Category: Books

Book Review: YOLO

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books

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*This book is a part of my POPSUGAR 2015 Reading Challenge*

Synopsis from Amazon: 

Through texts and messages, the mega-bestselling, beloved Internet Girls series followed the ups and downs of school for three very different, very close friends. Now it’s freshman year of college for the winsome threesome, and *everything* is different. For one, the best friends are facing their first semester apart. Way, way apart. Maddie’s in California, Zoe’s in Ohio, and Angela’s back in Georgia. And it’s not just the girls who are separated. Zoe’s worried that Doug wants to break up now that they’re at different schools, and Maddie’s boyfriend, Ian, is on the other side of the country.
In the face of change and diverging paths, Maddie’s got a plan to keep the friends close, and it involves embracing the present, making memories, and . . . roller derby! Using of-the-moment technology, Lauren Myracle brings her groundbreaking series into the brave new virtual world of texting and tweets.
I didn’t realize how much I missed the “winsome threesome” until I read through this book in one day. Somehow I found myself being able to relate to each of these girls in some way and it was awesome.
Just as the first three books in the series, the entire book is done in IM (although Lauren Myracle tries to sell it to us as texting). I say it’s still IM because the characters are still using their old screen names. Obviously this is done for the purpose of continuity but I struggle to picture college students using screen names as the names of their contacts in their phone.
Additionally there were multiple times when it was supposed to seem like they were group texting but some one was currently not responding to the group at the time. This was hard to keep track of at times. I wasn’t sure if Maddie was just texting Zoe or Zoe and Angela at some points and vice versa.
Despite these small failings I truly enjoyed this novel. It brought me back into the world of these characters that I loved so much years ago and reminded why I loved them in the first place. Although they’ve changed a little bit, as we all do when we get older, they were still the same characters I knew and loved.
Zoe was still the “good girl” but she let loose a bit and for that I was proud. Angela was still her bubbly, somewhat superficial self, but she was able to let go of the negatives that came with her superficiality (judging people on their physical traits before getting to know them for example). She also found a use for her love of fashion and beauty products, which was really cool.
As for Maddie she continued to struggle to be honest about her feelings and although I think by the end she learned that hiding things from her friends and not being honest with them or herself wasn’t healthy. Hopefully she’ll be able to figure out a way to better handle her emotions instead of bottling them up.
What I loved most about this novel and all the other novels in this series is the trio’s unending love for each other and unbreakable friendship. I think it’s amazing to create bonds like that with people and as the girls realize, it’s these bonds that help them through the tough times.
Myracle does an excellent drop of bringing this trio into the college world while keeping their friendship and separate personalities in check. All three of the girls face their own different challenges at college and in very different ways.
Favorite Line:
and I quote from the Bible: thou shalt not let a sorority girl named Candy dictate anything about your personal lifestyle, or thou shalt turn into a pillar of salt.
Stars: 4 out of 5. I loved it but there were some parts I struggled to find believable.
Borrow or Buy: Buy. I kind of wish I had the whole series to be honest. I’d love to reread them all in order.
Other Reviews

Book Review: The Here and Now

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books

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Synopsis from Amazon:

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

Honestly I went into this book with low expectations. I loved The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series but I wasn’t sure how Ann Brashares would fair in the sci-fi genre. Overall, I think she did okay.

I can’t say I’ve read a lot of time traveling books but I have seen a lot of movies and Brashares does something different with her novel. Most often when people time travel it’s usually just one person and it’s for a specific purpose. In this novel although the time traveling group claimed their purpose for going to the past was to prevent their terrible future it immediately becomes clear that is not the case.

Rather, they have actually just made a move to the past to have a better life, the same reason many people immigrate from other countries today. They create their own little society in the midst of the past (our present) and start new lives.

What I found most interesting is Brashares combines two different genres because although it’s centered around time-travel it also has a dystopian aspect to it as well. The messed up future that Prenna and the other travelers leaves is definitely a dystopia, in this instance caused by climate change. The society that the travelers create in our present, however is also a dystopia with the type of surveillance and “Big Brother” watching that is typical of dystopian fiction (1984, anyone?).

