Amaterasu Reads

[Boy Nobody tour]Allen Zadoff Q&A + Giveaway!

2013-05-22T23:23:00.000+08:00

I am so excited to be a part of the Boy Nobody blog tour! Today I have the author Allen Zadoff answer some questions about the book and Boy Nobody himself plus a little bit of advice for everyone who wants to become a great writer like him.

Boy Nobody (Boy Nobody #1) by Allen Zadoff

Published 23 May 2013 by Hachette UK

Add to your Goodreads list!

He is nothing.
The missions is everything.
The explosive new thriller for fans of Jason Bourne, Robert Muchamore and Michael Grant.

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school, in a new town, under a new name, makes few friends and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die -- of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, and moves on to the next target.

When Boy Nobody was just eleven, he discovered his own parents had died of not-so-natural causes. He soon found himself under the control of The Program, a shadowy government organization that uses brainwashed kids as counter-espionage operatives. But somewhere, deep inside Boy Nobody, is somebody: the boy he once was, the boy who wants normal things (like a real home, his parents back), a boy who wants out. And he just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's next mission.

A short Q&A with Allen Zadoff

I noticed that you write novels with a variety of themes, from theater to spies/assassins to realistic fiction. Is it hard to switch genres? Where do you get your inspiration from?

AZ: The Boy Nobody thriller series is a big change of pace for me. Previously I’ve written three novels that can be described as funny and heart-breaking. (Some have referred to them as “lad lit”.) Boy Nobody literally appeared out of nowhere in my head. I knew he was alone all the time, that he worked for a shadowy organization that might or might not be a part of the U.S. government, and that he could not remember (or did not know) his own name. In truth I never planned to switch genres. I was as surprised as anyone, but in hindsight, I understand why it happened. My inspiration comes from the characters themselves. They start to speak to me, and I write down what they say. That’s the starting point, and then the story emerges over time.

Boy Nobody gives off this "Jason Bourne" vibe. How was he created? And have you, by any chance, drawn inspiration from him (Bourne) or any particular character?

AZ: I love that Boy Nobody has been compared to Jason Bourne, but I wasn’t thinking about Bourne at all as I wrote him. I was thinking about Clint Eastwood, especially in classic police films like Dirty Harry and westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. There’s a certain type of character that Eastwood played so well, the stranger with the dark past who has been hurt by life but doesn’t talk about it, who does things both terrible and heroic, who has a job and lives by a code, even when those around him don’t follow the same code.

The best five adjectives you can use to describe Boy Nobody?

AZ: Thrilling, suspenseful, heart-stopping, surprising, fun.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

AZ: It’s almost too simple, but you have to write. I compare writing to learning to be a pilot. You have to log a certain number of hours in the air in order to qualify for your license, and your skill continues to improve the longer you fly and the more experiences you have in the pilot’s seat. Similarly, you have to spend hours and hours on the page (or computer screen, or wherever it is you work) in order to become a writer. Every word makes you a better writer. So get started.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

WIN A COPY OF ALLEN ZADOFF'S BOY NOBODY!

Rules:

Must be at least 13 years old

UK Only

Ends 6/11

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

2013-05-22T23:13:00.003+08:00

I can still feel the remnants of the amazing adrenaline rush this book has given me.

Title: Boy Nobody (Boy Nobody #1) by Allen Zadoff
Release Date: May 23rd 2013
Published by: Hachette UK
Source: Publisher (Thanks Victoria!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

They needed the perfect assassin.

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

He's the perfect man to do the job. He's nobody. He blends in, becomes your friend, someone you trust, and the next thing you know your mom or your father or your sister is dead. That's him, and he's just a boy. Benjamin (not his real name) has lived the life of a cold-hearted assassin for four years. He has nothing else to live for. His parents are dead and he has been trained to kill since he was twelve. But Benjamin has started to wonder: when will this end? When does he have to stop killing? Then he meets a girl in his new mission, and she's not what he expects, especially her father who is Benjamin's target. Before he knows it, Benjamin has started doubting his mission, craves to become normal, and the little changes being made has made him suspicious. But how does one get out from The Program with his life still intact?

It felt exhilarating to get into the mind of an assassin, and with a mind such as Benjamin, there was never a dull moment in this book. He was just a boy who trusted the one person who ended up betraying him and the next thing he knew he was an orphan, given a choice to die or start killing people. How does a twelve year old get through that traumatic experience? By becoming the perfect killing machine. Benjamin might follow his mission to the letter but he is still human, and no matter how much he fights it memories and feelings surfaces at the most unexpected of times. Piecing his past together with the present is a delight for me. It gave me the chance to know Benjamin in a deeper way and made me understand him just a little bit more, why he had to be distant, sometimes cruel, unfeeling. It was the only way he knew to survive. It's what made him the perfect assassin. He had to grow up living a life filled with blood and violence, and the experiences he's had made him sound so much older than he is, which is somewhat sad. He could have been a jock, a great student, but it was never going to happen now.

I've second guessed a lot of characters in this book, and Samara was one of the most consistent characters in it, one of the very few you'd think of as the villain. She was passionate about a lot of things, fights for what she believes in and despite being the daughter of the mayor, goes out of her way to prove that she cannot be defined by the wealth and power surrounding her. Sam had her fair share of heartache and tragedy like Benjamin, and that forged her character to become headstrong, sometimes stubborn and intense, but she wasn't someone you'd easily dislike. In some ways she was similar to Benjamin, someone who doesn't fit in, lost, someone who had to grow up before they had the chance to enjoy life. I give kudos to the author for giving her character such an unexpected angle that blind sided me before I realized how it made everything fall into place.

The plot was brilliant! It's reminiscent of Jason Bourne at times, but the very presence of Benjamin's character as Boy Nobody and the reason why he became the way he is gave this book a different spin. Allen Zadoff fashioned Benjamin in a convincing way from the short, staccato sentences, down to his different observations of everything around him both as a teenager and as an assassin and it's that combination that makes him so interesting to read. Add to it characters with questionable identities like 'Mother' and 'Father', espionage, mystery and a thrilling story and you get Boy Nobody, which is one heck of an entertaining read.

It was easy to sympathize with the characters, but what pulled me in to this book deeper and deeper with each turn of the page was the amazing storytelling by Allen Zadoff. It's like watching an action movie but I'm leafing through the pages of a book. Highly engaging, tension filled and very fast paced. You'll just find yourself holding your breath at certain moments and yet you don't want to stop reading. Convincing, from the coded messages and conversations, the significance of withholding Benjamin's real name and his real identity, to that moments of confusion, when Benjamin decided that he wants to be normal, for everything to stop and then the truths and realization that sets in and you find yourself understanding the whole story as secrets are revealed one after another. It's got a great balance of romance, action and mystery that just gets to you as you read on.

I finished reading this book in two and a half hours and I think it's just amazing. There's no other word to describe it. Please, if you can grab a copy of this book once it comes out, do yourself a favor and read it. Don't miss out on this thrilling story!

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

It's such a 'boy' sounding book but it definitely came as a surprise when I found myself enjoying this story a lot. I loved that it left me guessing until almost the end, and that the story continues after you flipped through the last page. There was just a little twinge in my heart when what happened just happened. Sam!

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

Definitely one of my favorite covers this year!

Waiting on Wednesday (119): The Elites + Dare Me

2013-05-22T14:09:00.000+08:00

Since I'm five books ahead on my Goodreads challenge, I've decided that I have room for slacking off so I'm currently watching some animes I'm curious of. This piece of info isn't probably helpful to you but... yeah. Anyway, how's your week so far? :)

Here are my picks for the week:

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Elites by Natasha Ngan
Release Date: September 5th 2013
Published by: Hot Key Books

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

'There is a rumour that the Elites don't bleed.'

Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures - and racial tension. Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She'd never dream of leaving - but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel's president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

Packed full of adventure, romance, exoticism and the power of friendship, THE ELITES is a highly compelling and beautifully written novel from a supremely talented debut author.

Why I'm waiting for The Elites:

This is a debut? It just sounds so creative and imaginative you'd think this was written by someone who's got a lot of books out already.It sounds like a very interesting, action packed novel and I wouldn't want to miss reading this one once it's out! Enhanced citizens, a city filled with a myriad of cultures, it's got the right ingredients to make me so curious about it. Can't wait for this one to be released!

Title: Dare Me by Eric Devine
Release Date: October 8th 2013
Published by: Running Press Kids

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

When Ben Candido and his friends, Ricky and John, decide to post a YouTube video of themselves surfing on top of a car, they finally feel like the somebodies they are meant to be instead of the social nobodies that they are. Overnight, the video becomes the talk of the school, and the boys are sure that their self-appointed senior year of dares will live in infamy. Every dare brings an increased risk of bodily harm, but Ben cannot deny the thrill and sense of swagger that come with it. The stakes become even more complex when a mysterious donor bankrolls their dares in exchange for a cut in the online revenue the videos generate. But at what point do the risk and the reward come at too high of a price? What does it take to stay true to one’s self in the face of relentless pressure.

Why I'm waiting for Dare Me:

Another book about dares! For some reason I just can't get enough of books with a plot like this one. There's something about dares that makes one think of how far a person can go just to fulfill them, and that's where the thrill comes from, I guess. If you ask me I definitely will read this book for the simple fact that I want to know how far Be and his friends can go. The idea of someone funding dares is also what made me intrigued by this novel. Is that even possible? I wanna find out!

