Halo

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Synopsis:

An angel is sent to Earth on a mission.

But falling in love is not part of the plan.

Three angels – Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human – are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.

The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?





*SPOILERS*

When I first started this book, I was in love.  The writing was dreamy and the premise drew me in.  But that's about where the positives end.  Xavier and Bethany quickly got to the point in their relationship where they are all mushy and can't live with out each other.  It was crappy and I can't stand reading it.  By that point, the wonderful descriptions seemed excessive and cliche creeped itself in.  The antagonist, who arrived with about quarter of the book left kisses Bethany.  Of course Xavier got proof and broke up with Bethany even though it wasn't her fault.  Of course they reconcile.  Urgh...  By this time Bethany's fragile angel personality is Mary Sueish and just plain annoying.  And through out the ENTIRE relationship Bethany is always asking Xavier how she compares to his late girlfriend.  The first time, okay, the second time and so fourth?  Just trash.  This book is one that starts off on a high note, but creeps it's way downhill from there.

The plot was not very well structured.  Bethany and her siblings come to earth with this assignment to "do good" which I personally think is kind of a flimsy idea to begin with, but whatever.  Then they all struggle to fit in with humans.  Bethany tries to deny her attraction to Xavier.  They become a couple or whatever.  Then the mushy relationship part comes in, which was just painful.  Finally, the antagonist appears, even though the book is almost over.  But he turns out to just be a cliche of a character and I was able to tell from the start that he was the bad guy, even if Bethany was too stupid to figure it out.  Bethany must have been REALLY stupid because Adornetto gave the most obvious red herrings in the entire world.  So okay, we know he's the bad guy, oh wait, Xavier just broke up with me!!!!  Oh noooooo!!!  Seriously, the little break up aftermath was boring.  Oh your life is over. I'm so pathetic... Yeah, yeah, yeah.  It was repetitive and pointless.

After Xavier and Bethany "make up" the climax hits.  She is kidnapped or something, and her siblings rescue her.  to be honest, it was so boring that I can barely remember it.  The book wrapped up poorly and I didn't want to read the sequels right away, that's for sure.  Today, my opinon is a little different.  Maybe this is one of those series that gets better?  It's a possibility.  Although my hopes aren't high.

Don't read this book.  It is disappointing and bland.

✎✎

~Remedyleaf

The United States of YA

Today I discovered this awesome list from Epic Reads!

Cool right?!?  Well, the thing is, that while I've only read 7/50 of these books, a lot of them were already on my TBR list, and now all of them are!  I thought that this was really cool and wanted to share with you all!  :)

~Remedyleaf

April!

Oh my gosh!  It's almost April, which also means Poetry Month!!!! Yay!!!!!  I will be participating in NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month).

To kick of the start of the season, (early) I picked up Dizzy In Your Eyes: Poems about Love by Pat Mora.

I just adore the title and cover, don't you?

Synopsis:
Beloved children's book author and speaker Pat Mora has written an original collection of poems, each with a different teen narrator sharing unique thoughts, moments, sadness, or heart’s desire: the girl who loves swimming, plunging into the water that creates her own world; the guy who leaves flowers on the windshield of the girl he likes. Each of the teens in these 50 original poems, written using a variety of poetic forms, will be recognizable to the reader as the universal emotions, ideas, impressions, and beliefs float across the pages in these gracefully told verses.

Review:

I have mixed feelings about poetry books,  (Not books written in poetry)  because you can love one poem, and hate the next, which I found to often happen in this book.  However, I did love the demonstration and explantion about all the different forms of poetry used; I've been reading poetry for years, and even found a new format.  So that was nice.

Overall the poetry was very well written, just that some were better than others.

✎✎✎

It's okay that not everything went great, though, because there are always better poems out there! 

~Remedyleaf

New Covers!!!

Okay, so many of you know that last summer I read the Harry Potter books for the first time!  Well, I fell in love with them, joined the fandom, and just a couple weeks ago I found out this;

THE RE-DID THE COVERS FOR THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE FIRST ONE HAS BEEN UNVEILED AND IT IS AMAZING!

You want to see it?

Here is the previous cover for reference:

In my opinion, I really like the new cover.  It captures the book in an entirely different way, and I am dying because we have to wait all the way to September to see the rest of the new covers!  

On another note, I was thinking that I'm super glad Scholastic didn't screw up the books by doing movie covers, you know?  I mean the movies were AMAZING but I like to keep them separate from the books.  Your thoughts?

~Remedyleaf

Powell's

I don't know how many of you have heard of the amazing, the magnificent, the terrific book store in Portland, Oregon called Powell's but I have, and just last week I got to visit there!!!!!!  Ahhhhhh!!!!!  I had a book heart attack.

So anyway, here is a list of the books I got!

1.  The Sun Trail by Erin Hunter✔
2. Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
3. Sloppy Firsts by Megan Mccafferty
4. The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty
5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare * I want to re-read this, it was so good the first time and I never got to finish the series!
6.  Looking for Alaska by John Green
7.  Paper Towns by John Green
8. The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
9. Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak
10. The Elite by Kiera Cass * I know, THIS BOOK DOESN'T COME OUT UNTIL APRIL!!!!  AND I GOT AN ARC!!!!  AT A BOOKSTORE!!!!

So that's what I got!  Only 1/10 have been read, but the other reviews will be coming up soon!  :D

~Remedyleaf

I do Belive

I do believe that I have reviewed several Warriors books on here, haven't I?  Well, for those of you who do not know, the Warrior Cats series is a Middle Grade series by the pseudonym Erin Hunter, who is actually several authors entirely.  Warrior Cats is about several generations of wild cats that live in clans and their lives.  The series is written in several arcs, as well as super editions, field guides, and Mangas.  Each arc is based roughly on the generation of characters that are being highlighted.  First there is the Original Arc, then The New Prophecy, then The Power of Three, then The Omen of the Stars.  Each arc features 6 books with individual plots, as well as ongoing issues within the arcs themselves, and as the entire series as a whole.

