The Dark and Hollow Places

** slight spoilers ahead **

Annah is haunted by many memories: the memory of leaving her sister when they were young in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, the painful memory of getting caught in barbed wire and being forever scarred, and lastly, the memory of Elias leaving for the recruiters. Elias hasn't come home even though the requisite 2 years is up and her sister was as good as dead left alone as a child in the Forest. Annah is utterly alone and struggling to keep her hope alive in her dilapidated, empty apartment, but loses the battle. Armed with resolve to leave and start anew, Annah sees her sister at the gates to the Dark City with an infected young man. She turns back to find her sister, alleviate her own guilt, and reconnect with her twin. Unfortunately, forces outside of their control seek to keep them from finding a new life, namely the Recruiters (corrupt and brutal military men) and the walking dead.

The Dark and Hollow Places is told through the eyes of Annah, Gabry's twin introduced in the previous book. The change in perspective is at first a little strange and then a welcome experience. Annah is completely different than both Gabry and Mary. Her hard life has taken a toll on her and made her more hardened and callous than the others. Her outlook on life is bleak, which isn't surprising considering the world in which she lives: one without hope or love. The scars on her face are just a fraction of the actual scars she has, both physical and emotional. She is strong and self sufficient or she wouldn't have survived very long in the Dark City. Her journey to freedom from the Dark City is paralleled by her journey to self acceptance. Her guilt and hatred for herself has consumed her for so long that she sees herself as a horrible and broken person, unworthy of any real relationship. As the story goes along, she learns to feel comfortable in her own skin and embrace her identity. This aspect of the story is one I think everyone can relate to. The story is really about a girl struggling to find her place in the world and learning to accept herself.

The change in perspective is especially interesting because the characters and places all look different through Annah's eyes. The Dark City that Gabry's friends so long to live in is actually not somewhere anyone in their right mind would want to live in. The recruiters that rule it are brutal and violent, stealing from and abusing its citizens. The city is broken and horrible, just as it seems the whole world is. It isn't long before that city is also overrun with the Unconsecrated. The view of Elias is also very different. I remembered liking him in The Dead Tossed Waves, but now I really don't like him. He abandoned Annah to join the Recruiters, which was noble at the time. What really angered me was that he chose to stay with the Recruiters even though he knew Annah was out there on her own, waiting for him. He also leads her on and then acts as if nothing happened. To Gabry, he's amazing, but to Annah, he is an insensitive jerk.

The dystopian aspects of the story are still intact and work very well. The Recruiters are awful, but also realistic. They do what they have to in order to survive and lord their power over those who are weaker for entertainment. They prove to be even more monstrous than the zombies and the characters fear them about as much. A wider view of the world is shown as well, but most of it is unfortunately overrun with zombies, dampening the hope that there is some sanctuary still in existence against the undead. This installment is the darkest and best of the trilogy. I recommend this to any zombie or dystopia fan.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

City of Bones

Clary Fray likes to frequent an all ages club, Pandemonium, with her friend (who emphatically does not) named Simon. On a night like any other, Clary witnesses three teens gang up on a fourth in a storage room. She tries to save the bullied boy, but he is killed and then disappears. Clary is understandably shocked. The boy is a demon and the other three are Shadowhunters, educated and trained to kill demons from a young age using magical weapons and runes. Shortly after this event, Clary's mother, Jocelyn, is kidnapped by a rouge Shadowhunter, Valentine. He seems to think that Jocelyn can lead him to the Mortal cup, a powerful artifact that can create more Shadowhunters, so he can wage war against all demons and half-demons to keep the human race pure. The goal is to make all humans Shadowhunters, but only about 20% of all of them would survive the change. Clary, along with Jace, Alec, and Isabelle, must find the cup before Valentine does and then rescue her mother. Can they succeed before Valentine finds the cup?

I have heard lots of good things about the Mortal Instruments series, so I just had to read what all the fuss is about. City of Bones didn't quite live up to it, but I definitely wasn't disappointed. I really liked the characters. Clary is plucky and brave despite being largely defenseless compared to the trained and prepared Shadowhunters. Not only that, but she's also pretty clever and quick to get used to the strange lives that Shadowhunters live. Of course she makes some mistakes and acts kind of annoying sometimes, mostly when acting rashly and not thinking of others. But that's to be expected with any character. I know there are a lot of Jace fangirls and Jace haters. I'm somewhere in the middle. At first I thought Jace was pretty horrible, but as the book went on, he revealed more and more of the person underneath that hardened outer shell. I felt sympathetic toward shim, but I was still annoyed by some of his over the top bad boy behavior. With what I had heard before, I was expecting Patch (from Hush, Hush) levels of bad behavior. I'm glad that he was far from that and actually likeable instead of just being a complete tool.

The story is pretty predictable and basic for the genre. The characters seem to be especially thick headed in figuring out the mysteries that are pretty obvious much earlier. A lot of the book was dedicated to explaining their world to Clary and by extension the reader: the rules, the runes, the demons, the half demons, etc. It's a little tedious to get through, but admittedly necessary to understanding the story. Hopefully the second book won't have so much of this since the reader would be more familiar with the world and characters.

I enjoyed all the adventure and secrets that City of Bones had to offer. It's like a cross between Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The action was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat. The twist at the end is a little unexpected. I suspected it earlier, but dismissed it as being to weird for a teen book. I would recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy and similar teen books.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins

The Demon's Lexicon

Nick and his older brother Alan don't lead a typical life after their father died. Instead of concentrating on school or sports, these boys have to slay warlocks and their demon minions coming after a powerful charm in their crazed mother's possession or die. After each attack, they have to hastily relocate only to be found again. In their current home, they thought the vicious cycle stopped and their enemies had lost them. They were wrong. After a demon attack in their kitchen, a boy from their school approaches them with 2 demon marks on him, which leads to certain death. Alan takes one of the marks so they can both be saved, but the group must kill warlocks that commanded the demons to attack them in order to remove the marks. Now, Nick and Alan must hunt one of the most powerful warlock's circle and avoid being killed in the process.

Before I read this book, I had met Sarah Rees Brennan several times. She's a delightful person with a boisterous personality and hilarious sense of humor. I was afraid that I wouldn't like the way she writes or her characters because I really like her as a person. My fears were completely unfounded because The Demon's Lexicon is easily one of the most unique young adult novels I've read in the past couple years. I put in the ranks of Brenna Yovanoff's The Replacement and Holly Black's Curse Workers series. My favorite part of this novel is Nick. He is much different than any other protagonist I've ever read. Anger and detachment are his typical states of mind. He might be hard for some to relate to, but he won me over with his sarcastic tone and bad boy charm. I think Alan is meant to be the brother to relate better to, but I didn't like him at all. He was a skilled liar and incredibly manipulative of everyone around him. Even though Nick is less warm and fuzzy, at least he's honest and doesn't try to lie to make people feel better.

The plot and the action in the story were amazing. The sword fights were awesome and exciting, while there was still romance and secrets. The story is full of mystery and intrigue, which I love. I figured out the big secret about midway through the book, but I had fun going through the adventure and doubting if I predicted the ending (which I had). Once I got to the middle of the book, I did not want to put it down. I was disappointed that I had to pause for sleep, but I was up again the next day aching to finish. I love that feeling and it's a rare book that makes me feel that way. I loved the ending and I can't wait to read the second and third books in the series.

The Demon's Lexicon has just about everything: sword fighting, romance, demons, warlocks, and above all, secrets. I highly recommend this book to those not afraid of a good adventure. I also recommend going out to meet Sarah Rees Brennan if at all possible. She's an awesome, hilarious woman this is guaranteed to make whatever event she's at special.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

Mockingjay: The Final Book of the Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen is recovering from her escape from the latest Hunger Games, which required the winners of the previous Games to participate. The rebels came in and rescued her and Finnick Odair from the breached dome, leaving the other tributes in the clutches of President Snow. President Coin of District 13 wants Katniss to become the face of the revolution. She has already gained fame from the Games and the tour following it. This could be instrumental in the downfall of the Capitol and President Snow. After negotiating freedom for the captured tributes and the privilege of killing Snow herself, Katniss reluctantly agrees. She doesn't realize until later that being such a symbol costs her more than she bargained for. She has to decide how much of herself and her loved ones she is willing to sacrifice for this cause. As time goes on, a beaten and defeated Peeta is paraded in the media as Katniss becomes a stronger driving force for the rebels. How long can Katniss focus on her goal when Peeta is obviously suffering? Will she survive long enough to see the rebellion to the end?

I was disappointed to read Catching Fire so soon after it came out because I had to wait so long to read the last book. I finally got to read it recently and I was very pleased with it. It had its flaws along the way, but overall it was a satisfying and realistic end to the trilogy. The thing that is prominently featured in this book is war. In the other books, there were the actual games, which were like a tiny microcosm version of a war, in the first book and in the second book it was all about media exposure and how to appear in the public. The third book is a combination of the first two. The actual war shown in the novel is much more bleak and realistic than the carefully controlled atmosphere of the Games. It's a necessary evil in this book because you can't hope to change anything major in that society without it. The power of the media figures strongly as well as in previous books. Her position as a symbol for the rebellion helps other rebels and has a strong effect on the public at large. It also shows that her position hasn't really changed all that much from the beginning. She's still a pawn for someone to move around and use for their advantage. Katniss has to decide whether or not it's worth it to be under the control of the rebels or under that of the capitol. This is a realistic view that any governing power is going to have its problems and corruption because it's run by humans.

The characters we have to come to know are very much changed in this book. They have all been forced to grow up at a young age and when someone witnesses such awful things, they can't help but be changed. If they had stayed the same, I would call it bad writing because it would just be unrealistic. Katniss is still the kick-ass heroine, but she is injured and scarred, physically and mentally. She is weakened and does act uncharacteristically while hiding in closets and running scared. I think the "uncharacteristic" behavior is a symptom of war and happens to real soldiers, as seen with things like PTSD. Her hero journey comes at a price. When she's finished with the war, assuming she survives, how is she going to move on with her life? She has to pick up the shattered pieces of herself and find a way to move on. This is one of the most realistic aspects of the book and many don't like it, but I think it makes the book go from good to excellent. Although it's still on Katniss' mind, the love triangle between Gale, Katniss, and Peeta is pushed to the background and rightfully so. With so many people's lives on the line, why would one girl's romantic antics take precedence?

The one aspect of the novel that I didn't like was that a certain character was thrown under the proverbial bus, making Katniss' romantic choice very easy. Other than that, the book was excellent. The realistic and depressing angle the book goes in shatters any hope of any idyllic happy ending Katniss might have had. It makes reading the novel exciting because you never know what's going to happen. I've read a great many reviews where the writer complains about how depressing, horrible, and disturbing this book is. Just because it's a YA novel doesn't mean that it has to be all rainbows and glitter all the time. Deal with it or don't read it. So, if you liked the previous Hunger Games books and aren't afraid of a little bleakness, I would encourage you to read this. If not, you can go read something with rainbows, unicorns, and possibly some glittery vampires.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

Crescendo

Nora has been through a lot. People have tried to kill her and her boyfriend Patch went from fallen angel to her personal guardian angel. One would think that after almost being killed things can only get better, but this proves to be false. Patch is becoming more distant from her and Nora doesn't know why. He seems to be getting closer to her ultimate enemy Marcie Millar, but the reason is unclear. On top of all of this, visions of her father's murder plague Nora's sleep. She delves into the mystery by herself because Patch pretty much abandons her. Things get complicated further when Scott, Nora's childhood neighbor, returns and Nora's mom wants to play matchmaker. There's something creepy and menacing about Scott and he may be mixed up in they mystery surrounded her father's murder. Can Nora sort out who she can trust before it's too late?

I wasn't a huge fan of Hush, Hush, but I thought it had some potential and decided to give the second one a chance. It was worse than the first one. The pacing is on par with the first, which isn't good. The plot just meanders around, almost nonsensically, until the big reveal at the end with not much leading up to it. I was hoping this would improve.

Unlike the first novel, I actually found Nora unlikeable. She was annoying, whiny, and just grating. The way she deals with Patch's distancing is completely childish, immature, and flat out vindictive. Instead of asking direct questions and having a semi-mature conversation, she goes off in a huff, tries dating another guy, and just makes things worse. When Patch explains the distance, her reaction is even worse. I spent most of the novel rolling my eyes at her. The entire first book was about if Patch was a good guy or a bad guy and if he was a homicidal maniac or not. I thought the plot would at least be a little different, but she goes through the same doubts and thought processes as before, except this time slutty Marcie Millar is thrown into the mix. Nora's behavior in general seemed much more emotionally erratic and out of character. I get that teenage girls are emotional, but this is a little extreme. And even though it was briefly mentioned in the first book that Nora played the cello and liked baroque music, the only appearance of said instrument happened when Nora hid something in the case. Why bother even mentioning it?

The supporting characters aren't really much better. Vee is unfortunately still in this book. She manages to get Nora into more trouble with her stupid schemes. Nora seriously needs to get some new friends. She's just a two dimensional character to provide a foil for Nora. All she cares about is food and having "fun," which usually translates into getting Nora into some sort of trouble. Patch was a little bit better than the first book. The big problem was that so much of the book could have been skipped if he had just told Nora the truth. Other than that he was the typical tough guy/ bad boy that broods in a corner, kind of like a less awesome version of Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The sequel to Hush, Hush was largely a disappointment. Many problems from the first novel recurred unnecessarily and Nora became an annoying shrew. If you really liked the first one, you might like this one. I'm still planning to read the third book just to see what happens, but I will be getting it from the library.

My rating: 2/5 fishmuffins

YA Series Challenge

I'm joining my second challenge of the new year. I personally have a lot of YA series to read, so this challenge is the kick in my pants to get started. It's hosted by Stalking the Bookshelves and I Eat Words, so head over to one of their blogs if you would like to join in! I've decided to try the 6th level which requires me to read 23-30 books. I may as well aim high! Here is a list of series I would like to finish or start:

Completed:

Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick

* Crescendo

The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

* Mockingjay

The Demon series by Sarah Rees Brennan

* The Demon's Lexicon

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

* City of Bones

To read:

Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

* Blood Promise

* Spirit Bound

* Last Sacrifice

Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine

* Glass Houses

* The Dead Girls' Dance

Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent

* My Soul to Take

Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater

* Linger

* Forever

Study Series by Maria Snyder

* Poison Study

John Cleaver series by Dan Wells

* Mr. Monster

* I Don't Want to Kill You

The Pixie series by Carrie Jones

* Entice

House of Night by P.C. Cast

* Marked

The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan

* The Dark and Hollow Places

The Demon series by Sarah Rees Brennan

* The Demon's Covenant

* The Demon's Surrender

The Evernight series by Claudia Gray

* Hourglass

The Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld

* Leviathan

* Behemoth

* Goliath

The Last Vampire series by Christopher Pike

* The Last Vampire

The Devouring Series by Simon Holt

* Fearscape

The Night World series by L.J. Smith

* Night World Vol. 3

* Strange Fate

The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith

* The Return: Nightfall

So if I read all of these books, I'll be done with the challenge. Hopefully I can do it! *cheers for myself* I'll be linking my reviews here as I read each book. Is there any series that you guys like that I should read or that you are going to read yourself?