Review: Four: A Divergent Collection

Four: A Divergent Collection
Veronica Roth
Dystopia, Companion 

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation's faction leader did the same. Tobias's transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened "Four," he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future--and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling divergent series, told from the perspective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here--The Transfer, The Initiate, The Son, and The Traitor--plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the Divergent trilogy.

You can read my review of Allegiant and Divergent movie here. 

We'll start with the cover- SOOOO PWETTY. I love the the dark blue color, the ferris wheel on fire, the shiny 3D covers all the Divergent books had. This book has been screaming at me to pick it off the shelf for months.

Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect. I LIKED the Divergent books, but I was never as crazy about them as everyone else. I found Tobias's POV in Allegiant kind of lacking. 

HOWEVER

I really liked him in this companion! Delving into his past and fears was truly a beautiful experience. You feel his pain and applaud his courage. His voice is much more unique here (in my review of Allegiant I ranted that he sounded too much like Tris). I even found myself liking Tris more after having read her through his eyes! 

Plot-wise, Four explains some things that happen in the regular series. This was nice and necessary (exactly what I would hope for in a companion)- so I was satisfied! It also features Shauna and Zeke(:

All in all, a quick and fun read, while also being Divergenty and suspenseful. Enjoy!

Love,
Esty

Summing up 2014!

The End of Year Book Survey is an annual meme hosted by The Perpetual Page Turner. 

Hey guys :-) I loved doing this meme last year, it being the end of my first ever year blogging. This season I'm overjoyed to have celebrated Boarding with Book's 2nd year on the interwebs!! So, a quick reflection on my bookish aspects of 2014:

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

IS THIS A TRICK QUESTION?? 

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

 Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014? 

Captured Again by LL Akers

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

 Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

Best series- Shatter Me by Tahareh Mafi

Best sequel - It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Best series ender: The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

 Colleen Hoover!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

 To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - opened my eyes to the world of classics

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Couldn't put down- Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

 9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

 The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

 You say that like I can pick. Adam from If I Stay did jump to mind though. 

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

PERCY JACKSON'S GREEK GODS BY RICK RIORDAN. SOMETHING THAT FUNNY IS UNDER THE HEADING OF BEAUTIFUL.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

 Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 

 An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

“All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.”

― Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Longest: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Shortest: To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

MIA AND ADAM 

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

 Tie between Reyna/Annabeth and Magnus/Raphael 

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

 TRICK QUESTIONS AGAIN. THERE WERE RICK RIORDAN BOOKS, CASSIE CLARE BOOKS, JOHN GREEN BOOKS, ALLY CARTER... 

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

ummm..... 50 Shades of Grey? Does that count as a peer pressure read? Not exactly peers... 

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

While this would usually be under the heading of Questions-That-Make-Me-Choose-Between-My-Babies-And-Therefore-Cannot-Be-Answered,  ADAM WILDE IS DEMANDING ATTENTION AGAIN

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

I'm going to mention The Casual Vacancy here, because it's all about the setting. 

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

The Blood of Olympus, Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, United We Spy by Ally Carter   

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

If I Stay, Where She Went, It's Not Summer Without You 

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu 

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

 Cassandra Clare ended a series this year. Need I say more?

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

 Memoirs of A Geisha 

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

BLOOD OF OLYMPUS BY RICK RIORDAN. 

And here I was thinking I'll just do a quick post(; I hope I managed to spotlight a nice variety, and wish you all a beautiful 2015 filled with love and books! Thank you so much for every comment and view, and please keep it coming!
Love,
Esty

Review: Look Me In the Eye: My Life with Asperger's

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
John Elder Robison
Autobiography

Ever since he was young, John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits—an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, dismantle radios, and dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother, Augusten Burroughs, in them)—had earned him the label “social deviant.” It was not until he was forty that he was diagnosed with a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way he saw himself—and the world. A born storyteller, Robison has written a moving, darkly funny memoir about a life that has taken him from developing exploding guitars for KISS to building a family of his own. It’s a strange, sly, indelible account—sometimes alien yet always deeply human.

I picked this up because I'm writing a research paper for English class on Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and I decided to break the mold of 21st century high school students and ACTUALLY USE A BOOK in my research. 

I'm really glad I did. 

Besides providing me with all the information I needed on how ASD affects the lives of those with it, this autobiography was entertaining as many a novel I've read. John is clearly a talented writer with much life experience to share- and I've seen he has. Him and his brother have written many memoirs about their crazy lives and how they overcame the challenges in their way. I hope I'll one day get my hands on them.  

As a kid, I hated reading nonfiction. Now, while it's still second to fantasy, I can't get enough. There are REAL people out there who have done the most amazing things. If nothing else, I'm inspired by the strength and perseverance of humanity. So please, do yourself a favor and read this book. I can also recommend Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw. (link to my review).

