What's New: Week One

This idea occurred to me while I was thinking about doing some non-review stuffs on my blog.

What's New will be a weekly blog post where  I'll be blogging about 3 books (each week) that are recently released.

This is the first time I'm posting this topic and I really hope that you, my readers, will like the idea. I'd be glad if this turns out to be helpful for you guys. I'll be posting this on every Monday.

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Book One: 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Information Regarding The Book:

• Author(s): Holly Black
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
• Genre(s): Vampires, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
• Age Range: 14+
• Release Date: September 03, 2013
• ISBN: 0316213101
• You'll Find This Book At: Amazon, Indie Bound.

Plot:

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

Book Two:

Antigoddess (Antigoddess #1) by Kendare Blake

Information Regarding The Book:

• Author(s): Kendare Blake
• Publisher: Tor Teen
• Genre(s): Teen Fiction, Mythology & Folklore, Fantasy
• Age Range: 13+
• Release Date: September 10, 2013
• ISBN: 978-0765334435
• You'll Find This Book At: Amazon, Indie Bound.

Plot: 

Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

Book Three:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Information Regarding The Book:

• Author(s): Rainbow Rowell
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, Realistic Fiction
• Age Range: 14+
• Release Date: September 10, 2013
• ISBN: 1250030951
• You'll Find This Book At: Amazon, Indie Bound.

Plot:

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Review: Divergent (Divergent: Book One) by Veronica Roth

How I Came to Know About This Book: Through Goodreads.


Format of The Book: Ebook (epub version).


Genre: Young Adult/ Dystopia.


Length of The Book: 487 pages (for paperback).


A Short Synopsis: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her. (Goodreads Description)

Characters of The Book:   
       

• Caleb Prior
• Beatrice Prior (Tris)
• Christina
• Drew
• Eric
• Erudite girl
• Gabe
• James Tucker
• Jeanine Matthews
• Lauren
• Lynn
• Marcus
• Marlene
• Max
• Molly
• Mr. & Mrs. Prior
• Peter
• Rita
• Robert Black
• Shauna
• Susan Black
• Tori
• Uriah
• Will

My Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book and I knew I would enjoy it. Since reading The Hunger Games I have been slightly obsessed with dystopian novels and knew I had to read this one and I was not disappointed.

Beatrice has always been taught that she should be selfless and help others but she has never fit in with her faction, became bored easily and wanted another life. So when she turns sixteen and has the chance to change her life by choosing a different faction she does.
It's hard for me to write this review without giving away which faction she chooses, because it's basically the setting for near on the entire novel. But I really don't want to ruin the experience for you. Beatrice makes her choice, which is not the same faction as her family. She's then thrust into a whole new world with vastly different rules to her old one and a completely different way of living. She adopts the nickname "Tris" and launches head first into this shocking new way of life.

Her new faction - wow. The atmosphere is incredible, it's crazy, it's confronting and so very addictive. These traits the factions are moulded around, they're things we see in our every day lives. We value them, we strive to become more honest or brave or kind. But when you make a person construct their entire life around one particular value and not allow a healthy balance, these values can turn deadly. Intelligence can be an extraordinarily dangerous weapon when used the wrong way, selflessness leaves no room for self-preservation, bravery can become skewed and toes the line of cruelty and sadism.

Tris quickly learns to toughen up physically, if you don't learn how to throw a punch you're a goner. Veronica Roth doesn't shy away from violence or death or moral and ethical issues - she brings them right to the forefront. As Tris was completing some tasks during her initiation into her new faction, I totally shared in that exhilaration along with her. The fear, the thrills, the hatred, the appreciation. We see the good parts of her faction and the way the members can draw together, but other times you see the startling evidence of what corrupt leaders can result in.

I didn't love this book straight away but I was curious as to what was going to happen. As I read more I fell more and more in love with the story. It's such a great dystopian world and I was completely sucked in and needed more. I love that there is a great love story in with the story as some dystopian novels I have read are completely focused on the dystopian world without a love story and I am such a sucker for a good love story. I completely fell in love with Four the more I read and I was completely hooked to the book.

Here's one of my favourite quotes from this book:

I thought this was a really good story but not the best, until I got further and further through and I was blown away by what was happening and I ended the book thinking I NEED to know what's going to happen next and I am so impatient for the next book.

Before I read this book I had heard people saying it was better than Hunger Games and I honestly don't think it is. Don't get me wrong it is as good I think but then I don't get how people can compare the two because they are completely different.
Divergent is way too great and captivating to be the debut novel of an author.
This is undoubtedly one of the best books I've read lately.



