The Reader Bee: Tor Teen

Showing posts with label Tor Teen. Show all posts

Sunday, October 2, 2016

My Thoughts: Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28220892-vassa-in-the-night

In the enchanted kingdom of Brooklyn, the fashionable people put on cute shoes, go to parties in warehouses, drink on rooftops at sunset, and tell themselves they’ve arrived. A whole lot of Brooklyn is like that now—but not Vassa’s working-class neighborhood.

In Vassa’s neighborhood, where she lives with her stepmother and bickering stepsisters, one might stumble onto magic, but stumbling out again could become an issue. Babs Yagg, the owner of the local convenience store, has a policy of beheading shoplifters—and sometimes innocent shoppers as well. So when Vassa’s stepsister sends her out for light bulbs in the middle of night, she knows it could easily become a suicide mission.

But Vassa has a bit of luck hidden in her pocket, a gift from her dead mother. Erg is a tough-talking wooden doll with sticky fingers, a bottomless stomach, and a ferocious cunning. With Erg’s help, Vassa just might be able to break the witch’s curse and free her Brooklyn neighborhood. But Babs won’t be playing fair… (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
When I first received Vassa in the Night in my mailbox, I was intrigued. The cover of the book is absolutely stunning, and the story interesting as well.I had the book on my TBR, but didn't start it right away. But, the more I thought about the book, the more curious I became, and I finally just HAD to read the it. I'm glad I finally did!

Can I first say that this is one of the weirdest books I think I've ever read? It's inspired by a Russian folktale Vassilissa the Beautiful, a tale that I had not heard of before, but found to be quite interesting nonetheless. I seem to be reading a lot of retellings lately that come from tales I've not heard of before, and I like that! It makes me curious to get to know the originals.

I really liked the main character in the story, Vassa. She definitely not had an easy life, especially considering who her parents were, and what she had to grow up with. I like that she always thought of more than just herself, especially when she's thrown into the weirdest situation ever. Also, she has a magical talking wooden doll named Erg, who is a bit of a kleptomaniac and has a bottomless pit for a stomach, whom I absolutely adored! These are just two of the interesting characters in the story. There are SO many more as well!

The storyline for the book was fantastically magical. Seriously, you won't believe some of the stuff you read as you turn the pages, this is so serious fantasy and magic we're talking about. And while I thought it was weird at times, I still couldn't get enough of it. (A store with chicken legs, for instance.) The book took a little longer to read than I expected, because I had to go back at times to reread what I had just read, to make sure that I had read it right!

Overall; Vassa in the Night was definitely an interesting read! I can see why it has gotten such good reviews. It's the first book I've read by Sarah Porter, but it definitely won't be the last.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Review: Nightstruck by Jenna Black

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25659436-nightstruck

It starts with a cry in the night.

Becket, walking her dog one winter evening, fears it’s an abandoned baby left out in the cold. But it is something else—something evil—and it tricks Becket into opening a doorway to another realm, letting a darkness into our world, a corruption that begins transforming Philadelphia into a sinister and menacing version of itself…but only at night.

The changes are subtle at first, causing Becket to doubt her senses and her sanity. But soon the nightmarish truth is impossible to deny: By day, the city is just a city, but at night it literally comes alive with malevolent purpose. Brick and steel become bone, streetlights turn into gallows, and hungry alleys wait to snare mortal victims. Terrified citizens huddle indoors after dusk, as others succumb to the siren song of the night, letting their darker sides run wild.

Once, Becket’s biggest problems were living up to her police commissioner father’s high expectations and a secret crush on her best friend’s boyfriend. Now she must find a way to survive and protect her loved ones…before the darkness takes her as well. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I was pretty excited to read Nightstruck, as I'd always wanted to read something by Jenna Black. I have a few of her previous books on my bookshelf, but haven't had a chance to get to them, so I jumped on the opportunity to read this new release from her.

Becket was an interesting main character. The girl had been through a lot in the past year, with her parents divorcing and her mom moving away. Living with her super strict police commissioner dad has not been easy, and it gets even more difficult one night when Becket reports a cry she heard in the dark, that wasn't exactly what she thought it was to begin with. For all this girl had been through, she managed to keep her head throughout, even when most people would have given up. I definitely admire her for that.

The storyline for the book was really interesting. The first few chapters of the book were a little slow placed, but once the story picked up, I was hooked. I can see now why this story was listed under horror, as some of the things that happened were pretty brutal. And, there were lots of creepy parts as well, some that made me a little paranoid. I don't usually read this type of book, mostly because I'm a big chicken, but I found myself getting more and more into it as the story went along, and I really enjoyed it!

The book ends with a pretty massive cliffhanger, which kind of confused me because I went into this book thinking it was a standalone, not part of a series. So I'm curious to see if that is just how the book was supposed to end, or if is, in fact, part of a series.

Overall; I thought Nightstruck was a really interesting read. I'm super curious to know if it's a series that will be continuing along, as after that ending, I'd love to know what's going to happen next!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #212 - Riders by Veronica Rossi

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23430471-riders

Riders
(Riders #1)
by Veronica Rossi
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: February 16th 2016
Publisher: Tor Teen
ISBN: 9780765382542

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.
Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.
Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen—Conquest, Famine and Death—are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.
They fail.
Now—bound, bloodied, and drugged—Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he’s fallen for—not to mention all of humankind—he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.
But will anyone believe him? (Goodreads)

So, I'm really looking forward to reading this book.
I loved Rossi's Under the Never Sky series, it was so very original and creative.
I adored the characters and the story.
I can't wait to see what she has come up with in this new series!!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Monday, February 16, 2015

Review: The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15750874-the-glass-arrow

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning. (Goodreads)

I was really looking forward to reading The Glass Arrow, as I am a super huge fan of Kristen Simmons’ Article 5 series. I absolutely couldn’t wait to see what adventure she was going to come up with next with this new release, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

The main character in the story, Aya, is a rebel in her own right. Having lived in the wild all her life made her fearless and daring. She was not willing to conform to anything that society tried to make her, and took every chance she could to try to escape. All she wanted was to escape the city and get back to her family in the wild, and she is willing to do whatever she has to do to reach them. While there were a few times throughout the story when I wanted to shake her for the decisions she made, I was really rooting for her throughout the story. I wanted nothing more than for her to escape this horrible world in which she was thrown into.

There are quite a few characters in the story that you’ll love in an instant; Brax and Kiran being two of my favorites. Then there are characters that will grow on you over time. But there are also some characters that you are going to hate with a purple passion throughout the whole entire story.

The world-building for this book was both unique and completely terrifying. Imagine living in a world where a girl has not rights at all, not even her body is her own. Imagine being put up for auction and sold to the highest bidder just to be a breeding instrument to boost the male population. And if you go against the rules of the city, you are punished in the worst ways possible. Some parts of the story were super hard to read, as they were so insanely terrifying. This is the world that exists in The Glass Arrow. It was definitely interesting, and the suspense was pretty intense as I flew through the pages. I also like that this book is a standalone novel as well, so everything came together pretty nicely in the end of the book.

Overall; I thought The Glass Arrow was a really interesting novel. It’s always interesting when an author starts a new book or series, and it’s completely different in every single way from the worlds they’ve created before. I’m really excited to see what Simmons’ will come up with next!

The Glass Arrow on Instagram:

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Review: Three by Kristen Simmons

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17559899-three

Kristen Simmons' fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series continues in Three.

Ember Miller and Chase Jennings are ready to stop running. After weeks spent in hiding as two of the Bureau of Reformation’s most wanted criminals, they have finally arrived at the safe house, where they hope to live a safe and quiet existence.

And all that’s left is smoking ruins.

Devastated by the demolition of their last hope, Ember and Chase follow the only thing left to them—tracks leading away from the wreckage. The only sign that there may have been survivors.

With their high profile, they know they can’t stay out in the open for long. They take shelter in the wilderness and amidst the ruins of abandoned cities as they follow the tracks down the coast, eventually finding refugees from the destroyed safe house. Among them is someone from Chase’s past—someone he never thought he’d see again.

Banding together, they search for a place to hide, aiming for a settlement a few of them have heard about…a settlement that is rumored to house the nebulous organization known as Three. The very group that has provided Ember with a tiny ray of hope ever since she was first forced on the run.

Three is responsible for the huge network of underground safe houses and resistance groups across the country. And they may offer Ember her only chance at telling the world her story.

At fighting back. (Goodreads)

‘Three’ is the third and final novel in the ‘Article 5' series by Kristen Simmons. I have really, really enjoyed this series from the very beginning, and I absolutely hate to see it end.

First off, I have to admit that I was terrified to read this final novel. (There is a certain book that I read recently that has ruined me for series endings.) I didn’t know what to expect, and I was afraid to see what was going to happen to these characters that I love so much.

Chase and Ember are such excellent characters. I have loved them since the very first book. Watching them grow as characters, as well as watching their relationship grow, has been such a great experience. I love that these two characters were always true to themselves and to each other. And they fought for what they believed in, even when they weren’t on a ‘side’. I love this about them. I love them period.

It’s not only these two characters that I love; there are so many secondary characters in the book that you can’t help but love. The characters that we’ve followed from the very beginning - like Sean and Rebecca - on to the characters that we are just introduced to in this novel -like Jesse- you will care for them all in some way or another. Simmons has written all of their stories so well that you will be completely captivated by them all.

The dystopian storyline for this series it so very creative; I absolutely love it. It’s very realistic and something that I could definitely see happening if a twisted government were in command. The tension and suspense in this novel was nerve racking. It was killing me at times waiting to see what was going to happen to these characters and to see how the series was finally going to come to an end. I felt that the ending of the book was very well done. While there were some things that I hated to see happen, they did and I must move on from that. I felt that wonderful sense of closure when I finished the last pages, and I love that feeling when I finish a really great series.

I also love that my hometown – Chattanooga – is included in the novel! (Even if it is just for a page or two, it’s there!) I had to fangirl a bit when I saw that. So when you read the novel and you see Chattanooga, remember me!

Overall; I cannot think of a better ending to this series. Kristen Simmons, you nailed it! If you haven’t check out the Article 5 series yet, I definitely recommend that you do so. The series definitely will not disappoint. Now that I’ve read the book, I will be patiently waiting for my finished copy to arrive to add it to my collection. This is definitely a series that I will read again!

Happy Reading!

Books in this Series:

Article 5 | Breaking Point | Three

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #116 - Three by Kristen Simmons

Three
(Article 5, #3)
by Kristen Simmons

Publication Date: February 11th 2014
Publisher: Tor Teen

Ember Miller and Chase Jennings are ready to stop running. After weeks spent in hiding as two of the Bureau of Reformation’s most wanted criminals, they have finally arrived at the safe house, where they hope to live a peaceful and quiet existence—but all that’s left is smoking ruins.

Devastated by the demolition of their last hope, Ember and Chase follow the one thing left to them—tracks leading away from the wreckage. The only sign that there may have been survivors.

Because of their high profiles, they know they can’t stay out in the open for long. They take shelter in the wilderness and amid the ruins of abandoned cities as they follow the tracks down the coast, eventually finding refugees from the destroyed safe house. Among them is someone from Chase’s past—someone he thought he’d never see again.

Banding together, they search for a place to hide, aiming for a settlement a few of them have heard about… a settlement that is rumored to house the nebulous organization known as Three. The very group that has provided Ember with a tiny ray of hope ever since she was first forced on the run.

Three is responsible for the huge network of underground safe houses and resistance groups across the country. And they may offer Ember her only chance to tell the world her story—and to fight back.

YEAH!

I love this series, it's super great.
And I am SO excited for book number THREE to be released!
I can't wait to get back in to Chase and Ember's story.
If you haven't read this series yet, I definitely recommend that you do so!
And then come back and chat with me about it.

:)

What are you Waiting for this week???

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Friday, March 9, 2012

Review: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 5
(Article 5 #1)
by Kristen Simmons

Publication Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 364
ISBN: 9780765329585

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved. (Goodreads)

Article 5 had been sitting on my shelf for a couple of weeks now. After discussing it with a fellow blogger, I decided to move it up on my to-read list. I am SO glad that I did!

Imagine a world where you lived by a code of morals instead of the rights we have now. There is only one religion. Immoral literature and media has been banned. Families must consist of one man, one woman, and child(ren). A child can only be a valid citizen if he/she has been conceived by a married couple. This is the frightening world in which Ember Miller lives in Article 5.

I must start off by staying, that whenever I read a dystopian novel, I always find it shocking that stuff happening in the book could totally happen in real life. I absolutely cannot imagine living in a world where we don’t have freedom and rights. That definitely makes it easy to sympathize with the main characters in the story.

I was a little worried about the main character, Ember, in the beginning of the book. At first, she gave the impression of being very docile. However, she does grow more determined through the book. I was very glad to see what. All the poor girl wants is to save herself and her mother. Chase, who Ember has known since her childhood, does whatever he has to do to help Ember with her search. I love Chase. He’s dark and mysterious, and you just want to know what his story is. He definitely earned a spot on my favorite hero list.

The plot for the story is definitely interesting. I’ve read a lot of dystopian’s lately, and I was a little bit worried that this wouldn’t hold my attention. It certainly did, I shouldn’t have worried at all. The book was well paced as well; I was flying through the paces just to see what was going to happen next!

Overall, this was a really great read. I can’t believe I waited so long to get started on it. I can’t wait check out the next book in the series, so I can see what’s going to happen next with Ember, Chase and the crew.

Happy Reading!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake
Publication Date: August 30th 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780765328656
Source: ATW Arc Tours

Where to Buy:
Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life. (Goodreads)

I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Anna Dressed in Blood. I knew it was going to be a ghost story, but I didn’t know it was going to be a ghost story of epic proportions! If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be: Awesome.

In the beginning of the book, we meet our main character, Theseus Cassio Lowood, or Cas for short. Cas is a very strong and confident character, but he also has quite a sarcastic, funny side about him. He can kick ghost’s butts as well. I haven’t read many books with a male main character, but Ms. Blake did a wonderful job of making Cas’ character seem real. It was really interesting to read this book through his point of view.

Our second main character is Anna, who is another fantastic character. She’s a ghost that was murdered in 1958, and she murders every person that wanders into her home. I really liked Anna from the beginning. Her story really sucks you in, and you just have to know more about what happened to her. In the beginning she’s a bit scary, but we find that she has two different sides. Cas knows that she’s different than the other ghost’s, and I enjoyed watching their relationship form.

Most of the secondary characters in the book were very likeable. Thomas and Carmel are Cas’ new schoolmates and partners in crime. I think the three of them are a great team together. I also enjoyed reading about Cas’ mom and also Thomas’s grandfather. There are also characters you’re going to love to hate; Mike, Chase and Will for the most part. These are the school jocks, and they don’t make things easy for Cas and crew.

This book was very fast paced; it was a quick read for me. The writing is absolutely engrossing, and the story just keeps you hooked. The book has it all: Ghosts, Ghost Killers, Witches and even Voodoo. And it’s downright spooky too! There’s definitely never a dull moment when reading this book.

Overall, this book was amazing. I love it. It’s a MUST read. The characters, the storyline, the writing; all of it was great. It would be awesome to meet these characters in another book!

Happy Reading!

Book Giveaway for Anna Dressed in Blood via Goodreads.com
Goodreads is giving away six copies of Anna Dressed in Blood! Check it out!