Review: Die For Me (Revenants #1) by Amy Plum

Read from January 1, 2012
to January 2, 2012

Book: Die For Me (Revenants #1) by Amy Plum

Publication Date: May 10, 2011

Publisher: Harper Teen

Number of Pages: 341 pages

Genre/s: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies...immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love? - From Goodreads

Excerpt: "I can't promise you an ordinary experience, Kate. I wish I could transform myself into a normal man and be there for you, always, without the trauma that defines my life as 'the walking dead.' Since that isn't possible, I can only reassure you that I will do everything in my power to make it up to you. To give you more than a normal boyfriend could. I have no idea what that will mean, exactly, but I'm looking forward to finding out. With you."

After her parents' death, Kate and her sister Georgia moved to Paris to live with their grandparents. Filled with overwhelming sadness and grief, Kate spends her day in a routine and immersed herself in books. As per advise of her own sister to spend more time outside and read books somewhere in broad daylight, she met Vincent. The uber gorgeous Vincent who seemed to be also interested in her. But Vincent, isn't what he seems. Dangerous and full of secrets, will she choose to be with Vincent in exchange of her safety and sanity or will she learn to live without him and live forever in regret and sadness?

First and foremost, I'd like to say that the cover is very pretty. It's what actually made me pick up this book, the moment I saw my classmate reading this at class, I just have to borrow Die For Me. When I started reading this, I was immediately interested in Kate and Georgia's story. They lose their parents in a tragic accident and they have to cope with the grief and sadness in their own way. Georgia by partying and Kate by reading classics and visiting museums. I had some fair share of swooning too earlier in the book but it was immediately replaced by indifference on the later half.

Vincent definitely has charm and humor, but something about him just turns me off. Maybe it was his immediate dismissal to Kate when something close to being dangerous arises. Kate also has a lot of potential to be something less cliched. She reads classics, she goes to museum, basically the author is trying to say that she's an old soul, that she's mature for her age. And it really shows, because her sister was in direct contrast to her personality. But as soon as she met Vincent, the plot lines became reminiscent of Twilight.

It was not a torture though, because for starters Kate was more tolerable than Bella. But what they do have in common was their prowess in whining. Kate keeps telling us readers, that she's no damsel in distress and at first it's believable. However, as I turned the pages I realized that she believes she's that, but she's really not. She whines about how unfair her life is because everywhere she goes, she encounters death. But she should know that hanging out with Revenants will always remind her of death because it's inevitable in their "job". She stayed away for a while and keep her head leveled but she have to whine constantly about how he misses Vincent and how miserable her life is away from him. And it's just tiring to hear that. 

And what's up with the grandparents? They are almost non-existent. Almost. And the moment her grandmother graced us with her presence, she just have to ruin what could be the moment to show us that Die For Me does not suck in the parental guidance department. She basically allowed Kate to sleepover with Vincent! The boy she has not met before. The boy who they thought send Kate back again in her depression. And this is also taking into consideration that Kate barely made it through her parents' death and need more supervision than ever. She even allowed Kate to not go to school the next morning when she feels like it, so they could patch things up. No parent/elderly/guardian will do that. Even Clara's mother or Tucker's dad for that matter, flipped out when they discover Tucker and Clara in bed fully clothed. 

There is also a shady description of Revenants. Although, the concept of Revenants were indeed intriguing, I can't help but feel that it's just a more glamorous version of zombies with missions. There's also no definite rule  about why they existed or how they were chosen to be reborn.  The explanations given were pretty much "I don't exactly know what we are" or "We've kept our identities secret. Have you heard of us?" We also get some "supposed" to be kick-ass scene but Vincent had to go all exorcist on Kate, which is just disturbing. 

Also, I raised this question a lot when I'm reading Paranormal Romance: What makes the female lead character that special to be the object of attention of Mr. Gorgeous Immortal? Would it really take a lot of effort just to give a little detail or highlights of her characteristics that'd make every guy like her? Am I missing something here? 

