Blog Tour: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout + Giveaway!

Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Format: ARC
Page Count: 329
Synopsis: There is need. And then there is Fate... 

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. 

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her. 

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

Review: I LOVED the first book, Half-Blood, so I was so excited when I got the second book. I'm happy to say that Pure doesn't disappoint.

   Alex is just as lovable as she was in the first book. She's extremely stubborn, strong, and hilarious. She's irrational and reckless, often getting reprimanded for it, but that just makes her even better. Plus, she always knows how to kick butt. There's not much growth in Alex as a character in this book, but there's definitely a ton of growth in the other characters!

   Let's move on to the love triangle. I cannot believe Jennifer L. Armentrout did this to me. Aiden, my sweet Aiden, is no longer sweet. He's hot and cold, which drove me crazy. I just couldn't find it in me to like him anymore. Seth, on the other hand, completely won my heart. I liked him a lot in Half-Blood, but in Pure, he just stole the show. He's perverted and funny, but he's also super sweet and always there for Alex, especially when Aiden's not. I'm okay if Alex ends up with either of them, but right now, I'm loving Seth.

   The plot in this book is fabulous. It's paced perfectly and the action is thrilling. There's tons of romance, which I love. There's also some mystery involved. There are still several strings that haven't been tied yet. I hope that they will be explained in Deity!

   Overflowing with wit, romance, and action, Pure is a fabulous follow-up to Half-Blood. I think I loved Half-Blood more, but I'm still incredibly excited for Deity!

   4.5 keys.

Want to win a copy of Pure? There are two giveaways going on for the Pure Blog Tour! Every comment you leave on a Blog Tour post gets you an extra entry in the giveaways. 

There's one at Stuck in Books and one at Mocha Latte Reads. Let me just tell you that the prizes are AWESOME. So what are you waiting for?! Check them out! Comment and get an extra entry! :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Burn for Burn (26)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week, I am waiting on...

Burn for Burn by

Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Expected Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: The start of a brand-new young adult trilogy about three very different girls who overcome their differences and band together to seek revenge on those who have wronged them, uncovering a supernatural secret about what brought them together and why in the process. Each book will rotate back and forth between the perspectives of all three characters.

Why I'm Waiting For It: Uh, hello, DID YOU SEE? It's freaking JENNY HAN! With who?! SIOBHAN VIVIAN! Two amazing contemporary authors writing a book together? And not just a normal book. A PARANORMAL book. I'm sorry for the abuse of caps lock, but OMG. How awesome is this?! The story sounds pretty darn great, too. As long as it doesn't turn out to be as stupid as the PLL series, I'm good. :)

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Point
Format: ARC
Page Count: 278
Synopsis: From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

Review: I'm still not very sure what I thought of this book. It was definitely emotional and interesting, but it didn't exactly blow me away. Contemporaries rarely do.

   As usual, it was the characters that made this book only lukewarm to me. These characters had flaws. Now, I know all characters have flaws, and sometimes, that's what makes them admirable, but these particular flaws completely eclipsed all of the other characteristics. Emme was a nice girl, but her ignorance was *headdesk*-worthy. Sophie was just an awful person. She was self-absorbed, annoying, and a back-stabber. I'm so glad that there weren't many chapters in her perspective because I could not stand her. Ethan and Carter, I didn't mind as much. Especially Carter. He was my favorite.

   For a book that switched through four people's point of views, Elizabeth Eulberg tackled that aspect very well. I wasn't ever confused as to which character's mind I was in, which was a good thing. I also liked how Elizabeth Eulberg wrapped this book up in a lovely way. The good people got their rewards, and the bad people got what they deserved. I just wish Sophie realized what a complete jerk she is.

   I loved the concept of this book. Performing arts schools have always seemed so cool to me. And the artistic talent that these characters had made me envious! Each character had many problems and bumps along the way to truly discovering themselves.

   I would definitely recommend Take a Bow to fans of contemporary, drama and music-related books. It's a refreshing and inspiring story of teenagers finding who they are and what they want. The characters sometimes drove me up the wall, but overall, Take a Bow was a nice story.

   3.5 keys.

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren!

