The Silence of Six by E. C. Myers

“What is the silence of six, and what are you going to do about it?”

These are the last words uttered by 17-year-old Max Stein’s best friend, Evan: Just moments after hacking into the live-streaming Presidential debate at their high school, he kills himself.

Haunted by the image of Evan’s death, Max’s entire world turns upside down as he suddenly finds himself the target of a corporate-government witch-hunt. Fearing for his life and fighting to prove his own innocence, Max goes on the run with no one to trust and too many unanswered questions.

Max must dust off his own hacking skills and maneuver the dangerous labyrinth of underground hacktivist networks, ever-shifting alliances, and virtual identities — all while hoping to find the truth behind the “Silence of Six” before it’s too late.




The Silence of Six by E. C. Myers
Standalone.
Page Count: 368
Genres: YA, Mystery, Thriller, Science Fiction
Cover Rating: 9/10

———————————

The unknown is scarier than the truth.

- Silence of Six, E. C. Myers

———————————

Okay, when I first started this, I had absolutely NO idea what this was about. Which makes it more exciting for me, no? But I’m glad I went into it blind because all the events were more shocking and unexpected. This was really a high adrenaline suspense novel!

Introduction dun dun duun: 
You and your best friend loved hacking for fun.
It was how you bonded, and all your childhood memories lies in it.
You, however, saw the dangers it was going to bring you.
So you quit your hacking hobby successfully.
But you also stopped talking with your friend as much as you did before.
One day, there is an important school rally that involves the presence of USA’s potential President.
They’re filming on TV! Your school is live to the country!
But - suddenly your best friend comes on screen.
You of course instantly recognise him. Others don’t.
What is he doing there?
This is not part of the rally.
He starts speaking.
What is he saying? What does that mean?
Then, He puts a gun into his mouth.
WHAT IS HE DOING?!

Bang.

Chaos.

Plot:
First let me say the pacing was GREAT. It kept me guessing till the end!!  I was never really confused either of what was happening. The only bits that left me a bit clueless was the computer terminology, since I have NO idea about any of that. If I could understand the story though, I think pretty much everyone else in the world can too... xD Techie impaired person over here *waves*

Characters:
I liked all the characters a lot actually! I loved Penny and her sister Risse’s relationship the most :D
It was so nice to see siblings working together with something they love and are so good at!! Makes me really really want an older sister. EVERYONE I know with older siblings adore their siblings… aw :(

I also liked Max/Penny’s relationship since it was a little complicated and technically wasn’t romance. So sweet. I don’t get the point of Courtney (Max’s gf).. I dun like her and she doesn’t deserve Max.

 Ending:
Aww the ending made me tear up ;( So sad. Anyways, it was funny how even though the whole book was so suspenseful and action filled, the world didn’t care. You know those movie scenes where for example there's a house, and inside the house there's something REALLY CHAOTIC going on, but then the camera suddenly zoomes out and there's this oblivious old lady walking by all peacefully, and the town is all quiet? The trouble is only in the house. No one really knows or cares except the people involved. It gave off that feeling! Like wow, our problems are really small to the world. Nothing really changed apart from you. Ahahaa I'm getting all deep and confusing but you get the point.

 Ahem, anyways, what i’m saying is it's a really gripping read about computer hacking that you should definitely check out! :D

★★★★ 

—MissOddball™ Over and Out.

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Edge of End by Suren Hakobyan

Jonathan wakes up in a desert, his past wiped from his head. He’s alone having no clue who and what he is, where he has come from and where he should go. There is only one way – forward when he spots a little town in the distance. 

Empty streets, old houses, the town seems abandoned. There’s no one to ask for help, there’s nowhere to go. Jonathan wanders the town in search of any sign of life trying to bring his lost memories back, but odd visions haunt him from time to time. Soon Jonathan comes to the realization that he’s moments from death as absolutely evil dwells in the town seeking fresh souls. The seemingly dead town is only outwardly empty. 

Grey skies, no sun, no days and no nights. The town is stuck in time. With only one entrance and one exit, but the way leading to the exit is filled with creations that Jonathan has never envisioned, even in his worst nightmares. 

Who is he? Who brought him here? With a female resident – Elizabeth, Jonathan has to work his way through the horrendous town, figure out his past and find the exit.



Edge of End by Suren Hakobyan
Standalone. 
Page Count: 262
Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Thriller, Paranormal (Demons)
Cover Rating: 8/10 (Come on, it looks quite coool.. Glows and everything)

——————————

Who is he? Who brought him here?

——————————

Synopsis sounds sooo interesting. This random dude, waking up in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no memories. Then he arrives in this supposed ghost town - (why was the word town italicised throughout the book, anyways? 0.o This town, that town, the town was like this, the town was like that.. aren't you getting annoyed with this already? -_-) - in which it starts getting creepy.

The book wasn't necessarily bad, but it had points where it needed a lot of fixingg. By a lot I mean.. big time. 

First, the goods. 

— Pacing —
It was well paced out for a relatively short book! The events didn't happen to slow or too fast- it was even and well thought out. 

— Concept —
Okaay well I admit I don't actually understand the concept that well.. but it seemed creative? And had that strong emphasis on the moral about second chances or something? But wasn't really executed as well as it could have been? I can only speak in questions?

Second, the boos.

—Writing —
Let me say that English wasn't the author's first language. Quite understandable. It had potential, but there were a lot of awkward sentences and the dialogue was really unrealistic. You know that very 'obvious' tone younger middle grade book characters seem to talk with? and you can tell instantly it's aimed for younger audiences? Like no one really talks like that but it has to be made easier for the kids to understand. It gave off that kind of vibe. Not necessarily bad but it didn't really fit the theme the book tried to have nor the content. Ehhh.

—Characters —
I didn't care about the characters, to be frank. Yes it's harsh but it's a cold cold worlddd xD They simply were not likeable for me to be concerned with. Elizabeth was hella annoying, and Jonathan didn't really have a standout personality. The side characters were mediocre.

