Bookalicious // a ya book blog

May 7, 2015 by Bianca Leave a Comment

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me

Series: The Juliette Chronicles
Book Number: #1
Author/s: Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 11th, 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 338

Purchase: Amazon | iBooks | Booktopia | The Book Depository

Synopsis:

~~I have a curse~~
I have a gift

~~I am a monster~~
I’m more than human

~~My touch is lethal~~
My touch is power

~~I am their weapon~~
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touchedanyone 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 colour.

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.

First of all, by the Angel, Tahereh Mafi can write! I have never read a book, written from a first hand perspective, in which the character changes what she believes she needs to think, as a real human does.

Throughout the duration of Shatter Me, Juliette was one of the most humane, inhuman people I have ever met. I don’t know whether I can put this in words to make it sound as beautiful as it truly was, so here’s a passage from the book:

“I am a raindrop.
~~My parents emptied their pockets of me and left me to evaporate on a concrete slab.~~“

Juliette knew that this was the harsh reality, yet it was deemed socially unacceptable for her to think it. In this world, she was not allowed to think what she wanted to.

One of my favourite quotes in the entire book, was actually on the blurb. I thought that it truly showed the transition of Juliette transforming into a powerful woman, rather than just a follower. She knew she was not human, but it was not bad. She knew that she could kill with one touch, but it could be used for power, as well.

“~~I have a curse.~~
I HAVE A GIFT.
I’m a monster.
I’M MORE THAN HUMAN.
My touch is lethal.
MY TOUCH IS POWER.
I am their weapon.
I WILL FIGHT BACK.”

This was the part in the book when Juliette valued her life, and it was marvellous.

Now, can we talk about this edit of all of the covers (so far) and how AMAZING it is?

I mean, *clears throat*

tumblr_n6ggweTTdL1qm9mpuo1_500

LOOOK AT THAT!!!

And despite all of the hate on the old cover, I thought that it was quite symbolistic, in the sense that she was beautiful, with her hands hidden.

Old Cover

My best friend recommended that I read Shatter Me not too long after reading Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki. It’s taken me a few months to get my head around to doing it, but I finally did and I do not regret it, at all!

Before flipping through this wondrous piece of awesomeness, I read a few of the reviews my favourite book bloggers had written (as well as a couple from Goodreads) and I came to the realisation that you will either adore or despise Shatter Me.

Unfortunately, this is the part where I discuss some of the not-so-great aspects of the book…

Damn…

In year five, I wrote a story about a poor girl, dying from starvation, being saved by volunteer workers. This girl lived in the midst of a poverty-ridden country and did not have access to clean, fresh water.

I wrote about the water – brought by the volunteer workers – being as abundant as a large waterfall’s supply but I got marks deducted because this girl would have no clue what a waterfall would look like. Ever since, my eyes have been looking for mistakes such as these, because they do ruin the ‘authenticity’ of a novel.

Shatter Me fell under the scrutiny of my judgement, and I found a few instances in which Tahereh Mafi had made Juliette speak – with clarity – about things that she had no idea about.

I also found the first few chapters of Shatter Me to be quite tedious to read. I thought that nothing was truly explained, with exception of the mental state of Juliette, and no events occurred. My advice is to tread through this part, and then you will enter the astounding world of ~~Adam,~~ superpowers, revolutions and deviously adorable enemies.

What did you think of Shatter Me? Thoughts on Adam?

May 6, 2015 by Bianca Leave a Comment

Book Tour: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I am so excited that An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir was released earlier this week, and I get to share the news, along with a special introduction from Sabaa, herself!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Sabaa Tahir, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed copies of the book and some of those awesome sword letter openers we’ve seen around courtesy of Sabaa, Penguin Teen, and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

A Letter from Sabaa Tahir

Dear Readers,

Today, my “baby” AN EMBER IN THE ASHES is finally out in the world! From inception to pub date, this journey took eight years. And what a journey it was: writing, rewriting, revising, editing, querying, submitting; Meeting other debuts, bloggers, booksellers and librarians, and hearing their thoughts on EMBER.

There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the radness.

And now, the book is here! I am so excited to see it in the hands of readers. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. To celebrate release day, I’m giving away two signed, first-edition hardcovers of the book. Details below!

