Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Kaniesha Mini Reviews: Rush, Sacrifice, The Witch Hunter


I haven't done mini reviews in a while but here are three! The problem with my thoughts on these: I don't feel passionately enough about them to elaborate more. Trying to come up with 600+ words for them is nearly impossible for me. I really like the latter two but they're pretty solid minus a few discrepancies I have with them. Read on, my friends!

Title: Rush
Series: The Game #1
Author: Silver Eve
Release date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genres: action, dystopia, aliens
Rating: dropped
Goodreads

As it tends to go with me, I’ve wanted to read Rush since I first saw the cover. I love it! My favorite color is blue, of course I was drawn to it. Unfortunately, a majority of reviews I saw for it were not nice. I’ve been avoiding it for that reason entirely. I kind of wish I had continued to avoid it, because it’s really disappointing.

At no point did I begin to like any of the characters in the story. I understand they’re under a lot of pressure but passive aggressive arguments and humor laced with anger don’t make a good story. One second she hates everything that’s going on and wants nothing to do with it, and then the second she’s glad to be there because it ~makes her feel something~. All the elements of the story just don’t add up for me and it’s annoying.

The main character’s mother died, so she’s suffering from depression. That makes sense. It’d be more odd if she wasn’t. But it’s such an odd detail/characteristic and I can never figure out what Silver wants to focus on. They’re in a weird game where they’re fighting for their lives. They’re in groups of teams but they’re supposed to only be looking out for themselves. They have some idea of what they’re doing, but not much. Apparently only the love interest knows what’s going on. He’s special, with his aviator glasses. The other two boys are there as comedic relief and potential love triangle add-on respectively. The main character is semi-okay with all the things because she doesn’t have a choice, plus she might be special like love interest.

I don’t know. It’s such an odd book and I really couldn’t get into it. Rating: dropped. I got about halfway through and I didn’t find out anything interesting. Last thing I read, they were crawling through tunnels for 37 hours or something.

Title: Sacrifice
Series: Elemental #5
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Release date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Genres: action, urban fantasy, supernatural
Rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads

I received a copy of Sacrifice from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
As with Rush, I’ve been avoiding reading this one. But for a near exact opposite reason. I really didn’t want to finish the series. Just plain didn’t want to finish it. I didn’t want to let go of the Merrick brothers. But all good things must come to an end!

In the end, I was kind of underwhelmed by Sacrifice. I don’t know if it’s because I took too long waiting to read it or if the story just didn’t end with quiet enough bang, if you get what I mean.

The whole series is done so well in this high school drama sort of way, which is awesome because so much YA doesn’t have the intense emotional current underneath the way these do. It’s kind of emotionally exhausting to read these but not in a bad way, it’s just so weird. I might’ve already mentioned this in my Secret review.

Even though Sacrifice follows the format of the rest of the series - with it only following one Merrick brother - it just feels like the ending shouldn’t have been the same, or that another book should be following Sacrifice with all of the Merrick brothers having a POV in it. Hearing all of their voices for the ending would’ve made it amazing because there was a huge lack of all of them together in the story. Great ending but definitely not as stunning as it could’ve been.

Title: The Witch Hunter
Series: The Witch Hunter #1
Author: Virginia Boecker
Release date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Genres: action, witches, magic, high fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads

I also received a copy of The Witch Hunter from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!

I absolutely enjoyed The Witch Hunter. I just love books like this where there’s a combination of castles, fighting, kick-ass girls and romance. Not that this one only contains those things, there’s also magic and corrupt wizards! As you might’ve guessed by the title.

Based upon the description and the cover, I was honestly prepared for this one to be a lot darker and a bit more tragic. It’s got that whole dark persona thing going on. It’s actually not like that at all and it’s kind of refreshing. The tone of voice that the main character has is kind of light and fun, even if a bit whiny at times. The whole story is more amusing than it is serious and intense. Of course, It does have its somber moments - complex stories really can’t not have them - but they’re smooth and don’t stick out too bad.

