[Review] Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1) by Tera Lynn Childs

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

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♥This book is amazing. Seriously. The three main characters are descended from Medusa of all people and hunt monsters that find their way into the human world. On top of that they aren't all "Love at First Sight", but actually experience difficulties with their relationships (which aren't actually talked about much).♥

The characters in this book were quite well-formed and when the author changed the POV from sister to sister, you could tell who it was without even looking at the chapter heading where it said so. Gretchen was the one who was strong, somewhat violent XD, and potentially beating monsters up. In her POV she was usually training Grace/Greer or killing monsters :P Grace was the one who was optimistic and hopeful, as well as trusting. Grace's POV was the one that was used the most often, and you get to learn about Grace's family and why they moved to San Fransisco. And then Greer was the one who was rich and a snob, mostly thinking about her expensive clothes and whatnot. Greer sorta annoyed me but her POV was not shown as much, seeing as she was introduced near the end, and in those she was usually running away from monsters while hoping they were figments of her imagination. It was actually a bit humorous. Another thing was that when Greer was adopted she was trained to show no feeling and so her mind is very calculating. I also liked the side characters, especially Thane, Grace's brother.

The love interests in this book were... odd. Grace's love interest was her brother's soccer buddy, Milo. This was actually mutual but there were no actual dates or anything (although on was planned). Greer's boyfriend was sort of arranged like an arranged marriage- it was because they were both the most popular and powerful student of their respective private schools. Kyle, her boyfriend, is "the son of an internationally renowned oncologist and a tire heiress" while Greer is the daughter of some very elite and rich people.Greer's thoughts about him were mostly calculating and their match was quite funny :P It was Gretchen's that was the weirdest. The guy who was following her around was a creepy, creepy stalker. He follows her around, tells her he'll stop and then DOESN'T, and also manages to get her cell phone number which was unlisted. However he unwittingly helps Gretchen kill two monsters while she was being overwhelmed.

The plot was really cool. The three sisters (apparently identical triplets separated at birth because it would be too dangerous for them to live together) were all descendants of Medusa and each had their own special skill that was identical to what the Gorgon sisters had. Greer had Medusa's own skill, second sight ("the knowledge of things unknown and those to come, known as omnicognition"). Gretchen has Stheno's gift of "great and unnatural strength, both physical and mental." Grace has Euryale's ability, the ability to travel both short and far distances in "the space of a moment." These skills came in handy when they went out monster fighting SPOILERALERT and Greer's came in handy (sorta) right before the loft exploded at the end and to find Gretchen's (HIDDEN) house SPOILEREND. I also really liked the sorta-happily ever ending. I can't wait for the next book to come out, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS :O 

The Medusa myth was sorta messed up, because in this book Athena was jealous of Medusa and slandered her name. Using that excuse, Athena trained Perseus to go kill Medusa. These triplets are descendants of Medusa and her human lover, who was apparently mostly unknown, which enabled them to not be killed by Athena. Apparently there's three daughters that have the power of the Gorgons' every generation and they guard the gate to the monster's realm. However rather than making the Medusa myth totally stupid and unbelievable, its actually cool in this book :D

Long story short, you should definitely read this book because its AMAZING ♥♥♥♥♥

"“This monster fighting gig can not,” she [Greer] says, “interfere with my social schedule.” 

She hasn't moved, hasn’t altered her expression. She’s lying there in bare feet and what are probably designer clothes. She’s just sent some hideous unknown monster back into the abyss. And she’s worried about her social schedule? 

I’m on the verge of telling her to stuff it when she cracks a smile. 

Grace and I burst out laughing.  

Thank goodness." - Gretchen's POV

COVER FOR THE SECOND BOOK

6 months D: 

Giveaway!

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Those Random Girls Who Comment On a Friend's Facebook Picture Idiotically

THE CONVERSATION GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

girl 1: OMGEE YOU'RE SOO PRETTY(:
girl 2: NOOO YOU'RE WAYY PRETTIER!
girl 1: PSHH IM SO UGLY
girl 2: PUH-LEEZE. YOU'RE ONE OF THE PRETTIEST GIRLS I KNOW. IM THE UGLY ONE.
girl 1: NOO DON'T SAY THAT. YOU'RE PRETTIER.
girl 2: NO YOU ARE x)
girl 1: AWHH I LOVE YOU <3
girl 2: LOVE YUU TOO <3

Guys: Lolwut

*facedesk*

I am afraid I'm gonna have to side with the guys here. This conversation makes absolutely no sense. Who in their right mind would have a conversation like that on Facebook of all places. Really. A ton of people will start laughing at you... *ahem* me

Sorry this post is really random, but this just came up in one of my conversations and I had to rant T_T

Lol thanks to Julci @ The Flying Dolphin of Love for this random blogpost idea :)

[Review] Die for Me by Amy Plum

Goodreads: In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity. 

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My reaction when I see the cover: "WOAH SO PRETTY!"

My reaction when I read it: o__O "Twilight much?"

*facepalm*

PROS:

Kate's boyfriend was a kick-ass revenant with an awesome family. He wasn't wimpy or anything about killing stuff, although he died a lot (for good reasons). He came back as a revenant because he gave his life for someone, and now the rest of his existence is pretty much dying over, and over again (which must get a bit annoying/painful). Also, Kate was not the wimpy girl who stood off to the side and let her boyfriend be killed while defenseless. She fought with no proper training when she, her sister, and Vincent (in a coma-like state) were being threatened, and then when Vincent took over her body and helped her fight using the mind-mold thing, she didn't go insane or whatever.I also really liked the end when the revenant-human mind-mold thing happens and Kate and Vincent are able to talk to each other, even when he's in his corporeal form. The characters were pretty well formed, and I must say that my favorite was Charlotte :D

CONS:

The main character, Kate, has brown hair and pale skin- you know, like BELLA. And then her boyfriend Vincent is like, "I should stay away from you because this is dangerous." The exact quote would be:

""I told you, Kate, I had seen you around the neighborhood"--he weighed his words carefully--"and you seemed like someone I would want to know. It was probably a bad idea. But I obviously wasn't thinking." As he spoke, his voice turned from warm to icicle cold. I couldn't tell if he was angry with himself for getting me involved in whatever mess he was in--or with me for bringing it up. "

This was just a little too Twilight-like for me (at least near the beginning).  But then on top of that, she runs away from him and then comes back when everyone says he's pining. It's just a little odd, not as bad as it could be. 
A couple other things that irked me was that when they "broke up" for about 2 weeks, both of them went into full-depression mode. That's just not normal for a 16-year-old (*ahem* Kate) and a guy who, although he's technically lived 85 years, has the mind maturity of a 19-year-old. Seriously people, you don't go into depression because you broke up with someone who you were dating for a couple of weeks.

And because I'm me, I made a graph :D

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Iron Fey Series (Iron King, Iron Daughter, Iron Queen, Iron Knight) by Julie Kagawa

Goodreads: 

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. 

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. 

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. 

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

In this series, this is my second favorite book. Even though the Fey are in way too many books, rarely are the older, more famous Fey talked about. In this book the rulers of the Fey land (such as Oberon, Titania, and Mab) are actually referred to, rather than some magical half-fey or full-blooded fey that live in the human world for the fun of it. Also the prankster in A Midsummer Night's Dream appears as well, and he's up to his usual antics- annoying anyone and everyone he come's across. I really like Meghan's character although she herself is being pulled between two boys- Puck of the Summer Court (her father's) and Prince Ash of the Winter Court (who's supposed to take her to the Winter Court and hold her hostage). Most books have love triangles though, so I've learned to skip over them and focus more on the plot. In this book, Meghan is looking for her brother who the Iron Fey have kidnapped. She is the only person who can safely go after her brother because being only half-fey she can touch iron (unlike the older fey, who the iron burns).  Something I found rather amusing about the book is the near-constant fights that Ash and Puck have over the most trivial matters. On top of that there is this awesome cat who makes me laugh every time. I would give this 4.5 stars out of 5 though, because the writing style sorta annoyed me, although I can't pinpoint exactly what about it annoyed me.

Quotes:

• “Ash blinked. "Are you raiding the cellars now, Goodfellow?"
  
  "Me? Stealing?" Puck flashed a devious grin and popped another fruit into his mouth. "In the house of my ancient enemy? What gave you that idea?" He plucked another fruit and tossed it to me with a wink.”

Goodreads: 

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

I hated this book... A LOT. The first time I read this was last year and when I got to the end, I was really, super ANNOYED. At the end of the book **SPOILERSPOILERSPOILER**  Ash and Meghan got themselves banished for falling in love. And me, being me, decided that the rest of the series was going to be terrible if they got themselves banished and gave upon it (for that point of time). However, there were some things I liked about. I really liked the plot- the Scepter of the Seasons was stolen, and Meghan goes to get it back knowing that only she can (The Iron Fey stole it). She finds out that even if  she killed the Iron King, another Iron Fey has appointed themselves king, and is trying to find her in order to take the Iron power back (the Iron King gave it to her when he died).  So once again she, Ash, and Puck go on a journey to stop the Iron Fey. This time, however, one of their companion's are killed, and also, like I said before, some really annoying stuff happens at the end which made me mad T_T The love triangle is still in full swing, however, and Meghan manages to kiss both Ash and Puck >.< This book was, in my opinion, the worst in the series...

3 out of 5 stars.

Goodreads: 

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back. 

In this book, Meghan and Ash have their banishment undone because the Fey courts need someone who is resistant to iron (*coughcoughMeghan*). Meghan's final journey in battle against Iron starts, and this is much different than before. In this book the Iron fey are actually split between whether to help Meghan, their rightful ruler, and the false king. I really liked this book since you get to know a lot more about both Ash and Puck, and also because it actually made sense. I thought that it'd take a lot of crappy logic to unbanish Meghan and Ash, but no, their reason for being brought back is something that would've happened sooner or later. We also get to learn a lot more about Meghan's powers over Iron and Summer. The ending to this book was amazing, although a little sad- *spoiler*  Meghan becomes Iron Queen and leaves both Ash and Puck behind in their respective lives *spoilerend*. During this book, we also get to know a little more about the laws of the Nevernever (land of Fey), such as the possibility of someone becoming someone's knight*. This book rekindled the amazingness of this series with its awesomeness :D

5 stars out of 5

*Definition from the book: A lady asks a warrior to become her knight, her chosen protector, for as long as they both draw breath. Only those with royal blood can enact this ritual, and the choosing of a champion is something only the lady can do. But it is the ultimate show of faith between the lady and the knight, for she trusts him above all others to keep her safe, knowing that he would lay down his life for her. The knight still obeys his queen and court, to the best of his ability, but his first and only duty is to his lady. Should the lady die, the knight will die too.

Goodreads: 
Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing. 

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice .


This was the BEST book in the series. It wrapped up the series quite nicely too. The fact that it was is Ash's POV while he was attempting to gain a mortal soul made it even better because we got to learn about Ash's past and learn more about the Nevernever at the same time :D
As usual Grimalkin and Puck accompany him, but instead of Meghan, Ariella, is the one that goes with him. That's right, Ariella, Ash's former, supposed to be dead, fiancé. We also get to meet the Big Bad Wolf and Baba Yaga (who attempts to kill Puck for tying the legs of her house together a long time ago). The usual humorous quarrels between Puck and Ash pop up, but it gets more serious as their journey progresses. At one point, Ash's control slips and he actually attempts to kill Puck. The tests that Ash had to pass, however, were kinda scary. First he experienced the weakness of a mortal body, then he nearly was consumed by a newly awakened conscience. Last, the Guardian of the tests made him an illusion which made it seem as if he had become truly mortal- then the Guardian made him die in his illusion; a weak, powerless mortal. And then, of course, once gains a soul he manages to have some fey magic left (maybe because Ariella sacrificed her life/second life for him). So yup. 5 out of 5 stars 


Some Quotes:

Water splashed over my jeans, and I yelped as something burned my skin.
We examined my leg. Tiny holes marred my jeans where the drops had hit, the material seared away, the skin underneath red and burned. It throbbed as if I’d jabbed needles into my flesh.

