Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn  (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Received From: Publisher via Netgalley  

Synopsis: YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. 
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter. 
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

Review:
I love Aimee Carter's Goddess Test series so I was super excited to read Pawn.  I know a lot of people are burnt out on dystopian but I think Pawn has elements that are different enough to entice even the most cynical of dystopian readers.

The world that Carter has created is so rich and detailed. I really liked getting to know the world as Kitty got to know and understand the intimate details of how it is run. Every good dystopian novel needs an evil leader and Pawn definitely has its fair share of corrupt leadership. I was severely creeped out by some of the things the Harts did.

I never knew who to trust while I was reading Pawn. There were so many twists and turns to the plot that I was completely surprised by some of the events that transpired.

While I really liked Kitty and thought she was a strong but flawed protagonist, I think the secondary characters really shone. Whether it was one of the scheming Harts or Kitty's boyfriend Benji they all added so much variety and spice to the plot!

Pawn is one of the best dystopian books I have read in a while. It was unexpected, creepy, and even had a little teeny bit of romance thrown in. I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens to Kitty and the Harts!

Definitely pick this one up today!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter + Giveaway

SPOILERS FOR THE GODDESS TEST! The Goddess Test Review HERE

Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Received: For Review

Summary: 
KATE WINTERS HAS WON IMMORTALITY.

BUT IF SHE WANTS A LIFE WITH HENRY IN THE UNDERWORLD, SHE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone. 

Review: 
I really enjoyed The Goddess Test. So I was super excited to read Goddess Interrupted, and I have to say it did not disappoint! In fact I even think that I might have liked Goddess Interrupted even more than The Goddess Test, which is a huge deal.

So obviously Aimee Carter does not fall to the dreaded lame second book curse. Though one of the problems I had with the first book was still annoying in Goddess Interrupted. I still wish we had gotten to know Henry more. I know that we learned a little but since he was mostly gone in this book we still don't know him very well. But there is an excerpt at the end from Henry's point of view which gave me a better understanding of who he is.

In Goddess Interrupted we got to meet Persephone, as well as getting to explore the Underworld. I loved learning more about the Underworld and how it worked and I hope we can get even more f that in the next book. Persephone while starting out annoying and vapid, became a sympathetic character and I really like how Aimee Carter was able to do that.

I think Kate starting coming into her own and finding out her place in the Underworld. And then she was slammed with conflict. I was genuinely surprised by the twist at the end and I cannot wait for the next book.

I could not put Goddess Interrupted down. I had to know what was going to happen. I think ti would be a great summer read because its not too long but its full of tension. I definitely recommend that you run and pick this up!

I also have a copy of Goddess Interrupted up for grabs!

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The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Received From: Publisher in return for an honest review

Summary:

You will kill. The only question is when.
In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.
Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.
Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Review:

I am one of the many people who fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s storytelling and writing in her Iron Fey series. This newest book is completely different from that world and takes a new and inventive look at vampires.

I know what you're thinking. Vampires? Really? Trust me I know how you feel. But Julie Kagawa makes them new again in The Immortal Rules, and its not just a world with vampires, there are humans and rabids as well. I personally found the rabids creation story to be fascinating.

The vampires are the ruling class in this post-apocalyptic world.  Which was a twist that I found interesting, and it affirmed the fact that vampires are DANGEROUS and not to be messed with. I also really liked how Allie struggled to keep hold of her humanity, it made her easier to relate with and made you feel for her even though she is a vampire.

Also Allie is a bad-ass before she gets bitten, which I appreciated because I am not a fan of weak female characters. There is also a little romance, but it is not a big thing that consumes the whole story which I really liked.

I liked so many things about The Immortal Rules but my absolute favorite was learning the mythology behind Julie Kagawa’s vampires. The way they were created and how their bodies work made so much sense to me, and I loved learning about it.

Even though The Immortal Rules is a pretty size-able book I was able to finish rather quickly and I never got bored. I totally recommend it for fans of vampires and those who are a little tired of them as well. And if you fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series I think you will like this as well! I cannot wait for the next one!

The Goddess Test Review

Title: The Goddess Test

Author: Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: April 19, 2011
Received From: Netgalley

Summary: 

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

Review:

As you know if you read my blog I love books that have mythology in them. The Goddess Test was no exception.

I really liked the prologue at the beginning of the book, I know some people don’t like them because they feel that they give too much away, but in this case I think it really added to the story, my mind would go back to that scene and try to tie it into what was going on. It was a great way to add some mystery and intrigue from the very beginning.

Kate was my kind of character, while she wasn’t super heroic or anything, I liked her devotion to her mother, and how she was willing to give up so much for some girl who hated her.

I also really liked Henry, but I wish we could have gotten to know him better. There were moments when it seemed like we might be let in, but we only got a glimpse. I guess that added to his mysteriousness. I would have liked to understand his motives and why he was the way he was more though.

The idea of the tests I felt was very original but I wish some of them had been more obvious, I mean I know they were supposed to be subtle but I had NO idea what  most of them could possibly be until the end when they were spelled out for me and Kate.

I had one main problem with this book, it was that for the first part of the book I had NO IDEA what was going on. It was very vague and I wish Aimee Carter had given the readers a little more background or something.

But besides that I really enjoyed this book and I am excited to see where the story goes in the next book. Goddess Interrupted (Jan 2012)