★★★★★—Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

"In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…" (Goodreads)
My Review
★★★★★

Actual rating: 4.5 stars. Very close to 5, but 4.5, if only for the slow start and the questions I still have/the rules that I still don't understand.

Thanks to the Penguin First To Read program for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Ink and Bone follows Jess Brightwell, the son of a book smuggler in an alternate society where to own a book—an actualprinted book—is illegal. After watching a man eat a priceless book at the age of ten, Jess wants out of the life. But it's difficult for him to break free of his family business, especially when his family sends him away to become a postulant for the Library. "The Library" refers to the Library of Alexandria, which, in this society, was never burned down. What would have happened if it were never burned down?

A corrupt, all-powerful yet power-hungry political system is what developed, that's what.

Seriously. The extent that the Archivist and their disciples go to keep their power and control over world knowledge is insane. Their view is that books and knowledge should be valued more than human lives. I certainly have my own opinions about that.

There are many key players in Ink and Bone. Since I love characters and character development, I'll focus on them first. We've got a really diverse cast of characters here, each brilliant and sort-of endearing in their own ways.

Jess: Our protagonist, from London. It is so easy to identify with Jess. He's sympathetic and clever and hates being used. And I found I only wanted the best for him. He definitely has to make some tough decisions about who to trust and what to do. He's blunt and serious and is definitely loyal. You feel so bad for him when he makes wrong decisions; and he does make wrong decisions.

Khalila: Don't fuck with this chick. She's a brilliant mathematician, smart and quick-witted, and overall skilled. She's an Arab and wears a hijab. She is caring and sweet, but that doesn't make her any less dangerous.

Thomas: Oh man, Thomas. The German gentle giant. He's an engineer with visions for the future, and a great way of looking at the world. His automaton chess set is fantastic. **SPOILER** [Damn, of all the characters, I thought that Thomas, at least, would make it out alive. :( I thought Dario would die just after we got to like him, but THOMAS? :'( sweetheart.]

Dario: The rich, spoiled Spaniard. He's Jess's roommate at Ptolemy House, and boy do they not hit it off at all. Dario is the kind of guy you love to hate, but then you can't help but like him as he becomes not-so-hateable. As much as he and Jess tell each other they're not friends, they become friends, and that makes me happy.

Guillaume: The American/Frenchman. He's clever and sweet, and that's pretty much all I have to say right now.

Glain: The strong Welsh girl who is always at odds with Jess (English/Welsh war going on, tensions are high). Her sour attitude gradually fades, but she's still rough around the edges. She does have a heart, though it doesn't come out until later.

Morgan: Morgan is another English person, from Oxford. She's a latecomer to the group, but she's definitely the most powerful. She's got her secrets, as do all of them.

Scholar Christopher Wolfe: The group's teacher, born in Alexandria. He's bitter and ill-tempered, overly professional, and yet... I grew to like him as Jess did. (Or as the excerpts from the Black Archives revealed things to me.) Many secrets were revealed about him, but none more surprising than... well... You shouldn't judge him for that secret before you get to know him first. **SPOILER** [Him and Niccolo Santi???? I did not see that coming! :D I giggled because the casual names between them suddenly made sense.]

Captain Niccolo Santi: A soldier with a surprising amount of heart and empathy. But, as a soldier, he has a hell of a lot of discipline.

So those are the main characters that stood out to me. I liked them a lot; I loved the diversity and the little language inserts here and there. I'm not so much a fan of the religion talk, but that stuff was minimal enough that it was alright.

Plotwise, there's not much wrong with it. There are certain things that don't make a lot of sense, like what is it exactly that Obscurists do? I'm not entirely sure. It's not well explained, but it seems like magic, although it says it's not magic. Also, what's going on with Brendan? Although, I'm sure that'll be explained in the second or third book. I think I understand how the Burners work, but I don't understand completely. Overall, I just want everything explained in more depth. I like learning everything there is to know about a book. I like gleaning everything.

