Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I'm so in love with this cover!

Title: Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Page count: 383 pages

Publishing date: Feb 2015

Publisher: Orion

My rating: 5/5 stars!

Blurb:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

Wow. That's really all I can say. I'm still stunned with this book. I expected it to be good with all of the raving five star reviews bombarding Goodreads and Amazon, but I was not prepared for how wonderful and incredible this was. I'm not ashamed to say that when I read the last sentence of Red Queen, I squealed, clutched the book to my chest, and jumped up and down. This exceeded my expectations and beyond. 

This book has something magical about it. Maybe it's the awesome world building or the well developed characters or maybe it's just the writing but when you put it all together into one book, magic happens. 

Mare Barrow is a Red. In a world ruled by Silvers, humans with supernatural powers, being a Red means constantly living in fear, in filth, and in poverty. Mare's life is on the edge. She has no real skills which means that she could be shipped off to war at any moment. But a chance encounter with a stranger sends her world spinning. In a sudden change of events, this stranger has gotten her a job working in the Silver Palace. It'll keep her from being enlisted into war so any job will do. But in an act of pure self-defense, Mare exhibits raw power that only a Silver should exhibit. In an instant, Mare's life once again changes. 

Forced to pretend that she is a long-lost Silver royal by the king and queen, Mare is now the Red-turned-Silver, Mareena. Betrothed to the queen's son in an act to keep Mare obedient, things are about to go from bad to worse. 

Mare has been taught that Silvers cannot be trusted. Now she is surrounded by them. Maven, her betrothed, seems kind despite being the son of the cruel and calculative queen. Cal, the oldest prince and heir to the throne, who wants nothing more than to make his father proud. Evangeline, Cal's future bride, a heartless young woman with unbelievable powers desperate to tear Mare down. 

As Mare becomes deeper involved in Silver life, it is clear to her that things need to change. Could Red redemption come from the Scarlet Guard, a group of unnamed Reds bent on taking down Silver society? As their threat grows, Mare must decide if she's willing to risk her life to help the Scarlet Guard. And when an unlikely friendship forms between Mare and the two Silver brothers, can Mare question that idea that all Silvers cannot be trusted?

One thing is certain... betrayal can happen at any time in the Silver Palace. And love always comes with a price. 

Characters:

I absolutely adore Mare. She's spunky, sassy, and can handle her own. She's strong despite the circumstances and is fighting to keep herself alive at all times. She might not make the best decisions all of the time but she always bounces back. She's smart. Like-able. Maybe she is a little naive but I think that's going to change in the second book. She has her fair share of betrayals and learns that everyone is not always how they seem. She might be a Red in the head but she's a Silver at heart. Cool. Calculative. And while she has the strong emotions of a Red that detachment that is so new to her will keep her alive in the palace. 

The king and queen are the typical tyrannical leaders that only care about power and themselves. They want all the control. Nothing seems to satisfy their hunger for more. More power. More strength. More more more. I hated them so much because they were so heartless. Yet, at the same time, I loved them because they are such good characters. Maybe they are cruel and evil but they are very interesting to read about! 

Cal was the more serious brother. He was stressed at all times because of his duty to the throne and to all Silvers. He struggled a lot in this book between doing what was right for the crown and doing what was right for everyone else. He was torn in half.. one side of him wanting change and the other fighting it. I desperately love that about him. Throughout the book he teeters on the edge of evil and goodness. And throughout this, he struggles to accept his feelings and emotions. Grown up to be ruthless and stoic, Mare brings a whole new set of emotions to him. 

Maven. Oh, Maven. He's the younger brother. More carefree but at the same time he has a sense of turmoil about him as well. He's desperate to please the king but never seems to get any credit for anything that he does. The king looks over him as if Maven is a ghost. All he wants is to be noticed and he struggles with that in the book. As Mare's betrothed, the reader will get to see a lot of Maven. The good sides and the bad. He's not a perfect person by any means but he'll definitely surprise you. I promise. 

World building:

What I loved most about Red Queen was how unique it was. Combined with awesome world building and we've got a story, folks. Aveyard does a wonderful job of keeping the reader in the know about what is going on. The setting in this story is so important and that means the execution needs to take priority. Aveyard succeeded in creating a world that is not only interesting and unique but also understandable to the reader. 

I really love the idea of Reds and Silvers. It kind of reminds me of the poor and the rich. The rich will take all that they want and leave scraps for the poor. The structured society in Red Queen is no different. Combine the Silvers with supernatural powers and the Reds are practically ants waiting to be stomped on. The intensity of what the Reds go through each and every day made me want to scream for retribution! 

Romance:

Yes, we've got the classic YA love triangle. Before you swear and promptly close out of this window, please know that this love triangle is not excruciatingly terrible like some. It's realistic and I can accept this love triangle because it was so well crafted and put together. 

