Review #34: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction
Autora: Simone Elkeles
Editora: Walker
Gênero: YA Romance/Drama
Publicação: 27/4/2010
Páginas: 324 (Paperback)
★★★★★

Carlos Fuentes idolized his older brother, Alex, when he was a member of the Latino Blood. So when Alex chose to get jumped out of the gang for a chance at a future with his gringa girlfriend, Brittany, Carlos felt shocked and betrayed. Even worse, Alex forced Carlos to come back from Mexico to join him on the straight and narrow path. Trouble is, Carlos just wants to keep living on the edge. And ties to his Mexican gang aren't easy to break, even hundreds of miles away in Colorado.

In Boulder, Carlos has to live with one of Alex's college professors - and he feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

Tamanho foi o apego à história de Alex e Brittany em Perfect Chemistry que não consegui me segurar e me peguei correndo para ler Rules of Attraction enquanto esperava (e ainda espero) pela chegada do meu Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6). A leitura desta sequência só não alcançou o nível de emoção do primeiro volume; novamente, no entanto, os protagonistas me cativaram.

Carlos consegue ser ainda mais cabeça-dura que seu irmão mais velho. Irritante, tem o ego maior que o globo terrestre, não quer saber de regras, muito menos de sentimentos sérios e equilibrados. Em pouco tempo após voltar do México aos Estados Unidos, agora no Colorado, já arranja problemas no colégio. Sendo legalmente proibido de morar com o irmão, universitário, por ainda estar terminando o Senior Year, é convidado pelo Professor Westford, pai de Kiara.

Kiara é atlética, centrada, entende de carros, sabe consertá-los e trabalha com voluntariado... Aquela que nunca deu grandes problemas. E, além de tudo isso, adora desafios! Assim que Carlos chega à cidade, Alex, aluno de Westford, a pede que seja guia de seu irmão no colégio; e daí para frente, especialmente quando passam a morar debaixo do mesmo teto, Carlos se torna o maior desafio que Kiara já teve. Também não posso esquecer do seu hilário melhor amigo, gay, Tuck, quem Carlos acredita até uma boa parte do livro ser namorado de Kiara. Hilário mesmo!

A escrita de Simone Elkeles continua maravilhosa, com a qual pude facilmente me identificar. Ideias são encaxaidas coerentemente; a linguagem usada pelas personagens é bem realista, assim como as emoções que passam e suas atitudes. Fiquei feliz ao "rever" os protagonistas de Perfect Chemistry e que Elkeles conseguiu equilibrar a participação deles no romance, tendo aparições e influências na medida certa, posto que este segundo volume é prioritariamente sobre Carlos e Kiara, mais dois novos queridinhos.

Talvez pelas situações diferentes em que se encontram Alex e Carlos quando comparados os dois livros, realmente, o segundo sofre um drama muito mais leve. Mas, infelizmente, apesar da realidade menos emotiva apresentada, farei a Rules of Attraction a mesma reclamação que fiz a Perfect Chemistry: epílogo desnecessário e um final que poderia ser melhor elaborado quanto às emoções e diálogos de nossos protagonistas.

Com 4 lindas estrelas azuis, recomendo-o do fundo meu coração, que vem fazendo crescer um apego cada vez mais apaixonado à série. Agora, mal posso esperar para ler Chain Reaction (2011), com o terceiro e mais novo irmão Fuentes, Luis, sendo o bonzinho da história, enquanto sua amada é quem o levará para o mal caminho.

BOOK DEPOSITORY | AMAZON | CULTURA*
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Review #33: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry
Autora: Simone Elkeles
Editora: Walker
Gênero: YA Romance/Drama
Publicação: 1/1/2008
Páginas: 360 (Paperback)
★★★★★

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Ainda extasiada por ter lido Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5) anteriormente a Perfect Chemistry, minha vontade era apenas de ler o próximo volume da série o mais rápido possível. Tanto foi que não aguentei e fui correndo pesquisar onde o encontraria mais barato e com o envio mais rápido. Mas... Isso não vem ao caso agora, certo? Ao caso vem que me apaixonei por Perfect Chemistry. Isso sempre acontece comigo nos momentos em que eu menos espero, quando aquela vontade verdadeira de ler tal livro ainda não tinha chegado mesmo; no entanto, você vai lá, tira-o da estante, folheia-o e, quando vê, já devorou metade dele. Consigo contar nos dedos quantas leituras foram assim.

Alex (ou melhor: Alejandro Fuentes) tinha apenas seis anos quando assistiu à morte de seu pai. Sua vida, desde então, gira em torno deste fato. Com o objetivo de proteger sua mãe e seus dois irmãos mais novos, ao crescer, decide fazer parte da gangue à qual seu pai pertencia.

