{Review} The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

Title: The Tragedy Paper
Author: Elizabeth LaBan
Format: NetGalley e-book ARC
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release date: December 11, 2012
Date Read: December 2, 2012 - January 9, 2013
Rating: ✭

Tim Macbeth is a 17-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is, “Enter here to be and find a friend.” Tim does not expect to find a friend; all he really wants to do is escape his senior year unnoticed. Despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “it” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, and she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone finds out. Tim and Vanessa enter into a clandestine relationship, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

The story unfolds from two alternating viewpoints: Tim, the tragic, love-struck figure, and Duncan, a current senior, who uncovers the truth behind Tim and Vanessa’s story and will consequently produce the greatest Tragedy Paper in Irving’s history.

Stopped at around page sixty.

What I read of THE TRAGEDY PAPER wasn't a terrible. It wasn't bad. It wasn't infuriating. It was just tremendously uninteresting and dull, and that's the worst type of novel - the type where you have nothing to say about it, because there wasn't anything unique, or noticeable, or even angering.

Because you can't look away from horrendous books, as hard as you may try. It's still sucking you in, isn't it? But it's easy to abandon a boring story, because there's nothing. The characters were plain, the writing average.

The plot really was nonexistent from what I read. It was incredibly tedious, and I can't stress that enough.

Perhaps I should've read a bit more, but I won't be bothered reading some more snore-inducing pages before I actually fall asleep. The first fifty pages are some of the most important for a book, because it decides whether you'll stay for the ride of drop it like it's on fire.

I choose to drop it like it was burning. I don't have any violent feelings toward this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Oceana is a French-bloded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.

{Review} From Ashes by Molly McAdams

Title: From Ashes
Author: Molly McAdams
Format: e-book
Publisher: Morrow Publishing
Release date: December 11, 2012
Date Read: December 11, 2012 - December 13, 2012
Rating: ✭

When Cassidy Jameson's best friend Tyler took her to Texas with him when he left for college, she was expecting his cousin, their new roommate, to be a Stetson-wearing cowboy since his family owned a ranch; not this incredibly gorgeous guy with a husky Southern drawl that seemed to make the world stop whenever she looked at him. Because of her past, she's only ever trusted two men in her life, Tyler and her dad whom passed away when she was six. But there's something about Gage that draws her to him in a way she can't explain, only problem? He's always telling Tyler that he doesn't want Cassidy living there and sees her as nothing more than his little sister.

Gage Carson was excited his cousin Tyler was coming to live with, and go to college with him. When he'd called to ask if he could bring his friend Cassi with him, Gage didn't care. Gage had heard about this mysterious friend since they were kids and felt like he already knew her. Nothing would prepare him for watching her jump out of Ty's Jeep though. Not only was Cassi the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, but there was something about her that within seconds of meeting her, made Gage want to protect her, and make her his. Too bad Tyler made it a point to remind Gage on a daily basis that he was dating her and she was completely off limits.

For a year and a half, Gage and Cassidy dance around their feelings for each other as Tyler continues to keep them apart; until one day Tyler unknowingly pushes her right into Gage's arms. With Tyler unable to keep lying to them, they finally start a relationship both have been craving since their first meeting. But when an accident and disaster sends her back to Tyler and California, will Cassidy be able to come face to face with the demons from her past to live a life she and Gage deserve; or will the fact that she once again ran to Tyler be the final push that ends Cassidy and Gage for good?

For FROM ASHES

TAKING CHANCES and Oceana are not friends.

We are not friends at all.

Not because that plot twist completely crushed my heart, or because the main character didn't end up with whom every one wanted. It was because I purely and truly despised that book, and for some crazy, unexplainable reason, I decided to read FROM ASHES. 

In all honesty, I was hoping it would be be much better than its predecessor, so I could write a nice review instead of a incoherent, angry, babbling rant. I didn't expect much, but a girl can dream.

And once in a while, one shall stumble across a book that makes their blood boil and their vision red. It was unfortunate that for me, I found several books like that this year. But both of Ms. McAdam's books were near the top of 2012's fume list.