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So what are you WoW picks this week? Share 'em with me!

I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler is iBookstore Book of the Week! Read it for free! #BookoftheWeek

2013-05-21T14:59:00.000+08:00

As a fan of Janet Gurtler's books, I'm so excited to share with you all the wonderful news I got from the wonderful people over at Sourcebooks!

I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler will be featured as the Apple “iBookstore Book of the Week” on the iBookstore starting on May 21st. I'm Not Her is offered free for this week, and Sourcebooks Fire wants the readers to get a chance to rediscover the magic of Janet Gurtler’s characters and stories.

I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler
Published May 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Download for free from iBookstore!

I’m Not Her is a journey of self-discovery for one teen who learns more about herself and her relationship with her sister and family when tragedy strikes. Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn’t hold it together, who will?

10 Fun Facts About I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler

1. In a hospital scene in I’m Not Her one of the nurses is named Tracey and she takes Kristina’s flowers home to her daughter, Carly. Tracey is the name of my sister, Carly is her daughter in real life.

2. Every single one of my books has a character named Carly in it. This is a tribute to my niece, Carly. The characters are not based on her per se, but there has to be a Carly in my books. Like a superstition or good luck charm or something.

3. This book is dedicated to my sister Tracey. I was able to keep it a secret until Final Page Proofs came in.

4. My niece Ciara plays volleyball and her nickname is CEE. She got recruited by a university in the States and is playing there. None of the volleyball players in the book were based on her though. She is a cool like a rock star.

5. I thought Clark Trent was a funny name because of Superman’s secret identity. The Superman cape Clark wears in a scene cracked me up.

6. I named a couple of the teachers in I’m Not Her after dogs I’ve had. Peppsy (Mr. Pepson) and Meeko (Mr. Meekers)

7. In a scene Tess listens to Hedly on her iPod. I LOVE Jacob, the lead singer for the band. He was on the only season of Canadian Idol I watched.

8. I named the golf course that Nick works at and Tess’s Dad plays at after my husband. Largurt (Larry Gurtler)

9. I’m Not Her was originally called The Weight of Bones, but when I first started writing it I titled it Dance Big Sister.

10. Tess’s love of the Discovery Channel and Myth Busters were inspired by my son

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If you're still having second thoughts (why?) about reading the book, you can read an excerpt below:

Janet’s novel How I Lost You was also published this month. She has a kick-ass interview on Entertainment Weekly’s Shelf Life blog: http://shelf-life.ew.com/2013/05/05/how-i-lost-you-janet-gurtler/ , and Janet is also hosting a month-long “YA Authors Talk BFFs” celebration on her blog where she’s posting interviews with other YA authors about their relationships with their best friends from their teen years to today. Check her blog to read the interviews: http://janetgurtler.blogspot.com/

Review: Transparent by Natalie Whipple

2013-05-16T22:23:00.001+08:00

It's one thing to not be noticed by anyone, but to be invisible?

Title: Transparent by Natalie Whipple
Release Date: May 16th 2013
Published by: Hot Key Books
Source: Publisher (Thanks Olivia!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

High school is hard when you're invisible.

Fiona McClean hates her family, has had to move to a new school and seems to be completely invisible to the boy she likes. So far so normal, right? But Fiona really is invisible. She doesn't even know what colour her own hair is.

Born into a world where Cold War anti-radiation pills have caused genetic mutations, Fiona is forced to work for her mind-controlling mobster father as the world's most effective thief. When her father announces she must become a murdering assassin, Fiona and her telekinetic mother make a break for freedom. Running to a small Arizonian town, Fiona finds that playing at 'normal life' with a mother on the edge, a brother she can't trust, and a boy who drives her crazy is as impossible as escaping her father.

Fiona is invisible, which means no one can really see her. If she wasn't wearing clothes you can bump into her, step on her foot and you'll never even know she was there. It's a handy genetic mutation, but if your father is a crime lord, your ability can be useful in a lot of ways you don't expect. Forced to flee when her father wants her to graduate from being a petty thief to a killer, Fiona now struggles to find a place for herself, people to trust, a family she can call her own and finally escape from her father's clutches, but is she strong enough to do so?

Coming from a family with a telekinetic mother, an older brother who can imitate other people's smells, another one who can fly, and a father who can influence women to do whatever he wants, Fiona's had it tough. Her father's a mobster who treats his family members as tools for his trade. It was natural for Fiona to become paranoid and not easily trusting her friends, but it somehow irritates me whenever she doubts every single action her friends do. She's also a stubborn girl with a temper, sometimes a brat as well. But all of these flaws of hers were nothing if you think of her ability: she's invisible, literally. She can be insecure most of the time, she doesn't even know what she looks like! She's a girl who has everything and yet nothing. Her father doesn't love her, her mother was busy getting over her father, and she has an older brother with questionable intentions and a violent tendency. I liked Fiona, ultimately, because despite what her family does, she wants to become normal, someone good, someone ordinary. Just your typical girl who wants to enjoy life and not be the cause of trouble for everyone else.

There's an abundance of people you'd hate and you'd like in this novel, the typical villains and good guys. Seth was one of the male leads with the worst personality I have ever read of. He might be smart, but he's also rude. But he grew on me a little bit, for being so sweet to Fiona, eventually. They were like cats and dogs, always fighting, the worst of enemies. But Seth has a fierce sense of family, eternally kind to his younger brother and can be shy when he wants to. He's the complete opposite of Brady, the cute boy with super strength but with an extremely kind personality. He's the type of guy you can never hate, popular but isolated because of his ability. Much like Bea, who should be everyone's friend. I hated Fiona's older brother, Graham, with a passion that I cannot properly express in words. But that didn't stop me from loving the dynamics in Bea's family. It reminds me of what it's like to be in a big family with such a loving parents and a riot of brothers. Carlos made me laugh out loud!

Transparent had a simple but very engaging plot, and Natalie wrote it in a way that the story is continuously flowing without making the readers lose interest in it at all. The characters go through the difficulties a typical teenager goes through, with or without powers, and readers will be able to relate to every problem Fiona tackles with her family and her pack. The sense of friendship among them was admirable, the romance so sweet though unusual, it just puts a smile on your face, and there's plenty of laughter to go around. This book has plenty of conflicts that will keep the reader entertained, and though it is about a bunch of people with powers, there is surprisingly less action than what you expect in a novel with this theme. It's ingenious how the author wrote this with less explosive scenes, no cars blowing up, no massive destruction or epic explosions yet you will feel that the characters are different from ordinary humans, and you see how they try to cope with life because of their abilities.

What do you do when you've been invisible all your life and you just want to be seen? To live an ordinary life where you wouldn't live in fear of your father, without feeling used, without wondering if those around you are friends or not? Fiona will teach you in this wonderful, engrossing, light, funny and romantic story.

Content (plot, story flow, character):
Before I knew it, I was devouring this novel! I would have given this a 5 were it not for the anticlimactic ending. I was expecting a somewhat strong ending, but still, Natalie wrapped up the story in a very clever way.

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
This cover depicts the story better than the US one.

Waiting on Wednesday (118): A Wounded Name + Black Spring

2013-05-15T14:21:00.001+08:00

It's a chaotic week of sorts for me! Exercised my right to vote, catching up (successfully) with my TBR pile and I think I'm gonna be sick. Ackt! Anyway here's my picks this week!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: A Wounded Name by Dot Hutchison
Release Date: September 1st 2013
Published by: Carolrhoda Books

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

There's a girl who could throw herself head first into life and forge an unbreakable name, an identity that stands on its own without fathers or brothers or lovers who devour and shatter.

I'VE NEVER BEEN THAT GIRL.

Sixteen-year-old Ophelia Castellan will never be just another girl at Elsinore Academy. Seeing ghosts is not a skill prized in future society wives. Even when she takes her pills, the bean sidhe beckon, reminding her of a promise to her dead mother.

Now, in the wake of the Headmaster's sudden death, the whole academy is in turmoil, and Ophelia can no longer ignore the fae. Especially once she starts seeing the Headmaster's ghosts- two of them- on the school grounds.

At the center of her crumbling world is Dane, the Headmaster's grieving son. He, too, understands the power of a promise to a parent- even a dead one. To him, Ophelia is the only person not tainted by deceit and hypocrisy, a mirror of his own broken soul. And to Ophelia, Dane quickly becomes everything. Yet even as she gives more of herself to him, Dane slips away. Consumed by suspicion, rage, and madness, he spirals towards his tragic fate- dragging Ophelia, and the rest of Elsinore, with him.

YOU KNOW HOW THIS STORY ENDS.

Yet even in the face of certain death, Ophelia has a choice to make- and a promise to keep. She is not the girl others want her to be. But in Dot Hutchison's dark and sensuous debut novel, the name "Ophelia" is as deeply, painfully, tragically real as "Hamlet".

Why I'm waiting for A Wounded Name:

I am so so in love with the cover! It looks perfect. I've only read one other retelling for Hamlet, but this one sounds like a totally different story compared to that other book. It sounds so good, so sad and so tragic at the same time, and definitely intriguing.

Title: Black Spring by Alison Croggon
Release Date: August 27th 2013
Published by: Candlewick

Want? Add to your Goodreads shelf!