Brittany, capitã do grupo das cheerleaders do colégio, embora vista como a Golden Girl, pode ter mais problemas que outros imaginam. Muito mais que isso: sua vida gira em torno de sempre ser perfeita — de vestir a roupa perfeita, de ser a filha perfeita, de ter o namorado perfeito. E seria tudo perfeito, se não estivesse tornando sua vida cada vez mais miserável, infeliz. Brit sente-se pressionada a seguir os esteriótipos que lhe impõem e a vontade da própria mãe, que provavelmente teme admitir não ter encontrado a perfeição em quem Brit mais ama no mundo, sua irmã mais velha.

Narrado por ambos os protagonistas, alternadamente, Perfect Chemistry tem um desenvolvimento rápido, coerente, permitindo-nos conhecer cada personagem de perspectivas diferentes; e a estratégia dos capítulos pequenos — quase 60 em 360 páginas — funcionou comigo novamente: você lê um, mas sabe que o próximo é tão pequeno que não vai fazer mal nenhum, então lê esse e mais outros, e outros, e outros. Em poucas horas, você lê todos.

Simone Elkeles uniu duas realidades aparentemente tão diferentes, mas também tão semelhantes, e trouxe à literatura jovem. Fui completamente atraída pela história de cada um deles, por suas qualidades, características e defeitos, pelos diálogos — tendo gostado ou não de certas atitudes. Mais especificamente, fiquei impressionada com o destaque à realidade de gangues e da vida de quem faz parte delas.

O desfecho poderia ter sido melhor desenvolvido, menos fora de moda e mais surpreendente. E, apesar de fofo, o epílogo seria desnecessário, posto que não teremos continuação específica do que foi narrado no mesmo. Ainda assim, no entanto, minhas cinco estrelinhas podem representar milhares por tamanho sentimento que tive por Perfect Chemistry.

Recomendo a todos aqueles adoradores de um bom romance, de um bom drama, de uma pitada de clichê ou de bad boys latinos fictícios (claro!). Perfect Chemistry is all about ser você mesmo independentemente do que pensam de você, do que tentam te impôr a ser; é sobre parar de ser aquilo que todo mundo quer ou espera que você seja, parar para pensar em todos sem limitar a própria felicidade.

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Review #32: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Crescendo
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: October 19th, 2010
Pages: 427 (Hardcover)
Source: Bought
★★★★★

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away, and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch, or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Expectations for Crescendo had been growing on me since I closed my Hush, Hush hardback a year ago. I am glad I was not disappointed, and that it put me in such an exciting mood while reading that I could not sleep until I was finished with it, at almost 4 in the morning.

Narrative has not changed much since the first book, and keeps light and natural, though still very descriptive – sometimes I was bored of lots of paragraphs describing places, people and actions. Being sincere? There were times I skipped a few lines of description. Yet, Becca can be fantastic as a story teller planting feelings, like fear, in me that tied me to read her book for hours.

After reading reviews and now Crescendo itself, I must agree how annoying Nora was at least during the first 180 pages. She had completely lost her own sureness and bravery, thinking like a silly, jealous and in-love person. But I am afraid of spoilering, so I am just going to say this Nora left a few pages ahead, and the old one was just back, which I appreciated. Patch is another story, not so long like Nora. He kept being the same as always: mysterious, dark and cold. And hiding lots of secrets, which I still do not get why. Ah. Have I mentioned that we get to know his real name, afterall? It sounded super weird to me, though may be simply appropriated.

Many other characters that we only knew superfically in Hush, Hush become major in this one, allowing everything to be finally revealed about Nora's dad's death and the past. Then we also have Vee, who becomes one of the best things of Crescendo – provoking great laughs – and shows her friendship with Nora as a really important aspect of it. Really, Vee is unforgettable when talking about this book. For other surprises like Scott, Rixon and Ecanus, you will have to read Crescendo to discover. They have won my heart.

Although the beginning certainly would never draw me to continue reading if the story and Nora kept annoying like that, I am also glad Becca knew what to do with the great ideas she had for this novel. Surely, the historical aspects about the fallen angels, the Nephilim and their descendents were what did not let me close this book before finishing. I was resolute to discover everything. But HOW COULD BECCA LEAVE ME IN SUCH A CLIFFHANGER? I don't get it. Please, tell me Tempest is right there with you, fully written, ready, so I can steal it. Please.

BOOK DEPOSITORY | AMAZON | CULTURA*
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Review #31: Kiss Me, Kill Me by Lauren Henderson

Kiss Me, Kill Me

Author: Lauren Henderson
Publisher: Delacorte
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Release Date: January 8th, 2008
Pages: 272 (Paperback)
Source: Bought
★★★★★

When 16-year-old Scarlett Wakefield transfers from St. Tabby’s to Wakefield Hall Collegiate, she is relieved that no one knows her dark, haunting secret. A few months ago, Scarlett was invited to an elite party with a guest list full of the hottest names in British society, including Dan McAndrew.

Before the party, Scarlett had only imagined what it would be like to have her first kiss with Dan, but on the penthouse terrace, Dan leaned in close and she no longer had to wonder. Their kiss was beautiful and perfect and magical, and then... Dan McAndrew took his last breath as she held him in her arms.

