Divergent - Veronica Roth

This book is exceptional every time I read it. 

   Divergent is written by Veronica Roth. This book is young adult, romance, and science fiction. Always fiction. 
   Let's get to know the author, Veronica. 
   When asked which faction would she choose, Veronica said Abnegation. 
   She began her undergraduate career at Carlton College and later transferred to Northwestern University. While a student in Northwestern's creative writing program, she began writing her first novel which is known as Divergent. 
   All the factions names are in the dictionary, and just to prove it to you. I am going to put them below. 

• Abnegation - denying oneself some right, or conveniences
• Erudite - characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly 
• Amity - friendship; peacefully harmony
• Dauntless - not to be daunted or intimidated; fearless; intrepid; bold
• Candor - the state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression

   I LOVED no love triangles. It wasn't all about romance and what boy Tris wants to be with. No none of that. It was good and evil and Tris. Sure Tobias came into play which I liked. But it was so refreshing that there is only one boy she has eyes for and she doesn't need another book to figure who she wants to be with. Because she loves him and that's the end of it. At least in this book. I am glad that she focuses on what is right and wrong. That's the only triangle there is. It's perfect that way. 
{""What makes you think you have the right to shoot someone?" my father says as he follows me up the path. We pass the tattoo place. Where is Tori now? And Christina?
   "Now isn't the time for debates about ethics," I say.
   "Now is the perfect time," he says, "because you will soon get the opportunity to shoot someone again, and if you don't realize-"
   "Realize what?" I say without turning around. "That every second I waste means another Abnegation dead and another Dauntless made into a murderer? I've realized that. Now it's your turn."
   "There is a right way to do things."
   "What makes you so sure that you know what it is?" I say"}
   I am in awe in how much Veronica made Tris grow. It is truly amazing to read about someone growing up so much. In the beginning she was a sixteen year old abnegation girl that had never been kissed and never given any chance at making her own decisions. In the end, she is divergent, brave, selfless, and makes decisions all the time whether they are right or wrong. She is learning. Tris gains and loses in this book. It's not all fairy-tales and happy endings. I can't wait to read Insurgent and watch her grow more. 
{""People tend to overestimate my character," I say quietly. "They think that because I'm small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can't possibly be cruel. But they're wrong." I shift the gun three inches to the left and fire at his arm. 
   His screams fill the hallway. Blood spurts from the wound, and he screams again, pressing his forehead to the ground. I shift the gun back to his head, ignoring the pang of guilt in my chest. 
   "Now that you realize your mistake," I say, "I will give you another chance to tell me what I need to know before I shoot you somewhere worse.""}
   Tobias. Sigh.. Oh Tobias. We all loved him right. As soon as Tris hit the net we couldn't wait to see more of him and his beautiful blue eyes. And when he shut up Christina or even Peter with the gun in his face, we knew then that he was fierce and not someone to mess around with. But when we saw him stand up to Eric a few times we also say the caring side of him. When he saved Tris from being thrown over the edge of the chasm we saw a protective side. Even so he doesn't stay the same the entire book. He grows as well. He told Tris he doesn't tell anyone his secrets not even his friends and you see that he is starting to trust her. Which is a big deal for Tobias given his background with his father. I am excited to see how he grows too. 
{""We've all started to put down the virtues of the other factions in the process of bolstering our own. I don't want to do that. I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest." He clears his throat. "I continually struggle with kindness."

   I can honestly say that there wasn't much I didn't like about this book. I can give a few small stuff I didn't like. But not as much as I liked. I am going to post a few things that fellow readers had problems with. 
   The government. A lot of readers had a problem with the way it was set up in the book because Abnegation was in control of the government because they were selfless but if they are selfless then how did they get control? If they appointed themselves then that isn't very selfless of them so their whole faction is a sham. But if they other factions appointed them then the Erudite have no reason to be upset because the Abnegation is in charge. Veronica's main audience was young adults and teenagers don't normally question things like the government. 
   I have already said how much I love the character Tris, but other readers have a problem with the way she was set up. How she had the perfect life with loving parents, a roof, food, and education. So why did she leave? Why is she so cold and cruel? The readers say that she has no reason to be messed up like Tobias is. But I come from a life that you can be messed up just because so I understand the character. But that's not my opinion. 
   Again other readers have a problem with Tris and Tobias. How they were just thrown together and nothing was leading up to it, and it was awkward and weird and why would someone be with someone like her if she isn't pretty. She is cruel, cold, and heartless so why like her? I disagree. I see the small things like how when Four touched her stomach and she couldn't breath for a second, or how he left the fight because he didn't want to see her get beaten, or him covering for her divergence. 


