Take Two: "The Gathering" by Kelley Armstrong

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two".

You can find my original review of "The Gathering" HERE.

From Goodreads: "Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

In The Gathering , New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy."

After rereading this book I must admit that my opinion of it has changed very little from the first time I read it and I must also admit that I am quite disappointed by that fact. I was hoping that in rereading the book I would come to understand it better, connect to characters I was previously on the fence about, and things along those lines (as what does happen in some instances of rereading a book), however, I unfortunately didn't in most instances.

Again, I found that the plot to be quite slow and underdeveloped in places. And, again, I can't help but wonder why there are so few references made to the Genesis and Phoenix Projects in this book- in my opinion the first book of a series is supposed to suck the reader in, guaranteeing that they will continue on with the series and I'm not quite sure that this book is entirely successful at that. The paranormal aspect of this book plays an EXTREMELY small role, there is much more mention of cliques, wildlife, and the likes of.

That being said, I did pay more attention to the characters the second time reading this book than I did the first time, primarily Rafe and Daniel, though also Sam, Corey and Hayley. Daniel and Rafe finally made an impact upon me the second time reading this book (but no where the impact that Derek and Simon had from Kelley's "Darkest Powers" series did).

All in all, while I was a fair bit disappointed with this book (again) I will continue to read on with this series (mainly because it is written by Kelley Armstrong, one of my most favourite authors ever, and an author I know is capable of writing amazingness- though, in all honesty, I can't say that I would continue on with this series if it weren't written by Kelley as I don't find it to be near as engaging as it needs to be).

Rating: 8/10

Memorable lines from this book:

"What happened?"
"You fainted." The corners of his mouth twitched. "I believed swooned is the correct term. It's not nearly as romantic as it sounds, you know. More like a deadweight collapse. With drool" (pg. 60).

"... you're an equal opportunity hater. You pick on all of us" (pg. 118).

"I promise not to try to get you back into the woods." He paused. "For at least forty-eight hours" (pg. 198).

"You have to pass the parental exam first. It'll take you awhile to compile the data, They'd like it in triplicate... We have Kenji. We have my cell phone. Since we aren't officially dating, I'm sure you'll agree that's all the protection we need" (pg. 202).

"Dad's trying to marry me off to Daniel." I looked at him. "You know, if you offer him a new truck for a dowry, he might go for it" (pg. 221).

Take Two: "Bloodlines" by Richelle Mead

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two".

You can find my original review of "Bloodlines" HERE. 

From Goodreads: "The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood." 

If possible I enjoyed reading this book even more than I did the first time- I think that why I did was because unlike the first time I read this book I took the time to really savor it (whereas admittedly the first time I read it I most likely rushed through it because I JUST HAD TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN). In taking the time to read this book I think that I came to understand the characters better than I had previously- from the mains, Adrian and Sydney, to the secondary characters, Jill, Eddie, Trey, and the likes of. 

Furthermore, I picked up on a lot of little hints here and there within the plot which I had missed the first time around which allowed me to not only better guesstimate what was going to happen at the end of this book (because I had admittedly forgotten almost the entire plot of this book since I had last read it), but which also allowed me to better guesstimate what was to happen in the second book of this series, "The Golden Lily" (seriously, A LOT of little things in this book that you might not give a second glance to play MAJOR roles in "The Golden Lily"- so keep your eyes out for them *Nudge, nudge, wink, wink*).

Also, I was flabbergasted the second time reading this book by the number of small storylines in this book- there are A LOT. I think that it is a testament to author Richelle Mead that the reader doesn't even pick up on all of the various overarching storylines because they are all seamlessly woven into one another (as opposed to a few being more glaringly obvious than others, etc.).

All in all, I am super glad to have enjoyed this book just as much the second time around than the first (because, as some of your may be have noticed, this is typically that is not the case- a lot of the time I find myself being more disenchanted by a book the second time reading it)- this book (not to mention series) is one that I know that I will continue to pick up time and time again for basically forever.

Rating: 10/10

Memorable lines from the book: 

"You're okay. For a human." 
I almost laughed. "Thanks." 
"You can say it too, you know." 
I walked over to Latte and paused. "Say what?" 
"That I'm okay... for a vampire," he explained (145)." 

"... you're okay for an irreverent boy with occasional moments of brilliance" (145).

"Because Jet sounds badass" (219).

'I was no better at reading people than I had been ten seconds ago, but in that moment, I suddenly gained a flash of understanding into the mystery that was Adrian Ivashkov. People didn't believe in him very often. They had low expectations of him, so he did as well. Even Eddie had sort of written him off, He's Adrian. As though there was nothing to be done for it. 


