My problem with Twilight

MY PROBLEM WITH TWILIGHT

                                  

Don't get me wrong, I like Twilight (the books and the movies, except Breaking Dawn part 1). I've never been a Twi-hard and I'll never be one, but I liked the overall idea and the way it created this publicity for paranormal books (I've always loved the paranormal theme so it wasn't new to me, but because now it has so much attention and there are a lot more people who share my interest in this genre).

However, I really hate the PHENOMENON that surrounds (surrounded??) this series. People started taking sides, the people who love the books and movies and the ones who hate it. This caused a lot of prejudice when it comes to the genre. Books are compared to Twilight or they say twilight fans will "love" it, for example, the soul screamers series by Rachel Vincent ;

Or the way people expected the Beautiful Creatures movie to be the next twilight.

WHY do people do THAT, with these kind of praises you can attrackt the twilight crowd but you will also repel the people who are prejudiced because of twilight.

Another example is the Host (book and movie). 

                                                      

People see the trailer and think "wow, this seems interesting", then they drop the bomb "from Stephanie Meyer, the author of the TWILIGHT SAGA", and that's when they go "OH NO, not Twilight again"

So my point being is that Twilight had it's time, it had it's golden years but that's over now. It won't be like Harry Potter where everyone will still love it years after the movies are out.\

Get over twilight and give other authors and movies a chance, and the Host, it's nothing like twilight. 

ENDLESSLY

PARANORMALCY #3 : ENDLESSLY

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.


The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

REVIEW:
As an ending to a trilogy this is a roller-coaster of action and emotions.
Evie comes to a point where she has to make choices that will influance a lot of supernatural creatures.
I like that Vivian has a more prominent role in this book, she has a purpose and has changed a lot from the girl who wanted to kill every paranormal (in the understanding that she was doing them a favor).
This trilogy introduced me to a lot of paranormal creatures that are almost never shown in other fantasy books, and all of them have their own special part in  this book.
Lend and Evie have a steady relationhip, but it won't be that way when Evie reveals to Lend that he is immortal, this is easily and beautifully solved, but I won't tell how.

SUPERNATURALLY

PARANORMALCY #2: SUPERNATURALLY

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

REVIEW:

As a second book in a trilogy it's certainly interesting and more actionfilled as the first.

Evie finds out a lot of interesting and shocking things from her past that she never knew about.

Evie broke free from her ties to IPCA  at the end of Paranormalcy and is now living a fairly normal life and having a steady relationship with Lend, but don't think she can get away from IPCA that easily.

Meanwhile she is also starting a war between the sealie and unsealie fearie courts, which she isn't entirely aware of in the beginning.

Fun and actionfilled with lots of interesting turns, a read that would be great in the summer as a fun and quick read.

PARANORMALCY

PARANORMALCY #1 : PARANORMALCY

Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

REVIEW:

I liked this book, I didn't love it, it wasn't mind-blowing but it was a very enjoyable read.

Kiersten White managed to hook you from the first sentence, something I haven't seen much.

Evie is a lovely main character, she isn't perfect and she doesn't pretend to be. She's a girly girl with an edge, a lovely change from the kick-ass heroine's that are usually the main character. I'm not saying that Evie isn't kick-ass, she is, but not in the way that for example Rose Hathaway (vampire academy) is. 

Lend is great as a love interest, sweet, loyal and on top of that he is a shapeshifter (not the person-turns-into-animal kind, but the person-can change-into-anyone-he-wants kind), and Reth is the perfect bad boyfriend form the past, as a fearie he isn't all that bad but he is centainly not the good guy either.. 

IPCA is a very original take on the supernatural genre, the international paranormal containment agency and the bag-and-tag (it reminded me a little of a season 4 Buffy the vampire slayer episode, did enyone else have that?)

Next to the fun characters is the plot also interesting on it's own, something paranormal that was very new to me. 

This book mainly introduces you to everyone and the new world you enter, but it's certainly not boring.