_Fantastic Fiction_

   

Interview with Lindsey E. Lippincott

This is an interview with Lindsey E. Lippincott. You can find her on Wattpad. 

1. How old are you? - 22 

2. How long have you been writing? - Just a little over a year and a half. 

3. What are your ambitions for your writing career? - Publishing is my final goal. I would love to see one of my books on a shelf in a store. 

4. White writers inspire you? - There are too many. I write mainly YA, so there are various YA writers who have inspired me. Richelle Mead is one, but there are so many. 

5. What are you working on at the moment? - I'm currently working on the sequel to The Huntress. Then I'll be focusing on my new story, Bridge of Souls. 

6. Why do you write? - I write because it's fun. I have all these ideas in my hear, and it's good to get it out. Sharing with others using Wattpad is just a perk, but if I didn't write the ideas, then I'd probably go crazy. 

7. Where do your ideas come from? - My ideas come from everything. I'll read something and get inspiration, I'll watch a movie and get inspiration. I'll watch the way people interact and pull something out of it. Basically every aspect of life I use as inspiration for my ideas.

8. Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just to see where an idea takes you? - I generally have my main idea before I start writing. I'll think of some of the major points, an example being the reveal between Electra and Jared was something I thought out before writing. However, I usually let my writing find its own way to connect the dots. 

9. What is the hardest thing about writing? - Organizing thoughts into something coherent and linear. Starting and ending is also incredibly hard, not the story itself and sometimes chapters. 

10. What's the easiest thing about writing? - To me, creating a character is easy. Naming them is more difficult, but I can come up with a character's personality quite easily. 

11. Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? - I do a quick run over myself, and then when I complete a book. or the series if there is a sequel, then I go over it all more thoroughly. Everything I do is on my own. 

12. What do you do to get book reviews? - I don't usually seek book reviews. Since my stories are currently only found on Wattpad, my reach is pretty limited. If people approach me about writing in their blogs, or about making a section in their review books, I'm more than happy to let them review. There's no such thing as bad publicity after all. 

13. What's your view on social media or marketing? - Social media is a powerful tool. Because of it, something you share can be seen by people you may never meet. You could post something about a book of yours, or another product, and if your friends share it, then their friends will see it. It's a snowball effect that can really work in the original poster's favor. Just know that the way you present yourself at all times on social media will follow you. 

14. What do you think of "trailers" for books? - If they're done well, then they can be a great tool. I find they are hard to execute well. 

15. Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? (*please provide a link to trailer below if you have one) - I do not have a book trailer for any of my books, and as far as I know, I have no intentions of creating one. 

16. What advice would you give to your younger self? - Start writing sooner. It's something I've always wanted to do, but only started recently. If I'd started sooner, who knows where I'd be now. 

17. What advice would you give to aspiring writers? - Write what you want to write. The story you want to tell is the one that needs to be told. If you're thinking about posting your writing online somewhere, but are afraid of what others might say, don't be. There is no way you can please everyone. Not everyone will like you're story, but as long as you like what you write, know that there is at least one other person out there who will like it too. You never know what your writing could do for someone. 

17. How can readers discover more about you and your work? - I can be found on Wattpad using either @Brink1314 or @Linna1029 and my author page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lelippincott/?fref=ts

_Fantastic Fiction_

34 Pieces of You - Carmen Rodrigues

Absolutely adored this book. 

   34 Pieces of You is written by Carmen Rodrigues. This book's genres are young adult, contemporary, realistic fiction, and death. 
   Some facts about the author, Carmen. 
   She has a new book coming out in 2017 called The Universal Law of Sally & Marco. Sounds interesting! 
   She went to Florida State University but earned her MFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
   And honestly that is all I can find about her. She lived in Ohio for a short time and then moved to Miami.
   Her favorite places to be are on the beach or in her bed which I can totally relate. 

