Title: Unearthly

Author: Cynthia Hand

E-book edition, 267 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

Published: 19 April 2011

Rate: 4/5 stars

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees...
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review:

The story begins when Clara started to see the same vision about a boy (who she couldn't see his face) with burning woods in the background. She did some research, and finally moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to meet and safe the boy. She already knew that she was a Quartarius, human with a quarter of angel blood (because her mother is half angel), which saves a lot of time for explaining about angel and blahblahblah to her. She also already knew that her vision is her purpose in this world. Every angel-blood has a purpose, a reason they were exist in this world. So she moved from California to Wyoming, left all her friends, school and familiar neighborhood, for something that still unclear if it was really her purpose. Clara's mother really supportive, she gives advice and teach her about the purpose. 

Turns out, the guy in Clara's vision really lives in Jackson Hole. His name is Christian and they are in the same school. Well Clara began to feel interested with Christian. I personally feel Clara interest to Christian is merely because he was Clara's purpose. But Clara thought she really "loves" Christian. I don't actually like Christian. Okay, he's hot and nice, but I really think there's something about him that annoys me, idk why

Wendy is Clara's first friend in Jackson Hole. They fight yes, but their friendship was really real. Wendy really cared about Clara and vice versa. The writer really takes time to develop true friendship in this book, and I really happy because most of the books I read, well, lets just say most of the "friends" turns out to be the enemy.

There's one more guy, his name is Tucker. He is Wendy's twin. On the first day, Clara almost hit Tucker's truck. Tucker was pissed of, so he started to act like a jerk to her. But we all know how this kind of relationships end right? ;) Okay, am I the only one who loves Tucker better than Christian? Because I fell in love right away with Tucker, even before Clara does. I never fancied Christian, but I immediately liked Tucker. Okay maybe I fangirling a little when Clara first met Christian (and faint), but after that? I'm all Tucker's. The activities he asked Clara to do? Well that is a kind of date I'd love to have! 

At the end of the book, when Clara's vision happens, she would face 2 difficult choices. And, there is a plot twist that really surprises me. In addition there are still many questions left unanswered: 
What was Clara's mother purpose? 
Christian's past
If we don't fulfill our purpose what will happen to us? Are we going to be the Black Wing? 

Unearthly is a story about angels, but it's different. Clara knows that she's part angel from the beginning, so she already knows how important her purpose is and what should she do. Although there are few things that her mom and Angela hide, but it wasn't too annoying. There are funny moments in this book, but there are action and romance as well. If you like Hush Hush, you'll like this book. Honestly, I'd rather reaad Unearthly than Hush Hush. Can't wait for the next book!

Title: Lucid

Author: Adrienne Stoltz, Ron Bass

Paperback Edition, 502 pages

Publisher: Mizan

Published: Desember 2013

3/5 stars

What if you could dream your way into a different life? What if you could choose to live that life forever?

Sloane and Maggie have never met. Sloane is a straight-A student with a big and loving family. Maggie lives a glamorously independent life as an up-and-coming actress in New York. The two girls couldn't be more different--except for one thing. They share a secret that they can't tell a soul. At night, they dream that they're each other.

The deeper they're pulled into the promise of their own lives, the more their worlds begin to blur dangerously together. Before long, Sloane and Maggie can no longer tell which life is real and which is just a dream. They realize that eventually they will have to choose one life to wake up to, or risk spiraling into insanity. But that means giving up one world, one love, and one self, forever.

Finally I finished it! It took me 3 weeks to finished it, because, well, school. I saw this book in my local bookstore a couple of times but always ended up buying another book. Then when I was at my friend's house, I saw this book. I took it obviously. She was okay with it, but she gives me a warning, "You'll regret this, this book makes no sense."

She was right in a way.

It started out fine, like a book with 2 povs. Maggie lives in a big city, an actress and lives with her mom and sister. Sloane in country I guess, just lost her bestfriend, have a complicated relationship with her other bestfriend, and normal family. But. Here's the catch. When Maggie falls asleep, she dreams that she is Sloane. When Sloane falls asleep, she dreams that she is Maggie. Both are aware with each other existence, and always coexisted peacefully.

Around the last 100 pages or so, things started to go awry. Maggie started to see people from Sloane's life, and vice versa. Their worlds collide. Both Sloane and Maggie are terrified, they both don't know who's real, and they both don't want to dissapear.

I can't write a proper review about this book. I mean, I'm not exactly sure what's happening in this book. I don't know what is real or not real. Much less about the ending. I feel like I got something, I grasp something about the story, but I'm still struggling. When I'm done I keep re-reading the last 2 chapters and thinking, because I'm not sure I got the ending right. It's the kind of open ending book that freaks you out, because you wanted more explanation, but in a good way. I have to admit though that the authors are really good in writing this book, capturing the reality (or the freakiness of the situation) and make the readers think.

Recent reads:

Currently Reading:

Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz

Must have new releases!

The One by Kiera Cass (LOOK AT THE COVER GUYS!!)

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

That's all for now, reviews coming soon!

Title: Heist Society

Author: Ally Carter

Ebook edition, 

Publisher: Hyperion

Published: 2010

2/5 stars

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

Yes finally I can open my laptop. To be honest, this February I was really busy, I can't even read any books. 

Okay enough talking. Today I want to talk about Heist Society. Heist Society is about a family, even generations of thieves. The story begins when our main character, Katerina Bishop, was expelled from school. Kat's got the talent to be a thief, but she doesn't want to join the family business and even go to school for a normal life. Turns out she was expelled because her friends framed her. Her father is accused of stealing paintings when he didn't, and if they aren't returned, her father will be killed. To return the stolen paintings, Kat starts to gather around her fellow thieves friends and family.

When I read the synopsis, I was thinking "well, this book sounds very interesting". The idea of the story is very unique, about generations of a family of thieves. Moreover, the rating on Goodreads is fairly high. 

Anyways, it ends up disappointing. This book is not living up with my expectations. I think the story line is too flat and doesn't have any climax. The villain described as a cruel person, but his actions are not cruel enough. The main character herself, Kat, her personality is boring. She's got the talent but she's constantly worried. And even if she is not worried, there's nothing special other than she was a thief. Character's background, the thief, and the paintings didn't give enough explanation which left a lot of holes and end up confusing.

The book is not bad, but too predictable and not exciting. The concept is interesting, but the execution is too simple. And the characters are too flat. The book itself eventually ends up just "good", but not "memorable". I think it could've been better. 

Title: Bloodlines

Author: Richelle Mead

Paperback edition, 

Publisher: Razor Bill

Published: 2012

3.5/5 stars

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Another vampire book. It's been a while since I read a book about vampire, the last one being The Vampire Diaries: Midnight.

Bloodlines is a spin-off from Vampire Academy series. I only read the first book, which is Vampire Academy, haven't got the time to continue the series. But, I remember enjoyed it a lot. VA is different from typical vampire books. It's not "vampire vs werewolf" it's "vampire vs vampire". It creates a whole new world of vampire, with races, class, and royals. It wasn't a book where the vampire falls in love with a human and bit her and live (or dead) happily ever after. And even if we haven't read VA, we would still understand Bloodlines series.

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, a group that covers up vampires. She's suspected as sympathizer because she helped Rose escape (escape from what I have no idea it's in VA) She was assigned to protect Jill, the stepsister of the vampire queen from assassins. She didn't want to take this job, but it was her or her sister, and so she chooses herself.

Living in a boarding school, undercover, wasn't as easy as they thought. Highschool drama, romance, bullying, jealousy. I guess it just adds more plot into the story.

It started out really slow, and then it picked up in the middle. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be, since the Goodreads ratings are pretty high, but it wasn't that bad. The characters and story are pretty funny and light, it has actions, and just basically Sydrian. Really love to read the next book!