Title: The Beautiful and the Cursed (Dispossessed #1)
Author: Page Morgan
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 14th 2013
ADD ON GOODREADS
MY THOUGHTS:
The Beautiful and the Cursed was a reminder of why I adore YA books. Gargoyles in 1890's Paris ? Sign me up, dude!
Ingrid along with her mother and sister, Gabby are forced to move to Paris from London after an accident.
The sisters move into an abandoned abbey which Ingrid's mother plans to turn into an art gallery only to find that their brother, Grayson is missing when they arrive.
Morgan's writing paints a vivid picture of Paris and I couldn't help but fall in love with the city over and over again.
The story is narrated in multiple POVs and is woven together seamlessly to create an imaginative and unique story.
Don't let the girl on the cover fool you because the Waverly sisters are definitely not damsels in distress. The Waverly siblings, the swoon-worthy love interests and the supporting characters were well written and multidimensional and I found myself being very interested in each and every one of their stories. But I have to admit that it was Ingrid's and Luc's scenes that I was eagerly anticipating!
Built on mythology of les grotesques, incorporated with an element of mystery and interspersed with romance, Morgan's debut is a compelling read that had me hooked from page one.
MY RATING: 4 AND A HALF STARS
FAVORITE LINES:
“I’ll get to you if you need me,” he whispered, the press of his fingers a tangible version of his pledge. She wished neither of them was wearing gloves. The feel of his skin against hers shouldn’t have been the foremost desire in her mind, but it was. Luc sapped her of all reason, it seemed. And his touch made it difficult to breathe.
“I know you will,” she said.
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Title: These Broken Stars
Authors: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Authors: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: December 10th 2013
MY THOUGHTS:
When the Icarus, the luxury spaceliner malfunctions, Lilac LaRoux, the untouchable daughter of the richest man in the universe and Tarver Merendsen, the uncultured war hero are the sole survivors. They survive the crash but after a few days on the planet, the question is will they survive this new and eerie terrain?
Initially, the relationship between Lilac and Tarver is tricky and unstable to say the least due to their differences in status. But as the story progresses they slowly learn to trust and yes, love each other.
I adore character driven books-watching the characters interact with each and grow over the course of this novel was truly enjoyable.
I think the main difference between those who enjoyed this book and those who didn't is that the latter found it difficult to connect with the characters. Thankfully, I had no such issue! Both Tarver and Lilac are deliciously imperfect characters-The entire time I was reading These Broken Stars I had a grin on my face because their banter was so amusing.
The world building was amazing and the authors' attention to detail made this one hell of a brilliant read. The vivid descriptions along with the unique voices used in the dual POVs make These Broken Stars a very enticing read.
And dude, don't get me started on the writing! These Broken Stars was so beautifully written and the story was crafted so brilliantly that I just couldn't stop turning those pages.
These Broken Stars is both a compelling survival story and a timeless romance that had me seeing stars from the first line. A must read, indeed.
MY RATING: 5 STARS
FAVORITE LINES:
Initially, the relationship between Lilac and Tarver is tricky and unstable to say the least due to their differences in status. But as the story progresses they slowly learn to trust and yes, love each other.
I adore character driven books-watching the characters interact with each and grow over the course of this novel was truly enjoyable.
I think the main difference between those who enjoyed this book and those who didn't is that the latter found it difficult to connect with the characters. Thankfully, I had no such issue! Both Tarver and Lilac are deliciously imperfect characters-The entire time I was reading These Broken Stars I had a grin on my face because their banter was so amusing.
The world building was amazing and the authors' attention to detail made this one hell of a brilliant read. The vivid descriptions along with the unique voices used in the dual POVs make These Broken Stars a very enticing read.
And dude, don't get me started on the writing! These Broken Stars was so beautifully written and the story was crafted so brilliantly that I just couldn't stop turning those pages.
These Broken Stars is both a compelling survival story and a timeless romance that had me seeing stars from the first line. A must read, indeed.
MY RATING: 5 STARS
FAVORITE LINES:
“Miss LaRoux, before you martyr yourself, I should warn you that I’ve had to curl up with my large and hairy corporal under certain undesirable circumstances. By comparison, a beautiful girl sounds like a vacation.”AND THIS:
"There are dirty smudges mingling with the freckles all over her face, and that bruise on her cheek. Even in sleep, her mouth is pulled into a straight, determined line.There are purple half circles underneath her eyes, and she’s sweaty, beat up, and utterly exhausted.She’s never looked so beautiful."I SWEAR THIS IS THE LAST ONE:
"Would you like a rest?
"She considers the question, then nods, reaching up to tuck her hair back where it belongs. "Where will I sit?"
Sit? Why, on this comfortable chaise lounge I've carried for you in my pocket, Your Highness. So glad you asked.
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So over to you:
Have you read The Beautiful and the Cursed or These Broken Stars? Did you love them as much as I did?
If you haven't had the chance to pick them up yet, tell me does it sound like a read you'd enjoy?
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I have read neither book, but I have read of These Broken Stars. The covers of both are really pretty, and their blurbs are interesting. I feel more inclined towards The Beautiful and the Cursed because I've never read a book that had gargoyles as a focus. Great reviews! :D Adding these to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do find the time to check these two reads, Ana because these two are on my top favorite reads for 2014! :)
DeleteI love the idea of gargoyles. I need to make time for this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics
I love seeing new angles in YA and The Beautiful and the Cursed is a refreshing look at gargoyles! Thanks for stopping by, Jen! :)
DeleteI haven't heard The Beautiful and the Cursed but the setting sounds so unique, espesh for YA! And I too enjoyed These Broken Stars!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed These Broken Stars, Mands! You should definitely give The Beautiful and the Cursed a chance-It seems to be an under-rated read for some reason.
DeleteAww you have a really nice blog x so glad I found it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much-I absolutely love new readers so thanks for stopping by! :)
DeleteOhmysweetbabjesus gurl. THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED! I loved this one too :) Gargoyles and Paris?? Psshhh. Also know as two of the most swoon-worthy things EVER! (can you tell I loved it?)
ReplyDeleteTitanic is Space is a really good way to describe the book. I didn't love this one as much as you though. I think that cover set my expectations too high D:
Lovely reviews!
~Jackie
Oh trust me, I can tell you loved it! :D
DeleteI'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy These Broken Stars as much as you had hoped to-Sometimes hype can be such a killer. :((
Thanks for stopping by, Jackie!