April Reading List

April Reading List: Angels and Demons

Okay I have a problem focusing on books, or better said, trying to decide which ones to read.  I've developed system after system, but nothing ever seems right.  So, I've decided for this month to coincide my reading with a Goodreads Group, Never to Old For YA.  It seemed the simplest solution... and I was already kinda on track.  For April they have decided to read about two topics: Angels and Demons.   They have done all the work and I just picked some up from my library. 

So here's the list...
1. City of Glass
2. City of Fallen Angels
3. The Space Between
4. Hex Hall
5. Demonglass
6. Spellbound
7. Fallling Under
8. Forsaken Series
9. A Touch Mortal
10. Daughter of Smoke and Bones
11. Embrace
12. Illuminate
13. A Beautiful Dark
14. Forbidden

Other books not in this genre:
1. True Love and Other Lies
2. My Summer of Southern Discomfort

This seems like my best solution.  One, it helps me stay organized.  Two, it keeps me actively participating in a reading group. Three, these books are already on my TBR, DBA, and BBR list so I get to complete my challenges at the same time.  If this works, I think I have found a new system for my reading selection. 

Reading Reflection: Wither

Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #1)
by Lauren Destefano
Published March 22, 2011
P. 358
Rating: 4/5

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems.

Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom

What a super creepy book.  The whole concept, the characters, and the setting -- all of it-- just super creepy.  In this novel the newer generations only live to the ages of 20 for women and 25 for men.  Because of this short life span women are kidnapped by the wealthy and forced to marry.  In this situation Rhine, Cecily, and Jenna are all chosen out of a group of stolen women to marry Linden. 

Rhine is not at all happy about this situation like Cecily is, or willing to accept this fate as Jenna is, instead she plans and plots to escape.  She spends the time in the novel earning the trust of her new husband Linden to gain access the other women do not have, in other words to be the first wife, the favorite. 

She builds relationships with her "sister wives" (another uber creepy concept).  Young Cecily is entirely to excited to be a Mrs. and does everything to make their husband happy.  Jenna knows she'll be dying soon and feels this place is as good as any.  Rhine wants an escape to find her twin brother.  They work together at times and really form a bond, each taking different roles in the mansion. 

Rhine also builds a relationship with a servant in the mansion: Gabriel.  They spend time talking when they can, share a kiss or two, and when Rhine plans her escape she is determined to take him with her.  The only real problem is Vaughn, the master of the house and Linden's father.  He is the real villian.  He is cruel and manipulating, definitely that mad scientist vibe going on in everything he does. 

Now, my weird quirk with this book is how bad I feel for Linden, the husband.  He had no idea that these girls were captured and are being held hostage.  He assumed they came willingly, he's so naive I actually feel bad for him.  Not only that, he really loves Rhine.  I feel sooo sorry for him.  Is that considered Stockholm's Syndrome?  Because his father is the lunatic, not him.  I hope he realizes his father is evil and does something -- anything. 

.

Reading Reflection: Born Wicked

Born Wicked
by Jessica Spotswood
Published February 7th 2012
P. 330
Rating: 4/5

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other

I really enjoyed this book.  It wasn't anything overly amazing or awe inspiring, but it was a really well written and interesting read.  Furthermore, I was able to devour the entire novel in one sitting, which I love to do.

The story is based on Cate Cahill, a witch and her two sisters: Tess and Maura.  After their mother died Cate has taken her role as the oldest very seriously.  She is devoted to protecting her two younger sisters, something she takes to extremes at times.  She prevents them from practicing magic, but the two younger girls are rebellious and don't take the matter seriously.  They should, the Brotherhood persecutes and condemns all suspected of being witches. 

Cate finds a note form her mother which warns her about a prophecy, but doesn't offer any real solutions.  So now she has to worry about her sisters, the prophecy, and decide who or if she'll marry in the next several months. 

Her marriage predicament seems to be the easiest to fix since her only suitor is her lifelong friend Paul.  He came back into the area and has declared his intention on marrying Cate, which seems better than her other options: joining the Sisterhood or having the Brotherhood find her a husband.   Paul seems like the perfect solution.  He's handsome, funny, and has known Cate all his life. 

But, Finn gets in the way.  Finn is Cate's gardener and they share some chemistry.  Though he isn't wealthy, like Cate, they can't fight their attraction for one another.  So Cate makes her decision by the end of this book, but its based on her need to protect her sisters.

Like I said earlier this book is very well written, the characters were interesting, and there were enough little twists in the story line that kept me from falling asleep until I knew how it ended.  I will definitely be looking for book two.

Reading Reflection: Fracture

Fracture
by Megan Miranda
Published January 17th 2012
P. 262
Rating: 3/5

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

Fracture starts with Delaney Maxwell falling through the ice of a lake and her best friend, Decker, finally pulls her out after 11 minutes.  She should be dead, but she isn't.  Instead the doctors scan her brain and find brain damage, but Delaney appears to be utterly normal... except for the weird pull in her brain toward people who are dying.  It was a little strange, but interesting.  She also meets Troy, someone who also developed the same ability after being in a coma. 

I feel that this book could have been soooo much better, that it didn't quite reach its full potential. It still wasn't a bad read, but it could have been so much more.  What I mentioned above is it, that's all.  Well, no, I'm lying.  There's a inkling of romantic interest that begins with Troy and a painfully obvious one with her best friend Decker -- but other than that the story felt flat.  I'm not sure what the story lacked, maybe tension or real suspense, but I never the emotional roller coaster I do when I read books.  I didn't even realize Troy was supposed to be the villain until the end.  I never felt Delaney's struggle with her new draw to the almost dead.  The only time I felt anything was during those awkward and frustrating moments with Decker.

So that's it.  The story had potential that I feel was never really reached, but this is a debut novel so II feel the authors work can only get better from here.       

