Monday Map Out 7/29/13

Hi guys! Sorry I was absent all week. I just got some bad news concerning my dog and I needed to deal with that. Soooo, this week map out includes......

      

Also, The Whispering by L. Filloon was released this week. Have a great Monday!

Forbidden

Book: Forbidden
Author: Syrie James and Ryan James
Pages: 410
Blurb: "She should not exist.He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she’s desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there’s no way she’s going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she’s been having or the creepy warnings that she’s in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn’t factored Claire into his plans. . . .

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the reason 

behind Claire’s unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?" - form goodreads.com

Rachael's Recap

Book Rating: 3.5

Cover Rating: 4.5

A typical girl meets a not so typical boy. Meet Claire, a girl just trying to get through high school, and now trying to understand this strange power that has been suddenly thrust upon her. Meet Alec, an MIA angel. Wanting to find a place to hide out he chooses a place where he thinks no one of his world would find him, but then he meets Claire. It is forbidden for her to exist. It is forbidden for him to leave. And it's forbidden for them to be together. Will they be able to fight for their love? And will they win?

This book had many high points for me, but also a couple low. I'll start out with the characters. Claire was the typical teen, with everything being normal in her life at first. She was a pretty low key character. Not really exciting enough for me. She was over-reactive and there was nothing about her that really grabbed me. Too me she was a pretty typical/normal teen girl, which is fine, but it made me bored at times. Alec was an interesting character. It was fun to read when it was written in his POV, because so many things were new to him that he didn't understand. I also liked how he changes throughout the book. You can really see the change since the begging of the book to the point when he is with Claire. It was very interesting when it came to the "bad guy" in the story, there were really two. I can't say too much without spoiling parts of the book, but I really liked how they set up the "bad guy" characters. Claire's two best friends Brian and Erica were fun, light characters that gave the story the much needed humor.

The story over all was good, not mind blowing great, but pretty good. I felt though that there were a lot of things they never explained in the book that would have been useful to know. It just felt like there was something missing. The plot of the story had no problem reeling me in. It kept up a good pace throughout the whole book. And of course, a major plus is the forbidden love aspect of the book. It makes me a total stereotypical girl, but I have to admit I loved it. 

What I loved

• Written in dual POV
• It keeps you guessing about what Alec really is, and why he is there. It doesn't just pop up right away

What I wished were different

• Saying they were in love too soon. I mean they had barely been dating that long and BAM they are in love
• I didn't really like Claire's character that much
• I felt like there were unexplained spots in the book

If you are looking for a forbidden love story filled with angels of all kinds, I suggest you grab a copy of Forbidden by Syrie James and Ryan James.

Monday Map Out 7/22/13

HI everyone! It's Monday ( I know, I'm crying too). But here is something for you to look forward too. This weeks map out is...........

      

Keep checking in all week. And, yes I know I had Forbidden on last week's map out. But, it took me all week to remember where I put my copy! Well, I will see you all soon. Bye for now!

Defiance

Book: Defiance
Author: C. J. Redwine
Pages: 403
Blurb: "While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.

When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making." - from goodreads.com

Rachael's Recap

Book Rating: 5

Cover Rating: 4

When the man Rachel loves most in the world, her father, is proclaimed dead after failing to return from a mission, she knows she has to be the one to find him. Only thing, she doesn't know she is not the only one who is planning on finding her beloved father. Enter Logan, her father's apprentice and her newly appointed Protector. But, it's not just the treacherous Wasteland outside the walls of Baalboden they have to be wary of, they have to watch out for the Commander, who is determined to find out what Rachel's father was really up to. Will Logan and Rachel be able to put their past behind them and move on? Let's hope so.

So, my review may be a little biased because the main characters name is Rachel (even though they spelled it wrong ;)  ). But honestly, Rachel was an amazing character to follow on her journey to get her father home. Most women in her city are quiet and the men are always in charge. That is definitely not the life for Rachel. She has a kind of 'screw you' attitude toward people who tell her what to do, especially Logan, the boy who broke her heart years ago. It was awesome that for once the swoon worthy boy is actually smart. Logan is an amazing inventor and is just trying to make his way through life. I absolutely loved him! Also Commander Chase, a.k.a the evil character, was perfect. The whole time I just wanted to hit him in the face, with a chair, very hard. I really hated him, which was awesome, seeing that he was the bad guy and all.

This book grabbed me from the very start and never let go. I loved how it had strong charterers. In a way it reminded me a little of Legend by Marie Lu (another great book)! If I had to change something about this book it would be the relationship of Logan and Rachel. It happened supper fast and then the book ended and I was left kind of wondering what just happened. 

What I loved

• Rachel was a strong kick a@# girl
• Not only did they fight against the psychopath Commander Chase, but also the Cured Ones (which reminded me of that giant snake thing game) 
• The book is written in dual POVs

What I wished were different

• Logan and Rachel's relationship was great when there was a lot of tension (pretty much from Rachel hating him), but once it got more serious I got kind of board. 

If you are looking for an amazing story unlike anything you have ever read, pick up a copy of Defiance by C.J Redwine!