True Calling (True Calling #1) by Siobhan Davis

True Calling by Siobhan Davis
Paperback, 400 pages
Published October 2014

TRUE CALLING NOW FREE TO DOWNLOAD FROM ALL MAJOR ONLINE RETAILERS.

TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS. ONE SHARED DREAM.

Planet Novo, nestled in space twelve hundred miles above the surface of the Earth, is the new home of 17-year-old Cadet Ariana Skyee. Confused by the government-sanctioned memory erase and distressed at her impending forced marriage and motherhood, Ariana’s plans for the future are thrown into complete disarray.

As the traumatic events within her family life enfold, Ariana grows increasingly alarmed at the authorities apparent pre-occupation with her and feels progressively more isolated and alone.

Her growing feelings for fellow Cadet Cal Remus intensify as the recently announced pageant, ‘The Calling’, gets underway. Struggling to comprehend the continuous, inexplicable dreams of the mysterious Zane, discovering the past helps shape her future, with devastating personal consequences.

Firstly, the cover is captivating. I absolutely love it!

Now onto the actual book.

True Calling is a science fiction dystopian novel that has a little bit of everything. Action, romance, mystery. I found it to be a real page turner myself, knocking out 75% of the book in one sitting, completing it in 2 days.

However, at the beginning as I read, the plot felt very reminiscent of, well nearly every dystopian novel I ever read. What immediately was brought to my mind was The Hunger Games. But don't let that deter you because the book does have its unique points. Let's face it, it is really hard, in my personal experience, to find books in this particular genre that are truly original. Everything seems to have been written already over and over to the point of exhaustion. So with that in mind, I am not too critical of the book having similarities with others because it is bound to happen with pretty much any book.

The reason this book gets 4 stars and not 5 is partly due to the fact that I felt as if the author spent a lot of time telling rather than showing. The first bit of the book was just explanations of everything, the world they live in, the old world they left behind, how things at Novo work. I felt like we could have learned much more about the world of Novo if there had been less telling, more description and showing. I think that would have helped make the world building even more interesting.

There was some predictable developments but there was also ones that caught me off guard, which is always good. I liked the characters though I am never quite sure how I feel about Cal. At first, he seemed kind of arrogant, but then I started to believe he may actually have true feelings for Ari. However, I can't help but have this nagging feeling in my gut that something huge is going to go down in that relationship and by huge, I mean bad. Something awful. But, I'm no psychic, I could be totally wrong. And Zane, can't forget him. I don't want to spoil anything about his role but I do feel so extremely bad for him.

I really enjoyed how the story was told from both Ariana's and Zane's perspectives and that their views were divided into parts rather than alternating constantly in chapters. It made the story easier to follow this way and everything just flowed really well.

The whole concept of The Calling, the population regrowth plan is outrageous and honestly, I would feel the same way Ariana did. It does not seem very fair and there are other ways they could have gone about increasing the population. Thankfully though, this is just a story and not real life. The romance took up a lot of the plot which I was both okay and not so okay with. I would have liked to know more about Novo itself and all the secret plans going on, but I am also a sucker for romance so it wasn't such a major deal for me. However, I have grown to strongly dislike love triangles because they sort of kill me inside, having to choose between two people, and gosh darn it there's kind of one in this novel xD

Overall, despite how the book shared similarities with other novels in its genre, I really enjoyed it. I could not put the book down, refused to do anything else but read it; always a good sign, right? I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

4 out of 5 

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Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Published 2007
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door-to-door arresting French families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard-their secret hiding place-and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released.

Sixty Years Later: Sarah's story intertwines with that of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist investigating the roundup. In her research, Julia stumbles onto a trail of secrets that link her to Sarah, and to questions about her own romantic future.

“How was it possible that entire lives could change, could be destroyed, and that streets and buildings remained the same, she wondered.”  

There are so many thoughts going through my mind upon finishing this novel. It was so heartbreaking, which I knew it would be going into the novel. I loved how the stories of Sarah and Julia intertwined.