No one knows how or why Dan died, and everyone at St. Tabby’s believes Scarlett had something to do with it. But now that she’s safely hidden away at Wakefield Hall, Scarlett would rather forget that it ever happened. Only she can’t. Especially when she receives an anonymous note that will set her on the path to clearing her name and finding out what really happened to the first and last boy she kissed.

Books bought by me usually do not disappoint me, but Kill Me Kill Me was – sadly – an exception. I was expecting kind of a fantasious story, in which the main protagonist would not be annoying but a smart heroine. Or even a real, cruel villan. Summarizing, I just wish this book had not put me in such a curious, exciting mood to get it.

Nevertheless, I have found some great tiny aspects that makes it a little different from others stories. 1) It is settled in London. 2) At the beginning, it shows a group of girls doing the olympic gymnastics, which I love. 3) There is an academy (school) only for girls that sounded as super cool thing to me, and the gardener.

But, back to the story... What, in fact, let me not like it so much was the instability. Sometimes it seems like Dan's death was no big deal, then it actually is, or not. The second half of the book disappointed me so much, and it was so boring that all I wanted was to finish it as soon as possible. And it ends abruptly, leaving you there with nowhere to go.

I felt like the story was all about Scarlett, like other characters did not even exist, like they were not really important. All she thought was about her and the guilt she felt and Dan. Other characters were simply superficial. I wish I had loved Kiss Me Kill Me to death, but it did not happen to me. Now I hope it to get better if I ever get a copy of Kisses and Lies. Not because of Scarlett, but because of the gardener. I still hope to know more about him and other characters.

BOOK DEPOSITORY | AMAZON | CULTURA*

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Review #27: Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Ascendant (Killer Unicorns, #2)
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Release Date: September 28th, 2010
Pages: 400
Source: Editor
★★★★½

Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend’s powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and her hope of becoming a scientist seems to be nothing but an impossible dream.

So when she’s given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and use her skills as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she? At Gordian headquarters deep in France, Astrid begins to question everything she had believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns or saving unicorns from the world?

Sincerely, I wasn't expecting much from this one, since Rampant ended very peacefully to me, and then I was surprised that I enjoyed this sequel a lot more, though happened to me the same thing about the beginning: I took pages and pages to really get into the story. But, in Ascendant, we come to face another historical, present aspect regarding the actaeon, the Llewelyn family and the Remedy—there are mysteries to be solved, lots of discoveries, and everything fits well.

What made me a little bit confused was the romance—I didn't get it... Did Astrid really love Giovanni and vice-versa, or she didn't and vice-versa? The last scenes between them two were pretty awkward, way too straight to the point of the conversations, and I was left without understanding why that hapenned, why it was the way it was. I felt like wanting a better explanation.

As the story is settled mostly in France, Astrid is surprised—as well as I was—by those discoveries, those people she met at the Gordian. Everything seems to mess her mind, and it all gets her confused, maybe afraid, especially because they the Cloisters get to lose a few hunters for many reasons you will see when you read it. Nonetheless, she finds peace when she's around the unicorns, and her connection with them grows better, like she's feeling exactly what they are, though the description in the book sounds particularly and honestly kind of boring to me.

Well, the whole story is basically written based on the surprises Astrid faces, therefore I can not tell much or I might (sorry about the language) screw it up for you—though I don't even think it's possible since I sincerely loved this sequel and now want more! Because the ending left me sad sitting on my bed, and wondering a LOT, period!

Overall, Ascendant is brilliant. I had no idea I was going to enjoy it so much as I did, nor find what I found. Astrid keeps being such a strong female protagonist, who grows on me by every chapter. I'm sincerely super looking forward to see what comes next in the series, how everything is going to be solved... or not.

Buy/Compre: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Livraria Cultura*
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I'm re-posting this review because today is Ascendant's release date.

Review #30: Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison

Taken By Storm
Author: Angela Morrison
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Release Date: February 14, 2010
Pages: 291 (Paperback)
Source: Author
★★★★★

Leesie Hunt has many rules: No kissing. No sex. No dating outside the Mormon faith.

When Michael Walden, a deep-sea diver who lost his parents in a violent hurricane, arrives in town, Leesie sees someone who needs her. They fall for one another, even though his dreams are tied to the depths of the ocean and hers to salvation above.

Will their intense chemistry be too strong to resist?

Leesie and Michael must make the hardest choice of their lives: whether to follow their beliefs or their hearts.

Taken By Storm was not really what I expected it would be, but it grew a lot better as long as I was getting connected to the essence of the story. Michael's monologue about his parents and the hurricane during the first pages was a little confusing, which I had to read again after finishing the book to try to understand some passages.

But Morrison's writing style did not disappoint me at all, and we pratically have the point of view of both main characters. We get to know Michael and his thoughts through his Dive Log while Leesie writes poems to explain her feelings. We even also have online chats between Mike and Leesie, or Leesia and a friend. There a few other negative points, though, that made me give it only (or almost) 4 stars.

