Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn

Publisher: Berkley
Released: April 6th 2010
Age group: Adult
Pages: 470
Author info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Thea is a slave girl from Judaea, passionate, musical, and guarded. Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea will become her mistress's rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator. His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life-that is quickly ended when a jealous Lepida tears them apart.

 As Lepida goes on to wreak havoc in the life of a new husband and his family, Thea remakes herself as a polished singer for Rome's aristocrats. Unwittingly, she attracts another admirer in the charismatic Emperor of Rome. But Domitian's games have a darker side, and Thea finds herself fighting for both soul and sanity. Many have tried to destroy the Emperor: a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin. But in the end, the life of the brilliant and paranoid Domitian lies in the hands of one woman: the Emperor's mistress.

Okay, so, I know I'm 5 years late to this one, but gosh, better late than never. Mistress of Rome was amazing - amazing. Beautifully crafted down to even the smallest sentence, the character development rich and the description visually stunning. Here's what I have to say about Mistress of Rome:

1) This novel was so full on. Though only 470 pages, it felt like it was 600. A story that takes place in the years between 81 AD and 96 AD. Over a decade, multiple characters perspectives and story lines, and yet it never looses the personal touch. I have great admiration for Kate Quinn's ability to do this, she is one talented woman.

2) I love all things historical, especially based on the ancient world, and Mistress of Rome is no exception. Ancient rome + amazing women = one very happy Eleanor. Thea, for one, is incredible. Her strength, which mostly originates from her tough backstory, sings from the story, and honestly makes the book for me. Her counterpart Lepida, is one hell of a woman. She knows how to manipulate men to get what she wants, and though not a generally nice person, she is definitely a badass, and not to be messed with. The two people who get their own first-person narratives are Thea and Lepida, so this is certainly a book about them.

3) This book is not for children - at all. The gore for one is pretty full on - but I just found that the blood and grit and death made it the more epic. This is a book about gladiators and corrupt emperors after all... The description of not only the gore, but the scenery, costumes, etc really helped me to get into the world, and was definitely a good representation of the time.

4) The relationship between Thea and Arius is definitely ship worthy. In fact, there are a few pairs in the book that will have you excited! The relationships are all well developed and not too in-your-face. There's scandal and romance and tragedy and some of it is even on the cliched side, but because of how well it's written and the fascinating storyline, I barely noticed or cared.

Kate Quinn is an amazing author, and yes, I've already ordered her other novels...

Mistress of Rome is book for any history lover, and adorer of strong women (just like me)! An emotional ride the whole way through, and fascinating for anyone wanting to learn more about Ancient Rome.

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Between The Lives by Jessica Shirvington

Publisher: HarperCollins
Released: May 1st 2013
Age group: Young adult
Pages: 336
Author info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.

Until now, that is...

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking? 

Between The Lines is an interesting and page turning novel that intrigued me by its complex plot and heart-breaking ideas. Honestly I didn't know what to expect when I started this, but I was pleasantly surprised by how I enjoyed it. As always my main points are here:

1) Between The Lives really reminded me of a mix of two other novels, all based on the idea of living two lives, or living a separate/ detached life that others are unaware of. Pivot Point by Kasie West was the first to leap to mind. Based around a girl, who like Sabine in this novel, lives in two different lives, and in both the people around her are unaware of the other. The other is Forgotten by Cat Patrick. The protagonist (just like Sabine), has a life altering moment every night at a particular time. I adore both books and although the idea didn't seem as fresh when I approached Between The Lives, I still really did enjoy it.

2) One thing that I noticed while reading was that Sabine's character changed a lot between her life 'Shifts', and one I quite strongly dislike. It was not just her family, friends and surroundings that change each night, she also seems to change her personality to suit her new life. This really bothers me as I feel like even though I am reading through the eyes of the same person, that they are different in a way. More like I am reading through the first person of two twins rather than the same person.

3) I found the finish rather unbelievable unfortunately. I won't say any more because of spoilers, but I was quite disappointed of the ending yet part of me was also satisfied with it which probably sounds like I am unsure of it, and truth be told I am. It causes a lot of mixed feelings about being relieved yet incredulous. Pretty disorientating. 

4) I grew quite an attachment to Sabine, she to me seemed to be a rather forward and strong minded character. I am really happy that the female protagonists I've been reading about seem to be that recently, and this woman was certainly no exception. What Sabine did to survive, to protect those she loved, and to prove of her double life to those around her was truly astonishing and definitely the strength of this novel.

Between the Lives certainly had its strengths. And although parts were fairly predictable or basic, I found myself been drawn to many of the characters, turning every page wanting to know what happened on the next.

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Need by Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release date: December 23rd 2008
Age group: Young adult
Pages: 306
Author info: Website
My rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  

Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen. 

 Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

 In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

I have not read Need in a fair while. Please bare in mind that this review was written two coffees, little sleep, and based off an old Goodreads review. But, I do remember loving this book. So, as always, here's what stood out to me the first time I read this intriguing novel (that I can remember):

1) I was truly suprised how much I enjoyed Need. When I first purchased this story, I had not heard much hype about it, so I was not expecting brilliance. I tend to lack affection for pixie or fae novels, except for a few exceptions, because most of the time I don't find them dark enough. Need has to be an exception. And although parts were fairly predictable, it had interesting and unique aspects to it that kept me reading.

2) The gorgeous Zara is strength of this novel. My goodness, she is such a wonderful character. She is fairly sarcasm (which I adore), and she is strong. Progressively through the book, she finds reason to force herself out of depression, and soon she no longer mopes, she does not find situation to seek out sympathy from others. Her character development is admirable. Unfortunately, I found her love interest to be a rather flat, two-dimensional character, although Zara herself kept me wanting to turn pages.

3) The phobia idea is truly fresh. I never had, and still have not, encountered a book so centred on phobias of others and ones personal deepest fears. I loved that every chapter title was a phobia, it's definition, and how it always had some sort of relevance to what occurs in that chapter. Zara's quiet chanting of phobia names to ease anxiety adds to her complexity, her unique character.

In relation to the phobias, I loved the deep seeded ideas of this novel. The fact made clear that humans are fearful of the unknown, and so naming what is feared helps overcome that fear. And of course, the idea of Autophobia - the fear of oneself, which is a powerful aspect of this story.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: May 3rd 2011
Age group: Young adult
Pages: 496
Author info: Website | Facebook | Twitter

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. 
For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. 

 During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I think I must of been living under a rock for the last two years as I never heard the hype about Divergent (how is that possible?). But when I did (like, two weeks ago - can you believe it) I bought it from The Book Depository, and I absolutely loved reading it!

Beatrice (ok, let's refer to her as Tris) is an amazingly strong character, and I rank her up there with my favourite heroins like Rose Hathaway and Katniss Everdeen. I love how she transforms from a scared lonely girl into a badass fearsome woman in front of you in the book. I also like it that she isn't supposed to be very pretty. It does get a bit boring sometimes when the main character supposedly looks like a goddess. 

I also like Four (*cough cough*... Tobias...). He's also a strong character, but he has his faults, which I think is important for any good character. I love that he has a fear of heights, and the whole Abnegation thing (not saying any more - just in case there a few of you out there who still haven't read it - which I kind of doubt, but still).

I feel sorry for Christina when she's going to find out about Will... I shipped those two.
*sad face*

I found the romance very interesting. It started about half way through the book, which I liked. So many books are insta-love, which can make it boring by the end of the series, but it was refreshing in Divergent, I loved it. 

I really regret not reading this earlier. But then again, it means I don't have to wait painfully for the sequel, I've already ordered it! 

Oh, and did you hear (you probably have - I'm so in the dark)? It's becoming a movie yay! Shailene Woodley will be Tris, Theo James - Four, Zoe Kravitz - Christina, and Kate Winslet as Jeanine. Who's excited? I certainly am!

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oldie review - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

(oldie reviews are books that I review a few years after it's come out)

Title: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: September 14th 2008 by Scholastic Press

My rating: 

Summary: 

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

My thoughts:

When i first saw the hunger games series in my local bookshop i thought 'why does everyone love these books?' 
The cover looked too boyish for me and the blurb didn't appeal. I thought they were some kind of cross between artemis fowl and harry potter. So basically not an appealing match.
I didn't buy the books but promised myself i might read them sometime in the distant future.
It wasn't until about three months before the movie was set to be released when my friend Allyson messaged me saying that she had read the first book and wanted me to borrow the second for her from the library that i started to consider reading them sooner rather than later.
I believed her when she said they were great because we have the same taste in books and the next day i bought the whole trilogy from a bookstore and starting reading them.

I am so angry at myself for not reading them sooner as i enjoyed them so much.
The story starts rather slowly and confusing but by about the third chapter i was hooked.
The story races along with funny, charming, and likable ( and also some not so likable ) characters and terrific, heart racing suspense and action.

Betrayal, loyalty, sadness, anger, love, and passion mix together to make an inspiring and wholesome novel.

The Movie trailer:

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review - Pivot Point by Kasie West

Title: Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1)

Author: Kasie West

Published: February 12th 2013 by HarperTeen

My rating: 

Summary:

All her life, Addie Coleman's lived in a paranormal compound where everyone is born with different mind abilities. She is able to see two different futures she could experience and is able to choose which path she wishes to go on.
When her parent's split up, she has to decide whether she'll live with her mother in the compound, or with her dad, who's moving out of the compound and into the "norm" world.