  {" There was something about Ellie... something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch. 
   Now Ellie's dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are thirty-four clues she left behind. Thirty-four strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. Thirty-four secrets of a brief and painful life. 
   Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they confront the past, they will discover not only the darkest truths about themselves, but also what Ellie herself had been hiding all along..."}

   I don't know where to begin. I loved so much about this book. I couldn't read it in one sitting even though I wanted to. I had to take breaks because this book really tugged at my heart strings. I cried so much during this book. I loved that I could relate to everyone one of the characters in even a small way. I myself have been suicidal in my life. I have cut my arms and legs. I am like Ellie very broken. I could really get into this book. This was an amazing book by far. It was dark and devastating.
{" It was as simple as telling you how it's done. Press harder. It'll hurt at first, but doesn't everything hurt at first? And didn't you say you wanted a tattoo one day? That will hurt too. Remember when I taught you to smoke? You coughed and you said your lungs ached. This will ache like that, only more. But you know what I didn't tell you? The thing that hurts the most is that my mom will never ask me why my arms are bandaged, why my forearms are covered in all this scarred flesh. And the other that hurts is that I know I'll never be able to press the whole way down. That I'll always be stuck wanting to push through but too afraid to try"}
   I was happy that we got to see the thirty-four pieces of paper that she left in the box under her bed. There are thirty-four chapters and on each of the chapter is a little note. Until the end of the book I didn't know that those were the pieces of paper that she left. I was so excited that I reread all of them. They showed parts of Ellie that she hid from everyone else. 
{" In the bathroom, with my hair still dripping wet, I'd devise a plan. First, towel-dry quickly. Second, put on underwear and declare that place safe. Next, tank top, sock, then pj's. Declare those places safe too. And then tiptoe to the bedroom, lock the door behind me, declare my room safe. 
   In the morning, try not to remember why."}
  The fact the every other chapter was someone new and set somewhere new in a new time was interesting. I was excited to read what someone else said and what secrets they held. Jess was a really interesting character. Even though she was younger than the others she saw Ellie in a different way than everyone else did. She though that Ellie was capable of saving even though Ellie didn't. It broke my heart when Jess finds out that Ellie slept with Tommy and Jess and Ellie broke up because of it. Jess was young and innocent and I think that Ellie needed a little bit of innocence in her life. 
  {""I like you, Ellie." The words stayed stiffly between us, and I realized that this was there it ended. She only wanted me to admit it, so she could turn on me the way she turned on Lola. 
   But then she looked at me, her face softer than before, her voice nearly gentle, and said, "You're crying."
   I swiped clumsily at my cheeks. embarrassed by my tears. "I'm sorry."
   "Don't." She knelt in front of me, pulled my arms down to my sides. "Don't." She traced the tears downward until her fingers rested on my lips. "I'm such a bitch, and you're not. You're so incredibly kind.""}

  Not much to dislike about this book. I did wish that I knew if Ellie meant to kill herself or if it was just an accident. Was she planning on ending it that night with her best friend by her side or was it just the pain overwhelming and she took more than she meant to? We have no idea and maybe that is what the author want. She wants us to conclude for ourselves whether we think did it on purpose or not. I think she did. She wore what Jess got her so she could have a piece of her when she died I think. She already had Sarah with her and she called Jake earlier. But I hate that I don't have a real answer on whether or not it was on purpose. It's gonna drive me crazy. 
   {" And so she began to talk about that night, how Ellie didn't seem like herself, how she seemed incredibly sad but also determined to pretend she was happy. "If I'd known everything, I'd have never let her near those pills. But I didn't know, you know? I just..." Her voice faded. She was crying, but she continued on, and near the end she told me about the hot-pink fishnet stockings Ellie had worn that night. 
   The stocking were my only gift to Ellie, and I remembered how surprised she'd been when I'd handed her the small box with its purple ribbon, and how she'd put them on immediately and in a mater of minutes picked them apart, exposing both her knees."}
  Although I loved hearing from all three characters I would have loved to have Ellie perspective. Understanding things from the way she was feelings instead of what other people though she was feeling. It would have been depressing but revealing to know what Ellie was thinking when she took the pills. 
   Once again I like knowing what the others were thinking but when it jumped timelines like 5 years before when they just met and then the next chapter what months after Ellie killed herself. It was very confusing and hard to catch up with sometimes. I wish there was sort of timeline to go by instead of just "After. March" or "Before. June.". Super confusing but still loved the book!

