{Book + Movie Review} The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Pages: 216
Release Date: August 14, 2012
by MTV Books

Goodreads / Purchase

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his year yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sidelines forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

This is a very special book.  It’s unlike any book I’ve ever read, that’s for sure.  It’s more serious, it’s got older issues, and it’s deeper.  It’s books like these that are the hardest to review because there are so many unique and different things about them.  This book had absolutely gorgeous writing, and the voice for the whole book was very – I’m not sure how to explain it – childish, but at the same time very teenaged and serious.  I know that probably doesn’t make any sense, but it’s the only way I can think to describe it.  The story line was very interesting, and the story was heartbreaking but uplifting at the same time.  For me, the ending was really sad because I was hoping for everything to turn out differently, but it also seems like the right ending for the book.

When I come across these kinds of books, I can’t help but compare them to Silver Linings Playbook.  I’m talking about problem books with messed up characters who do messed up things.  YA needs some imperfect characters, and I feel like this book was full of them.  Charlie is very shy, has very little self-confidence, but is also very adorable, in my mind, and a very nice kid, and the perfect narrator for this story.  Patrick is gay, confident, but also messed up because of the things that he does (like getting drunk or high or something.)  Sam is the same way.  She’s very confident, very sure of herself, but also, at least in my opinion, very vulnerable and weak under all that.  And she makes the same mistakes as Patrick.  As a whole, the cast is very unique, and perfect for this book.

This book didn’t absolutely blow me away, and it wasn’t my favorite, but it was enjoyable, and it had a serious undercurrent, and I can’t wait to watch the movie adaptation of it.

2 stars

Movie Review:

Release Date: October 12, 2012
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rating: PG-13

Trailer / IMDb

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is based on the wildly popular novel by Stephen Chbosky about a freshman named Charlie (Logan Lerman) who is always watching from the sidelines until a pair of charismatic seniors takes him under their wing. Beautiful, free-s pirited Sam (Emma Watson) and her fearless stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller) shepherd Charlie through new friendships, first love, burgeoning sexuality, bacchanalian parties, midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the quest for the perfect song.

Even though I thought the book was okay, I really liked this movie.  It was really sad, really depressing, really awkward, and really crazy and inappropriate, but it was good because there need to be movies like that out there.  I think it was a great adaptation of the book, probably because Stephen Chbosky directed it himself.  So, even though some things were different, for the most part it stayed true to the book, and I think it was very well done.  The lines and events were very well done, and the actors did a really great job.

I think the casting was done very well for this movie, and I think the actors played their parts perfectly.  Emma Watson as Sam was very good, even though at times I thought her American accent sounded a bit Irish, but oh well.  She was how I imagined Sam, for sure, and Emma did a great job.  Logan Lerman as Charlie was also very good.  He played the pathetic, shy, adorable, sad Charlie that I imagined perfectly, and he really put a ton of emotion into the movie.  And also it doesn’t hurt that he’s pretty cute.  And then Ezra Miller as Patrick was very good as well.  His personality was great, and his spunk and confidence really showed through in Ezra’s acting.  Great job cast.

I think the movie might actually be a bit better than the book, which doesn’t happen very often for me, but the great acting, movie making, and screenwriting really made this movie special.

3.5 stars

{Review + Giveaway} Revel by Maurissa Guibord

Revel
by Maurissa Guibord
Pages: 339
Release Date: February 12, 2013
by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Goodreads / Purchase

There’s an island off the coast of Maine that’s not on any modern map.

Shrouded in mist and protected by a deadly reef, Trespass Island is home to a community of people who guard the island and its secrets from outsiders. Seventeen-year-old Delia grew up in Kansas, but has come here in search of her family and answers to her questions: Why didn’t her mother ever talk about Trespass Island? Why did she fear the open water? But Delia’s not welcome and soon finds herself enmeshed in a frightening and supernatural world where ancient Greek symbols adorn the buildings and secret ceremonies take place on the beach at night.

Sean Gunn, a handsome young lobsterman, befriends Delia and seems willing to risk his life to protect her. But it’s Jax, the coldly elusive young man she meets at the water’s edge, who finally makes Delia understand the real dangers of life on the island. Delia is going to have to fight to survive. Because there are monsters here. And no one ever leaves Trespass alive.

*A copy was provided by Delacorte Press for review purposes*

“I tried to tell you it dangerous here.”

“I thought you meant like rocks and big waves, Gran.  Not whatever this is.”

