Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Source: goodreads.com

Title/ Author: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

 Source: Public library

Rating: 4/5 halos
 


Wow. That's really all I have to say, is WOW. Even a book without a cliffhanger can leave you speechless.

Anna Whitt is a Southern teenager growing up in a relatively normal world. She has an adoptive mother, Patti, a completely platonic relationship with her best friend, Jay, and she can read people's emotions from their auras. Normal, right? And her world gets even more "average" when she meets the adorable Kaiden Rowe, the drummer from her favourite band. He's just SLIGHTLY more dangerous than he seems, and more like Anna than she ever cared to know. In the eight short months since meeting Kaiden, Anna is thrown for a loop, learning everything she ever wondered about herself and finally realizes why she's so different.

I'm not even sure where to begin. I mean, obviously, I should start with something about why this book was so amazing, right? Even from the beginning, the book enthralled me. It moved so quickly, you couldn't quite miss a beat or you'd fall behind, and that was exciting! It could get confusing, but it also helped you get into Anna's head, because she was experiencing this whirlwind of events nearly as quickly as we were reading them.

Oh, and the dialogue! Oh my God, the dialogue. It was so dead on perfect, I couldn't believe it. Anna and her best friend, Jay, actually sounded like teenagers. If you've been in a reading slump like me, this probably seems too good to be true. I mean, the past three or four books I've read had me rolling my eyes saying "Seriously? Like, you honestly think people would EVER say that?" Here, let me give you a sample of one of Jay and Anna's many conversations so you'll believe me: 

"You thought he was hot, didn't you?"

I stared out of my window at the passing trees and houses. We were almost to school.

"I knew it!" He smacked the steering wheel, loving every second of my discomfort. "This is so weird. Anna Whitt has a crush."

"Fine, yes. He was hot. But it doesn't matter, because there's something about him I don't like. I can't explain it. He's... scary." (pg. 31-32, Sweet Evil)

As for characters... Well, let me begin with Jay. He was awesome. I have never loved a best friend character as much as I've loved Jay, and that's because Jay had no feelings toward Anna whatsoever. He just loved her for being her, but not in any way other than friendship, and that was so wonderful to me. It made Jay into the perfect good guy. The perfect bad guy, on the other hand, was Kaiden Rowe. Sexy, smoldering, Kaiden Rowe. You know, if Dimitri Belikov was never written, Kaiden Rowe would be the best book guy EVER. He's got everything it takes: the looks, the emotions, the sweet words, the sexy kisses. He's just so yummy!

But Anna, sweet, precious, innocent Anna just isn't one of my favourite heroines. She was good and all, but that was her problem. She was TOO good! At times, I appreciated and even liked her ability to be so normal while her life was so weird, but in the end, I despised her. She was needy, pathetic, and emotional. She was just a wreck. I couldn't get behind her as a character, because I couldn't like her. Though that might work for some characters, it just didn't work for Anna Whitt.

Overall, this book was wonderful. Wendy Higgins is a brilliant author, from the way she connected all the plot points perfectly, to the way she made the characters so different and really developed their relationships with each other. I enjoyed all of the interesting takes on many different topics. I loved the way certain parts of the book (I can't go into detail without giving the book away) made me change the way I looked at things in the world. If you're anything like me, you've been hunting for a book where the protagonists of the story were the antagonists of the world. Let me tell you, this is the one. This is perfect, the epitome of all the things I've been looking for in a good book.

I just have so many good things to say about this book, and I don't think I've got nearly all of them down. In fact, I'm sure this review sounds sporadic and jumpy. Don't judge me, because that's how I'm feeling right now after reading SWEET EVIL. While this a hard book to review, because there are so many tiny things I could say to give the plot away, I will say this. Go buy it. As soon as you possibly can, pull yourself away from your computer desk and pick up this book. And, if you're reading this in the future, pick up the second and third books in this trilogy (SQUEAL!) too.

Happy Reading!
-Liz

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Source: goodreads.com

    Title: The Selection 

    Author: Kiera Cass 

    Release Date: April 24, 2012

    Source: Public library (thank God!) 

    Rating: 2/5 dresses

I hate to have one of the first reviews I write be so dreadful, but it must be done. I feel that, as a new book blogger, it is now my duty to warn people away from the pretty cover and let them know exactly what's INSIDE that precious blue hardback. Do not allow yourself to be influenced by the gorgeous dress, or the stunning pile of red hair. READING THIS BOOK IS NOT WORTH IT!

Why are you being so cruel? you might ask. What did this book do to you? I'll tell you exactly what this book did. It wasted my time. It turned my brain to mush. But it also entertained me in a way I didn't think would be possible (and also that I'm ashamed of) based on the premise of the book. I really didn't think I would find this book so sickeningly funny.

America Singer (can you guess what she does for her money?) is living in a "dystopian" world called Illea, which is what the combination of the United States and China is called after a massive war. I know, I was a little stupefied by that too. Anyways, America is living in a world of castes, or rankings, and she ranks just three castes higher than the lowest caste, Eight. She's in a forbidden romance with a douchebag, Aspen, who forces her to enter this competition called The Selection. Basically, it's like the Bachelor for royals. So America, poor America, enters and is picked to compete to be Illea's next queen. Surprise!

Except not really. Because every plot twist is expected. The dialogue is so completely fake, and sounds nothing like the way teenagers would speak in any world. The only people mentioned are beautiful with stupid names. Tuesday, Tiny, Maxon, Aspen. It's ridiculous! There were just so many things WRONG with this book, it's difficult to sort out what was RIGHT!

I suppose there was some character building in Maxon's character. Ever so slightly, though. And we got to know America's maids better, I guess. But there really wasn't any sense of hardship, even though there was supposed to be because the book is DYSTOPIAN, after all. America's family is supposedly poor, but they sit around their television eating popcorn after a large meal of chicken with lemon and iced tea. Except everyone only gets one glass of iced tea, because it's hard to come by, even though America sets out a pitcher of the stuff.

If, for some reason, you still feel inclined to read this book, check it out from your library, like I thankfully did. I actually begged Meg to go splits with me so we could buy and read the book, but she refused, because she hates books about royals. So, thanks Meg! I owe you one.

And you, our loyal readers, owe us one for saving you the time, money, and effort it takes to read this book. 

You're Welcome.

-Liz