All my best,

Sabaa

Title: An Ember in the Ashes

Author: Sabaa Tahir

Publication Date: April 28th, 2015

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 464

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Synopsis

Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a
Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her
brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the
empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel
Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering
deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

Check out the book trailer!

About Sabaa:

Sabaa Tahir grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s 18-room
motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her
brother’s comic book stash and playing guitar badly. She began writing An Ember in the Ashes while working nights as a newspaper editor. She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks and all things nerd. Sabaa currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a signed hardcover of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES. US Only

3 winners will receive a hardcover of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES and a Sword Letter Opener! US
Only

Ends on May
9^th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 5, 2015 by Bianca Leave a Comment

Book Tour: Suspected by Rori Shay

This is my stop during the book blitz for Suspected (#2) by Rori Shay. This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 20 April till 3 May, you can view the complete blitz schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

So far this series contains 2 books: Elected (The Elected series #1) and Suspected (The Elected series #2). The Elected series is about the environment and environmental change and what can happen after climate change. It’s about a girl pretending to be a boy for the good of her country. Fans of Mulan will love this series.

Title: Suspected

Series: The Elected Series
Book Number: #2
Author/s: Rori Shay

Publication Date: April 22nd, 2015
Publisher: Silence in the Library Publishing

Pages: 270

Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo Books | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Synopsis

East Country upheld the laws. Mid destroyed them.

In the year 2185 Earth is rebuilding after a global eco-crisis. Countries maintain complete isolation so there is no warfare over scarce resources. One Elected family is chosen to lead each country for 100 years to ensure stability. Women aren’t allowed to take office and must reproduce at all costs. Technology use of any kind is banned to preserve what’s left of the environment.

And yet, I’m my country’s Elected. I’ve just sanctioned technology use to ready us for war. I’m about to cross the border to spy on our neighbour. And…I’m a girl. Shhhhhh…..

You can find Suspected on Goodreads

About the Author:
Rori Shay is a strategic management consultant living in the Seattle area with her family, black lab, and cat. In the writing world, Rori is primarily know for her science fiction trilogy, The Elected Series. She enjoys running, reading, snow-shoeing, pumpkin-picking, and right now…writing the third ELECTED novel! Rori is also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

You can find and contact Rori here:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Suspected. This giveaway is open to USA and Canada residents only. These are the prizes you can win:

A Kindle eReader
Signed Copy of Elected by Rori Shay

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 5, 2015 by Bianca 6 Comments

Review: Suspected by Rori Shay

Yesterday, I posted my review for “Elected,” by Rori Shay which is the first book in this series. Here is my review of the brand new sequel, for your enjoyment.

Title: Suspected
Series: The Elected Series
Book Number: #1
Author/s: Rori Shay

Publication Date: April 22nd, 2015
Publisher: Silence in the Library Publishing

Pages: 270

Purchase: Amazon | Kobo Books | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Silence in the Library

Synopsis
East Country upheld the laws. Mid destroyed them.

In the year 2185 Earth is rebuilding after a global eco-crisis. Countries maintain complete isolation so there’s no warfare over scarce resources. One Elected family is chosen to lead each country for one hundred years to ensure stability. Women aren’t allowed to take office and must reproduce at all costs. Technology is banned to preserve what’s left of the environment.

Yet, I’m my country’s Elected. I’ve just sanctioned technology use to ready us for war. I’m about to cross the border to spy on our neighbor. And…I’m a girl. Shhhhhh…..

I received this eBook as a part of a book tour, hosted by Lola’s Book Tours.

As soon as I finished the wonder that was Elected, I flipped to Suspected and couldn’t stop reading. Elected filled me with fear, laughs and a sense that something was not right. Suspected backed this up.

Thanks to Red Queen, I now have a chronic Don’t-Trust-Any-Characters illness and it definitely had a presence whilst reading Rori Shay’s books. The Technology Faction was too calm, Vienne was too perfect and Mid Country was too advanced.

Suspected left me longing for Perfected, the not-yet-released finale to Shay’s touching trilogy. That cliffhanger was uncalled for.

