Seraphina

Summary
Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Afterthoughts
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had been skeptical about it, but, as I'd heard really good reviews about it, I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did.
Seraphina is a fun character to read and I enjoyed seeing the world through her unique view. The plot, especially the 'big twist,' was remarkably predictable, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. The dragons were unlike any I'd read before, which was exciting, and I enjoyed learning about them and the roles they played in the story.
I don't know if I will ever re-read this book, but I am looking forward to the sequel and hoping for Hartman to shock me with something completely unexpected. We'll see...

Warnings
None.

Extras
Book trailer:

Ender's Game

Summary
In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Afterthoughts
Ender's Game was referred to me years ago, but I never read it until this past week and, wow, was I missing out.
The book focuses on Andrew (Ender) Wiggin and his journey to becoming the leader that Earth needs against alien invaders. It's fast-paced, interesting, and sucks you in. I can almost guarantee that, like me, you will be unable to put this book down. The characters are really captivating, though you only get to know two of them.
While reading, I was constantly impressed by and cheering for Ender. He is a brilliant protagonist and my heart ached for him throughout the story, mostly because of a fact that I kept forgetting: Ender is a kid. He is between the ages of 6 and 11 for most of the book, yet he is one of the most gripping POVs I've read!
Ender's Game is my favorite read from this summer and I look forward to reading some, if not all, of the sequel's in the coming months. READ THIS BOOK!!!! 'Nuff said.

Warnings
Violence

Extras
Ender's Game is being made into a movie that releases in November!
Movie Trailer:

Author's Site

Starters

Summary
In a future Los Angeles, becoming someone else is now possible. Sixteen-year-old Callie discovers the Body Bank where teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. But when her neurochip malfunctions, she wakes up in the mansion of her rich renter and finds she is going out with a senator’s grandson. It’s a fairy-tale new life, until she discovers her renter’s deadly plan.

Afterthoughts
This dystopian offered a brand new view of a post-apocalyptic world, which was one of my favorite parts. The more you read, the more common plot structures and settings become, so this book was a refreshing read.
When America is attacked by biological warfare, they vaccinate children and the elderly against the spores, but don't have time to vaccinate anyone between the ages of 20 and 60, which wipes out that portion of the population. I really liked how this scenario is pretty realistic and believable.
The characters and plot were well thought through and enjoyable to read. Callie is an interesting POV to read and I like how her situation colors the way the story is perceived. The story ends with a twist that I definitely did not see coming and I can't wait to read the sequel. This is quite a worthwhile read!

Warnings
None.

Extras
Lissa Price's Site
Book Trailer:

Mind Games

Summary
Fia and Annie are as close as two sisters can be. They look out for each other. Protect each other. And most importantly, they keep each other's secrets, even the most dangerous ones: Annie is blind, but can see visions of the future; Fia was born with flawless intuition—her first impulse is always exactly right. When the sisters are offered a place at an elite boarding school, Fia realizes that something is wrong . . . but she doesn't grasp just how wrong. The Keane Institute is no ordinary school, and Fia is soon used for everything from picking stocks to planting bombs. If she tries to refuse, they threaten her with Annie's life. Now Fia's falling in love with a boy who has dark secrets of his own. And with his help, she's ready to fight back. They stole her past. They control her present. But she won't let them take her future.

Afterthoughts
I really liked this book and the way it was written. The chapters flip between past and present, moving the story along while slowly revealing the sisters' backstory. The characters were quite complex, making me unsure who to support until the end, and relatable, which is always important to a good story.
The plot was intriguing and ends in a huge twist, one that I never saw coming. Fia and Annie are great POVs, dropping clues about their past without actually revealing anything until the end, which kept me hanging on!
The worst part of the book was the ending, because I was pretty sure that the book was a stand-alone and I wanted to know what would happen! Thankfully, I was wrong and I am eagerly anticipating the sequel.

Warnings
Some underage drinking, violence.

Extras
Kiersten's Blog

Falling Kingdoms

Summary
In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined.
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into
enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Afterthoughts
Magic and adventure are my two favorite story elements and, as this story had both in abundance, I was well intrigued. The story itself was good, containing enough action to keep the story going, but not remarkable. I was a bit disappointed that the twist I expected never materialized and the story was fairly predictable.
I do not feel as if this book was a waste of time, but I wasn't impressed with it. It was a bit cliche and certainly not 'The gripping New York Times bestseller that is Game of Thrones for teens.' Overall, I was disappointed.

Warnings
None.

Extras
Book Excerpt
Book Trailer: