NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #22: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Title: Snow Like Ashes

Author: Sara Raasch

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: October 14 2014

Publishing House:  Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 9780062286925

Source of Copy: eARC/Purchased from FullyBooked

Summary: 

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now the Winterians' only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for an opportunity to steal back Winter's magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter's defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterian's general, Sir. Training to be a warrior - and desperately in love with her best friend and future king, Mather - she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore their magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she's scaling towers and fighting enemy soldiers just as she's always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn't go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics - and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Run, survive, repeat - that's all Meira's ever really known. Training to be a warrior to reclaim the lost Winter locket and help rescue her people and reclaim Winter to its former glory. When word reaches her of the locket's location she jumps at the chance to do something for her people. But a mission gone awry leads to a different destiny - something she could never have imagined. 

Snow Like Ashes came as a surprise. I started this book late last year, reached a couple of chapters in and quit it. I was in the midst of a crazy book slump (also known as the quarterlife crisis) and couldn't bring myself to read anything. Thankfully I managed to score an actual copy of the book and hooray! So. Good.

Meira is a strong character. Fierce and strong-willed. Which was probably why being stuck in camp drove her stir crazy. But I found her actions to be a little selfish sometimes - wanting to go on missions just so didn't go crazy in camp? She wasn't even any good with hand to hand combat. But I get it, I understood her need to prove herself to Sir and Mather but she could be a little rash. 

As for Mather, well, despite the summary claiming that Meira was desperately in love with him I just couldn't see it. I mean they could be really good friends but that's the extent of their relationship. The pretty boy I wanted to see Meira with though was Theron. Yes guys, there is a love triangle but I'm not complaining because in my eyes Mather doesn't stand a chance. Theron is the Cordellian prince and he fits Meira. He's stable and calm and he sees her eye to eye and their chemistry was just...mmmmmm. Yes please. Can I also add that he has a wonderful physique and wields weapons masterfully? Oh, Theron. 

Raasch does a good job with the world building, it gets a little confusing at first since there were eight kingdoms to keep track of but you get the hang of things soon enough and it's an enjoyable ride from there on out. The magic is a little difficult to understand, initially, but as the story progressed, I got a feel for how things worked. 

The ending was done beautifully, enough to give readers satisfaction but with room for more. Can more be scenes of Theron with his shirt off? 

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Just a quick announcement! I have finally caved and created a blog dedicated solely to my nail art. You'll find more pictures for the nail art set over there plus a list of all the book manicures I've ever done. Some don't get published on this blog. 

Hope you like this! Link to the nail blog below.

More pics plus details HERE.

                        

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #20: Winterspell by Claire Legrand

Title: Winterspell

Author: Claire Legrand

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: September 30 2014

Publishing House:  Simon & Schuster

ISBN: 9781442465985

Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary: 

New York City, 1899, Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-perfect daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, and her father is abducted - by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they're to surive Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets - and a need she can't define. With the dangerous, seductive fairy queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed - if she leaves at all.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

I know this book got a lot of rather low ratings over on goodreads, and while normally that would dissuade me from buying a book I was feeling rather adventurous and thought why the hell not? Luckily I didn't hate the book and that little issue with the statue that a lot of people commented on? I found that I was oddly okay with it. It was a good looking statue.

It's not easy leading a double life. On one hand Clara is the mayor's daughter; prim, proper and perfect as can be on the other she's training to fight under the odd Drosselmeyer's tutelage. Little does she know that she's going to be putting all the skills she's learned to the test when strange creatures enter her home and abduct her father on Christmas eve forcing her to put her trust in Nicholas as they travel to the lands of Cane to save her father.

Clara starts of a little wimpy but it was great to see her grow as a character as the book progressed. I also liked how Legrand explored Clara's sexuality in the book because while it's obvious that she had a thing for Nicholas I'm also pretty sure she was into Anise which makes her bisexual. I haven't seen a lot of LGBT characters in fantasy so this was a surprise.

Okay, so about that statue issue. Clara might have had a thing going on for a good looking statue and maybe that might be uncomfortable for people because it is an inanimate object, I couldn't blame her. As I said, dude was hunky and turned out to be Nicholas. No big surprise there. His relationship with Clara was kind of rocky at first and he might be a little crazy but thank goodness he managed to fix himself and their relationship.

I also liked how deliciously dark the book actually was. There's a lot of misery and death and depravity and a whole bunch of sick and crazy people in it. Also drugs and a faery war. And the world building was quite detailed and highly imaginative. 

Truthfully, I'm not that familiar with the Nutcracker story so I don't know how true this stayed to the original and what aspects of it Legrand kept in this retelling. What I can say is that I liked the story and I'm glad that this book ended well and is a stand alone.

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Finally! Another Novel Nails feature. I did this set a few weeks back and you can find it on my Tumblr in case anyone is interested. I'll place the links down below.

The cover was way too pretty to pass so I thought I'd do a set inspired by it. 

Nail polish used:
OPI Haven't the Foggiest
OPI Miss You-niverse

The pretty book.

I made a gradient using the purple and silver on three nails.

Close up of the hand drawn art. A raven, thorns and the gate (I have no idea what it is) on the cover.

Added a few jewels too.

The thumb.

Hope you like this set and if you want to check out my Instagram click HERE. For my Tumble, HERE.

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Perilous Sea

Author: Sherry Thomas

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: September 16 2014

Publishing House:  Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 0062329383

Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary: 

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny - especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies or forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

The Perilous Sea is the sequel to the Burning Sky which I reviewed HERE. I'm going to keep this short to avoid spoilers.

The Perilous Sea begins at the end of summer holidays. Titus and Iolanthe, who thought they would be spending it together, are finally reunited and are more determined to bring down the Bane. Their plans get messed up when Titus makes a surprising discovery in his mother's diary that makes him question her prophesies and drives a wedge between him and Iolanthe. But prophesies are prone to misinterpretation and is Titus willing to deviate from what has been foretold and try to forge his own path?

What's different about this sequel is how Thomas writes two separate timelines at the same time and does it well. It was not confusing and the point where the two timelines converged was surprisingly seamless and natural.

If you've bothered to read my review on the first book you can see that I was generally okay with it - a little slow, way too perfect characters. But things have changed in the second book and Titus and Iolanthe have done a little growing up and their relationship is one I am totally rooting for. (more kissy scenes in this book people)  What I liked about these two characters was their resilience in the face of intense hardship. A lot of things didn't go as planned and they had to find a way to either deal with it or risk getting smothered by defeat.

Thomas also puts more emphasis on the secondary characters and did a really good job with their personalities. Her characters all had roles to play and when unveiled left me rather surprised - in a good way. 

The pacing in the first book was rather slow and only seemed to pick up halfway into the story. The second book is totally different seeing as it offered up plot twist after plot twist tossing Titus and Iolanthe into a variety of difficult situations so much so that defeating the Bane seemed pretty much hopeless at one point.

The ending? Epic. This is one of those rare sequels that manages to outshine it's predecessor and fans of The Burning Sky will be more than pleased with this book. I cannot wait for the next book and I can only hope that it's even better than this. 

Rating: 

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Blackbird by Anna Carey

Title: Blackbird

Author: Anna Carey

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: September 16 2014

Publishing House: HarperTeen

ISBN: 0062299735

Source of Copy:  Edelweiss

Summary: 

A girl wakes up on train tracks, a subway car barreling down on her. With only minutes to react, she hunches down and the train speeds over her. She doesn't remember her name, where she is, or how she got there. She has a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist of a blackbird inside a box, letters and numbers printed just below: FNV02198. There is only one thing she knows for sure: people are trying to kill her.

On the run for her life, she tries to untangle who she is and what happened to the girl she used to be. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be. But the truth is more disturbing than she ever imagined.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

A girl wakes up with no memory, watching a train hurdle towards her. She's got a tattoo on her wrist, money in her bag and instructions to call an unknown number while dodging the police. All she knows is that she's being hunted and she'll have to find a way to clear the blocks in her memory if she wants to survive.

This book had such an interesting premise so I thought I'd give it a try. Mind you, I wasn't a fan of Carey's previous series but I thought I'd give her another chance. Well, it obviously wasn't for me seeing as I'm giving this book a really low rating.

First of, I wasn't a fan of the second person point of view. And yes, I did check out Carey's reasons for writing in this POV but I'm sorry because it didn't work for me. It felt stilted and unreal. The atmosphere felt flat for me and the action? I was't amused. A lot of scenes seemed way too fortuitous for the protagonist. And the story basically felt way too unreal. How lucky is she that she has built in survival skills. Pick a lock? No problem! Run from the cops? Easy.

The other annoying thing in this book was the romance. What are the chances that the girl bumps into this dude in a grocery and he ends up being her love interest and the dude who shows interest in her because she's different and not like all the rest? I don't get why he wasn't the least bit cautious. I mean yeah, you bump into a girl who's got a nasty cut on her arm and it's natural to worry about her but to the point of actually slipping her your number "in case of emergency"? For all that idiot knew she could have been a serial killer. An escaped convict and a myriad of other nasty things.

All throughout the story there are snippets of memories and I wasn't surprised when it involved a guy too. I bet there's a love triangle in the works. Which is very, very irritating because she's got no memory, she's being hunted and all she can think about is kissing a boy? How about saving herself first, huh? I mean it's gonna be hard to kiss a guy when she's dead. 

Frankly, I'm not sure how I managed to finish this book but I did and I'm patting myself on the back right now because of  the effort. Just so you guys know, I was as confused as the protag for most of the story and until the end I couldn't even begin to picture her in my head - her personality, her character, nothing. So, even if the story might have picked up towards the latter portion of the book, it wasn't enough to redeem the overall. The ending had me wanting to slap someone.

Rating: 

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #16: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Title: Dorothy Must Die

Author: Danielle Paige

Format Acquired: Paperback

Publication Date: April 1 2014

Publishing House: HarperCollins

ISBN: 0062280678

Source of Copy: Purchased from National Bookstore

Summary: 

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. But I never expected Oz to look like this. A place where Good Witches can't be trusted and Wicked Witches may just be the good guys. A place where even the yellow brick road is crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

My name is Amy Gumm -  and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked and I've been given a mission:

Remove the Tin Woodman's heart. Steal the Scarecrow's brain. Take the Lion's courage.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

I could not resist buying this book. A retelling of The Wizard of Oz that puts a totally new spin on the characters? Yeah, dude. Count me in. 

Amy's spent her whole life stuck in a trailer with her alcoholic mom, stuck in a school where she gets teased all the time and where everyone is against her. She just wants to leave it all behind her. Little does she know that her yearnings would all by answered in the form of a tornado that sweeps through town, lifts her trailer up and dumps her in the middle of nowhere where she's faced with an odd, crumbling yellow brick road. 

I love how Paige took the original story and warped it into something wicked. Dorothy who's now the power hungry monarch ruling Oz in her tiny cleavage-bearing dresses and high heels? A little disturbing. The Tin Man's got a crush on Dorothy and acts as her bodyguard, the Lion's been turned into a gruesome beast who sucks the soul out of hapless munchkins and the like. And the Scarecrow? He performs despicable experiments on flying monkeys and turns people into walking weapons. Literally. 

Amy, the heroine, is incredibly real. She doesn't want to be the hero, doesn't want to be the one to kill Dorothy. But what choice does she have when the witches who saved her from Dorothy's clutches claim she's the only one who can? Her emotions are all over the place but really, mine would be too if I were in her place. She can be nasty sometimes, and kind of whiny and maybe a little stupid but that's what endeared her to me. She's genuine.

Going up against Dorothy and her magical red heels and clothes in that awful blue and white checker pattern? No thank you. Imagine that pattern on leather and try not to cringe and shudder in despair. (Has turning evil somehow screwed with Dorothy's fashion sense?) She's forced to train with the witches and earn her magic but she also has to deal with Nox; infuriating, handsome, standoffish Nox who teaches her combat skills and takes her to mountain tops to look at the stars. Nox who looks at her like he sees her and tells her he likes her hair. I couldn't exactly get a read on him and I'm pretty sure there's more to Nox than his combat skills and dedication to the cause.

Dorothy Must Die is an incredibly imaginative retelling of the original Oz but you don't have to be familiar with the original story to follow this. It's dark and dreary and gory but wholly entertaining. Oh and did I mention that this is Danielle Paige's debut book? So rad. If you're a fan of Oz, of retellings, or maybe just on the lookout for your next read why not pick this book up? 

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

It's nail art time! This week's feature is Dorothy Must Die. I loved this book, you guys should totes read it.

Anyway, this is an easy bookish manicure too. I initially wanted to do the blue and white gingham check pattern but it didn't suit the feel of the set I had in mind. I tossed that idea. Blue and white gingham will never be the same after this book. Imagine a gown in that pattern. I might cry.

Here's the nail polish I used:
MAC Flaming Rose
Orly Liquid Vinyl

Nails Inc. Covent Garden Market

Freehand designs done in acrylic.

I just love this set. Look how sassy my nails are. 

Matchy matchy with the book. You can see how adding the gingham pattern would have thrown this mani for a loop.

I'm assuming that that's the symbol for the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I copied it onto my nail. 

Isn't that red just gorgeous? Reminds me of Dorothy's ruby heels.

