Review: "Rage" Jackie Morse Kessler

Rage (The Horseman of the Apocalypse #2), 

Jackie Morse Kessler

Publication Date:  April 8, 2011

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Graphia)

Paperback 213 pgs

Goodreads

     

Review:

        This book is the next in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse: The Rider Quartet.  I expected more action from this series considering it is about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Even though there wasn't as much action as I would have liked the book was still interesting. Rage deals with a more difficult issue than most books that I read such as cutting, I thought that Jackie Morse Kessler wove a good story around a difficult issue some people face, an issue that is hardly talked about. The main character Missy must find her inner strength in order to deal with her new responsibilities as well as her inner emotions. 
        
     Like with Hunger I still wanted to learn more about why each person is chosen to become a horsemen in the first place, perhaps in another book. Overall I liked Rage, but I still felt like I didn't get a clear enough picture of the main character other than her issue with cutting. Who was she before and what made her start cutting. Plus there was not enough development of the surrounding characters. I really didn't learn anymore about the character Death than I knew before. 

Cover:

     Like the cover of Hunger, I really enjoyed this cover as well. It's plain and not overdone and gives you insight into what's inside.

Review: "Hunger", Jackie Morse Kessler

Hunger (The Horsemen of the Apocalypse: The Rider Quartet # 1)

 Jackie Morse Kessler

Publication Date:  October 18, 2010

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Graphia)

Paperback, 177 pgs

Goodreads

                                                

Review:

          When I picked up this book I knew it would be different from the other books that I normally read, because at its core it is about anorexia. It is true that this book falls into the paranormal YA genre but most of the paranormal aspects of the book are secondary to the characters issues with eating. Which I think makes these books more interesting.  

           Some of the things I liked about this book is the concept of the Horsemen and the Apocalypse. Jackie Morse Kessler put a new spin YA genre with this book. The main character, Lisabeth Lewis,  is not only dealing with anorexia but she has just become Famine. Her eating issues are never forgotten but she gets a fresh prospective on eating as she journeys through the world on her black steed, Midnight. I really enjoyed the direction this book takes. The main character has to find her inner strength so that she can be strong enough to not only deal with her anorexia but also with her new role as Famine. 

            Though I liked this book there were some aspects that I thought could use improvement. One issue I had was, I didn't think the characters were fully developed.  I  thought the main character, Lisabeth Lewis as well as the surrounding characters fell a little flat. I would have liked to know more about how the Horsemen are chosen and why they are needed. The book was a little short and therefore everything happens really quickly a little too quickly for my taste. Hunger was good but it could have used a few more details and it could have been longer.

Cover:

      I really enjoyed the cover of Hunger, it was the reason this book caught my eye.  It is dark and enticing making me want to pick it up and read it.  

           

Glow

I just received an ARC copy of "Glow" by Amy Kathleen Ryan. The book sounds really good I can't wait to start reading it.


What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue? 

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them... 

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth. 

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside. (Goodreads)

The Wolves of Mercy Falls

    I just got the last book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, "Forever". I am really excited to read this book. Even though I am beyond ready to read this book I am sad to see this series end. I want to check out other books by Maggie Stiefvater to see if they are as good as this series. I have to re-read the first two books in this series before I get to "Forever", so I can brush up on the details. 

New giveaways!

Harry Potter Week Giveaway - Alice's Weekly Giveaway -
  Cool prizes for Harry Potter fans.


Imperial Beach Teen Blog giveaway (more details in giveaway section)
   This giveaway combines two great things books and nail polish. Who wouldn't want to win this giveaway?
   http://www.ibteens.blogspot.com/

Ash to Nash Tour

Myra McEntire, Victoria Schwab, and Beth Revis the authors of Across the Universe, Hourglass, and The Near Witch, have embarked on a book tour of their Southern Hometowns. Since they can't make it everywhere they have decided to giveaway their books plus a few others to fans unable to make it out to see them. Enter for a chance to win some amazing books!

Now on to "Rage"

"Hunger" was an intense read. It is not normally the type of book I like to read but I gave it a try. It was good but not great. I wished the main character, Lisabeth had been developed a bit more. There were some funny sections but with such an intense subject like anorexia humor isn't really the point to this book. I liked the book enough to continue on with the series so now I am on to "Rage". I hope it's more developed than "Hunger". Well I have some reading to do. Bye!

New books

 I haven't heard much about Jackie Morse Kessler or her books "Hunger", and "Rage" but the covers totally caught my attention. Then I read the description of the books and they sounded really interesting. I haven't really read anything on the topic of the Apocalypse or the Four Horsemen but these books fit my need for supernatural books, so I will give them a try.

The first book is about a girl who has anorexia she become Famine one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The second book deals with a girl who has issues with cutting, and how she becomes War another Horsemen of the Apocalypse.