Review of Endgame: The Calling by James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton

Advance Review of James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton's Endgame: The Calling

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

Synopsis as found on GoodReads.com:

Twelve thousand years ago, they came. They descended from the sky amid smoke and fire, and created humanity and gave us rules to live by. They needed gold and they built our earliest civilizations to mine it for them. When they had what they needed, they left. But before they left, they told us someday they would come back, and when they did, a game would be played. A game that would determine our future.

This is Endgame.

For ten thousand years the lines have existed in secret. The 12 original lines of humanity. Each had to have a Player prepared at all times. They have trained generation after generation after generation. In weapons, languages, history, tactics, disguise assassination. Together the players are everything: strong, kind, ruthless, loyal, smart, stupid, ugly, lustful, mean, fickle, beautiful, calculating, lazy, exuberant, weak. They are good and evil. Like you. Like all.

This is Endgame.

When the game starts, the players will have to find three keys. The keys are somewhere on earth. The only rule of their Endgame is that there are no rules. Whoever finds the keys first wins the game. Endgame: The Calling is about the hunt for the first key. And just as it tells the story of the hunt for a hidden key, written into the book is a puzzle. It invites readers to play their own Endgame and to try to solve the puzzle. Whoever does will open a case filled with gold. Alongside the puzzle will be a revolutionary mobile game built by Google’s Niantic Labs that will allow you to play a real-world version of Endgame where you can join one of the lines and do battle with people around you.
Will exuberance beat strength? Stupidity top kindness? Laziness thwart beauty? Will the winner be good or evil? There is only one way to find out.

Play.
Survive.
Solve.
People of Earth.
Endgame has begun.

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Hunger Games minus Dystopia versus I Am Number Four minus Powers with a World Wide Scavenger Hunt a la Around The World in 80 Days = Endgame

In my opinion, this book is going to be a phenomenon! When you give as much press & put as much money into branding & marketing, you know there has to be a reason behind it. The back of my ARC's box says "Groundbreaking Seven-Figure Global Marketing Campaign!"

So we will get to the story itself in a moment... this book is set to be not only a series, but also a world-wide puzzle based scavenger hunt that was thought up by 3 MIT PHD's. My copy does not give all the clues that are needed to complete it (or even understand the clues whatsoever!), but the final copy that will be sold on shelves will help the reader to find a key that will open a bullet-proof glass case at Harper-Collins headquarters that contains a "massive pile of gold coins."

The story is about 12 children between the ages of 13 & 20 from 12 different ancient cultures (ie. Olmec, Sumerian, Minoan, etc) who will hunt for 3 keys. The winner (in which there can be only 1... very Highlander, I know!) will control who will live & die on earth. It is said, only if they win, will they be able to save their friends, family, & people. When Endgame starts, it is ALL OUT WAR!! This is a kill or be killed kind of game.

There is a lot of action, a lot of fighting, & a lot of death. Even though, I loved this book, I do not suggest it for younger kids. If you are a wiz at puzzles, are really into scavenger hunts, or just really want to win the prize, make sure to pick up your copy of Endgame, out this October.

Review of Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre

Review of Ann Aguirre's The Immortal Game: Mortal Danger

Release Date: August 5th, 2014

Synopsis as found on Amazon.com:

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.

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When I read that Ann Aguirre had a new series coming out, I was super ecstatic to get it. I am a huge fan of her Razorland Trilogy & was really sad when it ended. Like all of my favorite series, I get wrapped up in the world that the author has written & can't imagine a time when I won't know what is happening next. It's a good thing I purchase all of them so that I can re-read them.

When I picked up Mortal Danger, I wasn't sure what I was going to get. I love when the little person gets revenge on all the beautiful people who have wronged them, especially when it has a backdrop of an exclusive private academy. (Maybe its the Gossip Girl & Revenge fan in me) I have to say, it was not exactly what I was expecting. There is so much more to it than just a plot of revenge, like I gathered from reading the synopsis. This is a book of forgotten Gods & Immortals who play a game using people as their chess pieces. It's a book where 3 wishes are much harder to make than you would have thought from the start.

