Review: The Hidden Sun by. J. Lloyd Morgan

Title: The Hidden Sun
Author: J. Lloyd Morgan
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 8, 2011
Pages: 241
Genre: Historical/Romance
Rating:   

Synopsis from Goodreads: Eliana and Rinan are in love. However, she is destined to become queen of Bariwon, obligated to marry the victor of a competition called the Shoginoc, while Rinan, her royal guardian, is forbidden to marry. Normally they could renounce their titles to be together, but these are not normal times. Abrecan, the malevolent governor of Erd, is determined to win the Shoginoc, thereby placing his easily manipulated son Daimh on Bariwon s throne. Can Eliana and Rinan find a way to be together without jeopardizing the peace they are so desperately trying to protect?

The Previews
Definitely the epitome of fairy tales of the modern time. J. LLoyd Morgan weaves together a intrigue filled plot with enough twists, characters, and romance to keep you engaged (and slightly confused)  until the very last page.

This book right from the beginning reminded me of a modern fairytale. All the little quirks and schemes presented in true fairytale fashion and I definitely love the fact that the story was one that could bring back the classics of a fairytale, yet keep its own original plot to it. That being said, for me, the book read a lot like a series of short stories. The way I read it from the synopsis on various websites and on the back of the book, I thought I had a pretty good idea of how the story was going to begin, and I was ready to let the plot run its course. But that really is not how it went at all.

Extended Version
First off, if you read this book and are able to get through all the sections and differentiate each character the first time through, I greatly commend you. There were so many characters! And these weren't just supporting background characters, oh no, most of them were main characters. Which brings me back to the fact that I felt the book was more a collection of short stories all related and taking place in the same setting, but definitely individual stories in there own. It felt like the first part of the book was a very long prologue, to the main story. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, just very unexpected.

Some characters in particular Sunshine for instance, who comes along later on in the story, was definitely a favorite of mine. One thing that I usually do not favor about historical books is the fact that the female characters don't seem to have the same tenacity as those of contemporary books, but Eliana and Sunshine definitely proved me wrong there. You ever need someone to help you out with your witty remarks, or prove to you that any girl could command a room of guardians as best as a man, these are the girls you call.

At some points the plot was lost to me. I felt like the pages and the characters were just going without any real relevance to a plot. So yes, at times it was a bit slow, but the plot does find its way back into the story and then you are back hanging off the edge of your seat waiting to find out what comes next.

The romance plays a big role in this book especially since there is more than one romantic intermingling going on.  I adore the fact the book actually went against the typical "princesses and princes fall in love" romantic theme and made it a little more...forbidden. I mean really, who can resist forbidden romance.

And in the end everyone lived h... of course I'm not going to give that away, but I definitely recommend you give this book a go. Without a doubt something different regarding book format, and if you can keep up with the characters and are a fan of historical romance this book is the one to check out.

Recommendations: Those who were fans of the fairytales of back in the and of course all out there who just can't resists a forbidden romance, The Hidden Sun is the one to read!


Overall: 3/5

Characters: 3/5
Plot: 2/5
Originality: 3/5
Entertainment: 3/5
Ending: 4/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
 

If you like this book, check out the Poison Study Series by. Maria V. Synder: 

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Waiting on Wednesday- Chain Reaction

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Chain Reaction

Author: Simone Elkeles
Release Date: August 16, 2011 (Yes, yes I know, this book is ALREADY OUT! But since I am such a late procrastinating person, I didn't order it until two days ago so I am technically STILL waiting on this book!)

Contemporary Romance 

 Synopsis from Goodreads: Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father? Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.

Damn, that cover is HOT to say the least! As you guys may or may not know, Simone Elkeles is one of my favorite authors ever. I find all of her books that I have read so far to be completely and utterly amazing in every way possible. I am love with both the first two Fuentes brother's books and I know I am going to absolutely adore this book as well. If you guys have not read any of Simone Elkeles books I recommend them like no other! They are incredibly fun to read!

What do you guys think of this week's Waiting on Wednesday?  

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Monday's Question of the Day: Don't You Just Love Spoilers?

This meme was started by Eleni over at /- LA FEMME READERS -/. I always enjoyed answering and reading the responses to the questions she comes up with, so I decided to start some of my own!

Don't you just Love Spoilers? 

      Impulse answer is of course, no. I mean how annoying is it when you are reading a review of a  book that you are about buy and you are getting all excited and anticipating going over to Barnes and Noble.com and pre-ordering this book that sounds so fantastic and just seems to be getting better and better with every word of this review and then then, you read...the line. The line that makes you click the back button on the "Place Your Order" page of BN.com. The line that kills all interest  you once had in the book for you. The line that now reveals to you how this book that you were anticipating moments before is going to end, and all hope is lost. Maybe your experience with spoilers is not so dramatic, but I have to say they have really killed some books for me. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by. Libba Bray is the largest testament to that.

      Yep, its going to be a while before I pick up one of those books but beside that point, I have a contradiction for you. I actually like spoilers...at times. Not spoilers that pretty much give away the entire ending of a book in one line, but spoilers that sort of tell what happens to a character halfway through a book. Or if I have a question about a character or a certain event that happens in a series that is not in the book I am reading, a good spoiler never hurt anyone. And I absolutely DO NOT like spoilers for all the reviews I read. Mostly if a book is getting really really boring and not going anywhere, I like a spoiler so I can see if its something I should continue reading, or if its time to drop that book and call it a "what could have been". So once in a blue moon on the rare occasion that I am actually looking for a spoiler, they are helpful, otherwise, I detest them, unless given fair warning of course.

What do you think of spoilers?

Past Monday Questions: 
How do you feel about E-readers?
Love Triangles anyone?
Romance Novels!
Series of Stand-Alones?

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Review: The Seven Rays by. Jessica Bendinger

Title: The Seven Rays
Author: Jessica Bendinger
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: November 10, 2009
Pages: 330
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy
Rating:  

Synopsis from Goodreads: THAT IS THE ANONYMOUS MESSAGE that Beth Michaels receivesright before she starts seeing things. Not just a slept-through my-alarm-clock, late-for-homeroom, haven't had-my-caffeine-fix kind of seeing things. It all starts with some dots, annoying pink dots that pop up on and over her mom and her best friend's face. But then things get out of control and Beth is seeing people's pasts, their fears, their secrets, their desires. The images are coming at Beth in hi-def streaming video and she can't stop it. Everyone thinks she's crazy and she's pretty sure she agrees with them. But crazy doesn't explain the gold envelopes that have started arriving, containing seeing keys and mysterious tarot cards. To Beth, it all seems too weird to be true. You are more than you think you are? But here's the thing: What if she is? The creator of Bring it On, Jessica Bendiner, brings her teen savvy writing to this paranormal romance, The Seven Rays.

Review: Like nothing I have ever read before, The Seven Rays is a unusual and elaborate story filled with fantasy and mystery going deep into a new world filled with mythical beings way different from your average vamp.

If I could sum of this book in three words, I would say it was just plain freaky. I can definitely guarantee that throughout this book there will be a bunch of "umm what"s and a ton of "huh"s and you will go back and read a lot of pages right after you finished reading them because somethings are just plain weird and pretty confusing.

Don't get me wrong people, I could not put this book down. It was just so unusual. I would try to find a better word to describe it but that seems to fit perfectly. It kept your interest all the way through because everything about this book was new and unique and downright freaky.

It all starts with the dots. Of all the paranormal and fantastical abilities out their Beth is lucky enough to see...dots. But first comes the dots, then comes people's entire lives flashing before her eyes. And now she knows she is crazy, except that there are mysterious letters she is receiving that are telling her otherwise.

Despite thinking she is crazy, Beth was strong. She was the kind of girl who did not wait for answers, she got off her butt and traveled across the country to go find them. She is slowly discovering that what she is able to do goes farther than just seeing dots. At times I really felt sorry for Beth. One by one people were abandoning her and she had no idea why. It was kinda sad the way the only person she could trust through all this was the typical "hottest guy in school"/"school's biggest player" . Usually not the kind of company you would like to keep going on a life changing cross country journey, but despite the cliches of the situation, he turned out to be a very likable character.

All that being said, I would have to say at a lot of parts the book were a bit confusing. I had to flip back a lot to previous pages to make sure I knew what the heck was going on, and even after that I still wasn't sure what was happening.

All in all I really enjoyed this book. It was so unusual and like nothing I have ever read before. Even though I can see how a lot of people might not like it as it was pretty confusing and seemed very...unfinished. Either way it is a book that will be on your mind long after you finish reading it.


Recommendations: This one is pretty hard to recommend because it all comes down to taste. It's really a different kind of book that is pretty hit or miss depending on the person. I will definitely say if you are looking for a freaky...and weird YA book, this one is for you!


Overall: 4/5

Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Entertainment: 4/5
Ending: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Cover: 5/5
 
 

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Review: So Much Closer by. Susane Colasanti

Title: So Much Closer
Author: Susane Colasanti
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Pages: 241
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Rating:   

Synopsis from Goodreads: When Brooke's crush, Scott, moves from their suburban town to New York City, she decides to follow him there. Living with her formerly estranged dad and adapting to a new school are challenging, and things go from bad to worse when Brooke learns that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she builds her new life, Brooke begins to discover a side of herself she never knew existed. And as she finds out, in the city that never sleeps, love can appear around any corner... 

Review: Funny, quirky, and cute in true Susane Colasanti fashion So Much Closer provides inside look into the girl psyche when it comes to a favorite subject of mine: guys. All of the extremes you have ever thought about going through when it comes to "getting the guy" pale in comparison to what Brooke decides to do. Though not my favorite Susance Colasanti book, it was still a light and fun read.

Not many girls would move cities their senior year of high school just to be with a hot guy. I mean you may have thought about it, but Brooke seems to be the only girl who would ever go through with it. I mean, you can't say anything about her lack of determination. Though in most people this characteristics would prove positive, in Brooke it definitely proved to be her destruction.

Unrequited ( or requited) love can always prove to have some detrimental effects on a a teenage psyche, but Brooke seems to take this to a whole 'nother level. I was just so surprised by the level of devotion (or obsession) she had with a guy whom she never really ever spoke too, yet had convinced herself that he was her soul mate. I can't really say that I liked Brooke much throughout the book. She seemed sort of ungrateful. And of course in some areas she deserved to be a little angry, but there were a lot of people that she really needed to cut some slack and not take for granted. I do think that by the end of the book she got over herself and I began to like her a lot more.

John by far was my favorite character. It is so great to read about a guy who doesn't fit the typical guy stereotype in books. By that I mean he wasn't a man of few words by any means. He spoke so unrestrictedly and confidently that I found myself looking forward to paragraphs and paragraphs of his ranty dialogue.

All in all this was a fun and light read but at points I found myself wanting to flip the pages a little quicker.

Recommendations: If you are looking for a light and different kind of contemporary romance, this might just be for you!


Overall: 3/5 Stars

Characters: 3/5
Plot: 2/5
Originality: 3/5
Entertainment: 3/5
Ending: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Cover: 3/5


If you like this, check out Take Me There by Susane Colasanti: 

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