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A Court of Mist and Fury by: Sarah J Maas

7/30/2016

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A Court of Mist and Fury by: Sarah J Maas
Synopsis: 
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.
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!!YES YES YES YES OMG YES YES YES YES SARAH J MAAS YOU ARE A GENIUS!! THE ENDING. THAT ENDING. MAY 2017 CANNOT COME FAST ENOUGH.

I was initially worried that A Court of Mist and Fury would be a victim of the "second book syndrome" as I like to call it. In my experience, and I think a lot of people can agree, the the second book in series (especially trilogies) is usually a bit of a let down. With that being said, Sarah J Maas in all her glory did not allow this to happen. ACOMAF was EXACTLY what this series needed and in my opinion, blew the first novel out of the water. 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first book but for me there was just something lacking. I couldn't put my finger on it but I just wasn't connecting with the characters in the same way I have with Maas' Throne of Glass squad. However, ACOMAF took us deeper inside Feyre's head and showed us a whole new side of the world of Fae. The action, world building, humour and MY GOSH THE ROMANCE PEOPLE (!!!!!!!!!SUBTLE SHOUTOUT TO CHAPTER 52!!!!!!) was out of this world and I swear, I could not put this book down. Even though I was in the middle of prepping for final exams, I finished it in all its 640 page glory in less then 48 hours. Im not sure what it is about SJM's writing but once I start, I can never stop. The amount of jaw dropping and heart stopping plot twists and cliff hangers in her books make it nearly impossible to put down them, let alone get the stories out of your head.

One aspect of ACOMAF that really surprised me (and made me FALL IN LOVEEEE) was the amount of sex and more "mature" content. In comparison to ACOTAR as well as Maas' TOG series, there were more sex scenes. I found this to be extremely fitting with the storyline and characters as opposed to something that was looking to invoke a "shock value" in the reader, like in some other books. Rhys is kinda my new book boyfriend. His humour, sensitivity, and support/love for Feyre had me swooning 24/7. The fact that he was training her and making her into this strong warrior woman made me love him even more.

Prior to Maas' books, I had never really read about or considered Fae as a species but now, I can say that next to werewolves/shapeshifters, they are my fav to read about. The primitive and animalistic qualities/behaviours are extremely intimidating, empowering (and attractive *winks*) and I can not wait to see where this series goes.

If there is anyone reading this who has yet to read one of Maas' masterpieces (god forbid) please do so immediately. For those of you who have read her books, please comment immediately so we can aggressively fangirl together. :)

Happy reading nerds! Sound off in the comments with your thoughts on this wonderful series!
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The Young Elites by: Marie Lu

2/19/2016

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The Young Elites by: Marie Lu
Synopsis: 
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites. Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.
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Alright... its review time!!! 

IM SORRY BUT MARIE LU HAS TRULY LET ME DOWN.

While it pains me to say it, this book was only mediocre. I am a HUGE fan of Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy so I was very optimistic when starting the Young Elites. Sadly, it did not meet my expectations. This book is described as being a story that is about the bad guy, not the hero. I’m a sucker for badass female characters so I was definitely intrigued. Instead, we just got this whiny main character who would make these grand statements about revenge and how she was going to “burn down the world” and “make everyone cower in fear” but then who would proceed to fail every mission and cry. For example, her constant mistakes almost led to the deaths of 5 of her friends and family members. Adelina was just extremely hard to relate to and I felt like there was little to no character growth happening. 

Also, while I was intrigued by the plot and the idea of this illness and its effects, I didnt really understand the world itself. I don't really know why because I usually don't struggle with this in fantasy books but I just found it very difficult to imagine where things were happening and what they looked like. While there was a map in the front of the book, I still didn't understand where all these countries were in relation to each other, what they looked like or how the royalty/leaders worked. Because of this, I wasn't enjoying the story because there was no clear image in my head of what anything looked like. Very disappointing. 

While I really struggled with the characters and the fact that the world building was a little less then stellar, the plot and premise behind the story has a lot of potential so I do plan on continuing with the next novel. While this book doesn’t even begin to compare to Legend, I’m willing to give it another shot. Wish me luck!

Happy reading nerds! Sound off in the comments with you opinion on this novel!
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Made You Up by: Francesca Zappia

12/26/2015

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Made You Up by: Francesca Zappia
Synopsis: 
Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal. 

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.
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Alright... its review time!!

This was just so disappointing.


