REVIEW: GEMINA BY JAY KRISTOFF AND AMIE KAUFMAN.

Title: Gemina
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff; Marie Lu (Illustrator)!!!!!!
Series: The Illuminae Files #2
Edition: Paperback
Publication: October 18th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 608
Genre: Sci-Fi

Synopsis:
Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

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I have finished re-reading Illuminae in preparation for Gemina and I was just as heartbroken. Gemina is set in Jump Station Heimdall and we have a fresh set of characters to follow. It kicks off I believe 5 minutes after Illuminae (according to Jay's blog post) but Gemina felt independent from Illuminae. It felt more like a companion novel to me which didn't really affect my undying love for this series. But if you want to re-read Illuminae, you go ahead! We all need to remember the beginning of this after all.

A shocking revelation Jay and Amie made a few weeks ago was Marie Lu illustrated the journal entries in Gemina! HELLO MARIE FREAKING LU! WELCOME TO HEIMDALL! One downside of reading an advance reader's copy is you go blind with the illustrations. The ARC doesn't have these yet so it is really a bummer. One upside though is I got to read it before the release date and damn, I sometimes wish I have the courage to hate the authors *stares laser beams at Jay and Amie* because they are just plain cruel to my already bruised heart.

Gemina, Gemina. Oh my Gemina. It isn't just your regular sequel or companion. I mean, Illuminae made me expect things, in Gemina I was given something else. Way better something else. A perfect something else. The story might have been slow in the beginning and there are the parts where I struggled to connect with the main characters and I was legit unsure how I am going to accept the House of Knives gang thingy, but I can guarantee that it just gets freaking awesome! You know that feeling when you are so anxious or excited about something you get hyper and sweaty and sometimes you just can't help but scream? My pillow was the second victim of my Gemina experience (first victim was my heart), I used it to muffle my screams, I punched it, choked it (LOL), punched it again, hugged it, wet it with my tears and wrestled it! Gemina hit right in the gut! So many bloody things happened and there are creepy things lurking around ULK! LEGIT GOOSEBUMPS PEOPLE! I cannot even read those pages with creepy ugly things because I was so scared something would leap out off of the pages and attack me! It was seriously intense. Brutally creepy is the best way to put it. I was on edge the entire time.

I honestly liked Kady and Ezra in Illuminae than Hannah and Nik in Gemina. So much difference between these duos but they are both equally amazing. Kady and Ezra did so much for Hypatia with the help of others while Hanna and Nik pretty much became independent most of the time. The latter fought adults who were you know, professional in what they do and I just didn't believe that they would be able to defeat them easily. I am not questioning their wits or capabilities or age but there's like YEARS of experience between the two groups so I didn't quite grasp it. This isn't just your typical high school bullies you are going against but an interstellar corporation who have nukes, drones and assassins. You know what I mean? But that didn't make me love it less.

Aside from the illustrations, I fell in love with Gemina deeper because of how it is narrated. The story is all a mystery to me and then the entire narration of the book is yet another mystery. Mystery-ception? Like, how they thought of doing it like that - the entire story of Gemina is presented as an evidence against BeiTech. I MEAN IT BLOWS MY MIND BY JUST THINKING HOW FANTASTIC AND BEAUTIFULLY UNIQUE THIS BOOK IS. AND JAY KRISTOFF MENTIONED IN HIS BLOG POST THAT THE SURVIVORS IN ILLUMINAE WOULD APPEAR IN GEMINA --- AAAAAAAH GUYS, IT FELT LIKE A HUGE CROSSOVER AND I WAS SHAKING THE ENTIRE TIME! I WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO APPEAR AND THE PAGES ARE SO BEAUTIFUL I CANNOT BREATHE A SINGLE MOLECULE OF AIR THUS 5 STARS INSTEAD OF 4 AND WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCKERY IS GEMINA LIKE WHAT REALLY IS GEMINA OMG MAJOR SHOCK-INDUCING

Gemina is highly thrilling and full of abhorrent creatures that would keep you awake at night. Brilliant as ever and full of plot twists you wouldn't see coming (AKA MIND SHATTERING), Gemina proves equal to the magnificence of its predecessor. Legit hands down one of the best sci-fi series to ever hit shelves.

Thank you so much for the ARC, Penguin Random House!!

"Patience and Silence had one beautiful daughter. And her name was Vengeance."

REVIEW: ILLUMINAE BY JAY KRISTOFF AND AMIE KAUFMAN.

Title: Illuminae
Author: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
Series: The Illuminae Files #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: October 20, 2015 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 599
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Romance

Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

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Been staring at this blank space for hours and my brain has been hypnotized by the blinking cursor. Whenever I try to start this review with something I thought is clever, I delete and then stare at the cursor again. Type > delete > repeat for hours > I give up.

But here I go. But I am warning you, this review might be one of those incoherent ones I am so good at writing.

I read Illuminae (according to Goodreads) back in August of 2015 but it is only now that I found the courage to translate my feels to words. My feelings were just all over the place, my heart shattered to tiny bits and there is no point in trying anymore. That is one major review hungover right there. Illuminae was just the epitome of all YA uniqueness that finding the right words to use seriously took me quite a long time.

