2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge - Finished

And thus finishes the Don't Let It End Reading Challenge, hosted by Rachel @ Fiktshun, whose goal was to get us reading some end-of-the-series books. It was a fun challenge, and since it already alligned with one of my goals for this year (to end a few series), I decided I should enter it. It was fun, and Rachel is always a great host.

I read 9 books that were the last of its series, almost 2 per month, so I'd say this was successful. I intend to keep on ending another few series till the end of the year, so I guess I could say this challenge doesn't end here for me, though it officially ended last week.

Below are the books I read for the challenge, and the remaining books that I might have read for the challenge, but haven't. (Though a few will likely be read before the year ends.)

Books I read for the challenge:

• Shadows in the Silence, Courtney Allison Moulton
• Gates of Paradise, Melissa de la Cruz
• Clockwork Princess, Cassandra Clare
• With All My Soul, Rachel Vincent
• Dead Silence, Kimberly Derting
• Reached, Ally Condie
• Shades of Earth, Beth Revis
• The Lucky Ones, Anna Godbersen
• Requiem, Lauren Oliver

Books I might have read for the challenge:

• The Iron Knight, Julie Kagawa
• Endlessly, Kiersten White
• Hidden, Sophie Jordan
• Spell Bound, Rachel Hawkins
• Sever, Lauren DeStefano
• Spellcaster, Cara Lynn Shultz
• The Elementals, Saundra Mitchell
• Rapture, Lauren Kate
• Ravage, Jeff Sampson
• The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray
• Fire Study, Maria V. Snyder

Requiem, Lauren Oliver

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: This was a strange read. When the book came out, I read a few early reviews, and I guess those reviews gave me a good idea of what to expect. This had a double effect: one, I delayed reading this book, afraid I'd be disapointed, and two, I started reading with low expectations, which in the end might be what saved the book - since I knew what was coming, I didn't get as annoyed as I know I'd be otherwise. I'm still disappointed with Lauren Oliver, since I know she can do better, but I'm not as mad at her as I was at Kimberly Derting when I read Dead Silence.

The trilogy's structure is a bit... odd. I feel like Pandemonium and Requiem should switch places. Requiem sounds so much like a middle book in a trilogy, with lots of wandering around, trying to get the characters to the places where they're supposed to be for the last book, but with not much actually happening to advance the plot. Pandemonium is where the action is, where things do happen and contribute to get us closer to the end of the story. (Strange how I feel this now... When I read it, I thought Pandemonium was calm and not much happened in it. But compared to this one, it's full of action.) I don't dislike this in itself, but I feel it's a waste of time to have the characters in Lena's group wandering around, lost, arriving for the book's climax just in time to be there. It's an odd choice for Requiem, and one I'm not sure I can understand completely, because it doesn't seem to serve any purpose. And like I said, I know Lauren is a better writer than that.

Curiously, I enjoyed a lot more Hana's narration. I'm not her biggest fan, thanks to a thing she did in Delirium and confesses in Hana, the novella. But I loved to read her thoughts in this book. How she felt after the cure. What she finds out about Fred, her future and seemingly perfect husband. How guilty she feels after betraying Lena. What she does to atone the guilt. Hers was an interesting path, and much more captivating than Lena's. The author does a good job showing a character walking the fine line between being Cured, feeling numb, and being an Invalid, having this plethora of feelings that just won't go away.

The way the love triangle was developed and "solved" in this book was somewhat baffling. I guess I didn't mind which boy Lena ended up with, because Lauren makes a strong case for either in Delirium and Pandemonium. I expected Lena to be torn between two choices, two lives. But what actually happened... is an emotional void. There's no emotional, poignant scenes in which Lena feels torn, trying to figure out what she wants. Yes, there are scenes in which she swings between both boys, first wanting Alex's attention, next cuddling with Julian - but those scenes felt more like Lena was bipolar, and annoyed me immensely, because I thought Lena was stronger than that, than pining and stringing along the boys. This is not the Lena I met in Pandemonium, the strong, decisive girl who could kick ass.

Another thing that annoyed me is that there is no emotional evolution. Lena and Alex are very different people than the couple that fell in love in Delirium, so I expected a reaquaintance between them, a recognition that they are not the same, but the feelings are still there. Instead, they act at a certain point like they can pick up where they left off. That felt so wrong. And they seem to reach an understanding towards the end, but it was such a selfish scene. There's no consideration for the people they'll hurt, no spare thought for Julian (not even to let him off easy, Lena?) or Coral (who I felt Alex was stringing along).

And the comparison with King Solomon and the baby's story rubbed me off wrong. Lena is not a baby both boys were pulling selfishly to themselves. And it's not a matter of who loves who more, though Lena puts things in that perspective once. It's not about who can make a grand gesture, when one of the boys feels more like a puppet throughout the whole book, never having agency to do something. It's like there was never a doubt, and that nullifies everything that happened in Pandemonium. What was the point of that book, after all?

The end... I can see why it pissed people off. I was ready for it, so I'm not mad, but I'm still disappointed. I liked the parting words Lena and Lauren have for us... but there's NO closure. Things end literally in the middle of the action. A bold move, and one I don't think paid off. I want to know what happened to these characters - Raven, Tack, Pippa, Grace, Lena's family, Hana... everyone. I want to know what happened next in Portland, in the country, in the Cured vs. Invalid fight. I don't need a happy ending, and I don't need an ending where they defeat the existing state of things. And I can accept an open ending. But I need an ending. Just something that feels like closure. And this didn't.

My edition has the Alex short story. It's in his POV, telling us what happened between the end of Delirium and the end of Pandemonium. It was interesting, and I liked to know what happened and how Alex felt through the whole thing. But I felt it was too short. It doesn't give a good sense of his voice. I wish it was longer and more fleshed out.

Pages: 432

Publisher: Harper (HarperCollins)

The Lucky Ones, Anna Godbersen

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: Reading any book by Anna Godbersen is bound to be quite a whirlwind. There's the luxurious scenery, the parties, the presence of the rich, beautiful and famous, and the girls in the center of it all, hiding secrets and trying to make it. Both the Luxe series and this one are great at evoking the time in which the stories occur, and both are very good at not leaving me indifferent. I enjoy reading them, almost like a guilty pleasure, even if the main characters do drive me nuts.

The middle book of this trilogy, Beautiful Days, was the weakest of the three, and it actually managed to get me mad at everything in the book. I was frustrated with the Roaring Twenties' hedonism as it was shown, and I really hated two of the three main characters.

When I think about it, I still do hate and despise those characters. Astrid is still a vapid, indecisive girl who gets too easily distracted with shiny things, and Letty still is so, so dumb, and has everything handed over to her, not having to fight ever for anything she wants, not having the guts to try to achieve it. But there's some sort of evolution in them that I appreciated.

And I remember I kinda dislike a few of the main characters in the Luxe series, so disliking characters isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's probably a sign of good characterization, since not everyone is likeable. Well, as long as I can somewhat respect them and their motives in the end, I consider myself satisfied. And this time around, I was satisfied.

I didn't mention Cordelia. I do adore Cordelia, she's smart, sassy, brave and she sets out to do things she's never done before. Her ending... she didn't deserve it. The other girls got the endings they didn't deserve, and Cordelia didn't get the ending she did deserve. I mean, it's perfect, story-wise, but I hate her ending. I hate it with a burning passion.

Funnily enough, I kinda like most of the boys that surround these girls. Max is adorable, and I love his bond with Cordelia. Victor developed a cute crush on Astrid that became something more. And Grady, poor Grady, was pining throughout the whole trilogy for Letty.

Charlie is a moron, really, and a bully, and he uses his brawns instead of his brains, but I can see the allure of a personality like him. Valentine, on the other hand, was really too good to be true. As for Thom, even though I couldn't forgive him for his role in what happened to Darius, I managed to understand and I pitied him, in the end.

The story was much more engaging this time around, and I found myself devouring the pages to know what would happen. We got to see some new aspects of these characters' lives, and meet some new people. And it all ended with a bang... wow, I didn't think I'd get to see the consequences of bootlegging and the Prohibition, but I'm glad I did. It's not bootlegging until there's a shooting or two.

The epilogue was quite interesting. It evoked The Great Gatsby for me - I think that was probably the author's intention - because it had that sad, longing feeling of Nick's narration. I enjoyed it. Actually, I wished we got to see more of Billie, almost like she was a fourth girl, because she sounds awesome. And I wished that Billie got to tell the whole story, not just the first book's prologue and the last book's epilogue. I think she would have made as an interesting narrator as Nick: both not exactly in the middle of action, both describing to the reader a tragedy - the loss of an era.

Pages: 384

Publisher: Harper (HarperCollins)

Shades of Earth, Beth Revis

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: I'm going to miss these books so much. I mean, reading them for the first time, uncovering the twists and turns the author has in store for you, walking alongside Amy and Elder in the Godspeed ship, or in Centauri-Earth... In retrospective, this is the perfect ending for the trilogy - it's something I expected to happen since the first book (the exploration of the planet that was the target of Godspeed's mission), and yet Beth Revis managed to surprise me with where she took us with this one.

A compliment to the author I have to make is that it really shows she is a science fiction fan. She knows and uses well the tropes and the scenarios, but gives them her own flavor and turns them into something, if not unique, at least very believable, like it will actually happen in the future - as all sci-fi should.

Shades of Earth takes us finally to Centauri-Earth, and starts with the landing of the shuttle (formerly a part of Godspeed), which carried Amy, Elder, the frozen, and the people from Godspeed that agreed to travel to Centauri-Earth. Trying to establish a colony in Centauri-Earth, the group soon realizes that something is wrong. There are things that shouldn't be on the planet. And soon they realize... they know... they are not alone.

I think every book in this series had me questioning the sense of preparing a mission and a ship like Godspeed and sending it the moment Earth did, and with the parameters it did. This book made me question it even more. The true intent in FRX's mission ended up being very screwed, and it was ultimately the reason why Godspeed ended up the way it did. Had they waited a little longer, had they had truer intentions, the missions would have been better planned, and gone better.

I know, this last paragraph is way cryptic, but I'm trying both to be non-spoilerish, and to explain why I was so upset with FRX and its intentions toward Centauri-Earth. In the end, I guess it was pure human greed, and that makes me so sad.

