Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Release Date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 383
Series: Red Queen Trilogy #1
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard's sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king's palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard--a growing Red rebellion--even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

My Thoughts:
There is something so exciting and interesting about this book. Right from the time I heard of it, Red Queen was being hyped as a big series to come. Most of the time I end up being disappointed by those, but in this case I absolutely loved it. I was intrigued and excited throughout, and so curious about where the book was going.

Probably one of my favourite things about Red Queen is that there’s a real sense of not being able to trust anyone. It’s a theme of the book, so when you’re reading, that fact is constantly in the back of your mind. You can’t ever be sure who is actually portraying themselves honestly, which makes for a very intense read. Without going into spoilers, there’s definitely some betrayal in the book, and even when you think you see it coming the book it's so well written that you can’t be entirely sure. I kept questioning my instincts and wondering who was really good or bad.

The synopsis of the book compares it to The Selection, which makes sense because of the way the royal court operates and the competition to be the next queen. It had those aspects, but it was a very different book, too. It had a lot of elements that readers might find familiar, but it puts them together in an amazing way. There’s a secret rebellion aspect similar to The Hunger Games and people with different powers like in Graceling. It had a great fantasy genre feel to it with the major class differences: the poor in the slums, the rich in their palaces.

I can’t even really talk about the characters without spoiling things, but Mare is our main character, and she gets swept into a world she’s never dreamed of. Mare starts off a little bit like the Ultra Special Female Protagonist (she’s a pickpocket, she’s a smartass, she gets away with things -- she just fits into that stereotype), but as she’s thrust into the unknown she becomes a lot more interesting. I loved seeing the way she reacted to things, the way she processed her thoughts and feelings.

One big theme of YA literature is being on the outside and not fitting in. I loved that even in this ultra complex fantasy world, our main character was going through the same thing that so many contemporary teens are. In the world of Red Queen there’s the red blood (normals) vs the silver blood (the elite, oppressors, having powers). And then there’s Mare, who doesn’t fit into either category. It sucks for her, but it makes for an incredibly interesting read.

Red Queen is a book with big secrets, intrigue, and action. It’s about fighting the oppressors, something which is made difficult when the people in charge have the ability to control you. It asks important questions, like how can you breed a rebellion when you’re barely surviving? When you’re the ones fighting and dying in an impossible war, when you don’t have enough food for your family -- how can you get beyond that? It asks all these questions and it doesn’t offer up easy answers. Red Queen is a wonderful beginning to a new series, and I’m incredibly excited to see where Victoria Aveyard takes us in the next book.

The Cover:
Love!! Very eye catching.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer

Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Pages: 324
Series: Elementals #5
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Earth. Fire. Air. Water.

One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick understands pressure. He's the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it in for his family, and he's all that stands in the way.

His girlfriend, Hannah, understands pressure too. She's got a child of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could put her life in danger at any moment.

But there are people who have had enough of Michael's defiance, his family's 'bad luck'. Before he knows it, Michael's enemies have turned into the Merricks' enemies, and they're armed for war.

They're not interested in surrender. But Michael isn't the white flag type anyway. Everything is set for the final showdown.

Four elements, one family. Will they hold together, or be torn apart?

My Thoughts:
Sacrifice, by itself, is a good novel. I mean, seriously, I truly enjoyed it. Michael is a character who we haven’t really gotten to know very well, so I loved seeing from his perspective and experiencing how much he loves his brothers.

The thing is, though, Sacrifice is also the final chapter of the Elementals series. For a series conclusion it did a lot, but it also left a lot up in the air. I’m not the kind of person who needs everything wrapped up in a tidy bow (that’s boring and unrealistic), but I honestly would have liked it to be a bit more of a firm conclusion. I would have liked to see a real transfer of power in the Guides to people who aren’t, you know, nutso murderers. I really do think there’s enough material for another book. That being said, I wasn’t truly unhappy with where things left off -- just a smidge unsatisfied.

If you look to the book title, it really doesn’t bring about happy thoughts, and yes, there is definitely a real sacrifice in Sacrifice. Of course I can’t talk about it without being spoilery, but I’ll try to talk around it while being as non-spoilery as I can. I think what happened was an interesting choice, but it kind of seemed like the easy choice, too. On the one hand you could almost see it leading there, and while it was sad, it wasn’t as devastating as it could have been. On the other hand, it was super devastating. When you see a person so worn down, it seems almost too cruel to make them the target.

