Reader Rayna

Month: December 2015

  • Destroy Me & Fracture Me Novellas Reviews

    I just finished both of the novellas from Tahereh Mafi‘s Shatter Me trilogy, one from Warner’s point of view and the other from Adam’s, and so I’m going to put both of my reviews for them here.

    destroymeTitle: Destroy Me
    Series: Shatter Me #1.5
    Pages: 101
    Format: Purchased eBook*

    In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

    Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

    My love for Warner just increased, I think.

    I loved being able to see from his perspective and the different voices all of these characters have. Tahereh Mafi has a way with words, crafting them into beautiful sentences, and it makes my heart flutter.

    Warner was actually really creepy to me in the first book, less so in the second, and definitely not in the third. For this novella, he was still kind of weird and foreign to me, but as it continued I really saw his struggle to maintain control. He likes order, he likes control; it’s what makes him feel most comfortable with the world, so for the world to be in disarray after the events of Shatter Me, it’s kind of eye opening to see how he reacts in the situations that are being thrust upon him.

    I think that this novella definitely improved his character arc and I wish I had read it sooner. Not only do we get a look into why he did some of the things he did, but we got to understand that he’s human just like everyone else and, though he may try to hide it, he does have emotions and weaknesses and insecurities.

    The plot followed the events right after the first book and into the second book, and I like that we got to see more of Delaliu and even his father. The plot itself was simple: find Juliette and the others, and even then that was a challenge given his injury and other factors. I thought that it was engaging and interesting to see what happened from the other side where Juliette and Adam weren’t at.

    I really enjoyed this novella and definitely recommend it to Shatter Me fans and if you want to get a bit more out of Warner.

    4.5/5 stars

    fracturemeTitle: Fracture Me
    Series: Shatter Me #2.5
    Pages: 67
    Format: Purchased eBook*

    As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam’s focus couldn’t be further from the upcoming battle. He’s reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend’s life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James’s safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It’s time for war.

    On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam’s newly discovered half brother, won’t be that easy. The Reestablishment can’t tolerate a rebellion, and they’ll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.


    Though I find Adam to be a pain in the butt, I’m actually really glad to have read this story from his perspective. To be able to see such brotherly love and affection overtake any other emotion is incredible, especially given the circumstances.

    I kind of already had a feel for who he was as a character, but just knowing how much he cares for his brother and how he would put him before anyone else kind of makes him a little less of a jerk and a little more over protective older brother.

    I get that he felt the need to protect Juliette – I do, I get it – and that he wrestled with himself as to who was more important to him was kind of eye-opening for his character: was he ready to risk the girl he loves, or his only little brother, the only person he has left in the world from his family? But I think that he made the right decision.

    The plot followed the story during Unravel Me when everything kind of went to hell, which was an interesting place to see his perspective. I think he thought he was too needed, when in reality Juliette was fine without him. I found this novella to be a good edition to the trilogy.

    And as always, the writing is lovely and descriptive without giving too much away.

    3.75/5 stars

    *Both eBooks were purchased for my nook Simple Touch.

  • Gift Guide for Book Lovers

    We’re well into the holiday season, and whatever you celebrate, this is usually the time of year when we give gifts to each other. Now, as a book lover, I’d love many book themed gifts! Even writing gifts are a plus, so today I’m going to give my own thoughts and ideas for what you can give that book lover in your life!

    1 . Books

    I know, I know, sounds kind of cliche, right? Well, if you know someone in your life who’s been dying to read a certain book or who loves a certain genre, then try to pick out that book for them or something that you think they’d enjoy.

    For example, I love fantasy. So if you were to get me a book that’s based in another world with a magic system, kickass heroes/heroines, potentially mythical creatures, and a villain I love to hate, then I’m most likely going to enjoy and read said book.

    If, for example, you have someone who loves contemporary, but doesn’t necessarily want YA, then head to the fiction section and search around for something light-hearted with some splashes of romance inside.

