Atlantia by Ally Condie

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopian, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: October 28th 2014
POV: Female - First-person, Present tense
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

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Due to this being set in Atlantis I thought that it would be a fantasy, or a historical set in the times of ancient Greece. But it is not Atlantis, it is Atlantia. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where the world Above is poisoned so people moved Below the water.

This is the story of Rio, who dreams of seeing above, and her journey to see her sister again, and to discover the secrets of her world and Above, and what really happened. I read this because I loved Matched so much. And although the writing style is pretty much the same, the characters did not engage me as well. And there was very little romance. Although True helped her along the way, the real struggle was for Rio to find her sister. It had nothing to do with finding a way to be with True. He was a companion and a comfort during her journey, but not a central part of it.

The world of Atlantia was pretty unique and I wish it had focused more on the mythology and history of their world. I would have liked to learn more about the sirens and the gods and the other gifts that some people had. And about the other cities. It could have been much more interesting if it delved deeper I think. The story was not enough to really grab me. It focused too much on Rio's single-minded need to go Above. I felt no connection to her as a heroine. There was really nothing special about any of the characters.

The story was concluded at the end, and although authors can always find an excuse to come back and expand a story if they decide to later, I hope this remains a standalone story. I don't feel the need to come back to this world. We could always see how Rio and Bay are doing later, and how their worlds are faring, how things have changed, but I believe everything will turn out for the best.

“Everyone dies. The don't all have the chance to see what they wanted most. At least I've seen the Above. At least I've known True.”

The Only Boy by Jordan Locke

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
Publication Date: December 17th 2013
POV: Alternating - First-person, Present tense
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch's senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out.

Taylor's got a dangerous secret: he's a boy. His compound's been destroyed, and he's been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he'll be exiled. Maybe even executed.

Mary's never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn't suspect Taylor's secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him.

Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound's boundaries.

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I was really looking forward to reading this because I found the concept so interesting. I wanted to see a girl who didn't understand "why she breaks the rules, just to be near him." The idea of a girl not knowing anything about boys, having never even seen one before, yet falling for one all the same, without even knowing he was a boy. It sounded like a 'love conquers all' type of story, which is pretty much the whole reason why I read romance. The more obstacles a love has to overcome in order to survive, the happier I will be in the end.

Although I still enjoyed this story overall, it ended up not being what I had thought at all. The mystery of Taylor's gender is actually solved within the first few chapters, after he reveals the truth to Mary. No one else knows, but it is no longer the obstacle it was. Actually, I suppose his true gender is more of an obstacle than being a girl ever was, because Mary has been taught to fear men her whole life. She didn't even know what the relationship between a man and a woman could be. They figured it out through bits and pieces of surviving information and instinct. Once Mary comes to terms with who and what Taylor is, and her eyes begin to open to the true potential of life, they decide to strike out on their own.

The time they spent together in Section Seven was both sweet and painful. I enjoyed seeing them try to live the domestic life together, and learning new things about each other. But that inevitably leads to clashes of opinion, like any new couple would. But with their lives always at risk being separated could cost them dearly, and they almost lose everything when they stumble upon another group of survivors. I did get pretty frustrated at times with the amount of near misses, the amount of times Mary and Taylor got separated and continued to come so close to being reunited, but not quite making it. The story felt more like a post-apoc than anything else, as Mary and Taylor attempt to survive in a world ravaged by disease.

The narration and characters felt a bit flat and two-dimensional, although I did appreciate certain things about them. Mary and Taylor were very dedicated to each other, even if they didn't tell each other soon enough, and some things could have been avoided if they had only known how the other felt. I especially loved hearing all the sweet things Taylor thought about Mary. How she was the sun in a world of gray. I still cared a great deal about them, and I was nearly pulling by hair out with worry at times. It was a simple story about finding love in a broken world. Not highly recommended, but I am glad I read it.

“I love you. Not your body, not your face." I hold her hand to my chest. "As you are. As you will be.”

Breeder by Cara Bristol (Breeder #1)

Genres: Adult, Sci-fi, Romance
Publication Date: October 14th 2013
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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To secure his legacy, Commander Dak, a ruling Alpha of planet Parseon, purchases Omra, a breeder slave. He intends to impregnate her, produce a son, and hand her off to his anointed beta partner. As Dak and Omra discover a sexual bliss banned by law, he begins to question Protocol-sanctioned male domination, causing him to jeopardize his command and endanger the life of the woman he has come to love.

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This book wasn't really what I expected, and although it took a bit of time for me to acclimate myself to its world, I really enjoyed the story.

On Parseon, males rule. But not just males, Alpha males. When a male hits puberty he takes a psychological test to discover if he is an Alpha or a Beta. The Alphas go on to get all the best jobs and ruling positions. The Betas get all the supporting and service jobs. Alphas and Betas marry, or are Anointed, but even then the Alphas rule at home and are allowed, and even expected, to beat their Betas when they disobey. Women only come into the picture once an Alpha decides he wants a son. Woman are viewed as lower than animals. They are an unfortunately necessary part of reproduction. Most men wouldn't touch a woman if they didn't have to, although once a female, or Breeder, is bought and brought into the household, both Alpha and Beta are allowed to take pleasure from her, but only the Alpha is allowed to have vaginal intercourse. Its really an awful place to live for both women and Betas and it was a lot to stomach. 

When Dak went to buy Omra, he found her at a Breeder Containment Facility, which basically seemed like a dungeon. He instantly feels pity for the women he sees there, and especially Omra. He sees an intelligent light in her eyes that he cant resist. And when he takes her home she continues to defy everything he was taught about women; their inferiority and mental deficiency. The things he learns from Omra, and the things they discover together could change all of Parseon.

I really had trouble with the language though. I think with all of Parseons stiff rules, Cara Bristol wanted to use formal language to further portray the people of Parseon. But I had a lot of trouble understanding what was said and I had to use the Define feature on my eReader multiple times. It seemed like the most archaic word was always chosen.

I really enjoyed Omra and Dak although their relationship is not perfect by 'Terran' standards, but I hope to see more of them in Terran. Although it will be about different characters, Dak is a major player, and if Marlix is going down the same path I cant imagine them not working together at some point.

"She provided the answer to the question he hadn't known until now he'd been asking."

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: April 15th 2014

POV: Female - First-person, Past tense.

My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Vengeance Will Be Hers

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

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I am really sad that this series did not blow my mind like The Iron Fey did and continues to do with each installment of The Call of the Forgotten. I know most people love Blood of Eden, and many love it more than The Iron Fey. But this series just makes me nervous, wondering if The Iron Fey was a one-off for me and Julie Kagawa. Will I love Talon or not?

Like book 1, this dragged. About halfway through and all they had done was walked. Allie, Kanin, and 

Jackal walking to Chicago. Sure they came across a few of Sarren's massacres, and they stopped to feed on some farmers. But half the book was just them walking to Chicago. And then they picked up Zeke and that was cool, but he was being a big baby again and then they continued walking. Actually at this point I think they picked up a vehicle, but the point is that nothing happened until they got to Eden.

The whole final scene on the island and on the barge was really cool and awesome. Zeke turned out to be a bad-ass vampire, even though no one thought he would make a very good vampire. So I am glad he proved them wrong and finally became relevant. And when Allie is needed, she really steps up. I don't think it was until the climax of this book that I really started to appreciate her. But that took way-the-hell too long! The climax of a book cannot carry the whole book. But I am glad that she proved herself to Kanin, and to herself in the end. I was happy for her, and Kanin I guess. Although I feel like Kanin was just a ghost. We never really knew him. He was just there but her never said anything.

