Court Reads and Reviews

Mini Reviews: December Contemporary Edition

2014-12-01T02:00:00.000-05:00

Another installment of mini reviews, featuring three contemporary reads (but one with a twist).

Fan Art by Sarah Tregay

The rundown: Fan Art is a super fluffy LGBT romance about Jamie, who is in love with his best friend Mason. The problem? Jamie's pretty sure Mason's straight, and Mason has a strict 'no dating in high school because what's the point?' rule. Surrounding Jamie are his peers in art class, determined to help get Jamie to come out to Mason and get the two of them together, and his colleagues at the yearbook commitee, debating whether or not to publish an LGBT comic in the school yearbook.
My thoughts: Fan Art is strictly a YA contemporary romance novel, and that's what makes it so great. The fluff is everywhere, and it's adorable. I felt for Jamie the entire way through. I shipped it along with his pals in art. I could not put this adorable little hardcover down. Well, I didn't want to. I read Fan Art in two sittings, as it was very easy and light to get through, which was not a bad thing at all. If you're looking for a light read, a romance, and/or an LGBT read, I highly recommend Fan Art. It just makes you feel so warm and fuzzy. Seriously. So. Adorable.
4/5 stars. Check out Fan Art on Goodreads.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

The rundown: Sloane and Emily are best friends - really, Sloane is Emily's only friend. But one day Sloane (and her family) disappears without saying where she's going or when she'll be back. All she leaves behind is a list of things she wants Emily to do while she's gone. If conservative, quiet Emily completes everything on the list, then she will find her friend, according to the only note left for her. Without Sloane, Emily is lost. But as she attempts to complete each task on the list, she discovers things about herself - and her friendship with Sloane - that she had never before realised.
My thoughts: This was a really fun read. It took me a while to get through as I was coming out of a reading slump where I hadn't been able to finish any books I'd started, but I finished this one. I questioned Sloane and Emily's friendship, because Sloane seemed like a pretty terrible friend, but not so much that I got annoyed. I really enjoyed the character development, which was really what this book was about to me. It was about Emily finding who she truly was, and that she didn't need Sloane to do that for her. Since You've Been Gone was a fun read, and I enjoyed discovering how Emily got through each number on the list, and made friends along the way. It didn't blow me out of the water, but it didn't have to.
4/5 stars. Since You've Been Gone on Goodreads.

Burn For Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

The rundown: Three very different girls are tired of how their lives are going. Lillia was wronged by a boy and tries to protect her sister from the same fate, Kat is sick of the rumours being spread about her, aided along by her ex-best friend, and Mary is back to the island they all go to school on, ready to seek revenge on someone from her past. The three girls team up to exact their revenge, but what happens when that revenge is taken too far?
My thoughts: Let me just start off by saying this book is not what I expected. I assumed it would be Mean Girls in book form, but there are several hints in this book that this is more than a realistic YA read. I don't want to spoil it, but one of these girls is hiding something big that aids along in their revenge exacting. This book gets dark, so if you go into it expecting something trivial and light, you will be taken by surprise as I was. I really need to get my hands on books two and three to see the aftermath of their revenge. I was spoiled on one big happening (DO NOT READ THE BACK OF THE NEXT BOOKS BEFORE READING THE PREVIOUS ONES), and damn. This series does not hold anything back. If you like a little something more with your contemporary high school fiction, give this series a shot, because it might just surprise you in a good way. The feel of it reminded me loosely of Stephen King's Carrie.
4/5 stars. Check out the Burn for Burn series on Goodreads.

Mini Reviews: November Edition

2014-11-29T02:15:00.000-05:00

Hello!

It has been far too long since I have posted on here, but sometimes I just want to read books without feeling the need or pressure to review them, hence my disappearance. However, I am currently in the mood to review some books, hence my reappearance. That's the wonder of having a no-strings book review blog. I recently posted a full-length review of a book I finished, but I have a handful of others I've read during my previously unannounced hiatus from here that I'd like to give mention to. Perhaps more reviews will come later, but I cannot allow myself to make any promises. However, here are the three I'm mini-reviewing today:

The Aftermath by Jen Alexander

The Aftermath is a game played by humans living in a futuristic world. The characters? Real human beings. I don't want to spoil too much so I won't go into why people play or how people end up as characters, but I'll say this: the characters do not realise they are that. Except somehow, miraculously, our protagonist does. Slowly, as the book begins revealing, main character Claudia realises she is not in control of her every movement, and as she eventually discovers hints at what is going on, seeks out full control of her own body and an escape.
Not to sound cliche or anything, but fans of The Hunger Games will enjoy this book. The genres are similar, though the details not. I personally loved this book. There were so many times where I felt like I was in the game with the characters. The writing helped me imagine everything perfectly. If there's one thing I love in any genre, but especially in my sci-fi and fantasy, it's great world building, and Jen Alexander did just that with The Aftermath. This one was a page turner, and the little plot twists thrown at you are great. The closer you get to the end, the more suspenseful it gets, and the ending, well. I won't spoil, but my basic reaction was WHY, CLIFF-HANGER, WHY (in a good way, of course). Do I recommend The Aftermath? The game, no. The book, heck yes. I look forward to book two.
4/5 stars.
The Aftermath on Goodreads.

Defy by Sara B. Larson

A land where sorcery is banned, a female forced to disguise herself as a male in order to survive, and a kingdom in corruption. Defy has everything I love in a fantasy debut. Protagonist Alexa is a member of the prince's elite guard, and has sworn her life to protect him (spoiler alert: the prince has the personality of a rotten basket of fruit - or does he). When Alexa and the prince are captured by the kingdom's enemy, both of their secrets risk being revealed just as a common enemy lurks closer.
This book was so great. My kind of fantasy. So many great characters and such a solid plot. There's a love triangle but I have to say, I loved it so much. It was well done and there's nothing wrong with a good love triangle, to be quite honest. I cannot wait to see what the sequel has in store for all of these characters. And just for fair warning, this book gets dark. It's a great 'females rising up from oppression' read as well (to give you an idea of that and the darkness I mentioned: female orphans are forced to be impregnated against their will by males, and their children taken from them to become guards for the kingdom. They're basically broodmares, and just what Alexa is trying to avoid by disguising herself as a male). Book two is out the end of December, and I cannot wait! Fans of Tamora Pierce and Sarah J. Maas will love Defy, guaranteed. Solid 5/5.
Check out Defy on Goodreads.