    2. Gift Cards

    I know that this seems like a cop out, but really, it’s a great thing to give someone a gift card! Whether it be Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or that indie bookstore down the street, a gift card can go a long way. Not only do you give a gift, but you’re allowing that person to pick out whatever they want on their own.

    3. Adult Coloring Books

    I’m listing this separate from the books category because, well, you can’t really read these. They’re just a fun, imaginative way for adults to escape for a little while and relax. Focusing on coloring, on a single task, can be extremely soothing to some people, so give that stressed out book lover in your life the gift of a coloring book – and don’t forget the colored pencils!

    4. Litographs

    These shirts from Litographs are wicked cool because not only are they tailored to book lovers, but they include a section of a book (or the whole book) of your choice from their selection. It’s so cool and your book lover would literally be a walking book. What more could they want?

    5. Etsy

    Okay, you can’t give them Etsy itself, but finding cool and quirky handmade gifts on there is pretty nifty. You can find handmade bookmarks, necklaces from your favorite series, book ends, book safes, and so much more.

    6. Shelves and/or Bookends

    I know this can be a little pricey, but I mean, the book lover in your life needs somewhere to put their books, right? You can find cheap shelves through Target and Walmart, but if you want something a little sturdier, then maybe check out your local furniture stores. If you’re feeling up to DIY, build the shelves! Just be sure to get exact measurements and permission before doing so.

    As for bookends, if your book lover already has shelves and wants to spruce them up a bit, getting bookends could be the perfect way to do it. They come in all shapes, sizes, weights, colors, and prices, so find a set that you think will match the room, the person, or the shelf.

    7. Journals

    Even if your book lover isn’t a writer per se, a journal can unleash a lot of untapped creativity and they may just thank you for it later. You can find or even make journals from so many different stores: Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, The Paper Store, maybe even the dollar store. They come in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes, so pick one that you think your book lover would like.

    8. Bookmarks

    Honestly, who doesn’t love a bookmark? There’s magnetic ones, steel plated, 3D picture, shapes… There’s so many different kinds of bookmarks to choose from! And again, you can find them in a lot of places. Etsy has really cute handmade ones and Barnes & Noble and other book stores carry lots of different kinds, too. Trust me, your book lover will appreciate having something to hold their place other than a scrap piece of paper or the cat.

    9. Something Handmade

    I don’t know if it’s just me, but I love handmade gifts. For your book lover, if you want to go the DIY route, there’s more than enough YouTube video tutorials to help you out in making little book ornaments for the tree, or really anything else you can think of. But there’s something about gifts being handmade that make it extra special, in my opinion.

    10. Subscription Box

    This can get pricey depending on the subscription option you pick, but a bookish subscription box could be the perfect thing to get your book lover! There are many different kinds of boxes and they all come with different books and bookish swag, so it’ll definitely keep your book lover happy for a while.

    Here’s a few:

    • Owlcrate – Monthly, 3 month, 6 month subscriptions for YA book & swag
    • LitCube – Literary themed swag and book
    • Uppercase – Monthly YA book & swag
    • Book Riot – Book & bookish swag
    • The Book Drop – Choice between “Jane,” which is adult fiction, or YA

    So there you have it! My gift guide for the holiday season. There’s obviously so much more that you can give your book lover that isn’t listed here, but this is a simple list that branches out to many different kinds of gifts and ideas. Get creative! No matter what you get your book lover, I’m sure they’ll, well, love it!

    What do you plan on giving the book lover in your life this holiday season? Is it handmade? Store bought? Huge? Let me know what you’re giving and what you’d recommend to give!

  • The Selection Novellas Reviews

    So I recently just read all of The Selection novellas by Kiera Cass, and rather than do separate reviews for them, I’m just going to combine them into one review here. There’s a few spoilery kind of things in the reviews, just so you’re aware.

    theprinceTitle: The Prince
    Series: The Selection 0.5

    Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection…
    Before Aspen broke America’s heart…
    There was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life…
    Don’t miss this thrilling 64-page original novella set in the world of the New York Times bestselling novel The Selection. Also features a teaser to The Elite, Kiera Cass’s hotly anticipated sequel to The Selection.

