual challenges.
This story is told from two point of views: Heather and Dodge. (Which I really enjoyed.)

Heather: She has several challenges in her life and struggles to overcome. Of all the characters I liked her the most. I especially loved how much she cares for her sister. And how she will do whatever she can to try and protect her. Heather makes some mistakes, but overall, I think she tries really hard to make a better life for her sister and herself. There were several times throughout the story, that I felt bad for what was happening in her life, and hoped that things would get better. And I like that she tries to overcome what is happening.
Dodge: Dark and a little creepy. I kept going back and forth between liking him and not liking him. He also has a lot to deal with in his life. As well as dealing with all the anger that he feels. I was interested in seeing how far he would go. And hoping that he would make the right decision in the end.
Bishop: His character frustrated me. A lot of times I would think I know what is happening with him, then things would shift. I do like that he cares about Heather.
Natalie: I also had  like/dislike feelings for this character. There were times that I felt really sad for her character though. She also has issues that she is dealing with. And I liked the friendship between her and Heather. I felt that it was realistic, because they care about and support each other, but they also had moments when they disagree and fight.

My Recommendation:

I recommend reading this book. You may like it.
I found that the book really hooked me and made me curious to find out what would happen. Some of the challenges were intense.

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Title: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Length: 416 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: e-book (purchased)

Read: March 2014

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.” With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her. (From GoodReads)

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***


My Rating:

(It is between a 4 and a 4.5 so I rounded up.)

1.  I enjoyed reading the book.
2.  I read it quickly: I started and finished this book in 1 night.
3.  There were some surprises that I didn't see coming.
4. The ending felt rushed.

I am not disappointed that I read, but this is not an absolute favorite series. 
Would I read the entire series again someday? Probably. 
But I was not left with an "OMG! I love this series so, so, so, much!" feeling. But I do really like it, and enjoyed reading the trilogy. (And I will probably look into reading the novellas sometime in the future.)

The Story:

Overall, I think the story went along nicely. It pretty much picks up where Unravel Me left off. I felt that this book was face-paced and it kept me really interested in what was going to happy next. 

And oh boy, steamy. Just. Wow. I think that chapter was one of the steamiest scenes I have read in YA. 

But for me, the ending felt rushed. I was expecting this big EPIC finale. But instead we had the build up then the fight was over before I realized. And I was left thinking "That's it?" 

What happens next?

What happens to the characters?

I was left wanting more. 

Which left me a little disappointed. 

Not enough to hate the book or anything, but I wanted some more answers. And I wanted more of a big epic battle at the end.

So either I have to choose in my head the answers to these questions....or maybe Mafi decided to leave it a little unresolved in case she decides to visit the world again in the future. (I doubt this, but never say never...right?)

The Characters:

Juliette: I personally liked her character development. I finally felt like she went from this scared little girl to someone that can stand up for herself. She has become fierce and is on her way to being a leader. She has become more likable (at least for me) and more independent. And I love that she seems to be feeling more at ease with her power. 

Warner: I found Warner's character to be likable in this book. I was pretty surprised that I ended up liking his character as much as I do. I almost feel like I went from  absolute hate, to heart-thawing hate, to liking him in the span of the trilogy. I like how his character developed and shifted. I liked being able to see him in a different light. Maybe it was because Juliette knew more about him as the series moved on so her eyes opened up more to see his true self. I just know that I no longer hate Warner. 

Adam: I don't hate Adam. Not in the least bit. But I also didn't really like him in this book. Continuing on from Unravel Me, Adam just has more hate and bitterness wrapped up in him. Yeah, he has been through a lot. And I understand being mad and frustrated, but goodness, I really hated a lot of the things that he does in this book. And I especially did not like his attitude. He almost feels like a completely different person. Maybe this is the character he was always meant to be, but I was hoping that it was just a rough patch and he could get back to his old self eventually.

Kenji: Oh. My. Goodness. I think it is safe for me to say, I really do think that Kenji is my favorite from this series. He is funny and strong. I just want to hug and hang out with him myself. And I just adore his friendship with Juliette. And I LOVE that is just a simple boy/girl friendship without ANY form of romantic entanglements. 

My Recommendation:

If you liked the other two books, then you would probably like this one too. I feel there was character development, action, romance (steamy), and some resolution. But for me I was left with some desire to know more of what would happen next.

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Title: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Length: 480 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Source: e-book (purchased)
Read: March 2014

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Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life. (From Goodreads)

My Rating:

I had a really hard time rating this book. I kept going back and forth between 4 stars and 4.5 stars. But ultimately I am giving it 4.5 because I read the book quickly and overall enjoyed reading it.

*I do want it to be noted that I have not read either of the novellas for this series.*

***This is the second book in a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the first book, so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***

I definitely enjoyed reading Shatter Me more. But this book did leave me wanting more. Needing to know what else happens and I immediately started reading Ignite Me upon finishing this one.

I found Juliette to be a little annoying in this book. I don't know why exactly but she bugged me a little. Maybe it was on purpose to give her character a change to grow and change. But she bugged me. I felt that she couldn't make up her mind about what she wanted (yeah, I realize she is a teenager and I as an adult have difficulty making decisions) but for some reason, this time it annoyed me a little bit.
I felt most of the book she spent focusing on Adam, and crying about Adam. But then Warner shows up and it felt like she almost completely forgot about Adam, and what else was going on. She focused more on Warner.

I did find the stuff that was going on with Adam to be interesting. And I was really wanting to know the details and what was happening. I needed to know what was going on with him.

But I didn't really like that his character changed a lot. I felt like he went from being this sweet, loving guy to someone that was kinda mean.

Something that I REALLY loved in this story was more Kenji. I really like his character, and I am glad that we see more Kenji in this book. I also that we see more development with his character and the beginning of a friendship between Juliette and Kenji.

And yes. My fierce HATE for Warner did fade during this book. In fact this is what I posted on Twitter right after finishing the book:

But at the end of Unravel Me I am still #TeamAdam. (At least I think so, but I am not 100% sure like I used to be...)

Unravel Me is a lot like Shatter Me with the writing style. And I know there are people that do not enjoy reading Mafi's purple prose and the use of strike through. But most of the time it doesn't bother me. I quite enjoyed reading a writing style that is different from what I usually read. (It can be good to mix it up.)

I did feel that the beginning of the book 2 is a little slower. And there isn't a lot of action at the beginning. But there were some surprises and shocks that I didn't see coming. And the action picks up.

If you enjoyed reading Shatter Me then I recommend continuing the story. And don't stop if you think the beginning is moving a little slow, it does pick up. And by the end I couldn't wait to start Ignite Me.

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

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Title: Into the Still Blue

Author: Veronica Rossi

Length: 400 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Source: E-book (purchased)

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do—and they are just as determined to stay together.

Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival—he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most. (From Amazon)

My Rating:

**This is the final installment in a trilogy, so this review will involve things that happened in the previous two books, if you haven't read them, then you should stop reading here.**

I hope I will be able to find the words to describe how much I LOVE this book. I think as a book lover, sometimes endings to trilogies and series can leave me unsatisfied. Sometimes it is just because I didn't care for the way that the book ended. Sometimes the main character doesn't end up with the person you want them to. And sometimes you just find the ending abrupt, leaving you with more questions then answers.

I did not feel that way with this book. I did feel like the ending came too soon, not because it was abrupt, but more because I was not ready to leave this world. I wanted more Aria, Perry and Roar. I don't want their story to be over.

And I think that my sadness about the story being over just further proves how much I love this series.

But I accept that it is time for the series to end, and I am glad that I liked the ending.

I think Veronica Rossi is an AMAZING writer! Seriously she is wonderful. For me her writing flows so smoothly that I don't even realize how far I am into the book until I stop and look. Then I usually freak out, thinking "NO!!! It is going to end soon. I want more!"

The Characters:
I love all these characters. They are all so well written!

She created wonderful relationships. Not just lovey-dovey relationships. But also some of the strongest friendships that I have ever read.

And I feel she shows all the sides. The tough times and the best times. Friends fight. Friends can become jealous of one another and even jealous of their other friends' relationship/friendship. But more importantly friends can overcome these obstacles and flourish.

In this book, Perry and Roar's friendship is strained. And Roar is in a bad place all together. I feel so heartbroken for him. Perry and Aria's relationship has some pressure on it too. Perry is upset for what happened in Through the Ever Night. And I also thought that Perry is a bit upset over the really close friendship that Aria and Roar have.

Aria and Roar.. Their friendship is amazing. I LOVE IT! And when I read the first book, Under the Never Sky, I was a little concerned. I was worried that there was going to be a love triangle between Aria, Roar and Perry. And part of me did want there to be...because I really love Roar. But I am glad that there isn't.
Which means I can have Roar, right?

