Andrea: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

 

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

When I was younger I loved Robin Hood and this book just made me love it even more. Scarlet the main character is one of the sassiest characters I have ever known. Her sass is what makes the book one of the funniest books I have read. Scarlet is in the band with Robin, Much, and John. From just reading the blurb, you can figure out that two guys are going to fight for her heart. 

Robin, to be frank, is a jerk. He could've been nicer, but I guess the author did a good job of making people hate him, until he wins everyone's heart in the end. His powerful demeanor that can make anyone scared or obedient is an amazing trait that is hilarious when he uses it on Scarlet. When he does it usually is followed by a sassy remark and them trying to out-glare each other.

John is a ladies man, from the description of the book. He is actually a pretty sweet guy. He fought his hardest for Scarlet's love, and that's whats important.

As I read on, I automatically knew that Much was going to be an important character. Neglected because of his bad arm, it was quite obvious that he would eventually do something heroic. And he did. Thank you Much!

Just watch our for Gisbourne :)

If you love Robin Hood, this book will just increase your love. Scarlet's sass will keep you laughing as you read on the book. There are many plot twists that you wouldn't ever expect (or at least I didn't) and once you start, you can't put it down! It has suspense, romance, plot twists, everything for a good book! 

My rating, four out of five stars.

 

Tehreem: Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

They needed the perfect assassin.

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.

Boy Nobody is not an ordinary teen. He has been shredded apart by grief, hardened by his superiors, and remolded into the perfect little piece to their puzzle. He was trained to kill, making him their most prized possession. The best part was that nobody noticed him. He just slipped in and out of peoples' lives as he pleased. Those who befriended him never attempted to uncover who he was. All they saw was someone to help guide them through their problems. And that's exactly how he liked it. They poured their heart out, he gained their trust. They invited him over, he killed one of their loved ones. Discreetly, of course. All signs of death seem to lead towards a heart attack. How could he have caused that? Although, all it takes is a small lethal injection from Boy Nobody's special ballpoint pen. Who would know the true cause of death if the drugs were untraceable?

It is all too easy for Boy Nobody. Once he does the deed, he slips away. Perhaps his parents got a divorce, and he has to leave. Or maybe he was transferred to a different school. Everyone believes his simple excuses. After all, when he has The Program to back him up, there is no reason for them not to believe him.

That's how it's like every time. People only care about themselves. When Boy Nobody is there, they take advantage of him. They never suspect that he might just return the favor.

Boy Nobody wasn't always a ruthless killer. He once was a boy who lived a normal life. He had a loving mother and father, good education, and a wonderful little home. All that changed when he met a boy who called himself Mike. Mike seemed to understand him more than anyone he ever met. That being said, by the end of the week, Mike was sleeping over at his home. 

One day, Boy Nobody found his father tied to a chair - mouth duct taped shut - with Mike standing next to him. Mike then betrays Boy Nobody by drugging him, and tossing him into a cab. 

That was how Boy Nobody met Mother and Father, and became apart of The Program.

The Program is dedicated to righting the wrongs of the world. If you are plotting murder against someone of great importance, they will eliminate you. No one escapes when The Program has their eyes on them.

Not even they mayor of New York.

Boy Nobody was given the assignment of taking him down. Sam Goldberg, the Mayor's daughter, is the one who is bound to lead him to his target. Having only five days to rid of the mayor, Boy Nobody - under the name of Benjamin - goes to the Upper West Side. He enrolls in Sam's private school, and makes himself known to her. Little does he know that things are not as easy as he previously thought. It seems as though Sam is causing emotions to stir in him he hasn't felt in a long while. In fact, he doesn't feel emotions anymore. He only feels sensations, such as the stickiness of syrup, or the cool of the breeze.

Knowing that she is making him feel again only serves to disturb him. However, trying to fight off feelings is harder than expected. While he doesn't like The Program one bit, he knows better than to disobey them. After all, they are working for the greater good. 

As the five days come closer to an end, The Program becomes impatient. Benjamin knows it's only a matter of time before they terminate him instead. Suddenly, The Program changes the objective. He only has four days to end it, and the mayor of New York is no longer the target.

The target is Sam Goldberg.

This book was one of the better action books I've read. While parts of this review may make it seem like some sappy love story, I assure you that it's anything but. Boy Nobody is action packed, heart stopping, and full of energy. Once you start reading, you can't stop. It has all the elements of a good mystery, suspense, action, and romance novel in one book. I'm beyond impressed. You won't want to miss this one!

