Review - The Winner's Trilogy

The Winner's Trilogy

5 out of 5 Winning Stars

“If you won’t be my friend, you’ll regret being my enemy.” 

I love this series. I feel like I need to lead with that statement, because it's been awhile since I've read a complete series, beginning to end, back to back with no wait for the next installment, that have left such a great impression. The progression of the story, the pacing, the characters and themes, and how everything is connected and flows together so well is not easy to do. Ms. Rutkoski, you've created one hell of a series here. 

So a bit of information for you guys: this is a fantasy series, and Rutkoski has created a whole new world for us to read about. To sum it up really quickly, there's the country Valoria, whose emperor is on a power quest to conquer pretty much everything, and one of the conquered is the country Herran. Valoria's offer after conquering land is die, or be enslaved. The Herrani chose enslavement, and that's what their lives have been for the past ten years.

Kestral is the daughter of General Trajan, who is second only to the Emperor of Valoria. While dealing with the decision of joining the army or marriage, as all Valorians must do, she ends up buying a slave. There is something different about this slave, Arin, and though the two are enemies, the connection between them grows. But with this connection, there are unexpected consequences that Kestral could have never foresaw.

"Do you think I care how you won?" her father said softly. "You won. Your methods don't matter."
Kestral thought about the Herran War. She thoughts about the suffering her father had brought to this country, and how his actions had led to her becoming a mistress, and Arin a slave. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes," he said. "I do."

The first book in this trilogy, The Winner's Curse, does have quite a bit of romance to it, but that's not all that is happening. There is action, trickery, deceit, violence, and so much more. As the series progresses, the stories become even more intricate and intense. There is so much more to The Winner's Trilogy than the relationship between Kestral and Arin. And the best part about their relationship is that it is believable; it doesn't feel forced, and just leads to more complications (and drama).

The Winner's Trilogy is a series about alliances and treachery, secrets and revenge, gambling and plotting, and, most importantly, slavery and freedom. What will you do for your freedom? What will you sacrifice for your freedom? Compelling storytelling, intricate relationships, high-packed action and strategic plotting, along with gambling and awesome battle scenes, and doing whatever it takes to win, The Winner's Trilogy is a cleverly-crafted, complex, fantastic series, with a perfect ending. Thank you, Ms. Rutkoski, for sharing this story with the world. It's going to stay with me for a long time.

“Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.” 

Watching Wednesday - Containment

Containment

Okay, this post is going to be full of gushing, super-excited feelings. I love this show. Containment is seriously making its way up my favorite's list and I just need to share this with you guys so more people can feel what I'm feeling right now: trepidation, anxiety, fear, and a will to keep fighting, no matter how bad the odds are stacked against you.

For anyone now curious about Containment's plot, I'll give you a little info. A mysterious virus has broken out in Atlanta, and it has a 100% mortality rate. This has lead to a quarantine being enforced: no one in, no one out, no exceptions. Those inside are separated from their families and homes, and left to fight for their lives. Those on the outside are searching for a cure, but progress is slow and daunting. Violence is inevitable, and peace seems unattainable. 

There is an amazing cast for this show; the actors play their roles magnificently, and the characters are very interesting. There's police major Lex, who tries to keep the peace and protect his city, but this task is so much harder than he could have ever imagined. Matters become worse when he learns that his girlfriend, Jana, is stuck inside the cordon, along with Lex's police friend Jake. There's also school teacher Katie, with her son and students, and pregnant Teresa, whose boyfriend is outside the cordon. 

The separation between loved ones just makes matters even worse, and they get pretty bad. Containing the spread of the deadly virus is more difficult than imagined, and the violence inside the cordon is getting out of control. The fear and anxiety I feel are so real while watching Containment–seeing how people are in danger, how authorities are making decisions that are hurting more than helping, is scary. The despair the people inside the cordon must be feeling is terrifying.

The fact that Containment can make me feel so much is how I know this show is something special. I fear for the characters, I worry about how everything is going to play out. It's scary how real Containment is; if a virus like the one in the show broke out here, I could see real life progressing just like the plot of this show, and that's not okay. It's terrifying. Especially to see how quickly things can take a turn for the worst, and losing hope that it can get better.