Yep, that about sums it up!  This book has one of the most original and unique ideas I’ve ever read.  I don’t know if there’s another book out there quit like this one.  The writing really drew me in, and it was so eerie and eloquent, and I couldn’t stop reading.  I really liked how the story line and events flowed together, and how the author let the readers learn the secrets of the island as Delia did.  I really love all the twists and turns in this book, one in particular.  I’m not going to go into too much detail, but there was kind of a double twist, and I saw the first one coming, but not the second one, so I’m really glad that Maurissa Guibord took it that step farther.  Really the only thing I didn’t like about this book was the ending.  In my opinion, the ending is supposed to be thrilling, interesting, and tie up all the loose ends.  Guibord set the book up perfectly for an awesome ending…and then just whimped out.  She could have totally done a thrilling ending, and I’m not sure why she didn’t, but the option was there, and it didn’t happen.  Also, towards the end of the book, there was a way too-easy solution to a certain problem (not going to go into detail), and that really kind of annoyed me as well.

There was kind of a semi love-triangle in this book, but I liked how it worked out.  Delia didn’t go between the two guys, she just stuck with one, and I really appreciate that.  She was attracted to one in the beginning, then met another, and stuck with him, so she wasn’t, by any means, playing them.  Even though Sean was pretty nice, I was Team Jax, and I’m glad with the choice she made.  Delia was strong, smart, nice, and not what she seemed to be.  Jax I didn’t feel like I got to know well enough, like he wasn’t as developed as Sean.  But, other than that, he was a pretty solid character.

I’m pretty sure there is going to be a sequel to this book, but if there is I think I would read it.  The writing, idea, and story line completely pulled me in in this book, and I can’t wait to see what Maurissa Guibord comes up with next!

3.5 pink flowers

~Giveaway~

~There will be one winner

~Giveaway ends on February 27, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is US/CAN

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering and may the odds be ever in your favor!

The Essence Blog Tour Stop

Hello lovelies!  Today I am participating in The Essence Blog Tour, hosted by Shane @ Itching for Books.  Today I have an awesome review for you, SO LET'S GET STARTED!!! :D

The Essence
by Kimberly Derting
Series: The Pledge #2
Pages: 352
Release Date: January 1, 2013
by Margaret K. McElderry

Goodreads / Purchase

“Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

The Pledge

by Kimberly Derting

Series: The Pledge #1

Pages: 323

Release Date: November 15, 2011

by Margaret K. McElderry

Goodreads / Purchase / My Review

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

*A copy was provided by Simon & Schuster for review purposes*

After reading the first book in this series, The Pledge, I was pretty excited to read this one, since the first book ended with a lot more to do.  I feel like this book, while not as good as The Pledge, was still a great continuation of the series.  The Pledge was just a bit more exciting and had a lot more going on, because Charlie had to figure things out and overcome things and meet one special, hot guy ;P.  But I did think that this book was pretty good overall.  The writing was superb, the story line flowed flawlessly, and the changing in the point of view really added to the story.  The ending, while not really awesome, was still pretty good, and everything came together really flawlessly, there were no plot holes, and everything made sense.

This book was mainly focused on two characters, but they’re not the characters you would think.  Charlie and Brooklyn starred in this book, and while I like Charlie because she’s nice and smart, I REALLY like Brooklyn because she’s totally kick-ass, snarky, pretty, and fierce, and I love that!  If you guys can’t tell, I like kick-ass girls.

So, even though this book wasn’t very thrilling or exciting, I still really enjoyed it because of the writing, story line, and the characters!

3.5 pink flowers

~Get to know Kimberly Derting~

Bio:

Kimberly is the author of the BODY FINDER series (HarperCollins) and THE PLEDGE trilogy (Simon & Schuster). She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the ideal place to write anything dark or creepy...a gloomy day can set the perfect mood. She lives with her husband and their three beautiful (and often mouthy) children who provide an endless source of inspiration.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

~Follow the Tour~

January 2    Obsession With Books *Guest post

                       Young Adult Book Haven *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       The Fairytale Nerd *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       A Dream Within A Dream *Review

January 3    Read-A-HolicZ *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       FireStarBooks *Interview

                       Chapter-by-Chapter *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       GingerRead Reviews *Review & Author Spotlight

January 4    Chocolate Coated Reviews *Review & Favorite Quote 

                       Walking on Bookshelves *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       Jessabella Reads *Blurb & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

                       What the Cat Read *Review

                       Coffee, Books & Me *Blurb & Author Spotlight

January 5    For the Love of Films and Novels *Guest post

                       Moosubi Reviews *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       Book Belles *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                       Lili's Reflections *Review

January 6     Some Like It Paranormal *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                        Mostly YA Book Obsessed *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                        In Wonderland *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                        Berds Fly *Review

