Beastie Books

I'M BACK!

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:24:00 +0000

So as many of you know I haven't blogged/reviewed any books in about a year. My senior year of high school was beyond hectic, and there was no time to read anything other than school books. Thankfully exams are over and I have three months of endless reading time before going away to college!

If you've stuck around after a year of me being completely inactive on my blog then you are receiving the biggest virtual bug possible. Thank you to any- and everyone who still read and commented on my posts even though I was less than responsive.

I do plan on being more active with my blog and posting reviews more frequently, but be warned! Because I haven't been able to read recreationally for so long I'm going to be reading a lot of books that may have come out last year or further back. So although my reviews may not be on the most up to date books they'll still be there!

In other words, I'm back, but please be patient with me! There may not be as many reviews as I (or you) want there to be, but I'm getting back in the swing of things! I'm also terrified to see the quality of my reviews seeing as how I haven't written one in over a year...it'll be a learning experience for everyone!

I'm also still not going to be accepting books for review. I want to read at my own pace, and I feel that I just wouldn't be able to do so with specific books and their publishing dates looming over me. So in review I'm back, but I'll be taking things slow. There may be only one or two reviews a week, but I'm also going to be working on their quality (quality over quantity!).

Last but not least, I feel like I don't talk to you guys enough, and as my readers who have stayed with me even in my prolonged hiatus I feel like I should have more interaction with you all, so I'll be trying my hardest to respond to comments left on posts, but also on Twitter. So if you have a twitter be sure to follow me (@beastiebooks), and if you already do let me know so I can follow you back!

Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me!

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Tue, 08 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Title: Jersey Angel
Author: Beth Ann Bauman
Published: May 8, 2012 by Wendy Lamb Books
Pages: 208/Hardcover
Challenge: 2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge, 2012 Completely Contemp Challenge, 2012 Standalone Challenge
Source: NetGalley

Summary: It's the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

Review: I thought this was going to be a fun summer romance-y type book. It really wasn't at all what I expected, and I didn't really like what it ended up being.

I couldn't connect with any of the characters. They all seemed flat, and some of them I outright hated. Angel annoyed me to no end. She was lying and betraying her best friend in the worst way possible but then got upset with Inggy when she didn't tell her everything that was going on with her.

Also, I found the plot very vague. I didn't know if it was suppose to be about Angel and Joey or Angel and Cork.

I don't have much of anything good to say about the book. I'm sure there are a lot of people who will enjoy this book, it just wasn't the right one for me.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Title: Wanderlove
Author: Kirsten Hubbard
Published: March 13, 2012 by Delacourte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 352/Hardcover
Challenge: 2012 Sophomore Challenge, 2012 Completely Contemp Challenge, 2012 Standalone Challenge
Source: NetGalley

Summary: It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Review: I LOVE road trip books. This isn't a road trip book per se, but it involves lots of travel which I am always a fan of! Wanderlove was a fun book that had a wonderful mix of everything: romance, travel, teen angst, and so much more.

This is one of those books that can be classified as a girl finding herself and discovering how to move forward with life, but that just sounds too boring. It's not so simple as that. Bria does learn about herself and how to live life, but it's a gradual process. With each new place she visits she learns a little more about herself. The people she meets along the way also serve as her tools of learning.

The characters weren't that memorable for me. They weren't bad or flat, they just didn't leave a huge impression on me. They told the story beautifully and were perfect for it.

Wanderlove is a great book! It's fun and romantic, but also has a serious side about letting go of the bad and welcoming in the good. It's definitely a book to read!

The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Title: The Lifeguard
Author: Deborah Blumenthal
Published: March 1, 2012 by Whitman, Albert & Company
Pages: 268/Hardcover
Challenge: 2012 Sophomore Challenge, 2012 Standalone Challenge
Source: NetGalley

Summary: It's an unsettled summer for Sirena. Back in Texas, her family's splitting apart, but here in Rhode Island, at the cottage of her free-spirited aunt, it's a different world. There are long days at the beach and intriguing encounters with him. Pilot. He's the lifeguard with shamanic skills. He both saves her and makes her feel lost at sea. Sirena explores her obsession with Pilot and discovers his mysterious--almost magical--gifts.

Review: This book had a lot going for it, and although it was a fun, cute, and quick read, it had one too many plot threads to follow.

The Lifeguard had a good summer vibe going throughout the book, so it's a great start to the spring/summer time! It wasn't clear until a few chapters in that something supernatural was happening, and that's where a bunch of sub-plots developed and I lost track.

There were ghosts and supernatural healers and evil stingrays, and because this book was on the short side it didn't have enough time to develop and explain every sub-plot. There were brief explanation at the end when everything was tied up, but it makes me wonder if there's going to be a sequel.

The characters weren't all that interesting. I didn't make a connection with them and they seemed more like just names in the book than actual people or characters.

The Lifeguard is a quick summer read with a bit of a paranormal edge. It didn't have a lot of development, but it was still fun to read.

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Title: Graffiti Moon
Author: Cath Crowley
Published: February 14, 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 272/Hardcover
Challenge: 2012 Completely Contempt Challenge, 2012 Standalone Challenge
Source: NetGalley

Summary: Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

Review: I have yet to read Cath Crowley's US debut, A Little Wanting Song, but if it's anything like Graffiti Moon then I have no doubt that I'll love it.

Graffiti Moon was a truly spectacular book. It takes place all in one night so I was spectacle as to whether or not the characters would have good development, but oh did they. Every character played a role whether small or large, and each served a purpose to the book which only made it more wonderful.

Reading about Lucy and Ed when they're together was sometimes funny and sometimes serious, but either way I could tell that something was there. The mystery of Shadow is found out, by the reader at least, very early in the book, but having him as an additional character only leads to more humor.

This is one of those books that I still think about even thought it's been weeks since I've read it. It sticks with you, and unfortunately that's the closest to describing this book's amazing-ness. I would suggest that everyone pick up a copy and read it!

What to Expect This Year

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:47:00 +0000

As I'm sure you've noticed my posting this year has been minimal. Unfortunately I don't have the kind of time for blogging like I have in the past. School has decided that this year is the perfect year to give out tons and tons of never ending homework, so my reading and blogging time has been dramatically cut back.

I still love reading and blogging though so still be on the lookout for posts and reviews. But this year I'm mainly focusing on reading, so don't expect to see many memes (Waiting on Wednesday or In My Mailbox). I'll mostly be posting reviews, but only periodically.

I'm also not going to be accepting anything for review unless it comes from NetGalley. This just makes it easier to keep up with the books I really want to read.

I hope that I'll be able to keep my love of reading and blogging alive this year despite all the time being devoted to homework. I also hope that you guys will be patient with me while I work through everything!

Have a great year and may it be filled with wonderful reading adventures.

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Title: Never Eighteen
Author: Megan Bostic
Published: January 17, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: 204/Paperback
Challenge: 2012 Debut Author Challenge, 2012 Completely Contemp Challenge, 2012 Standalone Challenge
Source: NetGalley

Summary: Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

Review: I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it just didn't do it for me.

Obviously from the title and summary I knew Austin was sick and dying, but there was nothing even mentioned about it until about half way through the book. It started right in the middle of the action. The very first page was Austin and Kaylee going somewhere to talk to someone about something that Austin wanted to take meaning from.

I liked that Austin was making the most of his final days. He was talking to people about things that were either bothering them or him and he was there to help them. But some of his friends problems seemed a bit unrealistic. I didn't like how some of his friends' problems were instantly resolved and everyone was happy again and others never had a resolution to them. I thought it left the story unfinished.

I could tell that Austin and Kaylee were great friends, but they just seemed like such flat characters to me. I couldn't connect to them even when they were at their most emotionally vulnerable.