Synopsis

Cassidy Jameson has been physically, mentally, and emotionally abused by her mother and stepfather since her father's death. It is a secret that she keeps completely under lock and key, but there is one person that knows: her best friend, Tyler, who takes care of her when she is hurt and who has been Cass's crutch for years. 

Tyler takes Cassidy with him to Texas when he attends college, and there she meets his cousin, Gage. It's practically love at first site for these two, but Tyler successfully keeps them apart... for a while, until shit hits the fan and blows the fuck up.

RETURN OF THE RICH BEAUTIFUL WHITE PEOPLE IN COMPLICATED LOVE PENTAGONS

I need my Aspirin, please.

First of all, Cassidy being abused does not belong in this book. It's just a plot device to give Cassidy a problem in life since she has none, a reason to be 'broken', to let Tyler take care of her, and to allow Gage to protect her and eventually end up with her. You could have removed the parts of the book where Cassidy talks about how she's been abused, and it will not have changedin the least. Because in the end, it's not a story about a shattered character who needs some TLC. It's pure love triangle - or actually, a near fucking pentagon - and shoving in a background of abuse in this story is total crap and absolutely out of place. 

Anyway, model-handsome Tyler drags Cassidy to Texas, where she meets his hotter cousin Gage (who even knew it was possible to get sexier than Tyler, right?), who, of course, is completely godly and charming and handsome and angelic and unearthly and oh shut the fuck up.

You thought you knew insta-love? Hahaha, bitch, you're wrong. These two lay eyes on each other and it's a total nuclear explosion. But what attracts them in the first place? How beautiful they both are, of course! You can't have average or even pretty-looking characters in these books. They've all got to be the most stunning white people in the world.



I mean, they look better together than Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev!which is totally not fucking possible

So while Cassi here is having an orgasm looking at Gage, some chick wraps her arm around Gage and Cassidy, who hasn't even, you know, talked to Gage, starts to get annoyed and angry and even thinks about plotting to destroy their relationship.

Says the girl who pages before, claimed that she didn't trust men.

OH MY GODS SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS

This is what Gage says on page thirteen, after meeting Cassidy. HE JUST MET HER, OKAY? I don't give two shits if there was 'electricity'. Electricity my ass. 

"... I'd already pictured her beneath me."

He goes on to say how the wind was knocked out of him when he imagined Tyler and Cassi together.

THIS IS CREEPY NO ONE NEEDS SOME RANDOM FUCKER THINKING ABOUT HAVING SEX WITH YOU AND MAKING THEIRS YOURS OKAY STOP IT NOW IT AIN'T SEXY

Tyler manipulates Cassidy and Gage so they can never properly establish a romantic relationship - always ending up with Cassidy or Gage storming off and coming back in several months. However, Tyler blackmails Cassidy into being his girlfriend, or he'll bring her back to her abusive household and she'll loose him. Cassidy accepts.


THIS BITCH NEEDS A SASSY GAY FRIEND.

Who the actual fuck would even want to stay with an asshole who would blackmail and threaten and manipulate you for SEX? 

Later, Tyler nearly forces Cassidy to have sex with him, and when she doesn't, he pulls a Travis and comes home with a promiscuous girl (who just had sex with Gage, because without Cassi he's sexually frustrated) and then KICKS CASSIDY OUT IN THE FUCKING SNOW AND SHE ALMOST FREAKING DIES BEFORE GAGE SAVES HER

(but later they're friends again, don't worry)

Gage beats Tyler up, Cassi and Gage get together, butterflies poop rainbows and puppies fly. This should be the end, right? It's been a long ride, anyway.

NOPE, BECAUSE THESE BOOKS JUST DRAG THIS SHIT OUT. Pages and pages and endless chapters of absolutely nothing happening except Gage and Cassidy fuzzy and sexy time - WAIT I HAVE SPOTTED A DRAMA LLAMA, CASSIDY YOU STUPID BITCH, GET OVER YOURSELF BECAUSE HE HAS SEX WITH OTHER GIRLS TOO, NOT YOUR PURE WHITE VIRGIN ASS -



Finally, Cassidy leaves Texas and goes back home because her house has burned down, killing her stepfather and mother, who left her a suicide note and an 'apology' . She also meets detective Connor Green (he's achingly handsome!), with who she has a 'connection' with.