The story of this series, overall, was great. I liked the idea of the world Julie created, and the mission Allie and her friends were on. I just wish they characters who carried out that mission were not so flat, and that it hadn't dragged so much. It probably could have been done in two installments. But book 2 was definitely the highlight of this series for me. It felt the most full and involved. There was so much going on. With the introduction of Jackal as an ally, the infected, the city and the Prince, Stick, and Sarren. A lot was going on and I never got bored. I assumed the series was picking up steam and that in book 1 it was just finding it's footing. But sadly it went down hill from there.

I feel like the way things ended was pretty incomplete. I feel like I need another book. I know that this was Allie and Zeke's story and they got everything they could want in the end, and the important part of their story is over. But I lived for Jackal while reading this series (or at least in books 2 and 3). I was always just waiting for his next scene, his next line. I didn't like the way he and Allie parted. It just doesn't feel right to me, to not know what becomes of him. I want to know if he goes to Europe, what he does there, if he ever sees Allison again, if he treats her like a Master when he does. I just want more Jackal. :(

“I am proud of you, Allison Sekemoto,” he whispered as he drew back. “Whatever you decide, whatever path you choose to take, I hope that you will remain the same girl I met that night in the rain. The one decision for which I have no regrets.”

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (Newsoul #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance
Publication Date: January 31st 2012
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
My Rating: 2 out of 5

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New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

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I just have to start off by saying this book is so boring! Ana is the first person to be born in Range with a new soul. She is not a reincarnation. She is shunned and mistreated her whole life. When she turns 18 she leaves home and goes to the city of Heart, hoping to learn more about why she was born. She meets and falls in love with Sam. A musician who she has admired from afar her whole life. Since no one else wants her, Sam agrees to be her guardian and takes her in. And the two of them spend a lot of time together in the library and playing piano. That about sums up the whole book. Just lots of pointless walking and talking. And the romance started off so slow that I didn't even see it at first. I wasn't really sure what was going on because nothing was happening and I was confused by the lack of development.

Also, the concept of being reincarnated with your memories completely intact and keeping the same name would cause so many problems. They live as if its one long life, rather than separate lives. Its more like the Doctor and his regenerations than the traditional idea of reincarnation. Its just a horrible concept and I cant imagine how a society could survive like that. Your worse enemy could end up later being your mother. A lover could end up being your sibling. Jealousy carry over. Grudges lasting for generations. It would be chaos. Not to mention the fact that they are not always born as the same gender. They would all have to be gender neutral. Because if I were reborn as a man I would be so disappointed! Women are awesome.

There are just so many things about this book that I didn't like. I didn't even really like Ana that much. She was so bitter and always assumed the worst of people. Sam was amazing though. He treated her like an equal from the very beginning. I didn't like the setting. The fact that it was so ambiguous bugged me like an itch I couldn't scratch. It wasn't earth, but was it a futuristic planet or a fantasy world? There were centaurs and sylphs and dragons. But there were also phones and cars and laser guns. What?

There are exactly one million souls in Range that have been recycled over and over again for thousands of years, so they all feel like they know each other so well. And when people meet Ana for the first time, they know immediately that she is the Newsoul, because they have never met her before. But that is ridiculous! You cant remember one million people by name! I don't care how old you are! And it was never explained why Li hated Ana so much. Like beyond regular dislike. She seriously had it out for her and it didn't make sense. But the book left a lot hanging. It just ended and it felt like it didn't bring us anywhere or accomplish anything in the end. It didn't give us enough answers.

A lot of the issues I can admit are just my personal tastes, but not all. And maybe some of these things will be explained later on in the series, but I won't find out. I won't be continuing this series.

“He held on to me like I was a rock, the only thing keeping him from drifting out with the tide of dark memories. 

It was the first time I realized he needed me too.”

Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopian, Romance
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

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This book was amazing! It easily made up for any issues I had with book 2. I absolutely loved the characters and the story since book 1, but in this one it seemed to grow so much more depth! Veronica Roth's writing was always good, but neither of the first two books made me think, or made me feel, like this one did.

