Book Review: Betrayal by Mayandree Michel

Betrayal by Mayandree Michel is based around the life of Cordelia Tieron a seemingly normal teen living in the absurdly hot state of Nevada. Cordelia has been having horribly vivid dreams that feel startling real and soon after, nearly loses her life in an abnormal altercation.  Soon Cordelia finds that her life is not as she has always thought it to be, she finds that she is a descendant of the Greek gods and the most important member of a large demigod family. In order to save herself and those she loves Cordelia finds herself in a race against time and other forces to reclaim what she knows and loves in a period of times that she does not remember. In a dangerous world of friends and enemies Cordelia is at a loss for who she can trust, but continues to attempt to find the missing parts of her own life while trying to stay alive in the process. Betrayal is the first novel in the Descendants series, the second of which an upcoming release is anticipated.

I was very excited upon beginning the novel because of its involvement with Greek mythology which I love to follow intently, and Ms. Michel’s novel had a very promising plot and several interesting characters, particularly Cordelia, but sadly the writing leaves a great deal to be desired. Words seem to be unfortunately chosen from a thesaurus in a manner that leaves the reader uncomfortable with the manner in which the fall on the tongue. It seems that many words were chosen in exchange for smaller, simpler ones that would have fit into the sentence much better. The novel is also in dire need of proper editing with words being used improperly quite a great deal. ‘There’ and ‘their’ and other homonyms are wrongly interchanged throughout. In other places the wording feels out of place, leading one to the feel of more of an adult romance novel, with terms such as “unbridled love” and “lover” in reference to teenagers.

However, even with the shortcomings in writing and editing I must again note that I did appreciate the attempt that the plot made. Surprises were short to come by, but the climax was exciting none the less. I would give Ms. Michel’s “Betrayal” a rating of ☆☆ as writing is a LARGE part of a book and the lax manner in which it is written is distracting and largely takes away from the novel.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows: A Book Review

            In Jodi Meadows’ new young adult fantasy novel Incarnate,  Ana is the only new-soul in a world of reincarnated souls.  At eighteen she is mind-numbingly young in comparison to the other citizens of Heart who are each around 5,000 years old and have known each other for just as long.  Ana’s newness ostracizes her even farther because she is what everyone, including her own mother fears – a beginning.  If Ana replaced Ciana’s soul, then will others be replaced as well?  Ana wants nothing more than to know how she ended up here in this world that was clearly not intended for her and as she goes in search of these answers she enters the world that she has lived on the outskirts of for so long.  There she meets Sam, who may be one of the only people to find that the fact that Ana is a new-soul does not mean she is a no-soul.

You know the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover?”  I have a tendency towards ignoring that rule because honestly it’s hard to avoid and helps to determine what you may or may not be interested in reading.  Sometimes you see a beautiful cover and you’re just drawn into the book and you have to read it.  This is what happened with Incarnate and myself; the cover is absolutely stunning with its vivid, shimmering depiction of a colorful, almost psychedelic butterfly mask on a young girl.  But if I were to be honest, which I choose to be, I would have to admit that I was bored with about ¾ of the book.

For me Incarnate does not get interesting until the very end.  Up until then it feels as though it drags on, following the pseudo-relationship between the protagonist and her friend Sam.  It seemed to have the makings of a winner – an isolated, imaginary society where dragons and shadow-creatures frequent, a creepy, door-less temple, and a distrustful main character.  But the characterization of the villains in the story was weak and left a lot to be desired and the writing also felt childish at some points.  The portion that I could truly relate to was probably the inner struggle of the main character as she dealt with being an outsider in this world that was never meant for her, but even that felt repetitive at times.  All in all I am sad to say I was disappointed with Incarnate, though I had such high hopes for it.  But perhaps as the series progresses, my liking towards it will do the same.

Help Keep That Wallet of Yours Padded

Hello to all of my lovely book hoarders out there,

For anyone who is new to their Kindle or Nook, or perhaps just has not yet heard the word on the streets, I wanted to let you in on what has become a very regular part of my daily routine.  As a Kindle owner and at that an impoverished Kindle owner, I am always on the lookout for cheap and free books.  For that reason my first stop every morning at work is to check out the Kindle Daily Deal at Amazon.com.  Every day (updated around 12pm Pacific time) Amazon lists a new Kindle e-book on sale for a discounted price.  More often than not the books are priced at $.99, but I have seen them reach as high as $2.99.  But either way I find these deals wonderful for my wallet.  I have purchased several books via this deal including:

• The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
• The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• The Declaration by Gemma Malley
• Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
• The Immoralists by Kyle Mills
• Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt

All in all you can count of them to list books for every taste, whether you are into young adult fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, or self-help books to name a few.

For my Nook readers, Barnes and Nobles also has its daily bargain books, entitled the Nook Daily Find, although they are priced a bit higher.   The Nook Daily Find is generally priced $1.99 and up and can be found here.  Check out today’s read Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins.