Hope you liked this mani and if you're interested feel free to check out my instagram HERE for more bookish manicures or my tumblr HERE. Feel free to message me and let's talk nail polish and books.

                       

[BLOG TOUR] NICOLE'S REVIEW: The Polaris Uprising by Jennifer Ibarra

Title: The Polaris Uprising
Author: Jennifer Ibarra
Format Acquired: epub

Publication Date: October 20 2013

Publishing House: Tiwala Books

ISBN: 9780989499200
Source of Copy: Pinoy Book Tours

Summary:

No citizen shall be left behind.

Life in Neress is simple. For nearly four decades, people have known exactly what's expected of them. Obey the rules, follow the path that's been laid out, and everything will be provided for: food, shelter, education, safety. No need goes unmet.

But the cost is steep: you lose all rights to make your own choices in life.

In seven years, eighteen-year-old Ryla Jensen will come of age and take over for her father as president of this idyllic nation. Groomed since childhood to take on a role she's not even sure she wants, Ryla's only escape from the pressures of duty is her sister, Alanna. But when her eyes are finally opened to the oppressive regime her father built, she begins to question everything she's set to inherit - and finds herself at odds with her sister's blind allegiance to their father.

Torn between loyalty to her family and the fight for freedom, Ryla mut decide just how far she's willing to go to make a stand and risk losing the person she loves most in the world: Alanna.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads;)

Review:

In seven years Ryla will take her father's place as President of Neress. Until then, she's supposed to ready herself to ascend with meetings upon meetings and press conferences and lessons with her tutor. That is until she meets her tutor's son and he opens her eyes to the truth about their seemingly perfect society. No citizen shall be left behind. That could not be farther from the truth.

One thing I liked about The Polaris Uprising was the dynamic between Ryla and her sister Alanna. It was obvious that they could not be more different but their love for each other was obvious. Ryla was her father's chosen, the more outgoing of the two. Alanna, despite being the elder sister, was deemed unfit to succeed. It didn't seem to cause any strife between the two sisters but it was pretty obvious Alanna wondered why she wasn't worthy and yearned for her father's acceptance. Polaris Uprising is told in dual POV and it was interesting to get into their heads although I have to admit that I preferred Ryla. She was spunkier and more reckless.

Let's not forget the romance, Alanna was betrothed to Owen, son of the security minister. They've known each other since they were children and I found their romance rather boring.  I mean Owen was cute and rather charming but it just didn't work for me. They might be betrothed but Alanna was oh so lucky to actually feel something for her future husband. Ryla, on the other hand, fell for her tutor's son Tyson. Their romance was too fast and Tyson, despite being anti-government got over his prejudices fast stating that Ryla was different from other government cronies. 

I wasn't too fond of the pacing, everything just seemed to happen so fast. And I get that it's war and time is of the essence but left and right people were making snap judgments. Where was the strategic planning? And Ryla joining the rebellion? Done on a whim. Oh she saw her father's grievances against the people, saw the lies their precious Neress was built upon and bam! The rebellion got the President's daughter on board. Instant spy. It was messy and not well thought of, it lacked planning, but I suppose Ryla is still a teenager and bound to be a little rash. 

As for Alanna? She was quick to defend their father, unwilling to open her eyes like her sister. Maybe it was because she has always wanted her father's acceptance. Maybe she was too afraid. But she was quick to reprimand Ryla without hearing her through. (Why Ryla insists on keeping her father's secrets is beyond me). But I suppose it's all politics and it's not surprising at all that they ended up on opposite sides of a war with secrets left unsaid between them.

I'm okay with character death, I approve of it actually, but for this book? What was the point? (And no, I won't tell you guys who died.) Was it to push Ryla to finally choose a side to fight for? As if the death toll wasn't high enough.

The Polaris Uprising is all in all a good book. Decent characters, sufficient action, and a little romance to top it all of. I'd recommend it for those who want a quick dystopian read and I might read the next book. A little sibling rivalry is always interesting, especially when they're fighting a war on opposite ends. I especially can't help but think Alanna has always wanted to be President. But that's probably just me.

Rating:

LINK TO GIVEAWAY [PH ONLY]

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Rebel by Amy Tintera

Title: Rebel
Author: Amy Tintera
Format Acquired: ARC/eARC

Publication Date: May 13 2014

Publishing House: HarperTeen

ISBN: 9780062318091
Source of Copy: National Bookstore/Edelweiss

Summary:

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake... he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Rebel is the sequel to Reboot which I reviewed here. This is one duology you don't want to miss!