Elizabeth ALWAYS was either weeping or screaming for Johnathon to come save her. Girl, grow some backbone -.- Sure, Johnathon has this weird 'superpower' that makes him super strong and he can punch? demon dogs away.. but standing there crying like a girl will not do you any good! At least TRY to help Jonathan SOMEHOW.

Me saying Jonathan didn't standout is because he really didn't >.< I can't remember a single thing about him.. *awkward pause* .. yeah.. Whoops?

— Romance —
One word: Instalove.
Is there really a survival instinct in people that they automatically fall in love with the first human being they see of the opposite sex when in a demon filled town? Ahah :P
It didn't contribute to the story either. It felt like the girl was just thrown in there because it's a YA book, and most YA books have to have some kind of 'love'. Eh. Not interesting at all.

— Was it fun? —

Um i'll get back to you on that.. eventually..

I skimmed the last 50% though. 

Me: *lalala skim skim...*

*pauses to look over page*

*Sees 'Elizabeth' and 'crying, screaming, ect.' in the same sentence*

Me: oh shut up, you. Not again *groans* Go die in a hole!

*resume skimming*

*sees acknowledgements somewhere along skim*

*back pedals*

*reads Epilogue out of interest*

*shrugs*

*puts book down and goes to get a cookie*

— Ending Thoughts —

Just wasn't for me. Not too bad but didn't capture my interest. But I do admit it was a spooky paranormal read- so if you like haunted towns and overly distressed damsels.... this is for you?

2 Stars ! ♣ ♣ (I can't find my stars)

**Thank you Suren for the review copy in exchange of a review!**

— MissOddball™ Over and Out. :D

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Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander

Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 3.38 of 5 stars
Pages: 252
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow. 

Seventeen year old Ryleigh Donnovan is certain her life is cursed. Nothing ever goes smoothly, and her first job interview is no exception. An earthquake rocks the building, sending Ryleigh on a frantic search for her younger sister, a search which lands her in the hospital. Terrified they’ll push her for answers she can’t afford to give, Ryleigh flees with a mysterious stranger. 

Jackson Maynard is about to be ordained as a Death Dealer, a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera, but first he must pass one more test. When he fails to acquire the human girl the prophet has chosen, he’s forced to stand trial for treason. Banished from his realm, he seeks out the girl from the vision, Ryleigh Donnovan, and together they embark on a journey to save his dying kingdom.

***Thank you Netgalley and Inkslinger PR for the copy***

I was in the cover reveal for Reluctant Prince, so when the blog tour came up, I decided to give it a go. However, RP wasn't what I expected and I didn't end up putting my review in the tour. I still participated though :)

I guess my main problem was I couldn't connect with the story. I love this kind of genre, but in Reluctant Prince there were a number of issues and the writing started off quite awkward, though it did improve through the book.

There was a rather large misconception. The tagline in the synopsis says 'Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.' Yes, there was a betrayal. But I couldn't say that it was 'cloaked in shadow'. I don't know about anyone else, but it seemed rather obvious where the betrayal lay from the start.
(view spoiler)[I guess it wouldn't be as obvious if I had known how Kai acted before the events in Reluctant Prince, but because all I've read is Kai acting 'off', I'm judging him purely off his recent behaviour, and his recent behaviour was obviously suspect.
There's also the part where Kai was talking to someone – presumably Daygan – via a portal, but when Kai mentioned that Ryleigh beared the mark of a Queen, the presumed Daygan was surprised. But Daygan already knew about the mark from when he captured Ryleigh. So it wasn't Daygan, but then who? I have a sneaking suspicion of Chayce *gnaws lip* It'd be a horrible betrayal, but it would explain how Daygan knew of the tunnels..... (hide spoiler)]

And then there's the issue of Cymmera's hierarchy. I understand that this is a fantasy story and it doesn't necessarily follow the usual ideals, but how could it even be remotely possible to condemn the crown prince over something as trivial as failure to complete a task? And that the kingdom's 2nd in command (since when did a monarchy hold such a mundane term as 2nd in command anyway?) has greater power than the crown prince and almost as much as the King? And a horrid 2nd in command that contradicts the king at every turn at that ^^
Although I don't know a great deal about monarchies, this seems rather unseemly.
That said, I enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the story, with the two realms vying for power. Yes, I'm an obsessed fantasy lover ;) #guiltyascharged

There was also the problem with Mia's –Ryleigh's little sister– age.
It's like the author had trouble separating her views from that of the main characters. Sure, for Dani-Lyn's age, Mia can probably pass as a 'little girl' at 14 years of age, but in the eyes of Mia's sister Ryleigh, who is 17, or the eyes of Jackson, who is (equivalent to) 19, Mia isn't a little girl. She's a teenager, and only a few years younger than Ryleigh. And yet in RP, if Mia's age wasn't mentioned, I would have assumed that she was perhaps 8 or 9 years old, except for when she started blushing over a boy. So for me, Mia's character building was jagged and non-consistent.

The plot and most of the characters were interesting enough, but I couldn't really focus on the good points because of the distractions and issues I found while reading.
Overall, I think the series has potential, but it wasn't executed as well as I'd hoped.
2 stars

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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Release Day Launch + Review: The Collector's Society by Heather Lyons!

 

Holy cannoli! It's here!!! We are extremely excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Heather Lyons' THE COLLECTORS' SOCIETY!! THE COLLECTORS’ SOCIETY is an Adult Romantic Fairy Tale, full of adventure and fantasy. This is Alice as you have never seen her before...

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** Kobo ** iTunes

THE COLLECTORS’ SOCIETY Synopsis:

From the author of the Fate series and The Deep End of the Sea comes a fantastical romantic adventure that has Alice tumbling down the strangest rabbit hole yet.