Overall, this book was well-written with sympathetic characters. It took me a bit to get into it because it was a little slow going at first, but once it picked up, I was glad to finish it. I can't wait for the sequel... and the first book isn't even out yet. Oh, no. I've got a while to wait, haven't I.

★★★—Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

"When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly." (Goodreads)


My Review:
★★★

I got through this book very quickly. It was my first taste into New Adult (I think it's New Adult? Or is it just Adult? I think it's pretty close to just flat-out adult...) I liked it, enough to where I was curious enough about where this story was going to not be able to put it down until 315am. And I was crying around 245am. Thanks, Colleen.

That said...

After thinking about it after I finished it, I realized there was literally one thing carrying this novel forward. Miles. I was so curious about his past and what happened to him to fuck him up so badly, and as his POV chapters progressed, I kept making guesses. I kept making guesses and my guesses were almost all wrong. Which is a good thing. Miles was one of the most sympathetic characters in this book—scratch that, the most. (Rachel counts... but she kind of doesn't count because she doesn't come in until a lot later)

So, Miles sees Tate and accidentally falls in love/has an attraction toward her because... she's hot? I guess? This guy doesn't even know her at all. And Tate returns the attraction because... he's hot? And she hasn't gotten laid in a while? Meh. Whatever. Book is book.

Tate is really not a memorable character. She may be the protagonist, but she's kind of bland and a bit boring, and only exists for the 'romance'. She has no social life, and I barely remember what she looks like. She's not the protagonist, really. Ugly Love is a character study of Miles Archer. He has an arc. Tate does not. She exists to unravel Miles, and she doesn't even do that. His backstory does. I didn't find myself rooting for Tate, and that's sad. Because I feel like she had potential.

I kind of liked Cap? I don't have much to say about him. He's like Cap Ex Machina. And then there's Ian, who's barely there. And Dillon, who really serves no purpose. And right, there's Corbin.

I also feel like the back of the book gave me conflicting expectations. I expected them to be friends with benefits, and then gradually both of them get feelings for each other. But Tate had feelings for him right off the back because... he's hot? And mysterious? Whatever. It was really obvious from the beginning that Miles is in love with Tate (for some reason) but for some reason doesn't want love in his life. But he sure doesn't act like it. The first time they're together, it's obvious to everyone he fell in love with her. When they're together, he acts like she's a girlfriend, not just a fuckbuddy. It's like... bro, who are you kidding? AND after six years of NO action at all, he's excellent? I mean, great, but... I'm not really buying it.

Also... The sex. It's not that graphic (thank god) but... So. Much. Sex. Like, almost every page. I mean, granted, this genre is NOT what I'm used to, but wow is there really that much in these kinds of novels? It got uncomfortable for me after a while. I was thinking "Do you people do anything else besides fuck?" I found myself impatiently waiting for Miles' flashback chapters. Because those were far more interesting than what was going on in the present day.

All in all... A quick, easy read (if not uncomfortable at times). Miles' story is heartbreaking, but his is the only one that is. I felt no sympathy for/I did not care at all about Tate.

Is Ugly Love a perfect novel? Far from it. But it was ok. I liked it. Glad I read it.

★★★★★—I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

"A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once." (Goodreads)

My Review:
★★★★★

This book. When I first started reading it, I didn't expect to get so emotionally invested in this book. But I did. So now I'm here.

Noah: Telling the story from age 13-14.
Jude: Telling the story from age 16.

This book is all about putting yourself together again after you've fallen apart. Jude tells the 'back together' part, Noah tells the 'falling apart' part. After their mother dies, the twins essentially switch personalities. Jude, while eccentric, was popular, while 'Bubble' Noah was the freak of the school. By age 16, Jude is the eccentric loner, while Noah is involved in sports and is essentially friends with all of Jude's old friends. While they were inseparable when they were younger, NoahandJude have split into Noah and Jude. Which, by the end, isn't such a bad thing. Jude proved that with an electric saw.

