Pawn by Aimée Carter

Pawn by Aimee Carter
Published: Harlequin Teen, November 26th, 2013
Pages: 343
Source: Hardcover, purchased
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 4/5

How I Felt: After just over a year of having this book on my shelf, I'm so glad I finally picked it up! It was such an easy and quick, yet interesting dystopian. I really enjoyed reading this book, definitely worth my time!

Our protagonist, Kitty Doe was so spunky and awesome, I loved reading about her. She reminded me a lot of America Singer and Katniss Everdeen. Kitty was so passionate about the country and its people, which of course is a necessary characteristic for the heroic figure in a dystopian setting.  Kitty is placed in a group home because she is what people call 'extras', the child of parents with more than one child. Through the group home she meets her long life friend, and boyfriend, Benjy (Benjamin Doe). (Everyone in the group home has the same last name, they're not related...at least I hope not at this point.)

The people of this new version of the United States have a lot of strict rules placed upon them because nothing is just. In this world when you turn 17 you take a test to determine where you'll be ranked in society, a II, III IV, V VI or VII which is reserved for the Prime Minister and his family. The higher your ranking, the more special treatment you receive. And if you don't pass the test you get sent Elsewhere because you're deemed 'useless' by society. You can only imagine how much chaos this system causes. I loved the way this world was set up, it had the typical corrupted government, with people in poverty fighting for their lives, and then we have this protagonist that's stubborn, and brave so it was great to see all those elements come together!

In this book there was some sort of war in the United States and so when the country recovered they had a Prime Minister instead of a President and the title was inherited so there's no real sense of democracy.

I'll admit this wasn't the best dystopian book I've ever read but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and read it pretty quickly. I definitely can't wait to pick up the sequel, Captive! I hope we learn more about the government and the way that it's set up.

There were a few plot twists that were literally on the last page of the novel so I really want to learn more about those. I thought the romance aspect was a little shaky and uncertain and kept going back and forth between the prospect of a love triangle and this didn't sit well with me. Also, the fact that the main character has dyslexia didn't occur to me until after I finished the book and I can't believe it took me that long to figure that out because it was hinted at quite a lot.

Other than that I really liked this world and story; it reminded me a lot of a mixture between Uglies and The Selection. I highly recommend this if you're in a reading slump because it got me out of one! Also if you're a fan of either Uglies or The Selection or both you'll definitely have a fun time reading this! I need to get my hands on #2!!

Favourite Quotes:

• “Have you ever played chess, Kitty?”
  I eyed her. What did a board game have to do with this? “Not really.”
  “You and I should play sometime. I think you would like it,” she said. “It’s a game of strategy, mostly. The strong pieces are in the back row, while the weak pieces—the pawns—are all in the front, ready to take the brunt of the attack. Because of their limited movement and vulnerability, most people underestimate them and only use them to protect the more powerful pieces. But when I play, I protect my pawns.”
  “Why?” I said, not entirely sure where this conversation was going. “If they’re weak, then what’s the point?”
  “They may be weak when the game begins, but their potential is remarkable. Most of the time, they’ll be taken by the other side and held captive until the end of the game. But if you’re careful—if you keep your eyes open and pay attention to what your opponent is doing, if you protect your pawns and they reach the other side of the board, do you know what happens then?”
  I shook my head, and she smiled.
  “Your pawn becomes a queen.” She touched my cheek, her fingers cold as ice. “Because they kept moving forward and triumphed against impossible odds, they become the most powerful piece in the game. Never forget that, all right? Never forget the potential one solitary pawn has to change the entire game.”

Thanks for reading!

~Birdie

***Quotes taken from Goodreads.com and Pawn by Aimee Carter***
*Info on book taken from Goodreads.com*

Top 5 Favourite Contemporaries!

I've decided to start doing posts about some of my favourite books, but because I've read so many I've decided to split them up according to genre so they can all have their shining moment. I wanted to start off with comtemporary because most of the books I read from this genre have romance in them, so I thought this would be perfect to do before Valentine's Day. This is also kind of like a recommendations post too because I do highly recommend all of these books! And by the way these books are in no particular order. So here they are!

1. Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
Pages: 399
Rating: 5/5
This was my first Sarah Dessen book and I really loved it! It is still my favourite Dessen book of all time, and I've read quite a few more by her already. I loved the characters, the plot and the setting; it all just worked for me! If you want to start reading Sarah Dessen I highly recommend this one! (Also, the characters in this book appear in her other novels!)

 

2. My Life Next Door

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Pages: 394

Rating: 5/5

I absolutely loved this book! I loved how we got to see the two main love interests together for the majority of the book, and not just at the end like other contemporaries. I also liked that there was a big focus on the importance of family in this book, I feel like that isn't mentioned much in most young adult books. If you're looking for something cute, sweet and meaningful I suggest you pick this up A.S.A.P!

3. Just One Day

Author: Gayle Forman

Pages: 369

Rating: 4.5/5

This was such an inspiring book, a really great coming of age story! The main character Allyson had so many awful things thrown at her, yet she pulled through in the end. Gayle Forman's writing is glorious as usual, definitely a really relatable read, one that deals with more serious topics, and not just a cutesy love story. Highly recommend, and would be a perfect read for February!

 

4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before



 Author: Jenny Han
Pages: 355
Rating: 5/5
This book was nothing shy of amazing! It was funny, adorable and fast-paced! Lara-Jean was such an amazing protagonist and I loved reading from her perspective. Peter and her were adorable and I can't wait to see more of them in the sequel! This was another book I loved that had a strong focus on the family aspect. Definitely a must read, especially for Valentine's Day!

 

 

5. Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Pages: 433

Rating: 5/5

When I first read this book I fell completely in love with the characters and the story. I remember when this first came out I pre-ordered it because I really liked the premise (it was also 50% off!) and when I finished it I was in a state of shock because it was just SO GOOD, if you are one of the few people who haven't read this already get on it because you won't regret it one bit! Another perfect Valentine's read! But it might leave you in a slight slump because...Levi... *swoons*

 

So those were just some of my favourite contemporary books, I hope this helped you find a new gem that you can enjoy time and time again. Thanks for reading!

~Birdie

 

***Info on books taken from Goodreads.com

*Pictures and quotes taken from google.ca and bing.ca

Review Policy

If you are an author or publisher and are interested in having me review your book you can contact me at birdiesbooks15@gmail.com. Here are some things I look for when receiving books:

• The only books I'll except will be in physical form whether that be a finished copy or an advanced reader's copy.
• I will accept young adult and middle grade books from any genre.
• I won't accept non-fiction, memoirs, biographies, adult books or graphic novels.
• If you are asking me to review a sequel I kindly ask that you also provide the previous books in the series.
• I can't guarantee that I will enjoy your book as all my reviews are completely honest, all my feelings toward the novel will be included in my review.
• I will make my best effort to get your book read and reviewed within a month.
• My reviews will be posted on this blog as well as on my Goodreads page.

Thanks!
~Birdie

The Book Sacrifice Tag

I felt like this tag would be a great way for me to let off some steam about some books I didn't like too much. Everything is just my opinion on the certain book and if you happened to like any of these that's awesome, this is just my personal opinion and I'm not trying to offend anyone. This tag was originally created on BookTube by Ariel Bissett and I thought it was an awesome idea! So here we go!


Scenario 1. You're in the bookstore when the zombie apocalypse begins, the only way to kill them is to hit them on the head with an overhyped book!


I'd definitely be grabbing Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Before I read this book I kept hearing about how wonderful and fantastic this book is so I eventually picked it up. Now while I agree its an interesting concept and the writing is beautiful I just don't think it deserves all the hype.


Scenario 2. You're at the hair salon getting a fresh new 'do when all of a sudden it starts pouring rain. What sequel do you choose to use as your umbrella?


Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick, hands down. This is the third book in the Hush, Hush saga and I absolutely hated it! It was the slowest paced book in the series and was basically just a repeat everything that happened in the first two installments.


Scenario 3. You're in English class and your teacher is droning on about a classic that you hate. Which book is the teacher talking about?


Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. This play is everyone's favourite because of the love between Romeo and Juliet but that's what made me hate this. While reading this in English class I was fuming because I was so frustrated with this story and all the characters. The romance is what through me off the most, I couldn't stand Romeo at all, I had no tolerance for him.


Scenario 4. You're at the library when all of a sudden global warming fires up, then the librarian says you must stay inside and burn whatever you can to survive. What will be the book you gladly run to burn?