The first time I saw the BEA ARCs of this book, I got intimidated by how thick it is. I know myself too well that I won't be able to follow through thick books or slow paced ones. 600-page book is quite a long one so I was hesitant. When Hazel of Stay Bookish pushed her ARC to me, I grabbed the chance (I was then sent an ARC). And then everything became emotionally chaotic. Turns out that 600-page book just isn't enough to subdue the need for Book 2.

This line might have been said a thousand times over by people who have read it but I will say it again, I have never read a book like this before. I mean, the people responsible for the printing format made such a statement in the Sci-Fi genre. Every page of this book is so appealing I kept going back just to stare. The formatting was so clever like how the spaceships are trailed by the words, how the reports looked so authentic and how curse words are erased that you could use any curse words you want. It was like a fun game at some point that reading Illuminae made you want to re-read it right away.

Kristoff and Kaufman made such a great team. The balance in Illuminae was so obvious -- it wasn't too cheesy but has the right amount of romance, it wasn't too heavy on the technical aspect but has the right amount of guided explanation and it wasn't too crazy for the imagination but has the perfect elements of what you are already familiar with. What's striking is that even if there are similarities to movies such as Star Wars or Iron Man, the authors' signatures stand out. I was so hooked from page one that I felt like the book swallowed me, I felt like I wasn't reading but watching.

The love department didn't let me down. Where in the world could you see a couple breaking up on page 1 in the middle of an invasion? Where would you laugh your arse off watching the characters being cranky, funny, inappropriately sexy and nerdy while trying to save each other? Where would you be able to feel the need to cry for friends who fought hard and faced danger not only to salvage what's left but also to be there for you? Where would you get your heart broken more than all your lifetime's heartbreaks combined? Only Illuminae. This book is so heart breakingly good, I just can't tell you hard enough how brilliant it is. I cannot breathe it is so magnificent.

And even if I want to talk more about Kady and Ezra (hi there, sexy!), I won't. Because let me tell you this, I think I am close to liking

<*error*>

the technology behind AIDAN

<*error*>

 and I want to get to know

<*error*>

 this piece of tech deeper. This AI broke me so damn bad that I want

<*error*>

it to justify itself even a little.

<*error*>

It is a lunatic son of a bleep

<*error*>

but I can sense there would be something more to it

<*error*>. like humanity, perhaps?

Illuminae has taken me to an intoxicating universe where difficulty bonds love stronger, where technology pushes faith in humanity higher and where danger turns intentions better. There is nothing like Illuminae and by this I now pledge my solemn loyalty and allegiance to Kristoff and Kaufman because THEY HAVE NOT BEEN MERCIFUL at all.

Thank you Hazel of Stay Bookish for lending your BEA ARC and Penguin Random House for sending in my ARC!

"You deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who'll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand, not holding you back."

"Miracles are statistical improbabilities. And fate is an illusion humanity uses to comfort itself in the dark. There are no absolutes in life, save death."

REVIEW: WHEN THE WORLD WAS FLAT BY INGRID JONACH.

Title: When the World was Flat (and We were In Love)
Author: Ingrid Jonach
Edition: Paperback
Publication: Strange Chemistry / September 3, 2013
Source: Borrowed
Pages: 312
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
Trailer: Watch it HERE.

Synopsis:

Looking back, I wonder if I had an inkling that my life was about to go from ordinary to extraordinary.

When sixteen-year-old Lillie Hart meets the gorgeous and mysterious Tom Windsor-Smith for the first time, it’s like fireworks — for her, anyway. Tom looks as if he would be more interested in watching paint dry; as if he is bored by her and by her small Nebraskan town in general.

But as Lillie begins to break down the walls of his seemingly impenetrable exterior, she starts to suspect that he holds the answers to her reoccurring nightmares and to the impossible memories which keep bubbling to the surface of her mind — memories of the two of them, together and in love.

When she at last learns the truth about their connection, Lillie discovers that Tom has been hiding an earth-shattering secret; a secret that is bigger — and much more terrifying and beautiful — than the both of them. She also discovers that once you finally understand that the world is round, there is no way to make it flat again.

An epic and deeply original sci-fi romance, taking inspiration from Albert Einstein’s theories and the world-bending wonder of true love itself.

Murdered over and over in her dreams, Lillie is bothered. Good thing her mother's a dreamologist and she was able to at least explain what the dreams meant. But Lillie knows better. She feels this tiny bit of hunch that her dreams are connected to Tom, because everything unusual about her life started when he arrived at her school. The sense of familiarity in the air around him tells her they've met before, like the ache of homesickness in her gut tells her she knew him well, that they've shared something. Her hallucinations have gotten worse then Tom's presence is becoming constant in her life. She can't put her finger on it, like when they've met or where because her memories are screwed up but Tom tells her - yes, they've met before, in another dimension.

BAAAAAM!! I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING.

All I ever learned about this book was that my friends liked it so much. Good thing I didn't know anything, even the synopsis, because I like how my stories take me by surprise. Like When the World was Flat took me by surprise. I was banged by the chest so hard by how intense the surprise was!! NOPE, I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS STORY IS THIS MIND BLOWING. Wow. I was really, absolutely, amazingly surprised.

