Supremacy (Supremacy #1) by: Christin Lee

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy/Paranormal
Published: June 3, 2016
Pages: 330
Rating: 2/5 stars

Kate Parker's life is pretty ordinary. She is a star swimmer and has a supportive group of family and friends. However Kate's life spins out of control when she meets handsome and mysterious Lucas. As Kate and Lucas start to fall for each other, Kate begins to realize that Lucas is hiding something. Something potentially dangerous, and something that's pretty out of the ordinary. Soon, Kate not only starts to uncover what Lucas is hiding, but also discovers a special gift of her own she never knew she had.

Thank you very much to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Supremacy was a very unique fantasy/romance with an interesting concept, however I do think it had it's flaws. Still, I think that the author provided concepts that were quite new to the paranormal YA world.

The special gift that Lucas and Kate possess was very interesting to read about. It was not anything that I had read about before and I was intrigued to read about Lucas' world. I thought that the author did a great job at keeping things completely out of the typical paranormal YA, which was a good thing.

What I didn't enjoy, was the overall characters. They were all very one-sided, very flat, and there wasn't much to them at all. Kate was so simply put and I really wanted more from her. I think she had the potential to be a great kickass lead, but she was very dull. Lucas was also very typical of a YA love interest, and I wanted more from him.

The relationship was just average for me. I feel like I wanted more chemistry between Lucas and Kate, and I didn't feel like they quite fit together. I wanted more of a stronger dynamic between them.

Overall, I'd love to see where the author takes the unique concept and hopefully builds on the characters in the series.

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Published: September 17, 2013 by: Scholastic Press
Pages: 439
Rating: 5/5 stars

In the thrilling sequel to The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves follows the life of Ronan Lynch, as he keeps secrets from the ones he loves and battles with his gift to pull things out of his dreams. As The Raven Boys continue to search for the Welsh king Glendower, Ronan must learn to control his gift and use it to the best of his abilities, in order to help find the king, and save his friend from his overlooking death.

First I'd like to apologize in advance for the reviews that will be coming out in the coming weeks, as most of them will be Raven Cycle related. I'll try to be sporadic with the reviews, it's just that I read all the books one after another and I usually review my books in the order that I read them. So if you have no interest in this series, SORRY! But anyways, on to the review. The Dream Thieves was a satisfying sequel and provided a great foundation for the climax of the series. We begin to discover more answers to the looming topics, and I loved this book even more than the original.

I loved how this book had a strong focus on Ronan. Ronan is one of those characters who you can't really judge until you've seen his true colours, and I loved how this book centred mostly around his point of view. It shows that even though he may seem like a minor character, he plays a big role in the larger idea and has his own problems as well.

I think that this book has the best quotes out of all four books. I don't know what it was, but this book provided such amazing insight into the character's friendships and feelings, and when Blue was talking about "Her Raven Boys", I wanted to cry a little. Stiefvater did it again with making the book seem so magical.

Once again, each character came back stronger and even more developed, as we get more insight into what each person's obstacles are. My little gem Adam was even more wonderful than before, and I loved him even more with each turning page. I even found a new found love for Ronan, and realised that I really don't even know anymore who my favourite Raven Boy is.

Yeah so in summary, a great sequel, even better characters, and it will begin to unfold the great mystery that is Glendower, and how it will effect the group of friends.

Have you read The Dream Thieves? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Published: September 18, 2012 by: Scholastic Press
Pages: 409
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

All her life, Blue Sargent has been told by every psychic she's ever met that if she kissed her true love, he would die. This prophecy carries her through every year, and through every St. Mark's Eve, where she stands on the footsteps of a church with her clairvoyant mother and watches all the people who will die in the upcoming year. Blue has never seen the dead people, as she possesses no psychic gift like her entire family, until one year, when she witnesses a boy in a tattered school uniform who will soon die. The boy is Richard Gansey, a student of Aglionby Academy, a Raven Boy. Blue befriends Gansey and his gang, wondering if she should reveal his fate to him, and make sure that she doesn't fall for anyone in the group as well. For they could end up dead too.

After absolutely everyone and their cousins in the bookish world raved about this book, this series, and for the dramatic finale, I decided to swing by my local library and give it a go. I was immediately swept into this series and without exaggeration, finished all 4 books in less than 5 days. I literally read a book a day. This series is unique, magical, and something so brilliantly crafted that it will pull you in and never let go.

Let's start with why the characters in this book are the best characters ever. First we have Blue, who is an outgoing feminist who comes from an amazing band of psychic women who stand by each other. Blue was one of the best female protagonists I've read, because she was fiery, tough, but at the same time relatable in a sense.