The story took a lot of turns that I did not see coming. The breadth of the story has grown beyond anything I had anticipated. Looking back to the problems of book 1, they seem so meaningless in comparison to the things Tris and Four had to contend with in this one. And it brought everything together. I remember, when Divergent was first released and started gaining popularity, there were a few negative reviews where the readers could not find the society depicted at all believable. They claimed the concept just would not work, and there was no way anyone would have built such a society in the first place, knowing how doomed it would be. Well, I hope those people are eating their words now.

In Insurgent I became very frustrated with Tris and Four's relationship. After Divergent, I thought they were the epitome of all YA couples. But in Insurgent they had a lot of issues and argued and disagreed a lot, and it really upset me. But in Allegiant, I can see how this just makes their relationship all the more real. That is what love really is in the end, and I think not enough YA books acknowledge that. Its not just passion and feeling. Its commitment and loyalty.

"I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me."

[And then of course there is the issue of Tris' fate. I have to say, the fact that Tris did not survive actually made me love this book, this series, and Veronica Roth even more than I already did. Its exactly what Tris would do, and there is no way around that. Sure, I suppose Roth could have come up with a third alternative, so that neither Tris nor Caleb had to die. But why deny Tris' sacrifice? She did a beautiful thing, and she did it for all the right reasons. I have never read a more selfless and well-written death. The only thing about it that upset me, is the fact that it left Four alone. The fact that they are not together forever is a great injustice. I am a little sad that his memories of Tris were beginning to fade by the end, but he has learned to move forward and honour her memory at the same time. The way that he decided to scatter her ashes while riding the zip-line was just so amazing and perfect and brave, and I love Four all the more for it.]

"[My mother] taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love, not misplaced disgust for another persons genetics. That it should be done from necessity, not without exhausting all other options. That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don't have enough of their own."

This book, and the series after being disappointed with book 2, exceeded all my expectations; it blew my mind more than once. I am very sad that it is over. I don't know when will be the next time I will read a YA series quite like this one. I just wish more people had been willing to accept what happened to Tris. I have no doubt that is the reason for the drastic difference in the average Goodreads rating. I don't know if Roth has plans to write more, but I hope she does.

The Eve by Keary Taylor (The Eden Trilogy #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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A plan was laid out as the Evolution crushed mankind, a plan that was right under Eden’s nose all along. And Eve is the key to everything. New Eden—mankind—they have a small chance at fixing their dismembered planet.

But it will be a reckless sprint against time and the coming Bane to retrieve the final piece to the plot. New Eden’s worst fears have become reality. The Bane are back in the city and they’re smarter and more aggressive than ever. They know where the humans are and they’re coming to finish what they’ve nearly completed.

Eve has been content with the family she’s found—Avian, West, Gabriel, Royce. But she’s about to discover she may have the one family Eve never thought she would: blood. With every odd stacked against her, all the lies and all the secrets of her origins will be exposed.

The past and the future are about to come full circle.

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This had everything I could have wished for in an Eden finale. Absolutely everything!

It started right where The Human left off, with Dr. Evans explaining his plan to save the world to Eve. Then Eve, Dr. Evans, Avian, West, and Bill, head off to the NovaTor headquarters with three goals in mind. And they accomplish all three goals. When they head back to LA, pretty much all the characters get everything they have ever wanted, and then they save the world.

Although there were a few chapters there where we were tricked into thinking something had gone wrong. We were led to believe that Eve died in the process of saving the world. It was sad, and I cried, but after a

few chapters of seeing Avian and West cope, I came to terms with it. It seemed fitting, and a very Eve thing to do. She reminds me of Tris in that way. If she had thought she was going to die, she still would have gone through with it. But of course, she didn't stay dead.

I love how this book gave us several chapters once it was over, to see how everyone chose to live their lives after. I really love what became of Creed, the inclusion of Tristan and Lin, Royce, Tom, everything! I am so, so grateful that this series exists. It is definitely my #1 favourite post-apoc series. I love that it has so much action, I love the world and the science behind the TorBane, I love the characters, I love that Eve's relationship with Avian is steady and eternal and her relationship with West is so complicated and evolving. But most of all I love the HEA! Thank you Keary Taylor for expanding on Eden! I wish I could own these in paperback.

The Human by Keary Taylor (The Eden Trilogy #2)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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The city of New Eden is cleared, but it won’t stay that way forever. The Bane continue to advance in horrific ways that will wipe humanity from the face of the Earth. A storm is coming, one none of them could have dared imagine.

When a group of outsiders come to the city, everyone is on edge. They have too many questions and not enough answers about where they are from or what they want. Just because they are human doesn’t mean they can be trusted.

Eve made a choice–one that could have deadly repercussions. Desperate hearts bring about desperate actions. Now she must make another decision as her world continues to crumble: come to terms with who she really is, or risk her sanity. She thought she had unlocked all the secrets from her past, but there are truths still buried that leave her questioning what is real and what is not.

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I love Eve! She is an amazing YA heroine. One of my favourites. In book 1, The Bane, she kicked so much butt! But in this one, I love her for new reasons. She is incredibly selfless. She hates the city and almost always feels like she is on the brink of a panic attack. But she stays because she knows she is the last line of defense for her friends. She cant abandon anyone. Not even West, who had hurt her so many times. She is so strong. She handles everything she has gone through so well, with all the weight on her shoulders.

But she does have help with the emotion inhibitor chip. Which I am kind of confused about. Is there actually something wrong with her emotions that causes her to not be able to handle them? Or is she simply not used to having to handling them and the chip gives her an advantage that no one else gets?

I love the fact that Eve did not go back on her choice to be with Avian. Its too rare for love-triangles to be resolved, and to stay resolved, after the first book in a series. But I really like it. It gives the romance an interesting dynamic without dragging it down. Eve knows who she is enough to know what and who she

wants, and that is not going to change. She has too much respect for herself and Avian to ever go back on her word. And it is clear how much they belong together. She loves him so much that there was no need for lingering jealousy. On Avian's part, at least. Although Avian did totally flip on West at one point, it had nothing to do with his feelings for Eve, but the fact that he put her in danger. And I think Avian's reaction was understandable. Maybe a bit too much, but after what had been done to Eve, it was at least understandable. Seeing them still together after everything makes me extremely happy. And I hope they are still together in The Eve.

My only complaint in this book is the whole conflict. It was so unnecessary. When another group of survivors shows up in LA, they want to stay with New Eden for a while to see what they can offer. They ask a lot of questions but answer none. They were obvious about it too. They refused to answer questions and

were suspicious from the beginning. Why would they expect any cooperation when they gave none? They lie about where they are from for no apparent reason. And then, after a week, they kidnap Eve and West and leave. They implant a beacon to the Bane in Eve's brain and use West as leverage for her cooperation. Of course Eve doesn't know about the beacon, so when she escapes she goes back to LA, and calls all the Bane to her with a broken EM pulse. The new group of survivors wanted to force the New Eden group into using the pulse. Instead of just going to LA, being open and honest and telling them, "So we invented this beacon, and you have an EM pulse. So why don't we join up and rebuild the pulse, turn on the beacon and when the Bane come, fry them. Then set the beacon for a slightly higher radius, and fry them too, etc, etc." But no, because kidnapping and brain surgery is obviously the easier option.

Gah, these people piss me off. And as much as I wanted to give this another 5-stars, as I did its predecessor, its going to have to be 4/5 because of them. But I love all the main characters, and I love the world of the TorBane. I cant wait to read the finale, and I hope everyone gets their HEA. Is it too much to hope that West can get an HEA too? Please?

“It took a man capable of an immeasurable amount of understanding to strip away the insecurities I'd felt after learning what I was. It took a man capable of loving me until the end of the world to make me accept myself. 

And I would move heaven and hell to keep him. 

Always.” 