I haven't done an In My Mailbox in ages, but I decided to do one this week because I got a lot of awesome books! :)

From Scholastic:

Underworld (Abandon #2) by Meg Cabot

From Harper: 

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

From Spencer Hill Press:

Elemental by Emily White

Borrowed from Momo at Books Over Boys:

A Want So Wicked (A Need So Beautiful #2) by Suzanne Young

Bought:

Fever (Chemical Garden Trilogy #2) by Lauren DeStefano

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

I told you: tons of amazing books! <3 Thank you so much Scholastic, Harper, Spencer Hill, and Momo! I cannot wait to read all of these wonderful books. :)

What did you get in your mailbox? :)

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Walkers Children
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 272
Synopsis: Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

Review: Contemporary is such a hit-or-miss genre for me. Although Shooting Stars was very cute, it did fall flat.

   Jo was a character that I had tepid feelings for. Sometimes, I liked her a lot. But other times, I felt like her voice was too naive or dramatic. She was definitely a unique character, though! The whole book was unique. It was original and cute, but nothing very memorable.

   The romance was also sweet, but bland. Jo and the boy she liked (wink wink, to those who've read this one) were very nice together! They were adorable and dorky, but smile-worthy. The romance was a bit rushed, but enjoyable nonetheless.

   I liked the underlying themes of the book. There's more to this novel than just the story of a teenage paparazzo. It's about believing in yourself, deciding what's right and wrong, confronting your problems, and finding friends along the way.

   Shooting Stars is a truly heart-warming story. I think I'd recommend it to preteens. It may not have been amazing to me, but it could be fabulous for another reader!

   3 keys.

Waiting on Wednesday: Girl of Nightmares (26)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine!

This week, I am waiting on...

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2)

by Kendare Blake

Expected Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Synopsis: In this follow-up to Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas begins seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he’s asleep, and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong. These aren’t just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears. 

Cas doesn’t know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn’t deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it’s time for him to return the favor.

Why I'm Waiting On It: I LOVED Anna Dressed in Blood and so, of course, it'd only make sense for me to be excited about the sequel! Cas and Anna are both really amazing character, and their strange relationship is definitely fascinating. I love where the plot is going in this second installment, and I cannot wait to read this one! I know Kendare Blake is definitely going to impress me once again.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Publication Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 362
Synopsis: New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned. 

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes. 

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back. 

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different. 

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. 

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Review: I don't know why I took forever to finally pick this book up from my shelf, but I'm so glad that I finally did. Article 5 is a true, hardcore dystopian in the sense that the government is so messed up and as a reader, you're terrified for your own life.

   Heart pounding and horrifying, Article 5 is scary. At least, I thought so. The world building was really fantastic. I could imagine the restricting world that the characters lived in, and the awful settings that some events took place in. The government was insanely terrifying and while reading this, I felt like I was risking my life along with Ember and Chase.

   Ember is a character that I'm not sure how I feel about. Sometimes, I liked her. Sometimes, I didn't. She made smart decisions at time, and then other times, she'd be irrational and dramatic. I guess I'll have to decide when I read the second book in this series. Chase, on the other hand, I completely loved. He was cold in the beginning, but I quickly warmed up to him. He was sweet and protective and just downright adorable. Ember and Chase had that perfect chemistry, which I just ate up.

   I thought the plot was kind of predictable. Kristen Simmons uses quite a lot of foreshadowing and drops hints throughout the book. I picked the hints up and started predicting, realizing along the way that quite a few of my predictions were proven correct. However, despite that, I still felt that the plot was intense and absorbing.

   Article 5 is thrilling, suspenseful, and what I believe to be a quintessential dystopian. I'm very keen to see where Kristen Simmons takes the story in the sequel.

   4.5 keys.

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Publication Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 294
Synopsis: The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.


Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

Review: The thing about the Gallagher Girls books is that the interval between each book's publication is so lengthy that I always forget what happened in the previous book. Luckily, that's okay, because Cammie doesn't remember either. She's lost her memory and that's eating her alive.

   This book is definitely the darkest in the series. I remember the first book was so light and fun. I mean, it was about a girl spy falling in love with a boy. Very cute, right? But now, the series has turned slightly serious. This book has memory loss, torture and secrets.

   When characters lose their memory, I have a tendency to get very frustrated with them. But that didn't happen in this book. I still liked Cammie. She was very likable despite her situation, and I liked how she tried her best to be proactive. I could definitely understand her emotions, though her actions were sometimes a bit crazy (which was explained in the end).

   The plot in this book is fast and furious. It really is a race against time as Cammie tries her best to regain her memory. Things come in flashes and Cammie has to piece together all the clues that she left behind during the summer. It was mysterious, absorbing, and addicting. The pages turned themselves.

   Out of Sight, Out of Time is an enjoyable addition to the Gallagher Girls series. Engrossing, dark, and humorous, this book is sure to please Ally Carter fans.