I hope my feelings on this show has sparked your interest, and that you give it a watch. Containment is a limited series airing on the CW, Tuesdays at 9pm. We're about halfway through the series, so if you're interested in watching, I would check out the CW Website for episodes, or look for repeats on TV. This is not a show to miss.

*Shout-out to my sister for saving the recordings for me, and telling me how good the show is. I'm so glad I'm watching it!

Trailer Link

Spotlight Sunday - Author Marie Lu

LEGEND TRILOGY

I really, really love this series. I read it about two years ago now, and am already feeling a reread coming on. If there weren't so many other books and series to read, I would totally be reading the Legend series again this summer. But enough gushing, let me tell you guys what this series is about.

Legend is a dystopian novel, and the United States doesn't really exist. Instead, it has been split into two parts, The Republic of America covering the western area, and The Colonies of America in the east. The two sections are constantly at war, and the Republic is determined to win. They hold trials every year to determine who will fight in the war, or become part of the work force. 

One of our main characters, June Iparis, is part of an elite family in the Republic, and has the highest known score for the Trials. She is the prodigy of the Republic, and has no reason to cross the country's most wanted criminal, Day. No reason, that is, until Day becomes the prime suspect in the murder of June's older brother. Things start to get complicated pretty quickly.

I don't want to give too much away, but just know that this series is so much more than a dystopian-romance-YA novel. June and Day crossing paths is no coincidence, and the secrets of their country is more sinister than they could have ever imagined. The Legend series is filled with twists and turns, betrayal and action, and it only gets better and better with each book. You don't want to miss out on this one.

THE YOUNG ELITES

I read The Young Elites about a year or so ago, but it was around finals week and I actually don't remember too much about the first book. The story got pushed out of my mind to make room for study notes, haha. But anyways, I do remember liking what I read, and am definitely going to reread the first book, then make my way onto the second.

The Young Elites is a fantasy series, set in a different world that has been ravaged by a deadly virus known as the blood fever. Many died, but those who survived became a bit... different. Drastic changes to their appearances, like dark hair turning silver, is a small when compared to the manifestation strange powers. These survivors become known as malfettos and are hunted down by the Inquisition Axis.

Our protagonist, Adelina Amouteru, is a survivor of the blood fever. After discovering her own abilities, Adelina finds herself in a world where it seems everyone is an enemy and no one can be trusted. Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society, a group of Young Elites who tries to find others like themselves before the Inquisition does. Teren Santoro is part of the Inquistion and is determined to destroy the Young Elites. Quite a cast we've got here.

This book is so dark, and I absolutely love it. No one is good, not really, and the 'villains' have complex reasoning behind their actions. You can't trust anyone. It's addicting. Add in a plan to take the throne, which of course will involve deceit and murder and tons of other dark goodies, The Young Elites is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

*The last book in the series, The Midnight Star, is due to release in October of this year

Okay, I just have to throw this last thing on here: Marie Lu has a new book coming out in 2017, called Warcross, and it sounds so freaking awesome

"Warcross, according to the publisher, will follow two teenage bounty hunters who are 'hired by a young billionaire to catch a hacker in the world’s most phenomenally popular virtual reality video game.'"

Is it 2017 yet?? I need this book!

Music Monday - Mr. Sandman

Okay, so this is going to be a short post, but I haven't done a Music Monday in awhile, and this song has been stuck in my head so I figured I'd share it with you.

As I mentioned before, I love Bates Motel, and a recurring song on the show is Mr. Sandman. There's just something about Norma and Norman singing it together, as Norma plays the piano, that really creeps me out - which is probably why I like it so much.

Since Bates Motel just loves to make things extra creepy for us, there was a scene in an episode towards the end of the season (4x09) that was disturbing enough in itself, but then the producers just decided to up the creep-factor by adding in this eerie rendition of Mr. Sandman. I've been humming it non-stop lately, even singing it occasionally (and I am not a very good singer). I can't seem to get it off my mind, and it's quite catchy, so I think it's going to be background music for a while more.

For anyone watching Bates Motel, did you see that finale? So crazy! Leave some comments and let me know what you think–I need to talk to someone about that ending!