Besides that, Brashares then adds the romanic plot that to be fair appears in almost any time travel story but makes this book a little more interesting. The love that appears between Prenna and Ethan is a good one that is ultimately destined to fail. Despite that idea you can’t help but root for them and want them to work. That’s what a forbidden romance does to a reader.

Brashares filled this novel with multiple twists and turns that kept me interested but also made me a little confused. Although I liked the idea of different time lines and how one little thing could completely disrupt the future it was often hard to remember what time characters came from. Are they from our present? Are they from Prenna’s present? Are they from a totally different time all together? It was a lot to keep track of.

The love story intertwined with the time traveling made this a very interesting read that I couldn’t put down. I wanted to know how it all ended, how everything was going to come together, and what all the little clues Ethan and Prenna discovered meant. Brashares did a good job of answering most of those questions but there were still some at the end that I’d like to know more about. For example, (SPOILER ALERT!) why did Prenna have that date on her arm when she first arrived in 2010? Did her father write it on her arm before she left? We never find out and I think this is important. What’s also important is why can Ethan tell who’s a traveler? Is it really because he happened to see Prenna when she arrived in our present or something more?

I think there’s so much more that could happen with this story and I’d be interested in a sequel. Brashares hasn’t said yet whether there will be one but I truly hope so. I wanted to know more and I was not satisfied with the ending of this novel at all. I guess you could say it didn’t exceed my expectation, unfortunately.

Favorite Line:

“When you open yourself to somebody, when you feel these thing that you feel, well, what do you do? You can try to ignore it, maybe you can try to forget about it, but you can’t undo it and you can’t give it back.”

Stars: 3 out of 5. I think this book definitely was good in that it kept me interested but there’s too many unanswered questions for me to really feel satisfied with it. Moreover, I wasn’t a big fan of the ending.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. I can’t see myself rereading this book. Not one you need on your shelf.

Other Reviews

The Book Smugglers

Studio Reads

Write Meg!

Book Review: The Ruby Circle

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books

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*This book is a part of my POPSUGAR 2015 Reading Challenge*

Book synopsis from Amazon:

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here…

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis.  Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

*This review will contain spoilers*

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First of all I want to thank Richelle Mead for a wonderful two series worth of books. I’ve been following these characters for years now and it’ll be hard to let them go. Actually I’ll probably just reread the books forever and never really let them go. Really though, this has been a wild ride, and I hope Mead means it when she says this won’t be the last we see of these characters.

As far as conclusions to a series go this was phenomenal. Using the kidnapping of Jill as an excellent plot device Mead brought back so many characters and elements of both the Vampire Academy series and the Bloodlines series that I was floored. We got the return of the evil witch, Alicia, Dimitri and Rose joined Adriana and Sydney on a road trip where we learn Dimitri and Adrian are actually cousins, and the Warriors were brought back as well.

The one loose end I wish was tied up was the cure to Strigoi-ism (?). We know Sonya is still working on it but there was only one cure made for Neil and then nothing. That would seriously change the world for the vamps. Besides that I think Mead wrapped everything up perfectly.

The plot itself in this book was also great, albeit predictable. The most shocking things about the novel was Neil and Olive’s son, Declan, and the reveal of Dimitri and Adrian’s familial relations. Otherwise it was obvious early on that it was Alicia that took Jill, although I didn’t expect the Warriors to come into play. Additionally, although I wanted Neil to take care of Declan, I could tell by the way Adrian suddenly became so good with kids that Adrian and Sydney would probably become Declan’s parents.

Speaking of Declan, although I liked that Mead has now provided a way for Rose and Dimitri to actually have kids if they choose to do so, I think it’s a bit of stretch. To suggest that spirit somehow allows dhampirs to now produce seems unlikely. However, this is a series about vampires, witches, and everything in between so everything is already unlikely, therefore I just have to take Mead’s word for it that this is possible.