We get to see Perry and Aria work through their relationship and fix things that might have been strained from when Aria took off with Roar without telling Perry.


The Story:
I loved the story. I thought it was an amazing continuation of a story that I have come to really love. The main characters are trying to find a better place to live. They encounter issues and problems along the way. And I loved getting to read about these situations.

I found this book to be full of some surprises that I didn't see coming. There were a few that I was able to guess about, but I didn't think that it took away from the book.

We get to "watch" our loved characters overcome struggles. Aria is struggling with an injury, Perry is struggling with doing what is best for his people, and Roar is struggling with Olivia's death.

I do think there were times where the writing brought some tears to my eyes.

But overall, I am satisfied with the ending. (I do wish that it didn't have to end, but I know that it had to.)

This is easily one of my favorite series, and I am so glad that I read this series. And I will read anything else Veronica Rossi writes because I love her writing and think she is amazing.

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

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Title: The Madman’s Daughter

Author: Megan Shepherd

Length: 437 pages

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins Publishers)

Classification: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction

Release Date: January 29, 2013

My Rating: 

I bought this book because I had read somewhere that it was a good book and it was on sale for the Kindle for $1.99. So I thought why not. And I am glad that I did!

I didn't know anything about the book going in and I didn't even realize that it was inspired by H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau until I looked at the blurb on Amazon  after reading most of the story. I have never read The Island of Dr. Moreaubut I am interested in reading it one day. 

I think that this book is: An interesting gruesome page turning mystery with a strong female lead.

I enjoyed reading this book. It kept my interest and I read it rather quickly and I had a hard time putting it down.

I am not a HUGE horror fan (I get scared pretty easily which I am embarrassed about…) but I didn't really feel like it was that scary, at least for me. There were a couple parts that made my heart race. 

The author did a wonderful job with making parts of the story gruesome, vivid, and disturbing. It was definitely a page turner for me.

And there were a few parts where I thought I knew what is going to happen. I think the mystery was set up pretty well. A couple things I saw coming and there were parts that I didn't completely guess correctly. 

I LOVED Juliet's character. I felt that she was well written and very interesting.

Spoilers ahead. If you haven't read the book you should stop reading here.
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I like how she was able to stand up for herself several times throughout the book. Like near the beginning when the creepy professor was trying to hit on her and grab her, she was able to protect herself. No one had to come and save her.
I also like that she stood up to Montgomery and had him take her along to the island.

I liked Montgomery. Well...I guess I had a little bit of a love/hate relationship with him...
Overall, I liked him.
And yeah, I understood why he went with the Dr. to the island and is his assistant. But still...
And I did "see that coming" but yet, I was still a little shocked about it.

Then on the ship we meet Edward.
I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew at the beginning that there was something off or different about him, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

And I did consider Edward to be suspicious since he kept running off and disappearing for periods of time.

And I thought it was a bit weird how her father kept trying to push her to Edward. But I chalked it up to him just not wanting her to end up with Montgomery.

In this little LOVE TRIANGLE between the three of them, most of the story I wanted her to end up with Montgomery. Although, this isn't really a romance story.
I was a little shocked to find out why Montgomery cared about Alice so much.

And there was a time where I considered Balthazar to be the evil creature. And I also considered the possibility of it being the little boy.

The very ending surprised me. The fact that Montgomery did not leave the island with her.

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END OF SPOILERS

The ending tugged at my heartstrings and I cannot wait until Ms. Shepherd's next book in the series, Her Dark Curiosity is released later next week.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Length: 357 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian        

Release Date: November 15, 2011





My Rating: 





I really enjoyed reading this story. It was a slow start for me because of all of the repetition. And even though I re-read books a lot, I don't like a lot of repetition so close together. But I continued reading and I am GLAD I did.

I found this book to be really interesting.

Type of Dystopian. LOVE

Type of Superpower. LOVE

I love superpowers. I love SUPERHEROES! I love X-men.
(I did think of X-men a lot while reading this story.)

(In fact the story that I have been writing is a type of dystopian that has some individuals with superpowers. Seriously, I love X-men. Stan Lee is amazing.)

I read this book rather quickly and there were times when I didn't want to put the book down.

I like Juliette. She is struggling with the power that she does not want. And I liked the flashbacks where we learned more about her and her childhood.

I also really liked Adam. He is one of her love interests.

There is a bit of a love triangle of sorts. Although she isn't really interested in the other guy. At least that is the impression I got...