So I joined my schools bookclub (nerdy, i know) and this was the first book that we picked. And when I say "we", I really mean everyone voted for this expect for me. I wanted to read Lets Get Lost by Adi Alsaid but what ever, I was outvoted 20 to 1. I was excited to give it a try though because a) it has a GORGEOUS cover and b) the synopsis sounded pretty decent. The main character in this book is named Alex and she has schizophrenia. I knew next to nothing about the mental illness so I must say, reading this book and talking about it in my book club has definitely educated me. I was just really disappointed when I finished it because while the plot had a lot of potential, I felt like it was executed very poorly.

I just really don't feel like I took anything away from this book. More importantly, I just didnt feel like there was a solid plot. Like I finished it a couple hours ago and I honestly don't think I could tell you how it ended, I was that bored while reading it. I just feel like the author was really trying to write a book that was philosophical and life changing but failed. It was sorta fun getting to know the characters in the beginning but after that, things became predictable, weird and just straight up confusing. Maybe this was meant to reflect the main character's schizophrenia but as a reader, it made the story hard to follow. As much as I wanted to love this book, I just couldn't get into it 

Happy reading nerds! Sound off in the comments with your opinion on this novel!
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Every Last Word by: Tamara Ireland Stone

12/26/2015

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Every Last Word by: Tamara Ireland Stone
Synopsis: 
If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.
Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 
Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.
Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.
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Alright... its review time!!

Wow. This was such an unbelievably beautiful story. So happy I decided to read it.

There has been quite a bit of hype around this book leading up to its release date a couple months and now I see why. This story is about a young girl who has to grow into her own person and really discover who she is, even if that means making some hard decisions along the way. Now I know a lot of people would laugh and make a comment like "oh wow, every contemporary book is about that these days" or "what a cliche storyline", but in my opinion, there was something that made this book extra special. I think it was because I saw myself in Samantha, CONSTANTLY. She would say things that would just immediately click with me. I just felt such a connection with her because she was going through so many things that I have gone through in the past. Also, this chick was super brave! There is this line in Harry Potter that I just immediately thought of when reading about Sam and the "Crazy Eights":

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies but a great deal more to stand up to our friends."

I was so proud of Sam when she stood up to her friends and really embraced and came to terms with her inner crazy. I thought that was so beautiful. I also did not see that plot twist at the end. That was straight up crazy... I loved it. I think it was just what the story needed. 

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ERRRRRRRRR BODYYYYYY!!

Happy reading nerds! Sound off in the comments with your opinion on this novel!

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Queen of Shadows by: Sarah J Maas

12/26/2015

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Queen of Shadows by: Sarah J Maas
Synopsis:
 
​*Fourth book in the Throne of Glass series.

​The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.


She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.
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Alright... its review time!!

"Whatever you had to do to survive, whatever you did from spite or rage or selfishness... I don't give damn. You're here and you're perfect. You always were, and you always will be."

This is officially one of the best books I have ever read.


For those of you who do not know, I have always been in love with series. From the moment I picked up the first book I immediately formed a HUGE girl crush on Celaena (and now Aelin) and ever since, she has turned out to be quite possibly my favourite character of ALL TIME. And thats saying a lot. Cassandra Clare (one of my other fav authors) wrote:

"Sometimes, when I have to do something I don't want to do, I pretend I'm a character from a book. It's easier to know what they would do."

That is what Aelin has been for me. Maybe its weird but she has helped me through some stuff over the past few years and because of that I just want to thank Sarah J Maas for creating such a freaking BADASS and PHENOMENAL character!!

IF YOU HAVENT READ THIS BOOK OR THIS SERIES YOU NEED TO GO AND DO IT NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

**DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS AMAZING SERIES. YOU WILL BE SPOILED.**

Anywho, lets talk a little bit about QOS. Watching Aelin grow in this novel was so amazing!! Like I can't even begin to tell you how many times I was sitting there completely speechless and mind blown because she is such genius and complete badass. Not to mention, you can really see her mature and step into her queenly status in this book and thats what I loved. This book was about Aelin standing up and truly leading her court. 

Now, that leads me to the other thing I wanted to talk about. A lot of people have been hating on the book a little bit because of Chaol and Celaena's relationship falling apart. I have always been a very intense Chaolaena shipper but I am happy with what happened in this book and I think their ship name is perfect evidence of why it doesn't work. THERE IS NO CELAENA. ITS AELIN. Aelin has changed SO much in the last two books and Chaol even had problems relating and understand her before he knew who she was... let alone after. I personally think that Sarah J Maas did a wonderful job and separating them but making sure they did it on good terms. I think it was really needed for not only the story but for Aelin to move on. Plus, now it leaves some place for Rowan time..... Goodness, I ship them so freaking harddddddddd!!

