Beta by Rachel Cohn - Review

Elysia is a teen Beta - an experiment made out of a girl's clone...that died in order for Elysia to exist. One island developed out of perfection for the wealthy and elite.

One mission: for Elysia to serve in a household.

And she's NOT supposed to feel emotion. At all.

But what happens when this isolated world of utopia breeds secrets and underlinings of a life so rebellious, the society of the island will do ANYTHING to sweep it under the rug?

Beta was a brilliant idea! I really enjoyed getting such vibrant imagery from the gorgeous settings on the island, titled Demesne (Deh-MEZ-nay). Sounds like paradise, huh?

Well......

Rachel Cohn tugged at my heart with her unpredictable and often tear-worthy plot twists. Elysia is supposed to be the one without human-like feelings, but it turns out, she might be the ONLY one with unbreakable determination and a will to live. The last pages really built up and was soaked with vengeance and the thrills a possible sequel! At times, Elysia's skewed interpretation of the modern teenage lingo made her irritable and seem a lot slower than she actually was. Overall, I really enjoyed such a distinctive plot that is MADE for readers to drool for more.

Did I fail to mention there's a gorgeous hazel-eyed, lean and muscular, coffee-skin-colored surfer in this?

Yeah. :)

 x3.5!

September Book Haul - 2012

The books keep rolling in! It's time to prepare for the Austin Teen Book Fesitval!! :)

Anyone diving into these reads already? Anyone praying for one of these ARCs?

August Book Haul Pt. 2 - 2012

A vagabond decides to travel the world. Anything having to do with free young spirits and beautiful sceneries, I'm sold! (Originally a birthday gift to my 20-year-old sis!)

A boy that travels through time falls in love with a girl from the 90s. Smells like teen spirit.

A girl assassin fights for her freedom, having to defeat twenty-three killers! A girl and a fantasy kingdom! Perfect!

Mini August Book Haul - 2012

The time has come...and I know I haven't finished all of July's Must Haves but hey, I working on it. It's a hassle when you're mixing reading with writing.. (Shh! Don't tell anyone!)

Alrighty. So August has come as the most sizzling month of the year--100+ degrees here in dry-as-hell (literally) Austin, Texas. But with the crazy weather comes crazy good YA books! That's right! Here is my brand new list of my epically small haul that'll make you jolt with excitement!

Four savage-like and orphaned boys compete for the part of impersonating a runaway prince. Who will win? Who will fall back into a life filled with stealing and conning to survive?

A smart boy is asked to join a military academy to be used as the government's weapon. Sounds like a futuristic adventure to me!

Anyone already have these books? How have you enjoyed them? Anything in particular to look forward to? I can't wait to dive into these reads! August, here we come!

The Forsaken - Review

Orphan Alenna Shawcross thinks she will pass the Government Personality test in futuristic North America now called the United Northern Alliance, but she doesn't. In flashing moments, she's found herself banished and in the most dreaded and unlikely place on the planet: the Wheel, an island made to dump children who've failed the personality test, cut off from society to writhe and decay because of crimes they are likely to commit in the future if they mingled amongst the "normal" people long enough. So she is thrust into this world where there are two warring tribes and deadly decisions she has to make on a daily basis to keep herself alive! In a world of roaring allies, beastly enemies, and flying spears, there is bound to be questions in how all of this came to exist. Alenna slowly realizes she doesn't want to be another puny, terrified girl in the background. Instead, she's hoping to become the warrior that her village needs to conquer the rigged system, crack the codes, and team up with hot and rustic Liam to find a way off of the island. But how far will she go to claim freedom and who is she willing to lose in the process?

In an ultimate struggle of friendship, betrayal, enemies, and lies being spewed at her face, Alenna embarks on a never-before-read journey through the unknown, doing whatever it takes to seek freedom and uncover the mysteries of the UNA. Everything she's ever known about her parents will shift and everything she thought about the teenagers on the Wheel will forever be transformed.

Getting into the book, the first pages were already screaming up at me! My eyes were racing across the pages and I was thrown into this action-packed world. I promise, I was never offered a chance to actually rest while reading this book because something insane and attention-worthy was always happening! This book was stuffed with page-turning secrets and wars that pushed the book further into my "Best Reads of Summer 2012" list! It never failed to bore me and if you love a ton of action with surprising outcomes and an epic adventure through an island not one person can predict, then you'll be up for this book! While at times the drama within the story would be filled with immature dialogue and typical teenage romance issues, I fell in love with most of the characters and will never forget this book that took me on a journey and made me second-guess the kind of mind and heart it really takes to have hope no matter what situation presents itself! I picked up a ton of life lessons from Lisa M. Stasse and will never forget The Forsaken.

x4!