                        Snowdrop Dreams of Books *Blurb & Author Spotlight

January 7     Splash of Our Worlds *Interview

                        Basia's Bookshelf *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

                        Paranormal Urban Fantasy Reviews *Review & Author Spotlight                        

                        A Reading Daydreamer *Blurb & Author Spotlight

                        Books Over Boys *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

January 8     Abbey Ann's Bookland *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

                        The Starry-Eyed Revue *Review & Author Spotlight                        

                        Tsk Tsk What to Read *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

                        YA Between the Lines *Review

                        For Those About to Read *Review

January 9     Confessions of a Vi3tBabe *Review & Author Spotlight

                        Citrus Reads *Review & Dream cast (blogger's choice)                        

                        Vivalabooks *Review

                        Book Nerd Canada *Blurb & Author Spotlight

January 10   Qwerty *Guest post

                        GrowingUp YA *Review

                        Emily's Crammed Bookshelf *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

                        Reader Girls *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

                        Michelle Shouts Random *Blurb & Author Spotlight

January 11  Letters Inside Out *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

                       Book Haven Extraordinaire *Review

                       Bittersweet Enchantment *Review & Dream cast (blogger's choice)

                       ***Singing and Reading in the Rain*** *Review

                       Daydreaming Bookworm *Blurb & Author Spotlight

January 12  Finding Bliss in Books *Interview

                       Michelle & Leslie's Book Picks *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

                       Books Live Forever *Review & Excerpt

                       In Between *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

                       Just A Book Lover *Review
                       Compelled By words *Blurb & Author Spotlight

Review: Touch of Death

Touch of Death
by Kelly Hashway
Series: Touch of Death #1
Pages: 229
Release Date: January 15, 2013
by Spencer Hill Press

Goodreads / Pre-Order

Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

*A copy was provided by Spencer Hill press for review purposes*

Even though I’ve heard of books like this one, this is the only “my kiss/touch can kill you” book I’ve ever read, and I must admit, it was pretty decent.  I really loved how Hashway got right into the story from literally the first sentence, and then kept the non-stop action going from then on.  The idea was really good and original, and the writing was good.  I do feel like around the ending of the middle/the beginning of the end of this book Hashway got a little sloppy, and the story suffered for it.  Her writing became choppy, and it was like she was trying to make it fast-paced, but didn’t write it correctly.  Also, there was a bit of a twist concerning the romance, and when I read about it I literally groaned because the story was so good up until that point, and then it got so clichéd afterwards.  But other than that, this was a really great book.  I loved the twists and turns and the romance.  The ending was also really good.  Sometimes authors make it too sudden, or they make it too easy, but in this book Hashway wasn’t guilty of either of these things, so props to her.

This cast was relatively small – two characters – but I really enjoyed reading about Alex and Jodi’s story.  Alex is just awesome – funny, smart-ass, cute, nice, and sexy.  He really cracked me up, and most of the book I was like “why aren’t your real?!”.  I also really liked Jodi.  She was feisty, smart, kick-butt, and also smart-ass, so they balance each other off nicely.

Even though there was a twist I didn’t like and some choppy writing, this was an action-packed, fast-paced, kick-ass book with a freaking awesome cover, so I ended up really enjoying it.

3.5 pink flowers

Review: Deity

Deity
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Covenant #3
Release Date: November 6, 2012
by Spencer Hill Press

Goodreads / Pre-Order

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden. If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome. But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed. Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

*A copy was provided by Spencer Hill Press for review purposes*

Note: There are a few spoilers in this review, but they will be marked off with brackets [ ] to signify them starting and ending. I would suggest you don’t read those parts unless you've read this book, or you just don’t care about spoilers.

Even though there were some similarities to Vampire Academy in the first to books of this series, as it progresses it starts to draw away from the VA story line and follow its own.

One thing that Armentrout has been very consistent in with this series is she always gets right into the action. This whole series is pretty much non-stop action, and I love that. I like being entertained. The writing was really good, as usual, and there were a ton of funny parts that I laughed at. However, there were a few problems, and they all had to do with the story line:

[[Problem #1: In Pure Alex goes to the Covenant headquarters and sees a servant there who isn’t doped out with the elixir like the rest. Armentrout mentioned the servant several times. And then, in this book, it turns out that he is Alex’s father. Now, the second Armentrout introduced him, I knew he would be Alex’s father. It might just be that I’m exceptionally smart, or it could be that it was kind of obvious. However, I didn't see the next big shocker that was a result of him being Alex’s father, so props to Armentrout for that.]