Summary (from Goodreads):

In a savage land sustained by wizardry and ruled by vendetta, Lina is the enchanting but willful daughter of a village lord. She and her childhood companion, Damek, have grown up privileged and spoiled, and they’re devoted to each other to the point of obsession. But Lina’s violet eyes betray her for a witch, and witches are not tolerated in a brutally patriarchal society. Her rank protects her from persecution, but it cannot protect her from tragedy and heartbreak. An innocent visitor stands witness to the devastation that ensues as destructive longing unleashes Lina’s wrath, and with it her forbidden power. Whether drawn by the romantic, the magical, or the gothic, readers will be irresistibly compelled by the passion of this tragic tale.

Why I'm waiting for Black Spring:

One: it's a Wuthering Heights retelling definitely with a different kind of twist! It's not my intention to pick two tragic sounding stories, but there's something about this one that makes it so much more interesting. Magic, a patriarchal society, two people obsessed with each other. I'm curious to know how it's all going to be a factor in the story.

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So what are you waiting for this week? Share your WoW picks!

Review: Thin Ice by Mikael Engstrom

2013-05-12T17:30:00.000+08:00

I rarely read books translated from another language, but I thought I'd give this one a try.

Title: Thin Ice by Mikael Engstrom, Susan Beard (Translator)
Release Date: 2011
Published by: Little Island
Source: Book Depository Affiliates
Buy: Book Depository

Summary:

Where would you rather live, in a lonely flat with your drunken father, only bearable when your big brother is home? Or in a small, snowy village with a frozen lake, where your aunt burns books to keep warm and a girl called Pi makes your heart beat a bit too fast.

Mik is a boy who has a difficult life, scary and difficult at times. He's a character that I had a hard time connecting with at first because he was not a boy with a desirable personality. He's incorrigible, played pranks on people, throwing insults their way because he thinks they deserve them. The way he behaves is inexcusable, but as I read along, I see Mik's life and how dark and painful it is to live it. When you live with a drunken father, it's hard to become a good kid. But my hate quickly turned into something else. In between the humorous parts, readers will get to take a glimpse on how Mik's life really is, the painful, sad moments that filled it and these scenes made me understand Mik a bit more.

Thin Ice had an ensemble of unusual characters that gives the book a certain charm. Mik's aunt burns books just to keep herself warm. There's this girl who likes to suck on other people's earlobes, which I have to say is not something one ordinarily does. These characters makes Selet an interesting town with the way they interact with each other. It's heartwarming, especially knowing that it's a cold town filled with snow. The combination of the oddness of the people and the humor creates such a fun atmosphere. They're old but the wisdom one can get from them is something that makes Selet a town a good place to be.

The prose can be awkward at times but this is understandable because the book has been translated to English. It can't be helped, but I did appreciate the effort put in the translation because Thin Ice is still a nice read. The story's pace can be very, very slow at certain times, but it's a good story of friendship, filled with hope and a child's determination to create the life that he wants to have, to not be stuck with a drunken father and to get away from all the glumness of his life. From being an annoying brat to a child filled with courage and hope, Mik became a character whose story sends a great message to the readers, as seen to the many adventures he had with his friends.

My rating

Content (plot, story flow, character):

Readers might have a difficulty connecting with some of the characters save for Mik who isn't even likable at first too, and as I mentioned, the story can get a little bit too slow at some points. I only enjoyed reading the latter half of the story, and the saving grace was Mik's development as a character.

Okay: Liked, but The Goddess demands more!

Book Cover:
Great cover!

Review: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Paige Morgan

2013-05-12T13:00:00.000+08:00

Have I ever read about Gargoyles before? In a YA setting, no. Which is why it came as a surprise, a really pleasant one, that I enjoyed reading this book so much.

Title: The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossessed #1) by Page Morgan
Release Date: May 2nd 2013
Published by: Hot Key Books
Source: Publisher (Thanks Olivia!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Ingrid Waverley is a young woman to be reckoned with. Faced with her brother's mysterious disappearance after an abrupt move to Paris, she is determined to discover what has happened to him. Soon she and her sister Gabriella are drawn into a Parisian underworld more terrifying than they could ever have imagined, but watching over them are two impossible (and impossibly handsome) young men. Luc is a 'Dispossessed', an ancient gargoyle whose sworn duty it is to protect the humans who inhabit his abbey. Nolan has secrets of his own too. He is a member of the Alliance - a shadowy group dedicated to keeping Paris safe from the demonic forces that threaten to destroy it.

Secrets, danger and hidden powers stalk the girls in this beautifully imagined paranormal romance that will keep readers gripped from beginning to end - and one thing is for sure - you'll never look at a gargoyle in the same way again...

Ingrid wasn't sure if she's relieved to have been shipped off to France with her mother and younger sister Gabby, having bought an abbey her mother was planning to convert into a gallery. The change of scenery couldn't have come in a good time because she had to escape London after an incident that left her reputation in tatters, leaving her without a best friend and a broken heart. But France presented her a new and dangerous challenge when her twin brother mysteriously disappears. As she tried to find where Grayson is, she encounters Luc, a mysterious servant under their care, with an obvious dislike for her the moment they laid eyes on each other. But Luc is tied to Ingrid in a way she wasn't expecting, harboring a dark secret that might scare her away. When Ingrid digs deeper into the mystery of her brother's disappearance, she comes across things, unusual, extraordinary and deadly, and she had to make her way through it with her life intact if she wants to save her brother.

To say Ingrid is a force to be reckoned with is an understatement. She's a headstrong woman, often stubborn, and it takes a lot to scare her. Once she sets her mind to things, nothing can change it. Which is why her fervent need to find her brother has brought her to places she's never thought of ever going to, opened up a world she never thought existed, and meet people and creatures she didn't know were real. She's the type of her that should be exasperating because she's out to defy every order and rule there is for her brother, but something in the way she does it makes me like her instead. She's strong but not the type of heroine you'd be forced to hate because she's also got a good head on her shoulders. Consistent, maybe a little bit conservative and maybe even crude at times, but she's frank and isn't afraid to speak her mind. There's this delicate balance the author seem to have found in making Ingrid's character so potent and solid that it's not easy to dislike her.

You think of a potential love interest for Ingrid and Luc looks like a very unstable guy at first. Oftentimes brooding, most of the time quiet and likes to be solitary, he's not the very first guy you think is ideal. The gargoyles might have an impulse to protect their charges but they don't think of anyone else other than that. If Luc was in high school he'd be the good looking guy who's not popular because of his personality and is stuck doing something he doesn't like. But he grows on you, as there's always something about a dark, broody guy that just draws people. The hierarchy within the gargoyles is something Luc struggles with as well. Vander is the opposite of Luc, kind, knowledgeable and gentle. He's also someone whose personality tends to be a lot weaker compared to Ingrid, but his gentleness softens her personality.

As much as I loved Ingrid and her very confusing entanglement with both Luc and Vander, I was more drawn to Gabby and Nolan's romance. The Waverly women are known for being tenaciously stubborn, and Gabriella is the same. A sixteen year old who's also on a search to find her brother, hot tempered and a little more bold than Ingrid will ever be, her paths crossed with Nolan in a very embarrassing way and they were brought closer by his ties with the people who knew where their brother Grayson had disappeared to. There's something about the spark between Nolan that made me love them both. They traded barbs with each other and it was so very amusing to see! Never mind the age gap, it all but adds to the unconventionality of their relationship.

I have not read any books about Gargoyles before, and so I gobble up any tale spun involving them, and The Beautiful and the Cursed had spun one that was very interesting. The Gargoyle's story being closely tied to angels, their status as mere slaves, their compulsion to protect, all of it sounded new and captivating to me. A very entertaining debut for Paige Morgan, definitely! If you're up for a steady paced story about shape shifting stone gargoyles, men and women who fights to protect mankind, frightening demons, powerful angels with headstrong, loyal female characters full of life and swoon worthy men, though moody, brooding and sarcastic they might be. It's a fast, fun, entertaining read!

Content (plot, story flow, character):
Though Luc is a good male lead, I think Nolan just swept the floor with his very charming, sarcastic, funny personality.

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
This cover better depicts the story in my opinion.

Goddess Offerings (28) / Stacking the Shelves (10)

2013-05-11T17:58:00.003+08:00

And because of this haul, I have officially started triple shelving. If ever I get to post something next week, those books will be stacked on the floor. I literally have no space to put them on. Have you read any of the books in my haul this week? Share your thoughts about 'em if you have!

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:
The S Word by Chelsea Pitcher
In Too Deep by Coert Voorhees (ARC)

A World Away by Nancy Grossman

*Not pictured*
All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry
Playing Tyler by T.L. Costa
The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna (for blog tour)

Bought:

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Shadows Cast by Stars by Catherine Knutsson

Thank you Gallery Books and Disney Hyperion!

The Truth or Dare Challenge: Play and win a copy of Jacqueline Green's debut YA thriller!

2013-05-09T16:53:00.001+08:00

Hello lovely readers!

I'm sure you've heard of this book! Jacqueline Green's suspense filled novel, Truth or Dare, releases less than a week from now and as part of a challenge, I was asked: What's the most dangerous Truth or Dare game you've ever played?

