“Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.”
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.”
Welcome to Endless Book Obsession! This is a blog about books, book news and reviews! Stay tuned and share your thoughts with me!
Πέμπτη 6 Νοεμβρίου 2014
Τετάρτη 3 Σεπτεμβρίου 2014
Ugly Love | REVIEW
Ugly Love
by Colleen Hoover
Page Count: 320 pages
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Synopsis:
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.
Review:
After reading Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, you can see why I was waiting for Ugly Love. I mean, it's Colleen Hoover what could possibly go wrong?! And I was frickin right! This book was great. THE FEELS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. After being literally IN PAIN with Ridge's story (maybe someday), I didn't expect Miles's story to wreck me. Like why? Why Colleen Hoover do you have to do this?
Ugly Love is New Adult and there are many graphic scenes so if you aren't comfortable with such stuff, I wouldn't suggest this book. And I know that the characters get sexually involved almost all the time and some people might not like that, but honestly I was focusing on the relationship in general rather than picking up on every sex scene in the book. Tate and Miles are epic.
Throughout the book there is this mystery about Miles's past and it's worth the wait. Don't rush, get every single detail slowly. I loved how we got to see both the present and the past; it helped us understand exactly how things were. And you get to comprehend why Miles has this messed up behavior and why he can't be in a relationship with someone.
Tate was a bit confusing at times. Honestly, I would have left if someone treated me like that, but at the same time the way she grew attached to Miles was well-written. Again, Colleen Hoover I applaud you. There were times I wanted to grab Tate and slap her. Like girl, get it together. But at the same time I was so proud of her when she realised in the end that she had some self-respect.
Mixed feelings. But still I loved this book. Don't judge me.
"I didn't fall in love with you...I flew."
THE FEELS, PEOPLE.
I loved the ending, I loved how the "relationship" evolved. I loved Miles. MILES I LOVE YOU.
Why are the broken characters so damn attractive?
Why why why?
They crash your heart and soul but you want them anyways.
I guess I'm a little bit of a Colleen Hoover fanatic. Do you know what that means? Imma get the rest of her books. Yay!
You should read this!
by Colleen Hoover
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Synopsis:
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.
Review:
After reading Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, you can see why I was waiting for Ugly Love. I mean, it's Colleen Hoover what could possibly go wrong?! And I was frickin right! This book was great. THE FEELS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. After being literally IN PAIN with Ridge's story (maybe someday), I didn't expect Miles's story to wreck me. Like why? Why Colleen Hoover do you have to do this?
Ugly Love is New Adult and there are many graphic scenes so if you aren't comfortable with such stuff, I wouldn't suggest this book. And I know that the characters get sexually involved almost all the time and some people might not like that, but honestly I was focusing on the relationship in general rather than picking up on every sex scene in the book. Tate and Miles are epic.
Throughout the book there is this mystery about Miles's past and it's worth the wait. Don't rush, get every single detail slowly. I loved how we got to see both the present and the past; it helped us understand exactly how things were. And you get to comprehend why Miles has this messed up behavior and why he can't be in a relationship with someone.
Tate was a bit confusing at times. Honestly, I would have left if someone treated me like that, but at the same time the way she grew attached to Miles was well-written. Again, Colleen Hoover I applaud you. There were times I wanted to grab Tate and slap her. Like girl, get it together. But at the same time I was so proud of her when she realised in the end that she had some self-respect.
Mixed feelings. But still I loved this book. Don't judge me.
"I didn't fall in love with you...I flew."
THE FEELS, PEOPLE.
I loved the ending, I loved how the "relationship" evolved. I loved Miles. MILES I LOVE YOU.
Why are the broken characters so damn attractive?
Why why why?
They crash your heart and soul but you want them anyways.
I guess I'm a little bit of a Colleen Hoover fanatic. Do you know what that means? Imma get the rest of her books. Yay!
You should read this!
Τετάρτη 20 Αυγούστου 2014
The Book of Blood and Shadow | REVIEW
The Book of Blood and Shadow
by Robin Wasserman
Page Count: 440 pages
My rating: 4.2/5 stars
Synopsis:
It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.