I did have issues though with the world building because some parts got me questioning the reliability of the "creation of dimensions", "sliding" and "merging" parts but STOP!! I won't going to even think about it (also, I was utterly uncomfortable with the characters but they're hilarious). I just wanted to honestly say I loved how - can I say time travel? or what, dimension travel? - THIS was incorporated to Lillie and Tom's story. It was Fallen (Lauren Kate's series)/Time Traveler's Wife vibe all over again! It was THAT greatness of a love that knows no bounds. The sense of home by being with someone, the comfort and ability to identify how much you know someone incredibly warmed my heart. No one can ever be wrong by picking up stories, love stories for that matter, that defy human nature or even science. At the back of my mind, a little thought plays that there could be possibilities that these amazing stories could be true and I couldn't stop imagining how brilliant it would be. Like, you could literally say I LOVE YOU, FOREVER, right? How strong that love is if you will slide from one dimension to another to find the person over and over again? Incredible. Hard probably but just incredible. I mean, I couldn't even wrap my head about the massive string theory sub-plot! The love story just blended fantastically with this take on parallel universe and that's the part that sated my need.

When the World was Flat defies the norm and brilliantly showcases timeless love in a whole new level. Truly engaging, this book surely puts romance to the pedestal it deserves.

Thank you, Dianne of Oops, I Read a Book Again!, for lending me the copy!

"I watched her walk down the street again, wishing that I had a ball of twine for the future like I did for the past. Then we could stick to the highways, instead of these country roads with their potholes and dead-ends."

"They say you should take the road less traveled. You know, when two roads diverge in a wood? They say it makes all the difference. But how can you make a difference when you take all the roads?"

REVIEW: GOLDEN SON BY PIERCE BROWN.

Title: Golden Son
Author: Pierce Brown
Series: Red Rising #2
Edition: Kindle
Publication:  January 6, 2015 by Del Rey (Random House)
Source: eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
Pages: 400
Genre: Dystopia, Sci-Fi

Synopsis:

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation.

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within.

A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

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Oh, boy. This is going to be a long one.

If you loved Red Rising and can think of a word better than love, then that's what I feel for Golden Son. Afraid it may fall under the Middle Book Syndrome? As early as now, listen to me. It is not even close to any syndrome known to middle books because when it comes to this series, Golden Son is waaaaaaaaaaay even better than the first. It surpassed whatever standards Red Rising set. You know, with flying colors.

Golden Son took off years after Darrow succeeded in the Institute. Left in the dark by the Sons, he has to find a way to make the cause work on his own. Together with his Peerless Scarred friends, he stretches all of what's left of him to pursue what Eo wanted him to do -- break the chains and live for more. In his saga to conspiring civil war against Octavia, betrayal and loss await him. He has to brave what lies ahead, whatever the cost maybe. One thing which conflicts him though, some Golds are more than their color.

I read Golden Son slowly. Like, I was torturing myself in the slowest way possible. I need to take breaks every chapter to tweet, breathe, pull my hair and be prepared for what the next page will bring. It makes breathing so hard and I mean this literally. Like, every page makes me dread for all of the characters I fell in love with because Golden Son was surely full of unwavering surprises. Surprises beyond what one could have anticipated. I took my time (and when I say time, it means weeks) because savoring each fantastically crafted scenes would just leave you breathless. I hyperventilated, palpitated and didn't sleep because aside from this book is unputdownable, the suspense, gore and politics are amazingly plotted and well-executed.

Golden Son wasn't what I expected it to be. Golden Son, with all the innards flying across the battle field, skyrocketed my expectations. It is true that I loved Pierce Brown even before I read Red Rising but this book made me love him harder. Not only that, the respect I have for him rooted deeper. His work, this work, this is a masterpiece. Nothing to compare it to. Absolutely shocking, stunning, breaking. Brown owned it as if there isn't any book written under the genre. His voice, style, personality and love for his work all showed in the story. Here I get to appreciate the dedication and passion Brown has for his craft. Written magnificently, Golden Son is one book to look forward to.. one book worth bragging about.. a book worth sharing to the world.

Brown honed his writing thoroughly. I was annoyed by how much "bloodydamns" I've seen on Red Rising but here, I understood its importance. The sequence of events, despite the time set in between, is utterly seamless. Character development, I kid you not, justifies the different personalities, motives and approach. Brown made sure that his characters developed fully to portray each roles with such intensity and perfection.

Darrow embraced the life of a Gold in such humbling way. Despite the ups and downs in his life, the power in his hands, he's not afraid to show vulnerability. He still gets scared and the pain he endures every time a life is lost, makes him a great protagonist. His ability to be a warrior and his strategic planet-invasion planning aren't only his strength, but he draws it from his friends. He knows when to be a smartass and when to be emotional. In the middle of betrayal and loss, the heart of the Golden Son shone brighter, felt tender, loved deeper. It was unbelievable that such mighty and god-like characters like Darrow, Augustus and Sevro (I love you, Sevro) could still have raw emotions.

The curves of the story almost drove me mad. With exhilarating anticipation for the twists to unfold, I was left paralyzed. Nothing could have warned me enough on what state my heart would be at. I was crushed, devastated, shattered over and over yet each pain made me fall in love deeper. I was brutally damaged after Golden Son. I will never be the same, ever again. Ever.

Intoxicating and nerve-wracking, Golden Son brings full blast of action and suspense that will leave you grasping for air. With a remarkable plot and shocking ending, Book 3 couldn't be here fast enough. It holds love, loss and vengeance in its center that if this incredibly phenomenal sequel will not break you, I don't know what else will.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the eARC!

"It's not victory that makes a man, It's his defeats."

 "What scraps you have been given by your betters, cherish. What favor you curried, remember."

"Everyone's honest till they're caught in a lie."

"We're all just wounded souls stumbling about in the dark, desperately trying to stitch ourselves together, hoping to fill the holes they ripped in us."

""Feels good. That's how I know it's right, Reap. Despite all this shit. It feels good in here." He taps his thin chest. "It feels... how do you say.. bloodydamn good.""

"My name has nothing to do with who I am."

"One word shatters a thousand lies."

REVIEW: THE JEWEL (THE LONE CITY #1) BY AMY EWING.

Title: The Jewel (The Lone City #1)
Author: Amy Ewing
Edition: Paperback
Published: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Harpereen
Pages: 358
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Sci-Fi
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

The Jewel, hands down, has one of the prettiest covers I've seen this year. As soon as I saw it, it was love at first sight. Seriously. Maybe it was the girly part in me that fell in love with it because you know, you can't go wrong with a gorgeous gown. I was so happy I received one copy for review from HarperCollins and it was the perfect book to end my Oozing October Dystopia Read Challenge.

Violet Lasting, also known as 197, ranked third from the best surrogates out of 200. They are all from the Marsh, the poorest circle in the Jewel. They are being trained to be surrogates for the Royal families that will soon buy them from the auction. This is built so the royalties can continue their bloodlines without bearing an heir with chromosome malfunctions. There is a unique genetic composition that is found only from the people of the Marsh. The Royalties can no longer bear children because of these chromosome incompatibilities. Violet was bought by the Duchess of the Lake and was then asked to bear a daughter in three months. Since these surrogates have special abilities called Auguries, Violet is supposed to make the child grow as perfect as she can in a short span of time so the child can be betrothed to the son of the Electress. She is not ready to bear a child, she misses her family and worries about her best friend, she's afraid of the Duchess and she falls in love with this handsome Companion, Ash Lockwood. Violet is overwhelmed with the events in her life that she has to find a way to escape. Treason or not, she has to escape from a life she didn't choose.

Okay. I would try my best to make this short. I was a little disappointed with The Jewel. Maybe I was expecting too much or I wasn't expecting anything at all but there's no surprise in it. The book was tagged as dystopia but I didn't feel much of that aspect in the book. Yes, the world building is a little dystopia but the rest is fantasy with sci-fi. I think the mash up of these genres fell short at some point because it didn't work for me. Or maybe it's just me, I really cannot tell. But I wish it stuck to being fantasy, I might have enjoyed it that way. Being a fan of dystopia, I was looking for elements of it in the story but I was given just dots of it. It was eighty percent fantasy in my opinion. It isn't true at all that this is "The Selection meets blah blah". The Jewel is far from The Selection and this part makes the Jewel stand on its own. But still, I wasn't impressed.

I was confused most of the time. It took some time for me to grasp the science behind Auguries and why they have to bear children for the royalties. That part was answered in the middle of the book and was thoroughly explained but their abilities weren't. I was hoping there would be more logical reason behind Auguries but I was left empty handed. I also hated how weak the protagonist is.

I understand that Violet isn't trained to become an assassin or something but hell, she's one the weakest characters I've encountered in a while. Though she doesn't have the luxury to decide for herself (because she's owned by the Duchess), she could have at least tried to be submissive and you know, be wise enough to save the people she cared for. But she's selfish that she risked Ash's life so she could get all cuddly with him. She didn't even think of Lucien who is only trying to help her. Stupid Violet. AND OMG, THAT INSTA-LOVE IS SO RIDICULOUS. That's it. It's official, I hate Violet.

The characters also felt like there's no concrete basis of who they truly were. Like, along the story, they were still trying to figure themselves out. I wasn't convinced a single bit on any part of this story. Nope, it just didn't click with me as much as I hoped for.

The Jewel would have been an amazing story if there's an absolute history in it or if the genre mash up were properly executed. Such a promising synopsis only to be led on. I don't think I would still be interested in reading the sequel though. But who knows, things might improve in it.

Thank you so much Megan and Sarah of HarperCollins International for the review copy!

"I love sunrises, even more than sunsets. There's something so exciting about the world coming to life in a thousand colors. It's hopeful."

"After I've left this place, when I look back on these last few weeks, amid all the memories and tangled-up emotions there will be a gaping hole of regret in my life, the empty echo of what could have been, if I'd only had the courage to stand up and say, "I want you for as much time as I can possibly have."

REVIEW: AFTER THE END BY AMY PLUM.

Title: After the End
Author: Amy Plum
Series: After the End #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: May 20, 2014 by HarperTeen
Pages: 336
Source: ARC sent by the Publisher
Category: Dystopia, Romance, Sci-Fi

Synopsis:

"I have no idea what is truth and what is fiction. I'm all I've got now. I can't trust anyone."

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

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I don't know if it's just me or what, but ever since Die for Me, I've always been lusting over Amy Plum's books. When I learned that she's writing a totally different novel from The Revenants series, the jolt of excitement was automatic. The moment I saw that After the End was available as an ARC, I said all the prayers I could that I would be granted one. It was totally an answered prayer.

I don't normally read synopsis. That way I won't get my hopes too high or I could avoid judging a story over a bad synopsis. All I know about After the End is that it's a dystopian novel. Today, am so glad I didn't read the synopsis. I was blown away by how deep the story truly is as opposed to what was printed at the back of the book to tease me. Am just so glad that I loved After the End more that I thought I would.