I could honestly talk about these books for hours because they are SOOOOOO incredible. Maas' writing is perfect in every way and I just wish this novel would NEVER END. I also just want to say how amazing this woman is at writing dual perspectives. Typically there is always one character that I am devoted to and then I just seem to drag myself through the chapters from the other person. I was positive that was gonna happen when she started writing from Manon's point of view in Heir of Fire but NOOO. Sarah J Maas had to go and make my obsession even worse by making me fall in love with every single freaking character. MANON THOUGH. UGH SHES AMAZING. 


Happy reading nerds, sound off in the comments with your opinion on this series!
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Falling Kingdoms by: Morgan Rhodes

12/25/2015

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Falling Kingdoms by: Morgan Rhodes
Synopsis: In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.



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Alright... Its review time!!!

*1.5 stars*

*slow clap for Morgan Rhodes* I don't think I have ever read a book in which I have HATED EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER. I guess theres a first for everything right?

I had such high hopes for this series, I really did. As most of you know, I am a huge fan of high fantasy (especially when it involves kingdoms, war and all that jazz) so I honestly had zero doubts when it came to starting this. I had expected epic battles, heartbreaking betrayals, badass characters and some steamy romance and drama. Instead I got a cliche plot and the most boring, flat and ABSOLUTELY USLESS group of characters ever.

Like don't get me wrong, usually the characters have to go through some tough stuff and make some stupid decisions before they grow up and truly understand how the world works. BUT NO. These characters made stupid mistake, after stupid mistake and then were somehow surprised when nothing worked out for them? Am I supposed to feel bad and mourn the deaths of characters when its literally their own fault that they died? no. If y'all weren't so stupid and actually managed to do something productive for once, NONE OF THE EVENTS IN THIS BOOK WOULD HAVE EVEN HAPPENED. I just couldn't help but laugh throughout this book. Like take Jonas for example. I am currently reading the third novel in this series (I thought i would give this series another chance because the ratings are so much higher for the other books. FYI DON'T RECOMMEND) and I swear to goodness Jonas has done absolutely nothing but get everyone around him killed. He goes around talking about how he can't wait to get revenge for all the bad things that have happened to him but has he done anything?? NOPE. He tries, don't get me wrong but nothing goes right. Like how many times has he tried to kidnap someone? At least 4 or 5 times?? IT HAS NEVER WORKED. JUST GO BACK TO MAKING WINE OR WHATEVER WORK YOU USED TO DO BEFORE BECAUSE YOU ARE THE WORST REBEL I HAVE EVER SEEN.

Another problem that I had with this book was that it was so predictable. Nothing about it surprised me. I knew who was gonna die and how about 4 chapters before it happened. Like can someone please tell me if when the the big mean king.... I can't even remember his name... kills the weak king at the end of the book I was supposed to be surprised? Cuz I'm pretty sure everyone and their dog knew that was coming. Literally the most anticlimactic book I've read in a very long time. 

There was hardly any romance (when there was it made me feel uncomfortable, awkward and confused on like eighteen different levels), there wasn't a single character that made me feel anything besides hate, anger and frustration, and the plot was the most cliche and predictable thing ever. For those of you who enjoy these books, I'm sorry to be such a party pooper but I just really struggled to understand why there is so much hype surrounding them.

THERE ARE MUCH BETTER FANTASY BOOKS OUT THERE.

Happy reading nerds, sound off in the comments with your opinions on this novel!
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The Selection by: Kiera Cass

12/5/2015

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The Selection by: Kiera Cass
Synopsis: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
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Alright... it's review time!!!

The perfect combination of Cinderella, the Hunger Games, and the Bachelor. This book was everything that I hadn't realized that I needed.

I am literally so happy that I finally got around to picking this book up! It was first published when I had just started getting obsessed with the YA genre but for some reason I just kept postponing reading it. I heard a few mixed reviews so I think that kinda put me off. Recently though, a couple of my friends would not shut up about this series so I thought what the hell, lets do it!

As a lot of you probably know, I am a huge fan of dystopian trilogies (Shatter Me, Legend, etc) so from the moment I read the first page, I felt completely at home. This was exactly what I needed to get me out of my reading slump! This world is so unique and while the concept of a bunch of women all competing to marry the same man may not be new (the Bachelor and Bachelorette), Kiera Cass managed to make it fresh and completely original. Not to mention, I am a sucker for princes and beautiful dresses so this was kind of perfect for me. The characters were hilarious, relatable, and extremely entertaining! America is one of those people you can't help but root for from the very beginning. The thing that really made me fall in love with this book though was the CRAZY SWOON WORTHY ROMANCE. I absolutely adore Prince Maxon and could not stop giggling and grinning the entire book! I think my parents are really starting to think that there is something wrong with me. :) Every interaction between Maxon and America had me completely losing my mind and begging for more! 


