Boundless: Review

Synopsis:

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

***

(I will try to be spoiler-free on this one because the book isn't out for 24 hours yet)

Now, the really stunning finale of Unearthly Trilogy. The glorious ending of an awesome series. Very glorious indeed. You have no idea how good the book is until you read it. With an HEA ending too. Just what I need.

Clara has grown up throughout Boundless. And I like her more and more throughout the book. She's not the slightly scared girl in Unearthly anymore. She can surely take care of it when facing live-or-death decisions. And she can certainly make her own decisions between two boys she holds dear most. She faces her own destiny without fear. I'm really glad that she's matured in many ways through the obstacles she encounters in the book. And in the end, I'm glad that she chooses the boy that is truly right for her.

The book is full of action-packed scenes and fights. Each one is harder and harder to get through. And each obstacle are swirled with all kinds of emotions. Good ones and bad ones. Relief, depression, anger, happiness, disappointment, devastation, etc. They are tightly tangled up with the challenges Clara and her friends faced up. There are unexpected allies and enemies too. They have to choose between trusting and not trusting one person. Seeing the characters grow up and learn the truth of their purpose is the best way to end the trilogy. The only slight flaw about the book is the slightly slow start. But it's nothing compare to the beauty of the whole story.

I'm glad and really sad at the same time that the trilogy is over because it's such pure beauty and perfection. Angel-bloods walking on Earth and fulfilling their purposes is a great background for the trilogy itself. The storyline developed smoothly throughout the book. Each book is filled with unexpected obstacles, allies, enemies, and emotions. This is truly stunning. I'm so happy that I read Unearthly in the first place. I hope Cynthia Hand will come up with more awesome ideas and books in the future.

And if there's any short stories about the trilogy, I'm so going to read it.

Rating: 10/10 (Well, it's hard not to give a full mark for the book) 

Trailer Thursday: Boundless by Cynthia Hand

The end is here! I'm sad that it has to end because Unearthly is such an extraordinary series. But then everything has to end eventually.

The Trailer:

Synopsis:

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

***

Read an excerpt of Boundless here: 

http://browseinside.harperteen.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061996207

***

Just so you know, I'm still SO Team Tucker even after his... douche-baggery towards Clara in the excerpt. Team Christian is just not available to me no matter how hard I try to like him.

Radiant: Review

So much feels in Radiant!

Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a riveting original novella (available only as an ebook) set in the world of the Unearthly series.

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

***

Part of this post will about the review, and another part of this post is about part of my PoV's about Boundless.

I will keep the review short, because this is a short novella.

So it's about the trip in Italy, and told in Angela's and Clara's point of view. I love this kind of management. It's kinda fun to see the world in Angela's perspective, you know? I can finally get why she is so "intense".

And there is this Phen guy/angel. And you know what? The last sentence of Radiant scares me. Why Clara will regret this after when she doesn't tell Angela what she saw in Phen? I smell something bad will happen in Boundless.

Radiant is just as good as Unearthly and Hallowed, even though it's just a novella. This book makes me more eager to read Boundless. And the writing style of Cynthia Hand stays fresh. I love it.

Rating: 8.5/10

***

And then there's an excerpt of Boundless in Radiant. And man, did that ever broke me like that. I want Tucker with Clara, okay? They are so right together. I swear to you woman, if you don't make them together, I will rip you into pieces. Not that I don't like Christian. It's just that he's not right for her. Tucker is. So yeah, that's all I have to say up to now.

Boundless will be released on January 22nd, 2013 

Dark Days Revealed: Book 1 and Book 2

YAY! The Dark Days are back!

Time for some more Pitch Dark novels!

1. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Summary:

 tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Look at the reveal here:
http://mtgreviews.com/


2. Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Summary:

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Look at the reveal here:

http://bookalicious.org/2012/12/dark-days-revealed/


Make sure to check out more Dark Days books!

Radiant: Out Now!

It's time for some Radiant! The novella of Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand is on sale today! Check it out:

Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a riveting original novella (available only as an ebook) set in the world of the Unearthly series.

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

***
That's gonna be awesome.

And make sure to buy Boundless in January, 2013! 

Radiant: One Day To Go!

A novella from the bestselling Unearthly trilogy by Cynthia Hand will be released tomorrow! It's about ANGELA! YAY!

 So back to my calm self. It's called Radiant, if you haven't known it yet.

Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a riveting original novella (available only as an ebook) set in the world of the Unearthly series.

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

***

I'm sure I will love this novella. Cynthia Hand gets clear writing style which I love so much.

Oh and there will be Boundless, in January 2013. Make sure to grab one from bookstores once Boundless comes out!

Gonna Read: November and December

October is almost over here! What am I gonna read next?

Let's start with my birthday (and tests) month, November


1. Deity (Covenant #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "


Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

Expected publication: November 6, 2012

***

2. Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries #1) by Michele Vail

Summary:

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

Extra Stuff: Check out an excerpt of Undeadly by clicking the link below

 http://www.goodreads.com/reader/25218-undeadly?return_to=%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F12394032-undeadly

Expected publication: November 20, 2012

***

Elixir (Covenant #3.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex.
Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for.
Even if it means making war against the gods.

Expected publication: November 27, 2012

___________________

And now it's time for the last month of this year. Hope that the world will not end or I will be really sad because I can't read the books released in 2013

1. Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Expected publication: December 11, 2012

***

2. Annabel (Delirium #2.5) by Lauren Oliver

Summary:

Lena's mother, Annabel, has always been a mystery—a ghost in Lena's past. Until now.

Discover her secrets in Lauren Oliver's brilliant original digital story set in the world of New York Times bestsellers Delirium and Pandemonium.

Lena Halloway's mother, Annabel, supposedly committed suicide when Lena was only six years old. That's the lie that Lena grew up believing, but the truth is very different. As a rebellious teenager, Annabel ran away from home and straight into the man she knew she was destined to marry. The world was different then—the regulations not as stringent, the cure only a decade old. Fast forward to the present, and Annabel is consigned to a dirty prison cell, where she nurtures her hope of escape and scratches one word over and over into the walls: Love.

But Annabel, like Lena, is a fighter. Through chapters that alternate between her past and present, Annabel reveals the story behind her failed cures, her marriage, the births of her children, her imprisonment, and, ultimately, her daring escape. 

Expected publication: December 26, 2012

***

Radiant (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a riveting original novella (available only as an ebook) set in the world of the Unearthly series.

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever. 

Expected publication: December 4, 2012

***

Riven (The Illumine Series #3) by Alivia Anders

 

Summary:

The third installment of The Illumine Series.

Captured, imprisoned, and left to burn.
You know what they say- where there's smoke there's fire...

For the last two weeks, Essallie Hanley has been a prisoner, in more ways than one. Held hostage by the Queen, she is forced to endure the mind-numbing pain tearing her body- and soul -apart, killing her with every tick of the clock. It seems all hope is lost, until one chance moment gives Essallie a name, Rinae Decante, the final person needed for the Queen to unveil her master plan to end Essallie. Armed with this name, and with the help of Ari and Kayden, Essallie breaks free from her captivity and launches in a search for this mystery girl.

But their search doesn't go as smoothly as planned, and the three soon find themselves fighting against an impenetrable course of fate aimed to destroy them all from the inside out. When Essallie falls victim to her altering soul, they all begin to wonder of there's any chance at all to save themselves from the burning effects of their actions.

Love, lies, and betrayal.
No one is safe from the undoing of secrets surrounding Essallie.

Expected publication: December 7, 2012 
 
Looking forward to all these books!

Boundless: Summary Reveal

After a long time of waiting, we've finally gotten the summary of the finale of Unearthly, Boundless!

Check it out below:

The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Yet through the dizzying high of first love to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she could no longer deny was that she was never meant to have a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seemed like the best option, so she’s headed back to California—and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must choose her fate once and for all.

***
Boundless, the final book of the Unearthly trilogy by Cynthia Hand, will be released on January 22nd, 2013

Hallowed: Review

Just another day before school, and I've finished reading Hallowed. Check out the summary:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

***
You know what, this book can be called as an awesome one! There are so many plot twists and heartbreaking scene. Man, the author can really drive her readers crazy! When I open this book, I am unable to put this one down. Normally if I was too tired and I will just put down the book and go right to my bed. But now, I can't even go to my bed until I finish this one.

This one sends shocks to my brain. One of the biggest shocks is that Clara and Jeffery's dad is a White Wing. And so that they are Triplares. Like they said, they are freaks even to the angel-blood's world. I was like no way in hell they are Triplares. I mean, I didn't see any different in Clara from other Quartarius. This one really surprises me. Good job, Cynthia Hand. You really hide that side of Clara really well. I've never expected anything like that.

Another one is that Jeffery's hatred to his sister is that deep. I always thought that he is angry with his sister because he has to leave California and his friends simply because of Clara's purpose. But when Jeffery says that he hates her sister because she messes up everything, I am shocked. Like, actually flabbergasted. Because that doesn't make any sense. You can say I don't understand a thing about angel-blood's purposes. And I gladly admit it. But it's just not making any sense when he says that she messes up his purpose. I know he hates his life, and he has nightmares/ bad visions of him burning down the forest. But instincts tell me that his anger is way deeper despite the fact that he is easily motivated by sorrow and anger.

Breaking up with Tucker is the worst thing Clara has ever done. I know part of the fault is Tucker's, because he is so jealous at Christian. I completely understand his feelings. No boy wants another boy in his girlfriend's house. And he is not cool about Christian kissing Clara. I know. But if he is not acting like a so-jealous boyfriend, maybe things won't be that bad. I also understand that Clara has her issues and she can't resist the destiny of her being with Christian. But if she truly loves Tucker, she should cut all the ties with Christian. Not leaving such a mess to deal with. I hope that they will get back together in Boundless because Tucker is so sweet.

Normally I will like a hot boy from a series. But unlike The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, I can't like Christian as much as I do to Tucker. Cuz Tucker is so much better for Clara than Christian. It's destiny that pulls the two of them together, not their intentions. And even though they are rare beings, they are Triplares, then what? It doesn't mean Clara has to be with him simply because they are the same kind of people. I have to say Christian is so special because I don't like him even though he is totally hot according from the book. 

To conclude it, the book is a perfection and it's even better than Unearthly because the twists are so amazing that you can never put the book down until you find out what is going on actually. There is no obvious clues that you can't guess what will happen next for sure. And the ending is so good that it's like the end of the series, not just the book. And I guess that Cynthia Hand does a hard job in the epilogue. Now she can make sure that no one can guess what will happen in Boundless until the summary is revealed.

Rating: 9/10

Unearthly: Review

After reading Existence trilogy, I can finally move on to Unearthly! Check out the summary:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . . Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

*** I must say, Cynthia Hand is a great author. She can put plot twists in the right places and make the book interesting. When I first started the book, I thought it would be like Fallen or Hush, Hush or other paranormal novels that's about angels. And I've really gotten used to that kind of romance. But Unearthly is very different from Fallen and Hush, Hush. The angel-bloods have to fulfill their destinies. They can't escape their fate. Not that it's all new to YA world. But at least it is new to angels' world.

Clara is a fairly pure character in Unearthly. She is naive and she just wanna finish her job and go back to California. Well, at least that's what she wants at first. Pure is good. I love her responsibility and her attitude to her folks. But her thoughts make her too...unprepared. I think if Clara can grow up a little bit, she will be a perfect character. Maybe she will be more mature in the following books. I hope that will be true.

Christian, on the other hand, is a fairly complicated character throughout the book. No one knows exactly what he wants. I can't tell if he wants Kay or Clara or somebody else. He is a big mystery even to readers like me. I always like mysterious characters (like Jace in City of Bones). But for some reason I don't really like him. In some ways I even think of him as an intruder between Tucker and Clara. I don't know why I have this kind of thoughts.

Tucker is definitely the best part of the book. He can definitely keep a fairly stable and healthy relationship with Clara, and that's one of many things that I love about him. I have to say there is no stable relationship in Fallen and Hush, Hush. And I kind of loathe love triangles. In this book there is no obvious love triangles. Tucker does a good job here. He is real fun. I can never imagine that his tease leads to his liking for Clara. Maybe I am the one who is naive. But seeing Tucker and Clara together is the best thing in Unearthly. Hope that they will stick together throughout the series.

Angela, another mysterious character. Turns out she's a good guy in the book. I know that she has pure white wings, which means she is a good guy. But throughout the book I can't shove of the feeling that she is using Clara for some reason. But maybe after Unearthly I will change my mind about her and accept the fact that she is a nice person.

There are no stupidity among the characters. Not that they are super smart. But for once I'd never rolled my eyes when I read this book. The romance is not driven by paranormal reasons or character's stupidity. It's like a breath of fresh air. I hate blind romance, always defending their love even though they do wrong things. Cynthia Hand should continue her style of writing. I love fresh air. And this is the book of giving new ideas out.

In conclusion, I think YA novels don't have to make love triangles, blind romance, paranormal reasons, and epic good guys to make the book worth reading. Unearthly is a great example. If you want a breath of fresh air and to avoid hot guys and all those stuff for a while, Unearthly is a good choice for you.

Rating: 8.5/10