Review: Brave New Girl by Rachel Vincent

Title: Brave New Girl 

Author:  Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publishing Date: May 9th, 2017

Pages: 255
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/ Dystopian

Series:  
Source: 

 

We have brown hair. Brown eyes. Fair skin. We are healthy and strong and smart. But only one of us has ever had a secret.

Dahlia 16 sees her face in every crowd. She’s nothing special—just one of five thousand girls created from a single genome to work for the greater good of the city.

Meeting Trigger 17 changes everything. He thinks she’s interesting. Beautiful. Unique. Which means he must be flawed. When Dahlia can’t stop thinking about him—when she can't resist looking for him, even though that means breaking the rules—she realizes she’s flawed, too. But if she’s flawed, then so are all her identicals. And any genome found to be flawed will be recalled.

Destroyed.

Getting caught with Trigger would seal not only Dahlia’s fate, but that of all five thousand girls who share her face. But what if Trigger is right? What if Dahlia is different?

Suddenly the girl who always follows the rules is breaking them, one by one by one…

I wanted to read this book last year and just never seemed to get to it. Now I have and it was really good. I love a good dystopian and this was not short on good. I was pulled right into the story. The writing was just my style, it was a fast read, and it kept my attention throughout. 

Dahlia 16 is a clone- one of 5000. She lives in a compound learning the part she will play for the community. Her world is interrupted when is spoken to by a boy, a boy from another part of the compound. This is forbidden. She is interested and can't quit thinking about him. This leads to trouble which leads to secrets, which leads to questions, which leads to lies, which leads to Dahlia's world coming undone. 

There really wasn't a part of this book I didn't enjoy... well except for the ending... it was a cliffhanger and I didn't have more to read. Other than that it was quite enjoyable. A little short but not too short. Fast paced. There seemed to be enough explained to me to understand the world Dahlia lived in but not an overload. I didn't come out with questions in the end that should have been answered... except for what the crap happens next... It really read smoothly for me. 

I feel like the story wasn't too original but unique enough for me to feel it was a new read. I know sometimes dystopias can get to feeling like the same old same old. This story had that in the sense that the community is controlled. The residents feel its for the best but really its suffocating. Boy and girl meet in the story and things change. Eyes are opened. Then there is an escape. But there was enough in the secrets and betrayals that I never saw coming that kept me on my toes for sure and made this read unique. Also, the characters held their own for me and the romance was sweet even if rushed. 

So Dahlia 16, I just adored her. She was so innocent and sweet. She was a real rule follower and really didn't even think something was off or wrong about her world. She was so naive. It wasn't annoying though instead, she was cute and interesting. I liked seeing the innocence through her eyes. When she did start to question and learn some truths, she became brave through her fear and she really fought to do the right thing. 

Trigger was fun. He was pretty cliche as the rule breaker, heartthrob, hero, troublemaker, irresistible, girl magnet kind of boy, but I still liked him. Nothing really special but nothing that I didn't enjoy. He did play his part in changing Dahlia's world. He did do his part in saving her. He did what he was supposed to do and he had some good one-liners. 

The romance is again fast, insta-love, although I don't remember love ever being mentioned more of a very strong attraction thing. A hormone and a safe feeling kind of attraction. It made sense since they were never allowed to have relationships. It didn't bother me. I thought it was cute. For sure the innocent first love puppy love kind of thing. 

So really the only gripes I have is this... cliffhanger ending and I just wanted more. I will for sure grab the next installment asap and can't wait for it. This is kind of an easy laid back fluffy kind of read with a background of dystopian, deeper roots story. 

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more. 

A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Belles

Author:  Dhonielle Clayton
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publishing Date: February 6th 2018

Pages: 448
Genre: YA Fantasy 

Series: The Belles #1 
Source: Audio

 

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

I was really excited for this book. I mean really excited. So many great reviews, highly rated star book. Cover is gorgeous. Premise intriguing. I was so disappointed. This book just fell flat for me. I almost didn't finish it, but I stuck through it. It did get better, but I am kind of glad I finish it. But jury is still out on that one.

In this world, the world of Belles, the people are born gray and ugly. Their only hope are the Belles. The few girls are blessed by the Goddess of Beauty and they can manipulate the looks of the gray and ugly to make them beautiful. When the Belles are old enough they have a competition to find the favorite and to assign all the other girls to tea houses, where they where perform their beauty work. Camellia dreams of being the favorite, working in the palace, making royalty beautiful. When she becomes the favorite, life isn't what she expected. She finds cruelty, betrayal, secrets, and death. 

