{Review} The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Eternity Cure
Author: Julie Kagawa
Format: NetGalley ebook ARC
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: April 23, 2013
Date Read: February 27, 2013 - March 3, 2013
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

ARC supplied by NetGalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review.

Someone help me pick up my jaw, please.

*points at jaw on floor* Yup, right there. Thanks.

Julie sure knows how to write a soul-crushing cliffhanger, doesn't she?

THE ETERNITY CURE was a book that I was excitedly looking forward to. I'm unashamed to say that I'm a Julie Kagawa fangirl, and though THE IMMORTAL RULES was a four-star read for me, I loved THE ETERNITY CURE even more.

It follows vampire Allison Sekemoto as she searches for her soulmate, PLEASE mentor, Kanin, who is being tortured by the bat-shit crazy vampire Sarren. Along for the ride are Jackal, a former vampire Prince who has a lot more in common with Allie than she originally thought, and her romantic interest Zeke, a human. But saving Kanin isn't the only problem on their mind: a new strain of The Red Lung has appeared, a plague that can kill humans and vampires alike.


But apparently Allie and her friends do.

THE IMMORTAL RULES moved at a very slow pace for me, but THE ETERNITY CURE was snapping its fingers in my face and not slowing down. It was very rapid, with a lot of action that I couldn't help but adore. It was split into three parts, just like its predecessor, but all the sections were intense - so intense, in fact, that I couldn't put THE ETERNITY CURE down until I forced myself to...

... at three in the morning.



Julie's writing is superb. If I'm going to be perfectly honest, her style hasn't changed one bit - but I'm glad that it didn't. First person, present-tense, with lots of detailing that Julie managed to rein in so it didn't get too purple and flowery. 

The characters in THE ETERNITY CURE were unbelievably fascinating, especially Sarren, the psychotic vampire even though I wanted to rip his head off for hurting Kanin. Fleshed-out and detailed, they had a personality to speak of and a story to tell. 

It's true that I didn't love Allison in this book as much as I did in THE IMMORTAL RULES. When it came to killing, most of the time, she was the same Allison I had fallen in love with. The merciless bad-ass Asian chick who accepted what she was and didn't argue with it. However, when she was with Zeke in THE ETERNITY CURE, she became a sappy girl that constantly whined about not being able to be with him because she was a vampire.

And it got annoying, really fast.

Zeke also got on my nerves, because his mind was constantly changing about Allie. One moment he'd push her away and tell her that they'd never be together, but in the next he'd try to convince her to run away with him. I didn't care much about him - at all, actually - though that might be because I'm kind of a Kallison shipper.



Eek, let me explain. 

Yes, I adore Allison and Kanin together, but only if they're not technically daughter-and-father. Allison, at times, referred to Kanin as her father, but she also mentioned that they weren't actually family. So, Allison, make up your damn mind.

Kanin and Jackal were my favorite characters in THE ETERNITY CURE. Kanin ripped my heart out and handed it back to me in pieces while I sobbed uncontrollably. His sweet, shy, and quiet demeanor made me fall in love with him, hard. Kanin is one of the most emotionally depressed and broken characters I've ever encountered, and all I wanted to do was scoop him into my arms and stroke his hair.

Because that's not creepy AT ALL.

Jackal was like the eviler, meaner, murdering, PMS-ing version of Grimalkin from Julie's other book, THE IRON KING. I couldn't love him after everything he did in the previous book, but he did make me laugh out loud a couple of times. Jackal was a very dynamic character, and seeing him change throughout the book - though he maintained his violent, cold personality - was amazing.

And can we talk about Chapter 13, please? Oh my gods, my heart was racing while I read it. The chapter gave me the middle finger and stomped all over me, screaming, OCEANA, PLEASE WATCH THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE SHATTER 

I adored THE ETERNITY CURE and I think a lot of people will love it as well.

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} 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} I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers

Author: Barry Lyga
Format: Library Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release date: April 3, 2012
Date Read: October 16, 2012 - October 18, 2012
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

What if the world's worst serial killer... was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

William R. Somerset should have been partnered with Jasper Francis Dent in Se7en.

By the way. Sorry, Jazz, but that is totally a serial killer name. 

I HUNT KILLERS is the story of seventeen year-old Jazz, the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, Billy Jazz, and his efforts to hunt down a new serial killer. As the bodies pile up, Jazz and his friends must work faster than ever.

I HUNT KILLERS is disturbing. It's gory. It's sinister. And it is freaking awesome. This is the kind of book that you're going to remember for a long time - the kind of book that will make you think about murders and deaths and these nutcases that do them.

I'm going to come clean here and admit that this book was the first horror-mystery-serial-killer book I've ever read. 

I know. Shameful.

But by no means was it the first anything I've seen about serial killers. It's strange, but I'm fascinated with the lengths unstable people will go to relieve themselves. It's sick, I know, but these things have always absorbed me. Se7en, the 1995 thriller starring Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, was so interesting and savage and I loved it.


It left me shuddering.

And I HUNT KILLERS left me with the same feeling . . . almost. To me, epic visuals will leave you shuddering more than a book. I know that makes me a horrible reader in some people's eyes, but I'm not gonna lie.

First off, these murders are grisly. If you're squeamish about blood and screws and painful murders in general, avoid this book. You might pass out. But for those of you who can stand it, by all means, go ahead. At first, the murders are flashbacks of Billy's victims recounted by Jazz. But eventually Jazz will begin seeing them himself, and then things get gruesome.

It's written well, and told well, with a well-thought-out plot. Italicized flashbacks of the things Billy would say to Jazz complete the mood.

"Wrapped my arms around her throat, Billy whispered in Jazz's mind. Just squeezed and squeezed..."

And even though the theme of I HUNT KILLERS is dark, there are spots of humor that left me with a small grin.

I figured out who the serial killer was in no time. I'm sure you will, as well - it's sort of blindingly obvious. It was too bad that the mystery wasn't very mysterious, because that could've made all the difference.

I didn't like Jazz. I didn't find him likable, or charming, or any of the words used to describe him. He was manipulative, cold, and I, yeah. I know. He's a sociopath, but Jazz was also so complex and conflicted, and his nightmares just ate him up. He was loyal to his friends and scary towards people he didn't like. I remain baffled at the fact that no one saw through his façade.

Billy Dent reminded me of Kevin Spacey. I know that's a eye-rolling confession, because, I mean, almost every sick serial killer reminds me of Kevin Spacey afterSe7en. But he had this twisted personality that completely reminded me of Spacey's character. There are no words to describe how horrible this piece of shit excuse for a human being is. He's scarred Jazz for life and has no regrets about it. He wants Jazz to go around murdering people like he does - continuing the "legacy". He. Is. Sick.



I can't tell you too much about the serial killer - The Impressionist - but I'll just say that there are actually people like him and real life and it's so sad. People like him need to be put down. I'm serious. It's frightening.

Jazz lives with his grandmother since Dear Old Dad is in jail and his mom is dead. This woman is delusional, mentally ill, and emotionally abusive towards poor Jazz. But some of the things she did cracked me up.

I loved Howie and Connie. They were both great side characters that took part in the story, not just to be there. Howie was so sweet and I hope he can live, uh, okay-ish with his type-A hemophilia. And Connie was such a strong, badass character. She matched Jazz and didn't take his crap. And guess what, guys? Jazz's girlfriend, Connie is black.



Wait, what?

When was the last time I read a young-adult novel with a black main character or love interest?

What's that again?

Oh, yeah. I've never read one.

I shouldn't have to be so incredibly excited with this concept, but I am! I've read over one hundred YA novels this year and not ONE of them had a black MC or LI. Connie being dark-skinned was incredibly refreshing, because, you know. Apparently authors are afraid to venture out of the all-white-population-in-small-towns genre.

That ending was creepy and eery and made me shiver. Cliffhanger alert, my friends.

All in all, I adored I HUNT KILLERS and I can't wait for the second book.

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} Taking Chances by Molly McAdams

Title: Taking Chances
Author: Molly McAdams
Format: e-book
Publisher: William Morrow
Release date: September 1, 2012
Date Read: November 2, 2012 - November 4, 2012
Rating: ✭

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family and emotions. Some she wasn't expecting yet, and others she never knew she was missing.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

Her first year away is turning out to be near perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything.

Spoilers for TAKING CHANCES

TAKING CHANCES remains one of my least favorite books of the year. I have never - never - been more enraged in a book.

I didn't finish reading it. I quit at about sixty percent and skimmed the rest. I couldn't bear to do it. I'm not brave enough. The book outraged me. You're going to be hearing a lot of these words, so prepare yourself.

Plot

Going to butt in here before I start writing and say that's it incredibly cliché and must've been done a billion times before. A lot of 'New Adult' books simply follow the same trend, but the only one I've found worth reading is EASY.

TAKING CHANCES follows Harper, an eighteen-year old who needs to be featured on Breaking Amish. She's homeschooled, lives with her father (she calls him 'Sir') on the base, and her best friends are a bunch of young Marines. 

She's basically missed out on everything girls her age should've at least done, and decides to go to college at San Diego State University to escape her controlled life. She quickly befriends her roommate - a kind-hearted promiscuous girl who's brother, Chase, is a hot underground fighter. 

After introducing Harper to Chase and Brandon (another fighter), Harper turns into a party-girl and ends up in the most ridiculous love triangle I've ever read with Chase and herboyfriend Brandon. A night of lustful passion ends up completely turning Harper's life around.

Basically, that means that Harper cheats on her boyfriend Brandon and has sex - twice - with Chase. Without protection, since she claims she doesn't care and just needs him. Now, darlings, what sometimes happens when someone has sex without taking a birth control pill or using protection?

Harper ends up pregnant. What else? Of course, she's shocked and sickened that she's knocked up. Meanwhile I'm just laying on my bed trying hard not to laugh. What the fuck did this girl expect? 

And while she's doing it with Chase, she actually has the fucking nerve to think:

"I wasn't meant to do this with Brandon."

AHAHAHAHA, what the hell is wrong with this woman?

The phrase "I love you" is used over one hundred and nineteen times, and over seventy of them are Harper telling Brandon and Chase she loves them - or Brandon and Chase telling Harper they love her, after they've learned she cheated on them.

Let that sink in for a moment.

ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN.

Are you kidding me? Every other page, it's SOMEBODY going on about how much they wuvvvvv Harper.



Throughout TAKING CHANCES, various women try to steal Chase or Brandon from Harper by sending nude pictures and such. One night, Harper finds Chase in bed with another woman and refuses to believe him when he tells her that he genuinely doesn't know what's happening. This is around the time when Chase and Harper are sort of planning to live together and get married for their baby and what not.

You'd think that Harper would actually wise up and realize that's she's surrounded by a bunch of jealous bitches who want to steal her popularity and her men, according to her, but she's too stupid to think for one moment. So the first thing Harper thinks when she sees Chase and the girl is:

"I recoiled at the thought of him asking me to marry him while he'd been cheating on me."

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

She has absolutely no right to fly into a rage because he'd "supposedly" been cheating on her. She did it, many times, and still has no regrets because she was "in love with Chase and Brandon", and apparently that makes it all better.

"I was more in love with Chase than I realized, but I couldn't live without Brandon."

That is the biggest load of bullshit I've read all year. 

And Chase actually ends up dying - so not expecting that - when he runs a red light and hits a semi-truck trying to prove that he didn't cheat on Harper. 

TAKING CHANCES continues with Harper's pregnancy and the aftermath of Chase's death. She turns to Brandon when Chase dies, and seemingly doesn't give a shit after that. Everything she does is supported by "Chase would've wanted this," when if I was Chase I would've been like this:



Harpy ends up getting married to Brandon at nineteen (or twenty, I forgot), and her child is born alongside Chase and Brandon's happy families. 

Two months after Chase died.

TWO MONTHS. His family got over it so quickly! And theyencouraged Harper to move in with Brandon as soon as possible, which makes no effing sense.

By the way, you ought to know that Brandon's family was not the least bit upset when they discovered she cheated on him and wasn't pregnant with Brandon's child.

Harpy gets knocked up ONCE AGAIN - this time before she's twenty-two, I believe, and Chase is referred to as "Uncle Chase" by Harper's children. This is wrong. Even if Brandon is the children's adopted father, Chase is not some random dead uncle - HE IS THEIR FATHER.

Characters

Harper "Harpy" (I call her that) is a disgusting hypocrite, and for someone who grew up under her father's thumb, she sure grows up pretty fast. Despite no previous sexual experience, of course she's amazing in bed.

Seems legit.

Obnoxious, unlikable, immature, naïve, snobby - this only begins to describe her. Everyone - and I do mean everyfuckingone - adores and loves and CHERISHES Harpy for reasons unknown to me. She gets away with everything, and people worship the ground she walks on. Every man who sees her falls head-over-heels in love with her, because she's supposed to be "perfect".

SPESHUL SNOWFLAKE.

She thinks of marrying both Brandon and Chase so often in such a short period of time it made me sick. One day she's in love with Brandon, the next she's making out with Chase and confessing her love, and then a week later she's telling Brandon how she won't be able to survive without him.

Apparently, she is the most beautiful girl anyone has ever seen, and the lengths taken to empathize her perfection are enraging and unreal. 

"[...] everyone said I was the cutest pregnant woman they'd seen. My legs and arms hadn't changed a bit, my hips were not even a fraction of an inch wider, the only difference was my chest and stomach [...] I looked like a normal Harper again... until I turned to the side or faced front."

Somehow I really fucking doubt that. You can't get pregnant, have the baby, and look exactly the same - like a petite Victoria's Secret model, mind you - the next day. It's impossible and incredibly stupid.

She calls every single girl who lays an eye on her two men sluts, whores, tramps, skanks - anything she can possibly make up. 

"I didn't recognize you without that tramp on your arm.""Go find another brainless bimbo to screw.""You really thought you could marry a whore?"“Oh I'm sorry, but I don't have any STDs. I'm not your type.” 

And I really hate saying this (trust me, as a passive feminist it pains me to write this), but if anyone is a slut, it's Harpy. Not because she wears short clothing or sleeps around without a partner, but because she bounces back and forth between love interests and leads them on. Being "in love" with the man you cheated on doesn't grant you a free pass to "it's fucking fine" land, you idiot. She does end up continuously cheating on both boys for weeks.

Plus, she keeps on claiming that her child is in her stomach.



I'm pretty sure I lost brain cells reading this.

Harpy spends most of her time feeling bad for herself (she should throw a pity party because she's a beautiful rich white girl with shitloads of guys in love with her, right? POOR HARPER AWWWW WHAT PAIN IN LIFE) and her woe-is-me attitude got annoying real fast. She even compared herself to Elena from The Vampire Diaries, which really was the last straw. How could this girl even begin to even- UGH. UGH. UGH.

Chase was a typical douchebag with absolutely nothing charming about him. He screwed girls on his couches, not his bed or even his room, because of course, they're too shitty for that. Chase was about as unsexy as you could get, and as typical bad boys do, he went mad without Harpy, and his favorite thing to do was preach about how "special" and "different" she was. He was possessive, controlling, and I absolutely hated him. He even tried to pull the "you-can't-wear-this" card on Harpy like Travis from Beautiful Disaster.



Brandon is dull, boring, and supposed to be sweet. Now typically, I'll always fall for a properly-written gentleman, but Brandon is just... plain. I don't know what anyone saw in him. And he was too nice to Harpy - trust me, if I found out she'd cheated on me, I'd be so much more upset. He forgave her so fast it was unbelievable. After all her crap he suffered through to discover she was pregnant with another man's child? I would've been pissed.



The surrounding characters blend together and have no importance in my mind. And everyone is rich and has money and faces no problems in freaking life except for love triangles and cheat-babies. Don't forget that every friend of Harpy's is stunningly beautiful, too!

Oh, and WHITE.

They're all gorgeous, rich white bastards with a billion people in love with them.

Writing

Simply put, terrible. Various commas were missing when they should have been included, the dialogue is very stiff and unnatural (I mean honestly. What teenager regularly uses the term 'oh my word' anymore?) the style itself was dull and odd, and am I the only one who doesn't see people's eyes darken?

I'M SO SERIOUS.

When have you ever seen a guy's eyes turn a darker color when they're angry or passionate? I have never seen this shit. Will authors please stop making character's eyes do crazy stuff that... isn't... real.


Yes, those are actually MY eyes from my vlog review of TAKING CHANCES. Make it a meme!

Unless they have an eye disorder or some funky disease, normal people's eyes don't darken on cue. Stop this stupidity. Seriously. Stop.

STAHP.

Wrap-up

This book made me very upset, most of all. I can't believe that Harper is probably an inspiration or something to people. Her life had a happy ending that she never deserved in the first place.

And look, I get it. There are books about cheating, and I'm not so furious at the cheating part of it, because, well... that's what it's about. People doing stupid things. I'm mad because the main character doesn't even think about what she's going to do, does it without regrets, and spends the whole rest of the book bitching, being a hypocrite, and blaming everyone else.

We should be able to sympathize but not like or forgive the main character when she does this, and we should feel for the men she cheated on. But TAKING CHANCES acts like it's not a problem to do these things.

In fact, it glorifies it. Teenage pregnancy? Check that, or check it twice, actually. Teenage marriage? Check. Slut-shaming? Check. Adultery? How about a check for that.

Unlikable characters, amateur writing, angering messages, selfless slut-shaming, an unoriginal plot make TAKING CHANCES one of my least favorite reads of the year. Or my life.

It practically screams YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE SO SCREW IT UP WHILE YOU CAN



"Taking Chances" = cheating on your boyfriend and getting pregnant, and basically causing the lover's death.

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.