I would have liked to see more of Declan and know just how special he really is. Will he have some spirit powers or is he just a regular dhampir child? Maybe there’ll be another series surrounding Declan and everyone else’s kids? Please?

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Moving on, I also wish we got to see Angeline. She’s the one character that was missing and I wanted to hear her sass one last time. She would’ve provided a lot of comic relief, although I think Adrian may have provided enough.

What I loved most about this book was really the relationship between Adrian and Sydney. Even though they struggled, mainly because of Adrian’s spirit use, they were able to work through their issues and support each other no matter what. It was interesting seeing them as husband and wife but it worked well too. Then seeing them become parents was icing on the cake.

I also really liked that Mead brought Rose and Dimitri into the epilogue, as well, allowing us to see that they would be married too … at least some day, maybe when Rose is 30. Mead wrapped up the Bloodlines series but it also felt like she was ending the Vampire Academy series too and that was really cool. Well done.

Favorite Line:

“Sydney,” Adrian interrupted, cupping my face in his hands. “Never, ever think like that. I don’t regret anything we’ve faced. Being with you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, the one perfect decision I’ve made in a lifetime of fumbling and poor judgment. I’d go through it all again to be by your side. Never doubt that. Never doubt how I feel about you.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. Such a great book and end to a wonderful series.

Borrow or Buy: Are you kidding? Buy this. Put it on your bookshelf and then reread it always. Buy the whole series while you’re at it.

Other Reviews

The Young Folks

Mostly Book Obsessed

Two Chicks On Books

Book Review: Never Fade

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books

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Book synopsis from Goodreads:

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

As far as sequels go, Never Fade was a wonderful success. With more twists and turns than The Darkest Minds, I couldn’t put this book down. The novel starts a bit after Ruby has been with The Children’s League and then leaves us with a million questions after the first chapter, when Alexandra Bracken then takes us through flashbacks to when Ruby first arrived at the League’s headquarters.

Why, Bracken, why? Probably because I sped through the next few chapters wondering what had Ruby so freaked out and the reveal did not disappoint. In this novel readers meet so many new characters, giving answers into the good and bad sides of the League and Liam’s past. We also get to see some old faces and some faces we were hoping to never see again.

The level of danger in this novel is taken up a notch from the first book. Although Ruby went into the League not trusting anyone, she doesn’t realize just how unsafe she is inside the League’s walls until it’s too late. Plus once she’s out, she no longer has to deal with just running from the government and PSFs but also the League and their top hunter, Rob. Ruby also has decide who she can and can’t trust while also trying to deal with the aftermath of taking away Liam’s memory of her and the loss of her little family with Zu, Chubs, and Liam.

Overall, I really loved this book. There were sometimes I wanted to slap Ruby because she couldn’t see what was going on right in front of her face but for the most part she made a great Leader even though she never wanted the title. The return of Liam and some other characters from the first novel kept this book interesting and the interactions between the people from Ruby’s life before the League and after was hilarious. I can’t wait to see what happens next and how this will all end.

Favorite Line:

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Chubs said. “Apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I’ve already reread some parts of this book. So great and so many good one liners. It was hard to just choose one.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! Definitely one you’ll want on your book shelf.

Other Reviews

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YA Midnight Reads

POPSUGAR’s 2015 Reading Challenge

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

I’m super excited to participate in POPSUGAR’s 2015 Reading Challenge next year. To keep track of all the books I have to read I’ve decided to make a list. If you’d like to join me in this challenge please make your own blog post about what books you plan to read and put the link of your post in the comments. There’s a Goodreads group that you can join for the challenge. Check my sidebar for the link. Here’s my list:

