Deception by C.J. Redwine

Goodreads Blurb
Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.


But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive. 
In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

Defiance wasn't my favorite book last year, but oh my God this sequel. It absolutely blew my mind and I was breathless the entire time, my heart pounding.

I absolutely, most definitely have to mention the atmosphere of the book. Redwine perfectly captures that feeling of desperation and despair in this world and in our characters. It's stunning how much feeling she could capture in a few subtle word choices and I loved how absolutely heartbreaking the atmosphere fear was, in that morbid way we readers have.

I loved our characters. They were both absolutely badass, but in completely different ways. Rachel was more impulsive and risky, wanting vengeance more than anything, and desperate enough to sacrifice almost anything to get it. She's a character you have to sympathize and it just broke my heart, seeing how torn up she was. Her stubborness and recklessnes sometimes made me want to hit her, but it's one of her many flaws, and made her an even more brilliant character.
Logan is as quick witted and smart as before, but he's now in charge of about 200 people, and you can see it's toll. He's loyal, fair, and almost always knows exactly what to do and what the rational decision is. He brings reason to the table and tries to see the best in others, which goodness knows their group needs.

The plot was just...no. Several things just broke my heart in two and I teared up a lot. Let's just say that C.J. Redwine has no qualms of killing off some of our favorite characters. Or killing our inner fangirls.
Deception is filled with action and twists with murderers and traitors mixed in. While I didn't see the major twist, it was obvious after the first half who the killer was...but I couldn't help but hurt a little when I realized I was right.

Guys, I'm still unsure whether this is more of a fantasy or a dystopian, so I shall call it fantopian. It was great seeing more of how the city-states were and pure fun seeing little bits of our world scattered in the ruins. The author has a talent for the worldbuilding, mixing science with that fantastical feeling!

The romance, or more like Logan and Rachel's relationship, played a giant role in the book. They depend on each other--they're all they have left and every time one of them got hurt, my heart was in my throat, wondering how the other would react. They trusted each other and it was absolutely beautiful how much they loved each other.

An absolutely heart capturing sequel, Deception is an absolutely breathtaking follow up to Defiance. Action packed and threaded with a desperate atmosphere, this book takes you on a wild ride, thrusting you in a world of survival and false hopes.

Pages: 460

Genre: Fantasy/Dystopian

Series: Defiance #2

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Aug 27, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Goodreads Blurb

I should not exist. But I do.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

What's Left of Me was...well, it was good, but it was disappointing in a lot of ways, actually.
I think What's Left of Me is one of those 2 way books where either you completely loved it or it was just disappointing. I definitely went down road number two.

What's Left of Me definitely got off to a great start, but it went downhill after the first 2 or 3 chapters, becoming a long, boring introduction. It did show the strength of the bond between Eva and Addie, but I'm more of an action or cry girl where there a) has to be a giant action scene or b) has to be deep enough that I cry. So the first half definitely didn't go into my type of read, though I'm betting there are a lot of people who will enjoy the depth of the relationships between all these characters, and the way you can easily understand Eva's feelings of frustration and longing.

I'm not quite sure what genres to put this in, not really. Technically, it's a dystopia, but we never learn how we got 2 souls in our body--so it could also be a fantasy/sci-fi kind of book as well since this seemed to take place in a different world, still somewhat similar to ours. But, still, we don't learn much about this world. Worldbuilding is obviously not one of the main points in this book, so we never really got a feel for how harmless this world could be compared to others, or how horrible it could be. There are a lot of holes in the fabric of this world and plot so I was disappointed there as well.

Speaking of the hospital, things definitely picked up there. Suddenly it was fast paced and thrilling, escape plans and all. And the TWISTS? I so wasn't expecting that! I mean, the fading of one soul? That...I can't believe how that happens. It was just shocking and I definitely had a hard time getting over that. The cruelness...

Oh hey, I'm rambling.

The concept of this book was truly fascinating and unique and while this was a bit slow, I think it was mainly because it was the first book. No doubt the sequel will be as action packed as the second half of this and as amazing as I'd expected What's Left of Me to be! I'd definitely recommend this for people who love reading about relationships and understand the wanting of something you can never have.

Pages: 343
Genre: Dystopia/Sci-fi/Fantasy
Series: What's Left of Me #1
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: Sep 18, 2012
Rating: 2.5--->3 stars

2013 Belongs to Dante!

Goodreads Blurb

He makes good girls...bad. 

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper's soul in ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

I had no freaking idea what I was getting into when I started this. No. Freaking. Idea. Honestly? I was maybe expecting some big cheesy romance with a few paranormal elements thrown in. But it was SO much more. 

There's really only one way to kick off this review: Dante. His name alone should make you swoon! But his swagger and his attitude? It'll charm you and keep you laughing! Who cares if he's a reaper from hell--he's DANTE. He's a naughty influence and it was interesting seeing things from his POV. It changed things up a bit, and gave us a fresher view on a usually typical paranormal romance. His sarcasm and wit is, by far, his most endearing traits. Not counting physically of course...
Charlie was an interesting character. At first, I pretty much felt the way Dante did--she was pathetic, desperate, in need of quite a few makeovers. But there was just something about her that was brought to life in these pages and I adored her character so much after a few chapters! She was just, if she were real, one of those people I'd instantly want to protect. To repeat Dante's thoughts, she was so INNOCENT in a sort of cute way. 

And OMG their romance. Dante just fell EVER so slowly while Charlie was basically in love at first sight. Too bad Dante didn't feel the same way then! But it was adorable seeing how Charlie became more than just a promotion scheme to him, more of a person, more of someone he wanted to protect and love. It. Was. So. Damn. Sweet.

I want a Dante.
Without the drama. 

What I found interesting about this were the...unique rules of Heaven and Hell. A lot of things came into play that aren't usually used in an angel/demon book, but I have to give it to Scott--she handled it beautifully. Or, rather, witfully. Which is totally a word. The paranormal elements were interesting and definitely wasn't overshadowed by the romance like I'd expected! It's a captivating read--and watching how Dante operated were really interesting bits. ;)

There were a TON of plot twists I honestly never saw coming and sometimes I just had to stop reading and collect my thoughts. Dante was an overpowering antihero! Who totally had me swooning at the first page. Back in topic, the plot was well executed and OHMYGOSH I just loved it! 

Pages: 352
Genre: Paranormal/Romance
Series: The Collector #1
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Rating 4.5--->5

Check out the other stops on "2013 Belongs to Dante" 

Victoria Scott
I’m a YA writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. My workis represented by the fabulous Laurie McLean of Larsen-Pomada literary agency. I have a master’s degree in marketing, and am a member of the Writers’ League of Texas and Teen Shiver.
My first YA book, THE COLLECTOR, will be published by Entangled Teen, April 2013. It is the first book in a trilogy. My second YA series will begin with THE BRIMSTONE BLEED and is being published by Scholastic in spring 2014.

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Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum

Goodreads Blurb

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us.

Only a few escaped the robot revolution of 2071. Kevin, Nick, and Cass are lucky —they live with their parents in a secret human community in the woods. Then their village is detected and wiped out. Hopeful that other survivors have been captured by bots, the teens risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world—by infiltrating a city controlled by their greatest enemies.

Revolution 19 is a cinematic thriller unlike anything else. With a dynamic cast of characters, this surefire blockbuster has everything teen readers want—action, drama, mystery, and romance. Written by debut novelist Gregg Rosenblum, this gripping story shouldn’t be missed.

Just got to say, THANK YOU Eileen for convincing me to get the ARC before preordering. Oh Thank God. And Eileen.

Not to say this was completely bad, it just wasn't for me. You guys know I try to find as many good things as possible, but everything was...less than average. Not completely bad, but...not that good which I'm completely depressed about--this used to be one of my most awaited books. The premise you guys! Killer robots! 

First things first: Characters. Wow did I want to facepalm. Nick was completely reckless and hypocritical, Kevin was just too under-self-confident, and Cass was just deluded sometimes. They all got each other in life threatening situations and I gave them FIVE total chances to redeem themselves, but nothing prominent really happened...I ended up just marking them up as annoying turned almost average characters, but I really feel like they were...flat. They were just boring characters who I read about in 3rd person. Maybe if it'd been done in 1st person, it would've been better...?

The killer robots were...well, less killer, more robot. They didn't seem like the heartless creatures who destroyed everything in their path like I thought (and hoped for). The only time they seemed as creepy as I hoped was in Nick's Re-education time which was basically the only main plot point I liked, possibly loved! I mean, sure chips in your neck tracing your every move and robots everywhere can be scary...if it's written right, and I guess...Revolution 19 just wasn't. Using other books, instead of a wasteland along the lines of The Immortal Rules,  it was more like Matched--a society where each move was tracked and not that severe punishments for any infractions. I was...disappointed to find that the robots were actually ruling an almost civilized world. They were more...bullies on the playground than Terminator material.

Yeah, I'm in a simile mood. English got to me.

Plot wise this book was lacking throughout most of the novel. Only the last 50 pages or so had exciting action and twists (that were slightly predictable) and the pages before had me completely bored. I finished this book through sheer will, honestly, and it may have taken me three days to read this (2 days longer than normal) to finish this since I err...fell asleep. Though that could also have something to do with it being midnight. But the action? Lacking in that area, and I'm sorely disappointed. 

Anyone looking for romance, not here. Go. SHOO! There was a little bit (which ha, you could totally see coming. It was adorable!) of romance and I found the couples absolutely cute! (Though the fact that they admitted their feelings right before they thought they were going to die...) Lexi and Nick vs. Cass and Farryn. Cass and Farryn were so much better, especially in that last scene! I swear I squealed!

Also, for a book that's apparently a stand alone, I'm in desperate need of an actual ending. No offense, but I'm not an open ended person. I need CLOSURE. Sure, I can be fine with it, but...what happens to their parents? What happens to their friends? What about that Epilogue?! 

So even though it sounds like I absolutely hated this, it did slightly redeem itself in the end, and I just didn't get that vibe to give it 2 stars or lower. I'm sticking to exactly 2.5. And you guys! My .5s are special.

Pages: 272

Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopia

Series: Stand alone (I think?)

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: January 8, 2013

Rating: 2.5

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Goodreads Blurb

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Ermmm...wow. That was really my reaction after reading it. WOW. Falling Kingdoms...it wasn't...wasn't what I expected at all. And I say that with 90% all the love in the world. Because the other 10%? It was a bit hesitant. Let me just say, that as the last and final Breathless Read, it didn't let me down, though it wasn't quite as good. But then, I haven't been a fan of 3rd person multiple POVs, so that probably has something to do with it!

And, I'm just saying, the Breathless Reads? I can now fully confirm--all of them will leave you breathless. There is no doubt.

So like I said, I am not a big fan of multiple POVs, especially not 3rd person. The characters are usually not well developed and while the characters weren't completely underdeveloped, they did fall a little under the line. The only really developed character, in my opinion, was Cleo and only because most of the book was from her perspective. But from what I gathered...

Cleo: Cleo was, by far, one of my favorite characters. She acts like a whiny princess at first, because after all, she was raised as one. But when she witnesses the murder of a wine seller's son (killed by her fiance, actually) she's plagued with guilt and it turns out she's a lot less whiny and spoiled than she seemed at first glance. And when her beloved sister gets sick, she turns out to be stronger than anything we expected. She defies her father, travels into enemy lands, all to look for magical healing seeds. Does it sound naive? Yes. But the fact that she'd do things she's definitely not comfortable with, all for her sister?  I loved her. 

Magnus: Can I pretty please kill him? I really wanted to rip my hair out whenever we got to Magnus' chapter. He was just...ugh. He was always thinking about Lucia, which I mean, I get. he's in love with her and wants to protect her and I loved that about her! But did he really just have to kiss her like that? I was expecting him to tell her first, then tell her his feelings, then kiss her. And I think I would've liked it a lot more if he did that. And he was so surprised when (SPOILER) she rejected him, I actually felt a little sad for him, but when he becomes cruel? Well. But then, I'm also a bit biased since he's Cleo's captor and basically her enemy. Not my favorite character in the least.

Jonas: Jonas is the brother of the guy who was brutally murdered by Cleo's fiance, and he's bent on revenge. He wants them to go through his pain or kill them, though the latter one sounds better to him. And he's...well, I couldn't blame him for trying to kill Cleo. She stood by while her companion killed his brother in front of him. But I was a bit disappointed in him for taking that route. But characters are only characteristically human!

Lucia: She's an important character, the "Chosen One" as it may be, and a very powerful sorceress--one who can wield all four elements. But we actually didn't read from her perspective for more than...two chapters? Three? It was just a bit disappointing since I was expecting more magic and practice from her. 

The plot though was...wow. It was seriously quick and action packed. Epic/High Fantasy is usually like that, but...wow. Falling Kingdom's plot was definitely more complicated and quick than I thought (for such a thick book) os plot-wise, Falling Kingdoms completely, utterly, destroyed my expectations for the plot. It was fun, a bit gory and bloody, full of betrayals, war, strategy, and more! 

There's a revolution brewing, a war to be fought and so much more and honestly? Let me say that the plot is the one thing that kept me reading the book. I just wanted to know what happened, but I refused to read the end (no matter how many times my friends told me too!) And that ending, by the way? I need the sequel now!

Worldbuilding? LOVED. I loved the magic, the legends, the goddesses, the whole thing! I loved the three kingdoms, how different they were, how the royal families operated. (Backstabbing mainly.) I absolutely love High Fantasy because of the worldbuilding, actually. It's fascinating, seeing what kind of world an author can create with only her mind and no restrictions! And Morgan Rhodes? She created one of my favorites. It was just a lush world (at least, Auranos is/was.) and the descriptions were detailed enough that we could clearly picture it all, without being boring and monotonous. I absolutely loved the legend of the Watcher and the goddesses and the magic! It was why I was a tad disappointed that we just didn't get to see more of it!

The romance was definitely iffy for me. There was this giant triangle (rectangle?) that was Cleo and her love interests: Nic, Theon, and (possibly?) Jonas. Nic is the boy next door, basically. Her best friend and always there for her, Cleo's never considered him as more than a friend, but when he shows sudden interest, she's a bit...caught in the middle. (SPOILER HERE) Theon was the guy I was actually rooting for, because I mean, come on, a guard and a forbidden love? What more can a reader ask for? But the thing is...when Cleo finally kissed him? He got killed about 5 pages later. And I. Wanted. To. Cry. But I was in school. But the fact remains--I absolutely hated that when Cleo, my favorite character, finally got with my favorite love interest...he died. I'm not sure if this is changed in the final copy, or not. I hope so! Then there was Jonas, and he didn't really show interest besides the fact that she was beautiful, but all us readers know that there's sure to be something between them later on. Right? Right.

Then there was Magnus and Lucia. One couple I was not rooting for, actually. It was just...weird how Magnus could be so cruel as to kiss her first then information-dump her. not necessarily cruel, but you get my drift. Long story short? Magnus holds an unrequited love for Lucia, and we're not quite sure if Lucia feels the same way later in the book. She cares for him, she admits, but we're not sure if it's a sibling-love or a romantic love.

Summary?

Pick this up! There were a few holes in the writing I didn't like, but honestly? I enjoyed the read! The plot definitely lived up to it's title as "Breathless Rebellion" and I think it's definitely worthy to be a Breathless Read! Any reader of High Fantasy will devour this in a blast and they'll love it for sure! There's a lot to be found in Falling Kingdoms! Because, in the end, who will fall? Aren't you curious?

Pages: 412

Series: Falling Kingdoms #1

Genre: High Fantasy

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Rating: 4.5--->4 stars