The chapters alternate between the war era and sixty years later. We watch as Julia, a journalist, tries to find out more about what happened during the 1942 round-up of Jewish people in France. Readers also get to see the roundup as it is happening through the eyes of young Sarah. I much preferred Sarah’s story, even though I feel a tad awful saying that considering it was so horrific.

It is just so horrible to think about what the Jews, and others who were targeted during the Holocaust, went through. But events such as the Holocaust must not be forgotten. Even though this is not a real personal account of someone’s experience in the Holocaust, while reading this novel, you tend to forget that. Yes, Sarah is not real, but it feels like she is. Of the millions who died so tragically and those who managed to survive, one can imagine there were people who really went through something similar to what this fictional little girl had. And that’s what makes this story so heartbreaking, that real people suffered this way.

Julia’s story was just okay. I found myself wanting to get through her chapters just so I can go back to Sarah and read her parts. However, I felt extremely bad for her because, quite frankly, her husband was a complete arse. There were so many times I wished for evil things to happen to that man…I really cannot go into why I dislike this man, Bertrand, so much without giving a lot away but just trust me on this, if you read the book I am sure you will not be a huge fan of him either. I also was not sure I liked how the novel ended. I feel like it seemed maybe a bit rushed, like there were things left unexplained or unsaid.

Overall, this book is heartbreaking, there’s no denying that. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I really would have loved more Sarah and less Julia.

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Tell Me the Truth (Nancy Drew: On Campus #4) by Carolyn Keene

Tell Me the Truth (Nancy Drew: On Campus #4)
by: Carolyn Keene

Paperback, 192 pages

Published December 1st 1995 by Simon Pulse        

 

Rating:

Synopsis:

Nancy's full of questions. Her budding romance with Peter Goodwin may shrivel if he doesn't tell the truth about his past. And someone has stolen a bio exam. If Nancy doesn't find out who, it could be Bess who faces failure. Nancy has her work cut out for her, but she's not about to fail the test.

I continue to read Nancy Drew: On Campus as a guilty pleasure. I do not go into the novels with high expectations. They are really just books I pick up because:

1. Nancy Drew was a big part of my adolescence. 
2. Therefore I still enjoy reading about Nancy solving a grand mystery.
3. These books are so corny that I can't help but keep on reading them
4. They are really short, quick reads. 

The original Nancy Drew series is so much better than this one, which was written in the 90s, but the corniness still appeals to me, so what can I say?

Tell Me the Truth was actually the first mystery in this series so far that I was unable to solve on my own, so way to go there! Usually I have the culprit figured out way before Nancy does with these books and I left wondering if college is actually making Nancy less intuititive, and quite frankly, stupid. But this story gave me a glimpse at the Nancy that I know and love, though she was still kind of annoying.

This particular mystery revolved around a cheating scandal that somehow affected every one of the main characters, even if they were not in the class in which the cheating occurred. For instance, Bess was in the Biology class that the cheating took place in, yet of course, Nancy somehow gets involved with the case. George was not a part of the scandal, but tension occurs between her and her boyfriend Will because of Nancy announcing her suspicions that Will's roommate Andy could be the top suspect. 

These books were made to appeal to older readers, college aged. But even though I am in college, I still find it hard to connect with them. For one thing, there is way too much drama, but then again, with so many characters, that is unavoidable. Another thing is, it was written in the 90s. Which isn't a problem really, I love the 90s, but reading about how they were writing a manual for how to use the internet for students that "was easy to understand because they are still intimated by computers", was a bit comical to read when nowadays, we not only have computers but laptops, tablets, cellphones, ipods, and so on. 

Overall, this book, and the series itself, are still enjoyable. But if you're looking for the Nancy Drew you grew up on and don't want to get disappointed, then maybe you should skip by these books. College Nancy has boy issues...and it is painful to read...

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare

Measure for Measure

by William Shakespeare

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Published July 1st 2005  

Rating:





Synopsis:

Shakespeare's Measure for Measure centers around the fate of Claudio, who is arrested by Lord Angelo, the temporary leader of Vienna. Angelo is left in charge by the Duke, who pretends to leave town but instead dresses as a friar to observe the goings-on in his absence. Angelo is strict, moralistic, and unwavering in his decision-making; he decides that there is too much freedom in Vienna and takes it upon himself to rid the city of brothels and unlawful sexual activity. Laws against these behaviors and institutions already exist, and Angelo simply decides to enforce them more strictly. Claudio is arrested for impregnating Juliet, his lover, before they were married. Although they were engaged and their sexual intercourse was consensual, Claudio is sentenced to death in order to serve as an example to the other Viennese citizens.


(I cut the summary short due to the fact that it spoils the entire play)

I am going to first start off by saying that I have never really been a fan of Shakespeare. People sometimes find that odd, like it is somehow a requirement for one who is studying English Literature to automatically worship the man and his works. Perhaps my indifference stems from my first experience with Shakespeare being in a high school English class. No one ever really likes required reading, but I feel as though it is just as simple as his writing not being in my taste.

That all being said, I have to say I was somewhat surprised by Measure For Measure. It was entertaining, yet completely bizarre. The Duke of Vienna pretends he has gone travelling the world but in truth disguises himself as a monk. He does this so he can see how his cousin Angelo behaves as leader and supreme judge of his subjects. Will Angelo be a just and fair leader? Or controlling and unreasonable? Angelo is thought of to be a virtuous man. He is anxious about the Duke leaving him in charge, feeling as though he is not ready for the task; to have such power. He wants a test to make he is ready. However, the Duke "leaves" and no such test is given. 

Most of the story revolves around Claudio, a man who is condemned to death for getting his betrothed pregnant before they were married. Claudio's sister, who is entering the nunnery, tries to reason with Angelo and begs for mercy for her brother. At first, he outright refuses saying the law is the law. However, he soon falls "in love" with Isabella and makes a not-so-virtuous offer in exchange for her brother's life. 

The story was amusing but I found that my amusement only lasted for so long, and my interest in these characters rapidly diminished. I felt as though there was a lot of unresolved questions, and that the story itself was not something that held my interest. Though I liked this play a lot more than I have liked many of his others. 

Measure For Measure was required reading for my Shakespeare university course. I went into the play, and all others we have read, keeping my bias and past disappointment with Shakespeare out of my mind while I read. However, I find that my opinion still has not changed. Maybe someday soon I will read a Shakespeare play that knocks my socks off and completely changes my view. But as for now, 3 stars for being somewhat entertaining. 

Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3)

by Stephanie Perkins

Hardcover, 339 pages

Published August 14th 2014 

Rating:

Synopsis:

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last? 

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart. 

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

“There's no story,' I say. 'I saw you one day, and I just knew.”

Stephanie Perkins has a way of capturing the everyday miracles and magic in life on the page. Her writing gives off an amazing energy. Powerful and lovely. In this novel, she nails how it feels to have a crush perfectly. Not just any crush either, but one that builds and simmers and just explodes. It left me breathless. This story felt so magical, but also so real. Strong characters are those that display insecurities, patience, pain and love; things evident in human nature, things that we the readers also feel. Reading Isla and the Happily Ever After, or in fact, any of Perkins books, I feel as though I know the characters and can connect to them. They go through experiences that are relatable for the average human, not just a teen with a crush.

Isla and Josh are complete opposites. Where she is soft spoken, shy and rather predictable he is careless and outspoken. She lives in a black and white world but he brings color into it, inspiring her to take risks. Isla has been in love with Josh basically since she first met him. She doesn't really talk to him all the often, or really, at all. They have one "meaningful" encounter a year, which is actually more or less awkward and embarrassing. But she has it bad for this boy. Cyber-stalking bad. While that may sound a tad creepy, what teenage girl in modern times can honestly say they've never looked up their crush via any social media site at least once? The fact that Josh's father is a senator who is running for re-election in the states makes it all the easier for her to find stuff about him online. A few times I got angry with Isla, because she allowed her insecurities to get the best of her and she had quite the freak out that made me want to strangle her. But then, while I was mad, I could understand her reaction and could honestly kind of relate to how she felt.

As the book progresses, Isla and Josh's story made my heart melt, do flips, and drop. Doesn't sound healthy right? But it's a story that sends your emotions on a roller coaster. It's sweet, heart-warming, heart-breaking, etc. And to be perfectly honest, I normally try to avoid gushy books like this some would deem as "girly"; not because I do not love a good love story, but the stories always seem so perfect and fake, like the authors dream up scenarios that really could not happen in real life. However, Perkins, as I said before, is an exception as her stories are also perfect, but in a different way.

I was hooked on this book. I devoured it in one sitting. Three hours was all I needed to learn Isla and Josh's story. Three seconds to fall in love with it. It was also nice to see characters from the previous novels and how their lives are going. Books get so over-hyped, but I feel as though this is a book that actually deserves the hype. It is not always easy to find a series, or book, that one can connect with. Too many books have characters that honestly, readers do not give a crap about: they are annoying, irritating, WHINY, all traits that could be overlooked if the character grows and changes. Oftentimes though, the character does not change, therefore, neither do the feelings of dislike or indifference towards them. Isla went from a insecure, cyberstalking, no-risk-taker, to someone you can admire and love. Character development. 

This book made me all bubbly and warm, which is embarrassing to admit, but true. It goes by fast; one minute you are 10 pages in, the next, you are ten pages from the end. And when it ends, you want more. I highly recommend this book, in case that was not obvious. ♥

Introducing 'Bookish Findings' + An Update

Hey everyone!

So I decided to come up with a new weekly meme. This meme is called Bookish Findings. Basically, each week, I will use this as an opportunity to share with you anything I found interesting in the world of books. It could be an article, a quote, a picture, a random thought I had, book news, etc. 

I have yet to choose a day for this meme, it is something I am still figuring out, but look for it sometime next week, along with a new Waiting on Wednesday. I apologize for the lack of activity on the blog lately. With college starting back up and personal issues, I just haven't had the time. But I am working on reviving Ramblings of a Book-A-Holic, and a new weekly meme is only one small part of the revival.

I am also preparing several reviews for books that I have read in my absence as I type this. Most are novels I read for school, but there are a few books in there that I read for pleasure (Isla and the Happily Ever After being one of them!). So expect to see some reviews coming up in the next week. 

Thank you all for sticking around and being patient with me. Happy reading! ♥

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)

by Marissa Meyer

Hardcover, 550 pages

Published February 4th 2014 

Rating:



Synopsis:

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

“You said yourself that the people of Luna need a revolutionary.” She lifted her chin, holding his gaze. “So I’m going to Luna, and I’m going to start a revolution.” 

When I first began The Lunar Chronicles, I was sort of late jumping on the bandwagon. I had heard so many good things about Cinder, and the book was always jumping out in front of me at the library, begging to be read. For a long time, I ignored the book, thinking that all this hype was just that: hype. Looking back now, I remember I keep picking up the book thinking that there was no way it could live up to all the hype it was getting, and I did not want to be let down by another book that was supposed to be amazing.

However, when I finally read it, I fell in love. Scarlet was great as well, but not as amazing. Now I have made it to the third book and have to say, it was pretty amazing. Would not have given it five stars if I thought otherwise now would I?

The novel begins with Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, and Iko on a mission to rescue Cress from her satellite. Naturally, things go horribly wrong, causing them to separate. This was a huge plus to me because it was a way for the reader to get to know each individual character in a more intimate manner. I will not go in to much detail about who gets separated with who and where they all go, you will have to read to find that out. 

Cinder struggles with decisions that she had made on the satellite; decisions that ultimately led to unfortunate outcomes for both Scarlet and Wolf. She begins to doubt herself. Can she really lead people and start a rebellion? Should she just keep hiding from Levana, and give up completely? She tends to second guess herself a lot throughout the novel, weighing the consequences of her options and choices, and how they will affect others.

Cress was a strong third installment to this series. So much craziness was going on! Readers will never face a dull moment with this book. I am left both amazed and impressed with Cress. This series gets better and better with each book. Plus, the whole incorporation of fairy tales is wonderful. Meyer takes a delightful twist on everyone's favorite fairy tales. I suggest this book to everyone who loves a good retelling, or sci-fi. novel