Connection: in less than two weeks, Cassidy is making out with Connor (wait, I thought she had a boyfriend?) and going on and on about how she lurvs Gage, but Connor just understands her because he's been abused too, and oh, why can't she just have the best of both?



Anyhow, she goes back to Texas, has a lot of sex with Gage in the house that they bought together, and then Connor comes back to confess that he 'needs' Cassidy ("I need you,") but she brushes off the horny son of a bitch and tells him to go home. Then, like the rabbits they are, Gage and Cassi screw in more sexy places. Like on their kitchen island.

Watch out, innocent children! Stay out of that kitchen!

Cassidy and Gage get married less than two months later because marriage is the most important thing in the world to them, and it must be done immediately. Who cares that Cassidy isn't even old enough to legally drink a beer? NO ONE, CAUSE LOVE MEANS MARRIAGE, RIGHT?

Then Cassidy gets stung by a scorpion and I finally was like HELL YES IS THIS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR? 

But, alas, she survives (what else?) and it turns out she's already preggers (saw this coming from a fucking mile away) and then suddenly it's years later, and Cassidy has her baby, and another baby, and she's pregnant with her third child. You find out she and her second baby almost died in delivery - her heart literally stopped and started again.


Hey, I used this guy in my TAKING CHANCES review!

But seriously? She had to almost freaking die? AGAIN? That is such crap!

Characters

Cassidy is like this Chihuahua I know called Fifi. She's tiny, stupid, and constantly shaking in fear for no reason. I have almost literally never encountered a heroine who was just so naive and empty and freaking idiotic. I wanted to grab her by the nonexistent balls and fling her around until the parts of her brain settled into the right places. Being apparently abused is not an excuse to be such a moron, because trust me: Cassidy does not act like an abused person (nor does she think about it), and Echo from PUSHING THE LIMITS was also abused and she is far from retarded.

Here she is, calling all these girls sluts and shit, and meanwhile she's playing three guys before adding a couple more to the mix.

She is also gorgeously perfect, and beautiful, and supposed to be the girl all the guys want (there are over seven guys that wuv her). Supposedly she's delicate, sweet, and soft-spoken, ALL THE GUYS get into a fight over her, and she's constantly being saved from attempted rape or assault because of how hot she is.

The reason for Cassidy not telling anyone that she's being domestically abused is ridiculous. It's not that she's afraid, or her stepfather and mother have convinced her that no one will listen, or that they've just plainly scarred her. She doesn't want them to 'take her away from Tyler'. 



I don't think she realizes that she is about to turn eighteen, and that they're not going to throw her in an asylum for the rest of her life. She's not going to loose shit.

And then, while Tyler shoves her onto a bed and starts kissing her roughly, I'M SO SERIOUS, they're like:

"Tyler, you know I love you!"
"But you don't. Not the way I love you. Romantically."*humps*
"Wh-what? But you only like me as a friend! I don't understand! *shoves his tongue down her throat*
"I want you!"
"Tyler, are you okay? We're just friends, and you know that."
*continues humping her*

You must be completely STUPID to not realize they don't like you as a friend anymore. And, hey, when a guy dumps you, it's way worse than being forced to have a sexual and romantic relationship with someone, right?

"It wasn't like my Tyler at all, and I was surprised by how much it hurt. It wasn't anything like when Gage broke my heart, but it still felt like someone had punched me in the stomach."

She annoyed me to no end, and the fact that not a single person gave a shit when she went around making out with everybody infuriated me. She was so dumb and plain, I just really, really wanted to bang my head against a wall.

Or, er, maybe introduce her to this guy:



But I'll spare you, Cassidy, because being head-desk-inducing doesn't deserve the fate you'll get with this American Psycho.