[Problem #2: In this book, Alex and her guardians were talking about the gods and why the Apollyons were created. It’s a really imaginative idea by Armentrout, but her reasoning behind it isn’t rock solid. Apparently, the gods didn't want an uprising, so they called all their kids (the pures) and those who didn’t come were killed. But, they completely forgot about the halfs (the product of pures and mortals). So they created the Apollyons to keep the halfs in check. What I don’t understand is why, when the gods figured out they had forgotten the halfs, they didn't just kill them then. It was a huge plot hole, and Armentrout failed to correct it.]

Because of those two plot holes, I didn’t like this book as much as the others, but it was still pretty good by its own rights. The story line was really good, the staging was really good, and the ending was really good. I loved that Armentrout did explain some things at the end that didn’t make sense in the beginning. Also, she ended the book with the biggest freaking cliffhanger in the history of all cliffhangers. I felt like screaming!

I said in my review of Pure that I was totally Team Seth. Well, sorry Seth, Aiden is my man! And whoo-weeee, is Aiden ever smokin’. He is so sexy and kick-ass and cute and nice and gosh…I can’t even find the words to describe him I love him so much. Go Aiden!!
Yeah, I’ve completely fallen of the Seth bandwagon. Any ground he gained in Pure he totally lost in this book. I know despise him with every fiber of my being. He’s mean, abusive, a jerk, and a manipulator, and I hope Alex kicks his butt for me.
Alex is pretty much the only one I didn’t do a complete 180 on. She’s still kick-butt, big-mouthed, and funny.

This book had a ton of things going for it, with action and romance (*fans self*) and AIDEN (*fans self and then faints*) but because of two HUGE plot holes, I unfortunately have to lower my rating. But Armentrout better get the fourth book out asap or I swear I will die from the suspense. DO YOU REALLY WANT THAT ON YOUR CONSCIENCE, ARMENTROUT!?!?

3.5 pink flowers

Review: Through To You

Through To You
by Emily Hainsworth
Pages: 272
Release Date: October 2, 2012
by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads / Amazon

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

*Huge thank you to Montana @ The Book Belles for sending me an ARC of this book!*

Coming into this book, I was a little nervous. I’ve never read a contemporary book from a guy’s point of view, so I didn’t think I would like it very much. But I ended up enjoying it.

I’ve never read a book like this before, and it was a good introduction to the genre. It was kind of contemporary/sci-fi, and that’s an extremely imaginative idea, so I really appreciate that. The writing was really good, as was the story line. Several things that happened I didn’t see coming at all.
If you are looking for a light, fun read I wouldn’t recommend this one, because let me tell you, it’s sad. One problem that I had with this book is the world changing. It took me a while to understand which world Cam was in. It was also kind of slow-paced throughout, but other than that it was pretty good.

In this book, Hainsworth kind of portrays Viv as not such a great person. I’m sure that in the real world Viv is really nice, but in the alternate universe she’s really mean. I can understand why Hainsworth makes her out to be like that, but I didn’t particularly like it.
Cam is a really good character, I think. I’m actually surprised how much I liked him as the main character. And seriously, I felt so bad for the guy.
I also really liked Nina. She’s my favorite character of the book, and with good cause. She’s smart, grounded, and a good person. Go Nina!

This book has an ending that can only be called a “Happily Ever After” ending, and I’m so glad. For a debut, Hainsworth did an excellent job.

3.5 pink flowers

Review: Envy by Elizabeth Miles

Envy
by Elizabeth Miles
Series: Fury Trilogy #2
Release Date: September 4, 2012
by Simon Pulse

Pre-Order / Goodreads

The Furies are back in the second book of a chilling paranormal trilogy where revenge rules the day—and “sorry” isn’t going to cut it. Spring is coming, and the ice is slowly melting in Ascension…revealing the secrets buried beneath.

     Emily Winters knows the Furies have roots in Ascension, Maine—but she’s about to discover that they’re deeper than she ever imagined. With the help of her new friend Drea, she vows to dig them out. But it’s hard to focus when she’s desperate to make up with JD, and to figure out why Crow, a mysterious Ascension High dropout, seems to be shadowing her.

     Meanwhile, new girl Skylar McVoy is determined to leave her own dark past behind. So she’s thrilled when popular Gabby takes her under her wing, and the stunning and sophisticated Meg offers to give her a major makeover. But everyone knows what happens to the vainest girl of all…

     It’s tempting to be naughty. But beware: the Furies are always watching, and their power grows stronger by the day.

*A copy was provided by Simon Pulse for review purposes*

Contains minor spoilers.  They will be marked with [ ] 

I have a policy that when I read the first book in a series and hate it, I always read the second book to give the author another try. That is what I did with this series. The first book, Fury , I didn’t care for at all, but this book was a huge improvement over it.

I think what made this book so much better than Fury was the fact that the story line was already established and explained. [In Fury, we had to figure out that the furies were tormenting people who messed up, and Miles did a very poor job of explaining it to us. ] In this book, we already understood everything about the furies, so we weren’t like, “What the heck is she talking about?” like in the first book. Furthermore, the writing was significantly better than in Fury . I liked how Miles used to furies to stage events and drop hints throughout the book too.
The idea was really good too. It kind of reminds me of Pretty Little Liars (you know how A knows all their secrets? Well, in this book, the furies know all their secrets).
The one thing though that was kind of see-through was Em, or, to be more specific, what she was. Either I am a super genius and able to know everything, or it was pretty obvious (I’m not saying anything else because I don’t want to give you guys spoilers)

This was a very interesting cast of characters, and I liked most of them, but the one that I didn’t like was Skyler. In the beginning I felt really bad for her, but as the story progressed she turned into a (I know I don’t usually swear, but I have to this time) bitch. She took advantage of the fact that Gabby was so nice to her. She was sneaky, kniving, and just repulsive.
On the other hand, I really liked Gabby. Even though she was super popular, she was still really nice, and I love that Miles wrote her that way. Even though she didn’t have much to do with the actual story line, she still played a pretty big part in the book.

I am so glad that this book was better than Fury . Miles has finally learned how to build the plot and stage events, and she improved her writing a lot. I can’t wait for the next installment.

3 1/2 pink flowers

Review: The Wild Queen

The Wild Queen
by Carolyn Meyer
Series: Young Royals #7
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Release Date: June 19, 2012

Goodreads / Amazon

Mary Stuart was just five years old when she was sent to France to be raised alongside her future husband. But when the frail young king dies, eighteen-year-old Mary is stripped of her title as Queen of France and set adrift in the harsh world, alone. Determined to reign over what is rightfully hers, Mary returns to Scotland. Hopingthat a husband will help her secure the coveted English throne, she marries again, but the love and security she longs for elude her. Instead, the fiery young queen finds herself embroiled in a murder scandal that could cost her the crown. And her attempts to bargain with her formidable “sister queen,” Elizabeth I of England, could cost her her very life.

*A copy was provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for review purposes*

It’s been a long time since I’ve read any truly historical fiction, and I’ve never reviewed a book from this genre, so I’m kind of excited this was the book that re-introduced me to the genre.  And what made it even cooler was that it was set in Scotland, and that’s where I used to live.

Okay, so I’ll rant about how I used to live in Scotland after the review but now I’m just going to write my thoughts.  While this book did start really slow and boring, it did eventually pick up and really started to get interesting.  As always, Carolyn Meyer’s writing was flawless, and I loved how the events flowed together perfectly.  Which isn’t really surprising because Queen Mary actually lived and the events that Meyer put in the book actually happened, so…yeah, dumb moment :P

Meyer obviously did some very thorough research because she was spot-on with her retellings.  This book was very informant and I think Meyer really developed the characters well.

I can’t really talk about character building in this review because the characters actually lived, so I guess I can just give my opinion.

I liked that Meyer gave an un-biased story of Mary, Queen of Scots and let the readers make their own decisions, whether they liked her or not.  I do like her, I just think that at times she was a complete idiot.  She was a strong woman, just, occasionally, not very smart.

Really the only two other characters of any consequence are Lord Darnley and Lord Bothwell.  Hate, despise, loath them.  Darnley is a two year old in a man’s body, a brat, and really, really mean.  Lord Bothwell was extremely evil and mean, and I can’t believe Mary didn’t see right through him.

Even though this is the seventh book in a series, you don’t have to read the first six books to read this one.  It’s about a ton of different female royals, and they have nothing to do with each other other than the fact that they are part of the Young Royals series, so, if you get the chance, I highly recommend picking up this book.

And one more thing before I sign off: the cover.  Love, love, love, love, LOVE this cover.  I could literally stare at it all day.  The girl is gorgeous and I love her hair and the necklace and the dress and the castle…perfect cover.

3 1/2 pink flowers

______________________________________________

Okay, so this isn’t a part of the review so don’t feel like you have to read it, but I mentioned earlier that I lived in Scotland.  I actually went on a tour of Europe pretty much, with my parents and brothers (I was 8 at the time).  I went to England, Germany, Austria, and Scotland, to name a few.  I lived in Scotland for ten months.  In the book Meyer actually mentions a little town called Haddington.  That’s where I lived!  I’ve been to Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Loch Leven Castle, and a ton of other castles that I can’t remember.  I got so excited when I saw these in the book because it’s really cool to read about where you’ve been! :P