After years in Wonderland, Alice has returned to England as an adult, desperate to reclaim sanity and control over her life. An enigmatic gentleman with an intriguing job offer too tempting to resist changes her plans for a calm existence, though.
Soon, she’s whisked to New York and initiated into the Collectors’ Society, a secret organization whose members confirm that famous stories are anything but straightforward and that what she knows about the world is only a fraction of the truth. It’s there she discovers villains are afoot—ones who want to shelve the lives of countless beings.
Assigned to work with the mysterious and alluring Finn, Alice and the rest of the Collectors’ Society race against a doomsday clock in order to prevent further destruction . . . but will they make it before all their endings are erased?

Review:

Just because a story ends, doesn't mean it's finished.

Opening the first few pages, a 25 year old Alice has been in a mental asylum for close to half a year now, but her past and how she ended up in the asylum from when she was in Wonderland is very obscure. Then a mysterious man turns up and urges her to help him save Wonderland. And of course, she accepts, and is taken to New York to join The Collector's Society. And it is there that she learns that everything she thought she knew isn't what it seems.

Oh. My. God.
This book is gold!! The idea of having book characters that have come out of classic books like Alice in Wonderland to appear in our world......it's like Matrix cross Inkheart. It brought me right back to being a kid and wishing characters would come to life, except it's spun so that they learn who they are, join The Collector's Society, and live in secret among us while protecting the other 'story worlds', otherwise known as Timelines.

Sadly I've never read the classic Alice books by Lewis Carroll, but I still kept up with the story because, one, it's not vital to know who the characters are (tho I suppose it would be pretty fun to go Ohh me gosh I know who that is! lol) and two, it's true, Alice is very famous, so whether you've read the classics or not, you should know enough to get the general idea.
I must admit tho, with my main source being the latest Alice in Wonderland movie with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, I was surprised a couple times.....like when said character turned out to be a weak and grovelling sex crazed lunatic XDD

I don't know how she writes in other books, but Lyons's writing style in this was perfect. It suited the story to a T, and even tho most of the characters are from some earlier century (in a timeline, not our world, but close enough xD), Lyons managed to make them fit in with modern times while keeping their 19th or 20th century way of speaking.

I loved Alice! She's so wise and mature and knowledgeable, and such a far cry from all those whiny girls in YA books xD I liked that when she was thrown into the deep end and her whole world shifted under her feet, she didn't cry or break down, which is a great feat, but I guess she has quite a bit of experience in that area. She did discover Wonderland after all!
Oh, and I adored the friendship between Alice and Mary (one of The Collector's Society members). Those two are so cool together :P
“Aha!” She’s triumphant. “So there is something going on between you two!” Her hands rub together. “The A.D. and I had a bet going. He said there was no way you two were going to get involved. Said you were too much an Ice Queen to even think about hooking up.” She snorts. “Ha! Queen! Get it?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m from Victorian England, not the Stone Ages, Mary.”
“The point is, I’m getting myself a nice, fat pile of money when we get back.”
“I’m glad my emotions are profitable for you.”

I was surprised with the lack of angst surrounding the romance, but in a sense I was relieved after reading so much teenage angst in YA books! There were two love interests, but it wasn't you're usual love triangle because....well, there wasn't a love triangle. XD Sounds a bit weird, I know. But it was because even tho Alice had strong feelings for both Finn and Jace, she knew she couldn't be with Jace, and both Jace and Alice had accepted that they couldn't be together. Which made any potential animosity between Jace and Finn nonexistent. In fact, they sort of became friends. Again weird, I know! I felt really sad for Jace tho :'( *sniffs*

Also, I thought I'd point out that this is definitely NA.
Lunatic Belle: NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, BAATMAAN.
That was totally out of context......*sighs and continues*
So do not touch this book if you're solely a YA reader ;) Mind you, it's not that NAish compared to other books. It was actually more focused on the romance, which was cute :p

And now it's time to look at flaws. This was that special type of book where you don't even think about flaws because you're so enraptured! <3 But, when I looked back, the only problem I found was that the ending seemed too easy. That is, there wasn't really a climax, but no matter. It's only the first book in the series ;) That's right, there will be more books yayy! I don't know how many yet, but I'll definitely read it when them when they come out :)

On a final note....I couldn't help going a step further and thinking, maybe the real truth is that someone called Heather Lyons wrote a book called The Collector's Society, and it's about all these book characters meeting and saving book worlds called Timelines, and someone, namely a reader (*sticks up hand* PICK ME), can indeed disappear into the book to meet them.....hehehe okay, I'm being really evil. And improbable, but I couldn't help myself.....that was too tempting not to write out :p

4.5 stars

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

Excerpt:

“Do you find my ability to converse lacking, Doctor?”
He chuckles softly, no doubt remembering how I wasn’t chatty with anyone, himself included, for the first month of my stay. To be fair, it is difficult to carry on an invigorating discussion when one is shaking so hard from withdrawals they fear they might shatter into thousands of painful pieces before a single word can be uttered. Plus, there was the whole bit of how once I did open up, I raved liked a lunatic about things no normal person could imagine being true.

“Certainly not,” he says to me. “But as I must stay at the Pleasance and you must go forth into the world, it will do you good to practice on somebody new.”

“Then send in one of the orderlies. Or one of the nurses. I’ll happily chat with a staff member.” One of his bushy, out-of-control eyebrows lifts high into his forehead.
“There are people out there who are quite content being solitary,” I point out. “Who do not need to converse with anybody but themselves and their dogs.”
He sets his pen down. “What about cats?”
Rigor mortis sets in ever so briefly at this question. “You father said you were quite fond of cats growing up. There was one in particular that you favored. Dinah, was it not?”

“I’m—” I have to clear my throat. “Lately, I wonder if perhaps I’m more of a dog person after all.”

About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Website ** Author Goodreads ** Twitter ** Facebook ** THE COLLECTORS’ SOCIETY Goodreads

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Love and Other Unknown Variables- Shannon Lee Alexander

Love and Other Unknown Variables
by
Shannon Lee Alexander

Stand Alone.
Page Count: 350

My Rating: ★★★★★
Current Average Rating on Goodreads: 4.29

Recommended for: People looking for a sweet geeky romance<3
Fans of: The Fault in Our Stars maybe? (This was waaaay better.
Fans of TFioS: NO WAY I MUST SEE FOR MYSELF.
Cass: *smirks* Mission accomplished.)

