Review: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Title:  A Thousand Pieces of You

Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publishing Date: November 4th 2014
Pages: 368
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Thriller
Series: Firebird #1
Source:  Audio

  

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

OK.... SO I don't know where to start with this book. I am still in shock that this wonderful awesome story is done for now and I wasn't ready. I LOVED this book. I DEVOURED this book. This is going to be on my best read of 2015, I know it already. I did have some hesitance at the very beginning. Not sure if it was my hit or miss on multiverse books or the narrator. BUT.. .it didn't take long at all to fall in love with the characters, the writing, the story, the action, the romance, the mystery, the thrills, the evil, the awesomeness.. Yes it was so more than good, more than great, more than awesome. 

Marguerite's (Meg) mother discovered mutliverse. They created a charm on a necklace called a firebird that can transfer things from one universe or dimension  to another. Well somewhere along the line Meg's father gets killed, all the research on multiverse and the firebired destroyed, and someone she thought she trusted ( Paul) has left this universe and traveled. So Meg and her friend Theo have decided to follow him, find him, and suffer greatly for his crimes of murder and mayhem. Somewhere along the way Meg finds out that who she thought she could trust and couldn't trust may not be the case and all she knew turns out to be nothing she knew at all. Now her heart is confused, her brain is overwhelmed, and she is traveling like a crazy dimension girl for a completely different reason than she started off with. Lots of great stuff! 

I loved loved loved this book. It truly is a hit or miss with multiverse, alternate dimensions, time traveling. It just gets me confused. So when I find a good one that is intense, easy to follow, and full of great characters and storyline, I like to rant and rave and tell everyone I know to read it. So that is what I am doing. 

There was so much about this book that I loved. Nothing I didn't like. It was all good. The main character stole my heart from the very beginning. The story trapped me pretty early on. The romance was just perfect. The mystery kept me guess, and the thrills never stopped. It was tearful, humorous, and very intense. 

Meg was one of those characters I was able to connect  with first thing. The book starts off right after she travels to her first alternate dimension and we hear the story of her father being murdered. So we know what her plans are. She was angry, she was sad, she was destroyed and betrayed. Her emotions were strong and right up front. Hard to miss. The book is also told in memories. This made her character jump out at me even more. I was able to see who she was before everything went down and how she had changed. I was also able to learn and connected with Paul through her memories, how she knew him, how she felt about him, and of course this made his betrayal hard and it angered me. I was right there with Meg. Paul I liked in the past and I well I won't say much more about him.

Theo was another main character. He was an interesting character. Charming and lovable, sweet and suave. I liked him but I didn't connect with him as much as I did Meg. He was fun though. So we have Theo and Paul in her present and in her memories. There isn't a love triangle. There was a possibility at the beginning but it never happened fully. There was only one boy she truly loved, which brings me to the romance. 

The romance was hot, it was sweet, it was romantic, it was a slow burning passion. Friend to more. So many emotions and question in between. It was real for me. I sparked then it simmered than it just flamed. I fell for it hard. One thing I did like was the way they handled the romance, the feelings, the truths, the questions, the complexity. I also loved how in the end, Meg actually wondered if things had went down differently would she have fallen for the other boy. I don't think so but it brings up the question or issue that we may only fall for who we fall for because of who we are and what is at the moment. Love is built not born. I kind of liked that. 

The story was a very unique take on multiverse and I think this is what drew me in right away. The explanation was in the very beginning. It made sense and it was very very cool. I enjoyed how the different universes were the same but not. Sometimes they were very similar and sometimes they were completely different but every one that Meg traveled too they were all there... Paul. Theo, Mom and Dad. Like the souls were connected. I very much liked that. 

The book was built around a huge mystery and lots of thrills. Very fast paced. Once I started I couldn't put it down. The mystery was enough to keep me reading but it didn't have to be with all the intense moments and swoony romance, but it was good and I think I was actually kind of sideswiped on this one. I never saw the ending coming. I just need more! 

On a good note. No cliffhanger.... YAY

It was the perfect sci-fi thriller for me. 

Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.

Review: Trial by Fire by by Josephine Angelini

Title:  Trial By Fire 

Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publishing Date: September 2nd 2014
Pages: 374
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Series: The Worldwalker Trilogy #1
Source: Audio


 

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.
Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.
What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

I have had this book on my TBR for a while and wasn't sure if I would enjoy the book. I have heard some amazing things about the book but it just didn't catch my fancy right away. I finally decided to give it a go and I liked it. I didn't absolutely love it as I had hoped but It was a very interesting story.


Lily lives in Salem, with her mother and her sister near by. She has a crush on her long time best friend Tristan. Lily has some issues, basically she is allergic to everything and anything. Her dream is to only live life without dying and in the arms of Tristan. She finally feels its gonna happen and then Tristan betrays her trust, breaks her heart, and Lily runs and runs until she hears a voice inside her head and suddenly she is in another Salem. One where things are completely different. There is another Lily (who goes by Lillian) another Juliet (her older sister) and of course another Tristan. Oh and her allergies are better practically gone. Oh and she finds out she is something of a witch. So Lily must find a way to live, survive, and maybe eventually get home but what she really is needed for is to save this other Salem. But save it from who and for who. Everything is new and confusing and nothing is as at seems.


There are some really wonderful things about this book. I love the magic, the way magic exists and lives in this world. I loved world and the world building. I loved the writing. I really loved the main characters. There was just something I didn't quite connect with this book. I found at times I was a bit bored then other times I was glued to the pages... well my seat listening to the book. I can't quite say for sure, it just didn't grab me like I wanted it too. I did enjoy it though. Enough to read the next book when it comes out and enough to recommend it to others who enjoy contemporary fantasies.


The good about this book, It was very original. I have never read another book that mixed sci-fi and fantasy together, meshing it to make magic make sense and seem so real. I absolutely loved the idea of magic in this book. It was very unique. I liked the writing. It was written well. The issue I had was the pacing.

Like I said earlier, there were times I was bored and fighting to pay attention and other times I was on the edge of my seat. The slow moments for me were important to the story I believe but as with many fantasy with lots of world building I tend to lose focus.

Now onto the world building. I thought this was an amazing world with complex magic and I didn't feel there was enough world building. I don't normally ask for more world building and as bored as I got throughout moments in the book, I would think the world building would have been complete. I had some issues with confusion and questions about the world. It may have been me, maybe I spaced with some of the explanations. Not sure. But this was another of my issues.

On more issue I had with the story then I will get to the good stuff. There were some awkward moments for me that involved touching will stones that people wore around their necks. It was supposed to be a pleasurable thing and something sensual. I just got awkward. It didn't appeal to me at all and it just felt awkward and strange.

So now the great parts.. The characters absolutely rocked in this book. I loved them all. Lily was extremely well developed and I loved every aspect of her. I loved her quirkiness, her allergies, her need to be good, her determination and her stubbornness. She was very well rounded. Not perfect, but just right. I also adored Rowen. He was a great other half for Lily. He was serious and intense, charming and brave.

There were also other good guys... Juliet in the new Salem. She wasn't seen much but she was super sweet, loyal, and concerned for everyone. There was Tristan of the new Salem. He was a sweetheart, also charming, and just so darn cute. Caleb was also a sweetie pie.

The evil were just evil and I like books with a clean line between good and evil. The only one I didn't see a clean line for was the Lillian. I am sure I will see more of her in the next book and maybe see more of what's she about.

So the characters rocked. The world rocked and the story was just amazing. I loved everything about the story. I loved the multiple universe, I loved the reason behind Lily's allergies. I love the witches, the crucibles, the mechanics and how they all worked together. I can't explain that in my review because it would take forever and it would take away from reading the book. SO you have to read it to understand. I also loved the entire save the world but idea comes down to science vs. magic. SO yes loved the story.

The romance. The romance worked well and I absolutely loved it and only wished I had more of it. It was important to the story but between the fighting, the running, the surviving, the training and all that stuff, there wasn't much time for romance. But the romance was just perfect, addicting, and I need more.

Even with the issues I had with this book I am still very excited to read the next book and I hope some of the issues I had will disappear as the second book is less of a buildup and more of a get on with the story kind of book.


It was a very intense and complex story that takes some patience to get through but in the end worth it. I really did enjoy it and will continue with the series.

Josephine Angelini is a Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings. She graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in theater, with a focus on the classics. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband.