Chaos by Lanie Bross: Review

Synopsis:

Can they change their destiny?

They kissed only once—and it was electric, like the air before a storm. But Corinthe and Luc broke the rules of the universe, and learned too late that their love would have consequences. In the dizzying aftermath, Luc refuses to accept his destiny—not if it means a life without Corinthe. As a fire rages through the Crossroads that connect worlds, Luc must find a way to turn back time and save Corinthe once and for all.

Meanwhile, Luc's 15-year-old sister Jasmine starts to realize things are not as they seem when time begins stuttering, sending her everyday life in San Francisco spinning into chaos. She’s thrown into the path of Ford, a troubled soul with a secret past, who helps her unravel the mysterious threads that connect them all.

Two breathtaking romances interweave across time in this story of what lies on the other side of Fate, as both Jas and Luc discover the incredible lengths they will go for love.

***

"The path to righteousness goes straight through the heart."

I don't even know why I decided to read Chaos after almost four months of struggle. I'm not a big fan of Fates. It's too stiff and predictable. But for some reason the ending stuck in my head for quite a long time. I think that's the only reason why I decided to give it a try. It's better than the first, I'd give it that. But there are still so much that I'm not satisfied with.

Okay, what in the hell is with the plot? I'm not talking about the dual perspective. I have absolutely no problem with that. The problem is, either time jump or the writing is very messy. I'm so confused about pretty much everything. First off, it really doesn't seem right for both Luc and Jas to interfere with some big things and change the consequences, but to change other equally big things without any consequences. The usual logic of time travelling seems to be missing. Not to mention the whole thing seems way too easy. Both of them are messing with time and they only have one repercussion? The trade-off is too low. 

Reading Chaos is like reading a different book, with whole new characters. Luc and Jas are narrators of this book. Jas was not a main character in the first book, so it's hard to judge her. Luc, on the other hand is like a completely different person. He has suffered, yes. Something about him will and must change. But the Luc in Chaos trusts people too easily, whereas the one in Fates is always wary. Desperation might be a good explanation, but the change is still drastic. The brief moments of seeing Corinthe makes you really question if you are reading the right book or not. I don't even want to talk about that. However, both Luc and Jas has some good qualities that I can respect, and this balance some things out. Both of them have fairly easy-going personalities and they help smooth things up. This might not be my usual preferences, but it's refreshing in one way.

Anyway, I'm not sure if there's one more book after Chaos. But I'm pretty sure I won't pick up the sequel if there is one.

Rating: 5/10

Fates: Review

Synopsis:

Lanie Bross's debut FATES is perfect for fans of Jennifer Armentrout, Julie Kagawa, Rachel Vincent, and Sarah J. Maas, and for girls who love all things pretty, romantic and inspirational.
One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people's fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she is falling all over again--this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die. In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?

***

I can't write this review without dividing the book into two parts. My rating in Goodreads is 3.5 out of 5. But I have to say the first half kind of pisses me off while the second half.. doesn't (to say at least). Let's talk about the first half first. Why does it pisses me off? Several reasons:

1) For some reason that sounds like Unraveling meets mythological stuff, which equals to weirdness

I'm not gonna lie. The first half is pretty confusing in terms of... well, technical stuff. It's not until I read the second half do I get the whole thing. The whole alternate outcome/universe/whatever that is and the whole Crossroad-leading-to-wherever-that-is sounds awfully like multiverse, for some reason. I know very well that this is about anything but multiverse and these kind of stuff, but I just can't shake off that feeling, which leads up to utter weirdness. And not in a good way, because I'm pretty frustrated until I have it figured out (finally) while I read the second half.

2) Corinthe

Let's put it this way. She's cool in the second half of the book. But definitely not in the first half. She's pretty selfish. She thinks she's just doing her job and she wants to go home. Fine, I understand her reason (at least my logical part). But the messed-up part of me still thinks she's selfish nonetheless. Because taking a life in order to go home? Not the brightest thing everyone would've done. She also has a streak of self-hypnotizing thing. I don't mean to put it that harshly but it's just how I feel. She keeps telling herself that she's incapable of human feelings, and I don't get why she keeps telling herself that. It's not like it's going to change anything so the one thing she actually achieves is weirdness. And... well, forgive me for being too honest, but I think she's pretty ignorant for someone who's supposed to live forever. I'm not going to give you any spoilers since (technically) the book isn't released yet. But let's just say I have the truth figured out long before she does.

3) The truth being too predictable

Speaking of that truth. It's just... too predictable. It doesn't mean it's not dynamic or anything (though the use of the word "dynamic" is a little frowned-upon, I have to say). The whole thing about me figure it out long before Corinthe does is enough to have me showing the WTH face. And then... well, you know the rest. I'm not gonna talk about how I don't like predictable results from time to time.

4) Insta-love?

Well, at least ALMOST. Not to be a hater of insta-love, but I always feel awkward whenever I read something about it. Shouldn't you know more about the person you're falling in love with before you actually, well, fall in love with him/her? Forgive me for not believing in insta-love, but that's just me.

But the second half is better. So much better that I actually really like it. Again, here's the list of reasons:

1) I finally have everything figured out

Yes. I hate being confused. And when I finally figure out all the principle after all the stories, it's actually pretty enjoyable. Although the concept of fate is a little too cliche, The whole point about someone actually altering and setting things on track, and that someone is one of the narrators of the book, is quite amazing. And when I finally figure out that there's no multiverse thing and the worlds are more of a mythological thing, I really like the fact that the setting of the story is not just on Earth but on other places as well. So yeah, the book has a nice background.

2) Lucas

I really like that guy, though he might have a temper (not often, but still). He puts family above all else, and he really cares for those he loves. Somehow he also manages to do the right things even though the odds are stacked against him. He treats people fairly. What I mean is that if someone does something bad to him, he will also be wary of him/her. But if someone does something good, he'll try to find a way to repay him/her. He has strong feelings too. Totally not as strong as my book boyfriends (which, there are too many to count, so I'm not going to do it here), but it's impressive. I have a feeling that if there's a second book (which I'm pretty sure there will be), I will see more of him, which is something to be anticipated.

3) Corinthe

Just because she pisses me off in the first half of the book doesn't mean she does in the second half. She finally knows to do the right things in order to set things right, even if that means doing something, um, radical. The more human side of her is nice, if I might say. Because like Lucas, she'll do anything to protect those she loves (although she doesn't always do the right things). I'm pretty curious about her now. Maybe in the next book we'll find out more about her (or not). No spoiler intended.

Now you get why I give it a 3.5 out of 5. The first half has a 2.5 while the second has a 4. I'd like to see how things will turn out in the sequel.

Rating: 7/10