    In this novella, we got to see part of The Selection from the viewpoint of Prince Maxon, and I was actually excited to read from his perspective because I liked his character when I read the first book. In this we saw him dealing with his emotions before the Selection process and I think that he stuck true to his character: he was shy, but confident, and tried to make the right decisions.

    And then there was this girl from France who just kind of made a situation in the novella seem kind of abusive and I was like, “Um, yeah no.” Trying to make Maxon think he was in love with her and he just didn’t know it? Yeah, no thanks. She was nice up until that point and then BAM.

    Then we saw him during his first encounter with America and a few more after, and I really enjoyed those scenes, being able to get his thoughts on what had just happened and all of that.

    There wasn’t much to go on here, but it was nice nonetheless to see from Maxon’s point of view. If you’re a fan of the series, give this a read!

    3.5/5 stars

    theguardTitle: The Guard
    Series: The Selection 2.5

    Before America Singer met Prince Maxon . . .
    Before she entered the Selection . . .
    She was in love with a boy named Aspen Leger.

    Don’t miss this digital original novella set in the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection trilogy. This brand new 64-page story begins just after the group of Selected girls is narrowed down to the Elite and is told from Aspen’s point of view. The Guard also features a teaser to The One, the thrilling conclusion to The Selection trilogy.

    So when I originally started this I thought I was going to read a bit more from Aspen’s point of view before he became a guard, and maybe his journey into it, or something like that. But this novella was about his time in the palace when America is going through her Selection and the various times they meet in The Elite.

    Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of Aspen, so I had to push through this one. I found him kind of annoying like I did in the series, but it was still good to get a perspective from him.

    He was confident in his role as a guard, but a lot of his thoughts were only about America. When he had a talk with Lucy, I was hoping for something else to happen, but he just went right back to thinking of America, which is fine since he was still infatuated with her.

    Overall, I thought him to be a little too dependent on America. He tried so hard to show he still cared, but I didn’t really get that from him. I got a desperate boy trying to win back the heart of the girl he made brokenhearted.

    The plot of the novella did follow some different sequences, though, and we did get to see him in action a little bit, which was cool. I wanted to know more about the rebels and see more fights, but alas, it didn’t happen.

    3/5 stars

    PrintTitle: The Queen
    Series: The Selection 0.4

    Before America Singer’s story began, another girl came to the palace to compete for the hand of a different prince….

    Don’t miss this digital original novella set in the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series. This prequel story takes place before the events of The Selection and is told from the point of view of Prince Maxon’s mother, Amberly. Discover a whole new Selection with this inside look at how Maxon’s parents met—and how an ordinary girl named Amberly became a beloved queen.

    This was actually my favorite Selection novella and I wish there had been more!

    This novella followed Queen Amberly when she was in the Selection back in the day. I found her to be reserved and polite, knowing a little bit more strife than some of the other girls that were there. I think that it was kind of adorable that she had been in love with (then) Prince Clarkson ever since she was a little girl from having seen him on TV and whatnot and the fact that that little girl crush continued on into her Selection process.

    It was nice to see Clarkson take an interest in her and show some concern in his own way for her because of her medical condition. From there, their subtle romance took off and I actually thought that it was really kind of cute and enticing.

    The plot itself showed a glimpse as to why Clarkson became the king he was due to his parents, and it showed how Amberly handled that situation. The two seemed kind of made for each other, which was sweet.

    Definitely give this novella a go if you’re a fan of the series.

    4/5 stars

    thefavoriteTitle: The Favorite
    Series: The Selection 2.6

    While America Singer’s heart was torn between Aspen and Prince Maxon, her friend Marlee knew exactly what she wanted—and paid the price.

    Revisit the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series in this digital original novella. Told from Marlee’s point of view, this all-new 64-page story returns to the fateful Halloween when Marlee and Carter were discovered, and reveals how that night—and Prince Maxon—changed their lives forever.

    This novella took place during the events in The One and I actually really enjoyed this novella, too. It follows Marlee during the time she’s going to be beaten for treason, and it also goes into flashbacks about her and Carter first meeting and the times in between to their first kiss and beyond.

    I was super suspicious of Marlee at the beginning of the series, but as it progressed I saw that she was really just a genuine friend, and after her little rendezvous with Carter, it kind of really showed that her heart was elsewhere.

    This novella was divided into two parts, and I was honestly hoping the second part had more to do with a little bit into the future of their lives, but it was during one of the attacks from the rebels. As with the other novellas, I just wished for more because I wanted to see how they’d act and react in certain situations.

    I really liked the characters explored in this novella, and though I wish the plot in the second half had been a little different, it was still good nonetheless, though there were some parts where I questioned why something was funny or why something had to happen the way it did.

    Either way, check this novella out if you enjoyed the series.

    3.5/5 stars

    *All novellas were read in ebook format on my nook Simple Touch.

  • Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-You Authors

    Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday as hosted by the people of The Broke & the Bookish. Today’s topic is about your top ten favorite new-to-you authors that you read in 2015, so here are my top ten in no particular order.

    1. Tahereh Mafi – Her trilogy was one of my favorite trilogies of the year and I just really liked how she explored Juliette’s character and showed exponential growth with her, plus her writing style is just very poetic and lovely.
    2. Sabaa Tahir – Her debut novel was epic and it really was worth the hype, in my opinion. She writes strong characters and is able to really paint a picture of the setting without overkilling it.
    3. Renee Ahdieh – Her story was a retelling of a classic, and though I have not read said classic, her story was different and breathtaking. I really want to know more about Shazi and all the others and what happens next.
    4. Brandon Sanderson – Though I haven’t finished the books I’m currently reading by him yet, his writing is still very powerful and engaging. The stories he writes are incredible and the worlds themselves are breathtaking and different.
    5. Mary  E. Pearson – Her story captivated me and drew me in, especially the audiobook version. Though I may not have gotten the full “surprise” at the end, it was still an awesome tale of a strong heroine, two very different guys, a loyal friend, and so much more.
    6. Ilona Andrews – A new discovery thanks to Sanaa from InkBonesBooks, this is a long urban fantasy series that’s become one of my favorites. As this tale is written by a husband-wife team, I can sometimes pick out the subtle differences in the writing, but it’s still a good series.
    7. Becky Albertalli – Her writing style is so fun, but serious, too, and I just really enjoyed her book.
    8. Nicola Yoon – Her debut story was really lovely and just really showed that you can’t live your life by not doing anything – you have to do something!
    9. Laini Taylor – Her writing is so beautiful and the stories she tells are just as equally beautiful. Her trilogy has definitely captured my heart and has become one of my favorite trilogies, even though I haven’t finished the third book yet.
    10. Maggie Steifvater – When I first dove into The Raven Boys, I really just felt that it was such a unique and interesting read. I haven’t read paranormal in a while, but I think that Steifvater really captured the essence of paranormal. Her characters are all unique and the situations themselves hold a sort of magical realism, which was incredible.

    So these are my top ten favorite new-to-me authors that I read this year. The stories are all unique and entertaining and I highly recommend any and all of them to you out there who are interested in reading books by them.

    What about you? Who are some of your favorite authors and why? Let me know!

  • Their Fractured Light Book Review

    theirfracturedlightTitle: Their Fractured Light
    Series: Book #3 in the Starbound trilogy
    Authors: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
    Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
    Publication Date: December 1, 2015
    Genre: Young Adult – Sci-Fi, Romance
    Pages: 425
    Format: Purchased Hardcover

    A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

    Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

    Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

    When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

    As this is the third book, there will probably be spoilers.