If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression please do not hesitate to email or get help from various other places. I am going to post them below. 

http://www.teencentral.net/ is a place online where you can go and post there anonymously and talk to others about what is bothering you. 
By calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) you will be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7.

_Fantastic Fiction_

The Huntress - Brink 1314 aka Lindsey E. Lippincott on Wattpad

This was a good book. 

   The Huntress was written by Brink 1314 aka Lindsey E. Lippincott on Wattpad. The genres that this book qualifies for is supernatural, young adult, werewolf, and of course fiction. 
   I am going to post an interview with the author after I post this review. If you have any questions you want to ask, leave a comment please. 

  100 Word Pitch from the author, Lindsey E. Lippincott 
   {" 17 year-old Electra Jaeger has taken up the mantle on the family business--hunting supernatural. She never questions what she does, believing fully in what her father and superiors. They are saving unsuspecting humans from paranormal killers, just like the ones who murdered her mother. It all goes according to plan until the new guys shows up. 
   Jared Rolten has eyes only for Electra, but there's one problem: he's a werewolf. When the huntress realizes she's destined to be with a creature of the night, she's forced to reevaluate everything she knows and believes. But choosing to follow her heart could lead Jared and Electra to their deaths."}

   I loved the fact that her last name Jaeger means hunter in German. It was ingenious of the author. Books always require creativity to be one step ahead of the other books out there. I hope that Lindsey develops more creativity in her adventure as an author. I am super excited to read more stories from her. 
   This book was longer than most books in young adult. This book is over 130,000 words. That is about one and half times bigger than Divergent by Veronica Roth. Most people dread long book but I love them. I hate when a book is over before I really get to enjoy it. I really enjoyed this book and was pleased that it didn't end so quick. I am interested in reading the sequel as soon as it is finished and maybe even write a review when I finish. 
   I love that this book did Jared's point of view. It was revealing. I like knowing both sides of the story. I only wish we could see more of his thoughts about running away and leaving his sister behind. I was actually surprised when he decided that leaving his sister in the hands of another hunter was alright. I love that the book surprised me. I can usually predict what is going to happen and I liked that I couldn't. 
   {"However, how would I explain my situation? Oh I found my mate, she's human, a hunter actually, and I just have a hard time controlling myself around her. Anytime we get close and intimate in any way I just lose control and I'd rather she not kill me because my claws came out.
  That probably wouldn't go over well. Werewolves knew what mates were to each other, most had on themselves. Mates with humans even happened occasionally. Hell, mates between two humans happen as well, it's just harder for them to notice each other or what they really are. However, to be mated with a human who spends their time killing people like me and other supernatural creatures, even the most understanding Alpha would most likely have a problem with that."}


   I do think this book had a lot of vision, but it need more ingenuity. I feel like I was reading a book all over again. A certain series actually. I haven't got a chance to read the sequel to The Huntress yet, but I hope I won't be reading the same stuff over again. I am afraid that since the writer is so young that it might be a repeat of the Evernight series by Claudia Gray. The Evernight series is based on a vampire and hunter but the same concept.  
   I do think this book could use someone else to do a grammar check on it. It's always better to have someone else to check your work. Sometimes it is hard reading what you wrote and finding something wrong with it. I do it all the time honestly but I am always too uncomfortable for someone else to read my work. It's a work in progresses. Anyone who reads it is always welcome to criticize my grammar. I am a bit of a grammar Nazi myself. 
   I said that I liked the fact that the story had a few chapters in Jared's point of view, but in my opinion I think that it should be every other chapter not irregular. 
   {" With his words my mind immediately turned over to Electra and me in her kitchen. I hadn't actively switched my thought process, but his words had done it for me. I felt the fire burning through me as I touched her, the feel of her lips and her skin beneath my mouth. 
   My wolf was flaring up again just as it had that day and the pain came stronger this time as I felt everything breaking through the thin layer of control over my body.
   After a moment I felt a hand on my shoulder and my wolf immediately fell down, hiding as if it didn't even exist. And in that moment, I wished it didn't. I wished I were just a regular human who didn't have to worry about anything supernatural."}

I think that this book has great potential. I think that any book always can improve. This author is young and talented and I believe Lindsey can overcome all the obstacles that comes with being an author. Good luck to you, Lindsey. 