When the night began, Nora had two best friends and a boyfriend she adored. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands. Chris was dead. Adriane couldn’t speak. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora’s determined to follow the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. But Chris’s murder is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.
REVIEW:
When a book starts with the line "I should probably start with the blood", then yes, you know that you'll like it.
As many other reviewers have stated before, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, you would probably like this one too. It has suspense, an intriguing plot, as well as a solid main character.
NORA: Nora is a great character with a surprising thought-process and a huge talent in Latin. She is most definitely my favourite character in this book. I liked the way she was paying attention even in the slightest details and how she seemed to cope with all that was going on (because, trust me, it was A LOT). She fought for what she thought was right and she didn't just give up on others, even when she might have had to.
ELI: Another character that I liked was Eli. He was a fighter. I understand why he had to say what he said and do what he did but in the end, he surprised us all. I really enjoyed his slight sense of humor, it was a great touch during rough and tense moments. You don't get to see his "plan" until the last 100 pages but it's worth it, trust me! I also loooved his moments with Nora.
CHRIS: I have no intention of spoiling anything for you but I will say that, even if we didn't get to see him much in this book, Chris is awesome. He is the definition of a true friend that will do anything for the people he cares about. He is nice. He made me like him instantly and as the story progressed, he made me like him even more. I liked the connection he had with Nora.
ADRIANE: No. Again, no. I don't think I can explain how much I despise this girl. If you just started reading this book, you won't understand why I hate her but you'll soon do. I wanted to get into the book and scream at her: YOU HAD A CHOICE AND YOU WASTED IT.
MAX: Another character that I want to punch in the face. (TINY SPOILER REACTION: HOW COULD YOU?!). From the very beginning I thought that this character was pretentious, I just didn't understand the level of that. I have to admit that him and Nora were cute as a couple. But if you reach the end of this book and you process what you just read, it will all make sense and you'll despise him.
ELIZABETH: I LOVED Elizabeth's letters and the way that with each letter, Nora seemed to connect a little bit more with her. Elizabeth was an amazing character and I felt so bad for her at some points. She was one of the most interesting characters of this book.
I also liked the "villains" of this story. They were well-written and very interesting.
There was character development, especially when it comes to Nora. And I found that also quite interesting.
Overall, this book was great and I hope you guys like it too, if you decide to pick it up!
Thank you for reading!
~Christiana.
by Robin Wasserman
My rating: 4.2/5 stars
Synopsis:
It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.
When the night began, Nora had two best friends and a boyfriend she adored. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands. Chris was dead. Adriane couldn’t speak. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora’s determined to follow the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. But Chris’s murder is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.
REVIEW:
When a book starts with the line "I should probably start with the blood", then yes, you know that you'll like it.
As many other reviewers have stated before, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, you would probably like this one too. It has suspense, an intriguing plot, as well as a solid main character.
NORA: Nora is a great character with a surprising thought-process and a huge talent in Latin. She is most definitely my favourite character in this book. I liked the way she was paying attention even in the slightest details and how she seemed to cope with all that was going on (because, trust me, it was A LOT). She fought for what she thought was right and she didn't just give up on others, even when she might have had to.
ELI: Another character that I liked was Eli. He was a fighter. I understand why he had to say what he said and do what he did but in the end, he surprised us all. I really enjoyed his slight sense of humor, it was a great touch during rough and tense moments. You don't get to see his "plan" until the last 100 pages but it's worth it, trust me! I also loooved his moments with Nora.
CHRIS: I have no intention of spoiling anything for you but I will say that, even if we didn't get to see him much in this book, Chris is awesome. He is the definition of a true friend that will do anything for the people he cares about. He is nice. He made me like him instantly and as the story progressed, he made me like him even more. I liked the connection he had with Nora.
ADRIANE: No. Again, no. I don't think I can explain how much I despise this girl. If you just started reading this book, you won't understand why I hate her but you'll soon do. I wanted to get into the book and scream at her: YOU HAD A CHOICE AND YOU WASTED IT.
MAX: Another character that I want to punch in the face. (TINY SPOILER REACTION: HOW COULD YOU?!). From the very beginning I thought that this character was pretentious, I just didn't understand the level of that. I have to admit that him and Nora were cute as a couple. But if you reach the end of this book and you process what you just read, it will all make sense and you'll despise him.
ELIZABETH: I LOVED Elizabeth's letters and the way that with each letter, Nora seemed to connect a little bit more with her. Elizabeth was an amazing character and I felt so bad for her at some points. She was one of the most interesting characters of this book.
I also liked the "villains" of this story. They were well-written and very interesting.
There was character development, especially when it comes to Nora. And I found that also quite interesting.
Overall, this book was great and I hope you guys like it too, if you decide to pick it up!
Thank you for reading!
~Christiana.
Σάββατο 19 Ιουλίου 2014
Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) | REVIEW
Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1)
by Kasie West
Page Count: 343 pages
My Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Synopsis:
Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .
Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.
Review
I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now and I'm so glad I finally did!
This book follows Addie, our main character, who is a Divergent, which mean basically that when she's given two options she can "Search" them both and see the outcome of following each one of them. You could tell that she can see the future, but that only happens when she's in a dilemma.
This book is considered a Dystopian since Addie lives in the Compound, a place unknown to "Norms" (a.k.a. normal people). The cool thing about this book is that we get to see people with other abilities as well. Addie's best friend, Laila, for example, is a Memory Eraser. And there are various other abilities that will get you interested to keep reading.
Another awesome element of the book is that it practically takes place within Addie's Search. At the beginning of the story she's given two options and in order to pick the right one she Searches both. So in a way you meet the future characters from her visions. I found that very interesting!
Addie as a main character was someone you can easily relate to. I adored the fact that she loved reading books and that she was into comics. There should be more female characters with such hobbies. Even her way of acting around boys was so funny and adorable at times.
Trevor was one of the characters I enjoyed reading about. We find him in one of Addie's Searches and he is a part of her future. Now that's a guy you keep. I loved him! He was funny and cute and he had his own complicated past that added to the overall suspense of the book.
The characters of Pivot Point were so well-developed and in a non-boring way that I had to jump right into Split Second (the sequel) so as to keep reading about them. They got me hooked along with the concept. Jumping right into the sequel, probably, had also to do with that ending. Like why would you do that to us?!
At this moment I've already finished the second book and I have to tell you, it's worth reading! You guys will love these books. I got attached and I can clearly picture myself reading them both again in the near future. Kasie West, you rock.
Now, about this 4.7 instead of 5. It was mainly because I was trying to contain myself and get ready for an awesome conclusion in Split Second. But it was also because I wanted to see more of her life with Trevor. I needed more! It was so adorable that it got to me, guys. But this book is awesone, nonetheless.
by Kasie West
Page Count: 343 pages
My Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Synopsis:
Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .
Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.
Review
I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now and I'm so glad I finally did!
This book follows Addie, our main character, who is a Divergent, which mean basically that when she's given two options she can "Search" them both and see the outcome of following each one of them. You could tell that she can see the future, but that only happens when she's in a dilemma.
This book is considered a Dystopian since Addie lives in the Compound, a place unknown to "Norms" (a.k.a. normal people). The cool thing about this book is that we get to see people with other abilities as well. Addie's best friend, Laila, for example, is a Memory Eraser. And there are various other abilities that will get you interested to keep reading.
Another awesome element of the book is that it practically takes place within Addie's Search. At the beginning of the story she's given two options and in order to pick the right one she Searches both. So in a way you meet the future characters from her visions. I found that very interesting!
Addie as a main character was someone you can easily relate to. I adored the fact that she loved reading books and that she was into comics. There should be more female characters with such hobbies. Even her way of acting around boys was so funny and adorable at times.
Trevor was one of the characters I enjoyed reading about. We find him in one of Addie's Searches and he is a part of her future. Now that's a guy you keep. I loved him! He was funny and cute and he had his own complicated past that added to the overall suspense of the book.
The characters of Pivot Point were so well-developed and in a non-boring way that I had to jump right into Split Second (the sequel) so as to keep reading about them. They got me hooked along with the concept. Jumping right into the sequel, probably, had also to do with that ending. Like why would you do that to us?!
At this moment I've already finished the second book and I have to tell you, it's worth reading! You guys will love these books. I got attached and I can clearly picture myself reading them both again in the near future. Kasie West, you rock.
Now, about this 4.7 instead of 5. It was mainly because I was trying to contain myself and get ready for an awesome conclusion in Split Second. But it was also because I wanted to see more of her life with Trevor. I needed more! It was so adorable that it got to me, guys. But this book is awesone, nonetheless.
I would recommend this book to everyone! It doesn't take long to finish because it's not that long but I'm telling you: It's worth it!!
Thanks for reading this review!
~Christiana.
Παρασκευή 4 Ιουλίου 2014
Why We Broke Up | REVIEW
Why We Broke Up
by Daniel Handler
Page Count: 354 pages
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis:
I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.
Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.
Review:
First of all, I'll begin this review by saying how much I enjoyed the pictures in this book! They were wonderfully done by Maira Kalman and I think they were, absolutely necessary for the book. I found them really helpful; plus, they were, in a way, helping in the pacing of the story.
Another thing I enjoyed about Why We Broke Up was the passion with movies the main character had. Her whole thought process was so interesting and so film-like that it made me like her as a character. She was more complex than the usual YA main characters. Min had a passion and she was not afraid to show it. She knew what she liked and she wasn't scared to go for it. I think the whole time she was like "I'll go for it no matter what." Even the idea of sending this box to Ed along with the letter, was very creative and movie-like.
The idea of this story in a letter form was something I read for the first time. I've come across letters as a part of a story but not as the story itself. So, that was something that made me want to read this book.
Now apart from Min, I also liked Al and in general Min's friends. They were adorably "weird", if I may say. And that was exactly what was so great about them. They didn't have to go with the flow to make people to hang out with them because they, simply, didn't want that. They liked hanging out together and I love the fact that they're here for each other. Even when for a few pages there seems to be a tension between Min and Al, they still know that they can count on each other.
Moving on to Ed, what can I say. I admit that in the beginning I thought he was cute but I didn't like or trust the guy. I always felt like he was too superficial for Min and that she could have someone better. I get the sweet-talking and complimenting and gifts thing, it can be cute and attractive, but I believe that human relationship have to be based upon more important things like understanding and being able to make a conversation about interesting topics.
Obviously Min and Ed didn't have much in common, but still I can see why they broke up (apart from the most serious thing that whoever has read this book knows; I don't want to spoil anything for you).
I think that an alternative title for this book could be "Why We Shouldn't Have Been Together". It suits the tone and the story.
About the rating, I gave this book 4 stars and not five because at some points there were some long descriptions about movies and stuff like that and I just wanted them to end so as to get back to the actual plot. I loved Min's passion and some movie-related narrative parts were very interesting since I got to know some things myself, but I was curious about the way the story was going to unfold.
Overall:
About Min:
About Ed:
About the ending:
I would, definitely, recommend this book!
Especially if you are a fan of movies!
Thanks for reading,
~Christiana.
by Daniel Handler
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis:
I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.
Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.
Review:
First of all, I'll begin this review by saying how much I enjoyed the pictures in this book! They were wonderfully done by Maira Kalman and I think they were, absolutely necessary for the book. I found them really helpful; plus, they were, in a way, helping in the pacing of the story.
Another thing I enjoyed about Why We Broke Up was the passion with movies the main character had. Her whole thought process was so interesting and so film-like that it made me like her as a character. She was more complex than the usual YA main characters. Min had a passion and she was not afraid to show it. She knew what she liked and she wasn't scared to go for it. I think the whole time she was like "I'll go for it no matter what." Even the idea of sending this box to Ed along with the letter, was very creative and movie-like.
The idea of this story in a letter form was something I read for the first time. I've come across letters as a part of a story but not as the story itself. So, that was something that made me want to read this book.
Now apart from Min, I also liked Al and in general Min's friends. They were adorably "weird", if I may say. And that was exactly what was so great about them. They didn't have to go with the flow to make people to hang out with them because they, simply, didn't want that. They liked hanging out together and I love the fact that they're here for each other. Even when for a few pages there seems to be a tension between Min and Al, they still know that they can count on each other.
Moving on to Ed, what can I say. I admit that in the beginning I thought he was cute but I didn't like or trust the guy. I always felt like he was too superficial for Min and that she could have someone better. I get the sweet-talking and complimenting and gifts thing, it can be cute and attractive, but I believe that human relationship have to be based upon more important things like understanding and being able to make a conversation about interesting topics.
Obviously Min and Ed didn't have much in common, but still I can see why they broke up (apart from the most serious thing that whoever has read this book knows; I don't want to spoil anything for you).
I think that an alternative title for this book could be "Why We Shouldn't Have Been Together". It suits the tone and the story.
About the rating, I gave this book 4 stars and not five because at some points there were some long descriptions about movies and stuff like that and I just wanted them to end so as to get back to the actual plot. I loved Min's passion and some movie-related narrative parts were very interesting since I got to know some things myself, but I was curious about the way the story was going to unfold.
Overall:
About Min:
About Ed:
About the ending:
I would, definitely, recommend this book!
Especially if you are a fan of movies!
Thanks for reading,
~Christiana.
Τετάρτη 25 Ιουνίου 2014
Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2) | REVIEW
Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2)
by Anna Banks
Page Count: 246 pages
My rating: 5/5 stars
(Disclaimer: Since this is the second book in the trilogy there might be some spoilers about the first one in this review. Also, a synopsis follows so beware of spoilers there about this book).
Synopsis:
Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half-Breeds should be put to death.
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?
Review:
There are various reasons why I liked this book a bit more from the first one. The main one is that we saw some characters that weren't developed much in Of Poseidon develop in this one.
Rayna is one of them. Rayna really stood out for me here. We learn many new things about her and the idea of her being spoiled since she's Royal changes at some extent. At least I thought her role was significant.
I also liked Emma in this book. At the end of the first chapter, when we realise what has happened after the encounter in Of Poseidon, I wasn't sure how she was going to cope with that. And she had me confused at certain points of this book because her thought process changed several times. For a second she had me thinking that things are going to get ugly between her and Galen.
Now Galen was, is and probably will be awesome. I adore the guy. He is always so protective of Emma and of his sister of course that I was literally saying "aww" every time he did something cute.
I felt really bad for him at a certain point and those of you that have read this book know exactly to what I'm referring.
The way Emma's mother went back to her old self and started acting more fish-like was funny at some points. Especially in the part with Paca. I was like "you go girl! go get your man".
Not really a spoiler, everyone was expecting that! I really enjoyed that.
I also found King Antonis quite funny at some parts of the book. I believe we all understand how both Nalia and Emma got to be such kick-ass characters!
Oh oh, Emma was so kick-ass in this book! I loved loved loved the way she decided to take control of some things and show everyone what she is capable of doing!
by Anna Banks
Page Count: 246 pages
My rating: 5/5 stars
(Disclaimer: Since this is the second book in the trilogy there might be some spoilers about the first one in this review. Also, a synopsis follows so beware of spoilers there about this book).
Synopsis:
Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half-Breeds should be put to death.
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?
Review:
There are various reasons why I liked this book a bit more from the first one. The main one is that we saw some characters that weren't developed much in Of Poseidon develop in this one.
Rayna is one of them. Rayna really stood out for me here. We learn many new things about her and the idea of her being spoiled since she's Royal changes at some extent. At least I thought her role was significant.
I also liked Emma in this book. At the end of the first chapter, when we realise what has happened after the encounter in Of Poseidon, I wasn't sure how she was going to cope with that. And she had me confused at certain points of this book because her thought process changed several times. For a second she had me thinking that things are going to get ugly between her and Galen.
Now Galen was, is and probably will be awesome. I adore the guy. He is always so protective of Emma and of his sister of course that I was literally saying "aww" every time he did something cute.
I felt really bad for him at a certain point and those of you that have read this book know exactly to what I'm referring.
The way Emma's mother went back to her old self and started acting more fish-like was funny at some points. Especially in the part with Paca. I was like "you go girl! go get your man".
I also found King Antonis quite funny at some parts of the book. I believe we all understand how both Nalia and Emma got to be such kick-ass characters!
Oh oh, Emma was so kick-ass in this book! I loved loved loved the way she decided to take control of some things and show everyone what she is capable of doing!
Now let me shortly address my hate towards Jagen.
I wanted to kill the guy.
Slowly.
Painfully.
For the sake of this review, we will call Jagen, "Bianca" and we will combine his character with the following picture..;
Okay enough with him.
The ending was unexpected and I don't really know how to feel about it (should I scream? should I cry?) but I guess we'll see how our characters deal with that in the third and final book.
Finally, I found the Epilogue ADORABLE. I loved it!
Favorite Characters: Emma, Rayna, Galen, Toraf, Grom, King Antonis.
Overall, I enjoyed a lot this book and I can't wait to pick up the last one!
Thank you for reading this review!
~Christiana.
Δευτέρα 16 Ιουνίου 2014
Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy #1) | REVIEW
Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy #1)
by Anna Banks
Page Count: 324 pages
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...
Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.
Review
This was my first mermaid book so I might get a little carried away because of my excitement!
I really enjoyed reading Of Poseidon. I found the characters quite enjoyable and funny and the plot was easy and interesting to follow.
Emma (one of our main characters) isn't aware of her gift and she makes it hard for Galen (2nd main character & love interest) to understand if she's like him and his sister.
Basically, Galen is Syrena (since they don't like to be called mermaids) and they live underwater (OBVIOUS).
Emma, without knowing it, is very important for the Syrena race and possibly holds the key for the establishment of peace between the two underwater kingdoms: Of Poseidon & Of Triton.
I found the concept of the two kingdoms very interesting; especially, the fact that there are so many of them and that some of the Syrena decide to live outside the water/sea. That part was well-explained.
In terms of characters, Emma presented some mood-swings at times but since I've come across people with the same attitude, I think I found her rather realistic.
The part when she gets mad at Galen for something (I don't want to spoil it) was a little bit too much but that didn't detract from the book.
Galen was a very interesting character as well. I found hilarious the parts where he was attempting to go to school! These were probably my favorite ones! I also liked his sense of responsibility and the way he always put his people above everything else. That made me like him even more.
About the love aspect; I enjoyed the "love story" in this book. From what I was reading I was afraid that we were going to have a love triangle from the first book and I was screaming "no" internally.
by Anna Banks
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...
Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.
Review
This was my first mermaid book so I might get a little carried away because of my excitement!
I really enjoyed reading Of Poseidon. I found the characters quite enjoyable and funny and the plot was easy and interesting to follow.
Emma (one of our main characters) isn't aware of her gift and she makes it hard for Galen (2nd main character & love interest) to understand if she's like him and his sister.
Basically, Galen is Syrena (since they don't like to be called mermaids) and they live underwater (
Emma, without knowing it, is very important for the Syrena race and possibly holds the key for the establishment of peace between the two underwater kingdoms: Of Poseidon & Of Triton.
I found the concept of the two kingdoms very interesting; especially, the fact that there are so many of them and that some of the Syrena decide to live outside the water/sea. That part was well-explained.
In terms of characters, Emma presented some mood-swings at times but since I've come across people with the same attitude, I think I found her rather realistic.
The part when she gets mad at Galen for something (I don't want to spoil it) was a little bit too much but that didn't detract from the book.
Galen was a very interesting character as well. I found hilarious the parts where he was attempting to go to school! These were probably my favorite ones! I also liked his sense of responsibility and the way he always put his people above everything else. That made me like him even more.
About the love aspect; I enjoyed the "love story" in this book. From what I was reading I was afraid that we were going to have a love triangle from the first book and I was screaming "no" internally.
I believe that a love triangle with the characters presented to us in this book would have been pointless. So I'm glad that we sticked to the basic ones. Galen is a great love interest and I enjoyed reading from his POV as well. Although the constant change between the 1st-person and 3rd-person sort of got be confused but I got over it soon.
Also, I really liked Toraf as a character. He was awesome! He was funny and he added something fresh to the story. Good job Toraf, you're already in my favorites list! ;)
And his way of trying to make Galen's sister admit that she likes him was HILARIOUS. I loved the parts of the book when we got to see him! I wish there was more of him! *fangirling*
Overall, I really liked this book! I will, for sure, read the next ones and complete this trilogy!!
For a first mermaid book that went pretty well. I'm excited!!
Thanks for reading my review!!
See you soon,
~Christiana.
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