ARC Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Title: Mind Games by Kiersten White
Source/Format: Goodreads, Bound ARC
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: HarperTeen, February 19, 2013




My Thoughts:

     Mind Games was an okay book, but I didn’t love it. It was considered a psychological thriller and I saw hints of that throughout the book, but it didn’t have me on edge. There were just some things—content wise—that I couldn’t agree with. Like the underage drinking and the suicidal thoughts sprinkled throughout the book.

     Some of the characters were also another issue for me. I just had a hard time liking either of the sisters. I didn’t really like James either, I felt like he was too old for a Fia. Sofia’s love for her sister is utilized to control her. Keane the head of the school uses Annie as collateral to coerce Sofia into doing what he wants. Besides Fia, some of the key characters in Mind Games were Readers who could read minds, Seers who could see the future, and Feelers who knew what others were truly feeling. Fia concealed the truth and did whatever was necessary to keep the ones she loved alive; however, the scenarios still lacked intensity and excitement. The voice of Sofia seemed underdeveloped and there are too many side thoughts and repeated words inserted into her dialogue with other individuals. As a result there is a lack of substance at various points throughout the book. Perhaps the repetition is an attempt to present the character as being mentally unstable. The storyline would benefit from further defining her mental condition and providing a more in-depth description of specific behaviors that reflect her mental illness.

    The general storyline was okay, but Sofia’s character needed more depth. I rate this book 2.5 stars.

ARC was won through Goodreads First Reads and provided by the publisher, thank you.

It was ok. 

ARC Review: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

The Friday Society (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Won (Appraising Pages, blog, thank you.), Bound ARC
Age range: YA

Publisher/Publication Date: Dial, December 6, 2012



My thoughts:

   
     The Friday Society is a whimsical, wonderful, and quirky novel full of steampunk fun—gadgets and scientific references included.  I loved all of the neat ideas incorporated into the book, which really made it work for me.  Steampunk is a vast genre and there are so many different things you can do with it.  Kress did a fantastic job of weaving the Steampunk elements into the story.

    The characters were lively, brilliant, and I enjoyed reading their story.  Each of the girls came from slightly similar circumstances as children, but where they ended up was completely different.  There was a dynamic to it that really fit with the story and kept it going.  I liked seeing the different backgrounds that Nellie, Cora, and Michiko came from.  The characters were well thought-out, and were in no way generic.  Out of all of the characters, Michiko, and the magician’s bird, Scheherazade, were my favorite.  At some points I was laughing out loud at Scheherazade’s antics. 

    The plot was great, and I was really in the dark until the end.  There were so many pieces to the puzzle that you wouldn’t think fit together, but they do.  The beginning was a little slow, and some of it got a little repetitive and seemed to drag a bit, but that didn’t take away from the overall greatness of the book.  The action really picked up towards the center and kept on going.  The surprise at the end—whoa—the culprit was someone I didn’t even notice, and the conclusion was satisfying.  There were also a few funny moments, but I won’t tell, because that would be too much of a spoiler. If you want to know, go buy The Friday Society.  I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the Steampunk genre. 

I really like it.  I recommend it.

 

Review: Unbroken by Paul Morris

Title: Unbroken (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Purchased, Hardback
Age Range: YA
Publisher/ Publication Date: Scholastic Inc., February 1, 2013



My thoughts:


    It was some years ago that I was first introduced to Paula Morris’s work with Ruined.  It was a charming ghost story, with mystery, intrigue, hints of romance, and masterful storytelling.  I’ve reread my copy of Ruined so many times that the cover is now tattered, and I was ecstatic to learn that there was in fact a sequel.

     When my copy finally arrived, it didn’t take me long to read it.  Unbroken was an awesome follow-up to Ruined, and I really enjoyed it.  All of my favorite characters were back in the original setting, New Orleans.  Once again, Rebecca Brown was dealing with another ghost who seemed to need her help.  As a reader, I liked the fact that things weren’t perfect with Anton, Rebecca’s boyfriend, and a former friend of Helena Bowman.  There were a few more new characters, but mostly, I felt like loose ends from the first book were being tied-up.  The ending was really nice, and I look forward to reading future work by Morris.

I like it.  I would recommend it.

Movie Review: The Host

Title: The Host (2013) (A movie based on a novel written by Stephenie Meyer, for more information about the movie click the title)
Director/ Screenplay by: Andrew Niccol
Music: Antonio Pinto
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 29, 2013
For more information about the book, visit the Goodreads page: The Host (Click title for Synopsis)

My Thoughts:

I attended an Open Road's advanced screening of The Host.
    
     I was pretty excited to see The Host movie early, and after I watched the trailer I had high hopes for the movie.  It’s not that it fell flat, but it was more of a satirical take on a love story.  Right away, the relationships between the characters seemed to take the forefront in the movie.  The plot follows Melanie, who after being caught, is taken over by Wanderer, an alien.  Immediately there is trouble, which leads to Wanderer leaving the comfort and safety of the city after a split-second decision.  This decision takes the two on a journey.  I liked that it dealt with things such as self-discovery in a seemingly idealist, but totalitarian society.  As well as what matters most like life, love, friendship, and family.  Melanie and Wanderer also dealt with inner-conflicts that were often times at odds with each other as the movie progressed.  Still, this was a Sci-Fi movie, as is evident by the aliens who were trying to take over mankind.  Another thing that made this movie different from the others was the premise of how the “souls” assimilated into society.  There were bits and pieces of action placed throughout the movie, but I felt like the pace could have been a little faster.  There were also light and humorous moments that filled some of the void. Overall, I liked the movie and if there’s ever a sequel I might see it.  I also look forward to reading the book to see if some of the plot holes from the movie are explained.   
      
     What do you think?  Do you plan on seeing the movie?  If so, what are you looking forward to?

ARC Review: Mila 2.0

Previously posted on my Goodreads page
Title: Mila 2.0 (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Won, Bound ARC
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: Katherine Tegen Books March 12, 2013


My Thoughts:

Debra Driza’s debut YA Novel, Mila 2.0, is a well written adrenaline-charged sci-fi thriller. It’s an original depiction of a teenage android integrated into society who doesn’t realize that she is far from human. The story is told from Mila’s point of view (POV) and Driza does a great job of capturing Mila’s voice. Mila is a strong willed character yet likable because she stands by her convictions. She also has difficulty suppressing her emotions, which is a hint at her imperfections. After there is a turn of events, Mila realizes that she isn’t exactly human. And her behavior leads to a host of problems that puts her and her “mother” in one sticky situation after another as they try to evade the people they’re running from.

There is a light romantic element that involves Mila and Hunter, a student from her high school. Although Hunter seems likable enough-well almost too perfect- I have reservations about him. I just can’t wait for the subsequent books to find out if my suspicions are correct.

Driza’s novel is filled with creative elements and is a great start to the trilogy. I am definitely looking forward to the release of book 2.

I absolutely loved it.  I would recommend it to everyone.

 

I won an ARC of Mila 2.0 from the-society.net. Thank you.

View all my reviews