The Raven Boys are a group of 4 boys from the prestigious Aglionby Academy, whom Blue befriends. First we have the absolute gem of a guy that is Richard Campbell Gansey the Third. He's hilarious, preppy and wears boat shoes which are my favourite shoes of all time, so there's that. Then we have Adam Parrish, who is the absolute cutest boy ever and who has my heart. Ronan Lynch is a bit tougher, he is very protective but he does have a soft side. Lastly, there's Noah Czerny, who's mysterious and friendly and so awesome. These boys were supportive of each other and so well written.

I found it kind of hard to explain the synopsis of this book, because there's so many amazing elements to it that you kind of have to read it yourself to fully understand and appreciate it. I will say, that the plot of this book is so amazingly beautiful, the diction will keep you hooked and even the imagery seems so aesthetically pleasing. It's pretty amazing.

The only, and only thing that prevented me from giving this book a perfect 5 stars is that it takes a while to understand. Like in any first book of a series, it's there to act like an introduction and provide the build up into the other books, so I just thought that this book was a bit slower than the others, because there was a lot of background information to explain. However after this, it's a breeze.

I don't think this was a very coherent review because there is just SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT with this series, that you kind of need to just experience it yourself. I promise you, you will be amazed.

Have you read The Raven Boys? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn #3) by: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Paranormal
Published: September 16, 2014 by: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 387
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
*highlight white text to reveal major spoilers*

Be prepared for the most rambly review ever, because I really need to rant. That being said, this review is also covered in spoilers, so if you have not read this book, do not highlight the white areas,or don't even read this review at all. Here we go:

Ashes to Ashes was the thrilling, (and somewhat shocking) conclusion to the Burn for Burn trilogy. Here, Mary is back in full force, ready to get revenge on not only Reeve, but also the girls she once trusted. Meanwhile, Kat and Lillia are still trying to come to terms with their futures, and why everything seems to be going wrong ever since Mary disappeared. 

I was quite impressed with this book. Halfway through the series, there is a genre change when more paranormal aspects appear. I thought that this added quite a lot of interest to the book, however some things I felt were left unresolved. I didn't find the characters strong either.

Like I said, I loved the rising action, and the eerieness that was added. I was kept intrigued throughout the entire book, and nothing left me uninterested. I loved how this book contained two genres that worked perfectly with each other, without being cheesy. There were twists and turns that kept me wanting to find out what happens next.

This book however, was kind of a let down in comparison to the other two. I felt as if a lot of the characters annoyed me ,and most of them were impulsive, naive and conceited. Lillia should know better to not go after her deceased friend's ex-boyfriend! Even if they weren't on good terms, it's simple ethics. I found her to be a bit whiny, so oblivious to everything happening, and manipulated by Reeve.

I also didn't like Mary as much. I found her to be kind of harsh in a sense. She went out of her way to make Kat and Lillia's lives miserable, which I don't think was fair. I thought for sure she would kill them in the end. Even though in the end she turned out to be good, I didn't like her actions leading up to it.

Now to that ending, that dreaded ending. The whole series leads up to this dramatic conclusion that: doesn't happen. The book ends in the blink of an eye, and then we get a three page epilogue telling us about all of the character's lives after graduation. It was kind of a waste of time, because I want to know more about what happened to Mary, not that Reeve and Lillia live happily ever after. 

All this being said, I enjoyed reading about the paranormal aspects, and I thought that Kat and Alex provided some great comic relief. They were by far my favourites from this book. I just found that this ending lacked a lot, and I wished Lillia and Mary were portrayed differently. 

Have you read Ashes to Ashes? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by: Michelle Hodkin

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal
Published: September 27, 2011 by: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 456
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
*highlight white text to reveal spoilers*

Mara Dyer is different. She wakes up after a mysterious accident to find that all of her friends are dead, and her memory is wiped. Suddenly she starts to see things that aren't there (like her friends) and anyone that she wishes dead is suddenly, dead. Her only hope is a strange boy in her new private school who is compelled to help; no matter what it takes.

This book was creepy beyond belief. I don't read much paranormal, so this change of plot was all new to me. Mara was an interesting character, but overall I just couldn't connect with the book.

I liked the characters in this book. Mara obviously had a lot on her mind, but I liked how she was well-put together and didn't make impulsive decisions. Although, if I were her, I would probably tell my parents if I started seeing my dead friends in my room. I felt sorry for her, with all that she went through with her ex, and she obviously had a lot of pressure on her.

I loved the male protagonist, Noah. He was very patient with Mara, and he was also extremely loyal. He wasn't really a cookie-cutter male figure, and he was truly a gentlemen. I liked how his relationship with Mara slowly progressed instead of insta-love.

I just really didn't like the plot to this book. I found it to be really boring, and I took nothing out of it except for the flashback parts. I feel like some things could have used more description, especially the ending. I did not know what was going on, but then again, I didn't really care either because I just wanted the book to end.

I just couldn't connect to this book at all. It had no emotion, it was just really dark and scary to be honest. It wasn't anything that I was dying to read chapter after chapter, and I tried hard to not DNF it.

Overall, the characters were a hit, but the plot, a huge miss. If you like really dark and eerie books, then this would definitely be for you, but since I'm someone who prefers much lighter, happier books, I think I'll pass on the rest of the series.

Did you read Mara Dyer? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Afterworlds by: Scott Westerfeld

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal
Published: September 23, 2014 by: Simon Pulse
Pages: 599
Rating: 4/5 stars
*highlight white text to reveal spoilers*

Afterworlds is a thrilling story about a girl being able to see into the afterlife, and about the girl who wrote her. Darcy Patel has just published her first debut, which causes her to move to a swanky New York apartment, and start living the author life. Her book is about a girl named Lizzie, who after surviving a terrorist attack, has been able to speak to ghosts and see into the afterlife. Lizzie befriends a young ghost, and together they try to track down the killer who murdered her. Told from the alternating stories of Lizzie and Darcy, Afterworlds was like a book inside a book.

This book offered a paranormal/romantic mix. Firstly we have Darcy's story about her new life and new book. but we also get to see inside of her book. To the positives, Lizzie's story was very interesting. She wasn't exactly a ghost, but a person able to slip inside and outside the afterlife. It was a very unique story, and offered a lot of information.

Lizzie and her ghost companion were incredibly cute to read about. They were an unlikely friendship, but I loved their developments. They worked really well together because they both had troubling pasts, and Lizzie did so much for her. Overall, the characters and plot of Lizzie's story were great.

To the negative side, I really did not care much for Darcy's story. I felt as if there was no point or reason to it, and I wish that the book was just dedicated to Lizzie. Darcy's story really went no where, there was no suspense or anything interesting, besides the fact that she falls in love with a fellow writer. Nothing happened.

Overall, I loved Lizzie's story, but didn't enjoy Darcy's. I feel like Darcy's story was a great for a romantic/contemporary element, but it just didn't do it for me. The plot of Lizzie's story was thoroughly entertaining, and beautifully written. That is why this book got 4/5 stars.

Have you read Afterworlds? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Sacred by: Elana K. Arnold

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal, Contemporary
Published: November 13, 2012 by Delacorte Press

Synopsis: Before Scarlett's brother died, her life was perfect. Living on a beautiful island off the Californian coast seemed like the best thing ever. Now, Scarlett is left in a bottomless pit of grief, and wants nothing more then to get off this island she once called home. Then enters Will, and boy who just moved to the island. Will and Scarlett are immediately drawn to each other, and Will helps to lift Scarlett out of her sadness. However, a secret about Will threatens to tear them apart, and Scarlett wonders if she'll ever be happy again.

I had mixed feelings about this book. First to the positives. The book was interesting for the most part. I liked the characters, each one having unique characteristics, and they all balanced each other out. The book contained plot twists, which I always enjoy, and it did not end in a cliffhanger. (Which always seem to annoy me.) I loved Elana K. Arnold's book Burning, so I was excited to read this book as well. The ending did the plot justice. However, this book was a bit of a let down for me.

I didn't like that this book was so descriptive. I feel like the author took a good page, just explaining what Scarlett was eating for breakfast. This may be helpful for some readers, so that they can set the scene in their head better, but for me it was a bit annoying. For example, Scarlett loved to horseback ride. Whenever she was at the stable, the author would go into complete detail on how she would take care of the horses. Since I do not ride horses, I found these parts to be boring and irrelevant to the whole point of the story. However, like I said before, this could be seen as a positive to help picture the scene better.

While this book was good, I do like Elana Arnold's other book Burning better. This book, while wasn't boring, was too descriptive for me. The parts when she did not go into complete detail, were brilliant in the writing. You could tell that she put a lot of thought into what the characters were saying. I also learned a lot about how to let go of bad situations from this book. Overall, I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Bye For Now!
Paperback Princess