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

A little out of my genre comfort zone is this humorous contemporary read. I've Got Your Number is about about-to-be-married Poppy, who is robbed of her phone shortly after losing her engagement ring, and is about to short circuit when she finds a phone in the trash. This phone belongs to a business man's assisstant, who chucked the phone when she up and quit. Poppy, desperate to have some sort of life line (her cell was her life, you understand, her everything!), manages to convince said uptight and reluctant businessman (Sam Roxton) to allow her to keep the phone until she gets a new one and her ring turns up, with the promise that she will forward all of his emails to him. And she wouldn't dare pry into his personal life, nor he into hers... Full of footnotes, emails, text messages, and some humorous snooping, I've Got Your Number is a hilarious read that I honestly could not put down (I read it in a day. I was on vacation, but still). This is one of those 'chick lit' novels that would make a fantastic rom com film - seriously, I could see it all play out in my head. Although if a film could actually do Kinsella's humour justice, I am not sure. The book was great, and it's a perfect light, funny read. For me it was a break between heavier genres, but I enjoyed it just as much. This book was my introduction to Sophie Kinsella's writing (I'll admit I've seen the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie - it was all right - but have not read the books), and I've her newest, Wedding Night, sitting on my shelf ready to be picked up the next time I'm ready for a break between by fantasy and sci-fi reads. 4.5 stars.
I've Got Your Number on Goodreads.

Review: Atlantia by Ally Condie

2014-11-29T01:22:00.000-05:00

Title: Atlantia
Author: Ally Condie
Genre: Futuristic Fantasy/Mythos
Format reviewed: hardcover first edition

Blurb:
Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

Review:
Maybe I'm just super used to series, but everything seemed to be solved pretty quickly. The beginning of the book felt slow to me, but about halfway through it picked up enough that I didn't want to put it down. Had I not been curious as to what exactly was up with Rio's aunt and fellow siren Maire, I might have given up. In the end, I am glad I didn't, because it was a nice story that was enjoyable overall. The writing was good, the characters believable and human, and the romance honest.

In truth, if this book were longer or there were more books, I think I would have enjoyed it more than I did (although that is not to say I did not enjoy Atlantia). I'd have loved more of a chance at world-building, to see more of the Above and how exactly it functioned, and to see how the Below restored itself and how the people Below reacted to everything going on Above and with the sirens. Also the disease many characters had been infected with, Water Lung, I was interested in learning more about. I just wanted more. But not bad for the stand-alone that it was. I'm glad a friend read it before I did and told me it was a stand-alone, because like her I would have expected more than just the one book and would have enjoyed it less. It all does sort of seem to end abruptly, and if you are not expecting it to end when those pages run out, you will be left confused - not being it does not tie up the loose ends, but because it was not what you expected.

What I really liked about Atlantia was Rio's character. She was so human and believable that it made her character and her romance fun to read. I don't want to spoil much for anyone who has not read this yet, but I do like how Rio focused more on what she wanted, and on finding out why her sister went Above, than on her love interest. She was willing to set him aside if need be, to give him up for the bigger picture, which is lacking in many YA (and let's be honest, many books with romance) reads. Not that I want more characters to give up their love interests, but there are times when characters put their new romances in front of things that are more important that make me question the character's sanity - haha. But I do like a little romance in my reads. I loved how understandably selfish she was, but yet selfless at the same time. She was human, she was likeable, and she was honest.

The siren lore was interesting, especially to me, for I'm a big fan of mythology (and writing a siren novel myself). Atlantia was a fun tie-in of multiple genres, those being mythological, fantasy, a little sci-fi, and futuristic. If you are a fan of any or more of those and love stand-alones, I recommend giving Atlantia a shot. If you've read Ally Condie's Matched series, this is quite a different tale. And if you find yourself getting bored, I do suggest sticking it out, as the story does pick up eventually and you get most of the answers to the questions raised earlier, making up for the earlier lull. Everything all unfolds rather quickly towards the end.

Overall, I enjoyed Atlantia. As a stand-alone novel, it was pretty good. I myself would have loved a two or three book series to allow for more world-building and to get to know secondary characters better, but Ally Condie made the story work in a satisfying way in the near three hundred pages. For anyone sick of trilogies and looking for a stand-alone that is not contemporary, Atlantia would make a good choice. This is definitely one you want to pick up knowing it is a lone book to avoid disappointment, and one you want to give a chance past the halfway point.

3.5 stars

Atlantia was published October 28, 2014
Check out Atlantia on Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Absolute Zero (Touch of Frost #2) by Lynn Rush

2014-03-21T14:00:00.000-04:00

COVER REVEAL

So I am SUPER STOKED to help reveal the cover for book two of Lynn Rush' Touch of Frost trilogy. I read the first book, Frostbite, this past summer and fell in love with the plot and the characters. I even wrote a review, which you can read here.

And now for what you all presumably clicked here to see:

THE REVEAL

Ta-daa!
Just take in all of that amazingness. When I saw the red I was so excited! Georgia!!!
And now the deets:

Title: Absolute Zero
Series: Touch of Frost
Author: Lynn Rush
Release Date: May 2014
Blurb:

Death may be the only way I can live…

The Center is destroyed. Mandy and Georgia have their own place near campus and are ready to start their new lives as college students. All that’s missing is Mandy’s steamy relationship with Zach. His sudden distance and irritability has Mandy wondering…and possibly wandering.

Nate Ashcroft, a beautiful, but mysterious, guy literally falls into Mandy’s life, shattering her already unstable relationship with Zach. When an unknown agency sets its targets on Mandy and Georgia, ugly truths of Mandy’s powers, her parents’ deaths and the people she’s chosen to trust send her life into a tailspin.

One only her death can stop.

I'm so glad May isn't too far away, because I need to get my hands on this beauty. I can't wait to see where this series goes. !!!

LINKS
Lynn Rush on Facebook
Follow Lynn Rush on Twitter
Absolute Zero on Goodreads
LynnRush.com

Top Ten Tuesday (8): Top Ten All Time Favourite Fantasy Books

2014-03-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

(Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. To join in on this weekly meme, visit the blog here)

This week on Top Ten Tuesday it's

Top Ten All Time Favourite Fantasy Books

I chose fantasy as my genre this week because it's my absolute favourite. It's the genre that I've been reading since I was reading picture books (and this TTT I will feature two of those books), and to this day has remained a go-to of mine. So without further ado...

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

For some reason I only own one Munsch book, but I've read them all! This one has always been and will always be my favourite. It's classic Munsch, and features a very clever and out-spoken princess who has a run-in with a dragon. If you haven't read this yet, visit your local library and head to the kids' section and take two minutes to read this gem. It's superb.

The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman

This one is another kid classic I adore. I think it was the pictures that really grabbed me as a youngster, but the story is cute as well. It teaches a few lessons as well and is a great introductory tale to the fantasy genre. The illustrations, too, are truly beautiful.

And for my non-little kid picks...

Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce is going to be featured a few times on this list, because she is my all-time favourite author. Alanna is the first book in this fantastic series, which features a girl who trades places with her twin brother so that she can be a knight (which women are not allowed to do) and her brother can learn magic (something women are expected to do instead of knighthood). A seriously wonderful quartet featuring one of YA's most insiring female characters.

The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce

Wild Magic, the first in this series, is the first book by Tamora Pierce that I read. It was bought for me or I picked it up because of the horse on the cover (my favourite animal, and I went through a very long phase where I only read Pony Pals and Saddle Club and Thoroughbred books, haha). SO glad I read this one, whatever the reason, because it made me seek out other books by this wonderful author. This one takes place in the same world as Alanna's series did, but features a different main female character and takes place after Alanna's story (but there is mention of Alanna).

Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce

She's really good for quartets, this author :) First Test is the first in a series featuring my favourite female main character ever, Keladry of Mindelan. This one takes place in the same land as the previous two series, and by Kel's time, knighthood had been open to women for the first time. And she is the first female to step up to the plate. But the males do not make it easy for her. This is my favourite Tamora Pierce series and the first series I read fully by this author (I read The Immortals after, and then Alanna. Oops!)

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

What's a fantasy list without Harry Potter? I don't think I need to say much on why this one is here. It's Harry freakin' Potter!

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

I'm so beyond proud that the author is from my city <3 But I fell in love this this book before I knew this fact. Falling Kingdoms is a genius high fantasy series by pseudonym author Morgan Rhodes (she also writes romance and other YA under Michelle Rowen and she is fantastic). Book 2 is recently out, Rebel Spring (which I've yet to read - ack! But I'll get there). Highly recommended if you like fantasy. The characters are so diverse and very interesting.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This series features a heroine who was locked up for being an assassin, and freed under the condition that she compete to be the king's champion - which means freedom after serving as the king's personal assassin for a few years. She'll die if she stays locked up, but she hates the king, so while the choice is easy, it's not at all simple. Seriously such a fantastic series. Books one and two are out and you should go read them both right now right now right now :)

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

You may have heard of this one already - the young author's writing has been compared to that of J.K. Rowling - and it is not undeserved. I was a little apprehensive going into this one, because I tend to stick to YA and this one is in the adult fantasy category, but it was fantastic. It's the first of a planned eight-book series, and I an eagerly anticipating the second. It's very different from any fantasy I've read. It's like an AU fantasy that takes in a world where the English monarchy no longer reigns, and clairvoyants are hunted. The protagonist is a clairvoyant herself, and joins a gang of clairvoyants before she's captured (not a spoiler - it's in the blurb), and then spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler :)

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Dragons.
I feel like that's all I have to say, really. Hartman's dragons are quite unique, though. They have the ability to turn human, and I mean, who wouldn't want to be able to be a dragon? I go into this book in more detail in my review, which you can find here.

End of February Book Haul!

2014-02-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

February has come to and end, which means my bookshelf is a whole month of book-buying fuller!

It's a big one this month, because the bookstore was having some great deals, plus there were some awesome new releases I could not resist.
Here's what I got this month:

This Star Won't Go Out (Esther Earl), Cress (Marissa Meyer), Ignite Me and Unite Me (Tahereh Mafi), 13 Little Blue Envelopes (Maureen Johnson), Breathe (Sarah Crossan), Cruel Beauty (Rosamund Hodge)

Dreamless (Josephine Angelini), Incarnate (Jodi Meadows), Partials (Dan Wells)

The Selection Stories (Kiera Cass), Once (Anna Carey), Arise (Tara Hudson), Spark (Amy Kathleen Ryan)

Arise is a duplicate (oops), so I'll be returning that one to the bookstore. This is what happens when you have so many books AND you work at a bookstore. Sometimes it's hard to remember if you've seen the book on your actual shelf or the shelves at work. Oops :P

And I picked up the Vampire Academy paperback and MTI box set. I own the first book as a hardcover as well as the sixth, but finding them all in hardcover now is going to be difficult because they are not easily available. I was going to order them from The Book Depository (fab site, by the way. Free worldwide shipping), but figured this is easier. Plus, I like the new cover designs (minus the MTI edition of the first book, but that's okay).

Some more pictures of the box set:

And just for fun, here's something bookish that I bought to add to my bookshelf!

A book clock! I saw this and could not resist! I admit I do still look at the time on my laptop when I'm using it or my phone, but this clock looks so great on my shelf <3 Don't you think?

Top Ten Tuesday (7) Rewind: Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

2014-02-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

(Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. To join in on this weekly meme, visit the blog here)

This week on Top Ten Tuesday it's a REWIND. I've chosen to do a topic I missed out on. This TTT topic was originally done on September 20th, 2011.

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me (that I hope to read)

The original meme is just 'top ten books I feel as though everyone has read but me', but I added the 'that I hope to read' because I figured that would be more fun than putting on books I don't want to read. In no particular order...

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

I own this series, at least, but I have yet to get around to reading it. One day I will, likely when I'm on my next post-apocalyptic/dystopian kick, which is bound to be soon.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

One day I will read this series. I've heard of its amazingness, so I will be adding it to my collection.

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Another one I need to get on my bookshelf. I'll likely just wait until the entire series is out at this point. But I've heard good things!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I have seriously heard nothing but good things about this series. I own the first one, at least. Once the third is out I will likely pick these up finally.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Confession: I own all of the published books, but I have only read up to Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse. I'll catch up, I swear! Trying to avoid spoilers for this series is the most difficult thing, so I need to get on it! Hopefully before Blood of Olympus is out, because I just don't think I'll be able to stay mostly spoiler-free after that one.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This might be another one I wait for the whole series to be out. Maybe. I'll see if I can hold out that long.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I haven't even seen the movie (although I've been told that's not a bad thing), but this series has been out for over ten years. I'm a tad behind with this one, so naturally most people I know have read this one. It's another series I have on my shelf, though, so I'll get there.

Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Hey - I've at least read Vampire Academy. And I own the set, so I'll be getting to this one soon.

Looking For Alaska by John Green

The only John Green novel (not counting his short story in Let It Snow) that I've yet to read. It's on my shelf. I'll get there one day.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Another I own but have yet to read.

Feature & Follow Friday (1): Last Book To Make You Cry

2014-02-21T01:30:00.000-05:00

(The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!)

Last Book To Make You Cry

The last book to make me cry real sobby tears was Allegiant by Veronica Roth. If you've read it, you'll likely guess why. It had me crying at a few parts. If you haven't read it yet, I won't spoil.

The last book to make me cry even just a tad was David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy. It was too cute. I cried 'you are both way too cute and I can't handle it' tears.

Book to Screen: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

2014-02-19T01:32:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I think I might start discussing how I think a book or series will translate to film or television. For my first Book to Screen post, I'm going to go with Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles.

WARNING: If you have not read up to Cress in The Lunar Chronicles, I do not recommend you continue, as there will be spoilers throughout. Instead, I suggest you come back after you've caught up to Cress. If you haven't even read Cinder, I highly recommend that you do, because this series is absolutely fantastic! If you're on the fence, I wrote a review that will hopefully tip you over to the side that has you devouring this series like many before you. Click here to read my review of Cinder.

. . .

. . . . .

. . . . . . .

All right, now that the spoiler warning is out of the way, let's begin:

I do not think The Lunar Chronicles should be made into a movie.

Hang on, hang on! I wasn't finished. I do, however, think the series would translate SO MUCH BETTER as a television series.

I mean, think about it. There is so much that happens in this series, especially in the later books. There is so much back story to each and every character. And with the switching povs the further we get into the books, I just feel that a series of movies (on per book) would not do this series the justice it deserves.

Wouldn't it be so much better to see some of Cinder's scenes partly through the eyes of Cress without having to wait until the third movie? In the first season, we could see Cress watching with interest as she follows Cinder's adventure from her sattelite. We could see her life in the sattelite, how she slowly becomes obsessed with Captain Thorne, how Sybil Mira treats her. We could see Cress go from following Sybil's orders to slowly helping Cinder as much as she can instead of turning her in. We could see it all slowly play out until she meets Cinder and the rest of the of group without everything being a huge info dump or just plain confusing because a movie would only really have two hours or so to tell the entire 550 pages!

We could see what Wolf's life was like before Scarlet. Ditto Scarlet before Scarlet. We could learn more about her grandmother and her father. Sure, that might mean some filler episodes where the script writers (hopefully/ideally) work with Marissa Meyer to share some info that wasn't in the books. But wouldn't that, too, be incredibly awesome?

We could watch as Dr Erland discovers the cause of letumosis, watch his flashbacks of how he gave up Cress and went rogue.

We could watch Queen Lenara behind the scenes as she plots against Emporer Rikan and then Kai and all of Earth.

(Winter's cover has yet to be revealed)

And then not to mention everything we're going to learn about Winter in Winter. I have a feeling that book is going to one big ball of crazy (in a good way), and I'd love to see that drawn out as a television series instead of stuffed into one movie.

And of course let's not forget the novellas! They give us a peak into the behind-the-scenes of the books, but they leave you wanting more. They could be added in to a television series whereas they will not likely be included in a movie series.

A television series could show us so much more than what a movie could, and it would be amazing. Especially considering how much happens in the books! I could just see it working so well and I want it so badly.

Of course, this is only my opinion. If The Lunar Chronicles does get optioned as a movie series, that's cool with me, too. I'd love to see it on-screen either way. But I would definitely prefer to see it as a television series. So, uh, I'll just sit here, hoping with all my being that the publisher sells the television and not the film rights to a production company who is ready to tackle this incredibly spaceship-ride of a series (er, assuming an untrained Cinder is flying said spaceship)!

I can just see it all in my head right now. I really hope this is something that will happen!

What do you think? Would you rather see The Lunar Chronicles as a television series or as movies? Or would you rather not see it on-screen at all?

Waiting On Wednesday #12

2014-02-12T00:23:00.000-05:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly blogger meme started by Breaking the Spine. If you want to check this meme out at its origin and particpate, just click here.

This week I am waiting on . . .

Nil by Lynne Matson

Goodreads Blurb:
On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time.

---------

This book is right up my alley. A little dystopia, adventure, and suspense all mixed into one from the sound of it! I cannot wait to have this one on my shelf *grabby hands*

Nil is out March 4th, 2014, so not too long a wait! Just enough time to finish the February releases!
And if it interests you, you can join the #NilTribe on Lynne Matson's blog -click here-

Top Ten Tuesday (6): Books That Will Make You Swoon

2014-02-10T23:37:00.000-05:00

(Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. To join in on this weekly meme, visit the blog here)

Top Ten Books What Will Make You Swoon

I'm not really a swooner, but do internally squeal and wish very hard for some romantic book moments to happen irl. These are the top ten books with those moments.

1. Clockwork Angel (or rather, the entire Infernal Devices trilogy) by Cassandra Clare

Between Jem's musical talent and sweetness and Will's passion for books and Tessa, this series certainly had me 'swooning'. Of course, there is a whole lot more to the steampunk fantasy series than the romance, these two Shadowhunters are at the top of my list of swoon-worthy guys in YA.

2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Levi Levi Levi. That's all I have to say.

3. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

I've yet to read Ignite Me, so it's going to have to be Unravel Me that is the most swoon-worthy of the series (or should I pick Destroy Me?). Nah. Unravel Me. Chapter 62.

4. Boy Meets Moy by David Levithan

If you haven't read it yet, I'll try not to spoil, but the lengths Paul goes to to get Noah back are just adorable and completely swoon-worthy, in my honest opinion. It had me giddily grinning nearly the entire way through.

5. The Collector by Victoria Scott

Can bad boys make you swoon? Um, yes. Dante Walker proves this (but maybe don't tell him that - his ego is inflated enough).

6. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

This series about angels and part-angels really got to me. And I'd say even quarter angels are swoon-worthy, wouldn't you?

7. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

I mean, Julian, man. He and Lena are just too adorable to not deem swoon-worthy. Sorry (not sorry), Alex.

8. Tight Knit by Allie Brennan

Just... Lachlan. All right, maybe he wouldn't appreciate being called swoon-worthy, but we don't have to tell him.

9. Switched/Torn/Ascend (Trylle trilogy) by Amanda Hocking

It's a series, so it counts as one. I mean... Loki.

10. Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

I'm more of a Puck fan myself, but I can't deny a more swoon-worthy performance than Ash's declaration to Meghan, and everything he goes through to be with her.

Cover Characteristic (1): Storms

2014-02-09T23:00:00.003-05:00

Cover Characteristic is a book blog meme created by Sugar & Snark. Each week they will post a characteristic, and you pick your five favourites.

Covers with Storms

And my favourite...

Because dragons + fire = BA

Monthly Wrap Up: January & February Reads

2014-02-08T16:09:00.002-05:00

Hey all!

I'm going to try to do a new thing on here. It's similar to a weekly roundup, except it will take place at the beginning and end of each month. At the beginning, I will plan out my reads, and at the end I'll check back in and see how I did, as well as remind you all (and myself) which reviews I've done the past month.
It should hopefully get me back on track to blogging as regularly as possible (I'd like to two at least two posts a week). These will likely come as two separate posts in the future, but since it's no longer January, I merged the two months.
And for the books I didn't get a chance to review each month, I'll write a short review of my thoughts so no book is left in the shadows.
Let's get started!

Books I Read in January:

Independent Study (The Testing #2) by Joelle Charbonneau

To date still one of my favourite futuristic series! You can read my review on the first book in the series, The Testing, by clicking -here-. IS was just as good as The Testing, if not better, and I cannot WAIT for the final book in the trilogy. Graduation Day is out in June 2014. The conclusion should be an expected epic one.

And then I went on a contemporary kick with the following four:

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

An interesting POV. I admit it took me a while to get used to the story being told by the all-seeing generation of men lost to AIDS, but the characters and their stories were too intriguing for me to want to put the down. This book was fantastically written and a great LGBT read I highly recommend you add to your shelves.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno

I loved this book a lot more than I thought I would! For someone who gets bored with contemporary, I couldn't really put this one down. I liked that it was honest, and a more mature YA. The plot didn't feel cheap or cheesy, and the characters were well developed. I'd read more contemporary like this one.

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

This one I summed up on my Goodreads review as 'cute'. It did not blow me away, but the writing was superb - it switched chapter by chapter to the two main characters' point of views, and their voices were distinct, which is very difficult to do. Kudos to the author for a great debut novel. If any of you are looking for a Valentine's Read (because why not?), I recommend this.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

This is an older book, but still a fabulous read by the amazing David Levithan. I'd love to see this turned into a film (isn't it about time?). Anyone else? Comment with your fancasts if you've got 'em. If you haven't read Boy Meets Boy yet, I highly recommend that you do. It's another great LGBT and Valentine's read that will leave you smiling and maybe even shedding a tear or two.

My February Reading Plan

I'm currently reading three books (I know Goodreads says four, but one's on hold until I feel like picking it back up again). I'd like to get through them by the end of this month, as well as read another one or two. So here's the plan:

End of January Book Haul!

2014-02-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

It's been way too long since I have posted one of these! I am a book buying fiend, so catching up on all of my bookshelf additions would be insane (perhaps I'll do an updated bookshelf tour sometime in February, once my room is organized - one shelf is half-blocked by my bed).
But here is a mini-haul I brought in at the end of January!

The books:

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
I am currently reading this one! I have only recently discovered this wonderful author, thanks to Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I read Every Day a few months ago and loved it, and Two Boys Kissing just a few days ago. I highly recommend you read David Levithan if you haven't. He is a must-read for contemporary and LGBTQ+ fiction.

Control by Lydia Kang
I received an arc of Control from a YABC giveaway in the summer and it was so amazing I couldn't wait to get my hands on the beautiful hardcover. I still need to write a review for this one (a re-read might be in order), so keep an eye out! I'm really bad at promises (I'm super forgetful, mostly), but maybe I'll even do a giveaway and pass the arc on so others can enjoy it!

The Rule of Three by Eric Walters
Eric Walters is a local (to me), established author who I have yet to read anything by. So far nothing has really caught my eye, but when this hardcover showed up in my store, I had to get my hands on it. It's an apocalyptic novel where catastrophe is triggered by a global computer shut down. I'm glad I waited a few days, because Eric Walters came into the store to sign some copies!

House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini (rest in peace)
I've been meaning to pick up this book since it came out. JK Rowling recommended and written by two amazing guys (one Harry Potter film director and one incredible author). I among many authors was shocked and saddened to hear of Ned Vizzini's passing, but he will live on in his writing. House of Secrets is the first in a middle grade series written by these two authors. I've heard nothing but good things (from all ages!) and cannot wait to start this one.

Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

2014-02-01T14:35:00.002-05:00

Title: Panic
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Contemporary
Format reviewed: e-galley

Blurb:
Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most

Review:
Having read all of Lauren Oliver's previously published YA novels, I was looking forward to reading Panic and expecting it to be as amazing as her other books. I was not disappointed.

Similar to her first contemporary novel, Before I Fall, the characters in Panic were very well-developed and honest. There was not one I liked more than the rest (although there was one I was rooting for above the others), but this is not a fault I find in the book. I enjoyed that the characters each had obvious flaws and made mistakes. Like real human beings, none were perfect, and all had their secrets, as well as their own motivation to participate in the game of Panic.
I find this to be lacking in contemporary YA, and enjoyed the refreshing and honest take on teenaged characters Lauren Oliver writes.

The book was full of suspense, and though I had a feeling for who might come out on top, I did not feel that any part of this book was annoyingly predictable. Oliver's superb writing kept me guessing and second-guessing myself. As one who does not enjoy contemporary as much as I do other genres in YA, I loved Panic, and want to read more contemporary (and other genres) from this author. She is definitely one of my favourites, and I cannot wait to see more from her.

Keep an eye out for this gem from Lauren Oliver!
Panic will be published March 4, 2014
You can pre-order the hardcover from the following retailers:
Chapters/Indigo/Coles
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)

Or you can pre-order the e-book from the following e-tailers:
Kobo
Nook
Amazon Kindle

Review: Scorched by Mari Mancusi

2013-12-12T20:35:00.000-05:00

Title: Scorched
Series: Scorched
Placement in Series: 1/?
Author: Mari Mancusi
Format: Hardover
Blurb:

Trinity
Don’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...

Connor
He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.

Caleb
He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.

Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed.

Review:
I must admit, I'm a sucker for dragons. Scorched had a very interesting mix of contemporary, fantasy, time travel/futuristic, and semi-apocalyptic. Each genre is lightly incorporated, which I think worked well. There were a few parts that fell flat for me, but I put that blame in the fact that I let myself put the book down for a while once I got partway through, and so I became disconnected. I started reading Scorched in early fall and put it down for a while because I started to get lazy, then picked it up again a few days ago, so I didn't get as into the story as I would have liked. However, I still loved the story, and can't wait for the sequel. I'm curious to see the direction it will take (and what the cover will look like, because this cover was absolutely gorgeous!).

I don't think I'm the biggest fan of the love triangle in this one, but at the same time I myself am not sure which brother I like more. I think I prefer them as friends to Trin than as more, because I wasn't sold on the romance. It doesn't take away from the story, however, so I'm okay with it.

I'm very interested in seeing the brothers' relationship develop. Trying not to spoil here, but I do want to see how they get along/don't get along in the sequel, and how everything that happened affects their siblingship. I foresee some forgiveness, but lots of hostility and lack of trust, and am looking forward to reading how that all plays out.

Overall, a very fun book with quite an interesting premise

Rating: 4/5

Cover + Blurb Reveal: Duality (Hitchhiker Strain #2) by Kellie Sheridan

2013-10-24T02:00:00.000-04:00

You guys, I am SO EXCITED for this sequel, I cannot even!
And so I am SO EXCITED to share this cover reveal with all of you.

Back in August I read Mortality by Kellie Sheridan, the first book in the Hitchhiker Strain series. (You can read my review here. Spoiler: I loved it!) And after that ending, I can't wait to read more!!

But without further ado, the reveal!

Title: Duality (The Hitchhiker Strain, #2)
Author: Kellie Sheridan
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Release Date: December 31st, 2013
Blurb:

The end of everything came quickly, but the road back is endless and full of heartbreak.

After months of only death and loss, Veritas may be the answer everyone has been searching for—a cure. Savannah wants nothing more than to begin rebuilding, but with both the Initiative and the United Militia vying for power, there are no easy answers. Ending the threat for good could mean becoming something far worse than the monsters she is fighting against.

The infected will not go quietly. For Chelsea, the choice to step back into the world of the living is anything but simple. No miracle can erase the memories of the things she saw or the people she killed. While the girl she was struggles against the beast she became, Chelsea must make a choice—succumb or fight.

Links:
DUALITY on Goodreads
Kellie Sheridan’s Website
Follow Kellie on Twitter
Like Kellie on Facebook

Duality is out December 31st, 2013, so if you haven't yet read Mortality, you have time!

Review: Frostbite by Lynn Rush

2013-09-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Frostbite
Series: Touch of Frost
Placement in Series: 1/3
Author: Lynn Rush
Format: e-arc
Blurb:

Amanda gives a whole new meaning to cool…

Amanda Smith is sick of getting chased from town-to-town. So when she lands in tiny Trifle, Arizona, she hopes it’s her last move for a long time. Despite hating the smallness of the town, she settles in and finds a best friend, and even a boyfriend. Normality at its finest.

But for a girl who can shoot snow from her hands and lift a two-ton truck over her head like a bag of feathers—normal is not an option.

The scientists who murdered her mother come barreling into Amanda’s quiet life. She must decide if she’ll run again or stay and fight. The price of either choice might be her life or the lives of those she’s come to love…

Review:
Spoiler warning: This review is only slightly spoilery. I promise I don't give anything big away

Okay, I really enjoyed this one. I was lucky enough to receive an e-arc copy of this book (the first of a new trilogy by Lynn Rush), and I was super excited to dive into it! A girl with super strength and ice powers? Sold! Add in an action-packed plot where the protagonist is always on the run from people who murdered her mother (who had the same powers as she does) and father, some incredible characters I can't wait to read more about, and plot twists that left me on the edge of my seat with my mouth on the floor, and I'll have devoured the book in no time. Which is exactly what happened with Frostbite.

The book begins with Amanda, our protagonist, and her brother Scott living in a small town in Arizona as they attempt to stay hidden from the Coats - the name they've given to the white coat-wearing 'doctors' that have been tracking them down since their parents died. In Arizona, Amanda has made one friend, Georgia, and is trying to keep out of trouble for the few weeks left until she can graduate high school. But it is not only her poor attitude toward school and multiple tardies and absences that threaten her from achieving this milestone - the Coats have found her again, and she must decide if she wants to run again and leave behind Georgia, who is like a sister to her, and Zack, an unexpected romantic interest.
(Slight spoiler alert:) Amanda decides to stay; she and Scott have been running for so long, and she is too close to graduation to mess it all up now.

I really enjoyed all of the characters, but Amanda's spunky attitude was fun, entertaining, and refreshing - not all female protagonists need to be scholastic role models! (I for one did not enjoy school, nor did I have the greatest grades, so reading a protagonist who also lacked the interest was nice - is it just me, or do a lot of YA students get B's and A's without really trying?).

Georgia's develpoment as a character was fun to read. Seeing her go from timid - around her parents, at least - to brave in the face of danger, had me cheering her on, and made me question if I liked her more than Amanda or not (I think I've decided it's a tie).

I am still not sure how I feel about Zack, Amanda's love interest. I like his character, but if something happened to him and/or if Amanda moved on, I could live with it. He's cool; I'm just not attached. Kudos to him for sticking with Amanda through everything, though. His loyalty to her is admirable and I hope he comes out of this trilogy okay.

And then there's Scott, Amanda's older, powerless (in terms of super powers, anyway) brother. I don't really know what to say about Scott. Except he can make a smoothie for me any day... :D I wish he had some powers; I feel bad for him that he's left out of everything, but he makes do. If anything happens to him by the end of this trilogy, well... Let's just not go there.

The twists in this book were unexpected (as they should be), to me at least, and I loved them. My favourite, of course, when we found the Blaze to Amanda's Kelvin. That was my favourite part of the book and I was grinning so hard. I love the suspicion the plot had me feel towards certain characters. I was wary of trusting them right up until the end of the book, and even then, Lynn Rush still had me guessing! I don't want to give anything else away, so *zips lips*

It seems Amanda's powers develop every day, and I can't wait to see them grow in the following books. I also look forward to more character development - I definitely can't wait for more Georgia! I'd like to see some from Zack, especially. I want to like him, and I'm not going to say no to my fictional crushes list expanding, but he has some more convincing to do.

Overall, amazing story! It kept me engaged, laughing, and guessing, and I can't wait for people to read this book so I can discuss without spoiling anything! Can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy as well (and, of course, the sequel!). Can't wait to see where Absolute Zero (book 2) takes us! I had a lot of fun reading this one :)

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended for: Anyone who loves action, characters with special powers, and a fun, exciting plot. Fans of Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me, Kathy Reichs' Virals series, and the Percy Jackson series will enjoy Frostbite.

Frostbite by Lynn Rush is out September 17th, 2013

Review: Mortality by Kellie Sheridan

2013-08-12T23:44:00.000-04:00

Title: Mortality
Series: The Hitchhiker Strain
Placement in Series: Book one.
Author: Kellie Sheridan
Format: e-galley

Quick Synopsis:

The first book in the Hitchhiker Strain series, Mortality tells the story of what happens when a virus wipes out most of the population, turning humans into zombies. It is told from two very different perspectives. We are first introduced to Savannah, who is living in her school with what is left of her community. The virus has already wiped out the city, and those who survived are doing whatever they can to fight back against the new strain of zombies - ones who seem to be capable of intelligent thought. When Savannah and her friends are sent on a mission for medical supplies, their 'camp' is attacked my a zombie hoarde, forcing the four teens to track down their friends, families, and neighbours. Zarah's story starts from the beginning, showing how the zombie strain began, separating her from everyone she loves. She and her school crush are surviving on their own until they hear of a cure, and seek it out, only to be separated (and I will leave it at that because spoilers). Savannah's and Zarah's stories intertwine as they both seek out the rumoured new cure to the virus.

My Thoughts:

This book is seriously amazing. It really drew me in right from the start. The POV switch worked really well as the stories of Zarah and Savannah slowly (but greatly paced) intersected. I did not realize how attached I was to the characters until the spoilery spoiler spoils I will not detail because spoilers. ;)

Savannah's story took up a good chunk of the book as she and her friends fight zombies, track down their community, and are separated a few times. I really enjoyed her character; Savannah is first introduced to us when she is bored of being stuck in the school, and wants to put her training to use. She is a very strong character with incredible loyalty to her friends. What drives her throughout the book is her attempt to find and save one of her friends. Though she could be incredibly impulsive, I really admired her determination and her focus. She never allowed herself to be swayed from what she wanted. She stuck to her plan, even if it went against what her companion wanted.

Zarah's story was equally interesting. I don't want to talk too much about hers, because it is very spoilery. Her character was great as well, though. She was not as impulsive or as kick-butt as Savannah, but when things got tough, she did everything she could to fight against forces out of her control. I really felt for her, and felt myself drawn to her story slightly more than Savannah's. Her story took a turn I did not expect, and I commend the author for the direction Mortality went towards the end. It was amazing, and very well-executed! I'm intrigued to see where book two takes us.

Definitely a book I would recommend! Especially if the whole apocalyptic/ zombie/ virus strain medley of genres is something you enjoy. Lots of suspense and action in this one, and the pacing and writing was fantastic! I look forward to reading the second Hitchhiker Strain book!

Fun fact: Mortality is a self-published book by a new Canadian author, which I found out after I read the book. So, bonus!
Thank you to Kellie Sheridan and Netgalley for providing me with an e-galley for review.

Rating:
5/5 - Full of suspense, adventure, and action. The well-executed ending twist and cliffhanger has me looking forward to the sequel!
Recommended for anyone who loves post-apocalyptics - especially the zombie/virus types.

-------------------------

You can visit Kellie Sheridan's website here.

Buy the e-book and paperback of Mortality on Amazon here or the Kobo e-book here.

Waiting on Wednesday #11

2013-08-07T19:35:00.002-04:00

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly blogger meme started by Breaking the Spine. If you want to check this meme out at its origin and particpate, just click here.

It has been a ridiculous amount of time since I have done a WoW post! I went a little meme crazy a few weeks ago, and then the meme train ran out of gas, I guess, haha. But here it is! Waiting on Wednesday post #11.

This week I am waiting on . . .

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Fire & Flood is the first book in an upcoming trilogy by The Collector author, Victoria Scott.

Goodreads Blurb:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Add Fire & Flood to your Goodreads by clicking here

Fire & Flood is right up my alley with the adventurous appeal and high stakes! Also, animal companion? :D If anyone knows what kind of animal (I've heard it's a genetically engineered one), I would love to know. <3
Also, that cover. The fire and the gray. . . Simple yet very eye-appealing (at least to me. I might have this thing for fire . . .) Love it! ;)

Sadly we will all have to wait until February 2014 before this book hits shelves, but I'm sure it will be well worth the wait!

Plethora of Reviews #2

2013-08-04T22:01:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the second installment of Plethora of Reviews, where I post a handful of short book reviews all in one post!

Review #1: Losing It by Various Authors, Edited by Keith Gray

Quick Synopsis:

A complilation of short stories about losing 'it'. Characters share their stories about their first times. No, not kisses. I mean going all the way. The big s-e-x. The stories are by Keith Gray (also the editor), Jenny Valentine, Melvin Burgess, Patrick Ness, Mary Hooper, Sophie McKenzie, Bali Rai, and Annie Fine.

My Thoughts:

To be honest with you, the only story that stuck with me was Patrick Ness' short story, Different for Boys. It featured a gay male teen and his struggles with you'll have to read the story and to find out ;) . I found it to be extremely interesting and very well-written, despite the black boxes (which were frustrating at times because I wanted to know what was supposed to be behind them, but stylistically they worked and left just the right amount to the imagination). Ness' story is a solid 5/5 for me, and makes me want to read more by him.

As for the other stories? I skipped most because I quickly became bored with them. The ones I did read all the way through were not memorable in any way. There was one where a great aunt or grandma told her niece/granddaughter what her first time was like, and it was told through the eyes of the girl's younger brother, who was sitting at the table with them. The whole situation was odd. Why did no one tell the younger boy to leave? It was a very awkward conversation for the girl to be obviously interested in while her parents and younger sibling were there, and I just did not like it. The rest were not great. They were not even good.

Rating: 5/5 for Patrick Ness' story, but the rest I am not even going to rate. I would say the ones I read entirely average 2/5 stars or less. I received this book as an e-galley from the publisher through Netgalley, which I am grateful for. It makes me want to read more by Patrick Ness (someone remind me to pick up his Chaos Walking series, already!), but I would not buy this book solely for that story.

-------------------------

Review #2: Our Song by Jordanna Fraiberg

Quick Synopsis:

Protagonist Olive Bell had a great life until she nearly died in a car accident. Said accident killed her boyfriend, and now Olive must pick up the pieces of her life. Strangely, she is haunted by a melody that she cannot place. Olive goes to a support group to appease her mother, but there she meets the mysterious and seemingly haunted Nick. A romance blooms between the two teens, and Olive feels a connection between them that she cannot explain. Olive's story is about love and solving the mystery of the melody she hears, as well as trying to heal the ghosts of her past.

My Thoughts:

Some parts of this book I liked, some I didn't. I could not bring myself to side with or relate to Olive; I just did not understand her and she frustrated me. I wanted to slap her and yell: goddamnit! Listen to your best friend!! The ending was also too perfect. It was all tied up in a neat little bow. Suddenly Olive's mother was cool and understanding when before she was hardly even close. I also did not understand how renting a hotel room for three hours a night is enough to sleep away nightmares. I have never gone through anything like Olive has, but that whole situation made little sense to me. It was like a problem created for no realistic reason. It took me until about halfway through the book before I started to think I would enjoy it. Olive seemed very childish to me, and it was not until halfway that she began to grow up a bit more. I did not, unfortunately, like Olive. I mostly tolerated her.

However, I really enjoyed the character of Nick (although I was expecting more out of his back story than what we got). I really wish Olive did not rely on boys so much to 'save' her. I wanted to see some character growth there, but alas, that did not happen. And when she -spoiler alert. Highlight to read the following text- went back to Derek so easily after she was supposedly over him, I wanted to scream. Overall, not a story I see myself re-reading, but it was okay. I think I just expected more from the secrets everyone was hiding than what was really there.

Rating:

3/5. Not bad, but not something I would re-read. It's tough when you spend the entire book wanting to crawl through the pages and slap the protagonist until he/she stops being ridiculously infuriating. But not bad.

What Happened to July?

2013-08-04T21:24:00.001-04:00

I am not dead! And neither is this blog!

I feel I should specify that since for the entire month of July, there were no posts. Terrible! On my part, that was incredibly terrible. July was a really weird month. My work schedule was very wonky and the time I did find to write I spent trying to keep up with my Camp NaNoWriMo word goal. I failed badly, but that's another post for a different blog. And then I went on vacation!
My work schedule for August is pretty full, but I am going to try to post more on here. Especially more than zero times. I can do that, right? Of course! In fact, I have a second Plethora of Reviews post coming up.

A view of Negeek Lake in Combermere, Ontario - my favourite summer vacation cottage destination

In apology, I give you a look at the beautiful lake I vacationed at last week. Jealous? I know I am - of Past Me. I miss it so.

Plethora of Reviews #1

2013-06-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first installment of Plethora of Reviews, where I post a handful of short book reviews all in one post! This time I will be reviewing four books I have read recently and wanted to pay tribute to.

Review #1: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Quick Synopsis:

Dante Walker lives, well, down there. Hell. His boss? The lord of Hell. His job? Collecting souls of human beings, tagging them each time they sin. Once they rack up enough tags, their souls are sold to Hell, where they will go once they die. Dante loves his job; he just doesn't like the tie he has to Hell. He wants to be free, and the chance has come. His boss offers him a promotion that will allow him to live on earth. The catch? He has to collect the soul of one girl, Charlie. The bigger catch? Charlie is a saint (she started her own charity, for goodness sake)! If trying to turn a saint into a sinner was hard enough, someone else is trying to collect Charlie as well. Dante's got a lot on his plate between Charlie, the mysterious competition, and ... what? Developing a soft spot for Charlie? Surely not...

My Thoughts:

This book was fun. Dante is one frustrating guy. He's obnoxious, intimidating, seemingly heartless, extremely bad ass, and worst of all, incredibly good-looking. I'm sure he has stronger words to describe his looks, but he's not here right now (err, unfortunately). I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the way Victoria Scott brought Dante's story to life. The book was witty, but also dark.

I could not relate to Charlie, but the book was not written from her perspective, so I was not bothered. Dante's internal dialogue about her was pretty hilarious, and if that makes me an awful person, well, at least Dante is on my side. Well, until he fell for her, anyway.

If you're looking for a fun read with an interesting twist and intriguing plot, I recommend this one. If anything, you'll enjoy Dante's narrative. I don't usually laugh out loud when I'm reading (I internally emote most of the time), but this one had me snorting many times throughout.

Rating: 4/5 stars. I loved it, and cannot wait for the sequel, The Liberator, which is out this coming August (yay for short waits - I read this one back in June).

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Review #2: Origin by Jessica Khoury

Quick Synopsis:

Pia, our main character, is going to live forever. She has been bred specifically for this, in the hopes that what made her immortal can be passed on to the rest of humanity. But what if Pia doesn't want to be the scientist they want her to be? What if she wants to be free? One day she leaves the compound she has grown up on and been prisoner in (though it never felt like a prison until she gets out and meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village). Slowly Pia begins to discover that the lab she thought she knew so well is full of secrets, and she is at the heart of all of them.

My Thoughts:

I loved everything about this book. The premise, the setting, the pet jaguar...

So far Origin is the only book I've read that has done the genetic manipulation of humans right. And by right, I mean it was well done. Well-written, well plot out, well delivered. The characters were fascinating and had me questioning who I actually liked and who I actually hated.

The premise by far was my favourite part though. It really makes you question how far humanity would go to preserve itself. Do we humans need to know how to bottle immortality? Could someone be working on that research right now? Could the events in the book happen one day? Probably. If the boundaries of ethics are pushed and bent the right way, anyway.

Rating: 5/5. And there will be a companion novel called Vitro, which is due out January of next year. Should be interesting!

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Review #3: Proxy by Alex London

Quick Synopsis:

Similar concept as The Whipping Boy (which I've not read, but know the premise of), Proxy is the story of two teenage boys, Knox and Syd. Knox is rich, and Syd is his proxy. When Knox does something bad, be it getting a bad grade or accidentally killing a girl, Syd takes the punishment. Now Syd is on the run, not wanting to serve the life sentence law tells him he has to do when he did not even do anything wrong.

Knox knows something is not right, so when the two accidentally find each other, Knox joins his proxy in evading the authorities and Knox's father, who will stop at nothing to get his son back. Or is that what he's after them for?

My Thoughts:

The concept of this book, as you might have guessed, is really fascinating. I've been told it's remembrant of The Whipping Boy, a story where when the prince misbehaves, a boy takes his punishment instead and is whipped, because a prince cannot be whipped. This story is less fantasy and more futuristic sci-fi. And it's great.

The story is told from the alternating POVs of both Knox and Syd, who are very, very different. Knox is difficult to like, until the very end whereareallycoolcliffhangerhappens and damnitIneedthenextbooknow, but I won't get into that for spoiler's sake.

Might I also add that this book is a great LGBT read, especially since the matter of Syd's sexuality is not the focus of the story. It's a non-issue, which made me smile to discover that the future in Proxy's world, while incredibly mucked up, has at least advanced as much to have accepted people's sexualities. Finally.

Rating: 4/5 - Great book, well-written, hard to put down. I received an e-copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review, and bought the hardcover immediately once it was published.

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Review #4: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Quick Synopsis:

It's finally happened. Contact. With 'out there'. Except not the kind of contact humans were hoping for. An alien race who won't show their faces (or any part of them, really) have reached earth and are taking over. That's right, they aren't here to make friends. They're here to eliminate us and take out planet for themselves. And they're doing a good job of it. First they take away our technology. No hydro, no internet, no transportation except by foot. Then there is a virus, which only a small perentage of the human population is immune to. As for the immune? They don't know who to trust, because the enemy is hiding among them.

Our main character has lost everything and is on the hunt to find her younger brother when she is incapacitated and dying. But then she is rescued and she has to figure out if she can trust her saviour, Evan, especially since he might be her only hope in getting her brother back.

My Thoughts:

The story is told from a few point of views, but it never gets confusing, as each point of view is its own 'part'.

I don't really know what to say about this book. It was just so amazing that I'm not sure my words can do it justice. But I will say this: I think this is going to be the best book of the year, guys. This is it.

Rating: 5/5 - Book of the year, guys. I'm calling it. (And from the other reviews I've seen, I'm not the only one!)

Top Ten Tuesday (5): Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013

2013-06-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

(Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. To join in on this weekly meme, visit the blog here)

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013

These are in no particular order...

Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Received from the publisher via netgalley.
Review to come soon. Spoiler: 5/5 rating

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa
Click here for my review

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

Origin by Jessica Khoury
Review to come soon

Scrap by Emory Sharplin
Received from publisher via netgalley.
Click here for my review

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)

The 5th Wave (5th Wave) by Rick Yancey
Review to come soon

The Testing (The Testing #1) by Joelle Charbonneau
Click here for my review

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

A Plethora of Mini Reviews

2013-06-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, I also write. Most of the time I sacrifice posting to this blog to work on my own writing, plus I have a funny work schedule (ah, the retail life) (but at a bookstore, so no complaints) (are there grammar rules about multiple parentheses in one sentence? Oops, I just broke it twice), so I don't get to spend as much time writing reviews as I'd like.

However, this is problematic, because I read a lot of books, and I'd like to give them all the attention I believe they deserve in the form on honest reviews. But if I were to write a detailed full review about every book I read, well, I wouldn't have much time to do anything else, would I?

So I've come up with a solution that I am hoping will work out all right. Every now and then I will post a plethora of mini reviews. The first one will be coming up, and will feature a few short reviews outlining my thoughts on a handful of books I have recently read. If it doesn't end up working for whatever reason, there won't be anymore, but this is the plan for now.

But don't worry! I will still be posting full reviews every now and then about the books of which I have a lot to say.

(New bookcase! Bookshelf tour to come soon!)

I also hope to be doing a bookshelf tour soon (I bought a new bookcase - see above!) now that my books are organized. So look out for that as well. I will likely upload it to Youtube and link it from here. (Maybe a few of my mini reviews will be done as videos as well to help save time. We shall see.)

And just to keep you up to date, I am currently reading the e-galley of Losing It by multiple YA authors (I'm on the one by Patrick Ness right now). I am also reading Eon by Alison Goodman, which I have barely started so as of yet I've nothing to say about it.

I might continue posting meme posts every now and then. I stopped because having a post a day was leaving no time for other things. Ah, time. Why must there be so little of you?

So yeah. I just wanted to give you all an update. This blog is still active. It might just not be completely reliable. And by it I mean I, of course, haha. I try, guys, I really do.

Happy reading!