Rating:

Life is going to be super hectic for the next month (at least) so expect sporadic blogging, if at all. (Yes, more sporadic than the current once a week ;)) I'll still be returning comments though! What are you reading?
Love,
Esty

Review: Fifty Shades Darker

Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades of Grey #2)
E.L. James
Erotica, adult (!!)

Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. 

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.

You can read my review of Fifty Shades of Grey here.

After the last book's ending with Anna getting some dignity and walking out, I was really excited to get my hands on this installment. Finally, we get Anna and Christian together in a relationship based on mutual respect and love, as opposed to the insanity they exhibited in book 1.

I have to say, there were some really great romantic scenes in this novel... and they weren't the sex! Christian undergoes some serious character development, so that was fun to read. 

As for Ana, well. She uses A LITTLE more sense in Fifty Shades Darker. 

The writing- not much better than the first. Lots of repeated words and phrases.

For those looking for R rated Twilight, there's more. The similarities in scenes and character traits made me giggle. Christian is Edward on steroids. 

I was disappointed with the emails! In Fifty Shades of Grey I was rolling with laughter, whereas here they were funny but not as much nor as frequent. However, I enjoyed it enough to eventually read book 3. Rating:

Happy New Years to all! Hope everyone enjoyed the festivities :-)
Esty

Review: The Bane Chronicles

The Bane Chronicles
Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, Sarah Rees Brennan
Illustrated by Cassandra Jean
Companion to The Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices series.

Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this collection of New York Times bestselling tales, in print for the first time with an exclusive new story and illustrated material.

This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices.

Originally released one-by-one as e-only short stories by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan, this compilation presents all ten together in print for the first time and includes a never-before-seen eleventh tale, as well as new illustrated material. 

First of all, if you haven't read any of Cassandra Clare's books get off the internet and don't come back until you have finished Clockwork Angel. You CAN read The Bane Chronicles on it's own, but why would you want to? 

Overall? This book was the probably one of my favorites of the year. There is nothing more amazing than getting a whole book about the best character in existence. Magnus's story made me laugh, cry, die of shock. I came to ADORE Raphael, Catarina, and Ragnor, all of whom I largely ignored in the regualar novels.

The Bane Chronicles shed some light on what life is like for the immortals, and also on subjects like Valentine's Circle, Clary's memories and childhood, CAMILLE BELCOURT, the red necklace, EDMUND HERONDALE, Alec and Magnus's relationship (I'm laughing just from the MEMORY of that story), WILL AND TESSA. 

And while it provided us with lots of information it also, in true Cassie Clare fashion, provided us with lots of teasing hints. What's going on with James Herondale?? TELL ME, CASSANDRA CLARE. Naturally, we're made to wait until she releases The Last Hours series. You can't stop reading this lady's books even if you WANT to. 

I had so many feelings. Warning: May contain heartbreak. Although not all were created equal. Most emotional were Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale and The Midnight Heir. Funniest in my opinion were Saving Raphael Santiago (also emotional) and The Course of True Love (And First Dates)

I spent hours liking Goodreads quotes from this book. That's all I'll say. 
(Well, that and that the point of it was to post them here, but THEY WON'T COPY. #HoursWasted)

I am aware that this review was not exactly coherent.. course on par for Cassandra Clare books(:

Review: Where She Went

Where She Went (If I Stay #2)
Gayle Forman
Contemporary romance 

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

You can read my review of If I Stay here. This duo of books (can you say that? Maybe a pair of books? Companionship?) is one that I can feel that I'll reread many times. Both of them moved me subtly, without the fanfare that accompanies my feelings during John Green books, for instance. 

The writing in this installment continued to blow me away. Every moment, every feeling, was so immensely palpable to the reader. 

The pacing, too, was extraordinary. How the author manages to pack so much material in so little time with so few pages and without it ever feeling rushed or cramped is beyond me. 

I loved how this wasn't so much Adam's POV as it was his story. How ADAM lived through the break up, how ADAM rose to fame, how he's dealing with it now. Where She Went added a whole new depth to an already amazing character we grew to love in If I Stay. He broke my heart and swelled it with love again and again with every page.

I was very, very, angry with Mia about what she did to Adam. Especially after everything he did in If I Stay, I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE HER. When she explained herself I sort of understood, but I still didn't justify it. However, that gigantic mistake made her more real to me.. somehow, Mia is still a likable character in my eyes.

Which brings me to the romance. All I can say is, have the tissues on hand. Like I wrote about If I Stay, all the awkwardness and depth that real life is made of was there. And this time, their maturity took the relationship to whole new level, made complete by the beautiful memories they shared and all the longing of the last 3 years. And the epilogue was so original and so emotional that I JUST CAN'T EVEN.

Need I say more?