Never Eighteen was a great concept and I wish I had liked it more. Unfortunately some of the characters and events in the book didn't have enough life and reality in them for me.

Blog Tour: Author Interview with Jaime Reed (Living Violet)

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

As part of the blog tour hosted by The Teen Book Scene Jaime Reed, author of Living Violet has stopped by for a short interview

What was the inspiration for Living Violet?

Life, friends, family, movies, and everything else in between. It’s like a salad of everything I know and love about the supernatural, but I wanted to make it relatable and apply characters with common sense.

Where is your favorite place to read/write?

In my bed. That way when I pass out from exhaustion, I have a soft landing.

Did you draw from people in real life to create your characters?

Sure did! I have a lot of friends and family in my characters. They have a fun time to guess who is who. It’s a good combination with a lot of creative input. They laugh whenever a character does something they would do though.

What's your favorite genre to write and why?

Paranormal. At least it’s my favorite right now. I love writing about the unknown. The normal every day thing is so boring and uneventful. I should know. I live there.

If you could be any supernatural/paranormal creature/being what would it be and why?

A shape- shifter. I think it would be cool to turn into other animals or even other people. The only bad part is I would have to carry a change of clothes with me wherever I went.

Thanks for stopping by Jaime! And if you guys haven't checked out her novel Living Violet yet you should.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published: January 2, 2012 by Poppy
Pages: 236/Hardcover
Challenge: 2012 Completely Contemp Challenge, 2012 Standalone Challenge
Source: bought

Summary: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review: This was such a cute and fun book! I've tried to read both of Jennifer E. Smith's previous books and could never get into them enough to finish. But the title on this book alone had me hooked!

Although the title did have me hooked I was still worried that the story would have too much "insta-love." But fear not! I was really quite surprised by how much development was in both the relationship and the characters. Especially since the story takes place over a 24-hour period.

Hadley was such an awesome girl! She was full of sarcasm and humor and overall greatness. Oliver was also just as funny and wonderful. It was nice to see that each of them also had issues that went deeper than just missing a flight or going somewhere they didn't want to be.

The ending was left open but I like to imagine my own happy ending for the characters. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, and I was even more surprised by how much development was put into the characters and relationship. The characters felt real and the relationship wasn't forced or insta-love-ish.

This was a great book that everyone who like a quick and fun book should read!

Waiting on Wednesday (53)

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme started and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WoW is a way for bloggers to post about a book or books they're excited or "waiting" for. This week my WoW is:

Wicked Sweet by Mar'ce Merrell

June 5, 2011

When small town high school student Chantal is the victim of Will's date-and-dump scheme, she seeks her sweet revenge through cake.

Butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour become her covert allies as she leaves secret admirer cakes (all addressed to Will) at the doorsteps of her fellow classmates. Guys and girls not only love delivering the cakes to Will and sharing in the tasting, they fall in love with The Cake Princess, who no one would suspect is the straight A, nerdy Chantal.

In a surprise ending that not even Jillian, Chantal's best friend would suspect (Jillian is dating Will's best friend Parker!), Chantal claims her crown. With insight in the four points of view of Chantal, Will, Parker and Jillian, this novel explores identity through our connection with ourselves and one another.

This looks really cute in that "quiet girl gets revenge in an evil genius way" kind of way, and I think it'll be interesting to see things from four different perspectives.

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more info go here.

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

All of these books happen to be 2012 debuts, but I promise I'm excited about more than just these!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Read in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I wanted to read at least 100 books this year. Unfortunately, school had other plans. I didn't reach my 100 book goal, but I got close. The following are the books I read this year. (Linked titles go to my reviews.)

Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison
Forget You by Jennifer Echols
Remedial Magic by Jenna Black
My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl
Shadowspell by Jenna Black
My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking
XVI by Julia Karr
Immortal by Lauren Burd
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
The Matchmakers by Jennifer Colgan
The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Warped by Maurissa Guibord
Turned by Morgan Rice
Hold Still by Nina LaCour
The Darlings Are Forever by Melissa Kantor
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley
Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Clarity by Kim Harrington
Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Betrayal by Lee Nichols
Die For Me by Amy Plum
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
(re-read) Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Those That Wake by Jesse Karp
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
(re-read) Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
13 Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
Stay by Deb Caletti
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
(re-read) Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler
Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
Split by Swati Avasthi
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Mercy by Rebecca Lim
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Hourglass by Myra McEnire
The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Love Story by Jennifer Echols
To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorenson
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Antigone by Sophocles
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Living Violet by Jaime Reed

I hope everyone had an amazing year and that everyone was able to read the books the wanted!

Completed Challenges: 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

This year I took on three different reading challenges. Of these three I only completed one. Sad but true.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

The goal of this challenge is to read at least 12 novels from 2011 debut authors. I made it a personal goal to read at least 20. This is a goal that I surpassed by 14 books. Below are the books I read in 2011 for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge. (Linked titles go to reviews.)

XVI by Julia Karr
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Warped by Maurissa Guibord
Turned by Morgan Rice
Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly
Clarity by Kim Harrington
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Die For Me by Amy Plum
The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
Those That Wake by Jesse Karp
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Mercy by Rebecca Lim
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Living Violet by Jaime Reed

I hope all of you had a wonderful year! If you finished all of your challenges for this year, congratulations! If you're like me and didn't, better luck with next year's challenges!

Best of 2011: Contemporary

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Yesterday I posted about my favorite non-contemporary books of 2011. Today is the day for the contemporaries I read in 2011 to shine! As always, you can see my (overall) top ten favorite books of 2011 here.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta - Melina Marchetta is, and always will be, a writing genius.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour - Amazing writing which led to amazingly real emotion in its characters.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - I actually discovered Courtney Summers for the first time this year. I soon realized that she didn't sugar coat her stories, and that made them all the more real.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman - Only the sequel I never thought would come!

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han - I loved this series, and this was the perfect ending to it!

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - This is one of the two books that almost had me in tears this year. The emotion that is in this book is absolutely heartbreaking, but at the same time absolutely amazing.

Split by Swati Avasthi - This was quite compelling even though it was a bit outside my usual comfort zone.

Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso - Who wouldn't love to read about a girl who learns she has a secret sister?

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder - There's no accurate way to describe this book. Amazing, wonderful, spectacular, heartwarming, heartbreaking; these are the best words I could find to describe it. Definitely my favorite book of 2011.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington - You guys know I'm a sucker for road trips!

Best of 2011: Non-Contemporary

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

I read a lot of great books this year. I got really into contemporary fiction, so my non-contemporary reading (paranormal/fantasy/dystopian/etc.) was not as high as usual. You can check out my top ten books of 2011 here, but now for my favorite non-contemporaries!

XVI by Julia Karr - This was such a new look at dystopian! It was cool to see that yes the dystopian world was somewhat the same as far as government, but someone was fighting to be different.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand - Aaaahhh! So much hype with such a good turn out! Yes it's angels, but who doesn't love angels?!

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan - This was a completely new thing for me. Gotta love originality!

Clarity by Kim Harrington - Great characters and a great paranormal mystery!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini - Starcrossed lovers are only my favorite part of books.

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken - Okay so technically I just re-read this one, but still, it's amazing.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young - You didn't read this book? You didn't experience the absolutely amazing characters, plot, and writing? You should probably get on that.

Divergent by Veronica Roth - Constant action and adventure!

Cover Talk (13)

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Cover Talk was inspired by Kristi's Books to Pine For and Steph Su's Cover Lust. I started Cover Talk as a way to show and talk about the cool/pretty/new covers I find while looking for new books (mostly on Goodreads).