First of all, Michael and Leesie become close friends way too quickly. And, although I know Mike was living in a very sad situation, he only had her as a friend. He had no other friends to talk to, neither did Leesie, who had only one online friend. I could not give it less than 4 stars! The story is really, really touching and made me cry inside especially during the last 100 pages. It was simply intense. Now I am seriously looking forward to read Unbroken Connection, Taken By Storm's sequel.

Purchase/Compre: Book Depository | Amazon | Cultura*
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Review #28: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/YA
Release Date: March 24th 2009
Pages: 541 (Hardcover)
Source: Bought
★★★★★

To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family’s past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he’s willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?

City of Glass was a roller coaster of awesomeness the whole time I was reading it. Clare's writing did not disappoint me, it keeps fantastic; even though we do not have the point of view of one of her characters, she manages to put us realisticaly into them. The story did not get boring at any moment at all: questions after questions were being answered and this did not let you stop turning the pages of this amazing book.

Sometimes it is possible to guess right what is going to happening, sometimes you are completely surprised. So there is a balance that did not let me love it less, especially because we get to know more Simon, Luke Magnus and Alec, as well as we meet new-super-important characters when we are headed to Idris, an incredibly described place where everything began for the Shadowhunters.

At the end I was satisfied, but waiting for more, like there was something left. That said, I hope it does not take so long until I can finally read City of Fallen Angels. Also, City of Glass put me in a surprising and exciting mood to read its companion novel, Clockwork Angel.

Resenha #16: Whisper por Phoebe Kitanidis

Whisper
Autor: Phoebe Kitadinis
Publicação: 27/04/2010 (Estados Unidos)
Gênero: Jovem Adulto/Fantasia/Paranormal
Editora: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)
Páginas: 288
★★★★★

Eu adoraria uma xícara de café. Queria que ela soubesse o quão bonita ela é. Queria jogar essa criança na máquina de secar às vezes. Eu só quero que ela seja feliz. Espero que ela não tenha descoberto o que Ben disse sobre ela. Queria que eu soubesse quantas calorias têm num pedaço de muffin...

Joy constuma ouvir Whispers—Sussurros. Ela costuma andar nas ruas e instantaneamente saber os desejos mais profundos e obscuros das pessoas. E usa esse dom para o bem, para fazer as pessoas felizes e dar a elas o que querem. Mas para sua irmã mais velha, Jessica, o dom dado a sua família é uma maldição, e ela o usa para fazer a vida das pessoas miserável, especialmente a de Joy.

Quando Joy ouve um Sussurro assustador da própria mente de Jessica, ela sabe que tem que salvar sua irmã, mesmo que isso signifique abandonar seus amigos, roubar um carro and fugir com um garoto que ela mal conhece—quem possivelmente tem seu próprio segredo obscuro.

Joy seria uma garota normal, exceto pelo fato de que ela ouve Whispers. Em outras palavras, ela ouve o que os outros desejam—seus desejos em pensamento, sussurros. De posse desse dom hereditário, Joy gosta de fazer as pessoas felizes, dá-las o que eles querem, que é o oposto do objetivo de sua irmã em relação a esse dom - Jessica quer tornar a vida das pessoas miserável.

Como eu já disse desde que fechei este livro: não tenho palavras para descrever o quanto eu o adorei! É como nenhuma outra história que envolva o dom de ouvir pensamentos—é diferente, criativa, imprevisível e bem escrita. Literalmente mergulhei na história e quase não consegui sair se não fossem as pessoas me chamando para fazer alguma coisa enquanto eu estava lendo. Eu estava tão animada para saber o que aconteceria depois que fiquei até acordada até tarde da noite - eu precisava saber o que Joy diria e fazer em seguida, quem ela encontraria mais pra frente! Embora tenha um ritmo acelerado, Whisper parece acontecer em apenas um fim de semana, mas em um tempo maior! E a história não é mesmo um clichê, como o sumário pode fazer você pensar.

Tenho certeza de que o ponto mais positivo da minha identificação com este livro foram os personagens e os diálogos e, consequentemente, a escrita da Phoebe Kitanidis - claro! Isto fez Joy parecer não apenas uma garota de quinze anos, mas um mais madura com algumas características de uma adolescente normal.

Oh, eu posso dizer o quão grande é seu coração! Mesmo quando Jessica (Icka), sua irmã, a trata como uma merda, o que significa "sempre" desde que eles não eram mais crianças, ela é uma pessoa doce. Até que ela explode e diz a Icka as piores coisas que ela pensa e sentia sobre o relacionamente "fraternal" delas, o que deixa Joy super arrependida depois.