This book just didn't do it for me. The story was intriguing but that is all. The pace was way too slow, it dragged. I had a hard time sticking with it because I felt nothing was ever going to happen, and really it didn't until I had about 10 percent left. That last 10 percent was great. If the entire book had been even half that excited, it would have been better.

I can sometimes deal with slow if I can connect with the characters, or like them in any way. Can't say I did. The main character was tolerable at best. She was stubborn and daring, but way too naive, a little whiny, and just way too.. brainwashed.

I did like how she made her own designs when given the chance, but I hated the guilt that came along with it. Own it, please. You are using your own mind. Even if late, or it was a mistake, own it. Redeeming character- Remy the body guard, I did like him.

The story played out okay. The only saving grace for me was the ending which was good, but not because cliffhanger. Now I need to decide if the second book is worth it, because I kind of want to see how it plays out.

This story had a bad romance and I hope maybe the next book there will be some romance with Remy. That might just make it worth the read. 

Not that good, but maybe room for potential... I hope...

Dhonielle Clayton is the co-author of the Tiny Pretty Things series. She grew up in the Washington, DC suburbs on the Maryland side and spent most of her time under her grandmother’s table with a stack of books. A former teacher and middle school librarian, Dhonielle is co-founder of CAKE Literary—a creative development company whipping up decidedly diverse books for a wide array of readers—and COO of the non-profit, We Need Diverse Books. She's got a serious travel bug and loves spending time outside of the USA, but makes her home in New York City, where she can most likely be found hunting for the best slice of pizza.

Bookish Banter: How often do you blog hop?

A little Bookish Banter to get us through.  Bookish Banter is a little bit of banter about our bookish thoughts as we have a friendly discussion over a nice cup of tea. 

How often do you blog hop?

blog-hopping

Definitions: 

1) Unnecessarily or tediously flitting from one blog to the next in order to leave comments that are repetitive in nature. 

2) Leaving quick comments on a large number of blogs for the purpose of raising awareness of the blog-hopper's own blog. 

3) Quickly perusing several different blogs that are currently dealing with a similar subject. 

Found on Urban Dictionary

Ash-

I try to blog hop daily. I usually do it when I get bored or when people comment on our posts. I go to the commenters blog, comment on theirs, and then go to everyone who commented on their post, and so on and so forth. 

I actually really love blog hopping, it helps us find new blogs to follow, more books to read, and it also shows support to our fellow bloggers.

I know how excited we get whenever we get new comments and followers. 

But if I'm not able to blog hop daily, I at the very least, visit the person who commented on our post and comment on one of their posts. 

So keep commenting, and I will keep commenting back! 

Jenn:

I don't blog hop as much as I would like. I find it really hard to balance the blogging, the reviewing, the reading, the commenting, the reading blogs, and of course my work, housework, and my hubby.... oh don't forget about the cute adorable grandson Finn. So its really hard for me to find the time without failing in other areas of my life... 

I do however think that blog hopping is very important in the blogging community and I try to find some time everyday. Even if its just visiting the blogs that have recently commented on mine. I have nice little emails sitting in my inbox to say hey someone commented. I can read their comment then visit their blog with a click. I also try once a day to get through a few on my blog lovin feeder and I comment on almost all that read. I know I love to get comments and followers... I try to do the same for others. Also it helps me meet some pretty awesome bloggers out there. 

I am not really good at replying to comments on my blog and I am sorry for this. If I have time I would rather comment on other blogs and I really just don't ever know what to say in a reply to a comment. I guess if I see one that a reply comes to my head... I will for sure reply. I do read all my comments though. I luvs them!!! 

How often do you find time to visit and comment? Is it important to you to receive comments? Do you prefer to comment on blogs or reply to comments on your blog?

Let's be friends and discuss!

Waiting on Wednesday: Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon and Feeder by Patrick Weekes

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Jenn's Pick: I Can't wait to have my hands on this!

Feeder by Patrick Weeks
March 6th, 2018

Lori Fisher hunts monsters. Not with a sword or a gun, but with an interdimensional creature called Handler. Together they take down “feeders”—aliens who prey on mankind. When Lori touches a feeder, Handler’s impossibly large jaws appear and drag the beast into another dimension.

It’s a living—or was, until a job for the Lake Foundation goes wrong, and Lori stumbles across the Nix, a group of mutant teenagers held captive on the docks. Now the Lake Foundation is hunting Lori, and if they find Lori, they find Ben, the brother Lori would do anything to protect. There’s only one thing to do: strike first.

Lori teams up with the Nix to take on Lake, and to discover why the Nix were kidnapped in the first place. But as she watches their powers unfold, Lori realizes the Nix are nothing like her. She has no powers. She has…Handler. Maybe she’s not the monster hunter after all. Maybe she’s just the bait.