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, YA
Publication Date: October 7th, 2014

Synopsis:
Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he’ll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover solutions to the universe’s greatest unanswered questions. He’s that smart. But Charlie’s future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl’s neck. 


The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she’s counting on the present. She’s not impressed by the strange boy at the donut shop—until she learns he’s a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. But, in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy. 

By the time he learns she's ill—and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte’s illness—Charlotte’s gravitational pull is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he’s always relied on or the girl he’s falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second squared)

Beginnings are tricky things. I've been staring at this blank page for forty-seven minutes. It is infinite with possibilities. Once I begin, they diminish. 

- Charlie, Love and Other Unknown Variables, pg. 1

This has gradually become one of my favourite books. Sure maybe the writing isn't THE best (still great though), and there were flaws, but honestly, those aren't the most important factors. (Although it doees make up most the book...) 

What I loved about this book was how the characters seemed to human. If we looked in at the little details,  Shannon did a great job in blowing life into them :D  It was beautiful. Erm...example: The inscriptions and notes in the Mockingbird book; Charlotte's artwork; the Velveteen Rabbit gift; those Harry Potter references in the beginning (*cough* I'm not bias at all); ... aand y'all have no idea what i'm talking about so i'll stop... go read it then, duh 

The point of views from the both sisters were also very believable.
Jo: The elder sister who wanted to protect the younger, and
Charlotte: The teenager who wants freedom. 

I'm pretty sure writers like these make great parents since they can think in the teenager's point of view xD Or do they... *dun dun dun* 

Delving more into the characters, I thought they were brilliant. But the prize for Cassie's Favourite will have to go to....*drums roll*

Becca Hanson! *crowd cheers*

She was Charlie's sister, and while she didn't exactly come out as much as I would have liked, I connected with her the most. 

Runner up: Mrs. Dunwitty!

A bit of an unlikely choice? Maybe. But she grew on me<3 Also she was hilarious in her own grouchy way. It's inevitable what happened in the end, and *sniff sniff*...*sniff*

I always like the supporting charries more than the main ones for some reason... anyways.

I loved Charlie and Charlotte though. Charlie was a bit odd to read with in the beginning, but I got used to it ^.^ (Omg I actually know a person like him in real life.. If you listen to their "normal" conversations 0.o *mind blown* So smart) Albeit sometimes I have to admit I just wanted to hit Charlie on the head with those hammers you whack the groundhog game thing with... >:D

(LET'S WHACK A GROUNDHOG) 

The book inspired me that inscribed books make the best presents haha xD I didn't know how impacting those could be if done right. 

Pluus i'm going to resume How to Kill a Mockingbird shortly even though this practically spoilt everything. (I've been stuck 100 pages through the past month so doesn't really matter. Coincidence I was already reading it?)

Gosh I cried so much in this book it's not even funny! I didn't expect this when I first picked it up ;O My poor unsuspecting emotions. And with that note, i'm just going to mysteriously stop talking *evil laugh* Hopefully it caught your attention..(sort of? No? YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY NO!)

There are loads of more simple factors I adored and want to mention (layout, ending, lifelines xD), but I always love the book more when I don't know much about it :P (That's why I always skim over synopsises and decide more on what genre the book is in when I first pick things.. is that a bad thing? heh)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is going to be a bestseller, and i'll be really disappointed if it isn't.

(I already made my good friend Tia ((Little Miss Totem)) pick it up.. and She. Is. LOVING IT. Aw yeah. I'm just awesome like that. Just saying.)

Thank you Ms Alexander for an awesome debut, and thank you Entangled Publishing for a free review copy!! I couldn't be happier. (This is like one of the first ARCs I received that I actually reallyy liked. Omg.)

Producers better get more film ready... I already want a movie adaption. ;)

Conclusion: Read it now. Don't hesitate. 

—MissOddball™ Over and Out. 

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Spearwood Academy Two: Episodes 6–10 by A.S. Oren

Source of Pic: Amazon

Spearwood Academy Two: Episodes 6-10 by A.S. Oren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 4.14 of 5 stars
Pages: 93
Synopsis (on Goodreads):

Avalon is the first female of her kind in centuries. She is a dragon shapeshifter, who is painfully cursed to turn into her dragon form every night. Spearwood Academy has the answers to her questions, but there is just one problem, up until she came along it was an all boy school. How ever will this Harry Potter geek, Whovian and Nerdfighter wade through the waters of testosterone, greed and even love? 

An omnibus of episodes 6-10. Corruption rains down on Spearwood Academy.

*****I recieved a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*****

Okay, so V2 starts of exactly where V1 ended. And if you're wondering, these volumes aren't written like 'novels'. Rather, almost like TV episodes ^^ It's pretty funny because I feel like I'm watching TV, except I'm reading it lol!

Anyhoo, the first thing I wanted to do when I finished reading was gloat :P Because I totallyy guessed Amr and Avvii's connection from the start! *triumphant smirk* Of course, I'm can't say anything about it tho *zips lips* That would be a spoiler after all hehe!

The constant mention of shows and fan fiction was a bit weird for me, since I didn't understand half of the puns or inside jokes, but whatever *shrugs*

Also it's interesting that the Royals aren't actually on top of the pecking order ^^ I guess they're in as much of a jam as everyone else......they just get fancy clothes and a let's-boss-people-around right as a bonus XP
And then you have the Ancients, whom I can't seem to figure out if they're 'good' or 'bad'......apparently they have different vibes? *cocks head* I'm assuming that means that some have better intentions than others......

And the heat thing was hilarous....in a creepy kinda way XDD It was also quite dramatised in a way that almost reminded me of Rebel Belle ^^ Same with the memory thing, it was really weird and dramatic....I'm not sure how I feel about it all, but I'll just roll with it for now I guess *shrugs*

Avalon/Avvi is as strong as she was in V1, which I'm grateful for lol! Only problem is I feel a bit disconnected from her, but overall she's pretty cool.
Then you have the boys....and duudee is there many of them or what! What I don't get is Avalon has gotten tingles and 'electricity' *cough* with half of them when she happens to brush fingers or something silly like that *quirks brow* How is this even possible? o.O Stick to a tops of 2 love interests, girl! *facepalm* This is like, multiple puppy love at once *wags finger at Avvi*
You have Dante the flirt, Horace the calm one (generally), Amr the brotherly one *sly grin*, Triton my fav *winks*, Lusk the bully (who's not so bully-ish anymore yaay!), Bullock the rude tutor and Kearn the servant (I don't really care for him honestly)
And then you have the Royals! Paden is a total creepo o.O Seriously, I thought he'd give up, but nooo he's still trying to get Avvi to marry him *cracks up* Poor guy. Mind you, he seems to be calming down towards the end of V2, so mayhap he'll be tolerable after all XDD
And of course Maverick the mysterious one. By mysterious, I mean, he's a confusing character. He was Avalon's childhood bully when she was in school, and then he randomly pops up at Spearwood Academy, and it turns out, not only is he a dragon, but he's a Royal and Paden's brother. And then icing on the cake, he apologises repeatedly for bullying her and says that he was there to protect her? Very confusing.

Also, I happened on Oren's wordpress website (here), and I know the competition related to Spearwood Boys is now finished, but out of curiosity, I searched up the songs, and I'm sad to say I have no idea which boys half of the songs are connected to XD What I'm interested in, tho, is that most of the songs seem to suggest that the boys have feelings for Avalon that we don't know about just by reading V1 and V2, feelings that aren't platonic no less, so now I'm quite intrigued, and can't wait for the release of Spearwood Boys, because I'm certainly interested in knowing the inner workings of the boys' minds, especially since I now know of their apparent hidden feelings :P

While some things that happened in V2 were quite outlandish, it is a good indie story and continuation of V1, and if you want to read something that's just sheer fun and ridiculousness, then this is your material ;)
Again I thank A.S. Oren for giving me the opportunity to read this!
My review of V1 can be found on the blog: here

3 stars!

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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The Innocent Assassins by Pema Donyo

The Innocent Assassins by Pema Donyo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 3.80 of 5 stars
Pages: 344
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

There are three rules to staying an assassin at the corporation of Covert Operatives: (1) your parents must be deceased, (2) your contracts must remain confidential, and (3) you must be under the age of eighteen.

After a murder mission goes awry a month before her eighteenth birthday, Covert Operatives assassin Jane Lu finds herself caught by the federal government and forced to spy for the CIA while remaining in Covert Operatives. Once her spying mission is over she will be allowed to live a civilian life without facing criminal consequences, a life she's only dreamed of having.

As Jane leaks information to the CIA, she uncovers secrets with enough power to both destroy Covert Operatives and her own boyfriend, Adrian King, who's next in line to be CEO of the company. When her identity as a double agent for the CIA is discovered within Covert Operatives, she must decide where her allegiance, and her heart, truly lies.

*****I recieved a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*****

There are three rules to staying an assassin at Covert Operatives: one, your parents must be deceased, two, your murder contracts must remain confidential, and three, you must be under the age of eighteen.

Jane Lu and her best friend Adrian King were taken in by Covert Operatives aka CO from the foster care system when they were just 5 years old.
CO provided Jane, Adrian, and many other kids with food, clothes, shelter and education, and taught them how to 'defeat bad people'.
Now almost 18, Jane and Adrian have become more than just best friends.....if you get me *cough*boyfriend and girlfriend*cough*.....and they have been assassins at Covert Operatives for many years, but while most of her fellow class want to stay with CO after they cease their assassin contract, including Adrian, Jane just wants a normal life, where she can live in peace without all the killing.
Then on one of her last missions, she gets caught by the CIA, and instead of locking her up, they give her a proposition. Spy on CO for a year and report back to the CIA, and then she'll be free to have the life she always wanted (I kinda doubt the CIA would be so nice, but still.....no offence CIA peeps XD).
Only problem, the CIA want her to spy on Adrian King for rumours that he'll be the next CEO of Covert Operatives.
And so begins the harrowing last year of Jane's connection to CO, but with the lies twisting around her like a noose, and other deadly secrets starting to come out revolving around CO and Adrian, can she get out alive? And where does that leave her and Adrian? Her best friend, the boy she loves, and the boy who'd have to kill her if he found out that she's a spy. (Pretty crazy right?)

I found this story really intriguing! It was pretty complex and it kind of reminded me of the movie Wanted in some ways.

Adrian is such a unique and conflicted character, I just wanted to know what's going on in his head! So yeahh, I would've liked to read his POV, except that it probably would've ruined the plot and how the climax unfolded *pouts*
He also likes having power and control. And yet, the more power he gained, the more he seemed to lose himself. But Adrian's redeeming quality is that in the end he loves Jane Lu more than anything else, and she helps balance him and stop him from losing control. He literally needs her, as his best friend and as the girl/woman he loves. Overall, yesssss he has his many issues, but as long as Jane's there, everythang will be alright ;)

I love that Jane is asian :) Diverse books anyone? *beams* She's pretty and smart, and I'm happy that she stands up to Adrian when he tries to tell her what to do. She's a no nonsense character with a lot of heart who has to deal with situations none of us ever have to, and considering all that I think she handles it pretty well.

