Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Rating:
Characters: 18/20
Plot: 20/20
Originality: 20/20
Writing: 19/20
Recommendation: 18/20
Overall: 95/100 or A
Source: Publisher
Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend’s powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and her hope of becoming a scientist seems to be nothing but an impossible dream.
So when she’s given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and use her skills as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she? At Gordian headquarters deep in France, Astrid begins to question everything she had believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns or saving unicorns from the world?
I adore Unicorns, and Peterfreund's kick ass hybrid of killer unicorns are even more epic. After reading Rampant, I was so pumped for Ascendant. Astrid came back just as awesome. She was just as brave and strong as the first book, but now she has a fraction of doubt about what she is doing. She doesn't have time to see her mother or go to school, which made me sad. She is one of the few YA characters that though past the next month and had a plan for what she wanted to do in life. That is until, she get the offer of a lifetime... a job working at Gordian Pharmaceuticals. I loved that it allowed her to make her own decisions in this book and not just what the Cloisters wanted. Also that, you got to see some issues that the world was dealing with, because of the return of the unicorns.

The opinion that I had about Gordian, changed at the beginning, because Isabeau seemed to be a such a sweet and caring person that wanted to no longer be tied to what happened in the previous book, but she turned out to be not the person that she seemed. I hated the abuse on the einhorns and it kept on making me cry like a baby. The plot left me with so many questions about Peterfreund's magical world and the last few chapters were so hard to read. I really hope that there will be a third book. Peterfreund's writing was stunning and ingenious. I could picture every move on the battle scene. I loved Ascendant, more then Rampant. It was unpredictable and ingenious. I think that you should start this series soon, I am sure that you will not regret it.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Characters: 19/20

Plot: 18/20

Originality: 19/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 20/20

Overall: 95/100 or A

Source: Library

When you think of Unicorns, you think of fluffy creatures with a wondrous horn and full of sparkles. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Luckily, they have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years. Astrid has always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries. However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student . . . an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

I loved Astrid. She didn't want to become a unicorn hunter and was a whiny. Yet she was strong when she needed to be. She also protective of those that she loved. My favorite character in Rampant was Bonegrinder. Bonegrinder was such a cute character and she was so innocent, because she didn't know that attacking nonhunters was bad. I want my own house Zhi. Giovanni is a great romantic interest and also was very sweet. All of the other girls were strong, smart, and had different attributes. I loved how they were all one of a kind and I love them. The plot of Rampant was slow to begin with, but the book slowly gained momentum. I loved how these Unicorns were not fluffy, but dangerous. I didn't think that this Unicorn Hunter plot would work, but the lore of Unicorns were changed and made into a believable world. I also loved that this book was so unique and that is a brand new take on Unicorns. Peterfreund is an amazing writer. She created a world that I wanted to get lost in. I loved this book and can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend this book and think that you should go read it right now.

Waiting on Wednesday (Week Eight)

Title: Rampant
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Release Date: August 2009
Publisher: Harperteen
Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns…
The sparkly, innocent creatures of lore are a myth. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. And they can only be killed by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great.
Fortunately, unicorns have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.
Or not.
Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed ather eccentric mother’s stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend in the woods – thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to prom – Astrid learns that unicorns are real and dangerous, and she has a family legacy to uphold. Her mother packs her off to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.
However, at the cloisters, all is not what is seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to – perhaps most dangerously of all – her growing attraction to a handsome art student… and a relationship that could jeopardize everything.
I'll keep why I want this short: Unicorns for the win! I am feeling really sick and have been in bed all day. So yeah. Now back to sleeping.