Narc by Crissa-Jean Chappell

Publisher: Flux 

Reading Level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 288 pgs 

Series: Not a series   

Source: Flux Publishers

                            

                                   Summary 

"You're going to hate me forever when you learn my secret."
Seventeen-year-old stoner Aaron Foster was offered a choice: go to jail or turn undercover narc to find the dealer who's funneling drugs into Miami's Palm Hammock High School. But Aaron has never been good at getting close to people. He's human wallpaper, a stoner wastecase who's obsessed with video games and street magic.
With a cop from Narcotics breathing down his neck, Aaron gets himself invited to parties where the deals go down. To get close to the school's biggest players, Aaron lies to everyone--most of all, the cute but troubled Morgan Baskin. With the Everglades party on Halloween night--and a planned drug bust there--just days away, Aaron realizes that he's falling hard for Morgan . . . and trying to protect her could cost him everything. -Quoted from goodreads

Review

     Normally, I would never have read the book Narc, for when I read the summary I did not see anything that could have appealed to me. The main character, a stoner who is obsessed with Video Games and street magic did not intrigue me...and so  Narc just sat on my bookshelf for a month and a half. Then one day I just got curious and picked it up. I can't complain, because there is nothing wrong with this novel, it is actually quite interesting but not the type of book I would usually read.

     I believe that every book has something to offer, no matter how boring a book might be, there is always something one can learn from it. what I really like about this novel, is that readers get a look into the lives of "stoners" and popular people and see what life is like for them. Before reading this novel I thought that all drug users are bad, but now things are not as black and white as they once were for me.  Many times they are just people with more problems than most, trying to desperately escape their troubles. I am glad I read this book, because it helped me to better understand people unlike myself. 

    Something I found to be quite interesting is the fact that the author, Crissa-Jean Chappell speaks just like a teenager in her novel Narc. I am fifteen and a sophomore in high school, and at times I find it difficult to speak in such a way. 

     Even though Narc is not my type of book, I am glad to have read it for it allowed me to see into the lives of "stoners" and realize that not all of them are bad people, it is the situations that they have been a part of that changed them. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get out of the paranormal world and get a taste of things that happen in real life.

Favorite Quotes     

 1."You can't go stealing other people's wishes."      

           My little sister had snick up behind me.

"Here," she said pressing a different coin into my hand. "Start over."

2.  "The truth is...I made lots of mistakes. Not because I was a bad person."

3. "I looked up at Brent, trying to read his zombie expression, and thought about the time we played video games together that night at the gallery. That thing he said about his dad hitting him. All the rage inside him. Then me and Finch, shooting targets in backyard. Bet this didn't seem any different to them."

Legend by Marie Lu

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 305 pages
Series: Legend # 1
Source: Library

                            Summary
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.



Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

                                              Review

      When I learned that the inspiration for this novel had come from the movie of one of my favorite books Les Miserables, I just had to read Legend. This book is everything one could ever hope for! The author's writing style had me hooked from page 1 and the brilliant story would not let me put this book down.

      Legend is told by two different characters: Day and June, I find this to be extremely important because it allows one to see things from both Day and June's point of view. If this novel had been solely in Day's point of view, readers would not be privy to June's innermost thoughts or know her side of the story, without that knowledge June would become the "bad guy" and thus readers would instinctively start to loathe her. The same can be said about Day if the novel were in June's point of view.
      I can't decide who my favorite character is, Day and June are both very intriguing. Day is selfless, he always puts the well being of his family before his safety and at times even before his very life. June is a prodigy, she is everything one could ever hope to be: brave, brilliant, and beautiful.
     What makes this novel unique is that Marie Lu does not try to make her characters perfect (personality wise). Both Day and June have their flaws like all humans, and like all humans they also think semi-evil thoughts at times, get angry and make mistakes.
      Legend is fast paced and once you start reading it you won't want to stop, I started this novel in the morning and finished it sometime in the evening, hungering for more. Thanks to ALA Anaheim I have an advance reader copy of the second book Prodigy. I recommend this book to anyone that loves action!

                                                      Favorite Quotes <3

1.“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. "

2."When you stand out there," John continues in a hoarse voice, "keep your chin up, all right? Don't let them get to you."
"I won't."
"Make them work for it. Punch someone if you have to." John gives me a sad, crooked smile. "You're a scary kid. So scare them. Okay? All the way until the end."
For the first time in a long time, I feel like a little brother. I have to swallow hard to keep my eyes dry. "Okay," I whisper.”

3.“You try to walk in the light.”

4. "June has never looked more beautiful than she does now, unadorned and honest, vulnerable yet invincible.”

Grave Mercy By Robin La Fevers

Publisher:Houghton Mifflin HarcourtReading Level: Young adultHardcover: 549 pages
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
                 Summary
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? -Quoted from Goodreads

   

                                                          Review

There are infinitely many splendid books in the world and it makes me sad to think that one can go their whole life without reading some of these great books. This is one of those amazing books I would have regreted not reading. It just so happens that Grave Mercy is about NINJA NUNS :D how could one not love a book about bad-ass-ninja-assassins?

The main girl, Ismae Rienne, is such a strong character! In her young life, Ismae has had to deal with things that normal people such as ourselves would not have to put up with. Not only does she have to suffer through the verbal, and at times physical assaults from the untrusting villagers but her father sees to it that Ismae does not get an ounce of happiness at home either. Her father, the person that should love her most, is a vile excuse for a human being and takes great joy in seeing Ismae suffer. In the begining of this novel when Ismae isn't physically strong, she is strong-willed and strong-spirited. Even though her life is a living hell, she keeps moving forward hoping that things will be better later on, and thanks to the help of the village herbwitch Ismae finds herself at the convent, where things are significantly much more pleasant. Another thing that I like about Ismae is that she is not easily swayed, she isn't like one of those girls that would do anything and everything that a gorgeous boy asked of her. No matter how stunning Ismae thinks Duval looks she always tries to do the right thing.

Robin Lafevers has a poetic writing style, and some how keeps the political manuvering, and war tacticts aspect of this novel interesting. In other novels I usually start falling asleep when the characters are talking politics. Grave Mercy is a lengthy novel but it is also fast paced so one may easily lose track of time. The characters are inspiring, and the plot just keeps on getting more interesting. I enjoyed the palace politics and Duval's humor. I would recommend this book to all ninja lovers as well as anyone who enjoys an awesome adventure story.



Favorite quotes

1.“It is this kindness of his that unsettles me most. I can dodge a blow or block a knife. I am impervious to poison and know a dozen ways to escape a chokehold or garrote wire. But kindness? I do not know how to defend against that."

2.“This is what I want to be. An instrument of mercy, not vengeance.”

3.“I am sorry,' he whispers. 'I am sorry I treated you so ill. I thought only to protect Duval.'
'It was not I who was poisoning him,' I say.
No, but you had stolen his heart and I was afraid you would rip it from his chest when you left.”

4.“Whenever you are ready, or if you never are, my heart is yours, until Death do us part. Whatever that may mean when consorting with one of Death’s handmaidens.”