Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Genre: Dystopian Young Adult
Release Date: 03/22/11
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Summary:

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb -- males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape -- to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
I was never really interested in dystopian Young Adult novels until I read the blurb of this novel. The idea behind this books was fabulously intriguing, and left me wanting to know more. I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this novel as much as I did, since it does not include any paranormal aspects. It was refreshing to read about viruses or genetics without it going down the zombie road. Although many parts of the novel were gruesome and uncomfortable it still felt real, like this could possibly happen in the future. The one part of this novel that left me wanting more detail was the world-building. Many aspects of what the world has become are only half-explained. We are told, as readers, that North America is the only continent left and that the others are underwater, but it is never explained how this happened. The weather was also a bit of a problem for me, being from Florida. The fact that it snowed during the winter and no one thought it was strange, or explain why it was no longer strange, left me wanting to know what happened to the planet to change the weather patterns. I was truly interested in why the author chose to make it snow in Florida, but with no explaination it feels like there was a lack of research. Hopefully these small issues will be address in future novels.

Pace: 4 Stars
Although the novel doesn't end with a cliffhanger, it still leaves you wanting the next novel immediately. The story has a conclusion, but there are still many loose ends that need to be tied in future novels. The story flowed very well. There were only a few parts in which the actions of some of the characters seemed repetitive. But it's only natural that life would get a little repetitive at the mansion, with so many constraints put on Rhine and her sister wives. While I guessed the ending of the novel about halfway through, the events leading up to the ending were a complete mystery full of twists and turns.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
My favorite part of this novel was the well developed characters and their relationships and actions. I grew more attached than usual to Rhine and her sister wives. Rhine was a very deep characters. She had many layers that she tried to balance. It was very interesting to see how she handled the situation at the mansion, especially when things stopped being so black and white. Cecily was interesting because she gave you a glimpse into what Rhine's life could have been if her circumstances had been just slightly different. Jenna was often kept to herself, but she was there for Rhine when she needed her. I really enjoyed learning more about Linden, their new husband. Not everything is as it seems in regards to Linden, which makes the story more complex. I enjoyed Rose for the short period she was in the novel. Gabriel and a number of the maids and cooks gave a bit of humor and humanity to the story right when it was needed. The father-in-law was very creepy, although I would've liked a bit more detail into his experiments.

Cover: 4 Stars
This cover is absolutely gorgeous. The cover model is styled to perfection. Although this hairdo didn't make an appearance within the novel, it's very eye catching and fits my image of Rhine. The cover model does a great job of conveying the emotions of the novel, really drawing you in. You want to know why she looks so sad. The birdcage, on the other hand, confuses me a little. Although it could be symbolizing the fact that Rhine is trapped throughout the novel, it just left me waiting for a bird or birdcage to be introduced into the plot. Maybe I'm a bit too literal sometimes. My favorite aspect of this cover is the geometric designs around the title, author's name, and cover model's head. This theme is continued throughout the novel with these shapes appearing at the corners of the page, near the page numbers. The colors of the cover were also great choices. The different tones work well together, and the pink used for the title stands out in a great way.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure.

Review: Chime by Frannie Billingsley

Title: Chime (ARC)
Author: Frannie Billingsley
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 03/17/11
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Summary:

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
This story had a lot of potential: Briony being one of very few to see the Old Ones in the swamp, causing her to think she's a witch, the spread of the swamp cough because the swamp was being drained. But the lack of action in the story left a lot of things underdeveloped. Briony mentions a number of Old Ones throughout the novel. Only a few are described in any detail, and only one or two actually make an appearance. There was also a lot of dwelling in the past on the part of Briony. She has flashbacks of the fire and the flood that took place at their house, and then brings them up multiple times throughout the novel. Even without the flashbacks, time moved very oddly within this novel. There are points in which a week is spread over a couple chapters, and then it would jump a few months forward. The story was enjoyable, if a bit confusing at times, but I just feel like there were some elements that could've been expanded on to make it better.

Pace: 3 Stars
This novel was a very slow read for me until around the last five chapters. I will admit, that I got the flu in the middle of reading this novel and took about a week off (from reading in general), but before and after being sick, I still had issues with the pace. I believe part of my issue was the way the characters talked. It took a number of chapters before I was comfortable understanding the dialogue and narration. There also seemed to be a lack of action in numberous parts of the book. There was a lot of talking and thinking and flashbacks, but not as much going on in the present. My biggest problem with the pacing was that after a story that took its time to unravel, the ending seemed very rushed and disjointed, and left me a bit confused.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Briony was a very strange character. I often had trouble understanding her internal dialogue because she talked in circles and repeated herself. She believed she was a witch and could see the Old Ones in the swamp. Her twin sister, Rose, was the complete opposite of Briony, but I feel like her character wasn't included enough in the story. Briony often talked about Rose and what she didn't like, but Rose herself wasn't in that many scenes. Eldric was a very interesting character. He seemed to understand Briony's illogical way of talking and acting, and the two of them started a "Bad Boy Fraternity" together. A number of the adult characters seemed a bit removed from the story, especially Briony and Rose's father. Their stepmother, on the other hand, is only mentioned in the flashbacks due to her passing, and it seems like Briony dwell on these scenes and repeats a lot of her exchanges with her stepmother for the reader.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
My favorite part of this cover is the tree branches draped across the cover model. They look like hands that are trying to grab her, which really resonates with the story. They also give the cover a darker, mysterious feel. Across the bottom, there are also a trail of what might be stars or glitter that makes me think of magic. The cover model was a good choice for Briony, although the necklace she is wearing is not relevant to the story. Normally, I wouldn't comment on clothing or accessory choices for a cover model, but my eye is drawn immediately to the necklace which leads me to think it's important. So it's a tiny letdown when something like that doesn't come into play. The monochromatic browns and tans of the cover really fit the mood of the book, but the sky blue title contrasts with the brown a bit too much.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this novel from Authors on the Web.

In My Mailbox (80)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

First off, I'd like to apologize for not posting all week. It was a bit of a slow week blog-wise (two reviews planned, only one of which I got to), and it was also a crazy week work-wise. Second, I want to announce that I'm extending the April Fools Giveaway another week. So go leave a comment if you want a chance to win Lover Mine by J.R. Ward (link at the very top of the page). Now, onto the mailbox.



Bought:

Shady Lady by Ann Aguirre [Buy now]
The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore [Buy now]
Deadworld by J.N. Duncan [Buy now]
Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon [Buy now]



Bargain:

Memories of Envy by Barb Hendee [Buy now]
The Season of Risks by Susan Hubbard [Buy now]
Magic on the Storm by Devon Monk [Buy now]
Magic at the Gate by Devon Monk [Buy now]
Armed & Magical by Lisa Shearin [Buy now]

Review: Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Title: Dead Witch Walking
Author: Kim Harrison
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 04/27/04
Buy the Book:

Summary:

The underground population of witches, vampires, werewolves -- creatures of dreams and nightmares -- has lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But after a genetically engineered virus wipes out a large part of humanity, many of the "Inderlanders" reveal themselves, changing everything.

Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter with the Inderland Runner Services, is one of the best at apprehending supernatural lawbreakers throughout Cincinnati, but when it comes to following the rules, she falls desperately short. Determined to buck the system, she quits and takes off on the run with an I.S. contract on her head and is reluctantly forced to team up with Ivy, Inderland's best runner... and a living vampire. But this witch is way out of her league, and to clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crime lord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death... not to mention her own roommate.

Plot: 3 Stars
Being very late in starting this series (book one has been on my TBR shelf for around two years), I had high expectations after all of the praise and love I've seen online. It almost pains me to say that I found this book to be a bit disappointing. There was a lot of potential, but also room for improvement. This novel included a number of things that I really enjoyed: an interesting way that the paranormal came out of hiding, paranormal creatures that aren't as widely used in UF (such as leprechauns and pixies), and unique details about the spells that Rachel Morgan puts together. But there were also things that I didn't enjoy as much. A number of aspects to the story seemed repetitious. There are only so many times Rachel can be afraid of Ivy, and she seemed to use the same basic plan numerous times. Plus, it was a bit confusing as to why the I.S. would take a contract out on Rachel. It's explained that it has happened, but I never quite understood their reasoning. All in all, despite these flaws, I will give book two a chance to see if the series improves.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
I feel like about one hundred pages could've been stripped from this novel and it would've read much smoother and more concise. There just seemed to be so much detail about every little thing. There were also a few points that I refer to as info-dumping, in which Rachel bombards the reader so much information about the world. This was a very slow read. It took a bit longer than average to get into this novel, and it also had a couple moments where my attention waned for a bit before being drawn back in. The repetition seemed to play a part in the slow pace as well.

Characters: 3 Stars
Rachel was an interesting character, although she seemed a bit jumpy. I liked the details included about the spells she crafted, but I felt like a bit of her history was missing. It seemed like there wasn't enough information about her past to allow the reader to truly understand her motivations. Hopefully, future novels will give a better glimpse. Ivy was even more mysterious than Rachel. I feel as if I didn't learn anything about her or her motivations. At some points, it seemed like she was there solely to keep Rachel slightly frightened at all times. Jenks was by far my favorite character. I don't think I've even read a book with pixies before, and after reading this book, I think there should definitely be more pixies in Urban Fantasy. He had spunk, he had attitude, he had a sense of humor. Plus, his loyalty to Rachel and Ivy was very strong.

Cover: 3 Stars
Although the outfit Rachel is wearing on the cover is accurate, she wears in on a job in the very beginning of the novel, it doesn't fit her personality or what she wears for the majority of the novel. I liked the detail put into the handcuffs on her belt. The charms on the handcuffs catch the eye, and are also described within the novel. The mansion in the background looks a bit scarier than the feel of the actual mansion within the novel. The only thing about the cover that I do not like is the brushstrokes that stand out, that tell you it is a painting. Normally, something artistic like this would be a positive thing, but since the rest of the novel include photographs of a cover model instead of paintings, it leaves this novel to stand out and not match the rest.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received this novel as a gift.

In My Mailbox (79)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.



Library:

River Marked by Patricia Briggs [Buy now]
Not pictured because my girlfriend is currently reading it.

Bought:

The Werewolf Upstairs by Ashlyn Chase [Buy now]
Wither by Lauren DeStefano [Buy now]
The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe [Buy now]
Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz [Buy now]