  1. A book with more than 500 pages: In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken
  2. A classic romance: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  3. A book that became a movie: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  4. A book published this year: Fall With Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout
  5. A book with a number in the title: The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
  6. A book written by someone under 30: The Kissing Booth by Beeth Reekles
  7. A book with nonhuman characters: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
  8. A funny book: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max
  9. A book by a female author: The Heir by Kiera Cass
  10. A mystery or thriller: Rooms by Lauren Oliver
  11. A book with a one-word title: Angelfall by Susan Ee
  12. A book of short stories: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
  13. A book set in a different country: PS, I Love You by Ceceila Ahern
  14. A nonfiction book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
  15. A popular author’s first book: Where Roses Grow Wild by Patricia Cabot (Meg Cabot)
  16. A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet: All Fall Down by Ally Carter
  17. A book a friend recommended: Lovestruck in London by Rachel Schuring
  18. A Pulitzer Prize-winning book: The Hours by Michael Cunningham
  19. A book based on a true story: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
  20. A book at the bottom of your to-read list: YOLO by Lauren Myracle
  21. A book your mom loves: Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan
  22. A book that scares you: Revival by Stephen King
  23. A book more than 100 years old: Emma by Jane Austen
  24. A book based entirely on its cover: Top 10 Clues You’re Clueless by Liz Czukas
  25. A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
  26. A memoir: Travelling to Infinity by Jane Hawking
  27. A book you can finish in a day: Something True by Kieran Scott
  28. A book with antonyms in the title: The Light and Dark by Mikhail Shishkin
  29. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarity
  30. A book that came out the year you were born: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
  31. A book with bad reviews: Uninvited by Amanda Marrone
  32. A trilogy: Legend by Marie Lu
  33. A book from your childhood: Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
  34. A book with a love triangle: Down to You by M. Leighton
  35. A book set in the future: California by Edan Lepucki
  36. A book set in high school: Wicked Games by Sean Olin
  37. A book with a color in the title: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
  38. A book that made you cry: Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
  39. A book with magic: Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder
  40. A graphic novel: Watchmen by Alan Moore
  41. A book by an author you’ve never read before: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
  42. A book you own but have never read: Where We Belong by Emily Giffin
  43. A book that takes place in your hometown: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  44. A book that was originally written in a different language: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
  45. A book set during Christmas: Ex-mas by Kate Brian
  46. A book written by an author with your same initials: All Natural by Zack Jones
  47. A play: The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer
  48. A banned book: Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov
  49. A book based on or turned into a TV show: The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
  50. A book you started but never finished: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Book Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

“ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.”January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

Besides the crazy long title I absolutely loved this book. I loved the letter form (and sometimes telegraphs and journal entries) and I loved the characters.

The story follows Juliet Ashton, this quirky author who has a love for books and writing (like me!). She’s looking for inspiration for her next book and after writing about World War II throughout the war she’s searching for something different.

Little did she know that what she was looking for was on this little British island that was occupied by the Germans during the war. After she receives a letter from a man named Dawsey who found her copy of a book by Charles Lamb, Juliet is led on this awesome adventure discovering the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and the wonderful people in it.

If you don’t want to get spoiled stop reading here. This is your warning!

After much letter correspondence Juliet finally goes to Guernsey and discovers not only an awesome novel idea about the society now deceased leader, Elizabeth, but she also finds a family in her love with Dawsey and Kit, Elizabeth’s daughter.

The only thing I wanted more of from this novel is Dawsey’s point of view. I could kind of see that he had feelings for Juliet but he’s so quiet and shy that we don’t get to really hear him say anything about it until the very end and then the book’s over.

Otherwise I thought the book was brilliant. Also, I have a theory about the way this book is written. First, the fact that Dawsey’s name sounds very close to Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice leads me to believe the authors did that on purpose. Especially since the book is brought up in the novel and it is Isola who falls in love with it and then it is later Isola who finally leads to Juliet and Dawsey being together. Also, when discussing Pride and Prejudice Juliet says, “[Isola] might actually die of suspense before she finished it” and that’s basically how I felt when I was (impatiently) waiting for Juliet and Dawsey to finally admit their feelings for each other.

That’s just my theory though. I want to ask the authors if I’m right though because I’m pretty confident I am.

Overall, this book was great and I’d definitely recommend it. It’s also not that hard to get through because it is in letter form and the characters are hilarious and will keep you laughing the whole way through even though the tale is kind of sad.

Favorite Line: 

Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book because I’ve never been a big fan of historical fiction but I truly enjoyed it and would read it again (if only to get clues about Dawsey’s feelings for Juliet).

Borrow or Buy: Buy! So good and definitely worth a reread.

Other Reviews:

The Book Smugglers

All About Romance

BlogHer

Live Book Read: Opposition

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

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Anyone that is in love with the Lux series as much as I am knows the final book in the series, Opposition, came out today.

Although I’m sure people are already half way done, if not finished, I thought it we would be fun if we did a Live Book Read of the novel on Twitter.

The way it’ll work is while reading you can Tweet your reactions to the book with the hashtag #OppositionLiveRead that way everyone else reading can see your reactions and reply, retweet, and/or favorite. I think it’ll be a great way for all of us fans to collectively read together.

Obviously everyone reads at different paces and some of you may already be almost done so try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. You could also say #ch1 or #ch2 for example so people know how far you are.

I personally don’t know a lot of people who read the series and would love to have other people to fangirl with.

If you’re in follow me on Twitter (@BooksTVMe) or just follow the hashtag #OppositionLiveRead and join in on the fun.

Let’s get to reading!

reading

The Best Silver Shadows Reactions

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

Having read Silver Shadows a little whiles back I am so excited to have so many people to fangirl with. This book was my favorite in the series so far and I’m so glad so many people loved it as much as I did. Here’s some of the best reactions to the book I’ve seen so far. Obviously, beware the spoilers.

Many fans were ecstatic.

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Many were in tears

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Others just can’t let go

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Some were angry (but in the “How could you write this awesome book and then leave me hanging?” way)

 

Others learned a few things

And a few just didn’t know how to feel

If you haven’t read this book yet, what are you waiting for? It’s a good one. Also make sure to check out my review of the book and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Book Review: Silver Shadows

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

8709524 Synopsis from Amazon:

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Anyone that knows me knows that I am absolutely in love with this series and the Vampire Academy series. Richelle Mead has this great skill of writing these strong, determined female characters that you always want to root for.

I’ve loved every book in this series so far and this one is no exception.

For anyone that has no clue what this series is about here’s some helpful terms:

  • Alchemist – a human who’s sole purpose is to hide the fact that vampires exist from humans; they have very strict and seemingly religious beliefs and although they work with vamps they by no way approve of them or even like them
  • Moroi – these are the more human like vampires; they’re essential the good vamps; they can live and walk around in the daylight just like humans although it does make them very tired and weary and they do still need to drink blood
  • Strigoi – the evil vamps; these are the vampires you here about in scary stories; they burn in the sun and have red eyes and will kill vamps or humans with no remorse (they don’t have a soul)
  • Dhampir – originally the product of humans and vamps getting together, however they cannot reproduce on their own and if a dhampir gets with a vampire it still just makes another dhampir; they don’t drink blood but have more super human abilities than regular humans; they act as body guards to the Moroi

The main character in this series is Sydney, an Alchemist, who used to drink the Alchemist kool-aid but has since learned that they’re a little excessive in their believes. She’s very cool with vamps and dhampirs now and has even fallen in love with one named Adrian.

In Silver Shadows Adrian and Sydney have been separated after the Alchemists kidnap Sydney and send her into reeducation. While Sydney attempts to cling on to her sanity, humanity, and love for Adrian and her other Moroi and dhampir friends, Adrian struggles with keeping his spirit magic in check and not completely losing his mind.

Keeping this review spoiler free I won’t give away too much. What I will say is this book is filled with love, drama, unexpected surprises, some of our favorite characters from Vampire Academy, and adventure with plenty of action.

The love between Adrian and Sydney is still very evident despite them being apart. I found it both inspiring and cute to read. Behind their love however are these very serious issues that they have to face. Besides the fact that Sydney is locked up she has to face the fact that if she does get free it comes at the cost of officially leaving behind everything she once believed and her family, possibly for good. Meanwhile Adrian is forced to face the darkness of spirit and has to make the hard decision between running from spirit or using it to find the love of his life.