Adrian and Jane's love for each other is consuming, and borderline unhealthy at times in the book. Adrian was really possessive and quick to jump to conclusions. They broke up several times, and yet they couldn't help getting back together even tho they were both lying to the other, and in some cases, knew about each other's lies. And I don't mean petty little lies, I mean if-the-wrong-person-finds-out-I'm-gonna-get-murdered lies *cringes*
"ʺI need you to know now—whatever happens in the future, I love you.ʺ I murmured the words into his ear, my voice barely above a whisper. Visions of a future without him flashed before my eyes. The feel of him against me was hypnotizing, and I clung to his hair tighter in order to shoo away the daunting thoughts of what lay before us. ʺWhatever I do, whatever you think I've done – I love you.ʺ"
It was a pretty twisted and broken relationship for much of the book, with their constant betrayals and conflicts, and yet their love withstood it all in the end.....aaaandddd I waanaaa fangirl 'cause they got to be togetherr without all the lies and away from CO yaayyyayyyyayyyyy!!! *bounces up and down*

There wasn't much humor in Innocent Assassins; rather it was quite a mature read.......especially for a YA book......the whole scarf setup was admittedly pretty hilarious tho XD And the shirt ordeal ;P *whispers* You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it *winks*

Also it was kinda weird to have 18 year olds walking around in boardrooms and sitting behind desks in suits and skirts and formal work wear, and drinking wine.......in other words, acting like middle aged adults XD But then again, these same 18 year olds were assassinating people at 12....soooo I guess they had to grow up faster than most kids ^^

The biggest problem for me is I feel that the side characters should've been more developed. I think Tristan's character was done well, but I couldn't really connect to Lucy other than the fact that she seemed like a pretty nice and loyal friend, and don't get me started on Emma. Urghh.
First she's all supportive and BFFs with Jane, even doing the whole eat-icecream-and-watch-sad-movies-together thang and telling her to sort things out with Adrian, and then she goes all jealous and snarky because she decides that she's going to try make a grab for Adrian.....and wait a sec......what kind of best friend does that?? *raises eyebrows and shoots glare* I mean come ooonnn, Emma was jealous enough of Jane and Adrian's relationship to be bitter when Jane got back to CO alive! As in, like, she'd prefer her dead and out of the picture? o.O And yet in the end she didn't betray Jane when she found out about Jane spying for the CIA!
Emma's character was just all over the place, and I couldn't understand her at all.

But overall I was really fascinated by The Innocent Assassins! Great debut Pema Donyo thanks so much for letting me review your book :)
4 stars

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

View this review on Goodreads

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MirrorX by Karri Thompson (Review Copy) + Release Day Blast

MirrorX
by
Karri Thompson

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 3 Stars. 

Current Average Rating on Goodreads: 3.66

Synopsis: Cassie Dannacher wakes up in a hospital over 1,000 years into the future after her space capsule is retrieved from space. She soon learns that 600 years prior to her arrival, the earth was struck by a plague, killing over half of the world’s population. Naïve and desperate, Cassie, who longs for home and is having trouble adjusting to the new, dictatorial 31st century government, is comforted by Michael Bennett, the 20-year old lead geneticist at the hospital where she was revived. 

But why is Cassie in genetics’ hospital in the first place, and why do several of the people around her seem so familiar, including Travel Carson, the hot and edgy boy she is fated to meet? Soon she discovers there is a sinister answer to all of her questions – and that they want something from Cassie that only she can give.

So first of all, thank you EntangledPublishing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review! :D You rockk.

*shuffles papers* Now down to business.

To be honest with you, because that was the point of giving this to me; I didn't like that book. There I said it! I did not like that book at all. Then why did I give it 3, you ask. I reply BECAUSE THE CONCEPT WAS COOL OKAY? and I managed to finish it. :P 

If you asked anyone that knew me what kind of book I was reading, they would say "That weird MirrorX clone book she keeps complaining about" XD Probably. I dont know. But yes I complained about it a LOT. Sorrryyyyy :P

I mean it had a good message and all I guess? It was emphasised quite strongly. Life is precious. They said that phrase... *types it in search box* 15 times. It that doesn't seem like that much if you look it like this, but BELIEVE me it gets annoying XD We get it. Life is precious. Repetitive much? It's like their motto or something! Well it probably is but stiiiilll. 

The dialogue: To be frank: Boring. It was SO stiff you don't even know. It's like.. every character learnt English out of a foreign "How to Speak English!" Textbook. You know how like if you learn a foreign language, the sentences they teach you are really.. proper.. and quite unnatural in modern speech? I mean no one talks like that! *pulls hair* HAVE SOME SLANG PEOPLE. Just because you live in the 31st century. These 31st centurions - which was probs the wrong word- are ugh. Or hey maybe stiff is the new natural there ! It IS the future after all so you can't compare it to here... but yeah -_- 

Characters: PAPER CHARACTERS. Absolutely no depth to them. Their personality is like da winnddd for goodness sakes! If you want to write a good book, plan out your characters as well as the plot. For me, the plot is also important (hence the 3 stars instead of 2), but the CHARACTERS are even more important. If the characters are annoying, I will put the book down. And not like "flawed" annoying, because I do agree characters are also people, and for them to be realistic, they need flaws. BUT KVKFGVVKJGVN THESE WERE NOT FLAWS, IT WAS JUST.... THE CHARACTER HAD NO CHARACTER!!!! It would act one way, and then it would act totally differently. Like the author just wrote without analysing and thinking of how this person is. Me didn't likey ANY characters here....:/

General story: It was unique. I'll give you props for that! but the way is was portrayed and delivered just..wasn't right.   

*OH MAH GOSH I JUST NEARLY HAD A HEART ATTACK BECAUSE I PRESSED THE BACK BUTTON AND I THOUGHT I LOST MY REVIEW DX
But I didn't :D thank you Blogger and your frequent auto save. I love you. <3 *

Where were we?
Oh yesh. Now i'm not going to tell you the story because i'm lazy and you can just read the synopsis. GUYS STOP SKIPPING OVER THE SYNOPSIS XD *i'm watching you sign*
and I don't think I can tell you anything without giving too much away. (Ignoring the fact I practically spoiled the whole book to the people I complained to... sowwy guys :3 Thanks for putting up with moi  XD)

Oh yeah another point that annoyed me: Cassie kept shouting for no reason -_- Everyone kept shouting! It's an overusage of shout! I don't really like that word in a book.. I dunno why, but it makes the dialogue look too simple. "I shouted. He shouted. We shouted. I starting shouting. He started shouting." Mer. Vocab, people. We have the thesaurus! :D 29 times of the word shout isn't bad- I've seen worse cases- but some words just stand out to me.. and I don't really like that... XD Yes i'm picky I know *sighs*