As of March 5, 2013, a new arc as been published, a prequel arc.  The first book in that arc is The Sun Trail which I read just a week ago.

Synopsis:

Before Rusty left his kittypet home...

Before Bluestar ruled ThunderClan...

Before Crookedstar made his fateful promise...

The warrior Clans were born.

Find out how it all came to be in this brand-new arc that reveals the origins of the four Clans. Featuring a new cast of characters, a richly developed world, and a never-before-seen look at the history of the warrior cats, this prologue arc is perfect for existing fans and for those new to the Warriors world.

Review:

Contrary to what the synopsis says, I honestly wouldn't recommend reading this before the other arcs because of the spoilers to the plot.  I would say that current fans will much enjoy this, and it never faltered from previous set standards of Warriors books.

In Erin Hunters majestic world, these cats possess human emotions.  Which makes sense, because it is humans that are reading this, right?  Anyway, speaking in a metaphorical way, this book in particular to the rest of the story really examines a lot of right and wrong and what is too far.  

Gray Wing is a fantastic protagonist, even with his seriousness.  You see his ups, his downs, his moments of obliviousness, and with all of them you feel it in your heart along with him.  This journey was not an easy one, either.  *SPOILERS*  In the beginning of the story, Gray Wing's tribe is dying around him.  It hits home finally when his younger sister dies, prompting his leader to send a group of his tribe mates to this other territory to live.  Gray Wing does not want to go, but his littermate Clear Sky and sweet heart  Turtle Tail are going.  The group leaves, but  then Gray Wings other brother Jagged Peak goes missing, and Gray Wing ends up on this journey anyway, because Jagged Peak was a silly kit and ran away.  Now Gray Wing is there, on the journey, trying to make the best of it when tragedy strikes again, Clear Sky's mate is killed and it's Graywing's fault. 

 I won't go into too much more detail, but this book was fast paced and sad.  It had happy moments, and a lot of hope, especially considering that it is a prequel and I know everything that is going to happen next.

This book was well written for a Middle Grade series, and I am eagerly awaiting further reads.

✎✎✎✎

~Remedyleaf

Comics

I have reviewed several Graphic Novel's on here, but I have not shared my love of comics yet on this blog.  That is all about to change.  Today I'm going to review Volume 1 of Morning Glories written by Nick Spencer and illustrated by Joe Eisma.

Synopsis:

Morning Glory Academy

One of the most prestigious prep schools in the country...But behind it's hallowed doors something sinister and deadly lurks. When six brilliant but troubled new students arrive, they find themselves trapped and desperately seeking answers...and escape from a place where nothing is what it seems to be!

Morning Glories is an enticing and overall comic to begin with.  The characters are whimsical but in a very real way.  The plot was confusing, but not to the point that you can't follow it, just in a way that there's a lot that still has to happen, which is perfect for this kind of format.  I can tell you that I will certainly be reading the other Volumes in the near future, and will continue to follow the comics as they are released.

✎✎✎✎

~Remedyleaf

The Big Crunch

Hey!  I'm a little late on this review, but whatever.

A couple weeks ago, I finished this book called The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman.  The cover (See below) was really intriguing and I'd heard great things about Hautman, so I thought, why not?!  I'll give it a try!

Synopsis:

June and Wes do not "meet cute." They do not fall in love at first sight. They do not swoon with scorching desire. They do not believe that they are instant soul mates destined to be together forever.

This is not that kind of love story.

Instead, they just hang around in each other's orbits...until eventually they collide. And even after that happens, they're still not sure where it will go. Especially when June starts to pity-date one of Wes's friends, and Wes makes some choices that he immediately regrets.

Review:

Let me first say, that my previous thoughts about the cover were wrong.  In truth, it spoiled the story.  :(

Now for the actual content, the book was hard to read.  The characters were stupid and brought all their problems onto themselves.  Their emotions felt forced and fake and the entire time I just didn't get it.  Which super sucked, because I was on a long bus ride with not much else to read, but anyway.

June was just stupid.  She acted all depressed even though it was her decison to put all that harm onto herself.  Wes was just an idiot guy.  Wes's "pity date" friend was also an idiot.  The entire book just didn't make sense.

The title.  Don't even get me started on the title.  It was mentioned two times in the book, and I assume it was supposed to be this big deep meaning, but all in all, it didn't relate to the story at all and just plain sucked.  

✎✎

~Remedyleaf

Lots to do!

Wow, okay, so I've got a lot to talk about today!  I've got some books that I've read recently, some book store visits to discuss, some literary world updates to give, some releases to be announced, and some other things too!  I'm going to do this in several posts, as to not clutter up.

First Things First,

Review of Two Very Interesting Graphic Novels:

Rapunzel's Revenge being the first one, 

And Calamity Jack being the second.

These two great entertainment pieces, (haha) are by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and illustrated by Nathan Hale.

As you might guess by the first title, these two are retellings of the fairy tale Rapunzel. *SPOILERS IN THE FOLLOWING* What we don't know at first, is that in the second installment we find out that Rapunzel's partner and love interest turns out to be Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.  While over the course of the two installments, Rapunzel and Jack's relationship is very gradual and human, almost all other elements are confusing and pointless.  Speaking for CalamityJack the entire "ant" concept was a little too out of my head for me, as was the fact that Rapunzel had been trapped behind a wall her entire life before being locked up in a tower.  While I would like to think that these books were very good, (as I do love author Shannon Hale very much) they just weren't my cup of tea.  All though I the illustrations were very nice.

 ✎✎✎

~Remedyleaf