I’m not sure if I have a problem with the main character, Elizabeth, but sometimes she comes across flat. I really don’t mind her voice/tone but a lot of the time it feels like she’s letting everyone else come up with the ideas of what to do. It’s really just up to whether or not she agrees. There’s nothing wrong with being passive, but I wouldn’t peg that characteristing onto the main character.

All of the side characters are nice but if you’re hoping for more than a few of them to have significant roles, slow down. A lot of them get pushed off by the end of the story, or they just help Elizabeth out with this or that. It really is the Elizabeth Show so get your tickets!

Riveting story though, and light enough to not feel like you’re getting yourself into something too deep. I really look forward to continuing the series!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Kaniesha Reviews: Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham


Title: Scarlett Undercover
Series: Stand-Alone
Author: Jennifer Latham
Release date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Little Brown
Genres: contemporary, action, mystery
Goodreads
Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic, kick-butt, Muslim American heroine, ready to take on crime in her hometown of Las Almas. When a new case finds the private eye caught up in a centuries-old battle of evil genies and ancient curses, Scarlett discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks -- and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father's murder.

Jennifer Latham delivers a compelling story and a character to remember in this one-of-a-kind debut novel.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Kaniesha's April 2015 Roundup


Finished:
Bloodwitch by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes Rating: 4/5 stars
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski Rating: 5/5 stars
Fake ID by Lamar Giles Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Scarlett Undercover Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Shadow, Shadow by V.B. Marlowe Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour Rating: 5/5 stars
Everneath by Brodi Ashton Rating: 5/5 stars
Gates of Thread & Stone by Lori M. Lee Rating: 5/5 stars

Started:
Rush by Silver Eve

Still Reading:
None!

Dropped:
Elfin by Quinn Loftis
One word: bleh

Acquired:
When My Heart Was Wicked by Tricia Sterling

Our posts from April:
Kaniesha's March 2015 Roundup (Posted late.. woops)

Reading Challenge Update:
Flights of Fantasy: 13/25
Dive Into Diversity: 4/12
Debut Author Challenge: 4/10
Fairytale Challenge: 1/5

Summary:
I have read a LOT of books this month! I mean, eight's not a lot to other people but it is SO many to me. Possibly too many but I am really on a roll! The month started off okay, went a bit downhill but then it got great again! Fake ID, Scarlett Undercover and Shadow, Shadow were some weird books to read but they were alright. Click my Fake ID review for more of my thoughts on that one. I still haven't made too much headway into the Fairytale challenge, and right now I'm realizing I might've guessed on the fantasy one. I thought I read a LOT more fantasy but I don't know what I actually consider fantasy. I mean does high fantasy count? Why does it count? I don't know. It's pretty vague to me, really. So I'm just up to 13 by my own definition. How was everyone else's April? :D

Monthly Releases: May 2015


As of August 2014, Monthly Releases is a way for Heather and Kaniesha to spotlight their anticipated books for the upcoming month instead of the weekly Waiting on Wednesdays.

Kaniesha's:
     

Woohoo! Three of my favorite authors are releasing new books this month. I am beyond ready for Crimson Bound. I'm convinced Rosamund Hodge is flawless. Now, I LOVE Sarah to tiny bits and pieces but from what I've seen of A Court of Thorns and Roses.. I'm not exactly intrigued. I tried reading the three chapter preview a few months ago and granted, I read it on a night where I was not at all happy but the writing style seems a lot different than what she usually does. We'll see, I guess! Kasie West and Susan Ee = will likely not disappoint. Tiffany Schmidt and Naomi Novik will be new authors for me but I DID get the arc of Uprooted on Netgalley so look forward to a review soon :D

Heather's:
 

*Many apologies for not having books last month. I thought I had one, but someone on GR mucked up the release date so I thought it came out THIS month. >_>* I greatly enjoyed Life After Life, so I'm really looking forward to A God in Ruins. And ofc, I'd read anything Libba Bray put out!