Book Talk: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Happy January everybody! I hope everyone is having a super wonderful 2017 so far, filled with lots of travel, reading, and stitching. :)

 I finished Rogue, the second book in the Talon Saga, on 1/8/17. This is the first book that will qualify towards my 2017 Goodreads goal. :D

Goodreads Summary: 

"Deserter. Traitor. Rogue.

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can’t forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he’d signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order’s headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember’s own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war? "

My Rating: 4/5 Stars!!! 

My Review:
     Once again, Julie Kagawa had me captivated! I want to reiterate what I said in my Talon Book Talk....I have NEVER seen dragons done the way Kagawa has done them. You have dragons that can shift into humans and it is set in present day. Sometimes you forget that the dragons aren't actually people! I love that about this series. 

    My one major complaint still remains: the love triangle. It is truly hard to read through. However, that isn't enough to make me hate the book, or even dislike it in the least. The way the romance is written is great, I just hate that the triangle exists. It feels forced and unnecessary to me in this series. 

    The action scenes are amazing! Especially towards the end of the book. This book kept me on my toes way more than the first book. The whole book left you wondering what would happen next! 

    After reading the second book in this series, I still highly recommend these books! You get some of everything with this series, you feel every emotion, and who doesn't want that?! 







SPOILER ALERT: Please stop reading if you have not read Talon or Rogue and you plan to do so!!







Seriously....You have been warned....









Book Talk Section:

    So first, lets talk about Garret in general.... This guy is amazing. He has risked everything for Ember, and has resigned himself to his fate at the beginning of the book, even though he deserves so much better than what he is getting, just because he is happy that he could save Ember's life at the end of book 1. 
   I definitely prefer Garret to Riley/Cobalt where the love triangle is concerned. In the last book I was conflicted, but I know 100% who I want her with now. I love him....I love him so much.....

   Now for Riley/Cobalt....I really admire how much he cares for all of the "Hatchlings" that he helps escape from Talon. 
    I also think he needs to lay off of Garret. I understand that Garret has killed dragons before and he has all of their blood on his hands, but he was only following orders. Cobalt followed Talon's orders the same way before he was aware of what Talon really is. 
     I liked Riley more in the first book. Now he is just way too jealous and, to be frank, an epic asshole. 

    Ember......ugh. This girl still drives me insane with her naivety, but not nearly as bad as she ticked me off in book 1. She isn't whiney anymore, which is a huge saving grace, but she does have her flaws. 
    For example, she still insists that Dante didn't report her to Lilith in the first book when she was getting ready to run away. She thinks Talon is only using him and he is just following along like a little puppy. NOOOO!!!! EMBER WTF?!! We all know that Dante is lost to the dark side and he is completely cray and refuses to see the truth. Talon may have taught him that, but after he was trained, he still had the choice to leave. He should have trusted Ember in the first place. 
    Next thing....Freaking pick a guy girl! Riley and Garret both love her. Those words actually came out of sweet Garret's mouth. He actually said it. Riley has said the same, but not in so many words. I have a HUGE problem with her not having a clue who she's going to be with. 
    I do like that she is ready and willing to help her friends no matter what the situation or consequences. I also am sooooo happy that she has finally seen Dante for what he is at the end. 

    Dante.....you stupid ignorant dude. Why won't you give your sister the benefit of the doubt?!?! He's known her his whole life and he won't even hear her out?! And then, he sends a Viper after Ember?! (In Dante's defense, Talon itself gave the orders to Faith to kill Ember if she didn't go back willingly, and Dante ordered her to not harm Ember no matter what). 
    I do believe that Dante doesn't know the harm that Talon is willing to inflict to get their way. He could feel differently if he did. 
    The Epilogue was like what!!? Dante SMILED like a maniac when he saw the clones in the Talon basement. CLONES..... After movies like " The Clone Wars" is there ANY doubt what a huge number of clones is actually meant for?! The answer is NO! There is only one thing that Talon could be planning to do with them.....It is an ARMY! A DRAGON ARMY!!! And Dante just smiles evilly.....Um...ok Dante.......

    So now for thoughts about other random characters:

     I suspected Ava/Mist as soon as Kagawa described her looks... The hair color gave away her real identity to me. Ava=Mist. Mist works for Dante.....Obviously, the whole "save the innocent hatchlings" plan was not going to go well. 

    Since I realized who Ava/Mist was, I suspected Faith immediately and was basically mentally screaming at Garret and Ember to throw her out a window and be done with it. Hate. Her. 

    The epic battle between Faith and Ember had me biting my nails. When Ember let Faith go I was like Noooooooo! She's coming back, she's coming back! And then.....Faith came back and Garret did his thing to save Ember, yet again. Go Garret! 

    The end......you guys the end tore my heart out and stomped on it with its big giant feet.....I've said this in other reviews, but I really, actually, literally cried. I love Garret and I was so mad that Ember just let him walk away like that. When he tells her all she has to do to make him stay is to tell him to, and she doesn't say anything, I was so angry at her! Heck, I am STILL angry with her. She better redeem herself and choose him in the next book. I want her with Garret!!! GARRET!!!! And he left! *Sobs uncontrollably* 

   

Some things about the writing that irritated me....

    Several sentences seemed to be repeated a few times in the same-ish situations. So I was kinda "eh" about that. 

    Once again, I hate that Dragon-Ember and Human-Ember are referred to as separate individuals. NO! Ember is a dragon and a human! She has both! BOTH. Drives me insane. 

    If this love triangle isn't resolved ASAP in book 3 I will literally scream. I'm not joking around here guys. If there is one single thing I would change about this book, the love triangle would be it....it is SO forced and unnecessary. I don't normally feel this way about the love triangle thing, but I am not having it in this case. It got old, reeeeeal fast y'all. 

    A few things I want for the rest of the series:

      I would really like for Dante to come around and help Ember and the team. 

      I also would like to see Garret's old St. George partner come back into the story. In a good way though, not as an enemy, because G-man needs all the help he can get from how the ending of the book sounds. 

     Obviously, I want the love triangle to be resolved. (Go Team Garret!!)

    I also want to know why the heck Ember and Dante are so important to Talon. 

    No major deaths please!!!!!! 

                     

    Alrighty guys!! I hope that you all enjoyed my Review/Discussion for Rogue by Julie Kagawa! I am looking forward to reading Soldier and discussing that with you. 

    Let me know if you have any thoughts on this book in the comments. Don't forget to check out my Talon Review from December and discuss that with me as well! 

See y'all later! 

XOXO,
Eden

Book Review: Talon by Julie Kagawa

Morning all!

So today let's talk about Talon by Julie Kagawa! This is another book I finished a couple of weeks ago, and I adored it and it doesn't have much hype around it, so I want to promote it a bit. :D There will be spoilers in the "My Thoughts" section of this post, so if you read it just know in advance that I warned you! They shouldn't ruin the reading experience for you, but you have been warned :)

Goodreads Summary:

"Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons. "

Review: 4/5 Stars

CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead

My Thoughts: 

I LOVE this world because it is set in the modern day. The dragons can shift into human forms, so they blend in. Most books that I've read that involve dragons take place in ancient times, so it was refreshing. 

You basically have two antagonists here: The Order of St. George, which hunts dragons, and Talon, which is the dragon organization. I really liked that you aren't rooting for one organization over another because they both absolutely suck. 

Our leading lady is Ember. She is so frustrating to start that I wanted to scream. She whines and whines and whines some more. She is a dragon who has been given the mission, along with her brother Dante, to assimilate with human society. She makes teenage friends and she enjoys being free from Talon. 

Our other main character is Garrett and he is a member of the Order of St. George. He is hunting for a dragon "sleeper" that has been reported in the area. (Ember). 

I think you guys can see where this is going.....forbidden love. 

There is a third character, Riley. He is a rogue dragon. He left Talon and is against everything they stand for because he knows the truth of what they do and what they are. He catches Ember's ear and she starts to agree. She wants to leave Talon too. 

This leads to a love triangle that is so forced its hard to get past. Since I can't change the fact that it exists, I decided to ship Garrett and Ember. However, by the end of the book I couldn't decide who I wanted Ember to be with. I like Riley too. Ember's dragon wants Riley, but human Ember wants Garrett. 

I hate that Ember refers to her dragon as a separate being instead of as a part of her. Thats so weird. I mean....she IS a dragon that can change into a human form......It doesn't make sense to me. 

As far as character development, I love how Garrett's character softens towards Ember and just in general. Ember grows into a strong and independent girl from the whiney thing she was before. Riley is just Riley. He's already developed. 

A note on Dante now....his character accepts everything and does everything that Talon tell him to do, no matter how morally wrong it could be. I really hope that he comes around in one of the sequels because it sucks that he and Ember are now on the terms that they are. 

I didn't really connect with any of the characters :/ 

I enjoyed this book. I really did. There are aspects that irked my nerves pretty bad, but nothing that made me want to put the book down and never pick it up again. I am really looking forward to learning more about the characters, especially Garrett and Riley. I have just gotten books two and three in the mail and I'll be reading those soon :)

XOXO,
Eden

Book Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Helloooooo readers!!!


Today I have a book review/book talk for you guys! I'll be discussing "Legend" by Marie Lu. I finished this book over my Thanksgiving break and I want to get this out to you and get all of my reviews caught up.

Goodreads Summary: 

"What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets." 

Favorite Quote:
"Each day means a new 24 hours. Each day means everything is possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment. You take it all one day at a time."

Review: 5/5 Stars!

CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead

My Thoughts:

I have no idea why it took so long for me to read this book. It has been out forever and I just picked it up. Ugh! I was missing out for quite a few years. I'm pretty mad at myself for it. But anyway....

This book is told from both June and Day's POV. It was necessary for this story and I enjoyed both POVs. You could tell who was who without looking.

So basically, a civil war has divided what is now the US into two different sides: The Republic and Th Colonies. In the Republic, children are made to take a test when they reach a certain age, and their scores determine where they end up working and living as adults.

June made a perfect score on her test, and she in in training for the Republic's military. She's very good at what she does. She has a brother who is an officer in the military and she is expected to excel. She has great character development. At the start she believes and does everything she is told, but over the course of the story she learns differently. This development begins at the point of her brother's murder. (I love the brother, Metias, and I wish he had been with us longer in the story.) June's reaction to his death was devastating to me. It broke my heart because he was all she had left in the world.

Day failed his test, so we think, and he was taken and experimented on. The things he endured are really awful. He managed to escape and he is now a rebel. He does everything he can to stop the Republic at every turn while also keeping his family safe. (His family has no idea he is alive, except for his big brother). His little brother comes down with a plague that is going around the poor sections of the Republic, and he breaks into a hospital to find a cure. On his way out, Metias tries to stop him and Day throws a knife that he is certain its Metias' shoulder. Because of this, we are under the impression that Day is the murderer.

I love that both of our main characters were so intelligent and that they were both such badasses (excuse my language) straight of the bat. There was nothing about June that was delicate like in a lot of stories. And Day was great.

I had suspected that the plague was being engineered and spread by the republic, but I was thrown off at the reason! I mean.....why would they test it for chemical warfare on their OWN citizens.....how stupid is that.....

I HATE Thomas. Spineless little punk..... He's a pervert and just all around disgusting. I hate him. Hate hate hate hate hate HATE!

I disappointed that the random numbers under the pier and under Day's house didn't play a bigger role. They only said that cattle and such was kept underground. Hopefully they delve into that a little more in the sequel "Prodigy".

At the end when Day's brother sacrifices himself to save Day and June made me cry. Heartbreak with REAL tears. It was so sad and hard to read.

I love the part when Day and June escape on the rebel motorcycles! It was like...."WOOOOOOO!" I was cheering them on until they were safe.

The end was sad, because June and Day had little to start with, and by the end they both had absolutely nothing left in the world. No homes, no family, no nothing.

I really liked this book! It was amazing! The action was wonderful, and the romance was great too. I liked that the romance played second fiddle to the political drama and the action.

If you haven't read Legend, please do me and yourself a favor and go get and read it ASAP. You won't regret it!

XOXO,
Eden

Book Review: Paper Towns by John Green

It's book talk time!!!

Today's book post is going to be about "Paper Towns" by John Green! I love this book! (I promise I don't love every book I read, I'm just really picking up good ones lately ;) )  I didn't even know this book existed until the movie came out in theaters, and I never watched it just so that I could read this book. I finally got to it last week, so lets jump into the review!

Goodreads Summary: 

"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew..."

Review: 4/5 Stars

CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead

My Thoughts:

We have one POV in this book, which is Quentin's. I'll refer to him as Q from here on out. I really like Q. I think he is the perfect description of a teenage boy. I relate pretty hard to him because he is a nerdy kid. His friends are in band and they love video games and all things nerd. I was the girl version of him in high school. 

His friends are super funny. Radar and Ben are his best friends and their personalities add so much to the story. Radar is super smart and he refuses to bring his girlfriend over because his parents collect black santas. Ben is absolutely girl crazy and he finally gets a girlfriend. Lacey, Ben's girlfriend, was a friend that came to be during the story and I wasn't too sure about her at first. She ended up being a really cool character. 

A part of the book that I really like and relate to is when Q is cleaning out his locker on his last ever day of school and he is reminiscing. He's thinking about it being the last time he would open that locker with that combination in that hall with those teachers and those classmates. I remember my last day of high school and I felt the same way. It was really hard to leave and let it go. 

Margo's revenge on her ex boyfriend and her friend that he was cheating with is epic and they 100% deserved it. I wish I had been brave enough to do something like that! I laughed the whole time!

That same night when they break into Sea World and their crossing the moat, I was freaking out when Q saw movement in the water. I though he was going to get eaten by an alligator. (Im terrified of alligators y'all). 

I hate the part after Margo leaves when the police officer is talking to Q about how Margo is like one of many red balloons and yada yada yada. It was actually painful to read.....painful. WTF.. Also...Margo's parents are straight up bitches......there is not a nice way to describe them. 

I was so concerned that Margo had killed herself after Q had looked forever and couldn't find her. She didn't of course.

The trip to New York with Q and all of his friends was probably my favorite part of the whole book. It was exactly what a road trip with friends is. Anybody who has taken a trip with friends like this should definitely know what I mean. 

I was super surprised that Margo didn't actually mean for Q to find her. She left clues and everything for him, so I didn't understand why on earth she even bothered to leave them. 

The ending really disappointed me. I gave it the rating I did because of it. It left a lot to be desired. It left it open and it is clear that the book is a stand alone. Did she go home with Q? Did she go her own way? What the heck even happened?! It lost a star because of this. It was super unfulfilling. 

This book teaches people not to make assumptions about people they don't really know. Q thinks he knows the real Margo, but he is so far off. I think this a really powerful and meaningful lesson that every single individual should learn.

All of this being said, I really liked this book. I don't regret reading it for a second. However, I don't see myself reading any more of John Green's books after this. I don't love the style. 

I do recommend this book! Y'all check it out. 

XOXO,

Eden