Blood Red Road: A Review

Moira Young’s Blood Red Road (first in the Dust Lands series) is the portrait of the life of Saba, a seventeen year-old twin living in a future post-apoctolyptic version of our world. Saba’s life is far from idyllic, but it is one that she has grown happy and comfortable in. In her desert home of Silverlake with her father, sister and most importantly her twin brother Lugh, Saba has had a comfortable life carved out for her. But when a fierce red sandstorm blows up, followed by four black-clad horsemen, everything changes. Lugh is kidnapped and Saba must find a strength and independence that she did not know she had if she wishes to find him. Forced to travel from her home for the first time, Saba must face the harshness of the world that she has been so carefully protected from for all of her life. With the help of a female gang of Robin Hood-like thieves called the Free Hawks and a witty troublemaker named Jack, Saba goes on the adventure of her life that just may turn out to be more than she was expecting.

The first time I attempted to readI stopped a few pages in because I found the dialect which the book is written in to be gratingly irritating. But I am quite glad that I continued reading. As I continued I found that the dialect actually accents the story where books are an oddity and technology has become a thing of the past.

Young’s first YA novel is led by a protagonist who is strong and stubborn and also full of numerous faults. Saba is relatable because while she is heroic and brave she can also be confused, often times unfair and in need of help. The other characters that the book is filled with are loveable and well flushed out, but also lend an air of mystery to the book as the reader is prepared to continue the series. As they each assist Saba in unraveling a mystery we see more and more of them as well as the world they inhabit. Filled with action, suspense and sacrifice Blood Red Road is a read that I would suggest to fans of the Hunger Games‘ Katniss and Divergent‘s Tris.

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien: A review

In Caragh O’Brien’s Birthmarked, the first novel in a YA dystopian trilogy, scarred midwife Gaia Stone is finally beginning to become an adult. Gaia serves the common good without question, delivering her quota of 3 babies a month to be raised away from their families inside the walls of the elusive Enclave. It is not until her parents are taken by those whom they serves that she begins to doubt her question-less obedience. With the help of some proven and some unexpected allies Gaia must fight to save her parents from the confines of the Enclaves while deciding for herself what is truly right and wrong.

Birthmarked is an enticing, yet sometimes frightening read with twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. O’Brien builds a separatist world where inhabitants are afraid to make any movement against their government in fear of the repercussions that it will present on their lives. In the incontrovertible compliance which citizens follow the rules and order of the Enclave we can see a world that can be aligned with the one in which we live. Poor citizens find no manner in which to rebel and are constantly manipulated for the use of elite citizens who refuse (or cannot afford) to bend the knee to help those determined to be below them.

Gaia Stone is not the unfailingly strong heroine whom I have come to expect from YA dystopian novels. Oftentimes I found her weak, hypocritical, irritatingly naive and foolish. Beginning the book I expected to find another Katniss (Hunger Games) or Saba (Blood Red Road) whose strength could not be questioned and who seemed more prone to independence. Gaia is more self-conscious and foolhardy then these characters, and it is visible that without the constant assistance of other characters the plot and the heroine could never get anywhere beyond their start. But perhaps these things make her more realistic and relatable. Constantly unsure of which way to go, she is more like an average sixteen year old, with a one-track mind.

If you have read Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale you will find that Birthmarked has some aligning similarities, though the conceptions of O’Brien’s plot are sometimes flimsy, leaving you questioning the possibilities developed therein.

All in all, though I did not fall in love with the novel’s protagonist, I did enjoy Birthmarked. The second two novels in the trilogy have already been released and I will continue the series to find the outcome. I give Birthmarked ☆☆☆1/2.

Creative Writing

I wake and hear a resounding silence. I wonder if the rapture has taken them all. I quiet my breathing and listen more feverishly, hoping to hear some breath, some yell, some call… I have lost the ability to command movement. Legs flail fishily below me and arms forget their purpose. I want to seek them out but fear keeps me riveted to my sweat-stained sheets. The rain bangs harshly against my window, crashing loudly with an unprecedented anger. The creaks and whispers of our old house fill me, though she remains deathly still. I pray fervently to a god who has left me, expecting no answer in return. I’ve waited too long. My neck is slick with sweat and tears gloss my kohl-smeared eyes. The world is so aqueous today. I’ve given up hope and am expecting wormwood to rain from the sky when a wraith-like tap sounds at my door and a flop of heavy, dark curls creeps in, “Just checking if you were still sleeping.” My world crashes back into place and I decide it’s okay to live just one more day. The blankets warm me and I am again thick with sleep.

Weirdo or Awesome….

It’s the holiday season, everyone is home from work/school (at least in my house) and what do I spend my time doing? Reading three books in a span of six days. Either I am a complete weirdo or I am completely awesome… I do believe that it’s a tie lol.

Gifts for the Book-Lover

With the holidays right around the corner a lot of people are probably spending a great deal of time running to and fro grabbing this and that gift and figuring out what each sibling, parent, coworker or friend would like.   For a bibliophile often times the job can be a bit easier, because everyone knows what we like… books!  So here are a few choice gifts that might cross your mind when you’re looking for presents for your bibliophile friend/sister/etc.