The only thing I disliked about this book was Aspen. I don't know what it is but everything about him sends up so many little red flags in my head. I just know he's going to get America into some serious trouble later on, especially when Maxon finds out that he really assigned him to guard America's room!!

UGH I AM JUST SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. I am literally buying the next book in this series as we speak! 

Happy reading nerds, sound off in the comments with your opinions in this novel!
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Winger by: Andrew Smith

7/10/2015

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Winger by: Andrew Smith
Synopsis:
 Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids in the Pacific Northwest. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.
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Alright, its review time!!


WOW. I did not anticipate that this novel would do this to me. I had heard that it was really funny (and my god was it FUNNY!!) and relatable but I didn't think it was going to give me "the feeling". Do you know the feeling where everything seems to move in slow motion and you can almost feel like a blanket of sadness settle on your shoulders that you can't seem to shake? That feeling that makes you stop talking to those around you and instead you just sit there and stare at walls for hours on end (tears are optional)? Not a lot of authors can manage to make me feel this way but this author did. Times 100. Ryan Dean West isn't just a character. I believe that he is simply a reflection of myself and teenagers in general. I am a huge supporter of the LGBT community so this book just makes me sad and disappointed with people in our society. I can't even begin to put into words the anger that I feel towards some of the people in this book. Andrew Smiths voice and basically every part of this novel is pure genius and just... real. EVERYTHING about Winger is just simply, real. Im not going to write about any spoilers or the big events that occurred in this book but just trust me please when I say that every teen and adult needs to read this. Wow. Just wow. 

Happy reading nerds and sound off in the comments with your opinion on this novel!
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Volition by: Lily Paradis

4/26/2015

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Volition by: Lily Paradis
Synopsis: You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that stays with you, then tears you apart slowly at first, and all at once shreds every fiber of your being? 
It’s because you’re contradicting the universe. 
Everything lines up so perfectly that you couldn’t have imagined it to work out better, but then you have to go and do everything humanly possible to ruin it because you can’t stand to have it go right? 
That’s what I did. 

I did it because there’s a darkness that surrounds me, and I think I want it there. 

My name is Tate McKenna, and my soul is blacker than my heart.
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Alright, its review time!

I must admit, I enjoyed this book a lot more then I thought I would!! I read Lily Paradis' first book, Ignite last year I believe (which I thoroughly enjoyed) but I must admit, I liked Volition a bit more!! This book was such a great fast paced read that definitely kept me guessing throughout! I really loved Hayden (so freakin swoon worthy) and I loved how at the end of the novel, the writing started switching between multiple characters perspectives! The biggest part of this book though was obviously Tate. I can understand how a lot of people could really struggle reading about someone like her because of how dark and screwed up she was. Personally, I loved it. I could connect with her on so many levels and I honestly felt like I was listening to someone talk to me instead of just reading words off a page. I think its pretty difficult to find authors who can capture a characters voice as well as Miss Paradis did in this novel. She was just such an interesting girl and I loved watching her grow and mature. Especially when it came to Jesse. I kind of wish I could sit down and talk with her cuz I feel like I might have a Jesse of my own.

My only main problem with this book was the actual writing when it came to things the characters did. There were a couple times I found bits in which a character would pick an object up and then it would never be mentioned again or someone would clearly stop walking but then somehow arrive at their destination seconds later. I just picked up on a few flaws but besides that, this book was a fast whirlwind of a read that I definitely enjoyed! Im very excited to see this author continue to progress and write more novels!


Happy reading nerds! Sound off in the comments with your opinion on this crazy novel!
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Chronicles of Nick by: Sherrilyn Kenyon

2/14/2015

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Chronicles Of Nick by: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Infinity: Book One
Invincible: Book Two
Infamous: Book Three
Inferno: Book Four
Illusion: Book Five

Infinity Synopsis: At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?
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Alright... Its review time!!


DISCLAIMER. IF ANYBODY IS EVEN CONSIDERING READING THESE BOOKS PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE AND DON'T DO IT. 