Besides Adrian and Sydney all our other favorites including Jill, Eddie, Trey, Angeline, and Marcus show up and we also meet some new characters.

I greatly enjoyed this book and if I had the time I probably would’ve read it all in one sitting. The novel shifts between Adrian and Sydney point of views giving the reader so much to experience because they’re both going through so much. Also from chapter to chapter there’s so many mysteries that need be solved or crises that arise and it just makes you want to keep reading because you want to know what in the world are they going to do next?

Truthfully I’m a little sad I read this one early sense now I have to wait just a little longer for the final book in the series, The Ruby Circle (release date: February 10, 2015), to come out. And trust me you’ll be anxiously awaiting the sequel as well when you get to the end of this book (I have a love/hate relationship with cliff hangers). Still it was totally worth it and I’ll probably be rereading this book until February anyway.

Definitely a must read of the summer. Between all the funny quips, romance, action, adventures, and drama this book will have you on the edge of your seat all the way through. Or if you’re like me laughing (or crying) on the subway.

Favorite Line: Let me just say it was very hard to a) find one quote to use and b) find one that was spoiler free. Therefore I won’t say who said this line although if you’ve read the other books I think you can guess.

“I expected to see the most beautiful woman in the world, to feel my heart skip a beat in her presence, and to want to carry her off to bed for a night neither of us will forget. So to answer your question, I got exactly what I expected.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I can’t say anymore how much I loved this book. I think it’s pretty obvious at this point.

Borrow or Buy: BUY!!! You will need to reread this. I guarantee you.

Book Review: Insurgent

Posted on by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

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*This book is part of my Dystopia Book Challenge*

Synopsis from Amazon:

Now includes an excerpt from the upcoming Four: A Divergent Collection.

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful.

Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth’s much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

If you thought Divergent was good, you’ll be blown away by it’s sequel.

Insurgent begins right where Divergent left off with Tris, Tobias, Peter, Marcus, and Caleb arriving in the Amity camp looking for refuge. Although the Amity is willing to help them there’s some conditions: they can’t fight with anyone and the Amity will remain neutral in the conflict between Erudite and every other faction.

Obviously for three on edge Dauntless refugees keeping the peace is easier said than done. I won’t go into anymore detail in an attempt to keep this review spoiler free but Tris and Tobias are forced to confront their own fears and multiple obstacles throughout this book.

Tris is still recovering from killing Will and is having a heard time dealing with her guilt and grief and Tobias has been keeping way more secrets than just his true name. These two struggle with being honest with each other and it puts major dents in their relationship. They just could not keep it together. They were very up and down the whole book but I enjoyed every second of it.

Besides their relationship drama this book was filled with betrayals, surprises, plot twists, great fight scenes, and finally a fantastic cliff hanger. Thanks for putting me on an emotional roller coaster Veronica Roth. I really appreciate it.

Honestly what I loved most about this book, especially, was after reading so many dystopias this book was still a little on the depressing side but was also so packed with action, romance, and funny quips that I really liked it and didn’t feel like curling into a ball and crying when it ended. Actually, I did want to curl up in a ball and cry when I finished it because I realized I was number 60 on the wait list for Allegiant and I’m very impatient.

Overall, definitely a must read. I greatly enjoyed Insurgent even more than Divergent and I’m very anxious to learn what happens next and how this will all end.

Favorite Line:

I am his, and he is mine, and it has been that way all along.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I really enjoyed this book. I don’t remember how long it took me to finish exactly but I know it wasn’t long because I couldn’t put it down. This was one of those books where I caught myself smiling at it on the Subway and quickly changed my face so people wouldn’t think I was crazy.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. I don’t think I would actually sit down and read this WHOLE book over again but there’s definitely some scenes that I just need to read 100 more times before I can truly be satisfied.

Other Reviews

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Dear Author

Rachel Turns Pages