This novel was beautifully done. Each twin has a very distinctive voice. Differentiating between voices is something I've seen poorly done in the past, so I approached with caution. (I'm not even going to deny I'm talking about Allegiant) But Nelson does a wonderful job with these twins.

The whole book is a puzzle trying to help the reader put it back together. I called who 'Dearest' was relatively early on, and was pleasantly validated. When the truths all unfold at the end, it makes for a very satisfying — if not bittersweet — ending.

Overall, it was wonderful. There were times I was rooting for one twin over the other, but then it switched on me. At first, I loved Noah more because he was more sympathetic. But then we got deeper into Jude's POV, and I felt such sympathy for her, and then Noah started lashing out as his world crumbled... I don't know which I prefer, and it really doesn't matter, now does it?

EDIT: OH AND OSCAR HOW COULD I FORGET ABOUT THAT MESS? I think Oscar is a very convoluted, if not fucked-up, character. He's so tormented and he can be such an asshole... It's wonderful to see him try to turn it around for Jude. And G. is great, too. Poor guy.

Everyone in this book has something shitty happen to them. There really are no villain— okay, I lied. Fry can fry for all I care. And Zephyr... Meh. He doesn't score high on my 'approval' rating, but he's better than Fry. That dick.

★★★★—Zodiac by Romina Russell

"At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancerian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Embark on a dazzling journey with ZODIAC, the first novel in an epic sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy series set in a galaxy inspired by the astrological signs." (Goodreads) (Read from February 14-19, 2015)

My Review:
★★★★

It took me a while to buy into the world, but once I finally did, it was an enjoyable read. And I'm not a fan of love triangles, but this one... I don't know, I didn't mind so much. It didn't feel forced, which I liked. The relationships and characters felt organic and well-developed, which I appreciate. And the romance was never transcendental, I feel. Overall, a good read. Not perfect, but I'll definitely pick up the second book because I'm interested enough to want to know more.

★★★★★—Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

"On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?" (Goodreads)

My Review:
★★★★★

Holy. Fucking. Fuck.

Very well written.

But holy shit.

Nick. Poor Nick.

"Because I feel sorry for you. ... Because every morning, you have to wake up and be you."

Yes.

Oh my god.

This book.

It's not one of my favorites, it's not really my preferred genre. But I'm definitely going to consider reading more of Gillian Flynn's works when I'm in a bit of a better mental state.

★★★★★—The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

"An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a "wonderful" husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical--most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent--and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie--and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

"The Rosie Project" is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges." (Goodreads) (read on January 25, 2015)

My Review:
★★★★★

Every so often, you want to curl up with a book that doesn't depress the shit out of you. The Rosie Project is one of those books. While the secondhand embarrassment is strong with this one, it is a feel-good story about two people who are, in Rosie's words, "fucked-up", but who learn to find comfort in each other while growing more in tune with themselves. Were there sad points? Yes. Were there parts that were frustrating beyond belief? Hell yes. But I liked it. I thought it addressed mental illness well, especially told from someone with aspergers' eyes. It's a great book. Read most of it on the plane. Quick, easy, pleasant read, not terribly emotionally draining but I got very very invested in these characters.

★★★★★—Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

"This book took my breath away."
―James Howe, author of The Misfits

Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.

But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other―and the power of their friendship―can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side." (Goodreads) (Read from January 6-8, 2015)

My Review:
★★★★★
This book was beautiful. I don't read much "contemporary YA literature" (which this technically isn't, as it takes place in 1987), but honestly I'm going to try and read more of this genre. Sáenz's writing style is so beautiful, so lyrical, and I am always a sucker for uninterrupted dialogue, even when I have to go back and determine who is actually speaking which lines. The story itself is heartwarming (though at times heartbreaking), and it was so easy to identify with Ari. He's someone who shields himself from hurt by trying not to love, and I felt such sympathy and empathy for him. I loved this book. I loved this book. It's so beautiful. Read it.