You can listen to the song by clicking on this link
                      ↓
Mr. Sandman by Nan Vernon

Review - Sharp Objects

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Finals may be over, but work is just getting started. I (promise) to be more active and update a bit more often. There are so many books to read, to review, and the same goes for new music, shows, and movies. But to get back into the swing of things, I'm going to start with an awesome psychological thriller by none other than the kickass author Gillian Flynn.

Sharp Objects

5 out of 5 Haunting Stars

"That's Wind Gap. We all know each other's secrets. And we all use them."

Holy shit. What the hell did I just read?? Sharp Objects has to be the most fucked-up, creepy, utterly disturbing book I have ever read. I love it. I feel sick to my stomach and like I need to cleanse my brain after finishing it, but it's so worth it. I have absolutely no idea how it is going to end, and just when I think I have everything figured out, Flynn throws in another plot twist that literally has me gripping the pages and having to re-read paragraphs. Amazing. Completely, totally unsettling, Sharp Objects is one hell of a debut novel.

Okay, moving on from my I-just-finished-reading-this-and-need-to-purge-my-feelings state, why don't I tell you guys what Sharp Objects is all about so you can understand my freakout (of the good variety). To sum it up real quick, our protagonist Camille Preaker has some mental instability due to an event in her past, and she's fresh out of a psych hospital when her boss sends her back home to cover the murder of two girls. See, Camille is a reporter, and her boss is hoping she'll have an in with the townies since she once lived there. It really does seem like small towns have the biggest secrets, and it's up to Camille to find out what's going on.

"Sometimes if you let people do things to you, you're really doing it to them. Know what I mean? If someone wants to do fucked-up things to you, and you let them, you're making them more fucked up. Then you have the control. As long as you don't go crazy."

I admit, I don't really like Camille's character. I don't really like any of the characters in the novel. But I think that's what makes Sharp Objects so addicting. Everyone has a problem, a dark side, something off about them, and it's very entertaining getting to read about it. Camille actually isn't too bad when compared to her half sister, Amma. Yeah, Camille makes some bad decisions that she knows she shouldn't be making, but Amma is serious bad news. Camille's  family is bad news. Hell, the whole freaking town is bad news. You really can't trust anyone.

Flynn deals with a lot of ideas and themes in Sharp Objects, but the one that stands out the most to me is the role of women. Women are seen as damsels in distress who need a big, strong man to take care of them. They're portrayed as victims. Imagine you're walking down a street alone at night. If a man is walking behind you, you're probably going to be on edge, but if it's a woman, not so much. Flynn takes this idea and twists it around; women may seem safe and kind, but that's not always the case. We're all human, and we all have the capacity for cruelty. This is what makes Sharp Objects such a complex, nasty book, and one hell of a dark, psychological thriller. Don't miss out on this one.

You're crazy to think what you're thinking. You're crazy to not think it.

*Oh, and Sharp Objects is being made into a TV series–so exciting!

Watching Wednesday - Intense Shows I'm Currently Watching

So, I realized I haven't done a "Watching Wednesday" post in ages, and decided instead of reviewing one show, why not make a list of some amazing ones I'm watching now? Enjoy!

GAME OF THRONES

I'm sure most people have heard of Game of Thrones, and for good reason. George R.R. Martin has created one hell of an epic fantasy series, and producers have done an amazing job translating the books into a TV series. Set in medieval times, there is deception, wars, magic, violence, betrayals and some pretty horrible characters that we all love to hate. It seems like everyone in the Seven Kingdoms wants the Iron Throne, and the writers are not kidding when they say "you win or you die." No one is safe in this show, and the intricate plot-lines are addicting. 

If you aren't watching Game of Thrones, you really should start ASAP–you're missing out on something special. Plus, spoilers are everywhere, so be careful about that. You can find the series on HBO, and if you don't have HBO, I'm sure there are other ways to get the episodes. I actually caught up when I first started watching by renting the DVDs from the library. Whatever you need to do to get your hands on the episodes, it's so worth it.

Game of Thrones Season One Trailer–just a warning, this show does contain graphic violence and nudity in it, and is rated Mature.

DAREDEVIL

Daredevil is a Netflix original show, and they recently added the second season–by recently I mean back in March, but I've just been able to start watching. I'm speeding through this season, and loving every second of it. Sometimes I think I should try and pace myself, drag out the season a bit longer, but then I realize I need to find out what happens next, and watch the next episode. I actually have some free time right now, so I'm not feeling too bad about binge watching this season.

For those of you who haven't heard of Daredevil, it's about lawyer-by-day, vigilante-by-night Matt Murdock, who was blinded in a terrible accident as a child. Losing one of his senses has made him more reliant on his other senses, especially hearing, and after rigorous training by [deleting spoiler here], he now uses his heightened senses to fight crime and clean the streets of New York City's Hell's Kitchen. He's taking the law into his own hands in a different kind of way, and creating lots of enemies in the process.

Daredevil is a dark, intense show, and I absolutely love it. The first season is amazing, and the second hasn't disappointed me yet. I'm probably going to finish it up in the next day or two, and I can't wait to see how everything plays out. If you have Netflix and are in need of a great show to watch, you really can't go wrong with this one. And if you don't have Netflix, I'd buy season one on DVD when you get the chance–this is definitely one of the better 'superhero' shows I've watched. Speaking of watching... time to get back to season two!

Daredevil Season One Trailer–also very graphic with violence, can get very bloody.

BATES MOTEL

Oh, Norman, Norman, Norman... you're seriously creeping me the hell out lately. Bates Motel is a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller Psycho (it may be an oldie, but it's a goodie too, and if you haven't seen it, you really, really should). The show is basically showing how Norman Bates become the crazy guy he is in Psycho, and the writer's are doing a fantastic job. The relationship between Norman and Norma Bates, and what happens in the small town of White Pine Bay, will stick with you for awhile after watching.

Bates Motel is currently in it's fourth season, an A&E original show that airs on Monday nights at 9pm. If you haven't seen the show, the first three seasons are on Netflix (and this is a very binge-worthy series), or I'm sure you can find the season DVDs to watch. The progression of the plot and the development of the characters are amazing, and this is not one to miss. It's scary how normal the Bates think they are, when it is very clear that they are not, and it's especially creepy when we get inside Norman's head. But that's what is so addicting about the show, and what keeps me coming back for more.

Bates Motel Season One Trailer–Mature rating for some episodes.

Game of Thrones, Daredevil, and Bates Motel are just a few of the shows I'm watching right now, but they are definitely some of my favorites. Have you seen these shows, are you caught up on the current seasons? If so, let me know what you think! I love discussing awesome, dark, complicated TV shows with people. And if you haven't watched any of these shows, I hope my post gets you interested! They're really awesome series, I promise.

Review - Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

5 out of 5 Heart-Breaking Stars

"End this. Pull the trigger. Make it easier for everyone."

Holy crap this is a depressing novel. The whole time I was torn between just wanting to hug Leonard and then yell at everyone who's let him down to open their eyes! I feel like it should have been so obvious to others that Leonard was clearly spinning off the deep end, and that's the scary thing: sometimes, it's not as obvious as you think, and sometimes, people notice but just don't put together what all these signs mean, or just don't care to.

It's heartbreaking how many times Leonard is let down, how the few people he does care about don't realize he's saying goodbye. The redeeming factor about these characters is the few that matter do care, they do realize that Leonard needs help. But sometimes it's just too late.

"I feel like I'm broken–like I don't fit together anymore. Like there's no more room for me in the world or something. Like I've overstayed my welcome here on Earth, and that everyone's trying to give me hints about that constantly. Like I should just check out. I'm so fucking worthless."

Quick is very blunt in his writing; he never holds back on describing what Leonard is feeling, as he repeatedly reminds us how he is going to kill Asher and then himself. It really drives home how dark of a place Leonard is in. When the secret is revealed about why Leonard wants to kill his former best friend and then himself, I completely understood why Leonard wanted to commit a murder-suicide. This just goes to show how talented Quick is in his writing, and just how much Leonard has suffered.

The wonderful thing about Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, is that, even though it is an extremely dark and sad book, it's about got humor and a sense of hope. There are two characters that I absolutely love in this novel (Walt and Herr Silverman). Also, the footnotes is a really cool idea. What I hope people take from reading this novel is that you can't put a measurement on pain, not really, and to never give up. Hold on to hope; it's one of the most powerful things in the world.

"People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply; by the lives they lead."

*Quick addition: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is in film development, with Channing Tatum as the director. Not sure about a possible release date yet, but I'll be looking out for it!