Heir of Fire by Sarah Maas

By now you know that Nehemia died, Dorian has power and Celaena is half-fae and is Aelin Ashryver Galanthynius, heir to the throne and rightful Queen of Terrasen.

Last time we saw Celeana she was leaving for Wendlyn. The King sent her there to kill Wendlyn's king and his heir and also steal the navy and military plans of the kingdom. Little does the King of Adarlan know that it was Chaol's intention for Celaena to hide among the Fae on that part of the world. Misguided as that might be, Chaol wants to protect Celaena because her being half-fae makes her life more in danger than before.

Celaena, on her part, wants to take this opportunity to seek out Queen Mauve of the Fae. She was hoping to get answers from her on how to destroy the Wyrdkeys because Queen Mauve had been present when the Wyrdkeys were wielded. The problem is the Fae look down on half-Fae, so Celaena is not really that safe in Wendlyn either.

When she met the Queen the latter told her that she cannot enter Doranelle until she proves that she is both gifted and worthy. Queen Maeve is interested in her power, her ability to summon and manipulate flame. In the meantime, she is to train under Prince Rowan and it is him who will gauge if she has conquered her power. During her training she is to live in Mistward, a place where half-faes live while waiting to be deemed worthy to enter Doranelle.

In this book we are also introduced to the witch clans. We know they exist from meeting Baba Yellowlegs before. But this time, we get a peak on their way of life. Particularly, we follow Manon Blackbeak and her Thirteen. Unlike the usual portrait of witches, Manon and the Thirteen are very beautiful but these women are ruthless and dangerous. When the part of the witches focused on Manon, I thought that she will have a big role in the series. I don't know yet is she is friend or foe to Celaena. I wish she will be a friend because Celaena needs all the powerful allies she can get.

You do not apologize for defending the people you care about. - Rowan

Rating: 5 STARS

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Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

So magic is again being used in Erilia - the dark, evil kind. Celaena discovered this when she the spirit of Elena, the first Queen of Adarlan, engaged her help to destroy it. I guess that's no longer a spoiler anymore since that was part of the first book :)

We also know by now that Celaena chose Chaol over Dorian. I do not support this decision, I don't get Chaol's appeal to Celaena. I find him boring and a stickler for rules. I am not sure if he will break his oath to protect the king and the kingdom even if it means saving Celaena from harm or death. And in this aspect, I am a little irritated with her. She made her decision to be with Chaol, but she can't bear the thought of Dorian with other women. Ugh! I guess even the greatest assassin will still act like any other girl when it comes to boys. But it cannot be denied that she and Dorian do have a connection, it may not be enough for her to fall in love with him though. But who knows, the series isn't over yet.

Celaena, as the King's Champion, has to do his bidding which entails killing anyone who stands in his way. Every now and then she would be given a name to kill under the pretext that some crime was committed against the king or the kingdom. Of course Celaena does not blindly follow the King's orders, she doesn't indiscriminately kill people (well, not anymore). Instead of killing them right away, she would interrogate them on why the King wants them dead. And always, the accusations are not true. Then she would give them some time to settle their affairs and secure passage away from Adarlan. She then found ways to make it appear that she killed that person.

Celaena continued to search for answer as to the dark magic that Elena referred to. However, in doing so, more questions are raised than answers found. And it was discouraging Celaena. She was one foot in and the other out with this plan to overthrow the King. For her, it was futile to fight him because he cannot be defeated and she doesn't want to risk her life and the lives of innocent people in rallying against the oppressive monarch. I guess she is just tired of violence and simply wants to live a life of peace. I don't blame her though. She grew up in a life of violence, her being trained by the king of assassins. She later because an assassin herself and was subsequently held the best assassin in all of Adarlan. So I understand if she wants to sit back and not join the fight.

However, I believe that she has to take an active role in stopping the King's reign of terror. I agree with Nehemia when she said that "[t]here can never be any peace - not while he reigns." I believe that as long as he is the one who rules, there will always be fear, terror and intimidation because that's just how he is. That's the only way he knows how to rule.

Two major revelations happened in this book. One is kinda predictable and the other not so much. I don't want to spoil things too much so I will leave it to you to discover what I am referring to. All I can say is they are the good kind and it levels the playing field a bit.

Hide from fate all you like, but it shall soon find you. - Baba Yellowlegs

Rating: 5 STARS

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I love everything about this book! I love that the main character is a female assassin. I like that there's magic and mystery involved in the plot. I like reading novels that are set in a place that the author imagined in his or her head and put it into writing.

The story is set in Erilea, a kingdom ruled by a cruel leader. He suppressed all those who might question the legitimacy of his ascent by conquering their land and banning all magic.

Celaena Sardothien is the heroine in this story and she is my kind of girl. She's an eighteen-year old girl trained by the Arobynn Hamel, the King of Assassins, who later earned the reputation of being Adarlan's most notorious assassin. Aside from her lethal skills as an assassin, Celaena is also attractive and smart (she loves to read!) which she uses to her advantage in being an assassin. I like her because she's badass. She can fight for herself and is not afraid to take on men who are bigger than her.

Her being attractive and smart is what drew Prince Dorian's interest to her. I like them together.  They both like to read and Dorian makes an effort showing how special she is to him. But there's Chaol, the Captain of the Royal Guard. Some thing is there too. I know they are more compatible and maybe a better fit. It will be complicated if she ends up with Dorian, him being royalty and all the complexities that goes with that.

The king is holding this tournament to choose his Champion whose job description is to assist him in dealing with people who are proving to be difficult to handle and Prince Dorian has chosen Celaena to be his contestant in the competition.

The competitors of the tournament started dying under mysterious circumstances though. Celaena suspects that magic is involved but couldn't figure out how that is so considering that magic is banned and all that practice it have been killed or went into hiding.

Though I'll admit that I didn't quite see this coming. And... no matter how frivolous and twisted that competition was, I'm grateful it brought you into my life. As long as I live, I'll always be thankful for that. - Prince Dorian

Rating: 5 STARS 

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Prodigy by Marie Lu

If you are reading this, it is safe to assume that you are done reading the first one. You know by now that June helped Day escape and has uncovered information which makes her question what she was ingrained to her about the Republic.

Day and June hopes to seek the help of the Patriots. Well, Day is more on board on this idea than June. I guess being a trained solder and a prodigy of the Republic, all its propaganda ingrained in her, it would really be difficult for June to just turn her back on everything that she knows and just accept the new realities that she is learning. She and Day would view things differently coming from different backgrounds and upbringing. It is a bit confusing for her.

The Elector died and his successor is at a unique position to effect reform in the Republic.  The Republic is in a vulnerable spot because of the regime change. No surprise that it is Anden, the son of the former leader, was chosen to succeed him. I hope Anden is nothing like his father. I wish he will use his position to make the necessary changes in the government for his people and for the Republic.

What's right is relative, isn't it? - June

Rating: 5 STARS

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Legend by Marie Lu

I put this book in my To Read list when I learned it was won in Goodreads. I thought that a lot of readers must have liked it that's why it won.

The story is written in first person, from the perspective of the two main characters: Day and June. I am not a fan of first person storytelling but because this novel is told from the point of view of the main male and female protagonists, I enjoyed reading it.

The two main characters could not be anymore different. Day came from a poor family, was forced to live on the streets and in hiding.  Someone who goes against everything the government is. Whereas June is the golden child of the government. She is someone who grew up in privilege, was able to attend to the best school, honored by everyone.

The country is afflicted with a plague that is spreading wide and fast and a cure is nowhere in sight. Soldiers would stop at every home to draw blood samples on its occupants and test whether they have the plague. If they do, soldiers would paint the letter X on the door to indicate that the members have the plague.

When a citizen turns ten years old, it is mandatory that they take the Trial. The score you get from it determines your future in the Republic. You get a score between 1450 to 1499, guarantees that you will be able to finish high school and can attend any of the top four universities. After which, you are also assured of a job in government. If your score is between 1250 and 1449, you will still be able to finish high school but you will now be designated to a college. However, if you land a score between 1000 and 1249, you can no longer proceed to high school moreso attend college.