1. Book clock

I’ve personally wanted this clock for a few months now.  Molded in the shapes of books, the analog clock comes in black or in a combination of colors (red, yellow and blue).  The clock could be situated on a bookshelf but stands alone just as well, and is available for as low as $24.00 at book clock

2. Old favorites

Books are often times released with new covers, so a new copy of a favorite book with an appealing cover might be just the thing for your friend to open under their Christmas tree.  For many of the classics, definitely look into the Barnes and Nobles Leatherbound Classics series as most are stunningly beautiful.

3. Book posters
Postertext.com makes beautiful posters of your most memorable scenes from your favorite books.  The website only lists a select few, but you can make your requests and they will tailor one specifically for you.  The posters would be appropriate in an office or in a home, whether in a bedroom or living room or… you guessed it — a library!, as a regular reminder of a favorite novel.

4. Jewelry box

For your lady friends, a new jewelry box might be appropriate for holding all of her jewels and trinkets in one place.  I’ve seen various book shaped jewelry boxes in several colors and sizes, making it very easy to find one fitting to different tastes.  I saw several of these in a Ross near my home at very affordable prices, one even as low as $7.00.

5. Book journal
Book journals make for an organized collection of the books one has read, when they were read and a personal opinion of them amongst other information. I personally have the one shown here made by Moleskins, while many others abound, usually for less than $10 or so.

6. Personalized book marks
Whether ensconced with personal pictures, or inside jokes personalized book marks are a perfect gift for book lovers because they’re useful and a good reminder.

7. Book light 
Book lights make perfect stocking stuffers for the avid reader – coming in handy especailly in those moments when the reader is too lazy to have an actual light turned on. And they’re wonderfully cheap- many less than $5.

8. E-Reader

On a more expensive note than other things on this list is the e-reader.  Not every reader wants one, but e-Readers are very convenient methods for reading, taking up less space and paper during ones travels.  E-readers on the market today vary in pricing, some as low as $79.00 such as Amazon’s Kindle.

Bedazzle it!

If you should ever want to get teenage girls to read the Bible, clearly the answer is to bedazzle and sparkle-coat it in as atrocious a manner as you can think of.  Yesterday while doing some book browsing I came across this hilariously hideous teen Bible.  After I saw it I couldn’t help but burst into laughter while simultaneously wondering what God thought when he looked at it.  This is probably the kind of thing that has him in a corner with his head cradled in his hands completely ashamed of humanity.

Hush, Hush: A Book Review

In Becca Fitzpatrick’s supernatural fantasy Hush, Hush Patch and Nora have just become lab partners, and neither seems too fond of the other. She wants to get her work done and leave him alone but he seems set on eluding her, even when it comes to their work. But somehow Patch manages to get under Nora’s skin and she finds herself pulled in by his bad-boy aura and the question mark virtually burned into his forehead, wanting to know more even though she knows she shouldn’t. But the more she gets to know him, the more trouble she finds herself in. She must decide whether he is worth her trust, or her life may hang in the balance.

Hush, Hush was probably one of the most infuriating books I have read this year. I was looking forward to reading it because of all the hype surrounding it and a general pull towards the supernatural elements involved, but I found it to be a rather large disappointment. I had several problems with the book, one being the overwhelming Twilight-likeness – how the characters meet, the characterization of the female protagonist, his odd feelings towards her, the lack of parental supervision, and other spoilers that I wont address. Hush, Hush is essentially Twilight –vampires + angels.

My second big issue was the fact that the female protagonist (I can’t personally define her as a heroine) was so ridiculously vapid and dense that I felt the need to slap her every other chapter. It’s one thing to fall for a “bad boy”, but it is a whole other thing to deliberately walk into life threatening situations. And it only makes it worst that the she is characterized as intelligent and a good decision maker. Clearly when it came down to it she was not. I do believe I would even describe her as more dense than Twilight’s Bella Swan. It’s not my expectation that every female protagonist be a world changer – ready to take on everything that comes at them, but I do ask that they have at least a little common sense in the books I read. Somehow females just do not come out looking very good in this novel, moreso becoming silly, objects to ogle and make lewd jokes at and about, which is in fact what we would all prefer to shy away from.

My third problem was the lack of definition given to the male protagonist/antagonist, Patch. Patch is not nearly as fleshed out as he should be. He instead remains behind this opaque cloud of typical bad-boyishness. We receive no real reasoning as to why Nora is attracted to him to bring some sense in to the romance.

And last but not least, the progression of the romance is completely nonsensical and unrealistic. Though high school loves do have a tendency to start quickly and fizzle just as fast, this is something on an entirely different level. What is seen as romantic here is more so possessive and unnatural, and definitely not healthy.

Another pet peeve that I have to mention is the lack of suspense in the book. The front cover of the book (although appealing) gives the reader no opportunity to be surprised at what sort of creature the book is about, although the book blurb and a large majority of the book attempt to make a hugely vain effort at mystery.

But I must give credit where credit where credit is due because as angry as the book and all of its characters made me I continued reading, wanting to see what would come of things. Some very small part of me even wants to read the next one to see if things get any better. I’ve found that the book has been selling very well, so I would say that if you’re a big fan of Twilight and that Edward and Bella kind of love go ahead and give it a try; it may work perfectly for you.