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

Lucid by Ron Bass and Adrienne Stoltz

Slated by Teri Terry

The Temptation by Alisa Valdes

Beauty by Lisa Daily

My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard

Life Is But a Dream by Brian James

Waiting on Wednesday (52)

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme started and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WoW is a way for bloggers to post about a book or books they're excited or "waiting" for. This week my WoW is:

Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach

May 1, 2012

Felton Reinstein thought he had it all-a great girlfriend, an athletic scholarship in the bag, and football friends he could totally count on. Wrong! Like an elephant storming a house of cards, it all comes crashing down. And it's Felton's fault. Turns out his little brother has taken an impromptu road trip to Florida (aka desperate flight from all the talented people) to make a bid for stardom (aka fronting a hotel rock band with escapees from a retirement community). What's a big brother to do but help pick up the pieces, even if it means giving up all the status, all the glory and once again facing a life of nothing special.

ROAD TRIP! I just love road trips. I'm also a fan of realistic fiction, and this sounds about as realistic as it gets!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: November 15, 2011 by HarperCollins
Pages: 338/Hardcover
Series: Shatter Me #1
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Source: bought

Summary:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Review: I had heard a lot about Shatter Me from other bloggers and most had loved it. I didn’t love it, but it was still a great book!

The style of writing in Shatter Me was hard to get used to at first, but once I did it made understanding Juliette a lot easier. The book’s written in a stream-of-consciousness style. It kind of flows along with whatever the character is thinking right then. So punctuation and staying on point can kind of go astray at times.

At the same time, this writing style really allowed me to see exactly what Juliette was thinking. This made it a lot easier to connect with her and feel her emotions about what was going on.

I feel like this book was much more characters based than action based, mainly because I didn’t see that much in the plot. She gets out of the prison she’s in and then ends up trying to escape the people who are keeping her. Besides these developments not a lot comes up. It’s mainly the characters we learn about: their pasts and secrets and powers.

I didn’t see much development in the plot, but the characters made up for it. With a unique writing style and even more unique characters, Shatter Me was a great book that also served as a good book to ponder.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Title: The Probability of Miracles
Author: Wendy Wunder
Published: December 8, 2011 by Razorbill
Pages: 336/Hardcover
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Source: bought

Summary: Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

Review: This is by far one of my favorite books of 2011 if not of all time. I know that this review is not going to give this book the justice it deserves, but I’ll do my best.

The Probability of Miracles was amazing, to put it simply. The characters alone are proof of Wunder’s amazing writing ability. Each character had a complex history and personality. I felt like I could walk outside and meet any of the people from this book.

Cam was one of the strongest protagonists I’ve seen. She was also by far the most cynical. She was incredibly negative about the world, but throughout the story you see her learn to let go of her cynicism and live her life.

Asher was the sweetest guy I think any girl could ask for. He helped Cam learn to live and he didn’t treat her differently because of her disease. Not just Cam and Asher, but all of the characters played a special role in this story and brought it to life.

It takes a lot to make me cry over a book. I hardly ever do, but this book accomplished it. It was just so incredibly heartbreaking. The story really is like a slideshow. You can actually see Cam changing and learning to accept things and give hope a chance.

The ending is by far the saddest thing about the book, but I was surprised by how much I liked it. I feel like if there had been any other ending it wouldn’t have been as good or had the effect it had. The ending it has is really the only way to properly finish Cam’s story.

There is so much I’m leaving out of this review either because I don’t want to ruin the book or I’m too caught up in writing this review to remember, but you need to read The Probability of Miracles. There’s really no other book like it. It will make you laugh and cry, and I still haven’t done justice with this review.

Waiting on Wednesday (51)

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme started and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WoW is a way for bloggers to post about a book or books they're excited or "waiting" for. This week my WoW is:

First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky

May 8, 2012

Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl always searching for what's next, seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving and besides, opposites attract.

What starts as friendship, turns into admiration, respect and caring, until finally these two lone souls find they are truly in love with each other.

But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they're going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you're sorry.

