Review: "Trial by Fire" (The Worldwalker Trilogy #1) by Josephine Angelini

Synopsis:

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

                                                                                               *(summary courtesy of Goodreads)

My Review:

I love the idea of multiple dimensions/worlds and versions of yourself. So, naturally, it should come as no shock why I was drawn to this book. Besides, it has witches and not your grand papi's witches. SALEM witches--the original O.G witches. On a side note, I love the cover...so wicked cool!

I wasn't sure if I was going to love these characters--I'm a reader who likes to see some depth and character development. I don't like to take them at face value...there needs to be substance, as characters can make or break a book for me. I'm not saying that these ones are deeper than  the deep, blue sea, but they each have a little backstory that is revealed as the story unfolds and progresses the overall plot. These characters were very real and relatable--with flaws; yet they were trying to b e better than their past mistakes. I understood Rowan; his anger and unwillingness to forgive and forget. Lillian was also a trip to read. I am very curious as to why she's doing what she is, and just what did she see in another dimensional world. Tristan and Caleb were some pretty funny friends and character foils. Lily is pretty amazing as well. She's like a breath of fresh air with her easygoing but fierce attitude. Every once in a while I will root for the bad guys, i.e Carrick and Gideon. This is not one of those times. But I would like to understand what Carrick's motivation for his deeds are...I already know Gideon's.

Back to the story, it's pretty engaging and doesn't stray too far into fantasy: it has a decent fusion between fantasy and reality. I definitely got lost into the world that Josephine Angelini has created, and I want to go back (I'm impatiently awaiting the second book in the series)! Admittedly, I'm really liking where this story is heading and the message it's sending about nuclear weapons: they're catastrophic. Anyways,  I enjoyed the sexual tension between Lily and Rowan, and the gradual relationship from enemies to friends to lovers. Ahh! Young love...

This book will make you ponder on the likeliness of alternate worlds, and just who you may or not be if you were to travel to a different one. Would I be smarter or dumber? Less athletic? More sickly? Who knows! What I do know is this book is good.

384 pages

Expected publication: September 2nd 2014 by Feiwel & Friends

Rating:  🔔🔔🔔🔔

Recommend?   Yes, I do. I do. I do.

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Review: "The Bodies We Wear" (The Bodies We Wear #1) by Jeyn Roberts

Synopsis:

A streetwise girl trains to take on a gang of drug dealers and avenge her best friend’s death in this thriller for fans of Scott Westerfeld and Robin Wasserman.

People say when you take Heam, your body momentarily dies and you catch a glimpse of heaven. Faye was only eleven when dealers forced Heam on her and her best friend, Christian. But Faye didn’t glimpse heaven—she saw hell. And Christian died.

Now Faye spends her days hiding her secret from the kids at school, and her nights training to take revenge on the men who destroyed her life and murdered her best friend. But life never goes the way we think it will. When a mysterious young man named Chael appears, Faye's plan suddenly gets a lot more complicated. Chael seems to know everything about her, including her past. But too many secrets start tearing her world apart: trouble at school, with the police, and with the people she thought might be her friends. Even Gazer, her guardian, fears she's become too obsessed with vengeance. Love and death. Will Faye overcome her desires, or will her quest for revenge consume her?

(*summary courtesy of Goodreads)

 

 

My Review:

 

When first reading the premise, I had envisioned a Kill Bill-esque, teenage book. I love a good, old testament story, where the protagonist is a total alpha female! Unfortunately this book wasn't as good as I had hoped.

 

The story just dragged on and on; the only thing that kept me from putting the book down was the anticipation of the "revenge" part of the plot actually jumpstarting. Every single time Faye mentioned revenge and killing, I kept thinking "put up or shut up!" All I seemed to be reading was either: a) Faye was training; b) Faye was at school; or c) Faye was interacting with Gazer or Chael. Those were basically the main scenarios throughout the story.

 

Speaking of Chael, every time I heard this name, I thought of Chael Sonnen LOL. He seemed like a nice guy who really cared about Faye; the situation of how he was able to take possession of another body was a bit freaky though. Also, I find it amusing that I was able to guess who he really was before Faye. Strange, seeing as she is supposed to notice every minute detail and recognize familiarity- I mean, she is a supposed "assassin". Faye was an okay but average character. I didn't really feel any particular way about her. Although at times, I did admire her bravery and pride. I did enjoy, albeit more than I should have, how she could kick some butt! I would have to say that Gazer was my favorite character; he was realistic about wanting revenge and just seemed like someone I would want to be my dad.

 

While reading, it was unfortunate to learn of how they, the fictional characters, treat Heam users. I did feel like it was an injustice, almost like the whole civil rights issue but not as worse. There's a romance element to the story between Chael and Faye, which felt unnecessary. It basically felt forced and threw the story off track. Maybe I will see the whole point of the romance aspect by the next book. It also seemed to me that every scene Chael and Faye shared, the former was trying to talk the latter out of killing. It makes me wonder if the author was trying to bait those interested in revenge/killing stories, and the talk about forgiveness in a "I'm shaking my finger at you reproachfully, while reprimanding you on your behavior" way.

 

Never the less, I still generally liked that there was a lesson to learn about the power of forgiveness, and I am glad Faye finally learned it. I was pleased that, for the most part, things worked out for Faye. I can't this book was exceptional, but it wasn't horrible either.

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

"I've made more hateful," he argues back. "All I wanted to do was give you confidence. Help you grow stronger so you'd be prepared if you were attacked again. Until you can let go of that hate, only then will you be ready." - Gazer

 

368 pages

Expected publication: September 23rd 2014 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rating:  🔔🔔🔔

Recommend:   It was okay. Possibly would recommend.

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Review: "Stitching Snow" by R.C. Lewis

Synopsis:

Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

*(summary courtesy of Goodreads)

 

My Review:

This was unbelievable, in a great way.  It's like a futuristic-fantasy reimagining of the well-known fairytale Snow White.  I had high hopes for this book when I first read the synopsis, and I am pleased to say that they were exceeded. 

First off, can I just say how awesome this version of Snow White is?  She's a no-holds-barred, kick ass, strong female! Not the "I'm waiting on my Prince Charming to rescue me because I'm so feeble" version in the Disney fairytale.  I loved her wit and courage, as well as her resourcefulness.  Dane was an asshat at first,  but he changed my opinion of him, later.  The evil queen was evil as always, maybe even doubly so.  The king, well...I don't even want to get into that one.  I applaud the author on the amazingly written characters.

 

The twists in the story were fantastic, and the shocking revelations kept me flabberghasted.  It had me sad in certain parts, reminding me of real fairytales; not the Disney ones, where everyone is happy-go-lucky and gets their happily-ever-afters. No. The original ones by the brothers Grimm, which weren't so happy and reminded you of the bad parts of life.  Great book all around! I loved it.

336 pages

Expected publication: October 14th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

Rating:  🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔

 

Recommend?  Yes. It's a great book.

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