Mare's love interests are, of course, Cal and Maven. The two brothers are complete opposites when it comes to their morals, feelings, and thoughts on Silver life. So it's obviously hard for Mare to trust either one of them considering she was brought up to know that Silvers will only bring destruction. The internal battle Mare wages as she begins to question this is very enjoyable to read about as it is so intense. 

Cal is the brooding and sarcastic brother which immediately makes me root for him. He's the bad boy, torn between his feelings for Mare and his feelings for the crown. It's safe to say that this will bring their relationship to the brink of destruction. 

Maven is also someone I couldn't help but love. Mare and Maven spend a lot of time together and the reader will fall in love with his soft nature (you will LOL at this when you finish the book) and fierce determination to see things change. He becomes a great friend and confidant to Mare in this book as she finally begins to open up. 

I equally loved Mare with both Cal and Maven but after the ending there is only one brother that has a clear shot with Mare. 

The ending:

Speaking of endings... it was PERFECT. Magnificent. It had everything I could ever want: betrayal, action, heart-crushing despair, and hope. NOTE: you might wan to make sure you have an extended period of free time as once you reach the last fifty pages or so you WILL NOT want to put this book down. Trust me. 

Overall thoughts:

Read this. READ THIS. readthisreadthisreadthis. But, really, read this. You won't be disappointed. 

                                                    Until next time, 

                                                              

Queen of Tomorrow by Sherry D. Ficklin

Title: Queen of Tomorrow
Author: Sherry D. Ficklin
Page count: 280 pages
Publishing date: July 14th 2015
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
My rating: 4/5 stars!

Blurb:

Sophie—now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia—had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things are finally looking up. As a new day dawns, she thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces trying to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Sophie soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia, and her new empire. But even as she navigates the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace.

When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, she glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it lost in a moment at the hands of those who still seek to end her life—and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Sophie will have to sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation, and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.

Catherine the Great is back better than ever. Gone is the naive and innocent Sophie. She's transformed into a strong, calculating, and wise young woman. If she's going to be the Grand Duchess of Russia and do it right, she's going to have to learn how to play the game of the royals.

Deception. Mistrust. Deceit. Love. Hate.

Yes, she's going to have to learn it all.

As the wife to Peter, the Grand Duke of Russia, Catherine must learn the politics and secrets of the palace. This will prove to be difficult, however, with a husband whose sanity is on the fringes, the Empress breathing down her neck, and a war looming between her homeland, Prussia, and her country, Russia. Not to mention her secret love affair with Sergei, her loyal friend and confidant.

Even with all of the problems she faces, Catherine manages to keep her wits about her. She is always trying to come up with a solution that will best benefit herself, the people she loves, and her country. At sixteen, this is a great feat. She has been married, forced to help run a country, and navigate the treacherous stakes that encompasses royalty. She's practically only beneficial to the Empress for being a child carrier. In the Empress's eyes, Catherine is nothing more than a means to an end- or to a heir.

Yet, despite this, Catherine has grown to be so much more. People might look at her at first glance and consider her a pawn, but they are terribly mistaken. This is Catherine's game and she knows exactly what she's doing. A proper and obedient wife on the outside, Catherine is truly, deep down, a force to be reckoned with. She is not going to be that woman who allows others to walk all over her. She's cunning, strong-willed, and will not back down without a fight. I think, in a way, Peter even realizes this to a certain extent.

Peter and Catherine's relationship is very rocky. Peter regards Catherine in either three ways: hostility, compassion, or indifference. One moment he might degrade her to the point where the loathing is almost pure hatred and the next moment he may look upon her with lust or the beginnings of a blooming love. An hour later he may pretend she isn't even there, as if he has no wife. Which may have been easier for him as he sleeps with his mistress, Elizavetta. Peter and Catherine's marriage is very abusive and unhealthy. Both do not love each other even though Catherine wishes it could be different between the two. She wants a loving marriage but that will be one thing that Peter could never give her. He can give her all the jewelry and diamonds all he likes but both know that at the end of the day their marriage was doomed from the very beginning.

Peter himself is delusional. His behavior is erratic and very extreme. He's abusive, controlling, and rash. He doesn't think any of his decisions through- just barges right into a problem head on without weighing the pros and cons. He treats everyone like scum and only truly cares about himself. I don't care what kind of childhood he had... it doesn't excuse him for his actions.

Peter can be somewhat decent at times but it is few and far between. Just enough to make the reader think that there is hope for him after all when really there isn't. Like I said, he only cares for himself. Anyone that gets in his way is either used for his benefit or destroyed.

This is also why I admire Catherine so much. She puts up with Peter and, in a way, sort of has control over him. Peter hasn't realized this, of course, but it seems to me that Catherine has learned how to handle and manipulate him and therefor has gained some sense of control.