My rating:

Four and a Half out of Five Stars!

Natalie: Mind Games by Kiersten White

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Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. I need to choose the proper words to describe this book.

Mind Games was filled with a lot of stuff. Hardcore-psychological-moral testing-deep stuff. After reading some reviews of people expressing very negative feelings for the book I just want to make sure that I am describing the story in the way that it deserves.

Annie is blind. She has been since she was four years old. Her younger sister Fia is all she has left. Their parents are dead, and their are some people very interested in the two sisters

The head of a big fancy corporation has just offered the orphaned girls a "wonderful opportunity." A chance to attend a very prestigious all girls private school. A place where Annie  could receive the most state of the art treatment for her blindness, a place where they could possibly fix her eyesight for good. For Annie it is a dream come true.








But Fia can see through their lies.



 Ever since she could remember Fia's Gut Instinct, her first impulse has always been right. And now she knows, she knows that going to this school is a very, very bad idea. She tries to convince Annie that it is dangerous and that something is wrong. But Annie is determined to go, so to make her sister happy Fia agrees to go in order to stay together.


That moment, that specific moment, ladies and gentlemen, is when Annie single handedly ruined her little sister's life.


Because Fia was right. Fia is always right. It wasn't a school for children so much as a testing facility for freaks. They brought in kids with possible mental/psychic abilities and trained the ones with potential to become bad, bad people.


And of course once they realize how special Fia is, how valuable her instincts make her, the people at this "school" do everything in their power to mold Fia into everything they want her to be.


Spy. Soldier. Assassin.


And Fia has no choice but to comply because her sister is having a marvelous time. She is making friends. Learning to control her ability to see into the future. (Did I forget to mention that?...Oops) and having loads of fun. All the while twelve-year-old Fia is being beaten by her teachers, knife fighting with full grown men, and learning the limitations of her own gift in the cruelest ways possible.


Yet she stays. She hates the school, despises the things they make her do, and she stays to keep her sister happy. That is what breaks my heart. She is doing all of this for her sister. She is doing everything is for her, and is destroying herself in the process.





The book explores the girls' pasts' through flashbacks where you see the progression of what Fia once was, to what she is now.
 
The changes are heart wrenchingly drastic.



At some point in the book, after being tricked into doing some particularly sinister things, Fia changes. She becomes cold, hard, mean, and incredibly strong. And Annie can't figure out what happened to her sweet little sister.


By the time Annie figures out what is going on, it is too late. They have already broken her. The innocent twelve-year-old is gone. In her place is a killer.





To me, a character's relationship with their family is much more important than their romantic relationship. I loved Annie's and Fia's dynamic. Even though I despised Annie for the choices that she made, I liked her as a character.


As far as the plot goes, it was a little hard to keep track of seeing as how every other chapter was flashback. But to me this was a very character based book. The depth of the characters took priority and the plot was not as important. Or as interesting for that matter.


So, in summary, Fia is sent to kill Adam. She doesn't want to kill him. But, if she refuses, her sister will suffer; stuff happens. More intense stuff happens. Throw in a few plot twists, and a pretty epic ending and you have Mind Games.


In conclusion, I liked the book immensely at times, I hated it other times. Not because it was in any way bad, but because of the irrational turmoil that occurs when things happen to your beloved characters and you become an emotional wreck. And obviously, by "you", I mean me.


A very well written book, and I recommend it to people who...like well written books about kick butt female characters. And attractive guys. Did I forget to mention that?

 

My rating:

4.75 Stars out of 5

Tehreem: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

To say Poison is amazing would be completely absurd. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe this marvelous escapade of a novel. Everything - including the characters - was so immersing! The world building was very powerful and realistic, but you still got just the right touch of fantasy, intrigue, and (of course) romance.

Kyra is a young potioneer who has a lot to deal with. First, her best friend seems to have gone mental, and is sure to destroy their beloved kingdom. Second, she tried to kill said best friend and failed quite miserably. Third, she is now on the run from everyone she trusts and those who once trusted her. And last off, she can't seem to get the irksome - and all too handsome - adventurer Fred off her mind. Or off her trail for that matter.

Kyra is dying to get a second chance at murder. However, she knows that killing the princess - who was now probably under heavy security - would be no easy task. But that isn't even her main problem. The real issue at hand is finding the good-princess-gone-bad in the first place. And Kyra has no idea where to even start looking.