I also suddenly realized that, as unlikely as it seemed, Adrian and I had a lot in common. Both of us were constantly boxed in by other's expectations. It didn't matter that people expected everything of me and nothing of him. We were still the same, both of us constantly trying to break out of the lines that others had defined for us and be our own person. Adrian Ivanshkov- flippant, vampire party boy- was more like me than anyone else I knew" (282).

Take Two: "44" by Jools Sinclair

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two".

From Goodreads: "Last year after falling through the ice, seventeen-year-old Abby Craig woke up from death - but she woke into a world she barely recognizes. She can't see colors, memories have been erased, and her friends all hate her. And then there's Jesse, who she loves, but who refuses to forgive her the one mistake she made long ago.

Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, the visions begin. In them, she sees a faceless serial killer roaming the streets. While the police believe that there have been a lot of accidents in town lately, Abby knows differently. And she soon realizes that it's up to her to find him. But to stop him, she'll have to confront more than just the killer. She'll have to face something else that was lost in those dark waters: the truth." 

You can find my original review of "44" HERE.

Unfortunately I have noticed in my "Take Two" feature that I don't enjoy a book the second time around than I did the first time- I'm not quite sure if it is because the first time I read the book I was just so HYPED up that I glossed over all of its faults, that I didn't give myself enough time to process it, or something along those lines. However, this is the first instance of my "Take Two" feature (that I can recall) where I like the book just as much, if not more, the second time reading it as I did the first.

Despite knowing how this book ended that didn't stop my heart from skipping a beat and my breath from catching as I read it. I think that this is a testament to author Jools Sinclair- that her words and story impact the reader no matter the distance, time, or number of times previously read.

Like the first time I read this book I was struck by how beautifully everything was crafted, from the characters, Abby, Jesse, and the likes of, to the plot, which is extremely well paced to the overall paranormal element- it is truly quite unlike any other YA book I have read before.

All in all, this is a book that I will come back to time and time again (think "Take Four" or "Take Five"), I highly recommend it to fans of speculative fiction! 

Rating: 10/10

Take Two: "The Talents" (AKA "The Candidates") by Inara Scott

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two".

Just in case you were wondering about the name change of this book/ series: Inara's publisher didn't feel like the titles of her books "Delacroix Academy: The Candidates" and "Delacroix Academy: The Watchers" fully conveyed to the reader what the series was about. Therefore they decided to rename this book, "The Candidates" (it is now called "The Talents"), and give it a new cover. They also did the same for "The Watchers", it's sequel (it is now called "The Marked"), and it will be released April 3, 2012.

 You can find my original review of "The Candidates" HERE.  

From Goodreads: "Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that’s not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia’s mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just … happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to people, believing this way she can suppress her powers and keep them hidden.

When recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy offer her a full scholarship, Dancia fears her days of living under the radar may be over. But Delcroix is a school for diplomats’ kids and child geniuses — why are they treating Dancia like she’s special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make her feel welcome. And then there’s her mysterious new friend Jack, who can’t stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at Delcroix, and he wants Dancia to help him figure out what…But neither Jack or Dancia could have imagined what’s really going on behind the gates of Delcroix Academy."

After having reread this book I must admit that there were aspects of it that I didn't enjoy as much as I had the first time (much like in my Take Two of "The Last Sacrifice" by Richelle Mead).

This time around I had a much harder time relating to the vast majority of the characters- I think that it could perhaps be attributed to the fact that I last read this book a year (if not longer ago) which means that I am a year older than the characters (Danica, the main character, is fourteen years old). Therefore we are at totally different points in our lives (these characters are just entering into high school whereas I am graduating university, Danica's biggest worries include such things as whether the school's cutest boy reciprocates her feelings, whereas my biggest concerns include such things as prepping for grad school and being a 'grown-up').

Furthermore, while the first time I read this book I disliked Cam I disliked him even more so in this book. He just reminds me too much of Nash from Rachel Vincent's "Soul Screamers" series, he is too 'perfect', too all American, too jocky, too cocky, and the likes of.

That being said,  I feel even harder for Jack in this book. I hadn't comprehended how much time Danica and Jack had spent together and how much of an impact they had on one another. Furthermore, I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this book, while in the first time I read the book I didn't feel that they didn't made all that much of an impact upon me. I thought that Esther and Hennie brought a lot of much needed humor to the book.

All in all, while there was most definitely aspects of this book that I didn't enjoy as much the second time around, that isn't to say that it is a bad book by any means, there were also numerous parts that I enjoyed even more so this time. Furthermore, this is a book that I will read time and time again despite my complaints.

Rating: 8/10

Take Two: "Last Sacrifice" by Richelle Mead

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a re-reader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two" (or in the case of this book Take Three or Four).

My original review of "Last Sacrifice" can be found HERE. 

From Goodreads: "They come first.

My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw (Avery edit- took this part out because it would tell you which guy she picked) face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Valdimir's Academy with her best friend and surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputations to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back... and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?"

When I first read this book I thought that it was one of the most perfect series finales I had ever read before- everything that I wanted to happen did, all of the characters that I had come to love over the previous five books played a role, and the likes of. However, after rereading this book I see that it isn't quite as perfect as I had originally thought it to be.  

I just feel like something is missing in this book. Is it that I feel that the characters had such an 'easy' time in this book when compared to the others (ie. everything was almost handed to the characters. Rose had to fight like what, one Strigoi? And in the book the only injury that she wracked up was a sprained ankle and a banged up head?)? Or is it that I feel that the characters weren't as true to themselves as they were in previous books (In Rose only having to fight one Strigori in this book I felt that she lost a bit of her badass-ness. Or Dimitri being so happy-go-lucky in this book and not his typical stoic self? Or Adrian becoming an extremely vicious character- forgetting his laid-back/ class-clown behavior?)? Or it is that there was almost too much humor included in this book, where the others were a lot more serious? I don't know what is missing from this book, just that there is something and that reading this book for the second time was unfortunately not as satisfying as reading it the first time. 

Memorable lines from the book: 

"So, you could imagine my surprise when the statues blew up" (pg. 47). 

"Rose," chastised Dimitri, with a pointed look at the door, "Be careful. And besides, we only saw one person in overalls" (pg. 148).  

"So that's how you're going to fix the family problem. Little Dragomirs. Good idea" (pg. 313). 

"I looked back and forth at them in amazement. I didn't know if I was witnessing a fight or foreplay. I wasn't thrilled with either option" (pg. 587).  

Take Two: "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two" (or in the case of this book Take Three or Four).

From Goodreads: "In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget."

The first time I read this book I didn't really care for Cole. Whatsoever. I just plowed through all of the parts that he was in because I wanted to get to the 'good stuff' AKA the romance between Sam and Grace, however, this time around I really took the time to pay attention to him, and boy, did I ever like what I saw read. In my review of "Shade" by Jeri Smith-Ready I stated, "Logan, Aura's dead boyfriend, is full of fiery passion and it is easy to get swept up by said passion, though he does have his asshattery moments that does leave a bad taste in your mouth," and I think that that statement entirely applies to Cole of this book. On the one hand he completely plays with Isabel's heart, but on the other hand he genuinely cares about Grace's outcome and does everything in his power to see her and Sam together forever.

Furthermore, the first time I read this book I figured that the plot would more so focus on Sam and him adapting to his new life, but when it didn't fully go in that direction, but more so in the direction of Grace and her transformation, I was completely taken by surprise (though a happy one at that) and every time I have read the book since then I am still shocked by what occurs. And I think that that is a mark of a good book, a book which allows you to feel something no matter how many times you may read it.

All in all, this book truly takes you on an emotional roller coaster and is a treat to read once again. While I typically do not like new characters being introduced to well established series (ie. Daniel in Cassie Clare's "Mortal Instruments" series), I didn't mind the introduction of Cole in this series.

Rating: 10/10

Memorable lines from the book:

"Isabel Rosemary Culpeper, are you even going to tell me what a naked boy is doing in this house?"
"What do you think? Isabel replied. "What do you think I'm doing with a naked boy in this house? Didn't Dr. Carrotnose warn you that I might act out if you kept ignoring me? Well, here it is, Mom! Here's me acting out!" (pg. 82).

"My parents had always been so careful with me, until the day they decided I needed to die" (pg. 91).

"Pick one, guys. Parents or roommates. You can't be one and then suddenly be the other" (pg. 220).

"It was a life I didn't want to leave behind" (pg. 338).

Take Two: "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two" (or in the case of this book Take Five or Take Six).

From Goodreads: "the cold.

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future."
 
Much like Grace I am the sort of person who doesn't understand poetry. It's not that I don't want to, I just can't wrap my head around it (whereas Grace's head is up in clouds of mathematical equations mine is up in clouds of cultures and bones). And even though I know very little about poetry what I do know is that, like a well written poem saturated in emotion, this book is breathtaking, haunting, and powerful. In the "About the Author" section of the book author Cynthia Leitich Smith calls Maggie's writing, "musical, magical, and practically radiating romance... perfect for engaging sharp minds and poetic hearts," and I personally don't feel like she could have described Maggie's writing style any more perfectly. I don't think that the first few times I read this book I appreciated Maggie's writing style- I think that initially I rushed through the book mainly because I had wanted to know what was going to happen to all of my favourite characters. I didn't really allow myself to savor it. Had I read this book a few days earlier into this year I would have awarded it with the most beautiful prose award (see my Fav Books of 2011- So Far).

When I first saw the covers I (rather superficially) thought, "Oh aren't those pretty with their creepy tree branches and whatnot", but then when I laid the three covers together, I realized that, "DUH!", they basically tell the story (though in a very subtle way). Furthermore, not only do they tell the story contained within them, but they also display many characteristics of the characters. On the one hard they are very organized and calculated like Grace, but on the other hand they are very complex and multi-faceted like Sam.

What I also never comprehended my first couple of times reading this book was how truly developed the characters were. I always saw Grace as kind of 'the girl next door', but she is anything but that. Because she had to become independent at such a young age, due to her parents unwillingness to make time for her, that it was only obvious that over time she would be more comforted by calculations than hugs. And as for Sam? Well at first he may just seem like your typical emo boy with his swoopy hair, lankiness and love of music, there is so much more to him. He is a born leader with the ability to see the good in everyone, whether they deserve it or not.

All in all, this is a book that I could never get sick of rereading. This book is full of raw emotion that is all consuming and will have to hungering for the next book in the series (seriously the last time I cried while reading a book to the extent I did while reading this was when I was in grade 6 and had just learned that Leslie drowned in "Bridge to Terabithia").

Rating: 10/10

Memorable lines from the book:

"Sam backed away farther, crashing into the cabinet behind him, curling into a ball, uncurling. He was peeling free. He was shaking out of his fur. He was wolf and he was Sam, and then
he
was
just
Sam" (pg. 369).

 

"She could've looked at the tiny miracles in front of her: my feet, my hands, my fingers, the shape of my shoulders beneath my jacket, my human body, but she only stared at my eyes" (pg. 390).

 

"His yellow eyes gazed at me possessively- I wondered if he realized that the way he looked at me was far more intimate than copping a feel ever could be" (pg. 282).

 

"Isabel said, 'He's in the living room next to the fire. He just stopped throwing up before you got here. He puked all over the carpet. But that's okay because I like having my parents pissed at me. No point interrupting a constant pattern'" (pg. 331).

Take Two: "Paranormalcy" by Kiersten White

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a rereader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two".

My original review of "Paranormalcy" can be found HERE.

 From Goodreads: "Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal."

I am not going to lie, when I first read this book I was one of those people who was more than a little turned off of Evie because I found her to be an entirely superficial individual. I think that why I was so turned off by her was because I felt that she went against everything that I stand for as a female (ie. she always seemed to be concerned about her make-up or how her clothing made her feel and things of that nature), however, after rereading it I came to realize that that wasn't the case at all. Because Evie was the only teenager living at the Center she hadn't really been exposed to people her age before. Therefore she relied upon popular culture, specifically her favorite television show Easton Heights (a trashy sounding TV show where all of the characters were always hooking up or breaking up with one another, similar to Gossip Girl or The Hills), to gauge how teenagers were supposed to act- it wasn't like she chose to act the way that she did, it was the only way she knew how to. When you think about it, it really is sad.

I just feel like I liked all of the characters more the second time around. Take Lend for instance, I didn't think that it was possible, but I loved him even more the second time around. The boy was just such a rock and really held Evie together when she needed it. And Vivian, well, maybe I didn't like her more per se, but I sympathisized for her even more- she was raised by people who didn't see her as a person, only seeing her as a weapon, therefore she hadn't truly experienced love in her life. And Reth, the first time I read of him I couldn't really stomach him at all, but this time around? Well, I found myself liking him more and more (not that I would ever want Evie to choose him over Lend)- I just found him to be entirely intriguing and a character I really want to know more about.

So what does this mean? I fully take back my earlier claims that this book was pretty superficial (if anything, the undertones of this book are quite sad). I highly recommend this book to those who have yet to read it (seriously, you are missing out- Kiersten is such a talented writer, especially when it comes to writing comedic situations and events)!

Memorable lines from the book:

"When I got to my unit, I went straight to my bedroom and dug around under my bed until I found the three-pound dumbbells I had stolen from one of Bud's training sessions. They were iron, the best protection against faeries. Or at least, I was pretty sure they were iron. Okay, I really, really hoped they wer eiron, because my only other option was to sleep with my knife on my chest. Images of impaling myself during a nightmare flew through my head..." (pg. 69). 

"According to Easton Heights, a fistfight over a girl should be breaking out at some point today, followed by a tear-streaked catfight in the girl's bathroom. Should I keep my eyes open? And, more important, do I join the fight, or just watch?" (pg. 241).

Best movie ever- no idea what it was, though, didn't really care." (pg. 250).