    This book made me feel all the feels, and I couldn’t have loved it more.

    Now I knew that the plot was going to be building up to stopping LaRoux and whatever his plans were for the “whispers,” but what happened I wasn’t actually expecting, which I think was even better.

    A lot of what happened in the previous books flashed back to me when I read this installment, particularly in the small sections between the chapters. Those parts are actually what hit me the hardest and the parts that were from the perspective of the whispers from before the first book until now. I think adding that aspect to the book really helped to shed a light on the whispers and how they think and what really happened to them. It’s hard not to feel something for them when reading those bits; I almost cried during a few just because it hit me right in the feels.

    But the plot itself was engaging and I needed to know what was going to happen next. Every page and every chapter had me wanting more, and I personally think that’s a sign of an excellent story.

    So let me talk about the characters now, because OMG the feels.

    When we’re first introduced to Sophia, we know that she’s the con artist. She’s smart and thinks on her feet, able to read peoples’ body language to use to her advantage. I actually thought that was a great character trait and one that she constantly used to her advantage. She was always trying to weave her way through situations, using tactics and techniques she’d gathered over the year she had been on the run, working to manipulate others into what she wanted them to do.

    But then she meets Gideon (who I’ll talk about in a minute) and though she tries her best to keep everything she can a secret, trying to hide who she really is from him, I think she realizes just how smart and aware Gideon is of those around him – even if he isn’t the best at reading people. I think her major character flaw is being so untrusting of not only others, but of herself, especially after the traumatic incidents that happened when she was on her home planet. She knows what it takes to survive, though, which is a great quality to have, and though she’s rough around the edges, she really came into her own around the end and listened to herself, first, before doing what others may have expected of her.

    Now, Gideon is a sassy pants and I love him. I thought that his easy going attitude was charming and funny at the beginning, but he’s definitely a lot smarter than he initially lets on. Given he’s a hacker, I don’t doubt that intelligence. But he’s definitely a kind soul that cares deeply for others. He knows he can’t really trust everyone around him, but he lets Sophia in and does get burned a few times. Even though this happens, and he wars with himself on whether or not he can trust her, unlike Sophia, Gideon knows how to listen to himself and his heart, and his heart tells him he can trust her.

    I love that about these two: they’re very opposite each other in certain aspects, but I think that’s really what makes them fit and mold together so nicely.

    Gideon was also very quick with his actions, too, but in a different way to Sophia. Where she was quick on her feet with people, he was quick when it came to scenarios and being equipped with anything and everything he could need in any given situation. Most situations, anyway. He was always prepared in case of threat or emergency, and I think that worked really well given the situations in the story.

    We also got to see Tarver, Lilac, Jubilee, and Flynn again, and my heart nearly exploded when everything was going down when they were introduced. It was so amazing to have them all together in one book, and I think that their stories and what happened to mesh them all together really made sense and worked well. There is more explanation that is possible as to why they were all there, but I don’t want to delve into too many spoilers here!

    Just know that I love each and every single one of these characters and I wish there were more stories with them out there.

    As for the romance, like the previous books, this romance was slow burning, building up gradually and naturally, and I think that’s what I love most about Kaufman’s and Spooner’s writing. Though there was initial attraction on the part of Gideon mostly, it wasn’t insta-love by any means. I think that also having those troubled flaws of back and forth unable to trust, but still trusting really showed just how raw these characters and the emotions could get.

    This book didn’t disappoint. It was definitely more action packed than I think even the second book was, or right up that alley, and it was definitely full of twists and turns and surprises. It will make you feel pity, love, hope, frustration, shock, and more. It did for me, anyway.

    Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and I highly recommend it if you’ve read the first two novels.

    If you couldn’t guess, I rated this book 5/5 stars.

    As for the overall trilogy rating: 5/5 stars.

    Accompanying video: Their Fractured Light Book Review