Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #13)

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top Ten Underrated Books

Sci-Fi

1. The Program by Suzanne Young

The Program was one of those books that you are a little apprehensive about reading. For starters the plot deals with a suicide epidemic that starts affecting the teens across the nation and what the government decides to do about it. With that being said this may not appeal to everyone, but I can say that I went into it with an open-mind and I LOVED it!

2. Altered by Jennifer Rush

Now when reading the synopsis to Altered, a couple words jumped out at me. Hot Teenage Boys..... Experiments..... Genetically Altered..... plus look at that cover.... need I say more?! I was definitely interested and I wasn't dissappointed.

3. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Unwind was a completely random pick up from the library one day. I thought the premise sounded different from what I had read and I was right. This book is full of suspense and twists and the ending I could have never guessed. Need to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy!

Dystopian
1.The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse
I LOVE this cover! I don't know why, but I love its uniqueness. The Forsaken is one of those books that from the beginning gives me a sense of suspense and thrill. It reminds me of The Maze Runner and even The Hunger Games in a way while being captivating on its own.

2. The Testing by Joelle Charboneau
Also if you liked The Hunger Games and want a similar type of storyline, this is the book for you. Although the plots are similar, this book was still good on its own. I read through it pretty quickly and am interested to see how the story progresses in the rest of the trilogy.

3. Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
This book caught my attention first by the map/diagram on the inside ( I have a thing for maps in books!) and then by its interesting storyline. I was caught off guard by how much I liked this story about a group of kids in an unfortunate situation. The thrill and suspense kept me wanting more and by the end of it I really wanted book 2. 

4. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
I push this book on so many of my friends, I'm guilt! I really like how this book compares to the modern world and the division of social class by the language you speak. I was very intrigued by the plot and find The Pledge to easily be one of my favorites!

5. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
This was one of those unlikely discoveries that I made while at the library. I was actually surprised at how much I really liked the storyline. I think it is underrated because of the cover.... well that would be my reason for glancing over it. But don't judge a book by its cover and check it out!
View my thoughts on Article 5!

Paranormal

1. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

 The Raven Boys was one of those "well the book I want isn't on the shelves so I guess I'll try this one" type of books. I was on the bottom of my TBR list for a while because from the premise I felt that it would be boring to be honest. Boy was I wrong! I really loved how the book progressed and the twists throughout blew my mind because I couldn't see them coming. I recommend you try it out!

2. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
When I first heard Julie Kagawa was coming out with a new book, I jumped on it the minute it hit my local library. I had been a fan of her books ever since I read her Iron Fey Series and I was interested to see how she took on vampires. It was nothing like I expected and I really loved it!
View my thoughts on The Immortal Rules! 

What Are Some Of Your Top Underrated Books?

Gated (Gated, #1)

 

Author: Amy Christine Parker
Series: Gated, #1
Pages: 339
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★★

*****

Goodreads Summary:

A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths.

Appearances can be deceiving.

In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.

Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?

From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Gated follows Lyla and her life in her more than average community. Led by their leader, Pioneer, Lyla, her family, and a cluster of more families have come to believe that they are the chosen and have secluded themselves away from others to prepare for the apocalypse. They are preparing for the end that the Brethren have concluded is upon them. Near the last couple weeks, Lyla meets a boy from the outside and soon starts to question everything Pioneer has been telling everyone for the last few years. But will anyone doubt Pioneer and believe Lyla after all that they have been through?

Lyla is a weak girl that is set in her beliefs and is slightly struggling with her lifestyle and training. Overtime she becomes stronger and proves to be an extremely important factor in the survival of her community.

As a reader the book was good and interesting even though I could not connect very well with the characters since this book is more plot-driven than character-driven. But the problems the characters faced where believable especially with the cult aspect which made the story more interesting.

I would say this book was different than what I expected. When I first saw it I thought it would be more of a paranormal book of sorts but its everything but. It was thrilling, suspenseful, and psychological. My favorite scene was when Lyla and her friends sneak out for the night and what happens after. I liked the scene of when everyone went into the Silo, that started the events into the climax of the book. I least liked Pioneer's character. He was overall extremely creepy and slightly scary with what he was capable of.

With the ending, I was left satisfied. In my opinion there wasn't really a cliffhanger for the next book and it could have actually been a standalone in my eyes, but nonetheless I will check out the second installment when it comes out later this year.

As far as ratings go... the cover gets a 6/10 and the overall story gets 4/5. I would recommend this to those looking for a psychological thriller with a bit of suspense and an interesting climax and ending. The plot was different than what I've read recently with it being a small break from the dystopian and paranormal reads out now.

*****

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)

 

 Author: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days
Pages: 283
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Dystopian, Paranormal
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★★

*****

Goodreads Summary:

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Angelfall is a novel that follows seventeen-year-old Penryn in her search to find her sister and rescue her from the angels that took her. Penryn is a brave and determined young girl with one mission in mind... to rescue her sister and get her family to safety which includes herself, her sister, and her deranged mother. When her sister is taken by warrior angels, she goes after them with the help of a broken and battered angel named Raffe who has his own agenda and secrets.