Cress by Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Romance
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

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I think this series would be a lot better if it kept its focus on Cinder instead of always getting sidetracked with new characters and trying to force another fairy tale into the story, when it would be so much better without it. The fairy tale princesses is a gimmick that this series doesn't need in order to be good.

Although, this book did focus a great deal more on Cinder than Scarlet did, which is a shame since if one of these books needed more Cinder, it was Scarlet. I really didn't care about either of the new characters in that book, and it only got good at the end when Cinder was reintroduced.

But luckily this book only introduced one new character instead of two, and it didn't take as much time away from Cinder, and Cress wasn't so bad. Although their relationship is only in the very early stages, she and Thorne seem to make more sense together than Wolf and Scarlet do. And Cress really comes in handy. I really couldn't care less about what is happening to Scarlet right now. She is the most useless character in the book.

But still, every single time there was a chapter from Cinder or Kai's POV, I would forget about everyone else, I would forget that it wasn't their story all along. Because it should be. This is Cinder and Kai's story and everyone else just fades away into the background. They are the only characters with the power to keep bringing me back to this series, as well as the great story. And Thorne of course. And the last chapter. Oh my gosh! That is what I have been waiting for for the past 2 books! My heart is singing!

“But you're a prisoner," said Thorne. 

"I prefer damsel in distress," she murmured. 

One side of Thorne's mouth quirked up, into that perfect half smile he'd had in his graduation photo. A look that was a little bit devious, and all sorts of charming. Cress's heart stopped, but if they noticed her melting into her chair, they didn't say anything.”

Transcendence by Shay Savage

Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction, Sci-fi/Time Travel, Romance
Publication Date: February 13th 2014
POV: Male - First-person, Present tense.
Smut-O-Meter: 9 out of 10
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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It’s said that women and men are from two different planets when it comes to communication, but how can they overcome the obstacles of prehistoric times when one of them simply doesn’t have the ability to comprehend language?

Ehd’s a caveman living on his own in a harsh wilderness. He’s strong and intelligent, but completely alone. When he finds a beautiful young woman in his pit trap, it’s obvious to him that she is meant to be his mate. He doesn’t know where she came from; she’s wearing some pretty odd clothing, and she makes a lot of noises with her mouth that give him a headache. Still, he’s determined to fulfill his purpose in life – provide for her, protect her, and put a baby in her.

Elizabeth doesn’t know where she is or exactly how she got there. She’s confused and distressed by her predicament, and there’s a caveman hauling her back to his cavehome. She’s not at all interested in Ehd’s primitive advances, and she just can’t seem to get him to listen. No matter what she tries, getting her point across to this primitive, but beautiful, man is a constant – and often hilarious – struggle.

With only each other for company, they must rely on one another to fight the dangers of the wild and prepare for the winter months. As they struggle to coexist, theirs becomes a love story that transcends language and time.

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This book is amazing and unique like absolutely nothing I have read before. It starts with this dedication:

"For all those who didn't want a story about a man who acted like a caveman, but a story about an actual caveman!"

Shay Savage also proceeds to explain to us that Ehd is not a real form of caveman. He is not historically accurate. He looks like a homo-sapien, but he has absolutely no ability to communicate through language or signs. So you have to be able to suspend your disbelief.

The entire book, minus the epilogue, is written in Ehd's first-person POV, so that is another reason to suspend your disbelief. He cant form a sentence or understand anything that Elizabeth, Beh, says to him, but he can think very eloquently. Although, I can accept that this is what he sees and feels, if he were able to describe it. But perhaps it would have been better written in third-person POV. Either 1st or 3rd, I love that it is solely from Ehd's POV, it gives us such a unique perspective. When we first meet Elizabeth, its clear she is from the future from the way that Ehd describes her jeans and eyeshadow, but we have no idea where she came from or who she was. I suspected she was young because of the blue and pink eyeshadow. She yells and shouts at Ehd when he takes her back to his cave, but we have no idea what she is saying. I can imagine why she is afraid, but we can only guess from Ehd's observations. As time passes, we know exactly how Ehd feels about her. How she has become his #1 priority. How everything he does is the provide for her and protect her. But we can only guess how Beh feels, as Ehd does. She isn't afraid of him anymore, but she sometimes cries, and we can assume it is because she is homesick, but we don't know. Ehd thinks she must be missing her family. She must have gotten lost in the forest and separated from her tribe so he just hugs her and rocks her till she stops crying. 

"I want her to be here with me. I want her to be close to me as I work or fish, and I want her to lie next to me in the furs at night. In my mind, she is with me always and forever.
Finally, its clear to me that I want her for more than children."

Elizabeth tries to teach Ehd a few words but it just does not work. Apparently, among Ehd's people, people have designated sounds. So, when she tries to teach him her name, the best he can come up with is Beh. When he first tries to mate with her she yells 'no' so he learns that that is a bad sound. When she makes that sound she is mad. Even though in the future she uses the word in innocuous ways, he always thinks it means she is mad. She eventually tries to teach him the word 'kiss', the best he can come up with is 'khzz', and he knows that if he makes that sound she will kiss him, but I don't think he understands that the sound is the kiss. And lastly, she tries to teach him the word 'love'. The best he can come up with is 'luff', and I don't think he understands that sound at all. But he knows that when he makes it, it makes her smile, and he loves to see her smile. So, in a way, when he says it to her he is doing exactly what the word intends, and showing her that he loves her. *swoon*

"In the darkness of the cave, there is a light inside her eyes that makes my heart beat faster. I know the emotions I see there are also reflected in my own gaze though I have never felt this way before. Beh softly repeats the same three sounds, followed by my name-sound."

The relationship between Ehd and Beh is just so amazing. The fact that they cannot communicate means that all their love has to be shown through actions. Ehd is always trying to provide for her. Hunting, fishing, collecting wood. Beh cooks for him, bathes him, brushes his hair. Its all so basic but effective and beautiful. I felt and saw their love so much that I cried often. There was so much love that it was just bursting out of me. And I don't just mean a little bit of tears. I mean have a box of tissues handy. At one part I was gasping and I had to put the book down for awhile to recover.

Although there was a lot of sex at the beginning of their relationship, enough to probably garner an erotica label, it isn't all about the fast, passionate stage of their relationship. The book covers their entire life together and eventually the sex is no longer described, as their life expands and begins to encompass so much more. Its too large-scale and epic of a love story to really be an erotica. It surpasses what that label can contain. It is one of the greatest love stories I have ever read.

"If she doesn't wake up, then I will just lie with her until I don't wake up either."

 

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopian, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: February 4th 2014
POV: Female - First-person, Present tense
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world... but that’s not all he wants with her.

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** spoiler alert **

This book is beyond perfection. Its beyond anything that I ever could have hoped and dreamed. It was so perfect that it left me afraid for most of the experience, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was anxious until the end. It was as if it was fanfic written by someone who was Team Warner, it had everything that we, as Warner lovers, could have ever wanted. But of course it couldn't be fanfic because only Tahereh Mafi could have ever written something so beautiful.

The absolute best thing about this series is the transformation of the characters. Although I doubted and I was afraid, I should have known that Juliette would end up with Warner all along, because after everything they both went through, they had changed so much and Juliette just could not fit in Adam's life anymore. It was so obvious. I just love the way that Mafi portrayed real struggle and realistic change. Although the story was great, it was really only the backdrop for Juliette's personal story. And Warner's. They both changed so much since Shatter Me, its hard to say who has changed more. They have become the absolutely best versions of themselves. What they had always seen inside each other.

"So the two of you--I mean, together-- you two could basically--" 

"Take over the world?" 

"I was going to say you could kick some serious ass, but yeah, that too, I guess."

