[REVIEW] The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

This is a book I did not expect to like or rate it high. To be honest, I was interested in reading this book because of its high ratings on Goodreads and rave by book tubers. Of course, the beautiful cover partly contributes. I'd gotten on reading it without knowing what is it about and the result was pretty shocking.

Goodreads synopsis: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love. 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. 

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Firstly, I love the story. I believe it's because it's hard to guess what would happen next and you've no choice but to keep reading it. (I finish it in one evening.) I find it hard to explain the mixed feelings I had reading this. The starting was a blur, when the author starts introducing the two communities, Herrani and Valorian. It took me a few chapters to fully understand what's going on, I'm slow I know. So basically, the Valorian conquers the Herrani land years ago and the Herrani(s) are slaves to them. The main character, Kestrel is a Valorian and she stumbled upon an auction and bought a young slave Herrani. Of course, the rest would be the forbidden love between them.

However, there's a twist which I hadn't see it coming. (read the book) The whole plot twist really got me into the story and wanting more. From reading this, I felt the pain, the sorrow and the emotions are pretty strong. Kestrel was torn between being with her love one or loyal to her people. It might seem cliché but it's a whole new feeling while reading it.

Kestrel and Arin are one superb pair. They might be from the different communities but in fact they share the same passion and character. This leads them to each other and they can't help but to fall in love with each other.

Need I say more because the rest is for you to find out when you read it. I believe this is a dystopian, historical (kinda), young-adult fiction. It's the 1st book of The Winner's Trilogy. I highly recommend this because not many books surprise me as this does.

Summer

you can get this book from book depository: The Winner's Curse

[REVIEW] The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I received this book from a Tumblr giveaway.

First impression - the cover is one of my favourite book covers. The photography is so stunningly beautiful. I believe this trilogy has the most beautiful and relatable book covers ever. However, they say 'do not judge a book by its cover and I find that idiom very suitable in reviewing this book.

Goodreads synopsis: Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.  

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed. 

There is. 

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love. 

She’s wrong.

As I implied above, yes, this book is not in my favourite list. It's enjoyable but the characters are annoyingly perfect. If this were my first young adult paranormal romance, I might hug this book and rave about Noah. The truth is that Twilight is my first YA paranormal romance so this book didn't struck me as appealing as it should be.

First off, Noah is the problem and the sadly protruded problem is him being too perfect. If you have not guess it already, yes, he is another hot-i-dont-have-to-study-but-i'm-smart-becoz-i've-photographicmemory-skipclasses-pickfights-becoz-dont-touch-my-girl-hotbody-changedgirlfriendslikecloths-but-i-see-you-are-the-one guy. Everything else is self-explanatory. On the other hand, our main heroine, Mara Dyer is the damsel in distress for Noah to be attracted to and saved. Actually, Mara does not get on my nerves that much because of her paranormal-ness but Noah does. His character struck me as too perfect and no character should be perfect for the story to go on.

"You have to be an artist and a madman, a creature of infinite melancholy, in order to discern, at once, the little deadly demon among the wholesome children," he said, his British accent melting around the words, his voice smooth and low. "She stands unrecognised by them and unconscious herself of her fanatic power."

Who the hell will say something like that?

Secondly, I like the creepy and eerie feelings during the first 1/3 of the book but how did it suddenly projected to some flowery high school romance drama. I wanted to know what's going on with Mara and all that was told is Noah is hitting on Mara. The relationship was widely mentioned because this is in fact, a paranormal romance novel.

Look on the bright side, I did enjoy this book as it was a fast read. The chapters are left off as mini cliffhanger and you would be eager to read the next chapter to find out what's going on. I also really impressed with the idea of Mara's ability. It's not vampire or werewolf or magic or fallen angel but something unexplainable. That idea of supernatural power is not something you would easily come across in fictions, even paranormal fiction.

Seeing that I sped through this book but unwilling to continue (maybe next time) the series, I gave it a 3-stars. If you like paranormal romance and Noah is your type of guy, maybe you'll love this book.

Summer

pretty cover book: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Holiday in Death by J.D.Robb

My first official post here!

My first blogspot post dedicated to the In Death series by J.D.Robb. The above is the 7th book and this series goes up to 30 over books and it is still ongoing. If you do not already know, J.D.Robb is actually Nora Roberts, one of the famous Romance novelist. This series has been around since 1998, if not mistaken. & I knew about it in 2011, I think. I started collecting them ever since. 

The In Death series is a thriller adult fiction (more like CSI), which revolves around two main characters, Eve and Roarke. Since I can't spoil you on anything regarding this series, I will just briefly talk about these two main characters.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a Homicide Lieutenant of the New York Police and Security Department. She has had a broken childhood and still suffered from nightmares of it until she met Roarke. Roarke, on the other hand, is a billionaire Irish rogue, who owns almost half of New York's properties. Eve met him as a suspect in the first book, Naked in Death. Roarke was actually not merely a filthy rich businessman but he, too, had a traumatising past. As both characters met and developed a romantic relationship towards one another, they clicked and patched up each other as puzzle pieces. This series recites on their relationship and how Roarke (having all gadgets and monetary power) helps Eve in solving crimes. 

The characters. Eve is a badass. She's a cop and she's freaking badass. I have no words for her personality. She's badass, brave, fierce, compassionate (in her own ways) and everything else needed for a heroine protagonist. On the other hand, Roarke is the hot stuff. He's rich, handsome, smart (business type) and swoon-worthy. Okay, like any typical hot stuff male protagonist. 

What I like about the series? This series takes place in the future, around year 2058. It's in New York, where automatons are all around the place. There are androids, AutoChef, airbus (literally) and high-tech gadgets. Despite those, crimes still take place. 

Also, I love the author's writings. It's built up from different characters POV, sort-of third person view. However, at some point, you can read about other characters' thoughts. & I like it. I like that I know what the other person were thinking at that moment. Plus, Robb's play of words was beautifully done. 

One thing to note for readers. These books do contain adult scenes, although it may have cut down a little through out the series. It also contains explicit gruesome crime scenes, since it is an adult fiction, so there goes. Nevertheless, I love my crime fiction books, what more series. 

Summer

To start form scratch: Naked In Death (first book) 

I just finished Holiday In Death (seven book)! This series (regarding the crimes) does not necessarily go as episode by episode but it is encouraged to read from the first book, since the romance story does go by episodes (well, the first few books).