Getting a score from 1000 and 1249 is not so bad because when you fail, you will be sent away. You are not even given a chance to say goodbye to your family. Republic officials will go to your home and force your family to sign a document granting them full custody over you.

Day failed on his Trial. He was able to escape wherever it is that they were supposed to take him to, his family was made to believe that he died. That's why he was forced to live on the streets and get back at the government whichever way he can. Day is considered a criminal, he is not the most dangerous but he is the most wanted because the government can seem to find anything about him.

June, on the other hand, got 1500 on her Trial. The perfect score. A prodigy. She excelled in everything and was fully supported by the government. And her first tracking mission is Day. However, during her mission she met and got to know a boy and was made aware how the people on the poor sectors live. She started to get conflicted about the things that was taught to her and what she is now learning. When the boy she met turns out to be Day, will she turn on him or choose his side?

Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time. - Day

Rating: 5 STARS

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Back from Hiatus

It has been a really long while since I wrote a review. I got busy with work and (I guess) other aspects of my life. I never stopped reading though. I was not able to achieve my reading goal the past two years but I still read young adult novels. I still keep notes and highlight paragraphs and statements in the novels that I think are important, keeping in mind that I will write something about it soon.

This year however, I will make it a point to finish my reading challenge of 52 books. And since I want to write more, I got back to writing reviews and publishing them here. My reviews are way behind the books I have finished reading (around 20 books behind?). I think I'm off to a good start though.

Happy reading everyone!

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The One by Kiera Cass

I know this series has been out for quiet some time before I began reading it. I guess that was also fortunate timing because when I finished The Elite, I did not have to wait long before I can continue with America and Maxon's story.

Honestly, when I got hold of this book I immediately went to the end to know who Maxon ended up with! I don't normally do that but I just can't stand the suspense. I want him to end up with someone who deserves him. That's how this story affected me.

Finally America has realized that it is Maxon that she wants but for some reason she still won't tell Aspen about her decision and I'm afraid this will cost her to lose Maxon. I don't understand what's holding her back. Maybe she is keeping him as a "reserve" in case Maxon does not choose her in the end? I don't like it when girls string guys along. I also don't like it when a guy does that to a girl.

If America annoyed me in the first two books, she annoyed me more in this one. But I still read it because I wanted to know how their story ends. I do that, read up to the end of the series just to know how it all ends. But there are series that I gave up on, not caring how it ends. Sorry, I digress.

Maxon is still the charming, nice and sweet guy I really liked since the first book. He was really making an effort to let America know how he feels about her. If I was at the receiving end of his gestures and efforts, I wouldn't hold back. I would have let myself fall in love.

I still like how this story ended even if the female lead annoys me to the core, the male lead more than makes up for it.

You're worth it. I don't think you get that. You're worth it to me. - Prince Maxon

Rating: 5 STARS

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Allegiant by Veronica Roth

I was sooooo excited when this book finally came out.  I am such a fan of this series and I wanted to know how the story ends.

Now we know that the faction cities are a result of gene manipulation experiments when the government wanted to implement to its citizen certain desirable conduct. The goal was to "edit humanity", so to speak, in order to reduce the possibility of unacceptable behavior from showing up in the population.  However, the gene manipulation produced a negative effect instead of a positive one: "every faction loses something when it gains a virtue."  Those so-called "genetically damaged individuals" were put in secure environments to settle in long term. The idea was for them to remain in these settlements for generations until they are to produce to more "genetically healed humans" which became known as the Divergents.

I guess the intentions are noble, there is nothing wrong with hoping to have a world where people only possess good traits. No one will kill another out of greed or envy. Everyone is friendly towards one another.  The idea of peace is so enticing that people are willing to do great lengths to achieve it.

However, our good and bad traits are what makes us unique and different from one another.  That's what separates us from each other. We cannot deny that they are bad seeds out there, people who manipulate and take advantage of other people. Ours may not be a perfect world but there is still hope in humanity. There are people out there who are putting efforts to make a difference, make a change.

Life damages us, every one. We can't escape that damage. We can be mended. We mend each other - Four

Rating: 4 STARS

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