First of all the idea of burning books terrifies me. But if I really had to I'd choose Allegiant by Veronica Roth. *gasp*  What?! Yes, you read correctly. I absolutely, positively hated this book. It's not because of the ending which is probably what you're all thinking, no, it's because of the book itself. It ruined the entire trilogy for me. I hated the writing, I hated the plot, the characters really started getting on my nerves etc.


Well, that's the end of that. I hope you found this tag somewhat amusing. I also hope this didn't make you hate me. Again this is just my opinion and I don't mean to offend anyone. I'll link Ariel's original video so you can see another version, and I'll also link Christine or PolandbananasBOOKS video because that was the first one I watched and where I got the questions from.


Christine's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pEK25Z7PPs


Ariel's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_2UxYi8fOA


Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Published: Tor Teen, January 31st, 2012
Pages: 384
Source: Paperback, purchased
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 3.75/5 (79%)

How I Felt: This book was really good! I flew thru it! It was fast-paced, action-packed and had an adorable, yet frustrating romance. This book was well written, but not really unique, basically every dystopian book is like this but I still found it enjoyable and good because dystopian books are my #1 choice all the time.

The tag line: "Compliance is mandatory" immediately hooked me in, because I found that really intriguing, I really like how that line was played up throughout the novel.

In this book we didn't really learn much about the world, just that there was a war that tore America apart, and brought about a new government system. The whole idea of the FBR and the MM was well showcased throughout the story, we really got to see their huge impact on society. The whole concept of these 'Moral Statutes' was really interested, yet twisted; I hope we learn more about their origination in the books to come.

Another thing I liked about this book was that in the beginning, whilst explaining the Moral Statutes, and the new role the government plays, themes of religion were briefly touched upon, which I found brave and admirable on the author's part because usually this topic is shied away from by most authors.

Of course in a book like this there'd have to be a group of people the protagonist refers to as 'The Resistance'. I'm interested to see what they've got, and what they do for the protagonist and the world in the books to come.

Now let's talk about characters. First up, Morris. He was portrayed as such an interesting villain, and it's obvious he has to play a part in the sequel (at least I'm hoping). There seems to be a backstory lingering behind his tough façade. Ember was such a great protagonist and character, she had a definite character arc throughout the story. She went from a meek girl loving with her mother to a kick-butt fighter who could protect herself. I do wonder how she gathered these fighting skills because she never really had any use for them in the past, it seems like these were just instincts that propelled her to safety every time she was in danger. Chase Jennings. Woah. When he first came back I didn't like him or trust him, but as we learned about what happened, and the motives behind his actions my love and respect for him skyrocketed! Him and Ember need to stay together forever, they make such a good team!

Overall I really enjoyed this book! It was a great read, I definitely recommend it! I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel and find out what happens next!

Favourite Quotes:

• “He put a hand on his throat, as though trying to stop the words, but they came anyway.
  "You're home. To me.”  
• “He was my anchor in the hurricane, yet at the same time, the hurricane itself, so that I nearly always felt safe and afraid simultaneously. There was nothing in the world as confusing and powerful as being close to him.”
• “There were plenty of ways to hurt someone without using your fists.”
• “I jerked instinctively. I couldn't stay here. I couldn't die in this closet.
  'No one is going to touch you,' Chase murmured into my hair.”
• “How cold and foreign this city seemed, that even death could pass unnoticed.”

Thanks for reading!

~Birdie

 

***Quotes taken from Goodreads.com and Article 5 by Kristen Simmons***
*Info on book taken from Goodreads.com*

The Christmas Cracker Book Tag

This is another tag I've seen a lot on BookTube and wanted to try it out on my blog. This is the last post I'll be doing for a little while because Christmas is tomorrow! Now, let's begin the tag!

1. Pick a book with a wintry cover.
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
This is a very common pick as far as wintry covers go, but I picked it because whenever I see this cover it just makes me think of winter.








2. Pick a book you're likely to buy as a present.
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
I'd probably give this book as a present because it's one of my favourites, and I think anyone will enjoy it!








3. Pick a festive themed book.
My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
This is a collection of short stories, written by a bunch of different authors that involve a bunch of different holidays. Every time I hear about it, it gets me excited for the holiday season!