Hopeless, Kyra is forced to seek help from the "King of Crime" himself, Arlo Abbaduto. While she decides to search him out, his dark-eyed minions find her first and bring her back to his lair. Convinced that Kyra and himself have similar interests in seeing the kingdom fall, Arlo accepts the exchange that Kyra proposed; Kyra will give him ownership of her potioneer coins - coins that always find their way back into their owner's pocket - and he in turn will give her something to aid her in her quest to maim Princess Ariana.

Arlo gives Kyra a piglet. Not just any piglet though. This piglet has the incredible power to track down anyone so long as the scent of the person is given. Now armed with what she needs, Kyra starts her daunting trip, dead set on full-filling her quest.

Journeying with an adorable pig and a handsome, dark-haired, green-gold eyed traveler proves to be more than she bargained for. Through much toil and strife - including witches, obeekas, and a deadly army - Kyra becomes increasingly unsure of herself. Will she be able to terminate the princess? Can she manage to keep her feelings in check? Is she falling for the infuriating Fred? Will she live to tell her story?

Does she even want to?

Bridget Zinn really did create and eye-opening novel about adventure. It's a crime that she didn't get to see this sensation reach shelves. I only hope that everyone sees what an insightful story Zinn crafted. Such beauty shouldn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. I'm truly speechless.

My rating:

Five out of Five Stars! 

Tehreem: Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Everyone wants to believe that they are normal. We all want to believe that we are our own individual, but the same as everyone else. The thing is, we are all normal. We smell the same scents. We taste the same foods. We breathe the same air. We touch the same surfaces. After all, we are all human, right?

What would happen if you found out that you were not like everyone else? What would happen if you found out that you weren't even human?

Sixteen-year-old Mila Daily is the "you" in this situation.

Mila Daily has lived a very dreary life. Her most recent memory is that of a fire; a fire that stole the life of her father. Now, her mother has whisked her away to a new life, with new people, and new "friends". All she wants is to live her life in peace. However, many things - including the new boy in town - like to complicate her life. Kaylee, a "nice" girl who is really a menace in disguise, is set on getting Mr. New Boy (AKA Hunter) to like her instead. When she finally puts two and two together, she realizes that Hunter will only ever have eyes for Mila. In a jealous fit, she winds up hurting Mila significantly. So significantly, Mila comes out of the fight with a hole in her arm.

A hole that protrudes a liquid.

A liquid that is not blood.

Horrified, Mila treks back home to her mother, questions and confusion whirling around in her mind. Mila refuses to believe that her arm is prosthetic. She finds it easier to believe that she may have imagined the hoard of wires harbored in her body. She keeps on trying to convince herself of this, but every time she looks down at the gash, reality strikes her. 

When she arrives at her home, her mother takes one look at the way Mila is covering her arm, and she knows. Instead of shock overtaking her features as Mila expected, her mother pulls out a kit, tells her to sit down, and begins to fix Mila's arm. Her mother - Nicole - then hands Mila an iPod with all the information she needs to understand what she is. And with that, she finds out her whole life is a lie. Mila is simply a Mobile Intel Lifelike Android. She was created in a lab to work as a spy for the U.S. Military. 

And she was stolen from the lab by Nicole.

Confused and betrayed, Mila is torn by the emotions rolling through her. She feels human. She has human emotions. How was this possible? She had a heartbeat - was it even a heartbeat? Or was it something synthetically created like everything else about her?

Nicole tells her that she had no choice but to steal her from the lab. There, she would have been treated like some sort of abomination. Nicole couldn't handle that idea. Mila was too human for that. Though the scientists may not believe that, the evidence of the humanity in Mila was standing before them. Mila understands Nicole, but she cannot ignore the betrayal she feels.

It doesn't matter anyway, because with the sequence of incoming events, she is forced to deal with is.

Suddenly, the peaceful life that she once lived is now in constant turmoil. It seems as though everywhere she goes, someone is trying to either steal her and sell her, or terminate her. Not only does she have to battle with outer foes, but she must learn to accept herself.

Mila and Nicole's lives depend on it. 

Woah! I didn't go into this novel expecting that. Many of the reviews of this book left me skeptical as to whether or not I would like this novel, but I can easily say I'm glad I have it a shot. While I was able to foreshadow many of the events of this story, a lot of the plot twists came as quite the surprise. Personally, I would never have guessed that ending.

The story was well written and very enticing. I could tell that Driza felt comfortable with her characters and knew where this story was going. I really felt like Driza put her best foot forward while writing Mila 2.0. For that, I salute her.