Gage is such a boring, possessive piece of plank wood. The only thing he was good for was sex and telling everyone that Cassidy was his property. I have nothing to say about him except that he needs to get his dick under control, because he got a boner every chapter or so looking at her. I will never call my friends 'darlings' again, because he completely ruined it for me and I hated his character, who always needed to pick Cassidy up and save her.

"I could claim you as mine."

WE ARE NOT SLAVES YOU ASSHOLE.

Tyler is a blackmailing, threatening, manipulative fuckface and the fact that his blackmail is completely written off and forgiven is despicable and disgusting. There was nothing attractive about all the shit he pulled and I hope he gets hit by a truck and dies.

Connor is boring and blah, and he has no respect for Cassidy, who already has a boyfriend. The other characters were bland and lifeless and bored the shit out of me. Cassidy's stepfather and mother were sickening people and I'm not sorry they both burned to a crisp.

I didn't connect with any of the characters and the development was awful.

Romance and Stuff

Don't even get me started on this bullshit. Gage and Cassidy are one of the fastest insta-love relationships I've ever read, and in between it's eye-rolling angst that I didn't care for.

All the people falling head over heels for Cassidy got really old, really fast. She's always complaining about everyone being in love with her, and it really. pissed. me. off.

"How was it possible to be so completely in love with someone but have this kind of chemistry with someone else at the same time?" 

Go on, Cassidy. Please. Keep on whining while you're making out with Connor. You're suuuuchhhh a likable character, so we don't mind your constant bitching!



Everyone in the story is a beautiful rich white person, and when Cassidy didn't have any money because her mother took it, guess what? SHE GOT DA MONIES FROM THE WEALTHY-ASS FAMILY OF TYLER AND GAGE, because no white people love story can have a lack of money to do the things they want!

There was not one black person in FROM ASHES, or any person that wasn't white, for that matter. 

And getting married in FROM ASHES is a must. It doesn't matter that they're still young and have a full life ahead of them. Marriage is the most important thing, and once that's over with, you can get pregnant and have a bunch of babies, and then you're allowed to live. Cassidy, like Harper, got pregnant before she was twenty-two, because children can't wait.

Writing

The writing in this is terrible. FROM ASHES has several transitions - one page, you'll be in present time, and the next, it's eight months later and you wouldn't even have realized it. There are way too many time changes and it needs to slow down.

On a scale of one to Snuggie, how unnecessary is most of the stuff in FROM ASHES?

More useless than an On/Off machine.

There is also so much useless, needless shit in these books that should've been taken out a long time ago. I thought this was what an editor was for? FROM ASHES should've finished when Cassidy started a steady relationship with Gage instead of dragging us by the hair for another two hundred effing pages of drama, stupid shit, and the epilogue. Leave something to the imagination, gosh! Stop giving your characters a complete future. 

Cassidy getting stung by a scorpion? ARE YOU SERIOUS? This should have been an extra scene edited out! It's not important to the story! 

I don't think McAdams realized how many times Gage's pants started tightening. It was ridiculous. That boy has some problem with his penis. It needs to be checked out. And I'm tired of hearing about Cassidy's whiskey/amber/honey/piss colored eyes. WE GET THE FUCKING POINT. WE KNOW.

And remember my rant about how people's eyes don't automatically 'darken' like a fucking lamp switch? Well, way more eye-darkening here! I'm starting to think they're all closeted vampires.


Damon Salvator, c'mon down, my sexy friend!

The dialogue was so choppy and the writing itself is simple to read, yet amateur and not good at all. Complete pain in the ass.

Wrap-up

I hated this book with a burning, fiery passion. It angered me and I hope that no girl actually admires Cassidy and decides to play all these guys while acting like an empty-headed bitch.

Oceana is a French-blooded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.

{Review} Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Destroy Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Format: e-book
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release date: October 2, 2012
Date Read: October 2 - October 3
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

For SHATTER ME

There is no hiding that I thoroughly enjoyed SHATTER ME, insane writing style and all. I have no regrets and it is not one of my guilty pleasures.

DESTROY ME tells the story of Warner right after the events of Shatter Me and right before UNRAVEL ME. He must overcome the possible threat of a rebellion in his sector, deal with the arrival of his asshole father, and try to quit falling every time he reads Juliet's journal find Juliet before she is found ... and severely punished.

