Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Goodreads Blurb

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.
The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

First, I must squeal for one paragraph. I am sorry.

OMG. THIS WAS SO....ACK!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT AN ARC OF THIS. AND HOW GOOD THIS IS. WOW. THE WAY THIS WAS...ACK. BE STILL, MY HEART. THIS IS SO AMAZING.

That was like 1% of it, but I thought I'd better get on with the review, yeah?

Okay, I absolutely have to acknowledge the romance in this. The action and the rebellion were amazing of course, but the romance! Ash and Natalie and Elijah...and Giselle, but she appears and disappears quickly. (Thank God!) My heart broke so many times for Ash and Natalie. There's a giant twist that just changes everything between all of them, and I swear my heart dropped all the way through the Earth and made a beeline for China. I just...can't imagine. Natalie and Ash are so devoted to each other, every few pages I had to stop and smack a friend on the arm (whoever was closest to me. They can prove it.) and squeal! It was just so amazing, the way you could clearly see how in love they were. It's like a less messed up Romeo and Juliet! And Elijah. Elijah. How could you?!

Like I said, the action was definitely amazing itself. What Black City lacked, Phoenix definitely made up for it! There was definitely a lot more moving around than in Black City and there was definitely a lot more danger--and that's saying something! With President Rose a looming threat and both Sentry, Lupines, and citizens looking for them, Ash and Natalie were definitely in a fix. And yet, they somehow managed to survive it...until a giant betrayal I could never have expected!

Bringing me to another thing. There were a lot of betrayals I couldn't imagine, but with their lives' on the line, I guess some people forget to be selfless! But the first betrayal was a bit predictable. The second? Well. I think I may have died on the spot!
Phoenix was a book that while, at first was a bit slow, but quickly went uphill after the first few chapters or so! It's pacing was brilliant and I absolutely adored it!

Definitely not experiencing Sequel Syndrome or anything like that, Phoenix definitely surpassed my expectations and definitely beat Black City in the long run! Anyone who loved Black City will definitely adore this! Just like it's first book though, it's definitely one of those dystopias that the word dystopia perfectly describes!

Pages: 368
Genre: Dystopia/Romance
Series: Black City #2
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Rating: 5 stars

Orleans by Sherri. L. Smith

Goodreads Blurb

First came the storms.
Then came the Fever.
And the Wall.
After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct… but in reality, a new primitive society has been born.
Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader’s newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally. Brought together by chance, kept together by danger, Fen and Daniel navigate the wasteland of Orleans. In the end, they are each other’s last hope for survival.
Sherri L. Smith delivers an expertly crafted story about a fierce heroine whose powerful voice and firm determination will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Orleans was definitely different from the normal things I read and definitely different from…everything.

In the best way of course!

I really did like Orleans, though I wasn’t as into the story as I wanted to be. I think it was the odd-yet-common dual points of view in both first and third person and the…diction, I guess (YAY for Eileen…even if it wasn’t the word I was looking for…) of our main main character (yes, that does make sense). I’ve always had a problem with that kind of thing, though I guess it does make sense for someone living in the conditions she was raised in, but I always hated the “He ain’t” or “He got” instead of “He has”. Yes, I am a Grammar Nazi. If you know me I DNF’d Blood Red Road because of that too.

But ignoring that (or getting used to it), Orleans was definitely a great read, though I can’t exactly say I loved it.

I did like the characters though! Fen was independent and strong and ingenious in her own way! She knew how to survive in the ruins of Orleans and she took her promises seriously, I’ll say that. She wasn’t a character I could connect with, but I found myself cheering for her (silently, of course…maybe) throughout most of the book! She’s an easy character to like and not frustrating at all, which is more than I can say for some!

Daniel…the way it was written and by what happened; I honestly feel as if Daniel wasn’t really a main character or needed in the story. Sure, he made things a bit edgier, but the main plot really could’ve done a bit without him.

And no, you guys, they do not fall in love, I’ll say that now! I dearly wish they would, but maybe in book two! (There is a sequel, right. There has to be! Goodreads HAS to be lying!)

This was definitely one of those adventure-type books I don’t usually read, but absolutely love! The plot honestly was a bit all over the place, but it was still enjoyable and I loved it.

The best thing about Orleans was, without a doubt, the worldbuilding! It was thorough (well, except for the one question of HOW DID THE FEVER START?!) and I loved learning about what had changed, the events that led up to the Wall and to Orleans and all about the fever and how life in Orleans was. There were tribes and hunting and lepers and so much more! It was an absolutely fascinating fantastically created world that definitely shows you what the words national epidemic mean. ;)

Pages: 336

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic

Series: Standalone (?)

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Release Date: March 7, 2013

Rating: 3.5--->4 stars

How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller

Goodreads Blurb

A meth dealer. A prostitute. A serial killer.
Anywhere else, they’d be vermin. At the Mandel Academy, they’re called prodigies. The most exclusive school in New York City has been training young criminals for over a century. Only the most ruthless students are allowed to graduate. The rest disappear.
Flick, a teenage pickpocket, has risen to the top of his class. But then Mandel recruits a fierce new competitor who also happens to be Flick’s old flame. They’ve been told only one of them will make it out of the Mandel Academy. Will they find a way to save each other—or will the school destroy them both?

How to Lead a Life of Crime surprised me. In all honesty, I was anxious to read this, but I definitely didn't expect anything so conniving!
This book was...wow. A bit of romance, a bit of acting, a bit of betrayal, a bit of sacrifice, a bit of lying, a bit of stealing...well, a bit of everything really! Even a little scientific theory that this entire plot is based on.


There's really no good place to start this review. But let's start with the originality of How to Lead a Life of Crime, because I love its idea. The way Miller pulled this idea off was stunning and original with an engaging plot that captivates you from the first theft. There's a lack of original plots in the YA market, so the fact that I haven't read anything like this is definitely a shock in itself!

Because of the unique idea, the plot ultimately had me twisted in knots. I couldn't predict anything, and these characters' actions were so unpredictable and cold. My heart was beating furiously and if a fire was burning down my house, I don't think I'd really notice; I'd be too busy trying to figure everything out! There were so many complexities, and no question was left unanswered. There was a cause and affect for everything that happened and nothing happened for no reason: that's what happens when you deal with socio/psychopaths.

The characters...I can't even describe how manipulative, cruel, and calculating they were. Miller created the perfect criminals and they were terrifying. They made you realize just how deceiving and cruel criminals could be, and how some criminals may just be pretending to be as cold. The characters weren't lovable, but they were amazing and seemed real, albeit a bit intimidating. Flick, our narrator who had a great, compelling voice, was smart and sneaky, but not necessarily cruel—just desperate, in the way that a lot of people are capable of. He brought a lot of dry humor into the story and was a strong believer in sarcasm which made me smirk, despite of whatever situation he was currently in. However, Joi was by far my favorite character. Her abilities were shocking, to say the least. She could see what Flick couldn't and knew what was wrong and what was right and, unlike many other characters, acted on those instincts.

What was beyond different with How to Lead a Life of Crime was that enemies were allies, allies were enemies, and you never knew whether a friend was a real one or one who'd stab you straight in the back. It was a game of cat and mouse, but you never knew who was in what role. And, while fictional (for all we know!), there's something about this book that just makes you realize just how evil the world can be and how the people we look up to, how almost everyone, has a secret they're willing to kill for. 


Pages: 358
Genre: Thriller/Action
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Razorbill
Release: Feb. 21, 2013
Rating: 5 stars