Book Review: A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Harper Teen

Published: 4th November 2014

Pages: 368

Genre: YA, Romance, Sci-fi

Main Characters: Marguerite, Paul, Theo
Date Read: 13th March - 17th March 2016

Rating Given:

Synopsis:Cloud Atlas meets Orphan Black in this epic dimension-bending trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a girl who must chase her father's killer through multiple dimensions.
Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer—her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.
Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected.
A Thousand Pieces of You explores an amazingly intricate multi-universe where fate is unavoidable, the truth elusive, and love the greatest mystery of all.

I've had this book on my wishlist for a while now so when it was on offer on Amazon (UK) I instantly bought it, however, I felt let down by it as I was expecting so much more from it.

This cover is stunning and was one of the main reason why I was drawn to this book. What I love the most is the artistic look of the cover which is fitting seeing as the main character is a bit of an artist. I also love the colours that have been used. As well as the artistic look the locations used on the cover is also in keeping with the actual story.

I was expecting so much from this book after reading so many rave reviews add to that the stunning cover it got me very excited but sadly I was disappointed. I felt it dragged in the beginning but there was some amazing moments I just wish it was a bit more consistent. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the whole sci-fi side of the story with the whole jumping to alternate dimensions is unique to anything that I have read before. The Firebird device I felt could've been explained a little bit more and the reason behind visiting those particular dimensions. The romance side of the story annoyed me and is what really dragged the story down as I just didn't believe in the feelings between any of the characters plus it felt a bit out of the blue. Everything was a bit too predictable for my liking I would have liked to have seen some shocks thrown in there. The ending was kind of okay as it did make me want to find out what is going to happen next but on the other hand it felt a bit rushed.

For the most part I didn't really like most of the characters, there may have been one that I actually liked though. Marguerite was a very annoying character as I felt she came across as selfish it was as if as long as she was okay she didn't seem to care about the Marguerite that she took over. In the beginning she was okay and felt she had potential but in the end she didn't really grow as a character. Paul was the character that I really liked even when he wasn't the Paul that Marguerite knew I liked him as he just came across as a likeable character who wanted to do good. Theo was annoying throughout apart from in the end and even though I know why this was I couldn't get over it as it wasn't explained until the end so the damage was already done.

Overall, for me this was a big let down as I was expecting so much more from this book but in the end it just never took off.

Book Review: Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) by Tahereh Mafi

May contain spoilers from the first book!

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Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository

Format: Paperback

Publishers: Harper Collins

Published: 31st December 2013

Pages: 461

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, 

Main Characters: Juliette, Adam, Warner
Date Read: 1st September - 24th September 2015

Rating Given:

Synopsis:The New York Times bestselling sequel to the groundbreaking dystopian novel Shatter Me! Kami Garcia, coauthor of the #1 New York Timesbestselling Beautiful Creatures series, says Unravel Me is "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense. I dare you to stop reading."
Juliette is still haunted by her deadly touch. But now that she has teamed up with other rebels with powers of their own, she'll be able to fight back against The Reestablishment to save her broken world. With the help of these new allies, she'll also finally learn the secret behind Adam's—and Warner's—immunity to her killer skin.
Unravel Me is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, raves: "A thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love, the Shatter Me series is a must-read for fans of dystopian young-adult literature—or any literature!" 

I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf for a little over a year now and I have just gotten around to reading it and I don't know why I have taken this long to get to it as I loved the first one and this one was no different, it may not have been as brilliant as the first but it was still a great read...

I love the cover change as this cover is stunning, even if it did take me awhile to get to that point but I love it now. I would have liked to have seen the same cover as the first one's original cover as that was lovely too but that was only because now my Shatter Me series won't match.

It may have taken me a long while to get Unravel Me read but that was not because I didn't enjoy it in fact I loved it, it was just a busy few weeks and didn't have time to pick it up. I loved that there was always something going on even when there wasn't any fighting it still had something that kept me enthralled which is nice to see that it doesn't just have to have fight sequence after fight sequence to be entertaining. There was a bit of a twist that I didn't expect with the whole revelation of why Adam can touch Juliette. I didn't like the way Adam kept pushing Juliette as she thought she was doing the right thing but for him to make her feel bad keeping arms length I didn't like that. I did love seeing Adam and Juliette together in the beginning but in the end I was rooting for Warner and Juliette and I can't wait to see what comes out of that pairing they just seem so good together, team Warner all the way. I loved the ending as it felt very epic with the fighting and the light bulb moment for Juliette I for one can't wait to see what on earth is going to happen in the end.

I pretty much love all the characters but there was one that I hated and that would be Warner's Dad he is just pure evil. Juliette is such a good character in the way that she would do anything for anyone and she hates to hurt anyone even if they deserve it, but that all changed in the end so I can't wait to see how she is in the last book. I loved Adam in the beginning but during the book he annoyed me a bit as he seemed a bit too whiney for my liking. I loved Warner he showed a different side to himself in this book that just warmed my heart.

Overall, I loved this book but I do feel like it wasn't as outstanding as the first book but a great book nonetheless.

Book Review: A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Format: Paperback

Publishers: HarperTeen

Published: 27th April 2010

Pages: 371

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale retelling

Main Characters: Talia, Jack

Date Read: 24th March - 31st March 2014

Rating Given:

Blurb:
Talia fell under a spell...Jack broke the curse.
I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic...
I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.
I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.
I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.
Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!
Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels...The good news: My parents will freak!
Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

I have had this book on my book shelf for a very long time now and I have only just gotten around to reading it but I was a little bit disappointed...

I love this cover in the way that it is simply done yet it is still effective. I love that it goes with my Beastly cover even though they are not a part of a series they still both are retellings so they will look good together.

I knew as soon as I started this book that I wasn't going to love it as much as I did Beastly, but it did get better the more I read the book. It was really slow and didn't really pick up until at least halfway through and then there wasn't any real action until closer to the end. I loved the way in which the beginning of the story was more of a fairytale in the way it was unrealistic but then the second half was more realistic of today's society which was a perfect blend of the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty and the modern retelling. The romance side of the story I thought was going to feel rushed but by halfway through it felt more like they grew to love one another. I have mixed feelings with the ending as it wasn't the classic happy ever after that we all know and love in the fairytales we grew up with but more of a updated modern version.

The main reason why I was disappointed with this book was because of the way the characters where in the beginning. Talia started of a spoilt brat and very self indulgent but about halfway through she seemed to have grown into a better person who cared about other people and was really kind. I wasn't expecting the spoilt brat version as in all of the fairytales that I love the female characters are usually like Talia ended up being like. Jack was another self centred character but like Talia he proved to be just as caring and likeable.

Overall this is no Beastly but a good read in the end.