_Fantastic Fiction_

Interviews

 I am looking to interview writer. These are the questions I am going to be asking. Stay tuned. Sorry that I haven't posted a review in a few days. Trying to get these interviews lined up. Just waiting for a few responses. Can't wait!

1. How old are you?
2. How long have you been writing?
3. What are your ambitions for your writing career?
4. Which writers inspire you?
5. What are you working on at the moment?
6. Why do you write?
7. Where do your ideas come from?
8. Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just to see where an idea takes you?
9. What is the hardest thing about writing?
10. What is the easiest thing about writing?
11. Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you?
12. What do you do to get book reviews?
13. What's your view on social media for marketing?
14. What do you think of "trailers" for books?
15. Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? (*please provide a link to trailer below if you have one)
16. What is your favorite motivational phrase?
17. What is your favorite book and why?
18. What is your favorite quote?
19. Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?
20. What advice would you give to your younger self?
21. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
22. How can readers discover more about you and your work?
23. Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven't included?

Website:

Blog:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Amazon Author Page:

Book Links:

Goodreads:

Wattpad:

_Fantastic Fiction_

99 Days - Katie Cotugno

Loved it! This book was amazing. 

   99 Days is written by Katie Cotugno. The genres that this book falls under include young adult, contemporary, realistic fiction, and romance. 
    Few facts about about the author, Katie Cotugno. 
   She wrote the first draft of 99 days in 99 days. 
   99 days is an homage to her two favorite summer movies - Dirty Dancing and Mystic Pizza - which is why Molly works at a resort and the Donnellys own a pizza place.
   How to Love was Katie's first novel. 

   The main character Molly just returned home for the summer before going to college in Boston. She left for her senior to go to an all girl private school because of something she did her junior year. You don't really get what she did only that it was to her at the time boyfriend, Patrick. You find out a long the way pieces of the story. I loved it. I liked not knowing exactly what happened at taking guesses at what she did. 
   This was either a hate or love book. Cheating is always a touchy subject. No one in this book was innocent. No one ever really is, and this book really showed that, and it really impressed me. 
   {"Gabe shrugs. "You could have told me," he says, and, God, he sounds so disappointed. "All summer, we've been-you could have-I said I loved you, Molly." He huffs out a frustrated laugh. "And, like, I'm not a lunatic, I know how fast that was, but-" 
   "Did you, though?" I interrupt suddenly. "I mean, did you actually love me? Or did you just need to beat Patrick at this, too?"
   "Molly." Gabe touches his tongue to the split place on his mouth, looks at something over my shoulder. "Maybe it started that way."}
   I absolutely adore the fact that she doesn't end up with either of the boys. I think the fact that she chooses herself in the end is prodigious. I believe that women shouldn't need a guy to move on in their lives. No need to be tied down when Molly is going to college either. She needs to grow and learn from her mistakes. 

   I hated that her mother also betrayed her and now she doesn't even trust her own mother. It's very heartbreaking that when everything else is going wrong that she doesn't even have family to fall back on. 
   {""I'm a writer, Molly," she interrupts me, like it's a religion or her freaking culture or something, like some kind of messed-up moral relativism will explain this away."I take real-life events and I fictionalize them-that's what I do, that's what I've always done. Of course there are going to be-"
   "You're my mom!" I counter, my voice cracking in a way that betrays all the nasty coldness I've spent the last year and a half cultivating, an ugly break in the shell. I shake my head, slam the coffeepot down on the counter hard enough I'm afraid it might shatter. "Or, like-you were supposed to be. You chose me, remember? That's what you always said. But really you just wanted to sell me for parts.""}
   Even though I love the fact that it shows that everyone has a bad side. I absolutely hate that everyone is crap to everyone. I mean everyone loves a good guy and a hero, but it's under the genre 'realistic fiction'. 
   The double standards. She had sex with a guy, but only she is the slut. I think that Gabe should have had consequences as well. I mean Patrick hated him, but they never got along in the first place. 
   {""It feels unfair, though, right?" Gabe says, "I mean, if you're a dirty slut, then I'm a dirty slut.""}

_Fantastic Fiction_

Darkness Rising - The Rising - Kelley Armstrong

Loved it! 

  
   The Rising is the third book in the Darkness Rising series by Kelley Armstorng. This series falls under several genres such as young adult, fantasy, supernatural, and shapeshifters. 
   Facts about the author, Kelley Armstrong. 
   Kelley worked hard to reverse the viewpoint that werewolves were crazed-killers. 
   Though Kelley writes mostly supernatural, she has wrote a few crime novels. 
   Kelley drew mostly from myths and legend in her writing, which was easier with werewolves. Kelley did very little with vampires because it was hard to follow myth and legend. 

   I am very pleased with the way this book turned out. I was disappointed with the first two books, but this book was a great turn out. I am usually upset about love triangles, but this turned out surprisingly well. I am not gonna give away how it turned out. Just two excepts to make you wonder who she chose. 

   {"So now I was throwing a seventeenth birthday party for Daniel, just like he’d thrown my sixteenth one for me. And we were in another forest, climbing another wall. Rafe was beside me, for the final race, and as we climbed, it was just like the first time, me looking over, seeing his grin, feeling him there, swearing I could hear the pounding of his heart, spurring me on."}

   {"Well, that was the obstacle I hadn't quite overcome yet. While I was happy to be with him and talk to him and goof around with him, I could think of more I'd like to do. Enough to make me very glad no could tell I was blushing. I settled for averting my eyes and focusing on the climb."}
   I have not read the Darkest Powers series but I've heard that the characters in it turned up in the end of this book. I liked the characters, and I am interested in learning their stories. What I gather is Chloe is necromancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, Derek is a werewolf, and Simon is a sorcerer. I am thrilled that Kelley intertwined her books just a little. Just enough to get me interested but not too much to spoil the other books. I will look into reading that series. 

   {""We'll meet you here. Hopefully everyone will be in human form." A wry smile. "Though I'll warn you, he's not a whole lot more pleasant that way. At least as a wolf, he can't talk."}
   I love that it ended in a way I was not excepting. I almost wish there were more books to see if they ever do master their powers and fight the Cabal, but I doubt there will be more books. I can only hope that they eventually get their freedom. For some that have been on the run for months the situation was really great for them because they aren't on the run and don't have to fight their way through the world anymore. For the others who were only on the run for a little bit they want more freedom, but when you have something you are always gonna want more. 

   I did not dislike this book at all, but I try to keep things even by writing things I liked and disliked. And one of the things I didn't like was the powers. We say that Maya grew into her powers and Daniel is learning how to control his, but we didn't see much of the others. I understand that Corey gets visions,  but we didn't see Haley's powers much. She can swim and sing but shouldn't her powers have some sort of fighting advantage considering that is what the Cabal wants to train them to do. Also, Rafe and Ash haven't even shifted by the end of the book. That was disappointing.
   I really wished Kelley would have wrote a little bit about how Maya's parent's reacted to her being a skin-walker. I would have loved to known their reactions and concerns. 
   I was kinda sad for Daniel that his dad didn't show up at the end. I understand that his dad blamed Daniel for his wife leaving, but he is still his kid. It would have been nice for Daniel to get some sort of happiness. It was a little heartbreaking when he had to decide to live with. I also wanted to know where Maya's biological mother is. Did she really only care for herself? Some how her dad ended up being a good guy, which really surprised me. But a good surprise. 

_Fantastic Fiction_
   

Darkness Rising - The Calling - Kelley Armstrong

Loved it. 

   The Calling is the second book in the Darkness Rising series by Kelley Armstrong. This series falls under several genres such as young adult, fantasy, supernatural, and shapeshifters. 
   A few facts about the author, Kelley Armstrong. 
   Armstrong's fantasy writing style is similar with other fantasy author such as Laurell K Hamilton, Kim Harrison, and Charlaine Harris. 
   Kelley's greatest inspiration is the people around her. Her character are supernatural but they are based on people she meets everyday, and them overcoming challenges without superpowers. 
   Armstrong said Stephen King is one of her most important literary influences. 
  