Die For Me, has an interesting concept and has the potential to be more. But it went for the "love" aspect instead and I've just seen this plot line way too many times. So I can hardly blame myself if I was not impressed. I'm a reader who likes to see balance between the paranormal stuff and the "love" and for me having that balance would really make an amazing unforgettable read.

Will I read the sequel? I would. But will I expect too much? Not really. It's more of a follow-through read than jumping-up-and-down-can't-wait-to-read read. I really do hope that the sequel would make up for the insufficient attention to the concept of zombies-slash-guardian angels. Revenants have a noble cause and I'd like to see more of them in action with the numas(bad zombies). And please, no more second helpings of New Moon, OK? I might just not live through reading another version of that.

Cupid's Verdict:

3 Cupids

Review: Incarnate (Newsouls #1) by Jodi Meadows

Read from November 30, 2011
to December 16, 2011

Book: Incarnate (Newsouls #1) by Jodi Meadows

Publication Date:  January 31, 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Book

Number of Pages: 384 

Genre/s: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

NEWSOUL 

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why. 

NOSOUL 

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame? 

HEART 

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? - From Goodreads 

Excerpt: “There was no telling if I'd be reborn when I died, but the waltz began and ended with my four notes. He'd built the music around things that reminded him of me. And now this name. My name. A hundred or a thousand years after I died, someone could play my waltz,...and they would remember me. Thanks to Sam I was immortal.”

In times when everyone is reincarnated, Ana is the sole exception. She's a newsoul/nosoul. No memories and experiences to remember from a past life. A glitch in the system of rebirth. She was left by her father, Menehem, at birth and was led to believe by her mother, Li, that she was good for nothing. A thief of someone else's life---Ciana. And that her stolen lifetime will soon be forgotten and things will return to the way they were after her passing . But is she meant to live only a single lifetime or is she just the beginning of the change in the process of reincarnation?

I have great expectations for this book.  The first few chapters had me hooked. A new creature, the sylph was introduced and it provided action and the adventure I was craving for. Ana is a smart, brave, resourceful young woman. She taught herself to read and discovered music on her own.

She was on her way to Heart, the great city where she could get all the answers about her purpose, when she encountered the sylph and met Sam who seemed guarded and aloof but nevertheless saved her from a certain death. Everything seemed to slow down when they have reached Heart. Ana was seen as a threat in the cycle of reincarnation and was not really welcomed in the city but she was allowed to stay if she would submit to the requests of the Council. Then as soon as Ana knew who Sam really is, she was sidetracked from all the plans she had when she reached the city.

And boy was I sidetracked, too. The story never seemed to pick up from there. Ana was overwhelmed with the idea of people living many lives, with different bodies, faces, and genders but I did not feel it. What I felt was awkwardness knowing that Sam, her love interest has been a female before. Also, she let everything passed if it concerns Sam. You see, Sam is sneaking in the middle of the night, talking obscurely on the phone and has a serious case of commitment issues but instead of confronting Sam, she just lets him and makes excuses for him.

There was not enough background about the other characters as well. Li was told to be extremely hateful of Ana because she stole Ciana’s life but I don’t think that’s enough reason to hate someone. Disdain, maybe but spite? There should be more to it, but it was never fully explained. Likewise, Ciana is a mystery. I do not know anything about her. Meuric, the faithful believer; I did not get his devotion to Janan at all. How about Sarit, Orrin and Whit, don’t they deserve a little exposure, too? And don’t get me started on Menehem because, I thought he was a key character but he was just suddenly there and then he disappeared. Like he was put on the spot to tell things he have done and then the author blows out the candle and then poof, he's gone. Again.

And when I said it slowed down and didn’t pick up, I meant it. I was on the last few pages and I was still wondering when the climax would hit. You know, the one that would keep you gasping and make your heart go thump, thump. It never came. Alas, the almighty dragons did not give the tension and adventure the sylph did.