It was interesting to see how there was this huge planet waiting to be explored, and Beth still managed to evoke this claustrophobic atmosphere that was present in the first two books. Many things in Centauri-Earth are wrong and unexpected, and the group of shipborns and Earthborns tries to stick together. Yet, they are not really united. One of the things I wish was considered when creating the mission was to send, among the frozen ones, people more flexible and better prepared to deal with a variety of scenarios when they woke up.

I mean, Amy's father behaved as would be expected for a military officer in charge, but I wish he had not been so close-minded and dismissive of Elder and his people. It created a lot of tension that was unnecessary to establish the colony. I understand his dismissal of Elder as the shipborns' leader, as Elder in only a teenager, but he didn't even try to understand why the shipborns were the way they were - even Amy could have helped him understand them. If he did, maybe there wouldn't have been so many deaths. And he placed his trust where he shouldn't have, and that was just plain stupid.

Also, people should have talked more about what was going on. Not only Amy's father and the military, whose obssession with keeping everyone in the dark was unnerving, but Amy and Elder as well. I think there were some weird transitions between scenes where information should have been exchanged and it wasn't, or maybe it was but that wasn't made clear to the reader... anyway, I wanted Amy and Elder to try to explain more to the Earthborns about what was going on in Godspeed and what eventually made them try to land in Centauri-Earth. They didn't tell anyone about Phydus until too late, which was just weird, as it was a very big part of the plot.

I finally liked to see Amy and Elder together. I still think the relationship is a bit unbalanced, since Elder seems the more involved one, but there were a couple of moments I loved where Amy shows her loyalty to him. And she finally figures out what exactly he means to her. Their moments together were so cute. Amy realizes the right path for her, and she takes a little more responsibility throughout the novel. I still questioned Amy and Elder's decisions here and there, but I believe they are trying to do the right thing. Especially Elder, who is trying to be the leader his people need, and to do right by the shipborns that remained on Godspeed.

The mystery behind the strange happenings in Centauri-Earth was very compelling, and I couldn't wait to know what was really going on. And it was mind-blowing. It made so much sense in the end, and Beth did a good job of tying loose ends and making sure everything was linked. I hated the new players for the actions they took, but I loved to understand what had led them the path they took. It was human greed, after all. How such a tiny thing could elicit such a big change in the world galaxy universe, er, whatever, and in these people.

I probably made it sound a bit like I didn't like the book, or at least part of it, and it couldn't be farther from the truth. I loved it because it made me think about these kinds of things, and made me question a lot how people are. And I adore that Beth Revis chose to write these books the way she did, because they show a good understanding of human nature and of what makes people tick. I am very curious to read whatever she writes next, because I'm sure it will be fabulously awesome.

P.S.: The only thing I actively disliked was that cover, and the way they changed the books' design. *sigh* This may be the only time I've ever felt this strongly about changing covers. And it makes me sad.

Pages: 384

Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)

Reached, Ally Condie

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun. (Scroll down for the review in English, please.)

Sinopse

Opinião: Esta é uma opinião não muito fácil de escrever. Não porque não gostei do livro - pelo contrário. Adorei. Deixou-me a pensar e a revirar pedacinhos da história na minha cabeça nos últimos dias. Tenho tido dificuldade em deixá-lo partir, porque me deixou melancólica e focada em grande parte da narrativa.

Não é um livro que vá exactamente pelo caminho que eu imaginava que iria. Até nisso a Ally Condie volta a surpreender-me. A sua escrita e o seu modo de contar histórias presta-se a um ritmo calmo, e o tema que escolheu abordar no livro acaba por ser muito adequado no contexto da trilogia. A obsessão por um estado perfeitamente saudável da Society vira-se contra ela. E fica a reflexão sobre o quão facilmente as maravilhas da ciência podem ser deturpadas para fins nefastos, nas mãos erradas.

Sempre suspeitei que o Rising não fosse melhor que, ou muito diferente da Society. (Diz a sabedoria popular que "de boas intenções está o inferno cheio", e que bem que esta expressão se aplica ao Rising.) Até é quase hilariante o quão verdade essa apreciação era. Sim, acredito que as intenções do Rising eram boas, quando foi formado, mas com o tempo a sua mensagem e desígnio foram deturpados - de tal maneira que terminei a história a perguntar-me se teria valido a pena, tudo o que aconteceu, em troca de um novo estado de coisas que nada promete, e tudo deixa em aberto. Assim é a natureza humana, e a maneira como a autora expõe isto no livro confere-lhe uma maturidade que não esperava.

A história termina com uma nota de esperança. Fiquei muito contente em ver com os meus próprios olhos a Cassia e o Ky conseguirem o seu pedaço de mundo, aquele que se esforçaram em moldar conforme os seus sonhos, pelo qual lutaram e sofreram para poderem ficar juntos. Se há coisa que é uma constante durante a trilogia, são estes dois, e não há par de personagens que mereça mais um final feliz.

