The Last Princess

Author: Galaxy Craze

Series: Stand Alone

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance.

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Released: May 1, 2012

Summary: courtesy of goodreads.com A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.

When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year-old Princess Eliza manages to escape.

Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope—and to love—once more. Now she must risk everything to ensure that she not become... The Last Princess.

For Fans Of: The Lost Code, Revived, Renegade, The Forsaken, and Survive.

My Review: I picked up this book because 1. It takes place in England. I love anything English. 2. It was yet another dystopian novel which I’m obsessed with at the moment. 3. It involves a princess. I like the fantasy incorporated in a dystopian society.

The beginning was almost exactly like the story of Princess Anastasia; the Royal family destroyed and one princess escapes. I mean Eliza sneaks out through a secret passage way in Buckingham Palace. Doesn’t Anastasia do that in the movie?

Eliza joins the enemy forces trying to find the man that destroyed her family. The girls in the army are ruthless. I felt so bad for Eliza when they began to bully her. The army and the Death Camps for those still loyal to the Crown reminded me a lot of World War II because of one man trying to rise to power (Hitler) and the Death Camps (Holocaust) to kill the royal prisoners.

However the one crucial thing missing was the romance. The ‘romance’ was brief and feeble. I was more under the impression that the book was about Eliza defeating all odds and coming out triumphant; getting rid of those who wish harm to the Crown. That is what I thought was the main plot of the story. It really didn’t need romance, but it is mentioned and when romance is mentioned you have to follow through with it. I just wasn’t convinced with the little love blossom.

The Last Princess was a very quick moving story. It doesn’t leave time for you to breathe. It’s one scene to the next and by the time I knew it, I had finished the book.

I will warn those setting out to read it; I don’t get queasy easily, but this book had me cringing at some parts. Galaxy Craze (awesome name) is very detailed in her writing, so beware.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I like how it ended summing everything up but leaving a chance for perhaps a sequel. 

Body and Soul

Author: Stacey Kade

Series: The Ghost and the Goth # 3

Genres: Paranormal, Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance

Publisher: Hyperion

Released: 1 May 2012

Summary:courtesy of goodreads.com The Ghost
I’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily...or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am, or if who that is is good enough. I need out of this mess. Now. Will and I have been looking for a solution, one that would separate me from Lily without killing her. But it’s not going well. Then, when it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, we run into Misty, my former best friend and boyfriend-stealer extraordinaire, who claims she’s being haunted...by me. Seriously?I’m determined to get to the bottom of who’s pretending to be the spirit of Alona Dare (while I’m pretending to be someone else) and then get the heck out of this body. Or die trying...
The Goth
I’ll admit it. It’s really weird to look at Alona but see Lily. I do know the difference, though, contrary to what Alona might be saying. And Alona is more than a pretty face to me, not that she would believe that. Our one lead for some help in this messed up situation might be a page torn from the yellow pages-—the “Psychics” section-—I found in my dad’s stuff. One of the “fakes” seems a bit more real-—and odd-—than the others. Before I can investigate further, though, Alona is off and chasing a ghost that’s probably nothing more than a figment of Misty’s guilty imagination. Now Lily’s family is freaking out because she didn’t come home, my mom is ordering me to stay out of it, and something is definitely wrong with the person formerly known as Lily “Ally” Turner...

For Fans Of: The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead, Hereafter, and Arise

My Review:  I thoroughly enjoyed Body and Soul.  As the final novel in The Ghost and the Goth trilogy I feel like it definitely lives up to it’s predecessors.  The reason I liked this one the most is that I feel like Alona and Will finally begin to figure stuff out.  We’ve been waiting peeps, and the day has finally come!