I was giving a $50 shopping spree on Book Outlet for Christmas from my mom and I stumbled upon all 5 of these books. They were all under $3 and I saw they they all had really high ratings!! I was so excited because the plot seemed right up my alley and the blurb already had me grinning. Oh how naive I was. Now I am kinda of hoping that all 5 of the hardcovers that I bought just happen to get run over by a car or possibly dropped into a bonfire. And trust me, I am not one for bookish violence. I hated almost everything about these books but Im gonna try to narrow it down to just a few.

I hated these books with a passion but don't get me wrong, there was potential. You could write a great story with this plot... this author didnt do that. Let me explain. Apparently this woman is a New York Times Best Selling author but from what I can see, she can't even afford an editor. Or maybe her editor is just the type of person who gets distracted by shiny things because I can't even count how many times there were spelling and editing mistakes. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. Not to mention there were mistakes in the actual plot and dialogue. For example, in the first 100 pages of the second or third book, one of the side characters (Simi) turns out to be a demon and the main character (Nick) is all shocked and surprised. Anyway he accepts it and continues to be the demon's friend and the story moves on. Then in the last 100 pages of the same book, Simi the demon uses her lame demonic magic and Nick is all shocked and terrifying BECAUSE ACCORDING TO HIM, HE DIDNT KNOW SHE WAS A DEMON. WHAT THE HELL. HOW DOES SOMEONE EVEN MAKE THAT MISTAKE. Another example is in the third book the main character is talking to another supernatural being and the conversation goes like this:

The supernatural creature turns to Nick and says, "How can you not see in the dark?" and Nick replies with "Not really."

LOL.

The other main thing that I hated was the characters. Especially the main character Nick. Now to read 5 books all from his perspective has caused my eye to perpetually twitch and I can't decide if I need to see a doctor or not. By the 5th book, my heart would start beating really fast and I would get really anxious during the intense scenes, not because I was scared for everyones safety but because I was so excited to see if they would all die. Is that bad?! Cuz honestly, I do not feel bad what so ever.

Now based the photo in the back of the book, this author is a grown women who, to be honest, reminds me a lot of Wynonna Judd. She should not be writing a book from the perspective of a 14 year old boy. The author tried to make Nick really funny and sarcastic... and it did not work. The main character could never be serious and personally, his "sarcasm" made me really uncomfortable. I felt like the half the time I spent reading each of these books, I was cringing from the horrible dialogue. Also, half of the stuff that Nick did in these was stuff that no normal kid his age would do. It was just so obvious that these books were written by a woman. Don't get me wrong, it is amazing and extremely important for boys to respect their mothers but the way Nick was with his mom was weird and just off. It was annoying because all he did was stress about his mom EVERY MINTUE OF EVER SECOND. Not to mention he was always stressing about their money situation and how him and his mom were poor. Nick couldn't meet anyone new in the first 3 or 4 books without commenting on how they dressed and how much more money they had compared to him. And those Hawaiian shirts from Goodwill... Im sorry, but were those supposed to be cute and endearing? Was that supposed to be like his signature thing? Like Harry Potters round glasses?..... Hawaiian shirts!?! Seriously?!

I know I am in full out rant mode right now but I just have one more thing I need to add. As I mentioned before, it was obvious that this was written by a woman because no guy that age acts like Nick. And don't start telling me how I wouldn't know because I just happen to be the same age as him. This series is supposed to be about paranormal creatures and how the fate of the entire world is resting on this one boys shoulders but I felt like 3/4 of each book was just really bad deep quotes. Like there is this one part where one of his friends from school (a girl) is being bullied and with his magnificent spidey senses, he discovers that she is going to commit suicide. He runs across all of New Orleans to get to her house and he just happens to get there just in time to talk her down from committing suicide. He then does a huge 3 page speech about bullying and how amazing she is and blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong, it was an inspiring speech but none of the guys that I know who are that age have the wisdom or self-awareness to say what he said. I just felt like the author was trying to be deep and come up with really good deep and inspirational one liners instead of focussing on the plot. And stuff like this happened all the time. On more then one occasion, there would be a huge battle going and all the characters would just happen to have 5 minutes of quiet time to sit around a camp fire and roast marshmallows and talk about their feelings. It was lame and I admit to skipping more then one page at a time just to get past the sappy stuff.


This will mark the end of this review but I swear I could write a whole book about what was wrong with this series. If you plan on maintaining your sanity stay away from these. According to Goodreads, there will 15 books in this series but I can promise you I will never pick up another book by this author. 



Happy reading nerds and sound off in the comments with your thoughts and opinions on this novel!!
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    Jamie

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