So Addie uses her own abilities to see her two choices of what will happen if she chooses to go with either of them, over the space of six weeks. Both will have love, loss and betrayal, and in the end she must choose ultimately which future she'd rather live through.

My thoughts:

Pivot Point puts an interesting twist on love triangles. Each alternating chapter is a chapter in the future where she'd live in the "Norm" world, and then the next is if she were living in the "Para" world, each with a different guy.


The main character Addie can be confusing at times. She can be stubborn and relentless yet in the other future she seems to give up really easily, almost as though she's two different people in the two futures.
At first this bothered me, but I think it's more to do with the other people around her and what they influence her to do, rather than a fault in the consistency.


It kind of starts out like a contemporary chick lit book except with paranormal aspects, although the deeper you get into it, the more complicated and clever it gets. It also becomes quite dark in places but I loved it.

All characters are well developed and lovable (well, not all are lovable, but the villains are still great). Overall I give Pivot Point 4.5 stars as it's a great page turner. This is definitely one to read if you haven't already.

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review - Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither (The Chemical Garden trilogy #1)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Published: March 22nd 2011 by Simon & Schuster for Young Readers

My rating:

Summary: 

In a brave new future, DNA engineering has resulted in a terrible genetic flaw. Women die at the young age of 20, men at 25. Young girls are being abducted in attempts to keep humanity ahead of the disease that threatens to eradicate it.

16 year old Rhine Ellery is kidnapped and sold as a bride to the son of a cruel scientist who desperately pries Rhine's friend's cold dead bodies open in a failing attempt to find a cure in the cold sterile basement of the mansion Rhine is trapped inside of.
All Rhine dreams of escaping that cruel place with it's endless hallways and it's lies that hide behind the beauty of the place, and find her way back across the country back to her twin brother and her home, as unsafe as it might be.

But no matter how far Rhine runs, all ways lead back to husband she does not love with his three wives and murderous father.

Will Rhine be able to find a way to escape or will she need to learn to love her captor in the little time she has left to live?

My Thoughts:

In Wither, Rhine's character appealed to me - her stubbornness and persistence. I also like Jenna, one of her sister wives, and despite her annoying bossiness I grew a liking towards Cecily, her other sister wife too.

You only get introduced to Rowan, Rhine's twin brother through memories and dreams, but even still, I like him too.

Gabriel is a servant working at the mansion who Rhine develops feelings towards, although I found his character rather flat and two dimensional. Maybe that's just because I didn't get to see much of him, or maybe it's because I vote for Linden (Rhine's husband) to be with her.
About that, I find that Linden is a very troubled guy. His love and loss over Rose, his first wife, clouds his feelings toward Rhine and at times it's hard to determine whether he truly loves her (Rhine), or if he wants to be with her purely for the fact that she looks a lot like Rose.

Despite that, the friendship that develops over the space of the novel between the sister wives and Rhine is the realest relationship for me in Wither. The bond that they have by the end of the book is unbreakable, despite their hatred of each other in the beginning.

Overall this book is incredibly creepy. The story, the writing style (it's exquisite)  - everything about it is disturbing, but that made me love it all the more. I found it nearly impossible to put down, but not just because it's a page turner, but because I found myself feeling Rhine's every emotion - hating who she hated, and missing who she missed.
Each character had their likable traits (except Linden's father - he was one of the creepiest villains ever) and if you read carefully, there are lyrics to life in there.

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Books in The Chemical Garden trilogy:

Anna And The French Kiss review

Title: Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Published: December 2nd 2010 by Speak

My rating: 

My summary:

Anna probably would've loved to go to France - if it were on vacation. But she's less than thrilled to leave her best friend, her great job, and her crush that she was sure was going to become more, when her parents send her to a boarding school in Paris.

But then she meets St. Clair. With his freakishly good looks and laid back, friendly nature - he's her perfect boy.
And he has everything too - including a serious girlfriend. But then again, Anna might be taken too, if anything happens with her crush back home.

Will Anna get the guy after a whole years worth of romantic near-misses?


My thoughts:

This is one of those books where you can't stop smiling and cringing at the same time. 
It's also one of those books where you really love the characters. Not just because you think they're good looking, or because they're badass or because you know you're supposed to like them... But because you actually really like them for their personalities.

Its one of those books where even though you know there is no sequel, and the story will end and you'll be sad... At the time it doesn't matter. You just NEED to know what happens, and you want it to go on and on and never finish.

It's also one of the few books i can say that about.

In Anna and the French Kiss, the characters are very well developed, so is the scene, and the story is much more touching than I ever anticipated. It has all the ingredients I love in a book, so a five star rating it gets!

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