No more beating around the bush, no more “let’s be nice all the time” Alona and Will are finally becoming adults, and acting like they are in an adult relationship!  Go Alona and Will!  I don’t want to give anything away, and Body and Soul has the potential to be very spoiler-ridden (review wise) so let me just say this:  If you liked the first two, Body and Soul is a worthy finale.  I’ve loved going on this book journey with Alona and Will. Alona is still her same old smart aleck self, and Will has the patience of a god.  But that is why the these two work.  It was so much fun to see them enter this new phase of their relationship and try to re-figure each other out.  There were still plenty of laughs, and in true Stacey Kade fashion I was holding my breath towards the end.  You’ve got your villain, you’ve got your love interest, now go curl up on the couch and read about them like your back in high school ;)

Wrecked

Author: Anna Davies

Series: Stand Alone

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Released: 1 May 2012

Summary:  courtesy of goodreads.com Ever since the death of her parents, Miranda has lived on Whym Island, taking comfort in the local folklore, which claims a mysterious sea witch controls the fate of all on the island and in its surrounding waters. Sometimes it’s just easier to believe things are out of your control.    But then a terrible boating accident takes the lives of several of her friends, and Miranda is rescued by a mysterious boy who haunts her dreams. Consumed by guilt from the accident, she finds refuge in late-night swims—and meets Christian, a boy who seems eerily familiar, but who is full of mystery: He won’t tell her where he is from, or why they can only meet at the beach. But Miranda falls for him anyway…and discovers that Christian’s secrets, though meant to protect her, may bring her nothing but harm.    

For Fans Of: Between the Sea and the Sky and Forgive My Fins

My Review: I’m pretty sure I was supposed to learn something from Wrecked, and that something is that pseudo mermaid tales and I don’t get along. At. All.  So basically, this was my final shot and I won’t be reading any more.  Don’t get me wrong, Wrecked was a good story.  It had it’s moments of severe aggravation amongst characters, but all in all the story was really solid.  It held with the same ideas throughout, and the characters didn't go all bi-polar, so that was a bonus. I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for Miranda, but at least it was consistent sorrow.  However, what I wasn’t planning on the ending.  I won’t spoil it for you, but I will admit I was kind of bummed.

I dislike books that are sad, and Wrecked was a pretty sad book. Interesting because of it’s source material being mermaids and sea creatures, but not one that I would pick up.  Like I said, I am officially banning myself from reads that contain anything involving mer-creatures or things from the ocean.  Because of this bias, I’m giving it two pie, but normally I would have given it one.  It was just so darn sad, I kept having to ask myself why I was reading it.  Man, I've got to stop picking up books based purely on the cover art!  And no more mer-whatever!

Waiting

Author: Carol Lynch Williams

Series: Stand Alone

Genres: Realistic, Young Adult, Contemporary

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Released: 1 May 2012

Summary: After her brother’s death, a teen struggles to rediscover love and find redemption in this gripping novel.
Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault?
Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams.

For Fans Of: Crank, Unbreak My Heart, and One Moment

My Review: There is something that you should know about Waiting.  It is written in that weird free verse sort of way that Crank is written in.  I did not know this before reading it.  And I think that pertains in part to why I did not like this book.  Waiting was hard for me for a number of reasons.

Reason 1: The love triangle.  SERIOUSLY!  Why?! Love triangles are completely ridiculous and should be banned from ya books.  Since when have girls like London become the object of guy’s affection?  I mean, she is one messed up chick, which brings me to reason 2.

Reason 2: London is annoying.  How many times do I have to read a ya book where every other verb seems to be crying, sniffling, weeping, etc.  I get it.  This book is sad, but there are ways to do sad.  There are ways to balance it out and make you think more about life than death. 

Reason 3: The relationships.  In addition to London having weird, awkward, and having ultimately unresolved amounts of boy trouble she also has really weird family issues going on.

In addition to the reasons listed above this writing style really just drove me completely crazy.  It felt like a high school essay contest, dripping with angst that by the time I finished I was exhausted. (and it’s a fast read!)  It seems like so many ya books today are dealing with death, which means that it has been done right before.  Books like Saving June, get it right.  This book was not one of those.  I honestly can't say what exactly it was about this book that truly bothered me so much, but it's definitely not one that I would read again.  Once was enough.