[#4] Book Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me 

(Shatter Me #2)

by Tahereh Mafi

Summary

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Review

Unravel Me… I really loved the first book of this trilogy so I was very excited to finally read this one. In Shatter Me: I’d loved it, plain and simple while in Unravel Me: I’d loved it and hated it at the same time, it’s just so complicated. It made me feel like throwing the book away yet made me so eager to know what would happen next. Thought, they have this comparison that I couldn’t ignore; they both left me quite speechless…

If I would to choose the character that resembles me, it would be Castle, because like him, I am so disappointed with Juliette. I expected too much on this book and I’m a little disappointed with how it went. I mean, the book and writing of Mafi was incredible, it just that Shatter Me was so good and I expected this to be much more.

The flow of events was surprising, annoying yet lovable. It’s like fire and ice with this book. And I loved it for it brought out some hidden emotions in me. Surprising, there was a lot of events that made me stand and say “OMG! I didn’t see that coming!” There were a lot of revelations that’s so amazing and mind-blowing. Then, there’s annoying, it has everything to do with the characters. Juliette, you know how I feel about her. She and Warner got some kind of schizophrenia; it’s hard to figure them out. Adam, I’m in love with him! He and Kenji were the lovable part.

The love triangle had been so pronounced now. I think I’d liked it better when there’s not too much of it. They’re starting to do that ‘blindly in-love’ thing just like all the other YA book around. I’d never been subtle in my last review that I first fall in love with it because it’s different and it has no blindly-in-love thing going on.

All in all, it’s still a really great book that’s worth reading even though it gave me some headache XD Mafi is incredible.

How much I loved it?

4 Hearts

[#3] Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me 

(Shatter Me #1)

by Tahereh Mafi

Summary

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Review

Shatter Me… Wow! I hope that would be enough to describe this book because that’s how it is, it sort of makes me so speechless, it’s just WOW! I love this book!

It’s a dystopian novel and I’m actually surprised that I’d liked it since I have some history with not liking similar genre with this book, so you can say that I read this book on trial and I’m so glad I did. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I kept imagining Resident Evil 5(minus the zombies), which I also loved so much. That’s my first hunch for liking it. Secondly, because it’s sort of a little poetic. The narration of Juliette was awesome! Third, it’s so mysterious, the mystery on what’s going to happen kept the excitement going from start to finish. It’s one of those novels that can blow you mind away when you finally realized the secrets and stories behind the characters. Lastly, I love the characters; they were not like the usual reads of mine which goes like--one of the leading role’s completely powerful and the other one’s completely hopeless and the love between them was not so blinding which was a breath of fresh air to me.

I can’t wait to read the next series of this novel. The ending kind of made sure that I’ll never be going to sleep peacefully without reading the next one!

How much I loved it?

4.5 hearts

[#2] Book Review: A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

A Kiss in Time

by Alex Flinn

Summary

Talia fell under a spell...Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic...
I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!
Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels...The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

Review

A Kiss in Time… It was an incredible retelling of sleeping beauty played by Jack and Talia. It was quite intriguing to me even though we all know how the original tale goes. Flinn just couldn’t be content with the ‘girl-has-been-cursed, needs-a-kiss, happy-ending’, concept, and I’m glad she’s like that. It was really great to discover that Flinn found a way to make it surprising (again:D).
The twist and turn on the plot was really amazing and entertaining, as well as the characters. Talia and Jack: they were just so sweet and cute. And believe it of not, I love the witch!

20th century could really be challenging for girls born on the 17th century. I’d looked forward on how she would react and adjust with everything especially when she only had one hostile help. In the end I found that I really like this book!

                                    How much I loved it?

3.5 hearts

[#1] Book Review: Warprice by Elizabeth Vaughan

Warprize 

(Chronicles of the Warlands #1)

by Elizabeth Vaughan

Summary

SHE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN HER PEOPLE AND HER FREEDOM...

Xylara is the Daughter of the Warrior King, Xyron. With her father dead and her incompetent half-brother on the throne, the kingdom is in danger of falling to the warring Firelanders.

Before she was old enough for a marriage-of-alliance, Xylara was trained as a healer. She can't usurp her brother or negotiate a peace--but she can heal the brave ones injured in battle.

But not only her countrymen are wounded, and Xylara's conscience won't let Firelander warriors die when she can do something to save them. She learns their language and their customs and tries to make them as comfortable as possible, despite their prisoner-of-war status.