But, the most interesting part of this series is Warner. His obsession with Juliet is undeniably fascinating and the way he sees things is disturbing... but you can tell there's more to him than what Tahereh lets on, and you get to see some of it in DESTROY ME.

He's cruel and terrifying, but there is a softer side to him, and seemingly, abuse from his father and his life has taken its toll on him.

The way he tells his story is in a very calculated, crystal-clear manner, unlike Juliet's run-on sentences, paragraphs of detail, and 'thoughtful' point of view.

I am not 'Team Warner', but he can identify with Juliet so well, and I think he understands her better than Adam does. All I could do was feel bad for him. Or laugh when he spent half of the book naked.

Overall, I liked DESTROY ME very much and look forward to the next installment.

Oceana is a French-blooded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.

{Review} Refuge by Carole Rummage

Title: Refuge
Author: Carole Rummage
Format: NetGalley e-book ARC
Publisher: Cedar Fort Inc.
Release date: November 13, 2012
Date Read: August 23, 2012 - August 25, 2012
Rating: ✭

Laney Lowell moved across the country to escape her past, not to fall in love.

But when she becomes friends with Gabe, a handsome artist plagued by a mysterious disease, she'll have to decide between facing his dark truth or walking away from him forever.

This thrilling romance is full of twists that will keep you guessing to the last page.

ARC supplied by NetGalley and Cedar Fort Inc. in exchange for an honest review.

"Hello, and welcome to another episode of Shove Insta-Love! Today, we have a jaw-dropping new world record - by page 21, and less than three conversations, Laney and Gabe are sickeningly and laughably in love with each other. Stay tuned for more groan-inducing interviews and critique!"



REFUGE is, quite frankly, a strange book. A terrible and strange book.

Laney, of course, is an orphan, like most young-adult heroines. She, of course, is absolutely gorgeous and completely unaware of it. Don't forget, she's moved to the tiniest town ever, that just so happens to contain a really hot, dangerous guy, who's keeping a huge secret. 

Sound familiar, my friends? The only thing that isn't cliché is that Gabe has a thick Southern accent, one that when reading, made me cringe. I hate reading accents, especially Southern ones. I don't know why.

REFUGE contains the most unrealistic, unhealthy, disgusting case of falling in love I have ever encountered. People do not fall in "love" the way Gabe and Laney did. Gabe meets Laney when he says her from a big, badass bear. In my opinion, the bear should've just eaten her and I wouldn't have to write this review.


That was mean. Sorry. not really.

I have no words to describe this 'relationship' between them after Laney goes home. 
According to Laney, they totally clicked and there's electricity and sparklies and omigod it just felt so right and he's so kind - I mean he saved her from a bear because she's a damsel in distress (even though she totally should've brought something since she's going into the motherfucking woods to see wolves alone) but it doesn't matter, why would it, because they're perfect for each other and stalking each other is normal and -

Shut the hell up.

Laney and Gabe basically become obsessed with each other that night, and Laney even goes as far to say she can't afford to fall for him because she already is, pretty much.



These people have known each other for less than three hours, and this bitch is thinking about falling for him. This was where I felt like chucking my Nook at the wall, which I know is an overused statement, but I really, really did. But wait - Gabe is no better, either. In fact, I'd say he's worse. How is that possible, you say? Here's a collection of quotes from these two stalkers (notice the page numbers):

"He'd felt a fierce protectiveness [...] because of her... Gabe, pg. 19"You have feelings for this girl. Strong feelings." Gabe, pg. 21"...would only increase his desire to be with her..." Gabe, pg. 22"Dad, I don't know if I can live without her. I don't even know if I want to." Gabe, pg. 100

The last quote made me want to cry. This is not normal. Gabe has been out with her, I swear, less than six times and he already wants to die if she's not there. Literally.