MOCKINGJAY

THE HUNGER GAMES #3 : MOCKINGJAY

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

REVIEW:

Wow, this was, to be honest, a pretty dissapointing book and certainly my least favorite book in this trilogy. I hated that there were so many gruesome deaths, that characters that I started to love died, the book overall was a gruesome story. The reason that I still gave this book 3,5 stars is that with the writing style Suzanne Collins has made you experience this book like you are really there (even if it wasn't a pleasant experience all the time) . And it was a long awaited, somewhat sad, happy ending.

Read it to end this series, to know how it all  ends, But I will certainly not read this book again when rereading the first two.

CATCHING FIRE

THE HUNGER GAMES #2 : CATCHING FIRE

Sparks are igniting, flames are spreading and the Capitol wants revenge. 

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn.

REVIEW:

Catching fire is my favorite book in this trilogy. It is exciting and funny, not overly romantic but that is not needed in these books.

Catching fire is the start of the REAL action. It is the year of the 75th hunger games, so there is a quarter quell. Every 25 years there's a quarter quell , for the 50th hunger games 48 people were send to the games, and this year it will be a very surprising turn of events as the 75th specialty is published. I'm not going to spoil the fun for you but, holly crap, I was blown away at this anouncement.

We get to know a lot of the previous victors in this book, which I really liked (the history of the hunger games interests me a lot, what happened, who won etc.).

If you weren't already hooked when you read the hunger games, catching fire will propably be a turning point in your experience with the hunger games (in a good way).

I was thrilled with this book, it had me sitting at the edge of my seat the entire time and turning pages when I had to stop (to eat or go to the toilet or something pointless like that ;) ).

THE HUNGER GAMES

THE HUNGER GAMES #1 : THE HUNGER GAMES

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. 

If she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

REVIEW;

First of all I have to say that I didn't like dystopian novels. I hadn't read any, the idea of these horrible future societys just didn't pull me in.

But after reading the hunger games I suddenly see the world of dystopian novels very differenly, I had seen the movie before reading the trilogy and the movie made me reconsider to read this book ,so I gave it a try.

And am I glad I read these books, it's something that ,as a reader, you have to read.

The world that Suzanne Collins created is very well thought of, Katniss is not a very likeable character but after being in her shoes for a while you kind of get why that is. Panem is not a great land to live in (at least not if you're not living in the capitol) it has a kinda midevil feel to it, but technology exists.

The hunger games on it's own is a very fascinating subject, put 24 young people in the arena to fight to their death until one is left as the victor. It's a gruesome game, but it divines the world that Suzanne Collins created.

All by all, it is a great book and if you haven't  read it already, I certainly reccomend it.

BOOK HAUL!!!

Okay so I went a little crazy when I was looking for new books to buy at the book depository.
I bought 13 books!!! I was like a kid in a candystore, really.

I bought the unearthly trilogy  in hardback, I don't have many hardbacks because those are really expensive but they were relatively cheap at the book depository. And because I loved these covers I couldn't resist the temptation.

 

I also bought the following series;
Rachel Hawthorne's Dark Guardians series

 

Ally Condie's Matched trilogy
  

Bought the 7th installment in the mercy thompson series (yay ;) )



And pre ordered The elite by Kiera Cass
 

GODDESS INHERITANCE

THE GODDESS TEST #3 : GODDESS INHERITANCE

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

REVIEW:

This was a great book as an end. It was action filled and had enough twists and turns to keep me hooked the entire time.

Milo was a constant center of attention and Cronus kept surprising me with his devotion to Kate.

When Henry stormed into the castle to rescue Kate I thought that that would be a perfect scene for a movie ;)

This book is certainly a must read for everyone who has read the series, I won't give it 5 roses because i liked goddess interrupted the best and this book didn't have that 'wow' factor for me but was still a great read.

THE GODDESS LEGACY

THE GODDESS TEST #2.5 : THE GODDESS LEGACY

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimée Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness....

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal....

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another....

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others - but never knew true loss before....

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope....

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.