Juneau, together with the rest of her clan, lives in a somehow remote place in Alaska. They all grew up there knowing there is no life outside their small town. They were taught that after World War III in 1984, all of the towns were destroyed, almost a few survived and the surrounding has been toxic with radiation. Juneau is going to be a Clan reader next to Whit, her Mentor. He teaches her how to be a good leader and more specifically, how to commune with the Yara. The Yara's mark is visible through their starburst pupils. One day while on a hunt, she heard brigands nearby and she was shocked that their entire village people were captured. She sets off to find and save her father and the rest of the clan that as soon as she steps outside the border, she realizes there was no signs of war. She continues her search and with the help of her connection to the Yara, her path leads to the truth about her and her people, about Whit, her starburst and to a person that will help her find her family, a beautiful city boy named Miles.

This is no doubt Plum's best book yet. The way she plotted and wrote After the End is stunning and brilliant. At first I was introduced to confusion and nearly gave up on it. I wasn't connecting to it. Thankfully, I persevered and was completely caught off guard how truly satisfying the book is. Am deeply in love with the concept of being shunned from the rest of the world then braving what unknown there is outside the comfort zone in a dystopian kickass way. The plotting wasn't just a mere plot but inception of consistent plots. Every single turn of each page is so trivial to the entirety of the story that I wouldn't allow myself to miss a word. I inhaled After the End like how I need oxygen. The unexpected turn of events and unparalleled revelation kept me clasping my mouth from shouting. It kept me awake all night, unable to put it down. Am too afraid to stop reading feeling and thinking the story might go somewhere else without me and also eager to be there every step of the way. How Plum managed to entwine small details with big details I don't know, but am happy she did it this way. It perfected the story, it exceeded my expectations, it completed me.

I commend the entire book in a heartbeat. I want to also commend the characters. Juneau, such a strong-willed character whose love will never falter despite betrayal. She's naive, brave, wise and unselfish. Most of all, I love her faith in things she knew is right and her unique sense of humor. She's one amazing female protagonist I will adore and there isn't a single thing I hate about her. Her character is the only match for Miles'. Miles character is the typical boy-next-door I know. Handsome, rich, rebellious. He gets sarcastic when he doesn't understand or believe things. However, his voice captivated me, not only his hilarious line deliveries but the depth of it is so strong I was swept away. Getting to know him added rainbows to the story. He's very alluring and funny to listen to. I may have found my OTP in him. I do. I love Miles.

The debate whether who's the bad guy can be easily won. But along the way to discovery, you will find yourself confused. Will you side with Whit, who might have done everything to protect the clan or will you pick Murray, who is a little obsessed with whatever caused the starburst? This, along with the ending I will never ever accept, is the ultimate ending of book one. And once you reach this point, you would beg even the god of Pop-Tarts for the next book.

After the End is truly mind numbing, heart breaking and fist clenching dystopian take. The depth of my love for this book is undeniably immeasurable. It took my breath away in a surprisingly beautiful way. The striking prose combined with the astounding mystery behind the plot, this book is worth all the praises the dictionary can ever produce. Brilliant, wonderful, magnificent.

Thank you HarperCollins International for the review copy!

"Doubt everything [...]. Doubt everything at least once. What you decide to keep, you'll be able to be confident of. And what you decide to ditch, you will replace with what your instincts tell you is true."

"Something is nagging at the edge of my consciousness. It's a good feeling, but I can't quite place it. And then suddenly I do. It's a feeling of being where I'm supposed to be. A feeling of knowing that I'm in the right place at the right time. With the right person."

REVIEW: UNRAVELING BY ELIZABETH NORRIS.

Title: Unraveling (Unraveling #1)
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Edition: Paperback
Published: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 480
Source: Bought from Fullybooked
Category: Sci-Fi, Romance, Dystopia
Trailer: Here.

Amazon ▲ Book Depository ▲ Goodreads ▲ Barnes and Noble ▲ Fully Booked ▲

Synopsis:

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

**WARNING: OVERFLOWING FRUSTRATIONS BELOW**

Unraveling is SOOOO frustrating.

What was that I just read? I don't want to even entertain the thought that I just wasted my time reading it because I would have liked it for all I know. But seriously, this book just frustrated the hell out of me.

PART ONE.
I thought Unraveling is the Sci-Fi version of Twilight. Why you ask? The similarities are so obvious. Truck accident, an FBI agent dad, mysterious guy with some kind of a power, how the girl tries to figure the guy out, they fall in love. How can you be more Twilight-y than that? But the first part was really intriguing and the prose was an easy breeze to go through so I persevered even though am really not digging it. I thought the whole "resurrection from the dead" would lead to something big but apparently, it led to something FRUSTRATING. Gaaah.

PART TWO.
Unidentified (gruesomely melted) dead people are all over the place and these experienced FBI agents couldn't figure it out until Janelle's father was killed. She started playing an FBI agent which is totally irritating because dude, you are not trained and you are not meant for this. Let the cops do their job! Janelle tries to give justice to his father's death so she goes to a party to get drunk and drags her over-used best friend to make sure she wouldn't wake up in a random car with her undies almost off her. Gaaaah. What would she even do without Alex? She depends everything on him while all she does is make out with Ben and let her little brother go to school in the middle of an earthquake. She even had the decency to go to Disneyland! How can one person with a soul goes to Disneyland and have fun when her father was just killed? I just don't understand that! Plus, how can Eleanor and Park be banned when this book has so much cursing, like every line??