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Picture Quotes On Writing

While searching for quotes on writing, I came across some beautiful words.

Here are the ones I liked most:

Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

How I Came to Know About This Book: I borrowed it from a friend.


Format of The Book: Paperback


Genre: Philosophy/ Spirituality/ Inspirational.


Length of The Book: 197 pages (Paperback).


A Short Synopsis: The Alchemist follows the journey of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago. Santiago, believing a recurring dream to be prophetic, decides to travel to a Romani in a nearby town to discover its meaning. The gypsy tells him that there is a treasure in the Pyramids in Egypt.

Early into his journey, he meets an old king, Melchizedek, who tells him to sell his sheep to travel to Egypt and introduces the idea of a Personal Legend (which is always capitalized in the book). Your Personal Legend "is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is". He adds that "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it". This is the core theme of the book.

The Pyramids of Giza

Along the way, he encounters love, danger, opportunity, disaster and learns a lot about himself and the ways of the world. During his travels, he meets a beautiful Arabian woman named Fatima, who explains to him that if he follows his heart, he shall find what it is he seeks.

Santiago then encounters a lone alchemist who also teaches him about personal legends. He says that people want to find only the treasure of their personal legends but not the personal legend itself. Santiago feels unsure about himself as he listens to the alchemist's teachings. The alchemist states: "Those who don't understand their personal legends will fail to comprehend its teachings". It also states that treasure is more worthy than gold.(Wikipedia Page).

Characters of The Book: 

• Santiago
• Melchizedek
• The Shopkeeper
• The Englishman
• Fatima
• The Alchemist
• The Coptic Monk

My Review: 

"when you really want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"

This book has crossed the boundaries of books, and has taken a life of its own, creating a movement all around the globe.

Santiago's journey and spiritual quest, the people he meets, the dreams he has, the omens he encounters, and the nature he speaks to, are all things that we can relate to..things that we've either forgotten about or simply dismissed as childhood fantasies. It is all about finding your Personal Legend and pursuing your dream regardless of any hurdles, and about being spiritually connected to the universe, which is part of us, and part of God. we are all one.

Reading this book always sets me back on the right path towards achieving the dreams I have put on hold. We always try to do what everyone expects of us like pursuing a career that you hate just because that is what everyone does. Recognizing my personal legend, being able to talk to the trees, sky, ants, the core of the earth, the air particles, and to my heart, feeling a deeper spiritual connection with everything/everyone that is around me, feeling God inside me, and not being afraid of failing or facing challenges are just some of the few things this book has given me.

It is maktub that Coelho writes this book, shares it with the world, and affect so many lives. This masterwork is a legend and a precious treasure.








Rating: 

My Reaction: 

Review: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles: Book One) by Marissa Meyer

How I Came to Know About This Book: Through Goodreads

Format of The Book: Ebook (pdf version).

Genre: Young Adult/ Fantasy/ Retelling.

Length of The Book: 387 Pages (Hardcover).

A Short Synopsis: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. (Goodreads Description).

Characters of The Book: 

• Linh Cinder
• Prince Kai
• Dr. Erland
• Linh Peony
• Linh Pearl
• Linh Garan
• Linh Adri
• Iko
• Queen Levana
• Emperor Rikan
• Chang Sacha
• Konn Torin
• Cress
• Sybil Mira
• Nainsi
• Li 
• Fateen 
• Queen Camila 
• President Vargas 
• Princess Winter

My Review: 

I started reading Cinder with the expectation that it was going to be pretty much a straight retelling of Cinderella but with the whole Cyborg twist to it. I was surprised to find however, that it is basically a story on it's own with the fairytale inspirations sprinkled throughout it. Fair enough, there's an Asian Prince, a ball, an evil stepmother, but there's also the New Beijing setting! An evil Lunar Queen! Prince Kai! And there's also Cinder, who is just so charming, witty, kind, and head-strong. 

The characters within this book are so incredibly charming that you can't help but love them. Iko is a stand out for me, she's a cute little robot that believes she's a human. Prince Kai is persistent, honest, caring, and handsome. The evil stepmother and step sister played their parts well, but did not grate so much as the evil Lunar Queen. 

Rather than a glass slipper, we have a poorly fitted foot--an android foot. In this very distant future, androids and humans roam the earth where the plague is a thing to fear in every day life. The world building in this book is fantastic. It's unimaginably creative with a way of telling that completely grips you and never lets go. The Lunars and the abilities they possess, along with the fear of death at every corner, is perfectly mixed in with classic elements of Cinderella. It's ingenious. I have never been as satisfied with a fairy tale retelling as I am with Cinder. The characters are witty and fresh, with a love story that has it all: a swoon-worthy prince, a charming personality, great chemistry--a true fairy tale romance. 