Realmente não sei se posso falar de J, alguém que mal conhece Joy, mas rouba um carro e foge com ela para salvar de Icka. Também fiquei muito animada com isso! Apesar de terem se visto várias vezes, eles não conhecem completamente, mas começam a conversar—o que, por acaso, é muito bem desenvolvido—após alguns eventos. Eles compartilham sentimentos e coisas das quasi até mesmo a melhor amiga de Joy não sabe. E o segredo "obscuro" de J é muito interessante e eu adoraria saber mais sobre isso! Até já foi dado a ideia de um livro focado nesse segredo dele... E espero que dê certo. Phoebe Kitadinis mostra-nos como duas pessoas que parecem ser tão diferentes podem ser muito mais parecidas do que você imagina e o relacionamento entre Joy e J fica bastante intenso durante apenas dois dias juntos.

O final não faz você pensar vem uma sequência por aí... Não para mim. Parecia um final encantador e pacífico para a situação em que os personagens estavam, mas eu ainda eu quero saber o que vai acontecer a Joy, J e Icka depois de tudo isso. E estou muito feliz que, provavelmente, teremos, sim, uma continuação!

Overall, Whisper é um romance de estréia surpreendente que faz você analisar cuidadosamente cada atitude que você e as pessoas em torno de você fazem. Phoebe Kitadinis totalmente provou sua qualidade de escrita!

English version of this review.

Promoção: clique aqui e concorra a um kit Whisper!
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Review #26: Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Rampant (Killer Unicorns, #1)
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Release Date: August 25th, 2010
Pages: 402
Source: Bought
★★★★★

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns...

Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

When I bought Rampant I don't think I was so anxious about it, so I honestly don't know exactly why I did. And now that I've read it I can say I don't regret have done this, because it was an extremely fun ride through the new fantasious unicorns world. It's not amazing only because of the unicorns, but—for sure—because of the whole story behind it, because of the characters Diana Peterfreund brought to life as unicorn hunters.

Even though I struggled a little to really get into Rampant as I read the first 100 pages and found the vocabulary kind of difficult for what I'm used to, it's considerable to highlight an important aspect of Peterfreund's writing: she first introduce us to the world she created, she tells us the unicorn mythology stories very throughly. Then on, as she keeps mentioning these stories, she brings the human women unicorn hunters, and Astrid as the main protagonist.

Astrid was a brilliant, sometimes impulsive character that grew up on me from the first to the last page, never deeping too down. And although at first she let herself be way too influenced by her mother, Lilith, and fought against being an unicorn hunter and being sent to Rome to meet others, she still was strong. Actually, initially she didn't care much about the unicorns tales her mother told her, until she saw one of those creatures for herself—when it attacked her boyfriend—and realized they were really real.

Two other different and amazing and creative aspects of Rampant that I sincerely liked and feel like I need to point out are: first, the story is nearly entirely settled in Rome, and we get to visit through the characters' eyes and steps museums and places I would love to go someday; second, in Rampant, it's not the guy who is the mysterious and dangerous, it's the girl—and it's such a sweet part of the story, something I could read again and again.

Overall, I'm really glad I had the oportunity to receive a review copy of Ascendant, it's sequel, so I again got more interested in reading Rampant, more than I was before. Diana Peterfreund is such an amazing storyteller who will take you to an original, fantastic world of unicorns and, consequentely, its hunters. I recommend it and bet you won't be disappointed!

Compre/Purchase: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Livraria Cultura*
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Review #25: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Forget You
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: MTV Books
Genre: Young Adult/Romantic Drama
Release Date: July 20th, 2010
Pages: 293
Source: Author
★★★★★

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET... AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school.

Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people—suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

First of all, as a fan of book covers, I have to say that the one for Forget You is one of the most gorgeous covers ever. And it does count a lot when you're at the bookstore looking at the shelves, covers like this simply shine and catch you instantly. As a fan of Going Too Far—and now probably as an eternal fan of Jennifer Echols and her writing—, I feel imensely happy for having loved and enjoyed Forget You more than I thought I would, though as I read I admit I was wanting more than what we have.

I was so strongly mesmerized by this novel that I could not put it down last night, and it was just when I looked out of the window to the sky that I realized the sun had already rised and it was today's morning. Jennifer Echols' writing is never tiring!

Living in the warm Florida, Zoey is the captain of the school swim team, and besides having a mother who attempted suicide and an asshole as a father, she will also have to deal with amnesia after being in a wreck. She can't remember the Friday night when the wreck happened, only the moment when Doug helped her to get out of the car.

Then, who would she believe? She decided not to tell anybody about her amnesia and to find out for herself what had happened that night, why Doug was acting like something special existed between them two, when actually she thought she was in a relationship with the football team player Brandon because they had slept together a few days before.

All her questions are answered as long as she approaches Doug after the wreck, they start talking to each other more than ever, and even hang out to dinner once. The development of their story is pretty simply but very meaningful while Brandon does not really give a shit about Zoey, like Doug himself once says to her. It just annoyed me how long she took to realize Doug had been in love with her since forever, to realized he had been honest to her. And it amazed me their intense relationship, their meaninful talks, even though Zoey sucked at times. And again I have a crush on a Jennifer Echols' character, because she definitely knows who to describe a guy and makes him perfect for your eyes: then I fell for Doug, too, just like I did for John After from Going Too Far.