Reading Reflection: City of Ashes

City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments #2)
by Casssandra Clare
Published March 25th 2008
P. 453
Rating: 3/5

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

This book captured my attention more than the first one.  The storyline and the writing seemed better refined and I started to appreciate the characters more.  I found myself returning to the first book to clarify some points that I seemed to skim through because I wasn't entirely interested the first time around. 

In the previous book, City of Bones, Clary finds out about her mother's past and the world of Shadowhunters.  The only way to save Jocelyn (her mom) is to track down Valentine (her newly discovered and crazy evil father).  Clary is a bit clueless, or like a fish out of water when it comes to this Shadowhunter business, but she tries so I give her credit for that. 

Jace is under scrutiny by the Inquisitor, Imogen Herondale.  She suspects him of being further involved with Valentine than he says, but she also holds her own personal vendetta against Valentine.  What I liked about her appearance in this novel is that it provides a genealogical link to Will Herondale from the Clockwork Angel... I have my own suspicions, but I'll wait until reading the series to see if I'm right.

The real twist to this story is that Simon and Clary are attempting to date, but she is completely taken by Jace... her brother.  Granted they didn't know they were siblings, but now they do and can't seem to stop pursuing each other.  Weird.  It's a little unnerving that they have such a strong attraction to one another... very strange.

Luke and Simon are characters I'm starting to appreciate in this book as well.  I love Luke.  I like his role in Clary's life and I hope he remains in it.  Simon too.  I don't like the dating theme between him and Clary, but I like all the other aspects of his character.  Now that he's a vampire I hope stuff works out for him, I find him endearing (but not right for Clary).   

All in all I liked this book much better than the first, it motivated me to read the series.  But, I still find it difficult to navigate through the excessive language.

Reading Reflection: City of Bones

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1)
by Cassandra Clare
Published March 27th 2007
p. 485
Rating: 3/5

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

I wasn't a big fan of this book, it wasn't horrible, but I didn't love it.  I read the Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince and loved those books, this one fell short of my expectations.  It wasn't as well written as the other two. 

I did like the book.  I liked the characters: Clary, Jace, Simon, Isabel, Alec, and Hodge.  But I couldn't help but to compare them to Tessa, Will, and Gem.  These modern characters seemed milder in comparison and I didn't know if I liked it our not.  When compared to Tessa, Clary just seemed obnoxious, which doesn't seem fair.  On her own she wasn't bad, sort of spunky, but mild at the same time.  I didn't find Jace any way near as severe as Will.  Will was hurtful, Jace just seemed brutally honest.  However, their were definite similarities in their roles. 

In this story Clary discovers the world of Shadowhunters and all that it entails, including a witty, sarcastic, and somewhat rude boy named Jace.  Along with all this, she finds herself closer to this group than she would have thought possible: her mother was once a Shadowhunter.  However, something from the past has come and her mother is gone. Clary is thrown into this new world without the slightest idea of what to expect or how to save her mom.  The story takes you into Clary discovering her own history, the one her mother tried to conceal.   

I think my biggest problem with the book was my confusion.  It was like BAM! Shadowhunters, runes, marks, and weapons with names.  Did that get explained?  Did I miss it?  Why do the weapons have names?  I didn't get it.  I don't know if I missed this information or it was simply never provided, but I wish I knew more about all these little facts. 

Other than that, it was a decent storyline, the characters were entertaining enough, the writing was a little excessive, but I still enjoyed the novel.

Reading Reflection: Divergent

Divergent
by Veronica Roth
Published May 3rd 2011
p. 487
Rating: 5/5

In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

Alright, I thought I was opposed to dystopian novels because of the first series I read in this genre, Hunger Games, but apparently I just wasn't very fond of those three books.  It made me hesitate to check out Divergent, but I'm glad I did... I liked this book sooo much better. 

The concept behind Divergent is that at the age of 16 everyone must decide what faction they will devote the rest of their lives to: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite.  They can decide to go along with their families, or choose something entirely different.  However, once the decision is made the person is expected to live accordingly for the rest of their lives.

Beattrice, later taking on the name Tris, is from a family originally Abnegation - the selfless group.  Everyone in this faction places others' needs and wants above their own.  They live life plainly with very strict rules always placing others first.  Tris decides after 16 years of being associated with the  Abnegation, she wanted to  join the Dauntless faction -- the brave.

Um, the Dauntless are crazy.  They jump on and off moving trians, off roofs, learn hand to hand combat, shoot guns, throw knives, and are expected to face their own fears.  I thought it was very interesting that a girl who was not allowed to look in the mirror (because it promotes vanity) or speak at the dinner table would choose this type of faction.  But she did, was awesome at it, and has a secret.

Tris is a unique character.  There is something almost cold and rigid about her, but I found her fascinating.  I expected someone from the Abnegation group to be almost timid and mild, but she wasn't.  She excelled in the Dauntless faction.  I enjoyed reading about her bravery and how she simply just seemed to fit in so seamlessly into the group.  The good thing about her was that she wasn't hostile, or brutal, like some of the other characters who joined the faction.  She really encompassed the meaning of bravery.

Of course there is a love interest, Four, who turns out to be Tobias.  He is one of Tris' trainers and always seems to be providing support, however she may need it.  I'm glad they get together because they remind me of one another.  They're are both strong, but compassionate at the same time. 

Along with training to ensure she stays in a faction and dealing with a relationship, Tris has to deal with her secret: she is a Divergent.  I'm still not entirely sure what it means, but if certain people find out she won't survive.  Also, this trait of hers comes in handy at the end of the story, when things go awry and a war begins. 

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved the characters and the plot, they were really interesting and the story was very well put together.  I cannot wait for the next book in the series.