Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Title : Forbidden
Author : Tabitha Suzuma
Genre : Young Adult
Pages : 432
Publish Date : May 27, 2010
Publisher : Definitions
Started Reading : January 27, 2011
Completed Reading : January 30, 2011
Book Rating : 3.5/5

She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed.

He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future.

And now they have fallen in love.

But . . .

They are brother and sister.

*****

This is again not in My TBR List... but fellow booklover Nikka told me about it and I was curious about it. It's a pretty controversial subject and I'm curious how the story would be told. And I guess, I'm curious with myself on how I'd take reading the story.

It's painful to read, I admit that. Honestly, I am quite not sure how I feel with the whole story. Interested, disappointed, sad and a little freaked out (admittedly). I don't know if it's because of the premise or maybe some other thing, but I somehow wasn't able to fully "feel" the characters. It was written in 2-POVs, both of Lochan and Maya, which I've always liked when reading books. But, in this book, I wasn't able to easily distinguish the two voices. For me, their voices seemed just like one. And I guess that disappointed me.

It was interesting to find out that people can be lawfully punished for consensual incest. Well, at least in the UK. I'm not sure how it is here in the country. I'm going to have to ask my friend for that.

A memorable part that somehow stuck with me was when Lochan first acknowledged his feelings to Maya...

But the words do little to reassure me. I'm desperate to escape myself because the truth of the matter is that the feeling is still there - perhaps it always has been - and now that I've acknowledged it, I am terrified that however much I may want to, I will never be able to turn things back.

It really is such a sad story. I wonder if it's the circumstances that they went through that somehow led to their story. They were just kids. And kids really shouldn't be experiencing that :(. For the last chapter, I've only managed to utter a curse after what happened. I've already expected the worst but it still didn't lessen the heartbreak. And I finally gave in at the Epilogue. No other way for me.. I finally wept with the characters...

Marked by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Title : Marked
Author : P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Genre : Young Adult, Paranormal
Series : Book #1, House of Night
Pages : 320
Publish Date : May 01, 2007
Publisher : St. Martin's Griffin
Started Reading : January 23, 2011
Completed Reading : January 25, 2011
Book Rating : 4/5


ENTER THE DARK, MAGICAL WORLD OF THE HOUSE OF NIGHT. 

a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been Marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change - and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint her human ex-boyfriend. To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers; When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny - with a little help from her new vampyre friends.


*****

This was a pretty good read. And I had this in my TBR list since last year (i think). It's a pretty different view from vampires that we're used to. First off, people don't get to be a vampire because they are bitten. They are Marked (hence, the title). I just don't remember if they explained how one was Marked... hmmm. I don't think it was explained. I wish though that Erik had more to do with the "circle" that they did during the rituals. I think I sort of expected it because of what he is in Zoey's life.

My favorite part was when Zoey's grandmother was trying to console Zoey about the changes happening to her.

"You're special Zoey. You always have been. Why should that change now?"

"I don't feel special. I feel like a freak."

"Then remember something. You're still you. Doesn't matter that you've been Marked. Doesn't matter that you're going through the Change. Inside, your spirit is still your spirit. On the outside you might look like a familiar stranger, but you need only look inside to find the you you've known for sixteen years."

To put it simply, it's really about Change and how one goes through that phase. And how at times, you'll feel lost, but in the end, you'd eventually find who you are.. and that there will always be someone (friends, family, loved ones) who'll be there with you  all the way.

I'd definitely read the rest of the series. :)

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Title : Vampire Academy
Author : Richelle Mead
Genre : Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Series : Book #1, Vampire Academy
Pages : 332
Publish Date : August 16, 2007
Publisher : Penguin Group Razor Bill
Started Reading : January 17, 2011
Completed Reading : January 22, 2011
Book Rating : 3/5


ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM YOUR IMMORTAL ENEMIES... 

Lisa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Stigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's bestfriend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them. 

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by.

Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever.


*****

Honestly, it took me awhile to warm up to the story. Maybe it's just me, but I had a hard time really remembering the words/terms such as Moroi, Strigoi and Damphirs. And I think the book took awhile to really go to the real "action". I felt like I've waited a long time until I get to the part where there's something happening. And there really wasn't much of an encounter with the Strigoi. well, not the one I was expecting. I guess that's how the story was supposed to go - something to do with resolving "internal" conflicts first.

Still, I have to admit that I've somehow enjoyed the latter part of the book. I think I like Dimitri. Dimitri is Rose's love interest... He's 7 years older and he's also her mentor, a fellow Damphir who has seen a lot in this world (on a side note, it's interesting to note that their age difference is a part of the issue in "modern times" but in reading historical romances, the age difference doesn't matter, and usually the hero and heroine have a 10-year age difference).I guess one of my favorite part in the book was when Dimitri and Rose were talking about their situation, Dimitri telling Rose why they can't be together.

"Because we can't be together."

"Because of the age thing right?" I asked. "Because you're my mentor?"

His fingertip gently wiped away a tear that had escaped down my cheek. That's part of it," he said. "But also... well, you and I will both be Lissa's guardians someday. I need to protect her at all costs. If a pack of Strigoi came, I need to throw my body between them and her."

"I know that. Of course that's what you have to do." The black sparkles were dancing in front of my eyes again. I was fading out.

"No. If I let myself love you, I won't throw myself in front of her. I'll throw myself in front of you."

Sad right? Maybe they'll find a way to be together in the end. Hmmm.. I guess I'll have to read the rest of the series after all. :)