4. Pick a book you can curl up by the fireplace with.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
This was my favourite book for quite some time, it's now on my favourites list. This seems like the perfect book to curl up with and read.








5. Pick a book you want to read over the festive period.
Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
I have yet to read this book so every year at Christmas time I challenge myself to read it, and it's still not happened yet.








6. Pick a book that's so good it gives you the chills.
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
This book is so amazing! Every time I read about Cricket Bell I just get the chills because he's so perfect and I love him and Lola together!








7. Pick a book going on your Christmas wish list.
Definitely In The End by Demitiria Lunetta because I just read the first book and I need to know what happens next!









Well that was the Christmas cracker book tag! By the way I wasn't tagged by anyone. Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Top 14 Books of 2014

Finally, the time has come for me to post my favourite books of 2014! I'm so excited to share these with you, I've been saving this post for a while! As of now, I've read 93 books in 2014; there's a slight possibility I'll read more but I don't want to force myself since I've already reached my goal of 90. Well, the moment you've been waiting for...my 14 most favourite books of 2014! These aren't just books that were released in 2014, but books I've read during the year. (Also, these are in no particular order because it was hard enough narrowing it down to 14!)

14. Origin by Jennifer. L. Armentrout (Lux #4)
Rating: 5/5
Loved this book! It's my favourite book in the series because it was so action-packed and hilarious! But that cliff hanger...








13. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 5/5
This book came as such a surprise to me! I read it because it was the Booksplosion book of the month and didn't expect to love it as much as I do!








12. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #3)
Rating: 5/5
Ohmigosh this book was and is phenomenal! The perfect conclusion! You could really see the depth of Juliette's growth in this, and Warner was just perfect as usual. Of course one can't forget Kenji and his trademark humor!







11. Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)
Rating: 5/5
This is now my favourite in the series so far! Each book just gets better and better! I don't know what I'm going to do when the series is over and I'm going to have to say goodbye to the characters, but at least I don't have to worry about that for another two books!






10. In The After by Demitria Lunetta (In The After #1)
Rating: 4.75/5
This was such a fantastic sci-fi! Loved every second of reading this! I can't wait to continue on and see what's in store for Amy!








9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
Rating: 5/5
This was a truly beautiful book, definitely a must read. This is a timeless tale that anyone can learn from. I'm so happy I finally got around to reading it!








8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Rating: 4.5/5
I didn't expect to love this book because a lot of people were saying it doesn't live up to the hype, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved this book, it's my first YA mystery novel and this really put me in the mood to read more books in this genre!






7. Unhinged by A.G. Howard (Splintered #2)
Rating: 5/5
Ok, honestly it's no surprise by now that these books are literally my favourites because I do nothing but talk about how awesome they are, so I'm not going to say too much because I mention them in every post!







6. Graceling by Kristen Cashore (Graceling Realm #1)
Rating: 5/5
This is the first fantasy novel I've ever read and it's made me super excited to pick up more books from this genre! It didn't take me long to read this book, I found the premise really interesting, and the plot very engaging! It was also fun to follow Katsa and Po around all the time!






5. Maus I by Art Spiegelman (Maus #1)
Rating: 4/5
This was such a fantastic graphic novel. I loved all the history that was included in this, and the characters and setting were portrayed uniquely which made the book a lot more intriguing.







4. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky #3)
Rating: 5/5
I have to admit this conclusion was so amazing it moved me to tears! This was such a bittersweet ending! I loved the way it concluded, I'm just sad to say goodbye to some of my favourite characters!







3. The One by Kiera Cass (The Selection #3)
Rating: 4.25/5
This was an amazing installment in the series! America was becoming more independent and self-aware in this book! We really got to see a lot more of the world in this book, and I'm excited to learn more in the next installments!







2. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han (To All The Boys #1)
Rating: 5/5
This book was hilarious! I loved reading about Lara Jean and Peter! This was one of the few books where I really loved the main characters family! Jenny Han's writing style is fantastic and I can't wait to read more of her books!







1. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Rating: 5/5
This book was really inspirational. I related a lot to the main character Emily, and I enjoyed reading about her journey and seeing her grow as a person! This is such a fantastic contemporary novel and I'm so happy I read it!







Those are my top 14 books of 2014! It was so hard to choose because I read so many amazing books this year! What are your favourite books of the year? Thanks for reading!
~Birdie