PART THREE.
So the Earth will eventually collide with another universe because apparently, Ben and company are from another intergalactic Earth. They kept opening portals so they could go home that eventually caused natural disasters to slowly destroy Earth. They figured out who killed her J's father, where those unidentified bodies are coming from and how to solve the upcoming apocalypse but at what cost? Oh God. How can Janelle leave without Jared in the midst of the universe's destruction? I wouldn't leave my family if I were in her shoes but she goes on a superhero mode and make out with Ben. Even after she lost her best friend, she still thinks of her boyfriend. She didn't even try to find her mother!! In all those mayhem, all she could  think of is her alien boyfriend.

Unfreakingbelievable.

I gave Unraveling two stars for two reasons: 1) I respect and appreciated Norris' hard work in trying to create a story that is bigger than anyone of us. The attempt of making a story with a promising premise is visible only it failed on the main character's development. And 2) I liked and enjoyed the Sci-Fi aspect especially the black hole traveling from one universe to another. That is just totally cool.

"Humans have precious few instincts, but that's because we don't listen to them. We let logic and knowledge get in the way. My dad always said that when instincts are at war with something society has taught you, listen to your instincts first and ask questions later."

REVIEW: ALL OUR YESTERDAYS BY CRISTIN TERRILL.

Title: All Our Yesterdays
Author: Cristin Terrill
Series: Stand alone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: September 3, 2013 by Disney Hyperion
Pages: 368
Source: ARC borrowed from Dianne of Oops, I Read A Book Again
Category: Time Travel, Sci-Fi, Romance

Synopsis:

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

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All Our Yesterdays is just beyond words!

To be honest, I wasn't really in the mood to read this yet but it was a good thing Dianne still sent it because OMYFRAKKINGGOODNESS, it was SO good! It is the-best-blueberry-cheesecake delicious!

Em and Finn have to go back four years in the past. They have to stop the Doctor from murdering people and from making a huge scientific breakthrough gone terrible wrong. They have to relive their once beautiful past to save everyone but some feelings remained. Em couldn't seem to focus in killing the Doctor for every time she looks at the person, she remembers how much she loved him.

The premise just like what All Our Yesterdays presented was seriously out of this world and I mean it the best way possible. Time travel merged with Sci-Fi and unrequited romance was just simply a nuclear bomb! If Terrill was intending to create a novel that for sure will bombard readers with so much awesomeness, well, I am one hundred and seven percent certain she nailed it. Woah. I need to take a deep breath because it was THAT really awesome. When I talk about time travel novels, there's a small part of me that is always skeptical. I think Time Travel is one of the most critical genres so an author's take on it would really make or break a novel. However, Terrill, for some reason, perfected not only time travel but also how she totally developed the plot. From time jumping to highly advanced experiments, I was awed by the vastness of the story. It wasn't confusing rather it all came together with a punch in the gut. Three punches, actually. The impact of the story kept me guarding my heart because of the action-packed scenes. Also, I was anxious as to what part the twists would happen because this isn't your typical "predictable" book. OMG, I didn't see any of that coming! It was unbelievably mind blowing! And this is one of those books you cannot think of putting down! It was incredible!

The characters are all impressive! Having Em, the protagonist, meet her old self Marina four years back was an extreme way of how time travel has been taken into account. Most of the time travel novels I've read wouldn't permit the present self to meet the old one but in the story, it just made perfect sense. I adore Em for being so true to herself by admitting that she cannot harm the one she USED to deeply love no matter how evil the person turned out to be. I guess I appreciate and value honestly and come on, most of the protagonists we have are all in self-denial. Like always. But Em? No, she's different. She's so courageous and selfless to take advantage of such highly created technology to right the mistakes the past caused. Even if it would cause her life, she stands firm on her ground and grips tight to the only reason why she wants to go back. It hurts to see things through her eyes but one can appreciate her toughness in the story. However, there were just moments Em became too emotional that it consumed her. But I guess, there's always a weak spot in each of us. Good thing she wasn't alone. Finn who is her current boyfriend helps her to focus on their objective. I want to hug Finn for not giving up on anything and for enduring the pain of looking at Em, possibly still in love with her best friend. Finn is courageous also to man up and be with Em all throughout no matter what the stakes are. I just couldn't understand why he fell for Em but I love him. But I think I would go for the bad guy this time. I always have a thing for bad guys anyway! So Jason was the golden boy. He has everything this life has to offer yet he was also consumed by grief and loss that he became someone capable of inflicting pain. I totally understand what he was going through and it was obvious he was manipulated. His grief over his family was clouded by the pain that it pushed him to do the impossible. But it changed him. And the ending of it? Totally heroic.

All Our Yesterdays is a highly recommended novel that would twist your innards and make your brain cells go haywire! It was such dark, dangerous, action-packed and fast-paced story that would keep you hyperventilating with every flip of the page! It totally loved the nerve-wracking combo of Time Travel and Sci-Fi! And the unrequited romance? HEART-SHATTERING! This, I think, is one of MY novels for the year!

Thank you again Dianne of Oops, I Read a Book Again! for lending me your ARC!

"But progress is always dangerous, isn't it? Most of the time, walls don't get dismantled brick by brick. Someone has to crash through them."