It is just so much more... there is little else to say, except I enjoyed it. It was no Enclave, but I do not know if she will ever live up to the beauty of her last series.

Review of Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood

Review of Jessica Spotswood's The Cahill Witch Chronicles: Sisters' Fate

Release Date: August 14th, 2014

Synopsis as found on Amazon.com:

A fever ravages New London, but with the Brotherhood sending suspected witches straight to the gallows, the Sisters are powerless against the disease. They can’t help without revealing their powers—as Cate learns when a potent display of magic turns her into the most wanted witch in all of New England.

To make matters worse, Cate has been erased from the memory of her beloved Finn. While she’s torn between protecting him from further attacks and encouraging him to fall for her all over again, she’s certain she can never forgive Maura’s betrayal. And now that Tess’s visions have taken a deadly turn, the prophecy that one Cahill sister will murder another looms ever closer to its fulfillment.

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It is always a sad day when I read the last word of the last book in a Series I have really loved. It's been a wonderful 4 years getting to know & love the characters in the Cahill Witch Chronicles & I wish it wasn't over.

This book, like the previous 2, is a period piece about witches in a world where witchcraft is illegal. It is about a prophecy about 3 sisters who would be the most powerful witches the world has ever seen. 1 would be an oracle who would lead mankind into a new era of witchcraft enlightenment or be the hand that the Brotherhood (a Religious sect, similar to Christianity, but only preaches about the evil of witches) would use to destroy them all. 1 of the 3 would be killed by her sister.

When I began reading this book, I could not fathom how Spotswood would be able to end the series in book 3.By the end, when normally I would assume the author would cram a lot of information in to only a few pages, she ends up showing the readers exactly the ending they wanted (with a few small details they probably didn't want) without making it seem rushed. I have to say I enjoyed it thoroughly & can't wait to see what journey Jessica Spotswood takes us on next.

Review of The Giver by Lois Lowry

Review of Lois Lowry's The Giver

Release Date: 1993

Synopsis as found on GoodReads.com:

Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

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I really missed out by going to a private school for my Middle School years. Although, I would not have appreciated this book as much as I did back then as I do now. Long before I had ever even heard the term dystopian, Lois Lowry was opening up the door for some of my favorite books to be created. Without this groundbreaking series, where would we be today.

Even though it totals less than 180 pages and took me less than a day to read, The Giver
really packs a punch in the storytelling department. I can vividly see the community that Jonas lives in and the world that he has grown up in. When he began to receive images of pain & loss, the descriptions made me grieve with him. Little can be said negative about this book... except that I was left wondering what happened to him at the ending.

I immediately searched the internet to find out, because after re-reading the last few pages, I still didn't know. I am NOT a fan of ambiguous endings. I got my answer in that I need to keep reading until I get to the 4th installment in this series to find out Jonas' definitive end.

Review of Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

Advance Review of Josephine Angelini's Trial By Fire

Release Date: September 2nd, 2014

Synopsis as found on Amazon.com:

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

 

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

In Josephine Angelini's Trial by Fire, what makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

 

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This book was a beautiful new take on the Witches and their descendants of the Salem Witch Trials. I found myself entranced by a beautiful love that knows no boundaries; that can travel even across universes.

 

Lily Proctor is very sick. Her body is failing her & it's like she is allergic to EVERYTHING! So when she is propositioned by the voice in her head (a voice that sounds exactly like her own), she ends up traveling to another universe... to another Salem. In this version of Salem, Witches are the ruling class. They run the government & help to give the people everything they need. It is an even bigger surprise when Lily comes face to face with her alternate, the Head Witch of Salem, Lillian.

 

This is not your average love triangle. & when Lily meets Rowan (a boy who doesn't exist in her universe), she begins to fall in love. There is only one problem, Rowan is Lillian's ex-boyfriend. How can you be in love with someone who used to sleep with another version of yourself? How can you know its not the other version he is truly in love with? That is one of the main things I found myself thinking when I first got into the story. Don't fret, though, because Josephine Angelini masterfully weaves an intricate tale where no questions are left un-answered... well, except for, when do I find out what happens next?

 

Check out Trial By Fire, September of 2014!

Review of Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios

Advance Review of Heather Demetrios' Exquisite Captive

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

Synopsis as found on GoodReads.com:


Forced to obey her master.
Compelled to help her enemy.
Determined to free herself.

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.

Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?

Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light.

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I have had a very long week... this is the first week for the entire year where I have not felt like reading. When I get home from work, I am either so tired I just pass out or I have a ton of television to catch up on. It has taken me far too long to read this incredible book.

I love when a writer can find beauty in a tale that has already been written, be inspired enough to find a new story within the old one, and weave a fantastical world that I would love to be a part of. This is a world of Djin: A World where Djinni's of 5 different races live, but also a world where they are kidnapped and sold into slavery. They are smuggled out of their world by being tied to a bottle and sold to a master. When they have a master, they are granted 3 wishes. Sounds very familiar, right? That is where the familiarity ends.

Demetrios has given us a tale as old as time, but as new as the coming seasons. Be prepared to fall in love with her strong female character, Nalia, the last of her race. I was shocked at how much I even loved the obvious villain, Malek, Nalia's master.

If you want a breathtaking read, check out Exquisite Captive! On Sale, this October.

Review of Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant

Advance Review of Michael Grant's Messenger of Fear

Release Date: September 23rd, 2014

Synopsis as found on GoodReads.com:

I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall nothing else about myself.

And then the games began.

The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear.

But what does any of this have to do with Mara? She is about to find out . . .

Snippet from book as found on MichaelGrantBooks.co.uk:

“Who are you?”

That was the first question I asked the boy in front of me. The pale, solemn young man in the black coat with small silver skulls for buttons.

But he didn’t answer it. Instead he answered the question I never asked, but which was nevertheless what I really wanted to know.

Am I dead?

No, not dead, he told me.

But surely not quite alive, either. How could I be?
I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, still shuddering at the memory of the creeping yellow mist that had awoken me in that strange, silent land, I could recall nothing else about myself.

The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear.

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4 or so years ago, I read the first book in the Gone Series. I enjoyed it, but never got around to continue the series. All I can really remember from it (beyond the plot) is the length. I remember how long it was (at almost 600 pages), which is almost unheard of in YA books. So it was a big shock for me when I realized that this book is less than 300 pages.

I am happy that I actually enjoyed this book. The plot is something I have not seen before. Mixing together Mythology, the Grim Reaper, & a Fear Demon to make a mysterious male protagonist who is training his replacement in the female character, Mara. He is known only as the Messenger.

I can't say too much without ruining the story for you, so I will say this: If you want a good quick read with interesting characters & an innovative plot, check out Michael Grant's new series, Messenger of Fear!

Review of Bloodlines: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Review of Richelle Mead's Bloodlines: Silver Shadows

Release Date: July 29th, 2014

Synopsis as found on GoodReads.com:

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

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I am a HUGE fan of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy & Bloodlines' Series, so when this book was released, I was quick to begin reading it. Unfortunately, I have had a super busy week... between work & lack of sleep, I have not been reading very quickly. For the sake of this book, I guess that has been better for keeping in suspense on what is happening in Sydney & Adrian's world.

When we left off with them, Sydney had just been turned in to the Alchemists by her sister Zoe, for her "illicit affair with a Moroi." We were left with Adrian in shambles and when Silver Shadows begins, he is still in shambles, only 3 months later. Sydney has been kept in the underground Re-Education center with no way to get ahold of anyone, including her family. She is being drugged to sleep and Adrian can not Dream-Walk to find her because of that.

This book is like every one of Richelle Mead's books I have read. It is fast paced, action packed, and leaves you wanting more... wanting the sequel. Here's to another year of waiting to see what else she has in store for our star-crossed lovers.