Por outro lado, há personagens que sonham e desejam, mas não conseguem atingir o que querem. E os seus percursos, especialmente neste livro, são permeados por uma sensação de perda de inocência, de pesar e de exaustão com tudo o que o mundo lhes atira. Falo da Indie, da Lei, ou do Xander (até me sinto um bocado mal de ter malhado tanto no Xander no segundo livro, coitado, mas a culpa é dele, o comportamento dele era meio suspeito). Dois deles têm a esperança de algo melhor (até acho que a Ally exagerou nessa esperança), mas o fim da Indie é tão triste. Tinha-me afeiçoado ao seu feitio, e achava que ela ia conseguir fazer algo em grande.

Esta trilogia surpreendeu-me com o quanto me fez gostar dela. Tem os seus momentos que convidam à reflexão, gostei do estilo, dos temas escolhidos e do modo de construção da história da Ally Condie, e conseguiu manter-me cativada e ansiosa por descobrir o destino dos personagens durante os três livros.

Páginas: 528

Editora: Dutton (Penguin)

-----

Description

My thoughts: This is not an easy collection of thoughts to write. Not because I didn't enjoy the book - on the contrary. I loved it. It made me think and I was left turning around little pieces of the story in my head for the past few days. I've had some difficulty in letting it go, because I was sad and so obsessed through so much of the story.

It's not a book that takes the predictable path. Ally Condie does manage to surprise me. Her writing and her storytelling are more slow paced, and the themes she chose to introduce this time are quite adequate in the trilogy. Society's obsession with health and a completely healthy status turns against itself. And one is left thinking about how easily science's wonders can be perverted into nefarious ends in the wrong hands.

I always suspected that the Rising could be no better than the Society. (It is said that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions", and how well this applies to the Rising.) It's almost funny, how true this was. I do believe the Rising's intentions were good, when it was created, but their message and purpose were perverted - I finished the book wondering if it was worth it, all that happened, in exchange for a new state of affairs that promises nothing, and leaves everything in the open. Such is human nature, and the way the author exposes this gives Reached a maturity I didn't expect.

The book does finish with a hint of hope. I was glad to see with my own eyes Cassia and Ky getting their little piece of the world, the one they tried to create from their dreams, the one they fought for and suffered for, in order to be together. They're the one constant throughout the books, and there's no one who deserves more an happy ending.

On the opposite side of this, there are characters who dream and wish for everything, but can't get what they want. And their paths are filled with a sense of loss of innocence, of grief and exhaustion at everything life throws at them. I speak of Indie, and Lei, and Xander (I kinda feel bad for thrashing him so much in Crossed, but really, his behaviour was so suspicious then). Two of them have the hope of something better (I think Ally exagerated that), but Indie's ending is so sad. I had warmed up to her and her temper, and I was convinced she was going to be big.

This trilogy surprised me with how much I loved it. It has moments that make you think, I liked the style, the themes and the way Ally Condie created the story, and how she kept me captivated and anxious to find out what was going to happen to these characters during the three books.

Pages: 528

Publisher: Dutton (Penguin)

Dead Silence, Kimberly Derting

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: As far as I know, this is the last book in this series. Yet, there was no real resolution, no closure. Many ends are left loose, and the author even suggests a few more that are also left unsolved. If I didn't know that there are not any more books announced in the series, and that Kimberly Derting has a new and different series coming next year, I would have thought this was just another book in the series, not the last one. So... yeah, I'm not happy about that.

Also, that prologue? I hated it. I dislike when authors deliberately spoil the reader as to what's to come in order to keep the reader interested. Because with me, that goes in the opposite direction. The damn prologue made me think someone was going to die, and I spent the whole book trying to ignore that character so that the end wouldn't be a shock, and then that scene from the prologue happens, and I'm emotionally dumb about it. And the character was kinda of a favorite, and awesome things happen in this book to that character, but I couldn't care less. So, thanks for that as well, Kimberly.

In this installment, Violet is trying to deal with what happened in the end of The Last Echo, with getting back to her life, to the normal small things. She is reluctant to be a member of the team of kids with powers, but she has no choice. And then Gemma and Rafe are transfered to White River High, which complicates matters a bit. And then Violet stumbles upon a few dead bodies, and the hunt for yet another serial killer begins.

Ah, Violet... I really like her, she has an interesting gift, and she is fearless and protective of the people she loves, but sometimes, she could a little smarter. I know that Violet really doesn't want to be in the team, but one would have expected her to learn her lesson of not stumbling into unknown places following an echo. Yet, she does precisely that with the first bodies she finds. And then she keeps a couple of things hidden from Sara, the team leader, and she even gets annoyed when Jay and Rafe tag along on a potentially dangerous sleuthing trip. She can't do everything on her own, because she will put herself and others in danger. Only in the end of this book Violet learns that particular lesson, and only after everything goes wrong.

I was looking forward to spending more time with the team, so it was disappointing to barely see Krystal, Sam, or Gemma, and to not get to know them more. And it was disappointing to not see Violet actually evolve something as a character and become a team member. (And trust them somewhat and ask for their help.)

Meanwhile, Violet finds out some old diaries of her grandmother, and learns more about her and her grandmother's ability, and what happened in the past that may be linked to her team. But that plot thread is left very open, and we don't even get to learn more about who's behind financing the team. Both things are deliberately left unsolved, which doesn't make sense in the last book of a series.