Don't forget, Laney:"Just thinking about him made her want to see him again and she groaned. She knew her heart really couldn't take more tragedy now, but he had made her feel so good-" Laney, pg. 21"She knew the Jeep was his. It fit him." Laney, pg. 28"She felt like she was whole when she was with him." Laney, pg. 32

You can assume that by page fifty, these two fuckas are 'in love' with each other, and you'd be right. At least, that's how Rummage wanted it to be. 

Laney and Gabe are also the most boring, plain, uninteresting characters I've ever come across. They're so dull, they're madefor each other. I can't say anything else about them except if people came in yogurt flavors, they'd be plain. Not even vanilla. Just plain with no sugar. Actually, I can say something about Gabe: EFF YOU FOR THINKING BMWS ARE RIDICULOUS. JUST, EFF YOU YOU.
There's not one character I liked, and I hated Matthew. I hatedhim.

Now, as for the secret disease that'll 'keep me guessing until the last page'...



S-s-secret? I'm actually giggling as I write this. As soon as their 'disease' was mentioned, I guessed it. Even the cover screams LOOK LOOK LOOK WHAT GABE IS CAN'T YOU SEE? OPEN YOUR EYES! In case you're still in the dark, Gabe is a... My Little Pony.

Surprised? I'm sure as hell not.

The writing is bad. I'm sure you've read books that's definitely missing the oomph factor in writing, but here's a single, glorious, sentence...

Suddenly, Laney realized she was hungry.

To end this review, I've asked Gabe and Laney for an interview. Please be aware that even though these sound exactly like the real Gabe and Laney, I can't say it is them because I'll get sued.

à l'action!

Moi: Bonjour! Today we have two guests, Gabe and Laney, from Carole Rummage's new book, REFUGE, which has received criticism for Gabe and Laney's relationship by various reviewers, including myself. We're here to ask them some questions.
Gabe: Good day, y'all.
Laney: Hallo.
Moi: I've been wanting to ask - what's one of the biggest things you love about Laney, Gabe, since you both seem very... bland?
Gabe: She sings along to music.
Moi: *frowns slightly* But... don't a lot of people do that? I know I do. 
Gabe: Laney does it special.
Moi: "Does it special"?
Gabe: Whateva', Grammar Nazi.
Moi: *eye twitch*
Laney: And I love Gabe because he's, you know, a tortured soul. And he's hot. His eyelashes... they're, like, light on the tips and darker at the ends...
Moi: Snap out of it, stupide.
Laney: How do you say th-
Moi: Enough! Gabe, did you ever find the werewolves that turned you into one of them? Did you even bother to look?
Gabe: Uh... no.
Moi: *disgusted* They're other werewolves! Perhaps you can learn from one of them, even if they turned you into the most unoriginal paranormal creature ever. You should be ashamed.
Laney and Gabe: But-
Moi: I'm done with you. Out, out, I say! *kicks out, then turns to camera* I'm sorry, dear audience, but I cannot deal with people like these.
Finis.

Oceana is a French-blooded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.

{Review} The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Format: Library Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release date: October 18, 2011
Date Read: February 26 - February 27
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

I didn't adore Shiver.

I didn't like Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie.
I loved THE SCORPIO RACES.

I'd like to praise Ms. Stiefvater for her writing. It's absolutely gorgeous; I've never seen anything like it. It didn't show as much as it did in SHIVER, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Kudos for coming up with such an interesting plot. If you know me, I love horses and paranormal. So, water horses + romance + Maggie = greatness. I loved the Scorpio Races, and the water horses, of course. Especially Corr. The ending left me screaming for more and at the same time at peace. Sort of like JK Rowling and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I loved the romance with all my heart. For those whom are fond of bad insta-love and making out the second they've met, look elsewhere. Sean and Puck didn't kiss until almost the end of the book, and pretty much didn't make a lot of moves on each other. It was a sweet romance, and seeing them fall slowly in love tore my heart to pieces and then sewed it back together.

The characters were extremely likable. For once, when Ms. Stiefvater says that Puck was pretty but nothing special, she meant it, and Puck didn't give a damn about what she looked like. She was a strong, bold character, and I fell in love with Sean from the first moment. Utterly quiet, mysterious, and a master horseman. *cough* I must confess that even though I'm a teenager, I had quite a thing for George Holly, the wickedly handsome, kind, and humorous late-thirty-year old American.

But it was a bit confusing. I think it was meant to be that way, but it made my brain hurt. I don't think this took place in the 21st century; I'd be thinking around the mid-1900s, where men like Holly were still respectable and dressed like that (not that I'm saying that men don't do that anymore, but I got a MAD MEN vibe from it). THE SCORPIO RACES took place on a fictional island, I assume. What did the capaill uisce do when they weren't on land? How did the US and other countries respond to these vicious, man-eating "water horses"?

But it was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Oceana is a French-blooded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.

{Review} Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher

Title: Stolen: A Letter to My Captor
Author: Lucy Christopher
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Chicken House Ltd
Release date: May 4th, 2009
Date Read: October 30th - November 1st
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

It happened like this. I was stolen from an airport. Taken from everything I knew, everything I was used to. Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. And he expected me to love him.

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back?
The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost. 

Stockholm Syndrome is a very interesting topic to read about. It's also a harder one to successfully execute. I could very well decide to write a book about Stockholm Syndrome but there is a 100% chance that I would fail miserably. It's true. But, there are some people who can do it successfully, like Lucy Christopher. I haven't read any other Stockholm Syndrome book, so perhaps my thoughts are a bit biased.

I have to admit, this isn't a perfect representation. I obviously have no experience with having Stockholm Syndrome but I don't think it works exactly like this. There was no build up. Gemma goes from hating him to loving him in a few days. 

Gemma tries to escape numerous times and declares how much she detests Ty all the time. Then, one day, something changes. She doesn't ever question her hatred for Ty before. And then suddenly, she adores him. It's kind of weird to be honest.

Characters

Gemma was an interesting character. I don't find her a very strong individual, but she wasn't weak either. She ran but gave up easily at the same time. The ending showed a stronger Gemma but I still wasn't convinced about her character personally. 

I don't think I hate her but I don't love her. In most reviews, I have three types of characters (and those three usually cover most). The three types are amazing, meh, and terrible. Gemma wasn't exactly likeable, relatable, or hatable. She wasn't meh because I did like her at times. I also disliked her at times. 


Ty was very likable and I hated him as well. He's very... Ty. Extremely likeable and detestable at the same time. He can be easily summed up with this gif.




I really don't need to say anything more about him because well, I already said everything I could. There are no other characters other then those two, because 95% of the book takes place in the middle of nowhere, completely isolated. 

Plot and Writing

Plot:
This is a very character driven story. The plot is very basic and does not involve any side plots or twists other then if you consider Gemma being kidnapped a twist. Which it isn't. The Stockholm isn't a twist because it's quite clear what this book it about.

The plot that is there is nicely written but paced too oddly. Sometimes I'm flying through the book and other times I'm just barely awake. A good 20% is Gemma complaining about her situation and thinking about how she should escape.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing. If you were kidnapped, wouldn't you try to escape or feel bad for yourself? With Gemma however, that's all she did. She really didn't do anything except for when she was escaping which quite frankly, bored me. 

Writing:
The writing was very descriptive and the feelings were very real. So real in fact that many readers found themselves falling for Ty *cough* Oceana *cough*. I was not included in this but I did start to like him. I guess the fact that I kept reminding myself that he freaking abducted a girl stopped me from loving him.

The writing was simplistic but perfect for the story that Christopher was telling. It wasn't overly descriptive or lyrical but sort of hazy and dreamlike. Everything felt dreamlike but real at the same time - if that makes any sense (which it probably doesn't). 

Likes and Dislikes

Liked:
- the atmosphere
- the characters
- the plot


Disliked:
- it wasn't very realistic Stockholm

Conclusion

 I did like the book, a lot in fact. But, I have to admit that the book isn't perfect, even though Oceana thinks it is. I do recommend it to everyone but with a warning - this book is very creepy.

Lisbeth is an American teenager who enjoys blowing shit up in videogames and discussing decapitation in great detail. She's also obsessed with Oceana, but you're not supposed to know that.