   4 keys.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: ARC
Page Count: 387
Synopsis: Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It’s been three months. In that time, Amy has learned to hide who she is. Elder is trying to be the leader he’s always wanted to be. But as the ship gets more and more out of control, only one thing is certain: They have to get off the ship.

Review: Wow. What. A. Sequel. A Million Suns completely blew Across The Universe out of the water. It says that Godspeed was once fueled by lies, but now it's ruled by chaos? No. It's still fueled on lies. So many lies, it's mind boggling. Of course, there's a frex load of chaos as well.

   I have so much respect for Elder. He's a strong character and I got so frustrated reading in his perspective, because he has to handle things that are beyond his control. Elder is very admirable in many ways. I felt bad for him throughout a lot of the book for various reasons. Elder likes Amy a lot. So much, and yet Amy takes that for granted and claims she doesn't return the favor, and it's just like, "Amy. You need to be grateful this awesome boy gives you the time of day, because you're a freak, and he has a ship to run, and you're ruining everything."

   So, if you couldn't tell, I had a few problems with Amy. I felt like she caused so much trouble. She played with Elder's heart and threw pity parties for herself. I just couldn't find it in myself to feel sorry for her. But Amy does have a special redeeming quality. She's smart. Amy is very intelligent and quickly finds and solves clues. A lot of the discoveries in this book are because of her (and Orion). So kudos to her.

   The plot in this book is incredible and unbelievable. The twists and surprises are crazy as frex. Once you think you know what's going on, Beth Revis adds a plot twist and suddenly, things are chaotic again. The thing about mysteries is that if it's a good one, I get frustrated easily. And I got so very frustrated while reading this book. That's a good thing... I think. Hidden secrets and abundant surprises make the plot in this book insane.

   A Million Suns is a fantastic sequel with more intensity, mystery and romance than its precedent. I am dying for the third and final installment.

   4.5 keys.

Waiting on Wednesday: Tiger Lily (25)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week, I am waiting on...

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Expected Publication Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
Synopsis: 15 year old Tiger Lily, proud and fierce, wild and misunderstood, doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland, and immediately falls under his spell. Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, big-hearted but hard to reach, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything - her family, her future - to be with the haunted, hunted, courageous boy who loves her. When - as a punishment for her rebellious ways - she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart. 

From the New York Times bestselling author of PEACHES comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Why I'm Waiting On It: Tiger Lily is a character in Peter Pan that I think people tend to look over. I'm so glad that someone (namely, Jodi Lynn Anderson) has decided to create a story in her perspective--and what a story it is! This book sounds beautiful, heart breaking, and magical. I cannot wait to read it. Plus, the cover? Hello--gorgeous!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Publication Date: March 6, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Format: ARC
Page Count: 367
Synopsis: It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…” 

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. 

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her. 

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden… 

Review: I was so excited for this book. It sounded completely awesome. I'm a fan of angel books, and this one sounded perfect for me. But now I want to slam my head into something. I was so disappointed.

   My main problem... can you guess it? The main character. Violet Eden bugged me like no other. She was confusing and irrational. I couldn't ever relate to her. She would do something that I thought was ridiculous. I read this in another review (I can't remember which one--sorry!), but one reviewer mentioned that Violet was so insecure because she had been nearly raped by one of her teachers. And then later, she was totally open to strangers grinding against her, and almost kissing her. Er, what. Violet was dense and oblivious. She was also a complete drama queen. She overreacted to everything, being calm one scene and totally losing her marbles with one sentence.

   I had a love/hate relationship with Jessica's writing style. I was beyond annoyed by the abuse of ellipsis (...) and exclamation points (!). Jessica also often used characters as a way to deposit HUGE info dumps, which could've been avoided. Her writing was far more "tell" than "show." However, there were also times where her prose was just really beautiful.

   It's easy to tell that Jessica did her angel research. There's a lot of angel mythology in this book, which I liked. I liked knowing the background of the angel hierarchy and all the rules of being a Grigori. It was intriguing and a nice element in the book.

   There's a bunch of cliches in this book, including a love triangle. I don't know which team I'm on, because neither of them were really all that great. I mean, yes, it's totally obvious who Violet loves more, and who she'll probably end up with. But I'm not particularly sold on either of the boys. I guess I'll have to read Entice to see if my opinion changes.

   Taking a unique spin on angel mythology, Embrace is a dramatic addition to the YA genre. Although other readers loved it, I was underwhelmed. Don't be discouraged by my review, because as I said before, other bloggers really loved this one.

   2.5 keys.