I really liked Penryn and her dedication and unwavering resolve to get her sister back and to protect her family in the midst of the apocalypse. I related to her most and admired her maturity for her age and how she dealt with having to grow up fast to support and look after her family especially when her mother goes through her deranged, crazy spells.

I also loved Raffe and how interesting he was as a character. He is an angel, who in the midst of a fight with a crew of warrior angels, get his wings brutally and forcefully ripped off. When Penyrn saves him and nurses him back to health after this incident, she convinces him to help her find the location of the angels who took her sister and in return will help him try to get his wings repaired and sewn back onto his body. Another interesting character was definitely Penryn's sister at the end of the novel..... one word.... freaky.

The problems faced in the story suited this particular story nicely. The characters dealt with a kill or be killed mentality as well as the survival of the fittest aspect whilst on their journal to the angels location. Penryn learned early on that she would have to build an alliance with Raffe if she ever wanted to survive and also find her sister.

Penryn also got stronger and more cunning throughout the novel in preparation to try to kick angel ass and rescue her sister. I loved this part in reading the book! I can say that this book definitely took me by surprise a little bit and I loved that! Susan Ee's take on angels and the apocalypse as well as the interesting turn of events near the end of the novel made me shake with excitement. It was soooo good!

My favorite scenes were the camp scene and the club scene at the end. Both were a bit scary and suspenseful but added to the storyline nicely. I also liked the relationship between Penryn and Raffe. As far as ratings go, I give the cover a 7/10 I thought it was very pretty as well as symbolic to the story. I would recommend this to someone who is looking for a different take on an angel story with lots of action and adventure along the way! I gave the overall book a 4/5 and will definitely pick up the next book.

Also the ending was crazy! The cliffhanger at the end.... Ugh.... it ended a little abruptly especially with the Raffe aspect but otherwise it was done really well! Check this one out for sure.

*****

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #5)

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

So considering that I've only read about 10 books so far this year, I don't have much of a choice in picking the best ones that I've read. Currently I'm around 13 books behind schedule for my Goodreads 50 book challenge but hopefully I'll be able to turn that around this summer since I'm challenging myself to read 25 books by the end August. It's time to kick it into gear! Fingers crossed! Nonetheless, here are the books I've read so far this year!

Top Ten: ( in order)

Shatter Me: I finally read this book this year and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed it and need to read Unravel Me very soon!



 Clockwork Angel: This is one that I am very ashamed to have not read sooner. It was the first Cassandra Clare book that I read and I am excited to continue on with The Infernal Devices trilogy and also start The Immortal Instruments series as well!



 Miss Match: This book was one that I picked up on impulse from my library's adult fiction section. I really wanted to branch out this year and read more adult fiction books and figured I would start off with a light read like this one. I was pretty good and is the first in a series. If you have any suggestions for adult chick-lit books or authors let me know!


*****
What are your favorite books that you've read so far this year? 
Comment and let me know!!

Article 5

 

 Author:Kristen Simmons
Series: Article 5, #1
Pages: 362
Challenge: A-Z Author Challenge/ Goodreads Challenge 2013
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads

*****

Goodreads Summary:

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

This novel is about a girl and her quest through a dystopian United States to retrieve her arrested mother back from the government. The main character Ember Miller and her determination to find and get her mother back is inspirational. She never loses sight of her goal of finding her mother and wants nothing more than to be reunited with her. The other main character Chase Jennings was one of those characters that I connected with as the book progressed. I liked how he was determined to keep Ember safe and to live up to the promise that he told her mother. I also loved how he seemed to undermine his own safety to completely devote himself to Ember and her cause.

For most of the book, I was kept guessing and I really liked that. I couldn't really guess what would happen next to Ember and Chase on their journey and I really liked that. My favorite part was the creepy old lady scene in the woods. It was all very weird and creepy and I loved it. I also liked the scene at the rebel base, although it broke my heart, I still thought it was needed and appreciated how the author went about writing that scene.

Some things that frustrated me was the romance between Ember and Chase. I felt that I didn't care if the relationship fell apart and ended or if it survived and thrived, this bothered me a bit because I usually really care about the relationships between characters, whether it be romantic or a platonic friendship.

Also the world building... gets a 5/10. It was original with the idea of the Moral Statutes but I felt that it could have been taken further somehow. Now on the subject of character development... it was ok... I wasn't really invested in the characters. I did not care too much about them but the story was pretty interesting. On the side of annoyance.... EMBER....gah....! I felt that she was a very naive character. I thought her pinned up, confused feelings concerning Chase lasted too long. I was over her being mad then not mad at him... he is trying to help you find your mother... give him some credit!

This book is not exactly a tear-jerker kind of book, but it was gripping and kept me interested. The ending was both happy and sad. I went through a mini-spell of the feels at the ending. The book does end in a small cliffhanger and I was pleased at where the book ended.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book...despite some of my issues with it. As far a recommendations go...7/10 from me. I will be continuing this series because I really would like to know how things end and what will happen to Ember and Chase as they continue their lives in this world.

*****

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a very small affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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