   I loved the fact that there was more Daniel in this book. Maya and him work together so well. Maya knows so much about the forest and how to survive, and Daniel knows a lot too. I loved that no matter what they were feeling or how beaten down they were, they supported each other and helped them keep moving forward. It shows their relationship and how strong it is. I like how they don't always agree with each other but they don't get mad when it happens. 
   {"I wasn't angry with Daniel for opposing me. I saw his point, too. We had no idea where to look for Nicole. She wasn't at the cabin. We didn't have the energy to go back over the mountain, to see if she'd still be there. I really doubted she was. Leaving her behind was just a really, really tough decision to make, and I admired him for having the courage to make it."}
   I know that Maya's love interest is still Rafe but when I read about her and Daniel in the forest I had a little bit of hope that maybe she would end up with Daniel. Keep that in mind for my dislikes of the book. Here's my little spark of hope that there is something between her and Daniel. 
   {"I'm sure that when I fell asleep, I'd been lying on my back, looking up at the sky as I talked to Daniel. But when I woke up, I was on my side, nestled with my back against him, his arm over me. I jumped up so fast I kicked him in the shins and he let out an "Oomph.""}
   I really liked Sam in this book. In the first book she isn't mentioned too much, just as an outsider. But it turns out Sam new everything from the start and was only trying to protect herself. Sam seems to be protective over Maya, and they kinda bond as friends. Especially when Sam tells Maya a secret, which they keep to protect Daniel. I think Sam's powers are going to really show in the third book. At least I hope. On the note of late bloomers powers, I am curious to see what's Corey's power. Corey is Daniel's best friend. 
   I really love that Maya starts finding herself during all of this. She finds out that she has been a snob when she thought she was a good person, and she decides she needs change how she looks at people. She decides to stop judging and assuming everything is how it looks. She learns she needs to look deeper. 

   I am kinda disappointed in this book. It was slow like the first one but it was a lot of action to have, almost like an action movie. It was almost like the first book not enough going on, and now the second one too much going on. Don't get me wrong, I still loved the book. 
   To refer to Maya's love interest, you can see that her and Daniel have something though we don't know yet. I am afraid I was too quick to say that I was happy that there wasn't going to be a love triangle. Of course it's not with Serena, it's with Rafe, Daniel, and Maya. If Kelley is trying to make it a love triangle, there needs to be some conformation. I feel like she is in undecided whether she wants to make it or not. 
   The father portion got me. Not her adopted dad. But her biological father. At the end of the first book it kinda tells you but not completely. I liked this and disliked it. But I really disliked it. I mean if I found my biological father I would be freaking out. Reeling with all kind of questions. And I can relate because I am actually adopted. So I just feel like she didn't really have a honest enough reaction. 
   I feel like Maya should have realized her powers before, or at least shifted at the beginning of the book. Waiting til the end kinda made it where pointless, and the time she did shift it was when she was asleep so it wasn't really helpful. She just stirred up trouble. I feel like her shifting could be a lot more insightful if we saw it more often. Daniel uses his power a few times and it's helpful or not so helpful but he uses it. Maya doesn't have control of hers at all, and I am afraid that Kelley is either gonna skip over the controlling part of her powers or she isn't gonna have great control in the third book. 

I am starting the third book, The Rising. I have some hopes that this book will be the best. I hope I don't get let down. 

_Fantastic Fiction_

   

Darkness Rising - The Gathering - Kelley Armstrong

Loved it!

