Splintered by A.G Howard: A Review

Splintered by A.G Howard

Splintered #1

Publisher: Amulet Books

Release Date: January 1st, 2013

Source: Purchased

Pages: 371
Rating: ✰✰✰✰1/2

Buying Links: Amazon~~Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:
This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Review:

OMG. YES I AM JUST GETTING INTO THIS SERIES. AND I FLIPPING LOVE IT.

Let's start on all the wonderful pros, shall we?

• IT WAS AN ALICE IN WONDERLAND RETELLING! Retelling are awesome!
• THE SCENERY! it was so descriptive and awesome! Wonderland was terrifying! But it was still cool!
• The writing style! It felt smooth and yummy and just wonderful!
• (Most of) The characters! They had personalities! Differences! Their own type of dialogue!
• Okay, yes. it had a love triangle (which i usually hate) but it was actually really well written!
• ITS JUST GENERALLY AMAZING OKAY

However, there was one thing that i didn't like...

Jeb.

'Didn't like' is an understatement.

I hated Jeb! He was just so controlling! He treated Alyssa like she was some sort of possession! He acts like some kind of older brother/protector wannabe. And the fluffed up thing is, ALYSSA SEEMS TO PREFER JEB OVER MORPHEUS!!! WHAT THE FLUFF??

but other than that, I LOVE IT. GO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW.

Is anyone else fangirling over this book? Does anyone else share my feelings of hatred for Jeb? Tell me all of it in the comments!

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin: A Review

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

Standalone

Publisher: Dial

Release Date: September 7th, 2006

Source: Library

Pages: 272

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Rating: ✰✰✰1/2

Buying Links: Amazon~~Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

This National Book Award Finalist is a thought-provoking exploration of emotional abuse, self-reliance and the nature of evil. A heart-wrenching portrait of family crisis, this is perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why.
 
For Matt and his sisters, life with their cruel, physically abusive mother is a day-to-day struggle for survival. But then Matt witnesses a man named Murdoch coming to a child’s rescue in a convenience store; and for the first time, he feels a glimmer of hope. Then, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt’s mother. Life is suddenly almost good. But the relief lasts only a short time. When Murdoch inevitable breaks up with their mother, Matt knows that he’ll need to take some action. Can he call upon Murdoch to be his hero? Or will Matt have to take measures into his own hands?
 
A gripping, powerful novel that will stay with you long after you’ve read it. Nancy Werlin, the New York Times Bestselling author of Impossible, shows why she is a master of her genre.

Review:

If I had to describe this book in one gif, it would be:

Let's discuss the Pros first:

• I liked the writing style. The entire book is written in a letter to him youngest sister, Emmy. AND IT BUMPED UP THE SAD FACTOR, OKAY?
• The siblings cared for each other. No romance. sibling love!
• THE SURPRISINGLY SUSPENSE AND TENSION FILLED ENDING OH MY GOD

And now, the Cons:

• It had too many coincidences. They just happen to find a guy save a little kid at the supermarket. They just happen to find out that guys name. They just happen to find out the guys address online (!?!?). He just happens to be okay with dating these kids Mom (REMINDER: The kids showed up at this guy's door and ask him to date their Mom, hoping that he will get rid of her, and he's just like "lol ok").
• It kind of dragged on. It was kind of a pattern: nooooothing, nooooothing, OMGSOMETHINGREALLYCOOLANDIMPORTANTHAPPENS. It was basically like that the entire book.

Overall? I have very mixed feelings. It wasn't the worst book ever. It was actually pretty good. 

Has anyone else read this book? Have you ever read a book you have really mixed feelings about? Tell me all of it in the comments!

Stacking The Shelves #1

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and it's all about books that you've added to your shelf! Whether you bought them (physically or virtually), borrowed them, were given them, stole them, whatever! (please don't steal books)

Purchased

I went to a mega rad second-hand bookstore last weekend and got these three books!

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

I've never really been a fan of Scott Westerfeld. But TOWNS FROZEN? EVIL MONSTERS? SECRET CLUBS? i have to read this.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

There have been a bunch of negative reviews about this one. But hey, why not?

Star-crossed by Josephine Angelini

FLUFF YEAH. CREPPY DREAMS? GREEK MYTHS? HELEN OF TROY? COME ON, YOU WANT TO READ IT, TOO.

What books have you guys added to your shelves? Has anyone ever read these books? Tell me in the comments below!

Starters by Lissa Price: A Book Review

Starters by Lissa Price
Starters #1
Publisher: Ember
Release Date: March 24, 2012
Source: Purchased
Pages: 336
Genre: YA sci-fi
Rating:✰✰✰
Buying Links: Amazon~~Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:
HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

Review:

I have so many mixed feelings about this book.
The plot? I LOVED it! There are a lot of dystopian YA books out there, and it's hard to make a unique one, But this one! No adults! Just kids and old people! Old people rent out kids bodies! It's kind of creepy!

But the characters...
Now, an important part of a story is it's characters. Let's go by each character, one-by-one:
Callie- Oh, Callie, Callie... you're the main character. But, you did things without explaining them. Like not shooting the senator, for example.
Michael- No offense, Michael, but why were you here? You didn't really seem that important to the story. I mean, you draw and stuff but... that's pretty much it.

Tyler- Poor Tyler! You're sick and tiny and your sister Callie is no where to be found :(
Sara- WHY. WHY SARA.
*SPOILER ALERT*(highlight to see spoiler) WHY DID YOU die???? why??? :( 
Blake- okay, i did not expect that. at all. 

The ending. It felt rushed. Right when it hit the last few chapters, it was a lot more showing than telling. And i didn't quite get the part about The Old Man...

Overall? I liked it. I didn't LOVE it, i liked it. Will i read the sequel? Maybe.

Has anyone else read this book? Have you ever loved a book plot but felt meh about the characters (or the other way around)? Tell me in the comments below!