Okay so really, this sounds so amazing. Monsters, aliens, a handler, monster hunting. This just sounds like my kind of book and I really need it now. Like right now!

Ash's Pick: I need to read this NOW! 

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon
March 6th, 2018

​Olivia Brownlow is no damsel in distress. Born in a workhouse and raised as a boy among thieving London street gangs, she is as tough and cunning as they come. When she is taken in by her uncle after a caper gone wrong, her life goes from fighting and stealing on the streets to lavish dinners and soirees as a debutante in high society. But she can’t seem to escape her past … or forget the teeming slums where children just like her still scrabble to survive.

Jack MacCarron rose from his place in London’s East End to become the adopted “nephew” of a society matron. Little does society know that MacCarron is a false name for a boy once known among London gangs as the Artful Dodger, and that he and his “aunt” are robbing them blind every chance they get. When Jack encounters Olivia Brownlow in places he least expects, his curiosity is piqued. Why is a society girl helping a bunch of homeless orphan thieves? Even more intriguing, why does she remind him so much of someone he once knew? Jack finds himself wondering if going legit and risking it all might be worth it for love.

Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the “proper” life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future.

I'm not sure what made me so excited to read this, but I about lost it when I saw this book. After reading the synopsis I definitely want to read it. 

Review: As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

Title: As You Wish 

Author:  Chelsea Sedoti
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 

Publishing Date: January 2nd, 2018

Pages: 432
Genre:  YA Magical Realism

Series:  Stand Alone
Source: Audio

 

What if you could ask for anything- and get it?

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

I was excited to see a magical realism in YA. I don't come across this genre in YA often. I was very excited even though it took me a while to get to this book. I am not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't what I expected. The book was good and I enjoyed most of it. Just wasn't what I expected. It was kind of an angsty read, a tormented soul type of book. It was a little slow in pace but I found enjoyment while taking in everything the main character was struggling with. 

In the little boring town if Madison there is one thing that makes the town special. Every resident gets a wish on their 18th birthday. Now there are rules... kind of like genie rules... can't ask for more wishes, can't bring someone back from the dead, also you can't wish for anything that will effect the world outside of Madison.... other than that anything goes. Some people ask for fame, or love, or money and some make reckless wishes that they regret for the rest of their lives. Some people make selfish wishes and some people make selfless wishes. Everyone has to go to a wish class and be trained how to wish correctly. (there have been some accidents in the past with wording) Eldon is coming up on his 18th birthday. His parents want him to wish for money, the wish he really breaks the rules. He spends countless hours thinking of the right wish. The wish that he won't regret and that will make a difference in his world. This book is about his wish decision. 

This book was pretty interesting. It was pretty thought provoking. It was deeper than I had expected. Eldon was a complex character and at first its hard to see with all his angst. I will be the first to say teen angst gets on my nerves, but in this book I felt Eldon was a little entitled to a little angst, his sister had been in a terrible accident and he has lost her. He feel as if it was his fault, or he could have stopped it. He wants to fix it and knowing his wish can't, nothing he can do can fix this problem. His parents are pressuring him, the town is questioning him, his friends are no help. He is torn and confused and yes a little angsty. He wasn't an easy character to like but was easy to understand. I still connected to him. 

Some of the other characters I really liked in the book. His friends I loved. They were pretty special and even though Eldon didn't see them as much help but realized in the end they would always be there for him. 

Basically there isn't really much to review. This book made me think. If I had one wish what would it be? Is it right to be able to wish a wish that causes someone else to do something not of their own free will? Can wishing for something instead of getting it be really worth it... or is it cheating in life?  How far will you go to do what you feel is right? This book is about family and friendship, doing the right thing and choosing your own path. 

The pacing was a little slow at times but it didn't take long to get through those slow parts. I did keep going and I did enjoy the listen. I think if I had read instead of listened I may have found it a bit harder to get through. The narrator helped a lot. I did however find it worth the read in the end. Again, not what I expected though. 

It was enjoyable and an experience. 

Chelsea Sedoti fell in love with writing at a young age after discovering that making up stories was more fun than doing her school work (her teachers didn’t always appreciate this.) In an effort to avoid getting a “real” job, Chelsea explored careers as a balloon twister, filmmaker, and paranormal investigator. Eventually she realized that her true passion is writing about flawed teenagers who are also afraid of growing up. When she’s not at the computer, Chelsea spends her time exploring abandoned buildings, eating junk food at roadside diners, and trying to befriend every animal in the world. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada where she avoids casinos, but loves roaming the Mojave Desert.