   The Gathering is the first book in the Darkness Rising series by Kelley Armstrong. This series falls under several genres such as young adult, fantasy, supernatural, and shapeshifters.
   A few things about the author, Kelley Armstrong. 
She loved reading as a kid. She mostly read paranormal books which effected her writing as well as her love for animals, especially werewolves. One of Kelley's novel Bitten has became a T.V. series. It became a big success which paved way for book sequels. 
   I am super interested in reading more of her books! I read The Gathering in one day. It was pretty interesting. A few things I loved about this book was that the main character, Maya, had a great relationship with her parents even though she was adopted. A lot of young adult book use the stereo type rebellious teen to wrap their plot around. I absolutely love that Kelley didn't do that with Maya. Maya is a good girl that her parents trust and they have an open relationship with her about her adopted family. It mentions in the book that Maya's parents were actually worried that Maya wasn't concerned with the fact that she was adopted. She actually made a joke about how her biological parents could have left a note with medical history. 
   {"Abandoning me had been inconsiderate. I'd said that to my parents once, and they'd laughed. It was a strange word, I know, especially from an eight-year-old. They'd then given me the whole spiel on how my mother was a good person blah, blah. What I meant was that she should have left a note detailing my family background and medical history"}
   Kelley did a great job of catching my attention. She is truly a great writer. I devoured the book. It was detailed and entertaining. She threw surprises in there. When I first started reading, I was afraid that Maya, Serena, and Daniel were going to have a love triangle going on, but I was pleased to find out that wasn't going to happen. Serena was Maya's best friend and Daniel's girlfriend, but Serena died in the first part of the book by a freak accident. It caught be by surprised and made me dig deeper into the book. I couldn't put it down. 
   I really loved Daniel. He is Maya's best guy friend. They grew up together, and they really just go together so well. His relationship with his dad is strained so when his dad and him have a fight, he goes to Maya's and her parents trust them to stay in the same house because Daniel is such a gentlemen. Throughout the whole book Daniel is who he says he is. He looks out for Maya no matter what happens in the book. Maya's dad has something to say about that. 
   {" I like Daniel. He takes care of you."
 I blinked. "Oh my God. Did you really just say that? He takes care of me?"
Dad flushed. "I didn't mean it like-"
"Takes care of me? Did I go to sleep and wake up in the nineteenth century?" I looked down at my jeans and T-shirt. "Ack! I can't go to school like this. Where's my corset? My bonnet?"
Dad sighed as Mom walked in with her empty teacup.
"What did I miss?" She said. 
"Dad's trying to marry me off to Daniel." I looked at him. 
"You know, if you offer him a new truck for a dowry, he might go for it."}
   (That excerpt also shows what a rock solid relationship Maya has with her parents)
   Usually when you love a few things, there are a few things you could do without. Now I honestly loved this book. I wouldn't change it for a thing. But there are a few things I dislike. 
   Rafe.. The bad boy. He is Maya's love interest. Now Maya doesn't like him in the beginning because he is a bad boy, and has already gone through most of the girls in town. He is portrayed as a player. Near the end of the book you see why he goes through all those girls just to find a paw print birthmark on their hip. Which the back of the book tells you that Maya has. But the way that Rafe uses the girls to find what he is looking for makes me dislike him no matter what he reasons are. I don't care if he comes clean to Maya or not. I don't like that he keeps so many secrets and at the end of the book where he leaves a note because he is leaving. Who cares if he doesn't make it out of town, he was gonna leave without a word! I am hoping by the end of the series that Maya comes to her senses and ends up with Daniel, but I don't want to hope too much. Rafe is being made out to be the bad boy with a heart of gold. Which Maya buys mostly because of his love for his sister. 
   The book was slow. Very slow. There wasn't much happening but drama. We knew what was happening from the very beginning but the kids weren't catching on or even really trying to. Weird stuff was happening, and if I was having visions when touching animals or hitting people without actually laying a hand on them, I would be researching and trying to figure out what was going on. I just feel like it was a very slow book. Not much was happening. 
   The ending was wow. It wasn't much of a cliffhanger. You are almost relieved when they get onto the helicopter. There wasn't much of a feel that they were escaping one disaster only to enter another one. The kids didn't feel any urgency to think about what they are or what powers they posse. I feel like the ending could have hooked me more. 
  Otherwise I loved it. The writing was still great, and no matter how slow it was I still wanted to read the next one. And I did. That post will be coming up. 

_Fantastic Fiction_

Just Starting Out!

Hey guys, 

I am 18, and married. I am a stay at home wife so I read often. I plan on making my blog somewhat of a book shrine. I love fiction, and mostly supernatural stuff: Vampires, werewolves, witches, and anything like that. I would love it if people would recommend books that you think I would like or something you love and you want everyone to love too. I will read everything I can get my hands on. I live in Germany next to a military base so my resources are limited to what I can get. If the library on base has it, I can read it. If they don't I may be able to find it online, and if it's not super expensive I might even buy and read it.  I will be brutally honest whether I loved it or not. I am a super fast reader if I like a book. But even if I am not all the interested in it, I can finish in two or three days. If it takes longer than a day, I will post an update on how far I am and how much I like it so far. I plan on posting everyday, and maybe even twice a day if I have finished more than one book or if I just wanna share some love. I really want to get this blog out there so if you checked me out and loved me, please tell your friends. And hey, if you hate me, you can tell someone else and they can check me out too. If you want me to read a book leave a comment or shoot me an email @ fantasticfiction13@gmail.com. I will eventually get a facebook page up and running and then you can shoot me a message on there. I want to get a twitter for this page too so I can tweet updates on what I am reading and you can tweet about me and get me out there for other book lovers. I am gonna post an update on a series I am reading. Hope you follow my blog! 

_Fantastic Fiction_