I adore to watch Violet and Jay together. They are terribly cute together, they are mature, and they take care of each other. But I'm starting to think that Kimberly Derting sucks at creating conflict for them. In this book, and this has happened before, Jay and Violet have a fight, a fight about something really stupid that has me pulling my hair. However, they soon make up, because the reason they fought was really that stupid. If only they talked about things before acting like drama queens... The whole thing is a bit out of character, because as I've stated before, Jay and Violet are quite mature, so when they argue about these silly things, it feels forced.

And then there's the other reason Kimberly sucks at creating conflict for Violet and Jay: the pseudo-love triangle. It's very clear from the beginning that Violet and Jay are meant for each other, and Rafe doesn't change that in any way, despite the mixed signals Kimberly writes in the story. (And BTW, I liked the mixed signals in the last book. It made Violet think about Jay and her, and it made her think about what she wanted. Many people have temptation dangled in front of their noses when they're in a relationship with a significant other. It's how they deal with it that shows us the stuff they are made of. This time around, the mixed signals were a repetition, and brought nothing new to the story.)

Besides, Rafe is too good of a character to waste in being the Jacob of a love triangle. Seriously? This guy is broody, misterious, intense, and walks the fine line between good and bad. He is prime "main character in a paranormal series" material. And here he is, totally wasted being the third wheel of a love triangle. I'll never understand that. *facepalm*

I disliked the suggestion of him and Chelsea. First, because I thought he might be using her to try to make Violet jealous. And then because THIS IS THE LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES and it comes off too little, too late. We never see it being decently developed and and it felt like settling. Ugh, I don't want that for Chelsea.

It sounds like I hated, isn't it? Well, I liked it, truly, but I was too busy noticing these little things that irked me out to properly enjoy the story. I still love what the author does with the serial killers, and the chapters she does in their POV, because they feel realistic. I adore Violet's family, because they actually care. I enjoy Violet's gift and the descriptions of what she can do. There are many details of this world I like, and that I enjoy reading about.

BUT. This was a complete mess of a book. There was no evolution of the characters, and of the characters' lives. I might have tolerated that in a middle book of a series, but not in a last book of a series. Many things felt forced. And many other things never have a proper ending or a decent resolution - they are just left hanging. That epilogue was a complete joke. It felt like it was setting the tone for the next book in the series. If felt like it was promising a next book in the series. It didn't feel like the last moment I'd get to spend with Violet. It did not feel like the end. I feel cheated. Not mad, but definitely cheated. And disappointed. This could have been such a better book.

Pages: 400

Publisher: Headline

With All My Soul, Rachel Vincent

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge and the With All My Soul Mini-Reading Challenge, both hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: How bittersweet to be writing about the last book in this series. It's sad to say goodbye to the characters and the world, but also happy to see them end in a good place. I'll miss Kaylee and her family and friends. But I became a fan of the author, so I know I'll be able to find what I liked most about these books in her other books. The writing. The ability to make emotions and relationships so complicated and so real. The high stakes. The mythology. The family and friendship bonds. The consequences of one's actions. The love triangle that is actually a love triangle and yet doesn't make me so furious I want to kill every party involved or myself. There was never a dull moment, and the books have been consistently good throughout the whole series, so this is a paranormal series I'd unconditionally recommend.

This time around, the threat posed by Avari (and Invidia and Belphegore) reaches its peak, with Avari hell-bent on acquiring Kaylee's soul to torment and torture for eternity. Kaylee knows her family and friends will never have peace with Avari looming over their lives; but would delivering her soul help achieve it? What an impossible lose-lose situation. I have to say, I had no idea how things with Avari could be solved. The hellions are way too strong and determined to be ridden of easily. Kaylee's original plan was good, but things changed too fast for it to work out.

Luckily, there was a new player in town, a hellion of wrath, Ira. I really enjoyed this character. As a hellion, he was evil and tricky as they come, but he seemed nuanced. (As in, less obsessed to own Kaylee's soul.) Quite an interesting character, and I kind of wish he was introduced sooner. He raised some questions that made Kaylee think about anger and righteousness, justice and vengeance, and ultimately may have led to her final decision.

I enjoyed to have closure on several loose threads from earlier books (though a couple were untouched... saved for a novella, maybe? *crosses fingers*), and my favorite was the one with the Hudson brothers. I really needed to see that happen, and I'm glad it did. Nash needed to let go of his anger (I actually thought he would be a prime candidate to make a deal with Ira) and to grow up a little, and Tod needed to have his brother back. I love to watch/read about sibling relationships, especially ones depicted like theirs, so complex and never easy.

And Kaylee... wow, how she grew up to be this secure, mature, brave young woman. She still did mistakes, and took risks without telling anyone, but I understand why she thought she had to. She had to deal with a lot of responsability, and she dealt with it so well. I imagined that she may have to go down that path she took in the end, but she was very clever about the way she did it. Well done, Kaylee.

And about the ending... it was short, and I wanted to know MORE (I always want to know more), but I liked it. It managed to show what life for Kaylee and Tod will be from now on, with their immortality and eternal youth. I'm glad they have each other. (And I adore their little moments together... I'll miss seeing them together. And I'll miss the awesome - both the funny and the beautiful - things Tod says.) They love and complement each other, they never lose themselves in the relationship, and they will keep each other grounded, for as long as they have.

Now that I think about it, how awesome it would be to have a futuristic UF with Kaylee and Tod solving paranormal crimes? Just me? Okay... But I like to wonder what their lives will be, what Earth will be in a 100 or maybe a 1000 years, if they are still around (hopefully they will... Tod was such a fanboy around Libby that I want him to get to be that old).

Pages: 384

Publisher: Mira Ink

Clockwork Princess, Cassandra Clare

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun. My thoughts in English are further down the post.

Sinopse

Nota: tentei fazer a minha opinião sem spoilers, e falo do que achei dos personagens e do enredo em termos vagos e sem especificar situações e momentos. Incluí citações ao longo do post, mas não creio que spoilem a história.

Opinião: Bem... este era um livro muito antecipado. Não só porque estava determinada em lê-lo o mais próximo possível da data de lançamento para evitar spoilers, mas porque gosto bastante desta trilogia e estava muito curiosa para descobrir o que a autora tinha preparado para os leitores. E, uau, Cassandra, confessa lá, gostas de torturar os teus leitores. Passei por tantas emoções diferentes, tantos altos e baixos, que vou ter de reler pedacinhos do livro nos próximos dias para os reviver.

Se há coisa que adoro ler aqui são os personagens e as relações entre os mesmos. Gostei muito das duas relações de irmãos que vemos - a do Gabriel e do Gideon, e a do Will e da Cecily -, porque cada uma tem as suas nuances, mas sempre com ambos a protegerem-se e arreliarem-se mutuamente. Adoro ver a Charlotte e o Henry juntos - a Charlotte tem verdadeiramente espírito de líder e é inspiradora na sua determinação, e o Henry é o génio incompreendido que apenas vê o mundo de maneira diferente, mas sempre um optimista - e ambos se apoiam mutuamente, agora que se compreendem um pouco melhor.

Adoro as mulheres da história pois cada uma à sua maneira é forte e destemida. A Cecily tem o espírito dos Herondale; a Charlotte cuida de todos no Instituto e inspira-lhes lealdade; a Sophie sonha mais alto, enquanto se esforça para fazer paz com o seu passado; a Bridget é uma lutadora feroz, apesar das cantorias; a Jessamine luta por aquilo que quer, apesar de ter feito muita coisa errada pelo caminho; e a Tessa esforça-se por encontrar o seu lugar no mundo, e proteger aqueles que ama (não tendo problemas em lançar-se a uma situação perigosa num vestido de noiva).

Sobre o triângulo Tessa-Wil-Jem… não há muito que possa dizer que não seja um spoiler. Acho que posso dizer que tinha razão em muitas suspeitas sobre o que ia acontecer, mas que a Cassandra me surpreendeu com a execução e o desenvolvimento da história. Ela faz um argumento muito convincente para os dois lados da questão e não sei, gostei de como resolveu as coisas. É um final feliz, mas triste, e intrigante e estranhamente apropriado. O epílogo deixou-me à beira das lágrimas. Todos sabemos que a Tessa é imortal, mas não sei se compreenderemos esse facto até o ler, até vermos o quão cheio de perda este caminho é.

Não, não conheço esse sentimento, Cassandra. Nadinha./No, I don't know that feeling, Cassandra. At all.

Outra coisa que me agrada é encontrar as ligações entre passado e presente, entre as séries The Infernal Devices e The Mortal Instruments. Há muita, muita coisa que as liga neste livro, como objectos, personagens, e adorei descobrir as ligações familiares entre personagens de uma e outra série, reconhecer características físicas e hábitos que ressoam através dos anos. Foi tão divertido e excitante estabelecer os paralelismos. O Magnus é uma presença constante em ambas, mas aqui ganha um protagonismo especial que só vi mais tarde na outra série. E acho que ele tem um fraquinho por estes personagens.

Estava intrigada com o objectivo final do Mortmain, e com a verdadeira natureza da Tessa, e não fiquei desapontada. O vilão sobe a parada e deixa os nossos personagens num aperto, mas acho que o grupo se mostrou à altura e achei muito interessante a maneira como se lidou com o vilão no final. (E já agora, gostava de saber como é que um certo personagem volta a aparecer nos Instrumentos Mortais.)

Sim, é o meu livro, cheio de post-its./Yes, that's my copy, filled with post-its.

Que mais posso dizer? Que gosto do humor da Cassandra, e das situações em que põe os seus personagens, e das frases que lhes mete na boca? Que a história me deixava tão stressada que às vezes tinha de levantar-me e andar pelo quarto para descomprimir? Ou que por vezes era tão excitante que dava por mim a hiperventilar e a ter de fechar os olhos por um bocadinho a ver se me acalmava? Que me fartei de deixar post-its entre as páginas para voltar a recordar certos momentos? Que, graças aos céus, consegui resistir a ler spoilers, a folhear o livro para a frente do que tinha lido, ou a espreitar a árvore genealógica antes de acabar? Facto para o qual me deviam dar uma medalha, já agora.

Termino muita satisfeita com a trilogia. E muito curiosa acerca do último livro dos Instrumentos Mortais, City of Heavenly Fire, porque promete e porque tenho a sensação que a Cassandra Clare ainda pode ter muita coisa na manga, ou assim o epílogo me fez pensar.

Páginas: 592

Editora: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon and Schuster)

---/---

Description

Note: I did try to make it spoilerless, so I mention what I thought of characters and plot in broader terms. I included some quotes along the post, but I think they do not spoil what happens in the book.

My thoughts: Well... this was a much anticipated book. Not only because I wanted to read it as close as I could to the day it came out to avoid spoilers, but also because I really like this trilogy and I was way curious to find out what the author had in store for us. Wow, Cassandra, you do love to torture your readers, don't you? I went through so many different emotions, so many highs and lows, that I will have to reread bits of the story in the next few days to relive them.

There's one thing I love to read in these books, it's the characters and the relationships between them. I liked so much the sibling relationships - Gabriel and Gideon's, and Will and Cecily's -, as each has its nuances, but always with having both siblings protecting each other and driving each other mad. I do love seeing Charlotte and Henry together - Charlotte is truly a leader, and Henry is the misunderstood genius who sees the world differently, but is always an optimist - and both support each other, now that they understand each other better.

I adore the women in the story because they are, in their own way, strong and brave. Cecily has the Herondale spirit; Charlotte cares for everyone in the Institute and inspires loyalty in them; Sophie dares to dream higher and tries to make peace with her past; Bridget is a fierce fighter, despite the singing; Jessamine fights for with she wants, even though she makes a lot of mistakes; and Tessa tries to find her place in the world, and to protect those she loves (not having qualms in throwing herself in a dangerous situation in her wedding dress).

Ah, tens a certeza que não vais mudar de ideias, Magnus?/Ah, are you sure you won't change your mind, Magnus?

About Tessa-Wil-Jem… there's not much I can say that's not spoiler-ish. I think I can say I was right in many suspicions I had about what was going to happen, but I can say also that Cassandra surprised me with the execution and the development of it. She makes a compelling argument for both sides, and I don't know, I liked how she settled things. It was an happy, but also sad, ending, and intriguing and oddly appropriate. The epilogue had me in tears. We all know Tessa's immortal, but I'm not sure we understand it until reading the epilogue, until realizing how full of loss that path is.

Another part I like in these books is finding connections between past and present, between The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments. There's so many, many things in this book that link both series, such as objects, characters, and I loved to uncover family links between characters in either series, to recognize physical traits and habits that resonate throughout the years. It was so much fun and exciting to establish the parallels. Magnus is a constant in both series, but I think here he gets a distinction that I only saw later in the other series. And I think he has a soft spot for these guys.

I was intrigued with Mortmain's endgame, and with Tessa's true nature, and I wasn't disappointed. The villain does raise the stakes, leaving the Institute and its characters in a jam, but they rose to the challenge and I found it interesting the way the villain was dealt with in the end. (And by the way, I wonder how a certain character shows up again in The Mortal Instruments.)

What more can I say? That I enjoy Cassandra's humor, the situations she puts her characters in, and the lines she has them say? That sometimes the story had me so stressed I had to get up and pace around the room to relax? Or that sometimes it was so exciting that I was hyperventilating and I had to close my eyes for a bit to calm myself down? That I placed post-its to mark the pages and be able to revisit certain moments? That, thankfully, I managed to resist spoilers, to resist peeking the pages ahead, and to resist looking at the family tree before the story was over? I should totally get a medal for that.

Gabriel Lightwood a canalizar Will Herondale. Nunca pensei ver este dia./Gabriel Lightwood channeling Will Herondale. I never thought I'd live to see this day.

I ended up quite satisfied with this trilogy. And very curious about the last book in The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire, since I have a hunch that Cassandra Clare may have many things up her sleeve, or so the epilogue had me thinking.

Pages: 592

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon and Schuster)

Gates of Paradise, Melissa de la Cruz

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: So, my story with this series starts in 2011, when I devoured books 1-5 (Blue Bloods to Misguided Angel), plus book 5.5 (Bloody Valentine), plus the companion (Keys to the Repository), almost back-to-back. And I read book 6 (Lost in Time) later that year. Which ended up being pure torture, since I had to wait way more than a year to read this lastest and last instalment in the Blue Bloods series, Gates of Paradise. (Yes, there was Wolf Pact, the spin-off, to tide me over until this one came out, but it wasn't the same - I found Wolf Pact a bit lacking.)

Was it worth, all the waiting and worrying? Completely. I expected closure for my favorite characters, and that's what I got. I expected to have some loose ends tied, and to finally learn some details about the past, and that I got too. In the end, I loved these series for what it is: pure, silly fun, but also cleverly plotted and using vampiric, angelic, and a bit of werewolf and Norse mythology in an impressive way.

