Chasing the ghost of a good thing

Something terrible has happened...  

I don't feel like reading A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

Seriously.  I only read one book last week, and the only reason I read it was because it was short and I knew I could finish it.

That picture up there is what I see when I start reading any book lately.

I've decided to re-read the Harry Potter books.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Divergent

Divergent
by: Veronica Roth

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 suprises 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 t 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'm sure you've heard of this book and all of it's awesomeness already.  But I have to say that while I enjoyed it, I didn't think it was as amazing as everyone said it was.  I think the hype ruined it for me.  Sure there were some good parts, but most of this book was Tris getting trained.  Nothing all that special really...
The ending was good, I'll give you that, and I definitely want to know what happens next.

This might sound a little weird, but a lot of the book reminded me of Ender's game.  The whole training thing, and how people started to not like her because she was so small, and yet so strong.  There was even a naked shower type scene!

I have a lot of questions though, like how can people be expected to only be one virtue?  You can only be intelligent but you can't be fearless?  How the hell would that even work??  Are they dumbed down humans and can only process one emotion?

Tris, to me, was not easy to relate to.  Her inner voice was stilted and kind of emotionless.  And Four was alright but I would really be annoyed if everytime I talked to someone they grabbed me under the chin and made me look at them.   I'd feel really demeaned and childlike...but that's just me.

Anyways, it was just an okay read for me.  I'm sure most of you would disagree with me though so go out and read it for yourselves!

Blood and Chocolate

Blood and Chocolate
by: Annette Curtis Klause

        Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf.  At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail.  But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland.  She longs for a normal life.  But what is normal for a werewolf?
       Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meatboy.  Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack.  He's fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him.  Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.
       Vivian's divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack.  Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either.  What is she really- human or beast?  Which tastes sweeter - blood or chocolate?




  I'm not sure what to think of this book.  I think if this had been my first werewolf book I would have loved it.  I think if this book had nothing to do with Aiden, and only been about the inner workings and the shambles of the broken wolf pack I would have loved it even more.  Instead this book was 50% about how Vivian really likes Aiden and how she wants to taste him, and 50% bad ass crazy werewolf stuff.

I had a really hard time liking Vivian. She was....kind of a bitch.  There!! I said it!
Aiden was UGH!  He turned into such a ..GRRRR  I just wanted to slap him.  I wish Vivian had.
I liked Gabriel, but it was definitely odd how he kind of went from being the creepy older man, to a good guy.  Didn't really see that one coming.

Anywho, I liked the last bit of the book the best.  Most entertaining.  This book was just okay for me.

Farro

Farro

By: Arreana

Khensa, a girl from the slums, is one of the last of a dying breed.  Farro blood courses through her veins and for it she has suffered countless atrocities.  Orphaned, kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured, she endures without knowing if it shall ever end.  For eleven months she endures...

Enter Bomani, her unintentional savior.  Sent by his father to assassinate the high priest, he finds her, bloody, starved, and naked upon the floor.  She is feral and half-crazed and yet still he takes her away.  He introduces her to a whole new world- his own.

Together they navigate their way around a fragile society of kings, vendettas, and magic.  Their story crosses deserts and mountains.  It begins with fire and ends with water.

This book was awesome!  Right from the start you are dragged into Khensa's story.  The first chapter is probably one of the most exciting first chapters I've read in a while.

Khensa is a great lead.  She is incredibly strong and doesn't take crap from anyone.  She always does things with the best of intentions, and learns from her mistakes.  Bomani is a total ass at the beginning, but as the story progresses, you see him open up.  Their unlikely friendship is great to watch unfold, and you see them begin to have mutual respect for each other.

The world Arreana has built is insane.  And you pretty much have to love a world where krakens exist!
I could not believe where some of these story lines went.  I mean really, who would have thought that playing one song on a harp would end up making you have a price on your head?  I would explain more but honestly, you just need to read this book to find out.

Farro has so much going on, this story is just so huge, but Arreana does an amazing job keeping the story together and clean.  I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

If you enjoy books with strong female leads, magic, political intrigues, back stabbing, and tiny bits of love in the making, then you should give this book a try!