Forget You explores some topics from an angle that I hadn't seen before in an Young Adult novel but that were super-well developed by Jennifer, such as: teenagers relationships in school sports teams (I'm especially talking about the swim and the football team, of course), the amnesia thing and teenagers exploring their bodies.

It was sincerely interesting to have this point of view from a sportist, especially when she was around them team, the swim team. I think there should be more stories involving this topic, if I can call it that. Swimming, heat, and beaches fit wonderfully well in Forget You, though I admit I was expecting for a scene of Zoey and Doug enjoying the swimming pool together, but it was such a shame he can't be in the pool, right? Hahaha. I wish there were, I would have loved it.

Well, yes, teenagers in this novel really do explore their bodies. They do. And I'm happy that an incredible writer like Jennifer Echols boldly, finally decided to bring this up, since this is an important and actual topic that has to be well discussed, especially between young adults and teenagers.

Overall, Forget You is an amazing novel that you won't want to stop reading once you've started. Since Going Too Far, I was expecting for this, I didn't get disappointed, and I can finally, honestly say that Jennifer Echols is now one of my YA Heros, who I'll be supporting forever. And I can't wait for her 2011 romantic drama! Going Too Far and Forget You are must-read novels, and I highly recommend them both.

Purchase/Compre: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Livraria Cultura*
*Ganhe 10% de desconto ao finalizar a compra de Forget You através deste link.

Review #22: Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Sea
Author: Heidi R. Kling
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: June 10, 2010
Pages: 336

Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.

And Sea’s real adventure begins.

Once again, in the same week, I found myself being completely attracted by a romance. As soon as I received my copy of Sea, I opened it and felt like could not stop reading, and so in less than two days I had finished it. Then I was enchanted. Yes, ENCHANTED is the perfect word.

First of all, it's relevant to mention how much I felt identified with Sienna, also known as Sea. Not because of the fact that she has lost her mother, but by how she feels about what happens to her and to the others as well. Actually, she is such a very strong character that I think everybody can easily relate to. Her acts are super emotinal as they feel real, and her feelings are intense.

Sienna has a beautiful connection with Elli, one of the Indonesian orphans; and she tries to help this kid, which was affected by the trauma of the loss of her parents because of the tsunami, while she herself feels like being cured, too. Oh, it's one of the best and most touching parts of the story to me.

The way Heidi R. Kling describes the scene in which Sienna and Deni first met is also... ENCHANTING. Then, as they get to know each other, this strong bond grows between them. And it's so fantastic because they come to share their feelings–about loss, grieving and traumas in their lives. They literally found theirselves in each other; so they trust each other; they make each other feels stronger, braver, more hopeful. Their connection is just... Special, beautiful, ENCHANTING.

I also wish I could know what was in Deni's mind, what he was thinking about Sienna and how he felt about all that had happenned to him since the tsunami. I wish I knew more about Sienna's friends, Bev and Spider, which I loved with all my heart, too.

Actually, everything that happened was pretty unexpected to me. I wasn't expecting that I would learn so much or to be so fond of the Indonesian culture like I did, which is amazingly described by Heidi R. Kling. Again, it was ENCHANTING.

But... I wasn't expecting that ending. That I wasn't expecting at all. I felt so insecure and heartbroken when Sea ended. And it ended just like it should be, I think. And, well, I cried. In less than a week, I cried while reading two books. And that's what makes me feel so fulfilled and complete after reading it, though, honestly, I would love more about Sea in the future. Yes, I mean another book–because Heidi R. Kling's writing is just... ENCHANTING!

Find Sea:
Goodreads | Amazon | Livraria Cultura*
Barnes&Noble | Kepler's | The Book Depository

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Review #21: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Going Too Far
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: MTV
Release Date: March 17, 2009
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Pages: 256
Source: Bought
★★★★★

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far... and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge - and over...

I had read several reviews about Going Too Far before I decided to buy it. I had kept staring at that beautiful cover a few times and asking myself what could have been behind it that so many readers were falling in love with it. Now I understand, now I don't regret myself for having bought and read it.

Actually, I had a copy of Going Too Far since April, and I admit that at that time I wasn't in the mood to read a romance or something, so I just left it on the bookshelf. Until one day and a few hours ago, when I was supposed to read another story, a Fantasy one. I was in the mood to read a good and light and complete romance, so I run into my room and I picked up Going Too Far—not knowing what to expect from this. It was already 11pm, but I could read at least 50 pages until I fell asleep.

