Review: Possession by Elana Johnson

I'm writing a review for the first time in like 6 months! Summertime + sickness makes you do crazy things.  Sorry that this is the only review we have for May I lied, Karina posted a review! (Obviously she's procrastinating.)  Finals and end of school schtuff has been hectic.

Possession by Elana Johnson
416 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: June 7th 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself. 

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn. 

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

My Thoughts:
I loved this book, was NOT what I expected, especially from a dystopian novel (in a good way!).  There were plenty of twists and suspenseful turns that kept me reading.  I loved Vi and Jag, their relationship felt realistic to me because it wasn't perfect.  Jag wasn't the perfect boyfriend, and the "love triangle" (I'm just using that term loosely) isn't a typical love triangle because it isn't a decision of Perfect Hot Boy #1 and Perfect Hot Boy #2 because both Jag and Zenn aren't perfect.  Hot, but not perfect.  Vi was also a great main character, and even though it was a difficult to follow her thought processes sometimes, her voice and perspective were fun and unique. 

What I loved most about this book is how it managed to be light hearted and funny, and still had all the dystopian elements.  I've read some really awesome dystopian books that have left me shell-shocked and sobbing at 2 in the morning, but after I read this book, I realized none of the dystopian books I've read before have really made me laugh.  So Possession is an awesome read if you're looking for some refreshing, quirky, original dystopian!

I hate being a downer, but I have to add that although the story is brilliant, the writing was a bit hard to follow at times.  The writing is very fast paced and sometimes I had to stop and reread a passage several times, and then getting confused when something was mentioned that I didn't remember being explained.  This may just be me though.  Although this is the author's debut book, so I'm sure that her writing will be smoother and flow better in the future! I am excited to read whatever Elana Johnson has in store if there is a sequel to this book :)

I'm such a hypocrite, I always complain when people review the covers as part of their overall review of the book, and yet I'm gonna be gushing about the cover in a couple seconds. However, I'd just like to point out, the awesomeness of the cover has no effect on my review of this book.  I love how simple it is, and yet I feel like it completely embodies the basic concept of a dystopian.  I love how the ice cube is cracked and starting to melt, and how the butterfly inside is vibrant and just waiting to break free.  Wow, that sounds cheesy.  But yes, I love love love it!

Overall: LOVED this book.  I give it 4 stars :)  I really really really wish I could give it 5 out of 5 stars, but I feel like I would be discounting that it is a bit hard to follow despite it's awesomeness.  Still, I strongly suggest checking it out once it comes on June 7th! 

You can also enter to win my ARC copy of Possession in our Splash Into Summer giveaway along with some other awesome YA and MG books Karina and I have compiled :)

Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop!!

That's right! I bet you wouldn't have guessed it but here at Book Away we are hosting our first ever Giveaway!!!!!

Alright, so hopefully we've done this correctly and all you have to do is fill out the form below.

We'll have three winners. First place will get first dibs to pick one book on our HUGE stack of giveaway books we have collected. Second place will get second dibs and third will get last dibs.

Pile of books you can pick from!

Alice Alone by  Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Ash by Malinda Lo

Half-Moon Investigators by Eion Colfer

Peter and the Starcatchers by Barry and Pearson
Ivy by Julie Hearn

The Total Tragedy of a Girl named Hamlet by Erin Dionne

The Riddle (book 2) by Alison Croggon

They Cry of the Icemark (book 1) by Stuart Hill

The Book of Mordred by Vivian Vande Velde

The Wizard Heir (book 2) by Cinda Williams Chima

The Kingdom Keepers (book 1) by Ridley Pearson

A Seperate Peace by John Knowles

Small Steps by Louis Sachar

Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies

ARC of Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

ARC of Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (signed!)

ARC of Blue Fire by Janice Hardy

ARC of Possession by Elana Johnson

ARC of Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

ARC of Matched by Ally Condie

If you follow via GFC on the sidebar, you get an extra entry! Following isn't required, but now that summer is here, we'll be able to post reviews, giveaways, and other cool schtuff!

I realize GFC is having problems now, so if you can't follow, then you can leave a comment on any of our reviews for an extra entry as well!

Giveaway is US only, and ends 5/31 at midnight! :)

Once you've entered this giveaway, scroll down to the linky where you can check out all the other awesomesauce giveaways!

Calling all Meg Cabot Fans!

Do you love reading Meg Cabot's books?
Ever wanted to know something about a certain thing?
Ever had a question you've wanted to ask?

Well here's your chance!

Meg will be on Goodreads answering questions about her past books and new novel, Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1), on her Goodreads Author discussion group, Ask Meg Cabot! Special One-Day-Only Group!. She will be available for one day only, Tuesday, May 17, 2011.

Check it out!

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/47324.Ask_Meg_Cabot_Special_One_Day_Only_Group_

You have to be a member of goodreads in order to participate in group discussion, but I'm almost sure you don't have to be a member to read all the Q&As posted.