But soon we’ll be gone, so this is my last chance.” He gives me a shy little smile. "“I love you.""

"I almost regret having to tell him this. No one should be confronted with the depths of darkness they're capable of all at once."

REVIEW: NOBODY BY JENNIFER LYNN BARNES.

Title: Nobody
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Edition: Hardcover
Published: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Egmont
Pages: 393
Source: Won
Category: Romance, Sci-Fi
Trailer: not applicable.

Synopsis:

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.

Nobody dramatically worn me out.

This is the book I won from Gecky Boz several months back together with Every Other Day. I don't know how to say it in a different way but I was again ecstatic to read this. If you have read the synopsis, you would understand how this had me anticipating it. The only problem with me though, I don't relay on ratings specially on Goodreads. I always want to see it myself whether a novel is good or a disaster. And I wished just for once, I took these ratings into consideration.

Claire is almost invisible to everyone since who knows when. No one gives her any attention at all. Its as if no one sees her or sense her or hears her, even her parents. She's so accustomed to it that she learns to imagine things to make herself feel that she matters at least. Until one day, when she senses someone looking at her for the first time, she was appalled because the guy points a gun at her and tries to kill her.

I loved and enjoyed Every Other Day. Barnes' take on protagonists that are always alone/broken/unloved is uniquely delivered but if one would try to read Every Other Day then Nobody (or the other way around), the pattern is too prominent. As I've said, I enjoyed Every Other Day. However, I was seriously tempted to mark Nobody as my first ever DNF. I haven't used this mark at all and I have been trying to finish reading books I started but Nobody tested my patience. I have too many issues with it that after reaching the first hundred and fifty pages, I knew I had to take time and contemplate whether to go on or stop at once. IT WAS WAY TOO SLOW. Slow. Slow. Slow. The turn of events happened after I think three hundred pages. Insta-love was there again (but the story can justify it at least), world-building was weak like I mean WHAT AND WHERE IS FADE, I wasn't sure if I should tag it as paranormal (because of the Sensors) or sci-fi (because of the experiments/drugs) or both, characters were indecisive and always at war with themselves AND the thing with the Nulls and Nobodies were confusing.

Nix claimed he's an assassin. But as I know more things about him, he wasn't able to prove that he's really an assassin. I don't know, I just felt he's emotionally disturbed. He's angsty, confused, used and all these he learned after he met Claire. What was so different with her that he never questioned the Institute's commands before? If he knows he's a Nobody, why didn't he question his existence? Why all of a sudden he had the need to protect Claire just because she never hurt anyone? He has all the resources around him to figure out what he is but he just unquestionable says yes to everything he's presented with. Totally unbelievable. And Claire. Just because someone sees you for the first time and builds you a bookshelf doesn't mean you have to fall in love! Totally makes my eyes roll and twitch. How is it even possible that your parents are normal human beings and their offspring is a Nobody? Like how can a decent parent go into the grocery and forget their daughter that they have to relay on a post it in their car to remember they have a child? UGH!!! I want to choke myself. AND AND let me say that how can a mother even let some big time old school organization experiment with her children? Totally twisted. I appreciated the fact that the power of the premise Barnes (I think) was trying to encapsulate in the novel was potentially adamant but IT. JUST. DIDN'T. WORK. like it was supposed to. It didn't work for me at all.

I have so much to say about this novel but whatever I wrote are the major points that ticked me off.

Nobody would have been a strong sci-fi/paranormal novel. The originality of the plot was too strong but the loop holes are much stronger that it pulled it all down the drain. I tried so much to like it but I could make myself fade and pretend that its an extension of me. I just couldn't.

VERDICT:

"Do you know what I thought when you tried to kill me? The first time? I thought, How can somebody want me dead when no one knows I'm alive?"

REVIEW: REVOLUTION 19 BY GREGG ROSENBLUM.

Title: Revolution 19
Author: Gregg Rosenblum
Edition: Hardcover
Published: January 8, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 265
Source: Bought from National Book Store
Category: Dystopia. Sci-Fi
Trailer: not applicable.

Synopsis:

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us.

Only a few escaped the robot revolution of 2071. Kevin, Nick, and Cass are lucky —they live with their parents in a secret human community in the woods. Then their village is detected and wiped out. Hopeful that other survivors have been captured by bots, the teens risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world—by infiltrating a city controlled by their greatest enemies.

Revolution 19 is a cinematic thriller unlike anything else. With a dynamic cast of characters, this surefire blockbuster has everything teen readers want—action, drama, mystery, and romance. Written by debut novelist Gregg Rosenblum, this gripping story shouldn’t be missed.

Revolution 19 is one of the best Dystopia/SciFi novels ever written!

Transformers. Reel Steel. Terminator. Battle: Los Angeles. These are some of the films I loved that are all robots inspired. When I read the synopsis of Revolution 19, I can't help but gasp because I have never read such kind of literature. So I bagged a copy home though I've devoured it after a couple of months. I've seen a lot of negative reviews about this and I respect them so much. But still, those didn't make me falter and am just so glad this review is a positive one.

Couple of decades back, the human race created robots to be the front lines in battles. However, robots started to increase their intelligence and eventually took over the race. Several years after, humans were all being governed by robots and anyone who tries to escape or rebel against them gets killed immediately. Nick, Kevin and Cass, together with their parents, live in a small community with the other survivors of robot revolution. With very little means, they have been resourceful and their parents teach them whatever they can. While in the forest, Kevin picked up an unusual device only to find out later that it was a tracking device. Their community was attacked, most of their friends died but their parents were missing. They agreed to go to the City,  where humans are held hostage and are used as slaves, and find their parents. So then the fight begins.

Wow. This novel was just.. wow! How am I even supposed to review this thing? The plotting was a very strong depiction of a world where mechanism rules. A very very strong one. Everywhere you try to look, you'd see abandoned towns, scraps and metals and a very hard life. It was always about survival, not from hunger but from metals trying to capture you and turn you into something controllable. Or even death. These robots can shoot simply because of a random movement analysis. It was all high tech!! Being in the IT/Tech Industry, one would be able to appreciate Rosenblum's attempt in encapsulating real data with fantasy. He created a movie-worth novel that I absolutely drooled over just because! The technology Rosenblum developed is possible to occur in the future and I appreciated how he molded the story for people to at least learn basic things about the ever growing technology. This defies the norm we see in the young adult genre and I liked how bold Rosenblum was in venturing in such prose that highly risks the success of it. There were also inconsistencies and some "glitches" in the novel that wouldn't go unnoticed like how on earth these "kids" would be able to save human race from robots and why the adults get captured when they should be more logical and ahead when it comes to survival tricks. But I feel like there would be a lot explanation in book 2 so I am still giving it a chance to patch those up.

The fact that despite the scarcity of the basic necessities in life, Nick's family remained knit. The novel exhibited how intact a family should be when faced with struggles. I think the siblings are stronger together. I don't see how each of them would survive with one another and its as if their talents compliment each other's. Nick is overprotective and sometimes he becomes irrational while Kevin needs more attention but I like how skilled he is at his young age. He's got so much potential. I appreciated Cass' love for her adoptive family and how much she is willing to risk to protect them. However, I don't understand Lexi's character. I know she helped the siblings but why trust a person who is all over their wanted list and why help just because you are bored? I WASN'T EXPECTING ANY HEAVY ROMANCE IN THIS AT ALL BECAUSE I THINK IT DID FOCUS MORE ON SCI-FI ASPECT but I just didn't understand her. Or maybe she's a child flirting with a child. Or something like that.

Revolution 19 is a novel that would make you paranoid every time you turn the page! It is highly recommended for those who are into futuristic technology and loves battles with robots! It is built in a foundation of cynical people that you would wonder yourself, who to go to! Decent pacing, filled with action and full of surprises!

VERDICT:

"Quote to follow."

REVIEW: ALTERED BY JENNIFER RUSH.

Title: Altered
Author: Jennifer Rush
Series: Altered #1
Edition: Hardbound
Publication: January 1, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 323
Source: Bought from National Book Store
Category: Romance, Dystopia, Sci-Fi

Synopsis:

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

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Altered is seriously a heart-stopping novel!

This is one of my 2013's Most Anticipated Debut Novels and just like what I always feel for my books, the excitement I have for it is so much I can sometimes barely breathe. The cover and synopsis just make me so giddy and finally now, I can let go of the breath I've been holding for so long: I am done reading it. Whew.

Life in a lab has been routinary for Anna. But lately, she has been sneaking out to visit the boys, Sam, Cas, Nick and Trev, who have been undergoing alterations by the Branch. They are locked up and always on medication because according to Arthur, Anna's dad, they are being made into fine soldiers. Anna likes Sam and she trusts the boys. When Arthur's boss visits them and decides to shut down the entire experiment, the boys move and escape with Anna. The revelation of their past awaits and Anna isn't even prepared.

Altered for me is obviously a Sci-Fi. There's a hint of dystopian and a lot of ogling romance. I liked the whole concept of it but my questions cannot be ignored. It wasn't clearly explained how the memory wiping and alterations are done except for pills, for what purpose (I couldn't buy creating fine soldiers), what has Anna got to do with controlling the boys and if they can make her control them, why couldn't they create a simulation or something that would control them otherwise, If they wipe their memories, why are they having flashbacks, how long has the lab been creating soldiers like the boys, what really started it and so on and so forth. I got a ton of deeper questions but they would be too much of a spoiler so I will not include them. I also find the slow buildup a little annoying but I enjoyed the full blast action of it. No one was holding back and that added a really nice air to the whole Sci-Fi plot. The disappointment it left in me was huge, to be honest. Maybe I expected so much and failed again. There were just too many loop holes in the story and I am saddened that I couldn't give it more than two stars.

I also find the characters very vulnerable. Since there hasn't been any successful experiment in the past, the people who were administering the said experiment couldn't give concrete answers or explanation to any of the characters. Their adventure in finding out what Sam stole a long time ago boosted my confidence in it a little because that was very interesting. They could fight alright, but I just don't understand how one can survive gun shots in the chest. They links the boys have with each other wasn't also thoroughly explained and all I have were the pills they gave them. The romance was very predictable, too. I've been wishing that Sam would give Anna a hard time but no, it didn't happen. But I love Cas and Nick though most of the time he's being ridiculous and Trev, too. He's kind.

Altered is a very promising debut novel that I enjoyed reading. I may have too much questions that left me hanging but the thrilling adventure Rush enveloped in each character made it full of life! The action scenes were all very intimidating, shocking and electrifying! I am hoping there would be more in Erased!

"In all things it is better to hope than to despair."