So, yeah. This book definitely features a lot of emotional upheaval. Again, can’t talk about it without spoiling things. But Michael is going through a LOT. I mean, he is basically under constant siege and suspicion from the law because of the events around him. Michael has to face a lot and do so by himself. His journey throughout the book is to learn how grown up his brothers have become, and that maybe he can trust some people and let them in.

While certain aspects of this book bothered me, I still think it was a decent conclusion to the series. If you’re at all a fan of the series I suggest you check this one out, and if you haven’t started the series I definitely recommend it. Layered characters and a supernatural war = a lot of fun to read about.

The Cover:
Kind of meh, but actually probably the best cover of the series.

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

The Seers by Julianna Scott (Review + Giveaway)

The Seers by Julianna Scott
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Pages: 384
Series: Holders #2
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis:

After nearly being drained of her ability and betrayed by a man her father trusted, Becca Ingle was left with one clue — Ciaran Shea. He holds the key to the downfall of the power-mad Holder, Darragh, and can ensure the safety of both Holder and Human kind alike... but is he willing to help?

Becca, Alex, Jocelyn, and Cormac set out for Adare Manor to meet with the Bhunaidh, an aristocratic group of pure blooded Holders of whom Ciaran is a rumored member. However, when Becca discovers that they might not be the only ones after the information Ciaran has, everyone begins to wonder if Bhunaidh might not be as uninvolved with Darragh as they claim.

A race to uncover Ciaran’s secrets begins, where the line between friend and foe is blurred, and everyone seems to have their own agenda. Becca will have to call on every ability at her disposal to uncover the truth, all the while knowing that sometimes the answer is more dangerous than the question.

My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, The Holders, so I was very excited when The Seers turned out to be a great book as well. The Seers takes place in a fabulous castle setting, and is mainly centred around investigating events and intel that came about in the previous book.

While the first book was so much about Becca protecting her brother, Ryland, and looking out for him, The Seers was about Becca honing her new powers and helping the investigation. I loved the new characters who were introduced, Steven and Bastian, and I also liked how the romantic relationship from the first book remained strong. There were little bits of tension, but in general Becca and Alex supported each other, which was a nice change from most books.

There were many exciting bits of action and intrigue in this book, and moments where characters used their powers in order to investigate. I love the X-Men meets Harry Potter feel that this series has. These books are highly underrated, and I definitely recommend them. I’m excited about where this book ended up, and I’m equally excited to see where things will go in the next book.

The Cover:
I like how distinctive the covers for this series are.

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

About Julianna:
Julianna was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and spent the majority of her educational career convinced she would be a musician. However, after receiving her music degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, she realized that she’d been born in the wrong era for her dreams of singing jazz to adoring fans clad in zoot-suits and flapper dresses to come true, and began to wonder if her true calling might be elsewhere.

While Julianna had always excelled in writing throughout school, she’d never considered it a career possibility until about three years ago, when she’d gotten her first story idea and decided to go for it. She grabbed her laptop, started typing away, and has never looked back.

Where to find Julianna:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter

GIVEAWAY:
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Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Pages: 352
Series: Elemental #4
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

EARTH. FIRE. AIR. WATER.

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.

And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.

SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.

My Thoughts:
Secret is the fourth full novel in Brigid Kemmerer’s Elemental series, and it primarily focuses on Nick, the twin brother of Gabriel, who narrated Book 2, Spark. Secret is also largely Quinn’s story, giving the book a female perspective as well.

I have to say that Secret is possibly the most romantic book of the series yet, telling the story of Nick and Adam. These two have an awesome connection, one where they share their deepest secrets and thoughts. Throughout the book I was just aching for Nick, watching him learn to accept himself and struggling to do what he wants instead of thinking of others first. Probably the most painful part to read is Nick’s fear of how his family will respond to his sexuality. Even as he comes to terms with his identity internally, this fear remains rooted deep inside.

Quinn is a character who we've seen through Becca, her best friend, and also through Gabriel, who can't stand her. Personally I never found her to be a likeable character at all. But seeing her perspective? Wow! In this book I just fell for her character, wanting to sweep her up and protect her. It almost physically hurt to see the way her mother and brother treated her, and I wanted so badly for her to find the love and acceptance that she so deeply craved. I won’t spoil it, but I was intrigued by the person who challenges Quinn and forces her to be honest about her situation. This is a character who has hidden depths that you never would have expected.

While this book is primarily focused on the relationships and internal struggles of Nick and Quinn, there's always the feeling of being watched and the fear of what could be next in the Elemental struggle. The prologue of the book features the new Guide in town, and while it’s not until close to the end when things ramp up action-wise, the whole book definitely has an intense feel to it.

Brigid Kemmerer gets better and better with each book. Her characters are ones that leap to life on the page, coming across like real people who you care about. The Elemental series is one of my favourites, and I can’t wait to see what happens next with the Merrick clan and with the struggle against the Guides.

The Cover:
The only thing about this series that is less than fabulous? The covers.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 512
Series: The Darkest Minds #2
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved The Darkest Minds, and I loved Never Fade just as much, if not more than the first book. In this second volume, Alexandra Bracken gives readers deeper world building: an even more in depth look at what things are like now and how they came to be this way. There’s a broader perspective shown as we’re introduced to a new group of people. While I very quickly grew to love this group, I was relieved and happy to keep track of the characters from the first book as well.

There are so many different reasons why this book worked for me. I love the way “super powers” are portrayed, the good and the bad. I love the journey of Ruby learning to hone and increase her abilities, and how she feels about them. I love the road trip element to these books, the journey and the action that takes place at every step. These books are long, but they don’t feel like it at all. They never drag, in fact they fly by. Mostly I love the relationships between characters, especially the friendship of two characters in particular. I love how the characters relate to one another, and the central story of Ruby’s personal journey.

Never Fade feels larger in scope than The Darkest Minds, as it takes on big issues. The characters want to fight back against the camps, and they’re trying to accomplish this while dealing with the outside world, but equally trying to avoid it. There’s just so much going on, and so much is set up for the third book, but it never feels too busy. The book is full of action and excitement, while still reeling you in with the characters and their individual emotions. I’m not often outwardly emotional with books, but Never Fade made me laugh and cry, almost equally. I can’t get enough of this series or its characters, and I’m so excited to see where Alexandra Bracken will take things next.

The Cover:
So gorgeous!

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Publisher: K Teen
Pages: 301
Series: Elementals #3
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

My Thoughts:
I had a bit of a tough start when beginning Spirit, simply because I had a hard time remembering the big details from 'Spark' (book 2). It had been a while since I read it, so I couldn’t remember why certain characters were mad at Hunter, or what the motivation was from the “bad guys”. However as I kept reading I began to remember some of those details, and I was swept away by the story and the main characters in ‘Spirit’.

Hunter and Kate are intriguing characters, both of them extremely complex and not always likeable. They've been through a lot, they don't know how to trust (even when they should), and they both make a lot of mistakes. What’s interesting about these characters and their connection is that, despite their tough exteriors, both of them really just want peace and a place to belong. This book is very Hunter-centric, and he's still not trusting the Merricks, so it’s a bit of a step back from the family atmosphere of the previous books. That being said, there are definitely still some great moments with each of the brothers (especially with Michael), as well as with Becca and Hannah.

To me this was a book about Hunter finding himself and his place in the whole Elementals world. It’s a tough journey for him, and there are some terrible moments that he has to go through. 'Spirit' really leaves you in a place where the Elemental/Guide war is heating up, and you wonder how things will continue to spiral and how these guys will try to stop it. ‘Spirit’ was a big character journey book that examines wrong versus right, and the different sides of the Elemental conflict. I genuinely enjoyed this read, and I can’t wait to read the next one.

The Cover:
Unfortunately the awesome-ness of these books is not reflected in the covers.

Rating:
[4/5]

Find Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

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FREE EBOOK:

New to the world of the Elementals and want to try it out?

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This review was posted as part of the Spirit Blog Tour, hosted by The Midnight Garden. Be sure to follow along for giveaways, interviews, and more.