My friends and I, stupid kids that we were, dared each other to go explore an unfinished house one night. Aside from pretending and putting up a brave face in front of each other, it was dark, and scary inside. One kid decided to amp up the challenge and asked which of us was willing to walk across a narrow ledge at the second floor. My ten year old self wanted to prove I was fearless, so I agreed. I started walking through when I peered down and with the moonlight shining down on us, found that if one of us slipped, we'd fall down the first floor filled with steel bars, concrete and a few broken bottles. I looked at my twin brother then, we were the last to walk, and he suddenly burst into tears, crying and begging me to stop. I realized how dangerous it was then, and that I was better off being called a coward by kids than doing a stupid dare and possibly dying. So we both ran for it, and the next day, we found out that one of the kids actually fell from the ledge and was sent off to the hospital.

Scary huh? It did happen though. I got so scared when I saw my twin brother cry. I can't believe how foolish I was to agree on that dare.

And speaking of truths and dares, Jacqueline Green has a book coming out soon that sounds SO good. I'm reading it right now and it's good! Want to read it? YOU CAN! Just answer the same question I answered above and you can win a copy of this YA thriller!

Truth or Dare (Truth or Dare #1) by Jacqueline Green
May 14th 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

In this highly charged debut thriller, perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars, an innocent game of TRUTH OR DARE spins out of control for three girls who find it’s no longer a party game. It’s do or die.

It all started on a whim: the game was a way for Tenley Reed to reclaim her popularity, a chance for perfect Caitlin “Angel” Thomas to prove she’s more than her Harvard application. Loner Sydney Morgan wasn’t even there; she was hiding behind her camera like usual. But when all three start receiving mysterious dares long after the party has ended, they’re forced to play along—or risk exposing their darkest secrets.

Paranoia builds as each little slip of paper taunts the girls with dares that threaten not just their reputations but also their lives. How far will Tenley, Caitlin and Sydney go to keep the truth from surfacing? And who’s behind this twisted game?

GIVEAWAY TIME!
DARE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION AND WIN A COPY OF TRUTH OR DARE!

Rules:
Open to US residents only (Sorry international readers, publisher's request!)
Must be at least 13 years old
Ends 5/15

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm very curious to know what your answers are!

Waiting on Wednesday (117): Chasing the Valley + Man Made Boy

2013-05-08T14:22:00.000+08:00

While I'm busy watching this very, uhm, gruesome anime a good friend of mine has recommended I watch, I present to you our picks for this week. Check em out!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Chasing the Valley by Skye Melki-Wegner
Release Date: July 1st 2013
Published by: Random House Australia

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Escape is impossible. Escape is their only hope.

Danika is used to struggling for survival. But when the tyrannous king launches an attack to punish her city – echoing the alchemy bombs that killed Danika’s family – she risks her life in a daring escape over the city’s walls.

Danika joins a crew of desperate refugees who seek Magnetic Valley, a legendary safe haven. But when she accidentally destroys a palace biplane, suddenly Danika Glynn becomes the most wanted fugitive in Taladia.

Pursued by the king’s vicious hunters and betrayed by false allies, Danika also grapples with her burgeoning magical abilities. And when she meets the mysterious Lukas, she must balance her feelings against her crew’s safety.

Chasing the Valley is the first book in an epic trilogy of magic, treachery and survival.

Why I'm waiting for Chasing the Valley:

I first heard of this book from Braiden, and I of course got curious. It sounds so very interesting and I think this book's been getting a lot of hype in Australia for quite some time now. Alchemy bombs? Kings? Magnetic Valley? I'm both curious and fascinated by the summary. Oh, and it has magic too! I wonder how that'll work out in the story, so yes, I am definitely on the look out for this book.

Title: Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron
Release Date: October 3rd 2013
Published by: Viking Penguin

Want? Add to your Goodreads shelf!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Love can be a real monster.

Sixteen-year-old Boy’s never left home. When you’re the son of Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride, it’s tough to go out in public, unless you want to draw the attention of a torch-wielding mob. And since Boy and his family live in a secret enclave of monsters hidden under Times Square, it’s important they maintain a low profile.

Boy’s only interactions with the world are through the Internet, where he’s a hacker extraordinaire who can hide his hulking body and stitched-together face behind a layer of code. When conflict erupts at home, Boy runs away and embarks on a cross-country road trip with the granddaughters of Jekyll and Hyde, who introduce him to malls and diners, love and heartbreak. But no matter how far Boy runs, he can’t escape his demons—both literal and figurative—until he faces his family once more.

This hilarious, romantic, and wildly imaginative tale redefines what it means to be a monster—and a man.

Why I'm waiting Man Made Boy:

I want this book. I want this book now. It sounds so unique and imaginative and somewhat funny. So imagine if Frankenstein's monster had a son. And he's a hacker? It doesn't get much more creative than that! And Jekyll and Hyde's grand daughters are in it too? This sounds like a riot! It sounds like such a fun fun read that I can't miss out on!

Review: Nothing But Blue by Lisa Jean-Claugh

2013-05-07T18:30:00.000+08:00

The moment I finished reading the summary for this book, I was left trying to piece what little information it gave. What is this book about? What's missing? What's lacking? What do I need to know for me have an idea what it really is about? Is it dystopian? Post apocalyptic? Contemporary? What I know is it's something tragic. All I know is this story, which I had no idea what to expect of when I plunged into it, is a book I am glad I've read.

Title: Nothing But Blue by Lisa Jahn-Clough
Release Date: May 7th 2013
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

All dead. No one survived. All dead.

This morbid chant haunts seventeen-year-old Blue as she trudges through the countryside with just the clothes on her back, heading to her childhood home on the ocean. Something absolutely awful has happened, she knows it, but she doesn’t know what. She can’t even remember her name, so she calls herself Blue. This gripping survival story—peppered with flashbacks to bittersweet times with her boyfriend, Jake—strips life down to its bare bones. Blue learns, with the help of a seemingly magical stray dog and kind people along the road, that the important thing is to live.

She didn't know her name, she didn't know why she was someplace that is not her house, why she's out in the rain, why she couldn't remember anything. All she hears is the chanting in her head and a voice telling her to go someplace else. To go to the sea, and she'll find her answers there. So Blue walked, and as her life, divided in broken scenes known as before and now, started to unfold, Blue knew she had to finish her journey to discover just what she has lost. Blue didn't count on the fact that as she walked, she will embark on a journey that will change not just her life, but give her the strength to face everything once she remembers.

There is something about Blue's situation that just makes me want to stay by her from the start of her journey up to the end. I wanted to experience her sense of loss and see her through it as she starts to remember. It's a very painful process, through all the ugly memories, dark emotions, the hunger, the longing, that struggle to grasp the moments in her life that she had lost, the regrets. That stubborn will to survive despite all of the challenges she encounters. I see Blue in her lowest moments both in the before and the now and it felt surreal at first to think that the Blue in the before and the now were the same person. It was tough not remembering, but the journey to gain what she had lost was tougher. Blue experienced things a seventeen year old shouldn't met people she ordinarily won't even cross paths with, and there were a few that helped her put her life in perspective, some that see right through her and discover that the girl inside, though stubborn she is, needs help.

I loved Snake. Among all the people Blue had met, those hardened by the situations life had thrown their way, Snake looked at Blue's way and immediately saw her, not just as the fat girl who's hard on her parents and has made foolish mistakes in her life and now trying to fix it, but someone who's going through the same pain he did. He's that guy you never expected to get help from but surprisingly is the one who can help you the most. He's funny, weird, and wise. A kindred soul, perhaps?

Lisa Jahn Clough's writing was so simple yet it affects a reader in ways unexpected. I felt the ache and the longing Blue felt, the desperation, the sense of lost, of not knowing what to do. I saw life in the eyes of the countless people Blue had met, the lost, the homeless, the ones trying to find where they want to go and what they want to do with their lives. Those who've lost and see that life doesn't end there. Those who become strong by acknowledging that they needed help. It's an eye opener, seeing life in various ways and finding hope in each one of them.

If I were to choose two words to describe this book, it is: hopeful and beautiful. It presents that kind of sadness that you know you must face because it will make you stronger in the end. A real wonderful read, and I think I just found another author who writes wonderful prose. I am definitely recommending this book. It's not dystopian, or post apocalyptic, but it's about a girl who's lost something, and she's determined to get it back, no matter how hard and painful it is. Raw and gritty at times, but this novel is really, really good.

Content (plot, story flow, character):
There were things about Blue that turned me off, especially who she was in the 'before', and I couldn't grasp her character during those times.

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
I am in love with the cover.

* If you leave a comment on this post it'll count it as 1 entry for the Nothing But Blue finished copy giveaway I will be posting this Friday! (US only)

ARC Review: The End Games by T. Michael Martin

2013-05-07T00:02:00.000+08:00

When John Green tweeted about this book, I know I just had to read it. It was sitting on my shelves collecting dust and I wasn't really up for reading a zombie novel again, but then I picked it up, and mayhem ensued.

Title: The End Games by T. Michael Martin
Release Date: May 7th 2013
Published by: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher (Thanks Christine!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

It happened on Halloween.

The world ended.

And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.

Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.

But The Game is changing.

The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.

And the brothers will never be the same.

The world ended on Halloween and Michael has been fighting the monsters for weeks. It's The Game, and they follow what the Game Master says, keeping Bellows at bay, and living long enough to reach a Safe Zone in their hopes of finding their mother alive. But it wasn't easy when you have a five year old boy in tow who needs to down Atipax and fight panic attacks. Michael knew he had to reach the Safe Zone and fast because he wouldn't be able to keep up with the fighting for much long, but along the way they stumbled onto people who are as much a threat as the Bellows they're running from. Now Michael had to do everything in his power to stay alive and protect his brother but until when?

There are things in this book that worked well for me and there are more that just made me wonder how I got through almost 400 pages without giving up. Michael is a walking irony, a nerd who never fit in, whose only friends were those in his online world, until he had to fend for himself and his little brother the night the world fell apart. He's also seriously screwed up inside. There was a healthy abundance of people with erratic behavior in this novel that I just but gave up trying to cope and understand all of them. Michael, for all the bravery he had showed for lasting for two weeks without any help just had to become stupid at the worst possible time, go crushing on a girl the moment he sees her, and be sentimental in such a bad time. He was a gun totting savior one moment and an insecure nerd who never quite fit in the next.

I'm also a little bit on the fence with Holly. You expect a girl to develop a certain strength considering what has happened to the world but Holly didn't. Not until the very dire of situations. She's your average girl who thinks she's useless, stubborn, and never trusts someone else until it's too late. I barely noticed she was there half the time because she tends to fade out in important situations, oftentimes appearing to argue with Michael. She's not the ideal person to be a love interest but her clashes with Michael provides much of the conflict in the book.

I also had problems with the unexpected things the characters seem to do. A perfect example: will you really spend time kissing when you know time is of the essence to save your brother and you're about to go inside a cave with thousands of zombies inside? Also, if you know a person is deranged and way beyond reason, why are you sticking with him when you know he might kill you anytime you turn your back from him? Why save a person you do not know, who will turn into a zombie because she's bitten, and put the lives of everyone else at risk? Emotions get the best of the characters in unexpected situations that creates more problems for them when they could have avoided it.

The presence of the Captain and The Rapture is what gave this book quite a different feel. The characters have their plate full by battling the Bellows and yet they still face other threats. It makes you feel that the world has gone mad and the people went even madder, insane, twisted. The whole story entered a new dimension of insanity with the addition of the Captain and The Rapture. They lend the story the more scary factor, because you know you can take your chances with the zombies outside, but with these people? There's not enough reasoning to convince them that everything will be fine if they will just fight to live. They will go to great lengths to save themselves, and I mean whatever it takes. Killing other humans? It's fun for them. Sacrificing people? It's what they should do. Worshipping zombies? Yes, they do that. They're the perfect example of what happens to people when they lose hope.

I give kudos to T. Michael Martin for having written a zombie novel that goes deeper than your average zombie filled tale. How closely intricate is the game to Michael's life, the representation of the Game Master, the Betrayer, the invention of The Game itself and its effects on Patrick. It's not something you usually see in a novel where your first expectation is for the survivors to kill everything in sight for it to end. T. Michael Martin was able to blend well the devastation outside to the horrors inside Michael and make one scary nightmare out of it. It's an intense read that made me feel like I will burst because of the thrill and adrenaline rush the story provides. I might not like the characters, they're foolish enough to get themselves killed on the first minute, but the whole story and the way the author spin this frightful tale is something to be admired.

Some people might like a book like this. If you ever get to read it, tell me your thoughts about it and if you liked it better than I did.

My rating

Content (plot, story flow, character):

They sometimes just don't make any sense, they know they do and they don't do anything about it and they also do things they know they shouldn't and keep doing it, which frustrated me to no end a couple of times.

.5
Okay: Liked, but The Goddess demands more!

Book Cover:
Ominous cover, perfect fit for the story.

[You Don't Know Me blog tour] Sophia Bennett on Talent Shows

2013-05-04T20:55:00.001+08:00

Hello lovely readers!

Today is my stop for the You Don't Know Me blog tour and I have the author, Sophia Bennett, sharing something she experienced about talent shows. It's quite long, but I promise it's very much worth the read.

Leave a comment, will you? I'd love to know your thoughts about Sophia's post.

-----

It is the summer of 1979 and my junior house at boarding school is holding a talent show. I have decided, in my 12 year-old wisdom, that it would be a really good idea to do a full three-minute solo to ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba. And so I practise, and I do it in front of all my friends and my housemistress, wearing – as I recall – a leotard and legwarmers, and … unbelievably …

It goes OK. I am not mercilessly teased about it for the REST OF MY LIFE, which, looking back, was a serious possibility. But instead, I actually come fourth. I’m still a big fan of Abba, naturally enough. And that scene, slightly changed, has made its way into the book – along with the phrase ‘Seminal leotards’.

Fast-forward twenty years. I have left my job and I’m trying to be a writer. I’ve made it to the finals of a travel writing competition, gone to Chicago, agonised for weeks about how to write my winning piece about the trip, and now I’m standing in a room with one of my favourite authors, Bill Bryson, while they finally announce the winner. The celebrity making the announcement (not Bill, who was lovely, by the way) starts by saying that all the finalists’ pieces were a bit rubbish, but one stood out for its humour and human interest and … a bunch of other stuff. I wasn’t really listening by then: I was convinced he was describing my piece. But he wasn’t. Mine was simply ‘rubbish’. So there.

In between I’d entered countless writing competitions, over and over, regularly, for years. And come nowhere; heard nothing. A rubbish also-ran was as good as it got. Was it time to decide I really wasn’t very good that this stuff, and perhaps carve out a role as a backing dancer with an Abba tribute band?

Maybe. But what I actually did was write a novel. And another, and another. The thing is, you don’t always win. In fact, statistically, you almost always lose – unless you’re Meryl Streep at the Oscars, or Patrick Ness – but if you love to do something, you have to try.

It’s not about who wins and who loses, it’s about doing the best you can, showing off a bit, and getting together with other people who love to do the kind of thing you do. I may have felt crushed by that travel writing judge, but I met a bunch of other would-be travel writers along the way, I learned a lot, and we had a wonderful time.

Perhaps talent shows aren’t for the faint of heart, but I still think they’re worth it if you enter them in the right spirit and keep reminding yourself that the judges aren’t always right. After all, One Direction weren’t winners. Nor was Susan Boyle.

Which brings me to TV talent shows.

There’s a lot to love. Take Harry Styles, for example. (Millions want to.)And Kelly Clarkson, and Ashleigh and Pudsey, and THAT Susan Boyle audition, and Girls Aloud. I adore those moments when someone stands onstage and you’re a bit nervous for them, and you’re not quite sure if they’re going to survive it, and then they blow you away. The first episode of Britain’s Got Talent this year had me in tears within the first fourteen minutes. My mascara was a mess by the end.

But there’s a lot I don’t love about the TV versions, too. I don’t love it when they (and by ‘they’, I usually mean X-Factor and occasionally The Voice, but mostly X-Factor) where was I? Oh yes – when they take someone with a precious, unique talent, like a young singer songwriter, and make them sing cover after cover after cover until they can’t remember who they are any more. I hate it when they style all their personality away. I hate it when, in the audition stages, the judges decide to play with people’s emotions, just for the drama of the moment.

Also, I loathe it when people start internet campaigns to abuse entrants they don’t like, such as Cher Lloyd, who was horribly bullied online for years. She was one of my inspirations for the story of You Don’t Know Me, and she’s now starting to take off in the States, because she never gave up or gave in. Loving that girl
For the book, I was inspired by the dark side of TV talent shows and it might seem, reading the story, like I hate them all, but I don’t.I love BGT (despite the occasional ‘ditch your friend’ moment, like Charlotte and Jonathan, except of course they refused to split up) and Ashley Banjo’s Got To Dance. In fact, I love anything that celebrates talent, rather than criticising it, trying to change it or making fun of it. And who am I to talk anyway? I got published by entering a talent competition, after all.

It was the Times/Chicken House competition for unpublished children’s writers (running now, by the way, if you happen to have an unpublished children’s book on your laptop; check out the Chicken House website for details). Yes – after a mere thirty years of entering the things, I finally won one and my life changed overnight. I am one of those starry-eyed “My dream came true” people. After my sticky ‘rubbish’ moment, it happened in the end.

Maybe that’s why I cry so easily now when the BGT judges all line up to watch, and a young boy in a wheelchair cracks joke after joke about living with cerebral palsy (“I bet you’re thinking, ‘Harry Potter had a really bad accident playing Quidditch’”), and brings the whole audience of the London Palladium to their feet.

And he blinks into the lights, David Walliams grins, Amanda Holden blinks back her tears, and he may not win, but you know he’s going to be OK.

About the book:

Title: You Don't Know Me by Sophia Bennett
Release Date: May 6th 2013
Published by: Chicken House
Summary (from Goodreads):

It was all so good. Sasha and Rose. Best friends in a band, singing together. Right up to the finals of Killer Act when the judges tell them one of them must go Suddenly their friendship is put to the ultimate test. On TV in front of millions. Two girls. One huge mistake. Can they ever forgive each other?

Buy a copy of You Don't Know Me: Amazon | Book Depository

Goddess Offerings (27) / Stacking the Shelves (9)

2013-05-04T16:44:00.000+08:00

I've been sick for a whole week! Then Friday morning, my mom barged in to my room and this is what happened after:

Mom: Are you still sick?
Me: Yeah *nods*
Mom: This'll make you feel better, sweetie...
*dumps packages in my bed*

And it kind of did. :)

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

A Trick of the Light by Lois Metzger (ARC)
Acid by Emma Pass
The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch
The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa
Love is A Number by Lee Monroe (ARC)
Heart Shaped by Siobhan Parkinson (ARC)

Thank you HarperTeen and Lois, Harriett and Random House UK, Laure and Hachette UK/Orchard Books, Elise and MIRA Ink!

ARC Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa + Giveaway!

2013-05-03T19:15:00.002+08:00

Woman, what have you done to me?

I was literally grabbing the edge of my seat at the last few pages of the book and I completely fell off it after turning the page over and realizing it was the last one. A scream followed soon after.

Title: The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 30th 2013 (US) / May 3rd 2013 (UK)
Published by: Harlequin Teen/ MIRA Ink
Source: Publisher (Thanks Lisa & Elise for giveaway copy!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

I should not be surprised of the unexpected twists and turns a Julie Kagawa book presents, but it still gets to me, every single time. In this action packed sequel, Allison is on a race against time to save her sire, Kanin. Trapped in the hands of a psychotic vampire named Sarren who will do anything to inflict the same pain he has felt when Kanin betrayed their race, Allison is on a desperate search to find him, but she won't be able to do it without enlisting the help of an unexpected ally. As they track Sarren, Allison comes face to face with something much worse than the Red Lung virus, and it's infecting everyone, including vampires. Now Allison had the seemingly impossible task of finding Kanin, and stopping the virus before it kills everyone.

I've said this before and I will say this again: Allison Sekimoto might be small, petite to some, but she's never to be underestimated. She's got a heart bigger than anyone, and she's not afraid to do anything in order to protect the ones she loved. Her struggle to not become the monster she fears will drive away the people she had learned to care about is the main conflict for her in this book, and my admiration for her just grows. I agree with what Jackal and Kanin says: it takes a certain strength to become a creature of the night, and Allison got through it. There's a lot going on inside her head as she was wondering if embracing who she has become was the right thing to do, and what does becoming a vampire has in store for her in the future. What about her and Zeke?

Am I crazy, or am I just reading too much into Kanin and Allison's relationship? I never, not once, did I feel, that his actions were fatherly towards her. Not once. Granted he might be her sire, but I felt there were moments where they were just connected in a way Zeke and Allison will never be, and it's not just the call of blood. There was one particular moment where I still wonder if it was punishment and cruelty that Kanin wants to show or was it something leaning towards something more. This part of my review just confirms how I secretly will not object if Kanin and Allison will ever have that 'something'.

Trust Julie Kagawa to mess with my mind as I struggle to make sense of Jackal's true character. Even after the end of this novel I am uncertain if he's one who hides under the facade of evil but has something inside of him that might make him a little good, or if it's the reverse. Some of his intentions were good, and according to Kanin he's lost, but can someone who lost his way be redeemed? Jackal is a fun vampire to read, and though I hated him in Immortal Rules, he's showed sides to him in The Eternity Cure that can't be overlooked. Also, Jackal took over the limelight and stole it away from Zeke. Although Zeke's character tends to fade in the background a little bit because of his kind nature, he's shown flashes of strength and leadership that gives his character room for potential growth. I just hope he's able to withstand whatever the story throws his way especially with the trials he went through in this book.

The plot is nothing short of brilliant! I've always had high praises for Julie Kagawa for being such an imaginative writer and The Eternity Cure just takes me into a world unlike anything I've read of before. If you think Immortal Rules was a high octane read, The Eternity Cure was filled to the brim with action scenes one after another. Be prepared to plunge in to the fast paced story from page one because it doesn't stop until the end. And the best part is? You'll want more even after you're finished reading. It's a dark, bloody world and Julie Kagawa did a great job building it and creating characters who can kick butt and still manage to be complicated and deep at the same time. If you think the story ends when the race to find Kanin comes to a close, you have a new type of plague, Bleeders, deranged vampires and the potential threat of all life on earth ending to keep you going. An explosive story with rapid pace, highly volatile characters and unexpected plot twists, Julie Kagawa had the recipe for an amazing follow up down a tee in The Eternity Cure. I cannot get enough of this series!

Now when can I please have the next book?

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

As a reader, I know how hard it is for a story to sustain its "life" especially when it comes to sequels as it is often a hit or a miss, but not Julie Kagawa. She's just a brilliantly awesome and a highly talented writer, and she's also my favorite. Will 5,000 butterflies do as a rating? :)

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

I love it! And then I just realized, are those the capillaries in the lungs? I thought they were tree roots.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!
WIN AN ARC OF THE ETERNITY CURE BY JULIE KAGAWA!

Because I want you all to read this stunning book, I am giving away this ARC to one lucky person!

Rules:

Open internationally
Must be at least 13 to enter
Ends 5/20
No cheating! I will check the entries and I WILL DISQUALIFY you if I find you cheating.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goddess Offerings (26) / Stacking the Shelves (8)

2013-04-27T18:00:00.000+08:00

Decent and quite a small haul this week. At least we're getting a breather since, you know, we still have a mountain called TBR to conquer.

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:
Follow Me Down by Tanya Byrne
Life In Outer Space by Melissa Kiel
Thorn Abbey by Nancy Olin
You Don't Know Me by Sophia Bennett (for blog tour) plus that cute iPod... sock?
Thin Ice by Mikael Engstrom
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner

Won:
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh

Bought:
Envy by Gregg Olsen

Thanks to Sam at Headline, Jen at Hardie Grant Egmont, Tina at Chicken House and Sophia, Simon & Schuster UK, Book Depository Affiliates, Publishing Crawl and Disney Hyperion!

Review: The Things We Did For Love by Natasha Farrant

2013-04-24T19:30:00.000+08:00

Tears. There were tears shed for this book. A lot of it.

It's that one moment when my heart lurched a little bit that I know this story will make me emotional. That one moment.

Title: The Things We Did for Love by Natasha Farrant
Release Date: January 1st 2013
Published by: Faber & Faber
Source: Publisher (Thanks Laura)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

France: February, 1944.

As war rages in Europe, teenagers Luc and Arianne fall passionately in love. But German forces are closing in and Luc, desperate to atone for his family's past, is drawn into the dangerous world of the Resistance. Arianne will do almost anything to keep him safe, but someone else is secretly in love with her - someone who will stop at nothing to get rid of his rival...

It is a love story set during the time of Hitler's bloody conquest of the world. In a small town in France, Arianne fell in love with Luc, a boy belonging to a family who has done things that caused irreversible consequences to the lives of the townspeople. Arianne's father was captured on his tour of duty, and she didn't know what to do. She was lost, left to a family consisting of an aunt and a younger brother who does things that she will never approve of but was necessary in order for them to survive.

Based on true story or not, The Things We Did For Love is a heartbreaking read.

What kind of things can a person do for love? Anything. For the love of one's family, for the love of one person, for the love of a country.

To be caught up too much in Luc and Arianne's story, I almost overlooked just what this book really is about. If Luc is willing to lay down his life to serve his country, so do the Germans. Inexplicable horrors were reflected in the eyes of one soldier, who loves his country, but all he desires is to come back to his family and stop the senseless killing all for the sake of the war. What can this soldier do for the love of his family? To get back to them? The tragedy started to unfold itself at one point, and when it finally came I was at a loss for words. Reading the last few pages was the hardest thing that I had to go through while reading. Lives were lost, and suddenly you realize that this story was as much part of Luc and Arianne's story as it is with the townspeople, and the tragedy they all met.

Natasha Farrant's The Things We Did For Love is a coming of age tale set in tragedy filled, war torn France about one boy's desire to become something more for his country and a girl who just wants her family to be whole again. You see the hastiness of one's youth, the beautiful moments where you are at the threshold of being an adult and yet still a child, the experience you encounter in order to survive in such a place. There are rare, tender moments to be cherished and the love between Arianne and Luc was a great backdrop and distraction to the war, and the consequences and losses it brings to everyone. Stunned into silence by the way this novel unraveled, it is beautiful in its own sad, tragical way. The Things We Did For Love gives your heart a little squeeze as you read along, even at the final moments of the novel. My heart lurched at the ending.

Sad, but somewhat hopeful. If you are a fan of romance amidst dire circumstances, this book is for you. I loved it in a melancholic way.

Content (plot, story flow, character):
Not everyone might like to read sad novels, but I dare you to give this one a try. The last few pages gave me goosebumps unlike any other novel I've read. It's a powerful way to end the novel.

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
I love it, I think it depicts part of the novel somewhat.

Waiting on Wednesday (116): All the Truth That's In Me

2013-04-24T13:58:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone! How's the weather on your sides of the world? The summer heat here in Manila is killing me. It's too hot!

This time I'm featuring one book again! I figured if I'm doing WoW weekly, I'll eventually run out of 2013 books to feature if I have 2 - 3 picks per post. So! Today it's just one! But it sounds SO. GOOD.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry
Release Date: September 26th 2013
Published by: Viking Juvenile

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

Why I'm waiting for All the Truth That's In Me:

That is some powerful summary right there. I am just so very curious and interested in this novel the moment I finished reading that. It sounds like a gritty, dark and moving story. I can't wait to dig in to this one. It just sounds so... tragic. And the cover gives me goosebumps when I look at it.

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So what are your picks for this week? Share them with me in the comments!

ARC Review: Life in Outer Space by Melissa Kiel

2013-04-22T11:00:00.000+08:00

My Saturday just exploded with awesomeness after I finish reading this book. I am SO in love with this book. Really in love.

Title: Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil
Release Date: February 1st 201
Published by: Hardie Grant Egmont
Source: Publisher (Thanks, Jen!)
Buy: Book Depository

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies ... but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

How do you start writing a review for a book you really love? I can barely find the right words to describe just how much a gem of a read Life in Outer Space is. We have Sam, movie buff and overall a geek. His life is a jumble of everyday torture from schoolmates, tiptoeing around the house and ignoring the fact that his parents are about to get a divorce, and hanging out in the computer lab room with equally geeky friends. Sam's days are carefully planned, that is, until Camilla walks into his life. She's the new girl, a force to reckon with, with a renowned figure in music as a father, and she turned Sam's life upside down the moment she handed her laptop to him and asked if he plays Warcraft.

This book is oh so wonderful because everything about it is. Sam? Of course! Where do you read of a male lead who quotes movie lines every single chance he gets, do a movie marathon of Zombieland withi his mom, writes screenplays on his spare time, watch other equally geeky movies and hang out in a comic store with his friends? Yep, that's Sam. He's smart, socially awkward, and infinitely funny. Then there's Camilla. Of course, Camilla! The girl who's got questionable fashion sense even according to Sam, who's friends with everyone, who knows more about movies and music than she lets on, who pushes Sam to get guitar lessons while she's halfway across the world when Sam's life is in shambles. They're like two parallel lines who are never supposed to intersect at all, but somewhere along the way, the lines were actually bent and their paths collided and entwined when you least expect it to. (This is such a geeky analogy, but you get it, right?)

Hilariously funny all throughout, I find myself laughing about a lot of things in this book more times than I can count. Sam's friends are a riot, that's for sure. I love that this book is not just about Sam and Camilla and their rib tickling encounters and eventual friendship, but it's also about Sam's bestfriends: Allison, a girl who somehow worries about her hair and if it suits her, Adrian, a bouncy boy who speaks before he thinks, and Mike, a stoic boy, who recently finds out more about his sexuality and the mystery surrounding his abrupt withdrawal from the things that makes him manly (a.k.a. Karate) and very attractive to the ladies.

It's like Anna and the French Kiss was injected with some geeky, nerdy steroids, filling it to the brim and that gave birth to Life in Outer Space. Sam certainly isn't French (though Camilla has British accent) but what I mean is, the friendship that Camilla and Sam forged, in between trading movie recommendations from horror movies to obscure masterpieces, late night talks, Warcraft quest, that careful build up of a relationship from friendship to that point where they just realized that the feelings they have for each other are very real, it's just so satisfying to read. It's that same, delicate, funny, happy feeling you get when the relationship between two people comes full circle.

Awfully romantic, downright funny and overall just awesome, Life in Outer Space is a debut you shouldn't miss, and I mean it. This book brings me to my happy place, where I can just laugh out loud and curl up in a corner because of all the feelings I get. Read this book and I dare you to not laugh even once with the geeky, nerdy dialogues, Sam's thoughts and just the way the story unfolds, with lots of misunderstandings, assumings, and the worst plans to solve mysteries concerning a friend. Do I recommend this book? YES!

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

The geek finally gets the girl. There's a lot of things that just amuses me in this novel. The fact that Sam and his friends were going to the prom, that Sam is getting guitar lessons in possibly the worse moment of his life, that he's punching Adrian in the face and kissing someone he shouldn't. It's a vortex of wonderful, confusing, sometimes angst filled most of the time unknowingly romantic events that makes it so good of a read.

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

I must say, it's AMAZING!

ICONS by Margaret Stohl (Read the first 6 chapters! For free!)

2013-04-20T22:01:00.001+08:00

If you're a fan like me who's eagerly waiting for this amazing new novel from Margaret Stohl, read the post below for a great treat enough to tide us over until the release date of this book.

THEY ARRIVE MAY 7, 2013.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures

“Epic in scale and exquisite in detail—a haunting futuristic fable of loss and love.” – Ally Condie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Matched trilogy

“I love this book. It’s raw and riveting, a scorched-Earth future vision that feels frighteningly real. It’s full of passion and deep truths and the kind of power that people only find when they’re driven far, far past their limits.” – Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians

If you can’t wait until May 7 then you better check out the FREE e-preview at your favorite eBook retailer. Here's one from AMAZON. Then if you like the first six chapters on your device, preorder your finished copy!

Also, visit www.theiconsseries.com for news and updates on all things ICONS!

About ICONS:

For as long as she can remember, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside—safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can’t avoid.

She’s different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions.While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador’s privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn’t a coincidence. It’s a conspiracy.

Within the Icon’s reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions—which they’ve always thought to be their greatest weakness—may actually be their greatest strengths.

Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers a heart-pounding novel set in a haunting new world where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts—in order to save the future.

About the author:

Margaret Stohl is a lifelong science fiction fan, former video-game designer, and coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures series. Beautiful Creatures is now a major motion picture. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her family. Her website is www.margaret-stohl.com.

Ro murmurs into my ear. “Don’t be afraid, Dol. They’re not coming for us.”

Still, he slips his arm around me and we wait until the sky is clear.

Because he doesn’t know. Not really.

[Blog Tour] ARC Review: The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise + Giveaway!

2013-04-18T22:33:00.001+08:00

Can an app really make a person fall in love?

Title: The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise
Release Date: April 30th 2013
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Source: Borrowed (thanks, Lyra!)
Buy: Book Depository

Summary (from Goodreads):

In The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise, super-smart, somewhat geeky Audrey McCarthy can’t wait to get out of high school. Her father’s death and the transformation of her one-time BFF, Blake Dawkins, into her worst nightmare have her longing for the new start college will bring.

But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed by a high schooler—and the $200,000 that comes with it. She develops something she calls the Boyfriend App, and suddenly she’s the talk of the school and getting kissed by the hottest boys around. But can the Boyfriend App bring Audrey true love?

Once popular girl turned geek Audrey McCarthy is smarter than most kids her age. Like hack into a security system kind of smart. After a painful falling out with her bestfriend Blake and the death of her father, Audrey just wants to live under the radar, happy creating programs and hanging out with her friends Mindy, Nigit and the very cute Aidan, who she secretly likes. But Blake is now out to hurt Audrey for a betrayal she didn't even do. Audrey's on her senior year, desperate to do anything to get into a prestigious college she deserves, but with no money to do so Audrey's out of options. And then the opportunity of a lifetime came, create an app and win $200,000. So Audrey created an app, one that someone like her would want, and need, and thus the Boyfriend App came into existence. But can the app really help Audrey solve her problems or create more of them?

I am very partial to this book because it just calls out to the geek in me. As an IT professional, the lines of programming code and the time Audrey takes to explain the intricacies of building an app and making it work makes the inner techy in me rejoice, because I can easily understand it. It's like Audrey was speaking to me in code and my brain just translate it naturally. The author definitely knows what she's talking about in terms of how technical building apps can get and words it in a way that even someone who has not tried cracking a code all his/her life can understand.

Audrey is one smart girl, and her creativity and quickwittedness was what made her such a fun character to read. She's had it tough ever since she lost her father, her friends shunned her and they can barely make ends meet. But what I admired about her was her perseverance to reach her goal of getting into a good school for college a reality. Although there were times where I felt she was so desperate to make her app work that it makes her so irrational, it was all for a good reason. And despite being so smart, Audrey can be so stupid and unsure when it comes to checking if the boy she's pining for likes her back. Come on, Auds!

The Boyfriend App's main conflict was the consequences such an app can give if one should exist. I do believe that love cannot be forced, but the author makes such a convincing case with such a well thought of plot that you will think that it might just work. So what happens if you can manipulate the brain to trick you into falling in love by using a certain sound? The wonders technology can make, but then you start to think, are the feelings you have then real or not? Would it be possible without the help of an app? Will you leave it to an app to create a happily ever after just for you? Readers would have to evaluate for themselves if the pros far outweighs the cons of the app Audrey made. And then you also have to question how it was made, because even in programming, certain ethics must be upheld and rules must not be broken. The story gets complicated because of that and it's this complexity that makes me love the story even more.

The world Audrey lives mirrors ours, where technology has taken over our lives in bigger ways than we thought possible. The Boyfriend App certainly is a timely novel where a lot of the teens today can learn a lesson or two from. Add a few bytes of fun, a couple of MBs of romance and teenage angst and a few chunks of overall geeky awesomeness and techy talk, The Boyfriend App is a delightfully cute, fast read that will appeal to a lot of people, techy or not, geeky or not, teenager or not. Funny, romantic with a little bit of a bite in the heart, it's one enjoyable read!

Content (plot, story flow, character):
Reading The Boyfriend App makes me want to go back to high school, though I'm pretty sure I wasn't a techy then.

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
Super cute cover!

GIVEAWAY TIME!
WIN 2 SIGNED ARCS OF THE BOYFRIEND APP!

Rules:

Open to PH residents only

Must be at least 13 to enter
Ends May 1st

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: Spellcaster (Spellcaster #1) by Claudia Gray

2013-04-18T15:03:00.001+08:00

My first Claudia Gray book and the story just charmed me.

Title: Spellcaster (Spellcaster #1) by Claudia Gray
Release Date: March 1st 2013
Published by: HarperTeen
Buy: Book Depository

Summary (from Goodreads):

When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in the town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that a curse has been placed on his family that will cause him to go insane. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed.

Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family's terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone in the town.

A teenage girl moving with her father and younger brother away from the city into a quaint little town called Captive's Sound, Nadia had a lot on her plate than she let on. Her mother left their family recently and they just had to get away. Oh, and Nadia's also a witch. The day they moved to Captive's Sound resulted in an accident all because of her craft, but they were saved by a boy named Mateo. Mateo knows who Nadia is, but how? He's a boy shunned by everyone because of his family history, with only a lone friend who might not be who she claims to be. But Captive's Sound isn't also the quiet, tranquil place it looks like at first, Nadia can sense something wrong with the town, like something dark is eating it alive from the inside out. Why? And how is it all connected to her and Mateo?

There were three things that worked for me in this novel. One is the instant attraction Mateo and Nadia have, and how they were both fighting it. It was very amusing to see Mateo struggle with his feelings and deny it for so long. And the more both Nadia and Mateo resist, the more the forces around them brings them together. This was no puppy eyed romance, there were even instances where Mateo would push Nadia away and then go back to her after a while, which makes it very frustrating at times, and it was very entertaining to see how they push their bond with each other and continue to test each other's character with every trials they go through and every problem they encounter.

The second thing I liked about this novel was how the villain was portrayed. She always seem to win, and it's another source of frustration for me. It's one aspect of the book where I can't help but wonder if it's possible for the good to triumph over the evil. It was a well established fact that Nadia was not as strong as her adversary, no one was trying to downplay her powers because it was the truth, and with that you just want to cheer her on to succeed. And though I hate Elizabeth with a passion, I do have to say that I liked how her story was told. There was something tragic and sad about how she became who she is. She's like the Ice Queen of Witches, beautiful, powerful and alone. She's cunning and manipulative, deceiving and very powerful, all the necessary ingredients you need in an effective villain.

The third would have to be the superb supporting characters and solid background for the main characters. Mateo was, by no means a popular guy, which isn't always what you expect for a main lead especially in a high school setting. Girls sought him out for a different reason. He wasn't your typical, popular jock who everyone wants to date because he's gorgeous. He had the looks but he also had to live with the stigma his family's reputation brings. Toughened by the loss and the treatment he's received from the townspeople, even his family. Nadia, on the other hand, isn't your typical weak heroine. She's persistent and persevering when needed, and she was doing her best to keep her family from falling apart. Being a witch is all she has left, a legacy from her mother and she treasures it more than anything. Verlaine was such a fun character to read! It makes you wonder why she doesn't have friends, and compared to Mateo she's treated in a lot more cruel ways. She's quirky and funny and smart, the perfect addition to the unlikely trio of friends with Mateo and Nadia. I always end up laughing with her random quips and her support for Nadia, although she's not perfect, and at times she couldn't help but be jealous of what Mateo and Nadia have. I hope Verlaine can find someone for her in the next book, she definitely deserves it.

Claudia Gray has built a setting that was perfect for the story. Even the name Captive's Sound makes it seem like a place where magic is abundant, and where anything magical can be found. With a seemingly unstoppable villain, a complicated story that spans centuries, and an unlikely pairing sharing an unexpected bond, Spellcaster is a wonderful start to a new series. Fast paced and more than enough interesting to let the readers breeze through the story in no time. Spellcaster sounds like a swift introduction into a new series to watch out for. I am definitely keeping my eye on this. Good start, Claudia Gray!

Content (plot, story flow, character):
I was a little confused by the ending, but I think it means the conflict continues to the second book, right? Is Elizabeth alive or not?

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
One of my favorites! The book give you an idea of what you'll feel when you read the book. A little bit dark, beautiful and very, very good.

Waiting on Wednesday (115): The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

2013-04-17T11:47:00.001+08:00

Hello, readers! It's been a really laid back, quiet, relaxing kind of week for me and I'm slowly but surely catching up with my TBR pile, so you'll probably see a slew of reviews on the blog. Feel free to leave us some comment love, okay?

Today I am featuring just ONE book. Because, really. This is too awesome to have another book share the spotlight. I am just so excited for this!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
Release Date: September 3rd 2013
Published by: Amulet Books

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now . . . not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?

Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.

And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them . . .

Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers.

Why I'm waiting for The Infinite Moment of Us:

I want this book so bad. As in really, really bad. It's by Lauren Myracle, come on! I must read this! And I love that the summary just sounds so simple yet you can feel that something still goes on that's way deeper than it lets us see. You can see the struggles both Charlie and Wren are going through just by reading the descriptions about them. I just know that this is going to be one read that I shouldn't miss. It's this kind of book that just makes me want to fast forward time so I can grab a copy and start reading. Like now, if I can.

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So what are your WoW picks this week? Share your links below and tell me your thoughts about my pick for this week. I'm so excited to hear from all of you!

Audiobook review: Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin

2013-04-15T14:18:00.000+08:00

Better late than never.

Title: Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin
Release Date: October 16th 2012
Published by: AudioGO
Buy: AudioGO

Summary (from Goodreads):

For generations, girls known as Spinsters have been called by Arras' Manipulation Services to work the looms and control what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die. Gifted with the unusual ability to weave time with matter, sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys is exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But Adelice isn't interested. Because once you become a Spinster, there's no turning back.

This is my first audiobook and I admit, I am a novice at this and in no way knowledgeable about anything technical I should be looking out for in audiobooks or its reader, but Amanda Dolan did such a great job giving life to this book. Crewel, in itself is an interesting story but the way Amanda gave life to all these different characters, the way they speak and act, just made the story all the more interesting. Her voice helped me get immersed in the story even more as a reader. Not only does she sound really nice, she made the story even more engaging than it already is. When she changes her voice to switch to a new character, it's a wonder how she's able to give life and emotions to so many different people, to sound distinctly different each time she lends her voice to another person. Oftentimes, I'm in awe.

The concept of Crewel is very interesting, and that is what made me want to read this book. To have an alternate world built on top of the ruins of once was a place called Earth, it takes quite a rich and imaginative mind to think of something like this. A strong world building was combined with countless of conflicts left and right and Crewel can sometimes be overwhelming. I love that on top of one girl's story and her struggle to escape the destiny everyone is forcing on her, there's room left for complicated politics, sabotage, encounters with vicious people who would do anything to be on top, and sometimes, downright cruelty. There's a strong aversion to people who deviate in any way in Arras, and the kind of action the Council will take in order to keep people conforming to the rules leaves me wide eyed. The reality involved in making such a world often takes me aback, knowing just how much was sacrificed and how much was being taken for the world to be in order. Adelice's struggle to become a Creweler was what made me so absorbed and occupied with the story. I do think she's a great character, one with beliefs that couldn't be easily swayed and with things she needs to fight for, persistence, and eventually grows stronger with each hurdle she passes through as a Spinster. Sometimes I wonder if I should take pity on her, or if I should wring her neck for being so stubborn, or be sad for her for losing her family. Nothing in her life was easy, with the power she has and for being thrust into such a complicated world.

The main conflicts this audiobook presents was enough to keep me occupied, but I am so very conflicted with the love triangle in this novel. Though both Eric and Jost care for Adelice, I can't help but feel how can they both be trusted, if they can be at all. Adelice herself has felt insecure often because of the different circumstances surrounding both boys' lives, especially Jost's, which makes me feel that maybe she deserves someone else. Someone less bitter about life, someone less vengeful, someone she can grow with together. Jost has experienced a loss that was similar yet so different to Adelice. The fact that he's so grown up makes me feel like Adelice is on over her head if she stays with him. It's even harder to discern if Adelice is better off with Eric, because he's too wrapped up in mystery, too many secrets still surrounding him that half of the time I wonder if he's really a friend or an enemy. This is one part of the story where I am eager to know how Adelice will tackle.

Crewel is a highly imaginative novel, one that isn't afraid to tackle challenging issues that one usually doesn't see in a YA romance novel (Enora's story). Arras, the world where Crewel is set in, was very patriarchal, a world where women are viewed in a lesser way than men, and this alone opens up this novel to a lot of debates. It's a harsh world, with frightful, disgusting sides to it, and a girl was put amidst this place to see it all. With a strong heroine struggling to make sense of a world that has looked different in her eyes all her life, Crewel has a potent story that will gradually engulf readers with its inventive plot and fascinating world. There's a beauty in reading such a complicated world and trying to make sense of everything happening to it all at once. Highly readable, enjoyable and engaging, I highly recommend this audiobook for fans of YA fantasy looking for something new and different.

Notable quotes:

"How do you close opened eyes?"
"Like you do at night. You worked the loom until you're too tired to go on. And then your eyes close naturally."
- Adelice asking the Crewel how she was able resist touching the opened seam in the screen, revealing what's underneath it, the true appearance of everything around them.

"We don't do it for them."
"No, we do it in spite of them."
- Weaving for Arras

"Some things shouldn't be forgotten."
"Remembrance is never useless."

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

What a book to usher me into the world of audiobooks. I really enjoyed every moment of listening to this wonderful story.

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

Gorgeous!