Callum and Wren have finally escaped HARC's clutches and run North in search of the Reboot Reservation. Enter Micah, leader of the reboots at said reservation, he's out for blood with his made quest for retribution. He expects Wren to lend a hand in this bloody crusade but isn't quite prepared for her reluctance. When they butt heads and Micah ultimately betrays Wren, boy is he in for a surprise because nobody underestimates 178. Nobody.

You know what I love about Rebel? It's told in dual POVs. Yes! Alternating between Callum and Wren, I just loved seeing things from Callum's perspective. How he manages to read Wren so easily, how emphatic he is and how much he wanted to help. Can I just mention that he and Wren are perfect? He totally adores her. It's too cute.

Wren and Callum's relationship is something to behold. It's wonderfully mature but not without its ups and downs. They both have different viewpoints, Callum's more in touch with his feelings while Wren, who is just learning to deal with her locked-away emotions, is more pragmatic. It causes some conflict between them but it's totally nothing to worry about. I love how they're both just sure of each others feelings, without all the drama and fuss and mess in most romances. Thank you.

Another thing about Rebel is how much Tintera's characters mature. Wren's coping with her emotions, she's smart, sensible and she actually thinks before she acts. She doesn't want to fight in the war but in the end she makes a choice to do what is right. Callum on the other hand, who was against violence and any sort of death and dismemberment in Reboot, is now forced to change his standpoint. He's caught in the middle of a war and he can't always count on Wren to hit someone for him and getting all physical is sometimes a must when you're being hounded by crazy HARC agents and a crazed reboot out for blood.

Rebel is also delightfully action-packed. Nothing wrong with liking a little violence in my books right? The action scenes weren't over the top and Wren is as kick butt as always. The pacing was just right, Tintera took her time building up the tension in the reboot camp, to stir a little trouble in between the reboots and finish with altercations between HARC and the reboots with a smattering of humans on their side.

This book is a satisfying end to a wonderful duology. Fans of Reboot will surely love this sequel. Looking for your next dystopian read? Check these books out. They will not disappoint. As for me, I am definitely looking forward to Amy Tintera's future work. 

Rating:

       

                           

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Renegade by Debra Driza

Title: Renegade
Author: Debra Driza
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: May 13 2014

Publishing House: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 9780062090393
Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary:

There is no one left for Mila to trust. Except for a boy she barely knows.

But Hunter has no idea who - and what - Mila really is. She can't bear to reveal her secret, even though he's unwittingly joined her search for Richard Grady, a man who may know more details of Mila's complicated past.

Yet the road to the truth is more dangerous than ever. With General Holland and the Vita Obscura scouring the earth for her whereabouts, Mila must rely on her newfound android abilities to protect herself and Hunter from imminent harm. Still, embracing her identity as a machine leads her to question the state of her humanity - as well as Hunter's real motives.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Renegade is the second book in the Mila 2.0 series. Here's my review for the first book Mila 2.0.

On the run from General Holland and the Vita Obscura, Mila has somehow managed to rope Hunter into her plans under the guise of looking for her real father - with nothing but the name "Richard Grady" to lead the way. Along the way, Mila unveils secrets related to her creation, her real parents and she also has to deal with the sneaking suspicion that Hunter isn't exactly who he seems.

Now for this baby, the first half is actually rather disappointing. It's basically about Mila and Hunter on the run. Mila's all confused and stressed out about telling Hunter that she isn't a normal girl. She's actually not human at all, she's an android with programmed emotions.  I actually spent a lot of time imagining myself shaking Mila and telling her to just spit it out because I couldn't take her indecision. I get that it's a big decision and she just wants to have someone to talk to for a while longer but seriously, her life was in danger and she could only think about her loneliness? What about your life? And where's the action I was promised?

Mila and Hunter's relationship take up a lot of the second book and it was quite annoying because I wanted Mila to use her android powers and kick some butt. I wanted Mila to just tell Hunter the truth about herself and go find out her origin story. I didn't want them to be on a seemingly endless road trip acting like nothing's going to come after them and disrupt their seemingly perfect calm. I want to know why the Vita Obscura's out for her and I really want to see her beat the crap out of her twin.

Suffice to say it was quite tiring to read this book and it was only around the second half or rather the last third of the book where things started to pick up. There were a few action scenes and those secrets that her mother kept were all aired out now. Mila also makes a really life changing decision that will definitely affect the tone of the next book. 

But the way this book ended does make me want to pick up the third book. Because after Mila's big decision, what's going to happen to her and Hunter's relationship? What of the Vita Obscura and Holland? You know. Things like that. 

Rating: