Book Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

All Fall Down by Ally Carter
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date: January 2015
Pages: 310
Source: Library
For: Ally Carter
Series: Embassy Row, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:
1. She is not crazy.
2. Her mother was murdered.
3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

Things I Liked:
This book was unusual and at times a bit annoying.  I liked how convoluted the plot became and I really didn't have any idea of where it was going.  It's different from what I expected of an Ally Carter book, but that doesn't make it bad. I'm intrigued and want to know more. I loved the action and the mystery of the book. I'll take anything you have to offer, Ms. Carter!

Things I Didn't Like:
I think I was a bit annoyed at times with how angry Grace tended to get.  And how she didn't seem to be able to see what kinds of stupid mistakes she was making.  But, I think that she was pretty realistically portrayed for what happened to her. 

Read-alikes:
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall and Gallagher Girls books by Ally Carter

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
perhaps a few

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some frightening stuff happens

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Publication date: March 2015
Pages: 402
Source: e-book from the library
For: Love the series!
Series: Winner's Trilogy, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for The Winner's Curse*

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

Things I Liked:
Yes! Love this second book in the series.  More complicated and painful twists and turns and strategy and you don't know what Kestrel can do to get out of her difficulties.  It feels very constricting, just as it was for Kestrel.  I loved this one, felt like it didn't lack or lag in the second book department.  World is still fascinating, writing still very strong, characters still very real. 

Things I Didn't Like:
And love story still leaving me a bit meh.  Still, I'm really invested in the other aspects of Kestrel's story.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me a little of Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two

mrg-factor: X
some implied stuff

v-factor: ->->
a few scenes

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: August 2007
Pages: 796
Source: Purchased
For: Fun
Series: Mistborn, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers for Mistborn are inevitable*

The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler – the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years – has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

Things I Liked:
Brandon Sanderson - he has a gift for creating these intriguing worlds and people in them.  I really like his stuff and I always feel very engrossed when I'm reading his books.  The worlds come to life for me and there is so much depth and history.  I also really don't have a clue where the plot is going, even when I think I do.  Give me more of this story (I mean, it's already out there, but I just need to pick up the book). I kept being surprised by what happened and what motivated people.

Things I Didn't Like:
They are very, very long.  I keep thinking there has to be stuff to cut, and I'm sure there is, but all of it kind of seems relevant.  Still: long.

Read-alikes:
Start with Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Reminds me a bit of Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few

mrg-factor: none
that I recall

v-factor: ->->
there's always some fighting

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: April 2015
Pages: 446
Source: Library
For: Heard good things
Series: An Ember in the Ashes, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Things I Liked:
I read this one after Winner's Curse and I think it suffered a bit in comparison.  The Roman inspiration for both was evident.  This one was a LOT more gritty and violent and depressing. It felt like a very real story with no easy answers and just a lot of bad stuff happening.  The Winner's Curse is a lot more about strategy than about violence.  I do have to admit, it was impossible to put down.  I had to know what would happen next - compulsively readable.  I'll be interested in more, though I'm not sure how I feel about love quadrangles and such.

Things I Didn't Like:
The violence was too much for me on a number of occasions.  Very gritty.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some

mrg-factor: XX
yup

v-factor: ->->->->
a lot, as I mentioned

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Publication date: March 2014
Pages: 355
Source: e-book from Library
For: Fun
Series: Winner's Trilogy, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Things I Liked:
Ooh, I enjoyed this one.  It was both what I was expecting and completely not - more! I loved the characters and especially the world - I seriously want to play bite and sting, but know I have very poor strategizing skills.  I just love how she thinks and how she knows what to say and not say, but also makes mistakes.  I don't know what exactly it was that drew me in, but I fell hard for this story.  I'm not even that big a fan of the romance, but I love how very impossible it feels and then how it isn't easy and nothing happens conveniently.  Very realistic world and very well drawn.

Things I Didn't Like:
Can't remember anything.

Read-alikes:
A bit like An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few

mrg-factor: X
mostly talk

v-factor: ->
a little

Overall rating: *****