I don't really know what else to say right now... but bottom line:
It was a relatively good book for an author who hasn't written that many books yet (I think. I can't remember.. I stalked her GR account >:))  , and it had a cool concept with an interesting idea. But it wasn't my style. I love reading futuristic books because we never know what'll really happen and it's really interesting to see all these people's ideas! and Karri Thompson was no exception! Whiiich I can't tell you due to potential spoilers. but Just the writing needs to be improved a taaaaaaad more. I read other's reviews about this and most had the same thing for a complaint: The middle was too draggy and it ended too abruptly. and I agree! That was what I was thinking while I read. Way too much time was spent on it, and then BAM! some twists, and THE END, BYEBYE NOW PLEASE WRITE AN HONEST REVIEW PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

The twists though..
Um. I....liked the effort? :p *winces* I wasn't BAD...but....yeah...it was like "Oh yeah I just thought of something that could happen. TWIST. Oh yeah something else popped into my head! TWIST.
Me: NO. Just stop. I can tell these twists weren't planned out as much as it could be. Yes it was surprising- the whole meaning of "plot twist", but it didn't work. 

aaand I just botched my bottom line XD
Bottom bottom line:
Interesting sci fi book, could have been written better, dialogues were stiff and unnatural, paper people, failed twists. I don't of any means say it's a bad book; like I don't think this should stop you from reading it, but yeah XD It just wasn't mine. At least I didn't put it down! I've been putting loads down lately..

and seeing if we aren't annihilated by this time, this idea of 3022 really could be real. Scary.

—MissOddball™ Over and Out. *salutes*

buuut we're not over yet! RELEASE BLAST. I actually have no idea how to do this... *goes to Bellzie's old review blast*
...
Okay that was no help :p I guess i'm on my own.

----------------------------------MIRROR X RELEASE BLAST-------------------------------

  June may be almost over but that doesn't mean the fun is over at Entangled Teen!
We are excited to be announcing the release of two of our new titles, Mirror X by Karri Thompson and Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon, which readers are already raving about! (Belle is doing Going Down in Flames in a little while, so please look out for that too!) Plus you can pick up both Mirror X and Going Down in Flames on sale for just $.99 right now. (Woo that's cheap. Good deal! I got it for free *sticks out tongue* Ha.) 

About Mirror X:

I was born more than a thousand years ago. 

Put into a cryogenic tube at age seventeen, forgotten during a holocaust that decimated the world, I've finally been awakened to a more serene and peaceful future. (*Cass pops in and whispers* Wasn't very peaceful to meeeeee. To many robots. I hate robots >.<) 

But things at the hospital are new and strange. And it's starting to scare me. 

Everyone is young. Everyone is banded and tracked. And everyone is keeping secrets. (*Cass: I thought you just said serene and peaceful? *raises eyebrow*)

The cute geneticist Michael Bennett might be the only good thing in this crazy new world where "life is precious" but no one seems free to live it. The problem is, I don't think he's being totally honest with me either. (Cass: LIFE IS PRECIOUS. SEE SEE?)

When I'm told only I can save the human race from extinction, it's clear my freeze didn't avoid a dreadful fate. It' only delayed the horror.... (Cass: DUN DUN DUUUUN)

XD Sorry.. I just wanted to add those.. yeah.. *walks awkwardly away*

Find Mirror X Online!

Amazon: : Mirror X on Amazon

B&N: Mirror X on Barnes and Nobles

iTunes: Mirror X on iTunes

Kobo: Mirror X on Kobo

Goodreads: Mirror X on GoodReads

Ughhh why are there so many links -_-

Author Bio: 

Oh look she so pwetttyyyy! Love da hair :D

Growing up in San Diego, California, Karri Thompson spent much of her years at the beach, reading novels, tanning, and listening to music. At SDSU, she earned a BA in English, MA in education, and her teaching credential. As a wife, mother, and highschool English teacher, she began writing novels, giving all of the compelling plots and unique characters in her head a home. Victorian literature rocks her socks, and when she's not writing, jogging, going to concerts, or watching her son play football, she's reading Dickens. 

(Rocks her socks? Really? o.O)

Find Kerri Thompson Online:

Website: Her Official Site

Twitter: @KarriThompson

Facebook: Faaacebookkk

Goodreads: Let the Author Stalking Begin.

***

Aaand that is all! Sorry for the long post :P Thanks if you're still here XD

Buhbye *waves*

Oh and I just wanted to add real quick that the cover is beautiful! the whole hour glass thing is pwetty :3

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Cinderella's Dress by Shonna Slayton Review + Release Day Blast!

Entangled Teen is excited to announce the release of, Shonna Slayton’s Cinderella’s Dress, which readers are already raving about!

About Cinderella’s Dress:

Being seventeen during World War II is tough. Finding out you’re the next keeper of the real Cinderella’s dress is even tougher.

Kate simply wants to create window displays at the department store where she's working, trying to help out with the war effort. But when long-lost relatives from Poland arrive with a steamer trunk they claim holds the Cinderella’s dress, life gets complicated.

Now, with a father missing in action, her new sweetheart shipped off to boot camp, and her great aunt losing her wits, Kate has to unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

After all, the descendants of the wicked stepsisters will stop at nothing to get what they think they deserve.

My Review:

Cinderella's Dress by Shonna Slayton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 3.14 of 5 stars
Pages: 340 pages

Katherine (Kate) Allen is a teenage model of polish descent living in New York City, during the WWII in spring 1944. We start off as Kate, due to her pushy mother, attempts in vain to grab into the acting realm.

While auditioning for a part in a movieeeee.......which goes disastrously might I add *snickers* XDD she meets a handsome young lad with gorgeous blue eyes! *swoons* I luuuvvv blue eyesss *fans face* And this charming young man turns out to be a 18 year old named Johnny Day, born into the rich New York upper class.