I still wasn't so into the story when I stopped, but then in the following day, I picked up again from my bedside table and laid on my sofa. Then I was reading, flipping pages, being sucked by Echols' writing—even though I had felt kinda lost in the beginning, not because of the development of the story, but because of my own English knowledge, and in only a few pages I was already acquainted. I ended up reading Going Too Far all day long, carrying it with me all day long, thinking about how was it going to end all day long. I could not put it down. I read this 256-pages book in a little less than 24 hours, which I had never ever did in my whole life.

I could find myself into that story, with Meg and John everywhere. Each of them had passed through a lot in their lives and maybe that's why they connected so well, so deeply. In front of my eyes, they argued with each other, they learned lessons from each other, they fell in love with each other. And it all was so completely complex. Their relationship and what they said are too complex, but still simple because it catches you and you can relate yourself to it.

And maybe, when you look into someone else's eyes, you feel exactly the same thing Meg felt when she looked into John's:

"His dark eyes challenged me. They were weapons that could hurt me. Here was the worst thing about them: I could tell that if Johnafter loved you, his dark eyes would be beautiful and friendly and warm. So every time he cut me down with a look that was cold and unfriendly and ugly, it was a double insult, a reminder of what I could never have. I found myself avoiding his dark eyes when I could." (page 97)

And maybe, when you are touched on the knee by his hand, you feel exactly the same way Meg did when John did it. Or you are just going to laugh of her reaction:

"My knee radiated heat. As I watched him pull himself from the car and walk casually across the brightly lit parking lot, I thought dumb things: I will never wash my knee again. I will never wash my jeans again. I will cut the knee out of these jeans and sew a pillow to sleep on every night, just to have a molecule of him in my bed with me." (Page 126)

At the end, when I already had listened to many of their long and significant and challenging and entertaining and even lovely conversations, when I already had gone so many times to the diners with them and asked for The Meg Special so many times too, when I already had passed through all this with them, I cried. I cried just like Meg finally did, and it was like I could feel her pain and John's, too, somehow. I was way too absorbed by their story, like I never thought I would when I decided to dive into it.

I'm more than happy that I read this book. I'm happy that I met Meg because she a lonely and beautiful girl who made me think about the way I look at blue (or pink, or orange, or green) haired people and don't even know what is behind them, who they really are, what they have been through in their lives, or why they dye their hair colorful. I'm happy that I found John After (such a charming and handsome guy) because, besides I'm truly in love with him (ha ha) and that he has such a beautiful smile with such cute dimples, he was deep, he was good, he felt so much pain that he could not allow himself to be rid of this pain anymore. And only Meg could do this.

At last, but not least, I'm happy I found in Jennifer Echols' writing something I rarely have found these days. I found the characters' lines so real, fitting wonderfully well, that I kept some of them in my mind and so I was trying to retrospect everything in just a few minutes. I felt the complexity of the whole story—not that I have undestood every single thing, though. But I felt fulfilled. I felt that it was worth reading it.

Overall, it was so much better than I had first imagined and I highly recommend everybody to at least pick it up to read once. Because, well... It has it all. It's funny, romantic, lovely, dangerous, intelligent, real. It's fantastic, incredible. It's unique.

Find: Goodreads | Amazon | Cultura*
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Review #20: The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen

Title: The Sinner
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Release Date: August 19th, 2003
Genre: Medical Thriller/Suspense
Pages: 342 (Hardcover)

Buy: Livraria Cultura (ganhe 10% de desconto ao finalizar a compra através deste link)

Synopsis: Not even the icy temperatures of a typical New England winter can match the bone-chilling scene of carnage discovered in the early morning hours at the chapel of Our Lady of Divine Light. Within the sanctuary walls of the cloistered convent, now stained with blood, lie two nuns—one dead, one critically injured—victims of an unspeakably savage attacker.
Together, Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli uncover an ancient horror that connects these terrible slaughters. As long-buried secrets come to light, Maura Isles finds herself drawn inexorably toward the heart of an investigation that strikes closer and closer to home—and toward a dawning revelation about the killer’s identity too shattering to consider.

As spine-tingling as it is mind-jolting, The Sinner showcases Tess Gerritsen in peak form—bringing her intimate knowledge of the dark depths of criminal investigation brilliantly to bear. Beneath its layers of startling insight into the souls of its characters, and the richly wrought depiction of the everyday war between good and evil, beats the unstoppable heart of an irresistible thriller.

Even though I have already read and reviewed The Surgeon and The Apprentice, Tess' previous books in the series, I still feel that it's such a perkiness of mine to review any book written by this genious (I emphasize: genious!). Gerritsen, one more time, now through The Sinner, made me hook into her writing until the end, now letting me to put it down, despite a few flaws I found that I dare myself to point again.

A crime envolving two nuns, in the circuntances presented by Jane and Maura therewith the investigation of the case, conduces us to initially match the name of the book to the probable "nickname" that could characterize one of the victims. However, two more crimes — a woman that can't be identified plus a massacre in a village in India years before — come to the surface and probably discard any previously settled teory by the readers about the ending of the story. Also, it's disclosed that the three crimes are, at last, all connected.