Its amazing how Juliette and Warner fit into each others lives like gloves. Like two pieces of a puzzle. They don't even ever fight! They were so obviously made for each other, and by each other. The only thing I would have changed, and I am not even entirely sure that I would have, is that after Juliette shared her intent to become Commander herself after killing Anderson, her and Warner never discussed it. I imagine that if Warner had killed his father himself as he had always intended before he recruited Juliette's help, he would have taken over himself. But now Juliette is taking that from him and they never discuss it. She never reassures him that he will have a place in her new Re-Reestablishment. But, that in itself, might be a good sign. It might be a sign that Warner trusts Juliette to be a good leader, doesn't feel that she needs his help, and also knows that she will always want him in her life without her ever having to tell him. And it could mean that Juliette trusts Warner to support her decision without him having to tell her. I dunno how I feel about that. Could go either way.

And Mafi really knows how to please her fans. Wow! Everything went so well in this. The only negative things in the whole book was Adam's pouting in the beginning, which he got over, and the fact that Anderson was in it, but he died, easily. Adam moved on, Warner happily accepted him and James as brothers, none of the characters died, except Warner's mother, but we didn't really know her. Oh no! I just realized Warner is an orphan now. :( But he gained 3 new family members in the process. :) There is really nothing more I could have asked for. It included some of the most poetically beautiful sex scenes I have ever read, but somehow still clean enough for YA. I am ok with sex in my books, and although I know she had to fade to black since this is YA, if she hadn't, it all would have been beautiful. Mafi can make anything sound beautiful, but she can make something that is already beautiful sound like the meaning of life. I cant even imagine the metaphors she would have come up with for that. But the glimpses we got were some of the most incredible writing I have ever read. Honestly, my review is unraveling and has turned into me just gushing. But the ending was perfect! I cant think of a better image in my head, than the image of Juliette and Warner standing on top of a shipping container, holding each other, surrounded by cheering soldiers. I think I might cry at how perfect it was. And I even enjoyed the fact that we don't see the rest of the war. There may be more Sectors that will stand against them, but we know that together they can do anything.

"You know," he whispers, his lips at my ear, "the whole world will be coming for us." 

I lean back. Look into his eyes."I cant wait to watch them try."

True by Laurann Dohner (New Species #11)

Genres: Adult, Sci-fi, Romance
Publication Date: December 10th 2013
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Jeanie loves a New Species and is willing to pay for that love with pain, tears and heartbreak. She’ll do anything to keep 710 alive but she never wants him to know how she suffered for him. He’s the reason for her mission in life—freeing others like him.

True has a new life working with the NSO to rescue his people. A good life, until he encounters a dying woman—the female who betrayed him. True should feel gratified that she’s finally going to pay for her crimes, but she claims to be a victim too. He is still irresistibly drawn to the pretty little human who touched his heart and made him want her. When he clasps her hand to offer comfort, his instincts kick in and True will fight everyone to protect her.

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I really loved this book! It was just what I needed! I hated that I had caught up and now need to wait in between New Species books, but this was worth the wait.

I really loved Jeanie. She was pretty bad ass. She had so much inner strength and she was so brave. She fought for the NS like almost none other. She is such an amazing champion for them. She is fearless. The story surrounding her and the mysterious Terry Brice was different and fascinating. This still had the usual NS mandatory kidnappings, but it was very different circumstances and it really drew me in with the mystery of it and what was really going on. I couldn't put it down.

I also really loved True. He was a bit softer than most NS. Still very dominating, but also a little insecure and just so sweet. He was a great character and he was wonderful to Jeanie. A complete sweetheart. They are a wonderful couple and I am incredibly happy for them. I cant wait until they have children! He's gonna be such an awesome father!

I was so sad when I finished this book. I didn't want it to end. And although I enjoyed the softer side of True, I still cannot wait to read about Darkness next, one of the most intimidating and "darkest" NS there are. That must be why he chose that name, because he feels like Mercile ripped out his heart and left nothing but darkness behind. But he has a heart, and some incredible woman is going to discover that. Wow! She is gonna be amazing. I cant wait!

“She rolled over and sat up as he bent, tearing off his boots. "Whatcha doing?" 

"Getting naked." 

"I like that.”