A Bunch of Books

I haven't posted a review in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading. In fact, I think I've been reading more since I haven't been blogging about it. Having an ereader makes me read more/faster too, for some reason.
Anyway, in this post I'm going to do mini reviews of the books I've read recently.

The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin has been occupying most of my time lately. I've read through #4, and I know that after I finish A Dance with Dragons that there will be a huge hole in my heart until the next book comes out. These books aren't YA, but they're SO GOOD. 

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver was a great sequel to Delirium. I wasn't sure where it was going at first, but it definitely surpassed Delirium. So much stuff goes down in this book that you'll tear through it in a day and then be angry at yourself because book 3 is a year away. At least that's what happened to me.

This Is Not A Test buy Courtney Summers is a contemp disguised as a zombie book. That's a great thing. You'll come for the zombies, and you'll get them (some of those scenes are so tense you guys), but you also get FEELINGS. I was completely engrossed by this book and am going to be shoving it into people's hands when it comes out in June. If you like zombies and horror, you'll like this book. If you like contemporary books with issues and complex characters, you'll like this book.

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman is so unique in a YA landscape of vampires and werewolves and high school. I've never read The Da Vinci Code, but this is what I imagine it's like, only BETTER. There are a bunch of threads throughout the story, and it's fun seeing them all come together in the end. If you're burned out on the paranormal YA scene, definitely give this one a try. You won't regret it. 

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin was a mixed bag for me. The premise sounded great, and when it started I really liked it. But as the novel went on, I kept finding things that turned me off from the book. I wasn't very invested in the characters, and I felt that some of the aspects of the story could have been pulled off better. That said, I did think that the writing style was very good. Talking with some other people, I've found that I'm definitely in the minority on this one, so if you're into dystopian and steampunk this might be something you'll like. 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo was ah-mah-zing. I was completely captivated from the beginning. The world building is fantastic, and I'd kinda describe the plot as a mix between Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and The Hunger Games. Kind of. Actually, forget I said that because this is in a class by itself. The story and language are so deep and captivating that I predict that this will be on many "best of" lists this year. 

Finally, Purity by Jackson Pearce. Purity is different from her other novels, but just as good. I don't read a lot of contemp, but this was a great read. The characters felt real, and while the subject matter may be a little much for some people (or so I've seen), I thought that it was handled very well and with a lot of heart and humor.