My rating:

Three and a Half out of Five Stars!

Tehreem: Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything --who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David-or "Hank" and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel is about a teen in search of himself. Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past. The only way Hank can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past, to stop running, and to find his way home.

Before I start, I would like to state one thing; this book is not about entirely about Henry David Thoreau. If you are expecting some sort of retelling of Walden, you best look somewhere else.

The book starts off with a young man waking up in a subway, and finding that he has no recollection of his life. As far as he knows, he has no name, no family, and no home. When interrogated by the station police, he gives them the name of the author of the bound book in his possession; Henry David. Son. Davidson. After all, how suspicious would it look if he just so happened to carry the same name as Thoreau?

During his stay at the station, Henry meets another homeless boy named Jack. Jack offers a place of refuge for the night if only Henry will buy him some food. Confused and alone, Henry accepts his offer. 

Jack then takes him to his place of refuge which is with his runaway sister, Nessa. However, their place of hiding isn't all that safe. A boy no older than them named Simon demands money from Jack. Money that Jack owes him. Money that Jack doesn't have. When is seems as though Simon is going to slaughter Jack, Henry knocks Simon out cold. Afraid, all three of them seek refuge. They then meet Magpie, a proper Englishmen who is not afraid to maim others. In fear of his threats, they stay with him. 

Well, Jack and Nessa do.

Insisting that Magpie likes them too much to harm them, Jack convinces Henry to run away. So where does Henry run? Concord, Massachusetts; the place where Thoreau is most famous. Alone and determined, Henry embarks on a journey of self-discovery; the pain, the joy, and the truth.

This novel, like almost every novel out there, had its fair share of faults. However, they good far outweighed the bad. The characters of this book were agreeable. I didn't feel like killing off the main character due to a stupid decision(s), which is always a good thing. The quotes really made me understand why this novel was given the name Being Henry David. While this book isn't a retelling, it is also about discovery of one's self. Henry went to many of the sites where Thoreau was said to have stayed. During his visits at these places, Henry tended to rediscover a piece of himself that he lost. The symbolism given off by that is absolutely breath-taking.

Personally, I think this book is one of those books for a select few. I don't really know who I would recommend this story to, but if this terrible review sparked a bit of interest within you, I would say give it a try.

My rating:

Three out of Five Stars!

Andrea: Hate List by Jennifer Brown

 

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

 This book in particular struck me in ways that I didn't think was possible. Val, the main character goes back to school, mainly to make her mother happy. As she walks into the school, she is looked at with fear, disgust, and shock. Can you imagine walking into a building and have no one to be there for you? Not even your old friends? She goes into her classroom and it even goes to the point where a victim of her old boyfriend's shooting starts crying and has to leave the room, and eventually the school.

This book's writing style is an easy read, yet keeps you guessing. You start off with her normal life, however you travel back to her memories. I started off the book wondering what Nick would be like, would he be one of those abusive boyfriends, or one of those who didn't seem to care for their girlfriends? Reading on, it shocked me how amazing of a guy he was. He liked Shakespeare, he really seemed to love Val, and was such a sweet and romantic guy, and throughout the book, you wonder, why? Why did he do that? Was it to save Val from the people they put on the hatelist? Was it to satisfy himself? Was he pressured into it? One of the interesting ways done by the author, is that she ends the book on a big hanging question, allowing you to decide for yourself.

Her younger brother Frankie is one of the sweetest characters. He was always there for Val, even though you could just feel that he was having a hard time coping with the family issues and Val herself. What really moved me was Jessica Campbell. She was one of Val's bullies before the shooting. It's amazing how one event just happens that you never expected to happen, and this just proves that people can change. Jessica was a popular who had everything, friends, poplularity, and yet after Val saved her life, she pushed all that aside, at the cost of her reputation to try her hardest to befriend Val and get her out of her shell. She was just the most amazing person in the book and really shocked me. 

This was definitely another book that greatly moved me. Of course, you can never judge a book by it's cover. You must get to know them first before judging, that is one of the most important points to remember. Also, you must always look at the bright side, the past is the past, and you must look forward to the new possibilities that you have. If someone is in trouble, or needs support, lend them a helping hand. Sometimes all people need to keep them from going the wrong direction is knowing that someone is there for them. I recommend this book for everyone to read, and I think it will encourage you to at change a bit yourself to help others. 

My rating:

five out of five stars