Are You Ready to Embrace? Blog Tour: "THIS OR THAT" with Jessica Shirvington!

Hello, everyone! Today, as a part of the Are You Ready to Embrace? Blog Tour, I have Jessica Shirvington, the author of Embrace, here with me! First, if you don't know much about Embrace, here's some info.

Title: Embrace
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Series: The Violet Eden Chapters #1
Publication Date: March 6, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Synopsis: It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…” 

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. 

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her. 

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden… 

Please give a warm welcome to author, Jessica Shirvington! Let's get started with our "THIS OR THAT" interview. :)


-RANDOM-

The Book Basement: Coffee or tea?

Jessica: COFFEE

TBB: Lip gloss or lipstick? 

Jessica: GLOSS

TBB: Rain or sunshine?

Jessica: SUNSHINE


-WHEN WRITING-

TBB: Quietly or with music?

Jessica: QUIETLY

TBB: Outline or free write?


Jessica: BOTH

TBB: During the morning or through the night?

Jessica: THROUGH THE NIGHT



-BOOKS-

TBB: Characters or plot?

Jessica: BOTH. BUT GREAT CHARACTERS COME FIRST.

TBB: Realistic fiction or fantasy?

Jessica: FANTASY

TBB: Hard copies or e-readers?


HARD COPIES

You can find Jessica at her website or Facebook fan page. Also, don't forge to check out Embrace's website!

Thank you so much, Jessica, for stopping by! What do you guys think of Jessica's answers? What do you think of Embrace? :)

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 375
Synopsis: I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do.The old life is dead.But the old Lena is dead too.I buried her.I left her beyond a fence,behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Review: Right now, the only thing I can think is, "OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD, THE ENDING. OH GOD. I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. OH GOD," because that ending... it's a killer. It's killing me, slowly.

   Pandemonium is set up in chapters that alternate from "then" and "now." I thought the set up was very unique and well done. Lena's old life and her new life were both interesting, although I was more fond of the "now" chapters. Some moments were dull, but as a whole, Pandemonium was heart wrenching and stomach twisting.

   Lena has changed a lot since the last book. She is no longer the weak and curious girl she used to be. Now, Lena is strong and determined. She is tough and smart. Although sometimes she frustrated me, I liked her for the most part. I loved her Invalid friends, such as Raven and Tack. And then there's Julian.

   I've heard many bloggers say that they completely fell for Julian. Personally, I didn't. It wasn't that he wasn't charming, it was just that he wasn't charming enough. And I couldn't get over how much I loved Alex, and so I couldn't really give my heart to Julian.

   My biggest complaint was that the love aspect of this book was predictable. I saw it coming, but it still didn't take away the "OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD" feeling. I'm so scared to see how things will wrap up in Requiem.

   Pandemonium is a fantastic sequel that breaks my heart and fills it at the same time. Lauren Oliver continues to write in her beautiful poetic way, but never encroaching the "purple prose" territory. This book has a wonderful balance of romance, thrill, heartbreak, and sacrifice. I am so excited for Requiem, it's crazy.

   4.5 keys.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Publication Date: August 24, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 391
Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.

Review: A conclusion to a book series as awesome as this one is difficult to write. So, firstly, kudos to Suzanne Collins for writing a solid ending to The Hunger Games trilogy. There were problems along the way, yes, but there were also a lot of great things in this final installment.

   I remember being so excited for this book to come out. I remember buying it right away and reading it very slowly, trying to absorb everything. One to two years later, I forgot everything. As a part of my "Reread Favorites Month," I thought I'd conclude the month with Mockingjay to freshen up my memory.

   I like how realistic Suzanne Collins kept this book. War is inevitable, obviously. People die in war. Tactics are used. Manipulation is needed. Not everything can have a happy ending wrapped in a little bow. I appreciate that Suzanne Collins stuck through with the difficult task of writing about war and killing off characters.

   I didn't like how inconsistent the plot was. Sometimes, it dragged on and on. Sometimes, it went at the perfect speed. And yet other times, it was just rush rush rush. The plot was very crazy and difficult to keep track of, in my opinion. Katniss would do nothing one day, she'd be killing off people the next, and the day after she'd be mental.

   I didn't like that Suzanne Collins killed off so many of my favorite characters. Yes, I understand why it happened, but still. My heart is broken. I also didn't like how the "love triangle" aspect was concluded. It just didn't feel satisfactory to me.

   Just the thought of trying to write a heavy book like this one makes my mind spin. Suzanne Collins is something of a genius. My heart may have been broken along the way, but Mockingjay was still a grand read.