Even though it's essentially a retelling, the originality in this novel is outstanding. From the futuristic concepts to the interesting turns to the plot, we have a whole new enchanting world to get introduced to. While there are new spins added to the story, these are not especially unpredictable. From the very start it's obvious what the big twist is going to be. However, it's obvious in a way that makes me think this was the author's intention. As if she wants the reader to know what Cinder does not, making us feel wistful; if only everyone knew, things would be so different for her. 

Despite all of that, there are a few downfalls to this book. Firstly, the predictable storyline kind of ruins any sort of major reveal later on. Being inspired by fairy tales sort of chains you in a certain corner, where certain things need to happen in the book. There's also an incredible lack of world building, considering the amazing world that Marissa has created. I did find that there were a few details missing, which I'm glad the free prequel has filled in for me. 

These however, won't decrease my love of the book. I'm just left with such a feeling of warmth upon finishing it. It's such a charming little tale, with so much love put into it. I definitely recommend it for anyone who loves a good read. 

Rating: 

My Reaction: 

Review: Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles: Book One) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

How I Came to Know about This Book: Through Goodreads.

Format of The Book: Ebook (epub version).

Genre: Young Adult/ Fantasy /Paranormal.

Length of The Book: 563 pages (hardcover).

A Short Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Ethan Wate lives in Gatlin, S.C., but dislikes his small town and would like to move away. He lives with his father and a housekeeper; his mother has passed away.

On the first day of his sophomore year of high school, Ethan again has a dream about falling through mud with a girl whose face he can't see. This dream has been recurring for months, and it troubles Ethan because in the dream he loves the girl he is falling with, though he does not know who she is. When Ethan wakes, he finds a new song by an unknown artist on his iPod. The song is called "Sixteen Moons," and the lyrics seem eerie to Ethan. When he checks his music player later, the song is missing.

When Ethan arrives at school, he hears about a new girl in town, Lena Duchannes. Lena is ignored by most of the students because she wears long dresses and is not interested in popular pursuits like trying out for the cheerleading squad. Ethan hears Lena playing the song "Sixteen Moons" on her viola in band, which unsettles him. Ethan drives away from school to clear his mind, and he hears "Sixteen Moons" playing over his car radio. As Ethan drives, he nearly runs over Lena. When he stops his car, he suddenly realizes that Lena is the girl who appears in his nightmares. Lena accepts a ride home from Ethan, which marks the start of their friendship.

In English class the next day, Ethan begins to hear Lena communicating with him telepathically. The girls in class insult Lena's reclusive uncle, Macon Ravenwood, and Lena's anger affects the classroom, shattering the glass in the windows. Lena runs home to Ravenwood Manor, and Ethan follows her. Lena is crying in a garden full of lemon trees, and she begins to talk with Ethan. She says that sometimes unexplainable things happen around her. Suddenly, Ethan touches an old locket that is sitting on the ground, and he begins to see a vision of the past. In the vision, a girl named Genevieve is watching her mother's plantation, Greenbrier, burn down. This happens during the time period surrounding the Civil War. Lena is interested in Ethan's vision, but she cryptically warns him that her life is complicated and that he should not try to interact with her again.

Ethan keeps the old locket with him and asks his three great aunts, known as the Sisters, about it. The Sisters tell him that the locket comes from the year when General Sherman burned every plantation in Gatlin, except for Ravenwood Manor. The Sisters identify the two sets of initials, which are carved into the locket, as belonging to an ancestor of Lena's — Genevieve Duchannes — and an ancestor of Ethan's named Ethan Carter Wate. In church, Ethan touches the locket and has another vision of Genevieve Duchannes talking with her fiancé, Ethan Carter Wate. That night, Ethan has another dream of Lena slipping away from him, and he dreams he was drowning and wakes up soaking wet.

After Lena misses a day of school, Ethan visits her house and meets her Uncle Macon Ravenwood, a man who no one in Gatlin has seen for years. Macon does not want to give Ethan additional information about the locket, and Ethan notices that the interior of Ravenwood Manor seems to be magical, because the interior decoration can change and entire meals can appear and vanish, seemingly according to Macon's will.

That night, Lena comes to Ethan's house and sneaks into his room to explain her unusual family. She says that all the people in her family are Casters (spell casters) who have special powers. Despite this revelation, Ethan's attraction to Lena grows, and he asks her to go on a movie date with him. They hold hands at the movie theater, which sparks rumors about Ethan and Lena at their high school.

Ethan soon meets Lena's older cousin Ridley, a seductively dressed and very persuasive girl. Ridley invites Ethan to the Gathering, a holiday dinner held by Lena's extended family every year. Ridley reveals that in five months, Lena will turn 16, and on 16th birthdays, all members of the Duchannes family are Claimed as either Light Casters or Dark Casters. After the dinner, Ethan sits in Lena's bedroom as Lena explains that Ridley is a Siren, a Dark Caster with the ability to persuade people to do anything she wants. Lena is afraid that she will become evil as Ridley is and be claimed as Dark on her upcoming birthday. Ethan assures her that will not happen, and he kisses Lena for the first time.

That night, Ethan wakes up and sees that his housekeeper, Amma, leaving the house. Ethan follows Amma to her own home, where he watches as she goes out to the swamp and meets Lena's uncle, Macon Ravenwood. Macon is upset that Amma has not stopped Ethan from meeting with Lena, as it could be dangerous for both teenagers. Amma and Macon have questions they want to ask the ghosts of Amma's relatives, whom she refers to as the Greats. The ghosts are uncommunicative, and Macon and Amma are unaware of Ethan's presence at their meeting.

The next day, Lena and Ethan skip school and touch the locket again. This time, they see a vision of Genevieve Duchannes tending Ethan Carter Wate's bullet wound just before he dies. They go to the Gatlin County Library to get information from Marian Ashcroft , a librarian who was Ethan's mother's best friend. At the library, they have one more vision of Genevieve trying to bring Ethan Carter Wate back to life by using a magical text called the Book of Moons. Marian Ashcroft reveals herself to be a Keeper, a mortal who knows about the Light and Dark Casters and keeps a record of their doings. There is a secret part of the Gatlin Library known as the Caster Library, and Lena thinks this place may contain the Book of Moons. However, in order to search for the book, Lena and Ethan must wait for the Caster Library to open, according to its own magical schedule.

On Halloween night, Ethan wakes up from a vision that Lena is in trouble. He drives to Ravenwood Manor and goes inside to find Lena lying on a table, with most of her family members standing around her. Lena is in pain, and her family is reciting a Latin chant to stop a spiritual attack on Lena by a Dark Caster named Sarafine. Ethan's presence seems to break the spell, and Macon's mother, Arelia, concludes that Ethan's love is the only force that can protect Lena from the schemes of Sarafine.

On Thanksgiving, Amma invites Lena to Thanksgiving dinner with the Wate family. Amma uses magic to suspend time so she and Lena can talk to each other while the family sits by, frozen and unaware. Ethan can overhear their conversation, as Amma tells Lena that Sarafine is actually her mother.

Ethan and Lena go to the Caster Library. In the library, they touch Genevieve's locket again and discover the source of the curse on the Duchannes family of Casters. Genevieve used the Book of Moons to work dark magic and bring Ethan Carter Wate back to life, and the Book gained the power to choose which of the Duchannes children would go Dark or Light in the future. In the library, Lena faints and is again spiritually attacked by Sarafine, but she wakes up when Ethan kisses her. Ethan and Lena need to find the Book of Moons, and they think it might have been buried with Genevieve. They go to Genevieve's grave and dig up the book. Then they study it to see if they can find a way to keep Lena from becoming Dark.

At Gatlin High's winter formal, some of the girls ruin Lena's dress by pouring liquid soap on her and Ethan. Lena's cousin Ridley arrives at the formal and takes revenge for Lena's humiliation by mentally turning on the sprinkler system in the school. The water ruins the dresses of all the girls who were mean to Lena, causing chaos. The mothers of the mean girls believe Lena is responsible for the incident, and they sign a petition to have Lena expelled from school. The school principal holds a hearing and is about to expel Lena when Macon arrives to protest the hearing. Lena is allowed to return to school.

Over Christmas break, Ethan discovers that his reclusive father, Mitchell Wate, has not been working on his novel for the past several months. He has been sitting in his study, grieving for his dead wife. In Mitchell's study, Ethan and Lena notice that several books are open to certain pages, and the pages refuse to be turned. Some magical influence is spelling out a code in the books, and the message tells Lena, Claim yourself. Lena and Ethan continue to search through the Book of Moons, looking for a magical option that will allow Lena to choose her own fate.

The day of Lena's 16th birthday, Ethan goes to Ravenwood Manor to see her. Her extended family of Light Casters is with her. Lena is surprised when her Dark Caster cousin Ridley comes to the house with Ethan's best friend, Link, and several other students from the high school. Ridley has put a verbal spell on the students who used to be mean to Lena so that they will treat her nicely on her birthday. Other students are setting up a big party for Lena in the field outside of Ravenwood. Macon forbids Lena to attend the party because of the potential dangers, but Lena sneaks out to enjoy the festivities anyway. Lena and Ethan dance together and finally say that they love each other.

Ethan has to leave the party when he hears that his father, Mitchell, is standing on the balcony of a local museum, and appears as if he is going to jump. Ridley has nearly persuaded Mitchell to take his own life, but Link convinces her to release Mitchell from her spell. Ridley reveals that this was a plot to lure Ethan away from Lena, since his love is her main protection from Sarafine. Ethan and Link head back to Ravenwood Manor and meet Link's mother, Mrs. Lincoln, on the way. Ethan discovers that the woman is not Mrs. Lincoln, but the Dark Caster Sarafine in disguise.

Sarafine tells Lena that she will be able to Claim her own self for the Dark or Light at midnight. Lena's choice is a complicated one: If she chooses to go Dark, all the Light Casters in her family will die. If she chooses to go Light, all the Dark Casters in her family will die, including Uncle Macon. Sarafine's fellow Dark Casters attack and kill Macon, and Ethan runs to Ravenwood Manor to get help. After gathering the Light Casters, Ethan runs to find Lena in the woods, but instead meets Sarafine, who stabs him in the stomach with a knife.

From Lena's point-of-view, midnight strikes, and she sees her mother stab Ethan. Sarafine flees, and Amma arrives with the Book of Moons to help advise Lena. Lena and Amma recite a spell to bring Ethan back to life, and it works. Lena uses her power over nature to block out the moon at midnight, which keeps her from being claimed at all, either for Dark or Light. In the days after Macon's death, Ethan hears a new song called "Seventeen Moons" playing on his iPod, and he knows that the fight between Light and Dark Casters is not yet over. (Goodreads Description). 

Characters of The Book: Ethan Lawson Wate, Lena Duchannes, Amma, Macon Ravenwood, Marian Ashcroft, Ridley Duchannes, Wesley "Link" Lincoln, Emily Asher, Savannah, Sarafine Duchannes, Mitchell Wate, Emmaline Duchannes, Aunt "Del" Delphine Duchannes, Ethan Carter Wate, Reece Duchannes and some more.


My Review: The story is written from Ethan's point of view, and he is the one we will be following throughout the entire book, his thoughts, feelings and his actions. I really liked that about the book, it would have resembled Twilight a whole lot more if it was from a girl's point of view, so this one was different. Which I really liked. Ethan Wate is a young man only 16 years old, living in his hometown Gaitlin with his father and with Amma, a woman that takes care of him. Ever since Ethan Wate's mother died Ethan has found nothing of interest. But there is one thing he can not shake, he has been dreaming about a girl every single night, and it is the same dream every night as well. In fact, one day in school this particular girl begins in his class. Ethan is shocked in a tremendous way, but Lena Duchannes, which is the new girl, finds it hard to fit in, in a place where she is being treated ill by everyone. The story goes that her uncle Macon Ravenwood is a lunatic, and therefore she is being treated the same, now when she actually lives in his infamous mansion. Ethan strikes out to become Lena's first friend, but when he does, he falls into a big hole filled with dark secrets and a terrifying curse. 

I really do love Ethan in this book, to be completely honest he is one of my favourite characters of all time. I loved his passion, the path his emotions and thoughts took, how incredibly and brutally strong he is in order to save Lena. I adored this guy! I did quite like Lena too, since she presented such a strong character of a woman that is independent and is not afraid of showing her dark side. However, my favourite character in this book was Macon Ravenwood, the ultimate uncle! I LOVED him. I was fascinated by how he overcome his dark side in a way to protect Lena, yet he could not at all times hide his dark side from people or even himself. His strength, the charisma he had and the polite manners, they were all so well combined in this book. 

The book had creativity, fantasy, romance and mystery. It was beautiful written and I read several chapters in one setting, I just could not stop reading this one. The only problem is that the story did not surprise me at all. I am not saying that I did not love the book, I did! But the fact that there are a mortal and some other essence falling in love, it is basically just the same every time. Everybody writes about that nowadays so it was basically nothing new in the story, I am not saying that it was entirely mainstream, but it was in a way. There were some parts that I did find were different though, the personality in Lena Duchannes was different, and it made me happy that she was different compared to Bella Swan in Twilight or in any other "supernatural-being" book. She was not like other girls, and I liked that. Very much indeed. 

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My Reaction: