Review- World After by Susan Ee

Summary-

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

Review-

I read World After right after I finished Angelfall because I just had to find out what happens next with Penryn and Raffe. While I still loved World After I can't say I enjoyed it as much as Angelfall. Still, World After was a thrilling sequel.

Penryn finally is reunited with her sister and mother. But so many things have changed after the events of Angelfall. Nothing is the same. When Paige, Penryn's younger sister gets captured by a group of people who think she is a monster, Penryn will do everything in her power to get her back. Except this time she doesn't have Raffe. She has to do it on her own.

I loved Penryn just as much in this book. She is one of the best heroines I've read and I always enjoy being in her head and seeing her thought processes. Penryn was on her own in this book. She was still protective and had a great sense of humor but you could also see her longing for Raffe. I loved how the whole thing was portrayed with just the right amout of emotions.

The reason I slightly didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one is Raffe. I missed him. A LOT. I wanted more of him but we only get to see him after about 75%. Also, when Raffe and Penryn get reunited they are still at the same point as the last book. I would have loved to see more progress in their relationship. I know it is hard to hope when the world is ending but I still wanted more.

But never the less World After was full of action. The gruesome scenes continue and we go deeper into the angel politics. Complicated is a tame word to use in this series. Susan Ee has a fantastic writing style and the wait for the next book is long but I'm sure it'll be worth it. I enjoyed World After.

Review- Angelfall by Susan Ee

Summary-

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Review-

After reading a ton of rave reviews about Angelfall I was really excited to get started on it. I so wasn't disappointed. I loved Angelfall. It was one of the most unique books I've read to date. I was never a huge fan of angels in the first place but this twisted view of angels has me hooked.

Penryn is our heroine. Its been six weeks since the apocalypse and she is trying to survive with her mother and younger sister. When her younger sister gets kidnapped by angels Penryn will do anything to get her back, including making a deal with an angel himself.

I LOVED Penryn. She was a strong and a kick ass heroine. I loved how protective she was of her sister. She was trying her best to cope up with the circumstances but she still held a hint of vulnerability. I loved how realistic it was that at times she thought like a seventeen year old girl. I loved her smart ass attitude and wit. She was a great protagonist.

Our hero is Raffe who is fighting his own battles. He is severely injured and he finds himself being rescued by Penryn. I would have killed for getting Raffe's point of view. But it is Penryn's story so we don't. I loved Raffe. He had me at agnostic angel! He had such a strong presence and he and Penryn seemed to balance each other out perfectly. This is such a forbidden romance and I can't wait to see how it progresses.

Susan Ee has created a unique world in Angelfall. Her writing is so clear, I could see every single thing happening in front of my eyes. Angelfall also has a ton of gruesome scenes and I think it just adds to the darkness of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed Angelfall.

Review- Divergent by Veronica Roth

Goodreads Summary: 

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.

REVIEW: 

I had been wanting to read Divergent since a very long time, especially because practically every review I read for it has been a four or five stars one. Besides, after The Hunger Games, followed steadily by a few not so extraordinary stories, I hadn't read any solid dystopian. And can I just say that Divergent was the perfect choice to get back into a genre that tends to leave me feeling depressed and helpless half the time. Also, the other main reason why I read this book is because the Divergent movie is coming out soon, which I cannot wait to watch. While I agree with almost every positive aspect of the book that has been pointed out before, I still feel it's necessary to express it. But that obviously doesn't mean I loved everything about the book, as we shall see. 

What I appreciate the most about author Veronica Roth is her deep and detailed description of the post-apocalyptic world in Divergent. Dystopians usually confuse me with their functioning, but that was never a problem here. There were times when it seemed like the book wouldn't end because it did tend to get too deep. The amount of time it took me to finish the book had me afraid of going into a reading slump. Other than a precise and clear view of each of the five factions, there was also a meticulous world-building. Besides these two points, I found that there were the regular ingredients that go into making a  delectable dystopian. Kick ass heroine- check. Smart, sensible and steady hero- check. Strong and supporting family- check. Sweet friends- check. Nasty enemies- check. Sleazy government- check. Sensible scientific discoveries- check. All these and much more went into making Divergent an extremely great read. Beatrice or Tris and Tobias or Four obviously stood out throughout the length of the book. 

Aside from what I have already said, the other positive that I actually ended up admiring in Divergent is the nature of the dystopian world described. We all know that it isn't easy to live there and we all know what the consequence will be. And Divergent has that consequence. And I deeply, deeply, deeply admired that. While I couldn't really connect to the story emotionally and it wasn't anything extraordinary for me, Veronica Roth's writing which goes from Tris' point of view in first person, is simply smacking. It's clean, clear and precise and that in itself is enough in making a reader connect with a book. I have no idea if I will be continuing with the series anytime soon, but I sure as hell am curious to read both Insurgent and Allegiant. I am interested in knowing what's in store from here. 

RATING: 

Review- Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Goodreads Summary: 

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.

Shatter Me series: 

My review of Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)

My review of Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)

My review of Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)

My review of Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5)

REVIEW:

Ignite Me was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated releases of 2014 and Tahereh Mafi's simple hope, as stated in the Acknowledgements, for this being a worthy conclusion to the Shatter Me trilogy for the readers may or may not have come true. It's always sad to say goodbye to a series that has been so terrifying and beautiful. A series that's been a mind blowing journey with the amazing and wonderful protagonists and the deadly and painful antagonists. And a series that's made my mind go from left to right to centre in a matter of a few words, lines and books.

What I admired and loved the most about Ignite Me was the development of the characters from Shatter Me to Destroy Me to Unravel Me (which is clearly my favourite now) to Fracture Me to finally, Ignite Me. Juliette went from being a depressed, outcast, lonely, sad and confused girl to this action-packed and kick-ass heroine, who took control of everything and did a great job at it, even though she seemed naive, confused and silly. I cannot even express how much I love Adam and Warner. Adam, albeit stupid, is sweet and sensitive. Warner is so suave, sexy and smart and he had so much of page space in this book which was exciting to see.  Adam's younger brother James has always been a sweetheart. The one person who stood out the most for me, however, was Kenji. Besides being funny and entertaining, he's a brave soldier who has his ups and downs and climbs and falls and who stays determined and keeps rocking no matter what. 

There really isn't anything I haven't said about how much I love all the books in the series to the point that I don't have anything left to say right now except that I liked this book but I really wish it had more. While I did like how everything fell into place, when I contemplate over it practically, when it comes to dystopians, government, politics and power, the question never really is about what's going on but it's all about what next, and unfortunately, Ignite Me didn't take up the latter, and I can't believe I'm saying this since I prefer open endings over concrete ones, but like I said, practicality took over me. And personally, I feel that deaths make dystopians, dystopians, which was clearly a missing factor here and it disappointed me slightly. In spite of the beautiful writing, I felt that it was rushed and finished for the sake of it. 

Tahereh Mafi has written, like she always does, a brilliant book but for some reason, it wasn't as good as the first two books and the novella in between them. I was expecting an epic conclusion with lots of breakdowns and haphazardness but maybe that’s where I’m wrong. Maybe I expected too much. I don’t even care what Team I’m on right now. Nonetheless, this is definitely a series that’s going to be remembered forever simply for its emotional manipulation (thanks for that term, Janhvi), the hassle the Teams created and the beautiful writing. 

RATING:

Review- Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Goodreads Summary:

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Timesbestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, Fracture Me is told from Adam's perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Fracture Me sets the stage for Ignite Me, the explosive finale in Tahereh Mafi's epic dystopian series. It's a novella not to be missed by fans who crave action-packed stories with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu.

Shatter me Series:

My review of Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)

My review of Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)
My review of Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2.5)

REVIEW:

Fracture Me is a novella from Adam Kent's point of view in the Shatter Me series that falls between book #2 Unravel Me and the final installment in the trilogy, Ignite Me. Before I get onto anything, let me just clarify that I am Team Warner. That's the reason why I wasn't as excited about Fracture Me as Team Adam members or as in between about it as readers who can't decide what Team to join. But what I can say is that I hoped this novella would be drastic like Destroy Me, but but but... it wasn't. 

Many readers have not liked Fracture Me as much as they would have loved to like it and I can completely understand why. This book isn't how and what Tahereh Mafi usually writes. I get that. And I also get that Adam seemed really stupid at times for not going after the love of his life the way any sane person probably would, especially since he seemed crazy in love with Juliet in the first book. 

“Losing a parent is excruciating, but somehow, the pain is so much different from losing a child. And James, to me, in many ways, feels like my own kid. I raised him. Took care of him. Protected him. Fed him and clothed him. Taught him most everything he knows. He’s my only hope in all this devastation- the one thing I’ve always lived for, always fought for. I’d be lost without him.

James gives my life purpose.”

In my most sincere and humble opinion, what Adam does is actually really amazing. As a sensible person, he does exactly what is expected of him- he puts family before anything and anyone else and I cannot express how much I admire him for that. It was so good and highly refreshing to see Adam dedicate his life to the safety of his little brother James. Yes, Adam did seem stupid sometimes, but he has responsibilities and come to think of it, a dystopian world is very well capable of making someone mad so I understand Adam.

For such a short read, Fracture Me isn't a five star read like all the other books in the series and it isn't even much content wise, but it was very good whatever it was and I love this series so much. This book has made me respect Adam and at the same time, it has made me realise why I am all for Warner winning the girl in the first place. Adam has a life besides Juliet and he will be happy without Juliet; I know that. 

RATING: 

Review- Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi

Goodreads Summary:

Before Perry and Aria, there was Roar and Liv.

After a childhood spent wandering the borderlands, Roar finally feels like he has a home with the Tides. His best friend Perry is like a brother to him, and Perry's sister, Liv, is the love of his life. But Perry and Liv's unpredictable older brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the Tides, and he has never looked kindly on Roar and Liv's union. Normally, Roar couldn't care less about Vale's opinion. But with food running low and conditions worsening every day, Vale's leadership is more vital—and more brutal—than ever. Desperate to protect his tribe, Vale makes a decision that will shatter the life Roar knew and change the fate of the Tides forever.

Under the Never Sky series: 

My review of Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1)

REVIEW:

Roar and Liv is actually a prequel to author Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky series, but I think that because it came out after the first book's release, everyone read it as a 1.5 instead of a 0.5 novella. I am explaining this because when I started reading it, I had no idea as to what was happening and why it was happening since the way Under the Never Sky ended, Roar and Liv could just not have what it had. Then I saw that it was 0.5, my brain went into putting two and two together and the story made absolute sense and turned out to be an even more amazing read, albeit short, than Under the Never Sky. 
There were a lot of side characters in Under the Never Sky  Even though each of them was important in their own way and well portrayed by author Veronica Rossi, I was deeply engrossed in the interaction and chemistry between the protagonists, Aria and Peregrine. 
Once I started reading Roar and Liv, I found that Roar is simply amazing. His point of view, which lasts throughout the book, was just as amazing as him. His thoughts were so good that they made me like him even more. Author Veronica Rossi has put down Roar's view beautifully.  
Roar and his grandmother go to Peregrine's father, Jodan, who gives the two food and shelter and Roar two best friends. Roar, Liv and Peregrine know each other since childhood. Roar and Peregrine's friendship is strong, fun and loyal making Roar seem like more of a brother to Peregrine than his real brother, Vale. Roar feels a deep attraction towards Liv which turns into a sweet love. But where there is love, there are tons and heaps of problems. I always enjoy forbidden, behind the scenes and heartbreaking romances and Roar and Liv's was just the same. 
Overall, Roar and Liv was an amazing novella that ended unhappily which I love but with the promise of more to come. I absolutely enjoyed this one. 

RATING:

Review- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Goodreads Summary:

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

REVIEW:

I had had my eyes on Under the Never Sky since I first saw the book when it was about to release. But then, other interesting books came out and I left this one lying on my TBR shelf. Sometime back, my friend Aman over at Enticed by Books and I were discussing our sad and disheartening three star book phase and we decided to buddy read something extraordinary. Janhvi joined us as well and so I finally began reading Under the Never Sky with my two great friends. 
I can't exactly say that Under the Never Sky was an extraordinary five star book as opposed to practically every second Goodreads review. The book started out real slow and if it weren't for my sheer determination, I was this close to DNF-ing it. It seemed way too dragged, although I've realised that all fantasy novels need that dragging to help the reader understand the new world better. With Under the Never Sky  once I reached the 55% mark, the book suddenly picked up pace turned out to be a super interesting edge of the seat packed with action story. 

Under the Never Sky is the story of an Outsider, Aria and a Savage, Peregrine. Both their worlds are absolutely different and yet deeply interconnected. When Aria and Peregrine meet, it seemed like they'd never get along. But Aria's curiosity and confusion mixed with Peregrine's intellect and mystery made the two an amazing couple. The interaction between Aria and Peregrine in this book is what made it a good read for me. 
Author Veronica Rossi has created a strong world in which the concept of the Aether was quite interesting really, although I wish there was more about it. Long descriptions always tend to drift me off which is why some concepts still seem unclear to me. The author's writing is really good though and both Aria and Peregrine's points of views were excellently explained and varied nicely. 
I can't exactly say that I loved Under the Never Sky because when it takes nearly 55% for a book to pique my interest, with an obvious maths calculation, only 45% of the book was amazing and that's less than half of it. Nonetheless, the parts that I did like were really, really good and for a Dystopian read, like all reads of the genre, it was a fascinating story and I'll definitely be continuing with the series. 

RATING: