All Our Pretty Songs

All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Actual rating: 3,5 stars.

Thank you St. Martins Griffin for providing me an ARC of this book! No money or favours were exchanged to affect this review.

All Our Pretty Songs, what a strange animal you are. I can see why a lot of people rated it 2 stars, but I quite liked it.

So, this is about the narrator, who doesn't have a name, apparently. She's best friends with Aurora. They've bot got pretty fucked up families, but they genuinely love each other. Then Jack comes into play. His music is hauntingly beautiful, and he and the narrator fall in love. It's this way for most of the novel, until in the end some really weird stuff happens.

It's hard for me to say what genre this is. This novel does have a very Contemporary feel, but that stuff in the end definitely wasn't contemporary, but rather Paranormal or Greek myth stuff. So I'll say this is a contemporary with a sprinkle of paranormal greek. Sounds legit, right?

So, there are quite some issues with this book, but let's start with the positive. The prose was absolutely stunning. Not Laini Taylor-stunning, but I put this on my 'gorgeous-prose' shelf without hesitation. The prose drew me in right from the start and kept me reading. But (there's always a but) as the lovely Ashleigh Paige from Birth of a New Witch so accurately states: The prose is so determined to take over the novel that it practically drains the life from everything else.

This is very true: the prose is so lush and there's so much of it, that you get distracted by it. It buries the story. This was one of the rare cases where I didn't mind, but I can definitely see why it would annoy others or even make them give up on this book.

Maybe my quite positive opinion of this book is (almost) all thanks to the prose. Because the prose is the main thing in this book instead of the story, there were a lot of things I just looked over. In this book there's insta-love. Normally I hate books with insta-love with a burning passion and they'll get nothing short of a snarky review from me. But really, I could overlook it here. I was just reading, thought: "hey, that's insta-love,", shrugged and kept on reading.

Another possible problem with this book is that it can be extremely boring. Once again, I didn't mind, but normally I get distracted easily if nothing's happening. Because really, for a great part of the book, there is nothing happening. I actually have no idea why I wasn't bored, but I guess it was the prose again. However, if you have a short attention span, I wouldn't recommend this. You're likely to get very bored.

But, as I mentioned, there is a lot of stuff happening in the end. Shit's going down quickly. But because in the rest of the novel there's not really all that much happening, it felt rushed to me. I wish there was more of this in the book and less of the rest. Although rushed, the ending was, in my opinion, very good.

So, all in all the biggest downside of this book was the prose, because it buried the story. The thing that saved this book was also the prose.

Think about that.

Under The Never Sky (Under The Never Sky, #1)

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I have to admit, I read this book solely because of that title. I saw it and was like "Whoa, that is pretty interesting! Under The Never Sky.. Hmm... Wonder what that means?"
I didn't even read the synopsis until right before I started it.

But the book with the interesting title didn't disappoint! This is basically about Aria, who lives in a virtual world and gets kicked out, and Peregrine (Perry), who is a Savage living in the Death Shop (a.k.a. the outside world). They meet, go on a search together, adventure et cetera, et cetera.

Okay, so first I have to say, pretty prose! Rossi really has a nicely flowing writing style. The prose is pretty and poetic, but not in a heavy way. Instead, it is light and very readable.

Then, the overall concept. Although I loved the idea of a virtual world in which humans live with their bodies somewhere safe, the novel lacked some world building. It's never really clear how everything has come to be the way it is. I'm not someone who needs a lot of world building to get into a book, so I didn't really mind, but I can definitely see why it would annoy others. There was one thing that did annoy me: the freakin' Aether storms! It was never explained and we were apparently just supposed to go with it. Now, I now what Aether is in general concept, but it didn't seem to be like that, what with flards in the air and such. The Dutch edition of "Under The Never Sky" says they are electricity storms. I guess that's all the explanation we're going to get.

What I really liked is the way Rossi handles the senses. In Under The Never Sky, Savages sometimes have extraordinary senses, like hear good, see good, etc. But it was extremely awkward when (view spoiler)[Perry could smell Aria was on her period. That's so awkward that I can't even. (hide spoiler)].

The characters were well done, too. I never disliked Aria. I didn't love her, but she was certainly enjoyable to read and she shows iniative! Perry was nice too, never controlling and always sweet. And Roar. Oh, Roar. He was the lighter tone, flirting and joking and very, very loveable.

So, for some reason this sounds quite negative, but I did love this book. I mean, it's not like I give out four star ratings for free!

What's Left Of Me (Hybrid Chronicles, #1)

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang


Oh, I loved this book!

All the things I loved:

- That cover. It's freaking gorgeous. I have the paperback and I don't think this picture really does the cover justice. It's way too blue here! Still, I love it and it really captures Eva and Addie. To me, the person who's eye is visible is Eva and the other Addie. Don't ask why, it just is that way for me.

- The originality. I really loved the idea of two souls in one body, with the recessive soul fading away and all that. One thing I didn't get was why the government was afraid of hybrids, but maybe this will be explained in the next book.

- The characters. Zhang did such a good job with giving Eva and Addie distinct voices and personalities. I was never confused, never got the feeling they were too alike. The other characters in the book were displayed very well too. When Eva said one of the hybrids 'shifted', I really noticed a change. Very well done!

- The writing. It was lush and lovely and great. For some reason, it felt really calm to me. There are books that always make me a bit nervous, like I can't sit still and concentrate. This book did the opposite. I felt really calm, even during the action scenes. That doesn't mean I didn't feel them, I did, but I still felt really calm. It was really nice and relaxing, and I read the book in one sitting.

- The plot. It was good and at times pretty action-packed. If you expect this to be a book with a lot of action, though, don't. It isn't.

The romance fell a little short on me, but I didn't dislike it at all. It was there, but only barely. Recently, YA books (not all of them of course) are pretty much turned toward romance. Girl meets guy, they fall in insta-love, yada yada yada. I'm used to books with a lot of romance, so What's Left Of Me surprised me. I actually think it's good to have a book where the plot comes first. Learn from this, other YA books!

One other thing I slightly - but only slightly- disliked (or not even that, I just raised my eyebrows, y'know) was Eva's sudden progress. In teh beginning, she can't take over Addie's-her-their-whatever body, and later on she can only just move her fingers. But later, SPOILER, she suddenly takes over the whole body, is able to walk and talk and all that? I get that she was in danger - or thought she was-, but I would have liked to see Eva taking small steps, like first moving an arm, one leg, her head... But this was my only, minor issue with this book.
END OF SPOILER

On the whole, I loved it. What's Left Of Me takes great characters, lovely writing and an original concept, pushes it into one book, and tops it with a cover to die for.

Stolen

Stolen by Lucy Christopher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful book. I absolutely loved it.

In Stolen, 16-year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to Australia.

This book isn't good because it has lots of action or so many plot twist you never saw coming. It has neither of those things. It's so good because it's a book I feel.

The story takes form of a letter written by Gemma to Ty. I didn't expect to love her, but she just creeps up on you and before you know it, you feel for her. You feel like you know her. Gemma isn't a kick-ass, look-I've-got-a-sword-and-can-fight-with-it herione, but she also isn't a whiny, save-me-and-let-me-love-you girl. She's a real teenage girl. Her feelings are real. Her thoughts are real. Her actions are real.

Then there's Ty. Oh, Ty. In the beginning of the book, I did not like him. He kidnapped Gemma, after all. That's not exactly admirable. But he isn't an evil kidnapper, not really. He's lonely, he loves Gemma, he's broken. And he grows on you. You won't like him in the beginning, but silently he grows on you, and when you realise you love him it's already too late. You can't go back. And I did love him. Just like Gemma, he's real, so real.

The writing is absolutely gorgeous. It's not gorgeous in a Laini Taylor kind of way, or a Lauren DeStefano kind of way. It's beautiful because it's honest. It makes the book all the more real.

As a reader, I'm not really emotional. Something really big has to happen for me to even raise my eyebrow, let alone to make me really feel for a book. I felt for the Unearthly series. I felt for the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. But I really felt for this.

The biggest pro of the book is just the realness and honesty of it, the way it carefully tears you apart, the way I couldn't help but love it in the end.

If you want a book with a lot of action: this isn't it. But the dynamics of Gemma and Ty's 'relationship', the writing, the landscape (Australia!), everything, it just made me keep reading.

Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2)

Fever by Lauren DeStefano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars



I have to start off with saying that DeStefano's writing is truly beautiful. It's very poetic and flows through the book like a river. Her writing style is very elegant and rich, and never too much.

Altough reluctantly, I like the cover. It's not a pretty one, BUT the cover designer did such a good job. Literally everything on the cover has to do with the book. The color of the dress, the drugged expression, the tarot cards.. Everything. So while I still don't like it, I do want to congratulate the cover designer because it's such a fitting cover.

Rhine (I still absolutely love her name) just didn't get a break in this book and I found the story to be very sad. Especially the last third, because damn. I really felt for Rhine and all the horrors she got through. I think she's very admirable, strong and stubborn. She doesn't give up, even though she has every reason to.

I also loved the new characters. I really liked Lilac and Maddie, the not-speaking malformed child!

And of course, the 'old' characters too! Cecily and Deirdre, I thought it was nice we got to see them again, because I was curious how their stories would end..


I still don't have any strong feelings about Gabriel. It's not like he's bad or anything, he was in fact very sweet and loving toward Rhine. But I just couldn't connect with him. He seems rather bland and I just don't care for him.

The ending - cliffhanger! How could you do this to me, Lauren? I really want to know what's going to happen now!


So in the end I really liked this book! It was very sad, but very good.

Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2)

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"What are we fighting for? What are we killing for?

I'm just.. God, this book. This book.


Laini Taylor's writing is absolutely gorgeous. It's beautiful. It's the kind of writing that I gobble up and then I scream for more. It makes the book all the more beautiful, heartbreaking and real.

This book is fiction, but it's the first book that has made me feel war so intense. Because it's real, everything is real: the hate, the hopelessness, the smiles, the slogans.

This is the kind of book where do you do not want to be in the situation of the main character. I really felt for Karou, because she's going through a damn lot. Speaking of the characters, Zuzana is great. She's the much needed lighter note in the book, and I love Taylor for keeping her in the story. She and Mik togheter were really sweet!

I really loved all of the characters. Karou is admireable for her strength, Akiva for his hope . I also loved Liraz and Hazael.

If you do not like depressing stories, this book is not for you. Because this is one of the most depressing stories I've ever read. Laini Taylor had me rooting for the characters, made me depressed, gave me hope, shattered all of it, made me eat my heart and made me like it.

And now I have to wait until 2014 until the next book comes out?



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