Review

September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 karenjo462 Comments

Ferocious

(Vicarious #2)

Paula Stokes

5 ★ – Explosive Conclusion

PUBLISHED BY TOR TEEN AUGUST 15. 2017

GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT, CONTEMPORARY, SCI-FI, THRILLER

PAGES: HARDCOVER 352

BUY AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE, BOOK DEPOSITORY

When Winter Kim finds out that her sister is dead and that she has a brother she never knew about, only two things matter―finding what’s left of her family and killing the man who destroyed her life. Her mission leads her from St. Louis to Los Angeles back to South Korea, where she grew up.

Things get increasingly dangerous once Winter arrives in Seoul. Aided by her friends Jesse and Sebastian, Winter attempts to infiltrate an international corporation to get close to her target, a nefarious businessman named Kyung. But keeping her last remaining loved ones out of the line of fire proves difficult, and when all seems to be lost, Winter must face one last devastating decision: is revenge worth sacrificing everything for? Or can she find a spark of hope in the darkness that threatens to engulf her?

What an explosive conclusion! Ferocious is everything I hoped in a sequel and as I said in my review for Vicarious, I’m so not ready to move on from this mind-blowing series.

Ferocious picks up as Winter plans for her revenge against Kyung, the man who’s caused her so much pain and took away everyone she loves. Intrigue, drama, mystery, action, and some humor keep the story moving along. There are so many twist and turns that I never knew which way the story was going. I was definitely on edge the whole time and I absolutely loved it! But amidst all the tension and madness, there are plenty of heartwarming and sweet moments too… and that made me love this series even more.

When I first met Winter, she believed that she’s too damaged to love and be loved. Seeing her grow every step of the way was so rewarding. I was totally fist pumping when she finally comes to realize that her past does not define who she is nor does it determine what her future will be. I truly adore Jesse with all my heart. He genuinely cares for Winter and does what he can to protect and help her in every way possible. He’s kind, gentle, and patient so it’s difficult not to fall for someone like him. And Baz… he’s just so awesome. I loved that I was able to get to know him more and by the end, I definitely wanted to give him a big hug.

The romance in this book is ridiculously SWOONY and absolutely one of my favorite parts of this book. Winter and Jesse are so freaking cute together! Their chemistry and slow-burn romance made my heart melt from the very beginning — sweet, adorable and most of all, realistic. It never takes the front seat, but blends in so perfectly with the story. I really enjoyed watching them work out their feelings for each other and will forever ship them.

Ferocious is truly one fantastic read! It’s thrilling, exciting, well-paced, and full of surprises. It deals with tough issues that will break your heart, but leaves you with so much hope and love. It’s bittersweet saying goodbye to these characters, but the ending feels so right – the perfect conclusion to a remarkable series.

I have to mention that Paula Stokes is without a doubt a talented and versatile writer. I fell in love with her writing style when I read Girl Against the Universe last year. I now have read 4 books and a short story and honestly LOVED them all. Paula’s writing is incredibly realistic, captivating, and hits all the right FEELS. Whether it’s cute and swoony like GATU or intense and dark like Vicarious and Ferocious, she delivers her story with so much heart. If you haven’t read any of Paula’s books, you are totally missing out on something absolutely amazing!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Follow / Connect with Paula Stokes: Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

Sincerely Karen Jo

Review

September 15, 2017 karenjo466 Comments

Above the Sky

(Above the Sky#1)

J.W. Lynne

5 ★ Brilliant Stars

Published July 9 2015

Genre(s): Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopia

Pages: Kindle 352

Buy: Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Her first eighteen years were filled with lies. She is about to discover the truth.

Eighteen-year-old Seven and her best friend, Ten, live where all is peaceful … except for the violent war raging above the sky. Lifelike humanoid robots and self-operated drones tend to everyone’s needs, leaving people free to spend their time stimulating their minds and enjoying life’s pleasures. But there are strict rules and few choices.

Every year, on Assignment Day, the path of each eighteen year old’s life is laid out. Some are given the jobs for which they have shown exceptional aptitude and are “paired” for mating. The others are sent off to fight in The War and never return.

When Assignment Day comes for Seven, the assignments shatter everything she’s ever believed. The rules force everyone to accept their fates, but Seven decides to do something unprecedented: to go against the Decision Makers’ wishes.

Above the Sky by J.W. Lynne surprised me in the best possible way! Jen actually approached me to read and review for her. The synopsis sounded intriguing so I said yes! Well, I had a long list of books on queue for review and I didn’t get to this until 2 months after I downloaded the book. And you know what… I was totally kicking myself for not starting sooner because this book is incredible!

The writing is exceptional – it’s imaginative, detailed, and deeply moving. I have to admit, after reading a few pages I didn’t know what to think or to expect. Then out of nowhere… BOOM!!! My heart couldn’t keep up with ALL THE FEELS and it just didn’t not stop. I absolutely love it when a book can evoke all kinds of emotions and just make me FEEL. This one certainly did that and more. I also really love that I felt an instant connection with the characters. They affected me and my heart just broke for them…YES even for the ones you feel like you should hate. They’re just so realistic, genuine and relatable that you’ll root for them so hard to have a happy ending.

I love the concept of this book and the world building is truly fantastic. While there are a few similarities with other books I’ve read before, this one is definitely unique enough to stand on its own. I was utterly captivated by the storyline that I didn’t want to stop reading. Obviously it’s terrifying and not the type of world I would ever want to live in, but there’s something fascinating about reading dystopian stories that always draws me in. But what really made this special for me is just how emotional I was throughout the entire thing. I was so overwhelmed I thought my heart would burst… but I loved every moment.

Seven is a wonderful character and I admired her so much. She’s intuitive, determined, and brave. She’s definitely my kind of hero – always looking out for others, breaking rules to protect lives, and making sacrifices for the people she loves. Ten is just as brave as Seven. He’s also very curious, adventurous, caring, and compassionate. I absolutely adore the both of them and enjoyed watching them go from best friends to lovers. Their chemistry had me swooning throughout the story. It’s innocent but intense, sweet, beautiful and just so real. I don’t want to be repetitive, but seriously the FEELS with this one is unbelievable!

I’m so happy Jen asked me to read her book and now I have a new series to rave about. The writing and world building is amazing. The characters are absolutely lovable. The plot is fast paced, full of action, and filled with a lot of twists and turns that will leaving you wanting more. Above the Sky is fantastic in so many ways and I can’t wait to read the sequel.