"The Testing" (a formal Lexi review)

Dear readers,

I know this novel has been out, and the second novel was released earlier this month, but if you're here, you most likely were busy reading a host of other novels that came out around the same time. If you're thinking of reading this novel, read my review first. :)

The novel? The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Summary: "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? 

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. 

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one. 
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust." (Thank you tons, Goodreads!)

This novel was amazing. I loved the characters and the plot! The next community leaders are taken after high school graduation, away to a place where you're constantly being tested to prove you should be in college. Sounds pretty innocent but harsh, right? Well, the penalty for failing is nothing you want, and every upcoming leader won't remember a thing. So what exactly is being hidden and why? You'll find out once you read this adventurous book!

(Also, kinda reminded me of the Hunger Game premise, but more supervised and technical.)

In Conclusion: Read, read, read!


Rating:

4/5 lightening bolts


XOXO,
Lexi

"Uninvited" (a not-guilty Lexi review)

Hey, everybody!

I am in a rush to catch up on a post, so not much chatter up here, except that I hope everybody is doing well and happily reading!!!

Today's book is Uninvited by Sophie Jordan! It comes out today!

Summary: "When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly." (Gratzi, Goodreads!)

This novel looks at issues with science, what it means to be human, human rights no matter what, and where the line should be drawn. It's actually very good, and I enjoyed it big time!

The characters all of depth. Also, the storyline is very interesting and brings you into Davy's life. You see a girl go from a privileged life to a shady, horrible life, all because of a possibility based on her DNA. She's goes from a girl with friends, a boyfriend, a high-end way of living, as well as loving parents, to almost nothing. Then you join her journey into a program for those with the HTS gene. You'll be hooked on the issues, romance, and how somebody can survive such a large change in their lives. The only flaw is some parts can be a bit slow, especially in the beginning, but otherwise, it's great!

In Conclusion: Read it! It'll make you think of big issues, but in a very entertaining way! This author is great!

Rating:

4/5 DNA Swabs

XOXO,

Lexi

"Vitro" (a humanistic review by Lexi)

Hello again, our lovely Readers!!!!!

Today's novel stands out among its peers. It's Vitro by Jessica Khoury!

Summary: "On a remote island in the Pacific, Corpus scientists have taken test tube embryos and given them life. These beings—the Vitros—have knowledge and abilities most humans can only dream of. But they also have one enormous flaw.

Sophie Crue is determined to get to Skin Island and find her mother, a scientist who left Sophie behind years ago. With the help of Jim Julien, a young charter pilot, she arrives--and discovers a terrifying secret she never imagined: she has a Vitro twin, Lux, who is the culmination of Corpus's dangerous research.
Now Sophie is torn between reuniting with the mother who betrayed her and protecting the genetically enhanced twin she never knew existed. But untangling the twisted strands of these relationships will have to wait, for Sophie and Jim are about to find out what happens when science stretches too far beyond its reach." (Thank you, Goodreads!!!)

This novel is really interesting. Not only does it bring up the topic of who family truly is, and what ethical lines should or should not be crossed in science, particularly when it involves human lives. Also, what/who is or is not considered as human. It's a very good novel, toying with all of these ideas, plus adding in these characters that yank at your heartstrings or make you want to be empowered. This novel is seriously one of the best books I've read in awhile, especially with the subject of science and scientific breakthroughs. This novel has it as happening now, whereas you're usually overwhelmed with this futuristic new world full of technology. The plot is awesome and interesting, and you'll never guess what comes next on every page! This novel is truly great!

In Conclusion: If you like action-packed novels that make you think, read this ASAP!

Rating:

5/5 vials


XOXO,
Lexi

"Mystic City" (a bright Lexi review)

Readers!

For those who don't know, my laptop was, ahem, "out of order" for over a week thanks to my spilling a sweet tea on it... Well, somehow -- I'm going with magic -- I fixed it! Maybe it fixed itself, but I'm taking credit because I'm the one who was frantically freaking out, lol.

Well, I'm super happy to be back blogging! I read so much to make up for my body's refusal to sleep at night, and my "Blog About ASAP" shelf has leaked over to my "Apps" shelf, and I literally have no more room for any more until this week of blogging is over. (By then, I'll probably have replaced them promptly with even more books, lol.)

So today's is one I really liked and got into, called Mystic City by Theo Lawrence.

Summary: "Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud - and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths.

But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place.Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection - and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city - including herself." (Thank you, Goodreads!)

This novel was wonderful! I was worried it was going to be overdone in the futuristic ideas like other books I've read, or that the romantic relationship be too over-the-top. However, though I went into this novel with a sigh, the first page alone got me.

The imagery was beautiful, and the ideas that were presented were just fantastic. The characters themselves had this depth to them (each character does), that makes the book more of a story that your friend is telling you, not a stranger who came up with these ideas. They play to similar characters that you've read in other novels, so you're comforting and familiar, but they each have their own important parts to play in this novel.

The structure was great, and the scenes are fluid and interesting enough to keep one interested and eager to see what comes next! The story is also very classic and comfortable, but surprising and fun enough to not get bored in any way.

I seriously just loved this story. It was wonderful!

In Conclusion: If you want a good, classic story with a futuristic twists that's exciting and unexpected, read this amazing book!

Rating: 

6/5 city buildings


XOXO,
Lexi

Kevin Hart & Technical Difficulties (a Sunday Lexi post)

Hey, Readers,

I know I've been gone for a week or so. I spilled sweet tea on my laptop, and it stopped working. I did a ton of stuff, and then the keyboard wouldn't work, but it actually turned on. And then I did more stuff, and then nothing, and then everything worked, and I'm not questioning it or saying it out loud unless this thing is in another room. Even this might jinx it. I will be back on Tuesday, when I have everything ready again on here. I still have things I need to do, which I have been doing for a few days now when I can.

So today, since I'm here, I'm going to post a hilarious Kevin Hart meme! Not only is it true and hilarious, but omg, I LOVE Kevin Hart!!!

XOXO,

Lexi

Book Nerd Girl Problems (Lexi's Silly Sunday Post)

Looking weird while sniffing books...

What's worse? Giving into that voice through the entire store...

You can make up the rest of the rap easily, lol

And you get into trouble for that...

SERIOUSLY THOUGH!!!

And then feeling the need to call the author and scream and/or cry at them...

More hilariously true than it being a problem.

And a lil itty-bitty part of you dies inside, too...

What do you mean "Hermione" is not a nice name for a child???

Owwwwwwwwww...

This is when I ask why God hates me.

RIGHT!?!?!

Ash and I have this problem a lot... lol

Worst. Nightmare. Ever.
Then again, what else is fanfiction for???

AND THE BIGGEST BOOK NERD GIRL PROBLEM???

Your HUGE crush doesn't even know you exist...

because he's fictional.

BUT HE'S REAL IN MY HEART!!! lol

"Gated" (a hidden Lexi review)

Readers,

It is too cold outside. Just saying. It's supposed to get even colder tomorrow!!! The benefit of this horrid weather? Perfect days to be in pajamas, curled up in a blanket, with a book in your hands! Thank goodness for books!

Today's novel is Gated by Amy Christine Parker.

Summary: "Appearances can be deceiving.

In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.
Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?" (Thanks, Goodreads!)

I love watching "Sister Wives," as well as the Hudderite show, and the specials "Dr. Phil" conducted about polygamy and cults. I guess I'm just a weird girl like that. I never want to join one, but they're something interesting to study, especially when they're religious cults. That means I was actually going to be very critical about this novel, and I was looking forward to reading it.

Saying that, I must admit that the novel is very in-depth, and seemed so real to me that it was creepy. This man had so much power in this little community of his, adding more members by playing on their fears, especially after 9/11. The plot took twists and turns that I definitely didn't see coming, and the ending just blew me away.

There's plenty of action in this novel. You'll also be able to study this in a psychological way, thanks to the narrator being a member of this cult since a young age. The backgrounds, full and believable characters, writing style, and subject will have you hooked from beginning to end. (Warning: You may feel compelled to read this all at once... lol)

In Conclusion: Whether you're into these books or not, I still recommend reading this book!

Rating:

5/5 bullets

"These Broken Stars" (a celestial Lexi review)

Our Awesome Readers,

Happy New Year! I hope that everybody stayed safe and had fun celebrating! I know I did!

Today's book happens in the stars, so I figured it'd be a great way to start the year with yet another good book! Today's book? These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman.

Summary: "It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it." (Thank you very much, Goodreads!)

If this is how the future will be... Wow. Just wow. This novel is truly great. I love the plot, the characters, and how each character has this unexpected side that kills any thoughts you had on them. You can envision everything that the author has come up with: the decadence of the ship, the worry in the air, the whispers softly calling -- It's all vivid. This is truly a great book.

I love this novel!


In Conclusion: This book was great! Instructions -- Read and love!


Rating:

5/5 stars


XOXO,
Lexi

"Rebel Belle" (a deb Lexi review)

To all our Readers,

Today's awesome book is Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins.

Summary: "Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth." (Gracias, Goodreads!!!)

This book is totally packed with awesome paranormal fighting moves, along with love, and relationships with family and friends. Harper is perfect. She is the perfection of a Southern Belle. However, her dreams are forced out after Homecoming, where some pretty creepy things go down. Her perfect life? Gone! Poof! So now she has to deal with major life changes/directions. How will she? By facing her life's new imperfections.

In Conclusion: Best original paranormal fiction I've read in awhile!!! Go for it!!!

Rating:

5/5 debutantes