Contents:
The Goddess Queen
The Lovestruck Goddess
Goddess of the Underworld
God of Thieves
God of Darkness

REVIEW:

I'm not really a fan for book with multiple stories in them, but this book was different. The stories tell the back ground from each important character from the goddess test series.

Hera/Calliope's story was probably one of the two stories in this book that I didn't like so much. It wasn't because the story was bad, no it was really great. It was because the character was so angry and frustrated and hurt. Reading from Calliope/hera's point of view made me hate her even more, it shows that Hera/Calliope has always been the way she was when she was introduced in the goddess test after confessing that she murdered all thos girls. Calliope had something good in her, a way of thinking and reasoning that the other olympians didn't have. And I get that it's horrible finding out that your so-called devoted husband has been cheating on you with several women, but it happened and she can't change it, no ones life goes as planned.

Aphrodite/Ava's story was a lovely one explaining how Aphrodite thinks and loves. At the same time you get Hephaestus's back ground and how Aphrodite/Ava's life went before the goddess test.

Persephone's story was probably my least favorite story out of the 5. Persephone is very self centered, I get that she tried to love Hades but she fought it to much and hurt Hades badly allong the way. She should have raised her voice before getting married, that way they would have avoided a lot of trouble.

Hermes/James has alway had a special place with me, I like him and reading how he became who he is now was very interesting. It was a sad story at the end but it didn't stay that way. This was certainly my favorite story.

Hades/Henry's story was a story about how the search for a "new persephone" went. The details and feelings how Hades/Henry felt them, behind his nutral mask. I loved Ingrid the moment she ws introduced in the series and the short story we get in this book only made it better. Henry's first encounter with Kate when she was seven was so sweet that I almost laughed out loud. 

I give it 4 roses 

GODDESS INTERRUPTED

THE GODDESS TEST #2 : GODDESS INTERRUPTED

Kate Winters has won immortality.
But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

REVIEW:

Okay, so this book was way better than the first one, there was more action, more love and most of all more of a well developed story. With Calliope outted as a murderrer she has gone very very bad, with getting Cronus out of his prison she has started a war which is almost impossible to win for the Olympians without Calliope. Kate and Henry's relationship finally developes in a way I like, it's not perfect but acceptable. Henry is not as troubled as before and Kate can finally settle with knowing that he loves her.

I liked this book a lot, all the Olympians are Kate's family now and the action and twists in this book made up for the dissapointing first book. Certainly a great read for mythologie and fantasy lovers.

THE GODDESS TEST

THE GODDESS TEST #1 : THE GODDESS TEST

Every girl who had taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

If she fails...

REVIEW:

I picked up the goddess test because I love retellings off the Persephone myth. I love the dark brooding god and the goddess who was forced (even in retellings where it isn't Hades's fault) to stay in the underworld. This book however was a bit of a dissapointment. Kate is a fun character but she worries to much, she thinks about everything in the "the glass is half empty" way, which I don't like. And Hades/Henry also was way to troubled in this version of the myth, I get why though. When you look at his history it's very sad and everyone would be fairly troubled with such a past, but in a book it doesn't make for a very good male character or/and love interest.

Luckily it isn't all bad, the storyline is quite interesting and the characters are well developed even the writing keeps you hooked most of the time.I also liked the fact that almost all the gods and goddesses accured in this book. So if you're interested in mythology it's certainly worth a try (it gets better in the second book by the way).

I give this book 3,5 stars because it has potential to be a great series but the first book was a bit of a let down to me.

GOLDEN LILY

BLOODLINES #2 ; GOLDEN LILY

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?

REVIEW:

TO COME

BLOODLINES

BLOODLINES #1 ; BLOODLINES

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

REVIEW :

I am so very glad that Richelle Mead continued in the world of vampire academy. When I finished last sacrifice it was like ending up in a big black hole. But starting bloodlines was a delight.

She just continued with the amazing story's.

Sydney as protagonist was actually rather easy to adjust to. With bloodlines you continue following Adrian, Jill, Sonja Karp and Sydney.

I loved this book a lot, just like the vampire academy these books are phenominal.

I have never enjoyed books as much as I enjoy these series.