Prodigy by Marie Lu

Synopsis (from goodreads)

Pages: 371

Publisher: Razorbill
Released: 29th of January 2013
Other Books in the Series: Legend

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

What I Have To Say

What can I say about Prodigy. It didn't give me the same thrill as Legend did, but then sequels rarely do. That aside, it was a really good follow up. The chemistry between June and Day still feels real and has gotten more interesting with the other characters involved. 

Love triangles are really common in YA literature, especially at the moment. But I'm not as into them as everyone else seems to be. The way that it is in Prodigy though is really interesting though. Firstly because of the fact that it isn't just a case of one girl and which one will she choose, but there are other factors involved most importantly the fact that both June and Day have to choose who to go with.

The ending also added to the complications and I can't wait to see what's next for June and Day.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 370
Publisher: Random House
Released: 11th of September 2012


Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

What I Have to Say

After reading Team Human, Sarah Rees Brennan was an author I was really interested in checking out. I have heard good things about her and I wanted to see if she was as good on her own as she was co-writing with Justine Larbalestier. She didn't disappoint me. 

In Unspoken, Sarah Rees Brennan shows the same ability to create realistic, quirky and original characters as the ones in Team Human. Kami and Jared and the others are so lifelike but at the same time completely awesome. They're the sorts of characters that you could easily see yourself wanting to be friends with. 

The relationship between Jared and Kami was also completely fascinating. It would have been so easy for them to have found out that the other was real and just be completely and utterly in love. That is what I expected. That was not what happened. Reality is never as easy as in stories, but the best stories show difficulties that are just as hard as real life. And Unspoken is definitely one of the best. 

Add in the magical elements and you can see why this book is one of my new favourites.

With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 377

Publisher: Mira Ink

Released: The 5th of April 2013
Other books in the series:
My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep
My Soul to Steal
If I Die
Before I Wake

After spending the last year undead, Kaylee Cavanaugh has had enough of the paranormal creatures who have plagued her ever since she came into her banshee powers. Now she's ready to take back her school from evil hellions, once and forever.

To protect her friends, Kaylee will need to find a way to turn the living incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another.

When one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realises she can't save everyone she loves without making some powerful sacrifices...

What I Have To Say

I didn't think that Rachel Vincent would be able to write something at emotional as If I Die. Not that I doubt her writing ability, but simply because If I Die was something truly exceptional. But I was wrong. 

With All My Soul was tragic, gripping and absolutely beautiful. I enjoyed every moment of it, even when my heart was being torn out of my chest and stomped all over. No wait.... especially when my heart was being torn out of my chest and stomped all over. Rachel Vincent's writing in this book reached whole new levels. 

It was a wonderful end to the series, but I am so, so sad that it's over. I have lived ever single one of these books and Emma, Tod and Kaylee are just a few of the character's I'm going to miss.