This book goes back to the first few books' main narrators (Schuyler, Mimi and Bliss), but it doesn't shy away from having a few chapters with the point of view (POV) of some other characters. Schuyler, separated from Jack, struggles with her role in the final battle and how she may be able to fulfill it. Her story goes on a tangent for a bit, but one that gave her purpose, and I loved how in the end she managed not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Mimi and Jack, meanwhile, are working for the Dark Prince, as part of their attempt to break their bond. Both face impossible choices and are asked to endanger loved ones. I think Jack played the part of traitor better (probably because I wasn't in his head and didn't get to witness his doubts), he took a chance and he did manage to protect Schuyler after all, and he wasn't afraid of sacrificing himself.

Mimi, on the other hand, tried to stall everything she was asked, and she did only half-hearted attempts at everything, and I'm glad Kingsley saw right through her pathetic attempts at being bad. And, by the way, Kingsley is awesome - he is clever, he kicks ass, and he fights for Mimi. Well done.

Bliss is with the pack, trying to reopen the passages of time and fix something that may well break her heart. The storyline with the wolves is still the weakest one for me, though it is much better than Wolf Pact. I wish there was more time to develop the wolves, because I think they are promising. And I do enjoy how Melissa was able to weave werewolf and Norse mythology in the series.

There are a few chapters on Tomasia's POV, Gabrielle's alias on Florence, and on Gabrielle's POV, and with those we finally get to find out what happened exactly in Florence (and prior to that, Rome). It ties everything nicely, and it answers some doubts I had concerning the Uncorrupted, Lucifer, Ben Chase and Gabrielle's children. I enjoyed to figure out and learn the final pieces of the puzzle. Bliss' origin had had me questioning a few things in earlier books, and it was heartbreaking to learn some of what had transpired between Gabrielle, Michael and Lucifer.

In the end, I found it interesting that, although all of these characters are very old, and have endured many cycles of reincarnation, the physically younger characters in this cycle are the ones that broke the rules, and that brought change to the Blue Bloods. How fitting to have youth to bring forth a new status quo.

I enjoyed to read the final chapters, because they close the story nicely and allowed me to give everyone a farewell knowing they'll be okay, wherever they are, and whomever they are with. The ending that intrigues me is Oliver's. I believe the author mentions in her website a possible second cycle in the Blue Bloods stories, and I think Oliver may play a big part in that. But that's just me speculating.

Pages: 368

Publisher: Atom (Little, Brown Book Group UK)

Shadows in the Silence, Courtney Allison Moulton

This book was read for the 2013 Don't Let It End Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun.

Description

My thoughts: I'm a big fan of Ellie and Will. Their story captivated me in Angelfire and I read Wings of the Wicked completely engrossed, but as Shadows in the Silence's release date approached, I was dreading it a bit. It was thrilling to hold the book in my hands, but it was sad to know this is it, this is the end.

After the ending in Wings of the Wicked, Ellie is in a countdown to help Will, and she tries everything she can to save him. This is why I love these two, they adore each other, they are a kickass team, and they are so fiercely protective of each other. They argue and they make up, but they support each other and they are equals. I get all emotional and happy just thinking about them.

As for the other characters... I'll try not to spoil anything as to who lives and dies, or who shows up a bit unexpectedly. (BTW, I really liked to meet that character.) But I love to see how Ellie is surrounded with people that care for her and who will fight for her. There's her Nana, who understands what Ellie is and what she must do. And Kate, who is an awesome friend with a big mouth and a big heart. Or Cadan, who is trying to redeem a lifetime of evil-doing. And Marcus, Ava, Sabina, and a whole lot of other people who leave a mark on Ellie's path.

I am still a big fan of this world of angels and reapers, fallen angels and an archangel in the body of a teenage girl. Nothing comes easy, alliances must be made, and a lot of fighting goes a long way to move the story forward. Ellie and the, hmm, gang feel like the underdogs and winning is not a guarantee. If I had to guess, I'd say Courtney Allison Moulton is a fan of Supernatural (the CW show), because this world has a feel somewhat similar, like Dean and Sam could show up any minute to help out Ellie.

Plot-wise, this is a non-stop ride that barely lets you stop for a breath. The end of the world is near, and Ellie and everyone else travel around the world to investigate leads and retrieve items that might help them stop the villains from destroying the world. There's always something happening in terms of conflict, internal or external, and the ultimate sacrifice looms over their heads.

The ending was a bit sad, yet it felt right, like things were meant to be this way. I wish the very end was not so open, because I like to know everything I can before the book closes, but it ends on a hopeful note, and I was very happy with that.

In retrospective, I loved this series, and I had a great time reading it. I would say it ranks very high among the paranormal books with angels... recommended for the fans of the Unearthly series or the Demon Trappers series. (Two angelic series I love as well.)

Pages: 480

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)

With All My Soul Mini-Reading Challenge

Just signing up for another challenge, a mini-challenge, since I entered Fiktshun's Soul Screamers Reading Challenge last year and I loved it. It was a great feeling, to read almost all the books in this series back-to-back, because I fell in love with the story and the characters. It's almost too sad to say goodbye, especially because I feel Rachel Vincent has in store so much heartbreak for me, but I'm also excited to read the final chapter of Kaylee's journey.

You can sign-up here (or click the above image) - there's a sign-up giveaway for a copy of With All My Soul, the last book in the series (you can gain extra entries for the sign-up giveaway if you make a participation post such as this).