The Empress Elizabeth is also someone that Catherine just learn how to deal with. Quick to anger and vindictive, the Empress isn't a person that just anyone wants to or can deal with. The Empress has her own agenda- finding an heir to the throne and sleeping with every man that crosses her path. I would feel sorry for her because I think she is truly lonely but I can't give her my sympathy. She's just as cruel as Peter, maybe even more. She has no regard for human life- anyone that cannot satisfy her agenda has no importance to her whatsoever.Even more so, the people who are caught up in her web mean nothing to her either. I can't give her the benefit of the doubt for her actions in this book. She deserves everything that's coming to her.

Now that I think about it, every character in this book has their secrets and plans. They'll do anything to make them succeed, which means that this series is only going to get more intense. The romance is going to get steamier. The drama is going to get worse. More lies. More pain. More secrets.

Needless to say, I can't wait to read the third book.

                                               
                                                    Until next time,

                           

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

I like this cover better than the first book! 

Title: The Eternity Cure

Author: Julie Kagawa

Page count: 434 pages.

Publishing date: April 2013.

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

My rating: 4/5 stars!

Blurb:

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood 

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever—and possibly end human and vampire existence. 

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago—and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time. 

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

My journey with the Blood of Eden series began quite some time ago. Julie Kagawa has been a favorite author of mine for many years- my love beginning with her Iron Fey series. When I picked this series up, beginning with The Immortal Rules, I really wasn't too apprehensive about the idea of another vampire book because of how much I admired Kagawa. When I finished The Immortal Rules, however, I was left a little disappointed. After following the adventures of Meghan, Ash, Puck, and friends it was hard to adapt to this new series, which is completely different. 

I didn't hate The Immortal Rules, but I didn't fall in love with it and promptly forgot about the series at all until a week ago when I saw The Eternity Cure and The Forever Song on a bookshelf at my local library. I picked them up, thought to myself, why not, and began reading The Eternity Cure. 

After having read it, I will still stick by the thought that this series is nothing like the Iron Fey. And what did I learn? That's okay. I should have read this series with more of an open mind and I think my overall experience for the first book would have been better. 

The Eternity Cure begins after the events of book one. Allie, the protagonist, is searching for her blood sire, Kanin, and hoping to help him escape from the clutches of the insane vampire Sarren who holds him captive. On her journey she encounters Jackal, her sarcastic blood brother with no regard for human life. After reluctantly striking a deal with Jackal, Allie and Jackal find themselves back at Allie's old home- New Covington. Somewhere inside those walls Kanin is being held. And with each day that passes, Kanin's very morality is threatened. In New Covington, Allie will find someone she left behind for what feels like a long time ago, a threat to everyone, and the possibility that she could find her happy ending.

In my opinion, Jackal made this book so much more interesting and entertaining. I don't know what it is with me and bad boys, but I so desperately love them. Jackal is one example. Snarky, dangerous, and thrilling, Jackal gives the book a sense of dark humor. Combined with Allie's redemptive and loyal side, the reader knows that this friendship is going to be very rocky. And also very very entertaining to read about. I loved the constant bickering between the two. And while both of them would never admit it, they have each others' backs. When Jackal and Allie are together, they are definitely a force to be reckoned with. 

As for Allie herself, I still have trouble connecting with her. She's not horrible or unbearable to read about but there's just something about her that makes it hard for me to connect. I respect her ongoing battle to control the vampire side of her, to tame the monster. I like that about her, but I think it might be the way she constantly pities herself that really annoys me. She always treated herself like the victim, like it was almost unbearable for her to be a vampire and feed on humans, but she's the one who choose to become this. Either learn to satisfy the monster like Jackal or learn how to deal with the guilt. Either way, choose. Being whiny doesn't solve anything. 

Zeke, the human love interest for Allie and the sole reason that Allie tries to be good, is probably someone I'll never really like. He just rubs me the wrong way. It's like everything he does is soooo good... even when he's killing others. But, oh.. if Jackal does it then everyone thinks that he is this evil monster. Zeke is a goodie-goodie and, like I said, bad boys are more my thing.

Kanin. He's awesome. The end.

As for the plot itself, I very much enjoyed it. A new element is brought into the story that could very well end the existence of all life on earth, and I thought that was really awesome. This book was a perfect time to incorporate that element. I enjoyed being back in the familiar New Covington and especially enjoyed Jackal's opinions of his blood sister's home when she was a human. 

The last few chapters were very intense and paved the way for a strong and powerful final book, The Forever Song, which I am reading right now. I'm excited to see how Kagawa ends the series and can't wait to finish the third book.

OH. And if Jackal dies, I'm rioting. 

                                        

                                           Until next time,