***SPOILERS AHEAD. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW DETAILS FROM THE STORY THAT COULD RUIN IT IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW***
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I also enjoyed reading about their history together. How their childhoods were linked and they both knew each other.

I also found it interesting that he was able to touch her without anything happening. I am looking forward to learning more about Adam to find out how it is possible and if there is something special with him as well.


My heart broke for Juliette when we find out what happened in the past that made her to into the institution place. As well as the test that Warner had set up for her. Which brought the past bubbling up for her.

Then Adam and Juliette escape together. Which was awesome. And of course they were going to get caught.
But I was really surprised to find that Adam has a little brother.

I thought James is adorable. And I LOVE the relationship that James and Adam share.

I do keep wondering how Warner and his men found them so quickly. Adam chalks it up to someone being bribed, but I am wondering if that is all there is to it.

Kenji shows up and Adam takes care of him, but also doesn't trust him, since he was a soldier under Warner too and just magically shows up at Adam's safe house.

Not long after Kenji shows up, they come for them. So our beloved characters run for their lives.

Warner catches Juliette and they talk. Warner admits to Juliette that he knows the truth and knows that he can touch her also without getting hurt.

Which makes me wonder what is "special" about Warner.

Juliette defends herself and shoots Warner and runs away to find Adam.

I loved that she was able to save Adam.

Then after stealing a car they find Kenji and James again. Kenji takes them someplace special where they will be safe.

I find this Safe Place to be interesting. It is basically a whole compound of people that have abilities and their families and probably supporters. They are the rebels/resistance that are trying to fight the Reestablishment.

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I am looking forward to reading the other two books of this series.
Book 2: Unravel Me
Book 3: Ignite Me (Released February 4, 2014)

I am glad that I decided to buy this series.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

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Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Length: 389 pages

Publisher: Harper Collins

Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Release Date: January 3, 2012

My Rating: 

I LOVED this book!

I have found a new series to add to my Favorite Series list!

I am so excited over how much I loved this book. I had been putting off reading it because I knew that I would end up liking it enough to want to buy the next books...then the second book went on sale and I bought it so, I gave in and decided to read it.

I am glad and sad that I did. Glad because YAY! I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Sad because...I HAVE TO WAIT TO READ #3.

I HATE having to wait a long time to read books, especially when I am addicted to the story.

This book is read through two different perspectives. We have Aria. She is what is labeled as a Dweller, she lives on the inside of the pod where it is safe. Then we have Peregrine aka Perry. He is labeled as a Savage, he lives on the outside where life is dangerous.

I think this story is really well written and I love the characters. 

I felt that the first few chapters were intense. It definitely hooked me into reading it. I couldn't put this story down, in fact I read it in one night...staying up WAY too late to finish it.

*** SPOILERS

AHEAD.

STOP 

READING

IF

YOU

DON'T

WANT

TO

KNOW

WHAT 

HAPPENS!

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The story begins we find Aria with a group of friends, including her best friend Paisley breaking into a restricted area. Aria is doing it to try and get some information about her mother from one of the boys that is breaking in.

I like the Smarteyes. I think they are neat and I find them being able to go to Realms to experience things without danger or getting hurt to be interesting. 

Inside of the pod no one is supposed to ever get sick or hurt. 

But the place they are breaking into has been damaged by a storm, and in there they are able to experience things for real.

The one boy, Soren, decides that he wants to create a real fire. Which is very dangerous. He finds out that Aria pretty much only came to get information from him which makes him mad.

After starting the fire which starts spreading through the OFF LIMITS Agriculture room, Aria and Paisley try to run to get away.

Soren and his friends chase them. And Soren ends up attacking Aria.

(That is the part that was intense for me. Him attacking her.)

But luckily for Aria she was able to record part of the event and an Outsider saved her from Soren and then saved her from the fire.

When Aria wakes up she is in a medical type room being helped. She then has to report to the Director of Security about the issue. He is also Soren's father.

He basically tells her that once she tells him her side of the story she will be released and will be reunited with her mother.

*When I read that part, all I could think was "Yeah right." Obviously something bad is going to happen.*

And unfortunately for her that is true, instead of being reunited with her mother, she is dropped in the "Death Shop"which is the area outside of the pod. They are not supposed to be able to survive life on the outside.

Not long after being out dropped out there, due to a series of horrible events that happens in Perry's life. He finds her and tries to figure out a way to use her to get his nephew back.

Together they go across the land to figure out a way to get her Smarteye fixed (which he had ended up taking when he first saved her life on the inside).

I liked their relationship from the beginning. Them struggling with each other and trying how to use one another to benefit them. Perry wants to get it fixed to find a way to get his nephew Talon back and Aria wants it fixed to find her mother and a way to return to the pod.

Over time their "relationship" grows into a romance. Which I enjoyed.

I also enjoyed "meeting" Roar. 

Roar is Perry's best friend. He also loves Perry's sister Liv.

I love the relationship between Perry and Roar. And I loved watching a friendship bloom between Roar and Aria.

By the end of the story they are all allies and try to work together. 

I am a little worried about a possibility of a love triangle with Aria, Perry and Roar. I hope that I was just looking at it the wrong way. 

I was a bit shocked when we found out that she was half-outsider and I wonder who the father is. I don't really have that many guesses. But I had wondered if the father would be an important Sense guy in one of the other groups. I am really interested in seeing where this goes and finding out who her father is.

I was sad and disappointed when we found out that Aria's mother is dead at the end. And she gets caught and is now being blackmailed into helping Hess (the Director of Security). 

Perry believes that he has lost Aria to life in the pod and her mother so he leaves heartbroken. He returns back home to the Tides and ends up killing his brother to become the new Blood King. Which also made me sad. Not because his brother was dead (since I didn't like him) but because it was what Perry needed to do. And I feel that it would haunt him.

I found all the stuff about the Senses to be pretty interesting and cool. And I even find the Aether storms interesting.

I also like how we watch Aria transform from beginning of the story to the end. By the end she is alert and stronger and she can fight. 

END

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SPOILERS.

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I would recommend this book to anyone that likes dystopian books. 

I know that is is a book series that I will end up rereading. 

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

(source)

Title: Allegiant

Author: Veronica Roth

Length: 544 pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books-HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Release Date: October 22, 2013

My Review: 

Let me start by saying...Yes, I am sad over the ending. But it doesn't make me give this book only a 1 star review.

Allegiant just came out on October 22nd. And it has taken me a little while to work my way through the book. (A little while meaning: I did not start reading it as soon as I got it on my Kindle. I finished re-reading Insurgent first, then started it.) But I did finish reading it on October 23rd. So, it is not like it took me forever to read it. (It just took me forever to write my review)

Allegiant picks off pretty much right where Insurgent ends. Tris along with Christina and Cara are all arrested for their crime of going against what the faction leaders said to do. Tobias/Four is beside his mother.


***This review CONTAINS spoilers. 

So STOP reading 


if you do not want to know 


what happens 


in the book!***


We do get to see the point of view (pov) of Tobias/Four as well as Tris in this book. Which I thought was awesome. I really like the character Tobias/Four and I liked being able to see things in his perspective. But like other reviewers (at least on Amazon) have stated, there were a lot of instances where it was hard to remember whose pov I was reading because Tobias/Four and Tris were written pretty much the exact same. I would have to stop and look back at the chapter heading to find out which character I was reading. Which can be frustrating.

But we start the book being in the cell with the girls. Tobias does go down and visit Tris telling her to basically lie during the truth serum so they can all go free. From then on they pretend (at least in front of Evelyn) that they have broken up. Tobias is trying to get close to his mother so he can learn about her plans.

Tris is able to lie and the girls go free and are no longer considered to be traitors.

Pretty close to the beginning of the book, Roth kills off the first character. Edward dies during a demonstration that has gotten out of hand. Now...I do recognize that he is an important character, but his death didn't really effect me very much because, I still thought he was a bit of a jerk.

This is when Tris and Tobias decide they need to leave the city. A rebel group called the Allegiant talk Tris into meeting them to discuss a plan.

Surprisingly, (at least to me) the Allegiant is led by Cara and Johanna. I was pretty surprised. For some reason, I thought the leaders were going to be someone from outside of the city. But I was wrong. They then plan for some of the group to leave the city and see what is outside of the fence.

I was a little surprised when Tris wanted Tobias to save Caleb, only a little. I can understand why she did it. I have a brother. But I can't imagine how I would feel if he betrayed me in such a way that Caleb does to Tris. I mean, he basically signed and delivered her death certificate in my eyes. But I understand this is her road to forgiveness of what he did.

Then when they reach the fence, there are shots. And Tori gets killed. Tori getting killed didn't really upset me at first, I wasn't emotionally connected with this character. I felt a little sad, but by the end of the book, and when I first starting writing this review, I forgot that she got killed and was in this novel. (Whoops!) But then when we find out that her brother is alive, it made me more sad.

I was sad when Tobias starting talking with Nita and agreeing to meet up with her in secret. All I could keep thinking was NOOOOO! You can't do this. I LOVE Four and Tris together. This can't be happening....I knew if it did, I would have a hard time excepting it, because Four doesn't seem like the person that would cheat. Then I was worried this would be an attempt to create a love triangle.
I am so glad it didn't. He eventually tells Tris about these meetings and takes her with him.

We find out that everything within the fence is an experiment. And that it is not the only one that is being conducted. We also find out that Tobias/Four is "not" really Divergent.

I was upset over what happened to Uriah. I was really sad that he got hurt and went into a coma. I really had hopes that he would wake up. But he doesn't. He is pronounced brain dead. This death did make me sad, and I will admit it, I cried a little.

Let's skip ahead.....

Basically Tris decides that this department needs to be stopped. The department is planning on releasing a memory reset on everyone that is back in the fence. And our group has decided that cannot happen. So they form a plan with the help of Matthew to stop it from happening.

So at the end of the story, Tobias/Four goes back to inside the fence to try and stop the "war" between his parents. To also get Uriah's family to bring them back to the department so they can say their goodbyes to him before he gets pulled off life support. Christina goes so she can give the antidote to her family, so they won't lose their memories. Others go too, including Peter.

Peter has been acting weird in this book. I felt like he wasn't himself. And I also feel like he wasn't much of a main character. It is less than a month later, and I don't remember a whole lot about him from this story except for the fact that he has been with our group of friends and Caleb. And he wants to take the memory wiping drug and start all over.

As Tobias/Four is inside the fence fixing things. Tris, Cara, Matthew, and Caleb are trying to stop the department from sending the planes to release the memory reset drug.

This is where Tris decides that Caleb is volunteering to die out of selfish reasons, so she decides to do what needs to be done instead of him.

The room that contains the memory reset drug is protected by a serum that makes you die. And as we have witnessed in the other to books, Tris is immune to these serums. The only one that worked on her was the happy one, and that was because she let it. She has to stop the serums herself from working, otherwise they will work. So she takes a risk here because she is not certain that it will not kill her.

She survives the death serum. And is just able to release the memory reset drug as David shoots her. And her mother appears to her to take her away. She dies.
At this point of the story I started crying. I cried as I read the REST of the book. I didn't start bawling until I saw Tobias/Four's reaction to finding out that she is gone.

But Tris is successful and the people in the department has their memories reset. Except for the group, because they had the antidote that protected them from the serum.

Tobias/Four finding out about Tris dying was COMPLETELY HEARTBREAKING for me. These two have been one of my favorite story couples that I have read about. And a lot of that had to do with the fact that there was no love triangle. It was just Four and Tris. And I wanted them to be together. I wanted them to have a happy ending. Even Christina's reaction made me sad.

I do like that Christina and Four are able to mourn together. They both loved her in different ways. Tris and Christina were BFFs.

I was devastated. I even continued to cry after the book ended. I immediately went and got some chocolate.

There wasn't much that I did not like about this book, with the exception of Tris dying. But there were a few things besides what I have already touched on.

Another thing...am I the only person that felt like Cara had a thing for Tobias? Maybe she was just being a really good friend. But for some reason, I felt like she had feelings for him.

So....Why did I give it 3.5 stars?

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of the sacrifice that Tris does to wipe the memories of the department people, simply because I don't understand how this would cause the experiment to be left alone. Unless I am missing something or am wrong, the department is run by the government. There are several other experiments being conducted in other closed off cities. Then why would wiping the memories of the department keep anything from happening in the experiment city that Tobias, Tris, and everyone else is from? Wouldn't the government just send new people to the department to run things? I just don't know.

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I did not read any of the spoiler reviews before I started reading this book. I did look at how many stars people gave it on Amazon. And I was really worried about how much I would like the book since it had so many 1 stars.
But overall I did like the story.

And after reading Veronica Roth's further explanation about why she wrote the ending, really made me feel better. Better in the sense that it did help me understand and accept the ending of the series.


So...if you are like me, read the book, became depressed, and ate chocolate and you haven't read her blog entry about Allegiant, then I highly suggest you do!

Veronica Roth's blog entry can be found here.