Incarnate has a great premise and lot of potential but I’m afraid it just didn’t live up to it. Unquestionably, Meadows has provided a fresh and unique addition in the concept of reincarnation that makes for a good read but it just lacks the oomph and the special twinkle that I was expecting. It was not bad, but it failed to captivate and engrossed me the way I thought it would. Honestly, the cover is the only thing memorable about this novel (and I say that with a broken heart, really). And the sylph (Yes, I do love them). But the more pertinent question is: Will I read the next installment in this series? Yes I would because even though Incarnate has misses and disappointments, the world Meadows created is undoubtedly different and interesting so I am still keen on knowing what will happen next in the upcoming books in this series.

Cupid's Verdict:

3 Cupids

An advanced copy was provided by the publisher at no cost via Netgalley

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Read (November 16 - 18, 2011)

Book: Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

Publication Date: January 17, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

Number of Pages: 416

Genre/s: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley

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. - (source)

“Our purpose on this earth is not a single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing or failing. There’s only us, each moment shaping who we are, into what we will become. So I say forget about future. Pay attention to now. This moment right now. Let go of expectations. Just be. Then you are free to become something great.” - taken from an uncorrected ARC 

Hallowed started right after where Unearthly ended, in the forest wherein Clara must fulfill her purpose and the fire that has left everything on its path destroyed and charred. Clara failed at her purpose because she followed her heart and by doing that, she had changed everything.

Everything starts to unfold. We’re introduced to the world of White Wings and Black Wings and the eternal war between them, the congregation where all angel-bloods gather and to new angels. Secrets kept were laid out in the open. Clara learned about what she really is, how she and her brother are special even amongst the angel-bloods. And although everything was planned out for her, she still has her free will and she must make the ultimate decision between the guy she loves without any imposition from the boss up above and the guy she is destined to be with. She also knew with another dream that someone she loves dearly will die. And it was all Clara could do to keep herself together and everything else from falling apart. 

What is most commendable about Hallowed was the growth in Clara’s character. Not only did her hair color change (sorry, I just have to say that) but she had shown exceptional strength of character and will beyond all the drama and the big bombs being thrown at her relentlessly. Acceptance and sacrifice were needed and she gave just that.

Then there’s Christian, the great constant in Clara’s exceedingly wobbly life. Oh, I really feel for him! I feel his pain and disappointment every time Clara pushed him away. But still he’s there, not to woo Clara or keep telling her that they belong together but because he wants to let her understand that he will never leave her. Honestly speaking, Christian has more of a presence here than Tucker which I think is Hand’s intention to shed more light into Christian’s side. I just wish that he didn’t left Tucker out of the picture. Tucker does not have much exposure except in Clara’s thought as the super-hot-manly-sweet-guy, which I think did not give him justice because he was more than that. For starters, I seriously think that he’s more virtuous than Clara. For me, he came off in this book as a hormonal, uncomprehending, shallow person who easily gets disoriented and queasy with Clara’s glorious self.  

But with all grumbling aside, deep down I believe, too, that this was all part of Hand’s subtle plan of setting up the distinction between Christian, the boy equivalent of Clara, who compliments her and Tucker, the mere human, who completes her. 

Hallowed is not what I was expecting. Do I mean that in good way? By some means, yes, because Hallowed is in a whole different level than Unearthly. It was darker and more emotional and confined. Like all was happening in a single time frame and the bleak and suffocating atmosphere to it made Hallowed totally realistic and convincing. Also, the concept about God was superbly handled.

But I have to say that I liked Unearthly more. This book is a wonderful read, it was hard to put down, but I still can’t figure out why but there was something about this book that made me read it in a distant, impassive sort of manner. Maybe because even though I find Clara’s resilience admirable and her demeanor immensely different from other clichéd heroines in the YA world, there were times I would love to smack her right in the head and pull her marvelous hair so she can’t stop whining about how unfair her life is. 

All the same, I could still say Hand deliver yet again a strong and remarkable story about angel lore. She again ended Hallowed much like its predecessor Unearthly, with tons of possibilities about where the next book would lean into. It could be about anything: someone’s journey to heaven, or it could be somewhere in Stanford or Italy or Wyoming. Hallowed is greatly recommended and I for one surely can’t wait for the next installment in this captivating series.

Cupid's Verdict:

4 Cupids

A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost via Netgalley
in exchange for an honest review.