During several pages of the book, we're shown Maure Isles' life in and out of the morgue more throughly. It's soon noticed that the focus is aimed at introducing the patologist as a protagonist of the series — just like the policialwoman-detective Jane Rizzoli is in the previous book, The Apprentice.

This point of introducing one more protagonist into the series can turn it into a tiring reading at certain moments. Besides, can shadow the awesomeness the ending could have had — knowing the talent of Tess Gerritsen as a writer — and conduce the readers not to enjoy the book, but to even let them a little disappointed.

Nothing of this, though, mean that being acquainted more deeply with the character has turned The Sinner into a wearisome book. On the contrary: I've met a less cold and "self-loved" Jane Rizzoli, intimately braver to relieve everything, accepting her mistakes and wills, and to push off all the fear and weakness she denied to have. I've also met a new friend, Maura, who shows to be a better positive person, with a big heart, but not allowed to feel completely happy, considering her familiar, relationships problems. We get to, soon, relate ourselves to Maura and Jane, two protagonists that we, certainly, will miss once we have to say goodbye.

Overall: ★★★★★

Review #18: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/YA
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Pages: 336 (Hardcover)
Source: Publisher

Synopsis: Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Thoughts:

I must say I never really had that excitement to read Hex Hall nor had any idea of how good it actually sounded for me. I mean, I wanted to read it, but it wasn’t like if I hadn’t it would make a huge difference. So, I read other books and then I realized I needed to read and review it as soon as possible and, well, I loved it in the end. Let’s say Hex Hall surprised me in a very good way. In the first 100 pages it didn’t catch my attention so much and I was all lazy to read it, but then I was hooked there on.

Hawkins’ writing is very simple and it made everything goes smooth to me. As well as how her characters were built and how she brought them to the story. There were a few great points in the ending that felt so unexpectedly to me, which made this book grow a lot on me. And one example of these super-high points is the scene in which the bad guy is finally ‘unmasked’. I was full of emotions while reading… I couldn’t help my self. There were like butterflies on my stomach and I felt my heart a little bit faster.

Like always, though, there’s the hot guy – in this case, Archer – who get to seem mysterious as long as he get to talk more often to Sophie – and so they, consequently, become friends. But, yes, she definitely has a crush on him, which she’ll soon discover there’s actually also love. Another thing that just came to my mind: the way they met for the first time – other super great and original scenes.

I laughed because of Sophie’s jokes, I almost forgot to breath because of Archer, I was shocked because of the witches’ "attempted murders" and deaths, I was touched by Sophie’s kindness (sometimes), I got pissed off because of Elodie and her friends, I felt hopeful. And, as there were many unanswered questions left, I need to read its sequel Demonglass right now! So, come quickly, 2011!

Overall, you need to read Hex Hall. You may find yourself not so interested in the beginning, but I assure you will as soon as you reach as least the 100th page. (It’s not like you’re gonna give up. I’m just warning you that you have to keep reading it until the end, alright?). Well, it’s a super cute, mysterious, surprising, hilarious, amazing book. Already understand, right? Go read it.

Overall: ★★★★★

Links: [Goodreads] [Amazon] [Barnes&Noble] [Borders]

Review #17: I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

Title: I Heart You, You Haunt Me
Author: Lisa Schroeder
Release Date: January 8, 2008
Genre: YA/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 227 (Paperback)
Source: Won in a contest

Girl meets boy.
Girl loses boy.
Girl gets boy back...
...sort of.

Ava can't see him or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here. Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

I had been wanting to read this book since when I first heard about it. Although, I just got it in the beginning of last month. And I'm so glad I could. This book is NOT what I was expecting at all, so it surprised me a lot. It's also my first experience with a Lisa Schroeder's book and I can say she's such an amazing because I couldn't put it down! I read it in less than two days (technically) and beat my own record by reading it so fast.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me is an incredibly, beautiful story. It's written in verse, which I hadn't experienced before, but loved it. First, because all the things goes faster and smoothier while there's still a "logic connection" between the poems.

I felt so sorry for Ava on the first poems, but she lightly annoyed me by her insistence in some random moments from this book. The way she wanted the ghost-Jackson to appear was just not natural for me. It sounded like she thought it was a happily-ever-after story, which is not be. And, yes, I know she was just fifteen and I know her boyfriend just died and they seemed to be the perfect couple, but it can't be. It wouldn't be anymore.

In the other hand, I liked how Jackson wanted her to know he still loved her even if they couldn't phisically be together anymore. It also appreacite me, in the end, when she finally realizes he won't come back and so she has to go on... That she needs to live her own life.

Overall, it's a really touching story and I enjoyed it very much while reading, though it's annoying in a few little points that I'm sure won't intervene on your decision of picking it up. And that's why I would give it four stars and a half and why I'm very excited to have the honor of getting either Far From You or Chasing Brooklyn to read anyday.

Overall: ★★★★.5

Links: [Goodreads] [Amazon] [Barnes&Noble] [Borders]