Review- Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Asunder

Jodi Meadows

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper)

ISBN:  0062060783

Source: ARC from the San Francisco Book Review

Rating: Loved!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

DARKSOULS

Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS

Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE

Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

 Y’all!!!! I loved Incarnate something fierce and I didn’t know how Jodi was going to keep up the momentum in Asunder! But she did! Asunder was another amazing journey into this beautifully written fantasy world where reincarnation exists and dragons, sylph, and other beasts are dangerous and deadly but, not as much as some of the people that surround Ana every day!

Ana still struggles being a newsoul and what that means during this book and, she has the ever loyal and always swoon-worthy Sam by her side the whole time. I love Sam as much as I did in book one! Ana also has a set of loyal friends that we meet in book one who support her completely and we meet a new person Cris who stole my heart! Like I said I still love Sam but I love him for Ana. Cris is for me and he is just amazing! You’ll have to read the book to see why lol. And to answer some of the questions you have… will we see inside the Tower again? Yes. Will I tell you what happens? No. Is there romance between Sam and Ana? Yes and you will swoon. I do have to admit though nothing beats that scene from the Masquerade Ball in book one but, yes there are swoony scenes.

Speaking of swoony scenes I wanted to share this one with you…..

“When we first met, you asked about the scariest thing I could think of.”

The day had been clear and cold, filled with questions. I hadn’t even known who he was then, just that he pulled strangers from frozen lakes. I wished he could pull me from the frozen shock now. “I remember,” I whispered. “You said not knowing what would happen if you died and didn’t come back. Where would you go? What would you do?” My gut twisted.

“When I couldn’t find you that night, I realized that wasn’t my answer anymore.” He pulled my hand up, placed it over his heart. The beat raced under my fingertips. “If you asked me now. I’d say the scariest thing I can imagine is losing you.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

“I wish I could tell you all the things you make me feel. I tried putting them into music, but even that wasn’t strong enough.”

Jaime's Review of Erasing Time by CJ Hill

Erasing Time

CJ Hill

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper Collins)

ISBN: 0062123920

Source: ARC from the San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review

Rating: Really Liked

From Goodreads.

In this high-action and romantic futuristic adventure, there is no escape from the future for two contemporary girls pulled out of their own time. When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that’s so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can’t go back home. The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The moblike Dakine fights against the government, and somehow Taylor and Sheridan find themselves in the middle. The only way to elude them all is to trust Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the wilds beyond the city. Full of adrenaline-injected chases and heartbreaking confessions, Erasing Time explores the strength of the bonds between twins, the risks and rewards of trust, and the hard road to finding the courage to fight for what you believe in.

Where to start with one…..

You see the rating above says really liked? Well that would have been a loved if a few things would have happened. I loved the story/the idea/ the plot. I highly enjoyed the characters but, the pacing for the first 100 pages was off and I don’t mean slow I mean it was too quick. I normally don’t complain about stories being too fast but with this one I felt we lost something. For example one minute we’re getting to know the twins Sheridan and Taylor and the next woosh they’ve been transported 400 years into the future. And we don’t know why. We find out later in the book but there should have been some kind of lead in to their sudden departure from their own time period. Second example Echo the main guy in the story he starts off trying to escape the town but again we don’t find out why until way later in the book. There should have been more of an explanation there. Oh and one more thing this book is being called a dystopian well there’s a dystopian world yes, there is also time travel and futuristic machines which also makes this a sci-fi book. So I’d prefer it be called a Sci-Fi/Dystopian.

But enough of my complaints here’s what I liked about the story. I loved Sheridan one of the twins; she was selfless, brave, smart, and funny. Her sister Taylor was ok too but not a favorite.  I also loved Echo and his father Jeth. The world itself was written really well and CJ threw in some twists that I didn’t see coming (and I’m usually good at figuring things out). 

There were some loose ends that were not wrapped up by the end and I’m hoping there will be a second book to resolve these. I would definitely read a sequel.

I chose a quick scene to share with you between Echo and Sheridan because I thought it was pretty funny.

She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re wrong. Just like you’re wrong about animals talking. They didn’t”

His eyebrows drew together. “We have stories dating back thousands of years. Aesop’s fables. ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’ ‘The Three Little Pigs.’ Your time period had Bugs Bunny, Winnie-the Pooh---“

“Those are just children’s stories.”

“Yes, but adults told them to their children,” He cocked his head. “Do you expect me to believe that for generations, across human culture, parents routinely lied to their kids about the communication capabilities of animals?”

“Yes.”

He raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

“Oh, come on,” she said. “Who would hire three pigs to work construction jobs? They couldn’t hold hammers with their little cloven hooves.” She stopped herself. It was unbelievable, really, that she was standing here discussing pig careers. “Don’t you have any nature shows from our time period? Maybe a ‘National Geographic’ magazine?”

Add this book to your Goodreads shelves.

Pre-order your copy now.

Jaime's Review of Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent

Veronica Roth

Hardcover: 544 pages

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper Collins)

ISBN: 0062024046

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Loved

From Goodreads.                                                       One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.                                                                                                                                                          Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.                                                                                                                                                New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Holy crap I loved this book! It was soo different than the first. In Divergent we learn what it means to be Divergent and in Insurgent we learn why and how. I thought it was pretty brilliant of Veronica to write the story that way and I can’t wait to read the third book especially after the OMG ending!!! Ok so now I’ll try to review this without any spoilery.

We get a better look at some of the other factions like Amity and Candor in this book and how they govern their people. I also found more people whom I really liked and others who I adamantly hated.  There’s also some surprises from characters we got to know pretty well in the first book; some of them good and some not so good and people you thought you had figured out will surprise the hell out of you. There’s tons of awesome moments between Tris and Four y’all so don’t worry but, be warned everything isn’t going to be sunshine and rainbows for them it’s only book 2 ;)

The danger is definitely upped in Insurgent the way it’s done is soo creepy! Just thinking about some of the things that happen make me squirm; and poor Tris will break your heart with some of the choices that she makes. Oh and one more thing I didn’t think that Jeanine could become even more of an evil bitch but I was wrong she’s waaaayyy worse in this!

Here’s a passage between Tris and Four that I loved. A part is missing because it’s a bit spoilery.

“I’m not important. Everyone will do just fine without me.” I say.

“Who cares about everyone? What about me?”

He lowers his head into his hand, covering his eyes. His fingers trembling.

Then he crosses the room in two long strides and touches his lips to mine. Their gentle pressure erases the past few months, and I am the girl who sat on the rocks next to the chasm, with river spray on her ankles, and kissed him for the first time. I am the girl who grabbed his hand in the hallway just because I wanted to.

I pull back, my hand on his chest to keep him away. The problem is, I am also the girl who shot Will and lied about it, and chose ______________________, and now a thousand other things besides. And I can’t erase those things.

“You would be fine.” I don’t look at him. I stare at his T-shirt between my fingers and the black ink curling around his neck, but I don’t look at his face. “Not at first. But you would move on, and do what you have to.”

He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me against him. “That’s a lie,” he says, before he kisses me again.

Ok so I know you all want to read this one so make sure to add it to your Goodreads shelves and pre-order it now! Oh and make sure to watch the trailer it’s in our sidebar ;) and vote for Candor Faction. http://Candorfactionnews.tumblr.com  or http://bit.ly/choose_candor