She never expects that these deeds, done in good faith, would lead to the handsome and mysterious Firelander Warlord demanding her in exchange for a cease-fire. Xylara knows must trade the life she has always known for the well-being of her people, and so she becomes...

The Warprize

Review

Warprice... the book brought me to another world which came along with ALOT of confusion (in a good way) which is mostly why i enjoyed this book. First, the story was new to me (haven't read another book with the same plot before) so i never knew what to expext which really rarely happens to me since many other books tended to have the same plot. That's what gave readers like us(me) a new experience and excitement. The flow of the event was unexpected, it actually suprised me in some point.

Second, i can feel the character, it was easy to relate with. It was like I'm the one living with all the strugles and all of those mix emotions. I salute the author for having exellent writing skills.

Lastly, there's just not a single dull moment.

How much I loved it?

5 Hearts

Poems [#5] : The Path I'd Taken

The Path I'd Taken

I'd been on the world of falsehood
Driven by threads woven by citizens,
Mesmerized by those connected hands,
Never bothering to question its rightfulness.

Years of duty without understanding
Years of crawling in a foggy path
Years of denying the sight of wisdom
Delivered by voice as warm as a mother's hug.

A hurricane shattered my brittle ball of glass,
Breaking every piece of me in every chance
Leaving me hating, blaming and cursing
until the foggy path turns to dark endless one.

Long, long agony with no one to hold on
Making me numb like an old and cold stone,
A misery filled with nothingness
Contained inside a little icy bottle.

But my blood can never be contained,
It spilled out and I'd known how to cry,
After years of numbing torture,
Who would have thought that all I needed was to cry?

I cried and cried until i just want it to end,
But a light suddenly gotten hold of my heart,
Never wanting to let go and give up on me,
Saving me from falling on the cliffs.

Touching me with love and care,
Making me forget of how I'd been,
Miraculously sewing back the pieces,
Healing every torn in my heart and soul.

The light taking me out of darkness,
Giving me complete blissful shine,
Fogs completely cleared-out,
Dark completely forgotten.

Here I stay with my savior
Who never had and never will abandon me
Here i live and cheries the very essence of my existence
Forever with Him, my beloved Savior and God.

-Samantha A.

Poems [#4] : Agony

Agony

When your hideout felt like a battlefield,
Where would you go?
When everything was taken and no more to yield,
What was left to do?

When your dwelling made no home,
Where do you stay?
When escape was only on tomb,
Where would you run away?

When your friend was your murderer,
To whom would you call?
When even love couldn't be your keeper,
To whom would you hold during your fall?

I wanted to fly for I am a falcon,
But you see me as a sheep
With no power to carry on,
Only to be chained on your rusty keep.

I wanted to touch the sky,
To feel the air beneath my wings,
And to make you see with an open eye,
But I couldn't bring myself to stop its shakings.

My fear burning me,
Your hands kept hurting,
My tears drowning me,
My mind rebelling.

-Samantha A.

Poems [#3] : Life of a Loner

Life of a Loner

I'm a loner,
That's what they say,
Though, I don't care
For I live just for myself.

No words can hurt,
No wounds bring pain
But silent hugs
Shows how broken I am.

Smiles to hide,
Silence to masked,
Shell to protect
The fragile part of me.

A reflection
I saw one night,
Reveals the past
Of how I used to be.

Then I wondered,
Is it myself?
Seems it's long gone
For I can't remember.

How these happened?
Changes that great,
A mystery
That I shall find answers.

A walk in past
Show real smiles
Of that one girl,
Yes... she is the old me.

Reality
Came over me,
These are changes
Cause by my fearful heart.

Afraid of pain,
Scared of loss,
Fear of sadness,
Frightened by rejections.

Hopes to find
In bleeding heart,
Hoping to see
The part willing to love.

Taking chances,
To become brave
Or be cautious,
Which one I must choose?

You're a warrior,
Take some risk,
To win or loss
Which ever, just give your best.

You're a princess,
Shield by high gates
Never hurting
For you're concealed by fear.

Time to decide,
Warrior with risk
Princess so safe,
Tick-tack, as time goes by.

To fight, to love!
That's what I chose
No care for end
Just walk on road of life.

Now I smile
I see the world
Full of beauty,
Wonderful! I know now.

-Samantha A.