Throughout Elected and Suspected, I enjoyed the confusion and self doubt running through Aloy’s head at every moment. She was always scared that what she did wouldn’t be good for the greater mass of her people, yet she refused to allow the minorities to continue being silent. In Suspected, she was presented with Mid Country’s awful to-be leader, Calix, which created contrast and something for Aloy to compare herself to. This boosted her sense of righteousness and created a stronger leader out of a person whom was denied the right to leadership because of her gender.

Aloy’s relationships with Vienne and Griffin were unique. On one hand, Vienne was literally made for Aloy however Griffin was meant to be her enemy. From the moment I met Griffin until the moment I die, I will ship Aliffin to Pluto and back again.

Suspected was the opposite of Elected in the sense that Aloy did not see herself and the Elected family as the enemy – but as the hero and voice of the people they ruled. I personally thought it was interesting reading about a girl who overcame her self esteem ‘issues’ (I say that in the lightest sense) and turned into a woman who came to understand that her presence prevented the real evil from murdering thousands of innocent civilians.

In certain parts of Suspected, I felt like the writing was just average, and all I wanted to do was skim through the tedious descriptions. It almost created, yet another, reading slump for me, but then it picked up again towards the end.

In conclusion, I cannot wait to read Perfected, and I would love it for you to share your thoughts and opinions on Rori Shay’s works with me via the comments below!

May 4, 2015 by Bianca 2 Comments

Review: Elected by Rori Shay

Hello! A few weeks ago, I signed up for a book tour for Rori Shay’s new book, “Suspected.” It’s the sequel to this book and it going to be released very soon! This is my review of the first novel, “Elected,” so I hope you enjoy.

Cover Title: Elected

Series: The Elected Series
Book Number: #1
Author/s: Rori Shay

Publication Date: April 8th, 2014
Publisher: Silence in the Library Publishing

Pages: 270

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository| Booktopia

Synopsis

It’s the year 2185, and in two weeks, Aloy will turn eighteen and take her father’s place as president of the country. But to do so, she must masquerade as a boy to avoid violating the Eco-Accords, four treaties designed to bring the world back from the brink of environmental extinction. Aloy hopes to govern like her father, but she is inheriting a different country. The long concealed Technology Faction is stepping out of the shadows, and as turmoil grows within her country, cryptic threats also arrive from beyond their borders.

As she struggles to lead, Aloy maintains her cover by marrying a woman, meanwhile battling feelings for the boy who knows her secret—the boy who is somehow connected to her country’s recent upheaval. When assassination attempts add to the turmoil, Aloy doesn’t know whom to trust. She understood leadership required sacrifice. She just didn’t realize the sacrifice might be her life.

I received this eBook as a part of a book tour, hosted by Lola’s Book Tours.

As soon as I received Elected, I rushed to open it up and begin reading. I was so eager to read a book that dealt with today’s issues in the future and I was definitely impressed.

Rori Shay created a world which had been destroyed by climate change, ruled by sexism and left for dead by disease. She created characters that played with your trust – twisting it in some places, and warmly embracing it in others. In this aspect, I regarded Elected as a Red-Queen-Kinda-Novel, and then there was this:

Screen Shot 2015-04-18 at 3.01.33 pm

For any readers that have read the above post, or something along those lines, and really want to read a book written from the perspective such a person, Elected is the perfect book for you.

Aloy sincerely believes that the Technology Faction – a group of people rooting for the use of technology, once again – is bred out of pure evil. However, in their own eyes, Aloy is the real enemy and you have no idea who to trust…

Despite having loved the plot of Elected to Pluto and back, I felt like the execution was merely average, which is disappointing.

Screen Shot 2015-04-18 at 3.25.21 pm

I guess that sums it up. The “eventfulness” of Elected was just bleh. I felt like too much time passed and too little happened. Regardless of whether or not that’s what would happen in reality, the novel could have scored itself another ice cream if I jumping up and down, scared for the characters throughout the entire story – rather than in bits and pieces of it.

I loved the plot and characters*, the writing was above average – 3 1/2 ice creams – and the eventfulness was average. I would recommend this book to lovers of Red Queen, Branded, Divergent, The Hunger Games and Graceling.

*Griffin

Would you buy Elected, if you saw it in a shop? Or have you read it already, if so, how was it?