In Cinderella's Dress, the story of Cinderella is a real one (duuhh *grins*) Though her name was actually Queen Kopciuszek, a polish queen from long, long ago.

And Kate's family have been safeguarding Cinderella's dress for the Kolodenkos, the polish royalty, for many many years. But the Burgosov clan, the descendants of the evil-stepsisters, want the precious dress for themselves.

Tempers run high, shoes fly, dresses burn, and sparks and insults shoot around at will, but what will happen in the end? Will Kate successfully safeguard the dresses from the Burgosov's clutches as the unofficial Keeper of the Wardrobe? Or will the dresses be lost on her watch?

Kate has a lack of self-confidence, which I suppose would kinda make sense if you're surrounded by all these more mature young glamorous models with more training. It's a sucky career to be in, since everything relies on looks, confidence, and poise. And apparently she only has the first *frowns*

Despite being a model for the company her mother works at, the Allen's have little money and this only extends the other models – in particular Fran Marshall — cruelty to Kate. (since apparently models don't have a nice bone in their skinny bodies o.O *sigh*)

Kate feels pressured by her mum to be a model, tho Kate only sees the weak model qualities she possesses; it doesn't help that everyone other than her mum (including herself), think she's incapable at proper modelling. Plus she doesn't really have any love for it.....not surprised, considering no one actually encourages her :/ Her mum just pushes her into it.

Also, people tend to treat her like a little girl who hasn't grown up and just walk all over her, and it's kinda getting on my nerves because she just lets it happen. Talk about low self-esteem.

“If the goat didn’t jump, she wouldn’t have broken her leg,” she whispered, a sense of dread creeping into her heart.

“But if goat did not jump, she would be having a miserable life,” added a voice behind her.”

We watch as Kate slowly grows a backbone, if you will hehe xD She needs to let go of what her mother wants her to do, and realise what she wants to do.

I really liked how she grew into her passions, and learned to chase after them.

I think one thing that helped this story was the........well, not exactly female empowerment, but female discovery. I mean seriously. We start out in the 1940's. There is quite a bit of sexism in the air *scowls and mimes bashing peoples heads together* XP And we're just starting to hit a turning point in this book as particular females start pushing for jobs that aren't in their 'little corner of acceptable professions'. Kate wants to be an object and fashion-window designer, and yet hardly any females have been able to push their way into such a profession, which is outside of the circle of modelling and looking glam, even tho it's still related to the fashion industry.

It was a bit weird because during the first half of the book, with the constant letters back and forth during the war, the time myterioussssslyyyyyy jumped o.O But it wasn't actually stated straight out *scratches head* Instead, it was like:

One of the charries: It's been years!

Me: ....*crickets chirp*....*silence*....WHAT?!!?!?!

I've never read a book situated in WWII on the Allies side. In fact I've hardly read any books situated in a World War xD So it was interesting to read in that extent.

“I actually feel like time has stopped because of this war. Like we are stuck inside a snow globe, and we can’t move on or change until the war is over. We get shaken up and watch the snow fall, and when it all settles, we get shaken up again. I guess I’m waiting for the glass to break.”

We weren't reading anything to do with the war itself, rather, we read of what it felt like to have loved ones in the war, reading each letter and telegram, the mixture of hunger and apprehension for news. *shudders*

THE ROMANCEEEEE!!!! DUN DUN DUUNNNNN!!!!!!!!!! XDDD It was sooo...........drawn out :P Like, even tho we've totally got sparks and are destined to marry (they don't actually marry XD This is me hoping *winks and crosses fingers*) let's just wait a couple years before we KISS! o.O

But the actual attraction was instant and I admit it was pretty sweet and first-crush-like ;D Except that I'm sincerely hoping it's the first-and-only-crush *grins* So cuuuuuteeeeee! *coos* I luuvved how Johnny kept coming up behind her and resting his chin on her shoulder! *giggles* Tis was just adorableeeeee <33

While it's an endearing story, there wasn't really any suspense *pouts* XDD

Tho the correspondence between the Allen's in NYC and Kate's dad, and then later between Kate and Floyd and Kate and Johnny did lend a welcome change of style to the novel.

Most of the first parts of the story were frightfully slow paced, and downright dreadful for dear wittle Kate *frowns*, but thankfully the feel of the novel started to turn around for me almost half way.

Kate had become more outspoken and while she wasn't by any means an strong charrie, she no longer had that air of pleeeaase-step-on-me, honestly *rolls eyes*. She also started to actively pursue the future she wanted for herself. *faints in relief*

And all that nonsense about 'Ooooowaaaahhhh!!!! The evil step-sister descendants coming to kill for the dresses?!!

Psssshhh! XP All those good-for-nothing descendants did was tie up the elderly, speak little words, and tail Kate like a bunch of creepy stalkers ;P ......which they are!! XD *busts out laughing*

The ending.........*quizzical look* I can't figure out if there's gonna be a sequel or if this was a standalone o.O *taps chin* It could be either I suppose XD It kinda leaves it open to our imagination to what'll happen next, and I wouldn't mind if it stopped there because I'm totally imagining my own swell *winks* ending for the characters! *gleeful look* But who knows? There may be a second book yet :P As long as I get my happy ending.......*narrows eyes at Slayton* XD

It had quite a few flaws, and I found it unrealistic but cute and romantic in a Cinderella kinda way *cracks up* so 3.5 stars :)

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

View this review on Goodreads

Find Cinderella’s Dress Online:

Amazon

B&N

Goodreads

Author Bio:

SHONNA SLAYTON is the author of the YA novel Cinderella's Dress, out June 3, 2014 with Entangled Teen. She finds inspiration in reading vintage diaries written by teens, who despite using different slang, sound a lot like teenagers today. While writing Cinderella's Dress she reflected on her days as a high-school senior in British Columbia when she convinced her supervisors at a sportswear store to let her design a few windows--it was glorious fun while it lasted. When not writing, Shonna enjoys amaretto lattes and spending time with her husband and children in Arizona.

Find Shonna Slayton Online:

Twitter
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Website
Pinterest
Goodreads

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