Awkward cover aside I think this looks like a really good book. I like that it's about the work involved in staying in love instead of love being the easiest thing in the world. It should give a different perspective on things I think.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Title: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Published: December 1, 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 288/Paperback
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Source: NetGalley

Summary: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Review: Catching Jordan was one of those books that I was really excited about, and after reading it I wasn't totally blown away or in love with it, but it made for a good read.I was surprised by the romantic aspect of this book. I knew by the summary that there was going to be some kind of romantic plot with the new football player on the team, but I wasn't expecting this to turn into a love triangle. However, once it did I realized that I really didn't like Ty. So I wasn't all that upset when

Jordan

made her choice.

Jordan

was a constant source of annoyance for me until the end of the book. She was a strong character and went after what she wanted, except when it came to her boyfriend. She knew she didn't want to be with Ty but she stayed with him anyway. Some of her choices and decisions just didn't click with me. But she was still a good character, and even though she annoyed me she was a good fit for the story.

And speaking of the story, I'm a sucker for any book involving a girl playing football. I don't know why but I seem to always love them. I loved reading about

Jordan

's interactions with her teammates and other girls off the field.

There were parts of Catching Jordan that didn't sit that well with me. I either didn't like what was going on or what the characters were doing, but it was still an enjoyable book that I think everyone should give a chance.

Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more info go here.

Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart

Karma by Cathy Ostlere

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

A lot of these books have been out for a while, but some of them just came out this month. Either way these are all books that I've wanted to read for a LONG time, and hopefully Santa will be the person to bring them to me!

Blog Tour: Living Violet by Jaime Reed

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Title: Living Violet
Author: Jaime Reed
Published: December 27, 2011 by Dafina
Pages: 304/Paperback
Series: The Cambion Chronicles #1
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Source: publisher for ARC tour

Summary: He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .

Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.

But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.

Review: I was honestly blown away by Living Violet. I really didn't think I was going to like it that much, but boy was I wrong.

It seemed like there was constant action and mystery around what was going on with Caleb. From the very beginning I was wondering, like Samara, if I could really trust him or not.

The characters were one of the things that made this story amazing. They felt like real people! At first I was wary and not too fond of Caleb, but he started to grow on me. This developed because his characters was developing like an actual person, not just a character in a book. It was like this for all o the characters, which were all funny and smart, and overall wonderful.

I'm kind of growing tired of paranormal books, but this one was a breath of fresh air. I've never read about "cambions" or anything like them, so it was nice to finally see something new in a usually predictable genre.

Living Violet was a great book and hopefully the beginning of a great series!

Waiting on Wednesday (50)

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme started and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WoW is a way for bloggers to post about a book or books they're excited or "waiting" for. This week my WoW is:

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin

August 2, 2012

Seventeen-year-old Jane can’t quite face her mother’s alcoholism even though it sucks to spend all her time and energy keeping them afloat—making sure her mom gets to work, that the bills are paid when there’s money to pay them, and that no one knows her mom is so messed up. But when Jane’s mom drives drunk almost killing both them and Jane’s best friend, Jane can no longer deny her mom is spiraling out of control. Jane has only one place to turn: her older brother Ethan, who left years ago to go to college. A summer away with him and his tornado chasing buddies may just provide the time and space she needs to figure out whether her life still includes her mother.

I've always been fascinated by tornadoes, and my guilty pleasure is watching the tornado chasers on tv. I've also been getting more into contemporary fiction lately. So I'm hoping that the two will mesh well together.

Beastie Books

I'M BACK!

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

What to Expect This Year

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Blog Tour: Author Interview with Jaime Reed (Living Violet)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Waiting on Wednesday (53)

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

Read in 2011

Completed Challenges: 2011

Best of 2011: Contemporary

Best of 2011: Non-Contemporary

Cover Talk (13)

Waiting on Wednesday (52)

Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Waiting on Wednesday (51)

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

Blog Tour: Living Violet by Jaime Reed

Waiting on Wednesday (50)