Mini Reviews: Legend and Amplified

Woohoo! It's mini review time again, in which I tell you more briefly than normal about some upcoming books I've already read and enjoyed.

Legend by Marie Lu: This one has an interesting setting, similar to other dystopians while still being very different. What makes it stand out though is the dual perspective, one privileged and one from the slums, and Marie does a really good job of blending their stories together as things go on. There's a slowly building mystery that will keep the pages turning, but the growing relationship between the two drove things far more for me. Day is a fantastically well done characters, so protective of his family and friends, so perceptive, and so genuinely caring and yet he acts out just enough, commits just enough crime however petty and no matter his motive good or otherwise, to be the Republic's most wanted criminal. He walks that line so well, and Marie really captures the full scope of who he is. June is this mix of stuck up and ready to break out, and though I admit I liked Day's character a little more, she still held her own. This one has a good plot, not necessarily the most original but Marie definitely throws plenty of her own things in there and puts the entire story together really well. If you're a fan of dystopian, definitely pick this one up.

Amplified by Tara Kelly: I. Love. This. Book. It's got its emotional parts, and pulls in some hefty stuff, but overall it's this funny, make you grin kind of read. Whether you love music or not, you'll love the way Tara turns music and beats into words that any reader can understand. The story is fantastic, very well paced and thought out, with just a few beautifully built subplots that weave together in the best way. But what really shines is the characters. Jasmine is the girl who speaks her mind and doesn't take people's crap, yet she's shy and awkward and scared. Even with this, she has great internal strength and determination that flies off the pages. Then there's Sean. Perfectly tormented and angsty with just the right amount of broken, yet sensitive and sweet and this soft kind of sexy that melts you faster than ice cream in the summer. He's far from perfect, but man do you just want to steal this boy. And closing that out is the rest of the stellar cast, each one so well written and defined, and some of the most memorable and sprightly characters around. From the solid, amazing writing to the fab characters and the awesome story line, this book is just an all over hit and an absolute must read.