“What the heck?” I muttered, glaring into the storm. It looked like ordinary rain—gray, misty, somewhat depressing. Almost compulsively, I stuck my hand toward the opening, where water dripped over the edge of the tube.

Ash grabbed my wrist, snatching it back. “Yes, it will burn your hand as well as your leg,” he said in a bland voice. “And here I thought you learned your lesson with the chains.”

Embarrassed, I dropped my hand and scooted farther into the tube, away from the rim and the acid rain dripping from it. “Guess I’m staying up all night,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “Wouldn’t want to doze off and find half my face melted off when I wake up.” - Iron King, Ash and Meghan

 The Wolf leaped off the raft and stretched, baring his fangs in an enormous yawn. Shaking water from his fur, he looked around at the enormous trees and panted a grin. “I’m off to hunt,” he stated simply. “It shouldn’t take long.” He glanced back at me, wrinkling his long muzzle. “I’d advise you not to venture into the forest, little prince. You’re in the Deep Wyld now, and I’d hate to come back to find you al eaten. Well, except for the cat. He can get himself eaten anytime he wants.” With that, he turned and bounded off, his black form merging with the shadows -Iron Knight 

Ariel a sat cross-legged in the sand, idly poking the fire with a stick, while Puck and I attended to the business of finding food. Puck had somehow fashioned a pole from glamour, a stick, and a tangle of string from his pocket, but fishing in the River of Dreams was proving to be a strange and frustrating affair. He managed to pul a couple fish out of the river early, but they were odd, unnatural things: long and black like eels, with oversize teeth that snapped at us when we tried to handle them and bit through the sticks we tried to spear them with. We final y decided it wasn’t worth the hassle of a lost finger and let them f lop back into the river. His other catches included a yellow boot, a giant turtle that asked us for a pocket watch, and what looked like a large, normal catfish. That is, until it started sobbing enormous tears, begging us to return it to its family. I might’ve ignored the wailing fish and stuck it over the fire anyway, but the softhearted Goodfellow let it go. Iron Knight 

“Mmm, you are speaking of the ghost ferry,” Grimalkin said, pausing in his grooming to look up. “One of the more common legends, I believe. There is a similar ship that haunts the Broken Glass Sea, a pirate vessel made of the bones of men. Or something like that.” He sniffed and shook his head. “According to certain legends, the ghost ferry always appears when there is need.”
“Well, there’s need here,” Puck said, gazing up and down the dark river. “We need it, because I don’t want to go tromping down the river for who knows how long until we reach the Briars or the End of the World or whatever.” He cupped his hands to his mouth and bellowed, “Do you hear me, ferry? Need! Here! We need you now!”
Grimalkin flattened his ears, and the Wolf ’s hackles went up as he looked at me. “How did he ever survive so long without something tearing his throat out?” he growled.
“Believe me, I’ve wondered the same.” Iron Knight 

Ahead of us, a pair of huge double doors stood atop a platform, guarded by two hulking stone creatures, one on either side. The statues looked like a cross between a lion and some sort of monstrous canine, with broad heads, curling manes and thick, clawed forepaws.
“Fu dogs,” Puck mused as we approached the doors, hopping over shattered pillars and crumbling archways. “You know, I met a Fu dog once in Beijing. Persistent bastard chased me all over the temple grounds. Seemed to think I was some kind of evil spirit.”
“Imagine that,” Grimalkin muttered, and the Wolf snorted with laughter. Puck flicked a pebble at him.
“These aren’t like the standard variety,” Puck continued, making a face at the stone guardians. “They’re bigger, for one. And older. Good thing they’re not real Fu dogs, eh? We’d be in big trouble if—”
And of course at that point, a loud grinding sound echoed through the room, as both statues turned their heads to stare at us.
I sighed. “You should know better by now, Goodfellow.”
“I know. I just can’t help it.”
With snarling roars, the pair of massive stone guardians leaped from their bases, landing with deafening booms on the rocky floor, shaking the ground. Their eyes burned with an emerald fire in their craggy faces, their paws crushed the stones beneath them and their bel owing voices fil ed the chamber. Grimalkin vanished, the Wolf added his own howling roar to the cacophony, and the Fu dogs lowered their heads and charged Iron Knight

 “How very sad.” Grimalkin strode up, stopping just shy of the Wolf ’s muzzle, barely out of snapping range. “That the great dog must rely on a human to save him, because he is too weak to move. I shall sit right here and watch, to remember this day always.” Iron Knight 

“Prince.”
I groaned.
“Prince.” Something patted my chin. “Wake up.” Shifting on the mattress, I struggled to open my eyes. There was a solid weight sitting on my chest, but exhaustion was making my lids heavy and awkward. I was tired; I wanted to sink back into oblivion, despite the disturbing dreams that waited for me.
“Hmm. For such a well-trained, somewhat paranoid warrior, you are certainly difficult to rouse. Very wel .” The weight on my chest slid off, much to my relief, and I heard a thump as it dropped to the f loor and walked away. “We shall have to resort to more drastic measures.”
Just as I was wondering what “drastic measures” were, a patter of footsteps scampered toward the bed. There was a brief pause…and then that solid, heavy weight landed square on my stomach.
“Oof!” I bolted upright with a gasp, the breath driven from my lungs in a painful, vicious expulsion. Instantly awake, I clutched my ribs and glared at Grimalkin, sitting on the bed with a smug, pleased expression on his face. Iron Knight 

 These are mostly from Iron Knight because I didn't collect quotations from the other books...

[Review] Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Goodreads summary: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

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There are some spoilers, but not major ones.

This book was really amazing. I wasn't ever bored while reading this, and I finished really quickly. The further into the book you get, the more engrossed you will become- Karou's life turns upside down when  the doors to Brimstone (the person who raised her)'s shop are burned down by Akiva and his siblings. While looking for ways  to open the doors again or to get into Brimstone's world , Karou traverses around stealing wishes (which are physical things that you can use) from people who were paid by Brimstone with wishes. All this time, Akiva is following her because she intrigues him. From this comes an unexpected encounter in which Karou nearly kills Akiva (by accident). Of course she takes him back to her apartment to patch him back up (he nearly doesn't fit with his wings, though *facepalm*). And of course, from that, the normal course of action takes over and romance comes into play. Thankfully this romance isn't badly written so it really is quite nice. However, near the end, Akiva reveals a shocking secret that hurts Karou and leaves the book on a cliffhanger. Karou is a really awesome heroine and she's not weak like many heroines are. She's pretty kickass and can stand her own in a fight. Akiva, on the other hand, is a really old, super powerful angel. He also tries to kill Karou multiple times, which is really not cool. I also love Karou's best friend Zuzana. She's a well-formed character and AMAZING. This book is super original (even though there are angels) and I would really recommend you read it. Sadly enough, the next book comes out November T_T This is going to be a long, long wait. 5 out of 5 stars XD

"Once upon a time,
an angel and a devil fell in love.
It did not end well."

[Review] Pure by Julianna Baggott

Goodreads Summary: We know you are here, our brothers and sisters...

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

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**SPOILERS PRESENT**

When I first started reading this book, it caught my interest, but not enough to keep me awake. I usually read an hour then went an did something else. Halfway through the book, however this book got much more interesting. All the generalities of people meeting each other had been done and I started to really like this book. The characters themselves were really interesting, and the there was not much romance. In fact, there was almost no romance, except near the end where everybody was happy to still be alive and Pressia and Bradwell kiss. The plot had a lot of twists in it that I didn't expect, such as Patridge's mother being not fused, but having prosthetic and metal limbs. Also, until they fully explained it in the book, I didn't realize that Pressia and Patridge were half-siblings. It's just something that didn't occur to me, but was very interesting. So all in all, I enjoyed this book a lot. I'm not saying that this book didn't have flaws though. The fact that people can be "fused" to the ground, to other living creatures/people, or to objects and still live takes some time to get used to (Pressia's hand is fused to a doll's head, Bradwell has birds fused to his back, and El Capitan's younger brother is fused to his younger brother). Also, like I mentioned earlier, this book started really slowly and somewhat bored me for the first 150ish pages. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars- the ending and the lack of love triangles made it really awesome (I don't really like love triangles...)