We are in no way adversting goodreads (though we do recommend the use of it (or I do)) and are only doing this for our readers!

Now, I've only read Meg Cabot's Avalon High and that day I have a meeting so chances are I won't be participating. But let me know how it went if you did!

On another note...

Check back soon for an exciting announcement we will be making. April and I are extremely excited over this and we hope you guys will be too.

Karina

Review: City of Fallen Angels

Title: City of Fallen Angels
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 424 pages
Hardcover, Margaret K. McElderry Books

Goodreads Summary:

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Reveiw:

Dark. Suspensful. Intoxicating.

Cassandra Clare does it again in the newest installment of The Mortal Instruments series.

City of Fallen Angels takes place approximatley two months since the war in Idris, and things have seemed to returned to normal, or as normal as they can get with the circumstances.

With ever turn there is a new mystery, a new threat or just an old reoccuring one. I felt like I was reading all this from the shadows, or around a corner. Underworlders play a bigger part of this story. Demons, vampires, werewovles are no longer what they used to be. No longer seperate, but united under the Accords. I could never get a real sense of what was happening until everything started to unfold and in the event all the clues finally added up. Once again, Cassandra Clare leaves you guessing, never giving away anything until the last page. And even then, you're still left in the shadows. Because as long as there is light, you'll find darkness close by.

Jace and Clary's relationship intsenfies immensly. Finally free to be together, nothing seems able to be seperate them. If only this were true. I was already afraid that each, intesne, long passionate kiss they had was their last. That each touch would lead to something more. That each silence would be eternal.

Their's is the only relationship though. With Simon still caught between Isabelle and Maia there is sure to be trouble for this Daylighter. And with Alec away with Mangus, Simon will have no one to turn to when hell falls upon him. Unless he can steady his relationship with Jace. And the new guy? Oh you'll either love or hate the hate new. I'd tell you which one of those pertains to me, but why add even more of my influnce upon you?

This story was beautifully written. It made me laugh, it made me want to cry and it made me yell many times at it. I could see everything before my eyes, so much that when I set it down to go eat dinner, I came back wondering what movie I had been watching because it was just so good.

You will love this book because with each page turn trusts will be tested, relationships under strain and you'll be doubting everything you know. It is no wonder that Cassandra Clare's newest book takes you an emotional spin and keep you yearning for more.

Overall Rating: 4.83/5 stars

-Karina

P.S. Keep a look out for another version of this review, containg spoilers. These are mostly known as my after book vents. Link to be posted soon!

Review: Evernight

Title: Evernight
Author: Claudia Gray
Pages: 327
Publisher: HarperTeen

Goodreads Summary:
Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

My Review:

Overall, I believe this was a good book.

I'm not going to say that it's one of the best vampire romance books ever written, because it isn't. This book was originally published when the Twilight fandom was growing to it's height and vampire books were all that seemed to be on the market.

Now, for those of you who are Twi-Hards, I feel like you either like it, or you hate it. I can sincerly say that it seemed to me that this book could be considered a Twilight knock off. (Let's keep in mind that this review was originally written in '08)

Here are a couple points that I believe it is so:

1.The main character is a girl who is going to a school she dosn't want to go to.
2. The main guy character has golden brown hair and green eyes.
3. Bianca's (main character) favorite book is Wuthering Heights and the classics.
4. It's a vampire book.
5. Lucas (main guy) tells Bianca it isn't safe for her to be with him, that he isn't the right one for her.

Besides all that, it was actually pretty good. By now, there are two more books (or one, I can't remember) to the series, which are on my to-read list. I thought it was cute, and Bianca voice wasn't annoying to read as some main characters are.

You should read this before you read Twilight, but don't compare those two together, it'll ruin the image for you.

Overall: 3/5 star rating

-Karina

Updates

Hello Everyone!

I've just come to make an update while we readers try and finish our books.

First of all....I'm sooo proud that we have many followers and growing! It's really excited.

Just to let everyone know, there will be book reveiws being posted that we may not have read recently. As you may have noticed, we have goodreads profiles, were our reviews were originally posted. We're working on bringing them over to the blog so you can read them, and notice how much better (hopefully) we've improved.

On a second note, we could use more readers.

Now this isn't a paying job, so it'd be mostly out of love for reading and reviewing that you would do this.

Also, I think you can put it as a job or something. You know, like when camps or programs ask what you do, you can write: "A reveiwer for a rising book blog-# posts per month".

It shows dedication. At least, that's what my advisor told me.

And, you could get ARCs (advance-readers-copy) to read and review for publisher.

So mull that over.

On a totally diffrent note, is there something you want to see more of on this blog? Now be reasonable, April and I have school and lives too.

That's it for now. Catch ya' guys soon

-Karina