Laura Plus Books

Books Of December 2013!

2013-12-27T12:56:00.000+11:00

Wow. Can you believe it? 2013 is coming to an end?! This time last year, I was just getting started on my blog. Starting to meet other bloggers and starting to write more content. And now, a year later, I'm changing to Laura Plus Books, I'm in the process of moving to Wordpress and I'm having a blast. Completely off topic but does anyone think they can help me move this design over to Wordpress?

But anyway, back to the point, the books I've read in December! Okay so I only read 3 books this month. BUT I promise I have a legit reason. I've read 69 books this year. I promise it wasn't on purpose. Okay, who am I kidding? I'm just immature and wanted to reading goal to be 69 haha. So I only allowed myself to read 3 books. I know the month isn't over but I'm planning to leave the last page of a book unread if I manage to get through another one this month.

I have reviews of The Fiery Heart and Touch of Power up. My Scent of Magic review is coming soon! But I loved all of these books. 5 stars all round.

Book Review: Touch Of Power by Maria V. Snyder

2013-12-25T20:58:00.003+11:00

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.
Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

Merry Christmas everyone! And happy holidays for ythose who don't celebrate Christmas. Today I come to you with a review of Touch Of Power by Maria V. Snyder. I've read two of Maria V. Snyder's series in the past and so when I saw that this one was coming to an end, I wanted to read all three books together. I've been meaning to read this series for the longest time. So when I was able to get an ARC of Taste Of Darkness (thank you Harlequin Teen Australia), it was finally time.

Three words, eight letters. I love you. Well not you, the book. I'm kidding, I love you too! But seriously, oh my god, this book was amazing. I don't believe I put it off for so long! Her writing and world building was just spectacular. I looovvveedddd the main character Avry so much. You have no idea how refreshing it was for me to read a YA book without an annoying and stupid main character. This is one of those books that makes me think "why the f*** did I give that other book 5 stars too?"

I was in a reading slump before reading this but as soon as I read the first page, I was out of it. I grew emotionally attached to Avry and then all the characters that came along. I loved their humour and all their personalities. I loved how each of them grew together. And, I LOVED THE ROMANCE. *Squeals like a little girl!* If you hate insta-love, you'll LOVE this book. It definitely wasn't insta-love. And it wasn't that they were in denial. Because you know when girls say that hate the boy but they actually love them. Well see, the romance between Avry and Kerrick actually developed slowly. So freaking cute.

The only bad thing was that SOME parts were predictable. However, I was still shocked at some bombshells. Also SOME SMALL parts were a LITTLE more boring that others. But, still, FIVE STARS!!!

I'm currently reading the sequel and I love it so far. If you haven't read this book, I 100% recommend you read it. Pleeaasseee. I'm sure you're sick if my fangirling. Well, tough luck, because the only way you'll escape it is by reading it. Or, fangirling with me in the comments!

Touch Of Power by Maria V. Snyder | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
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Taking The Music Out Of Music Plus Books?

2013-12-24T00:00:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone. I've been thinking about this for a while now and I think I've finally made the the decision to take music out of my blog. I don't think I'll change this decision. But to just jump to point first, I do need your opinion on something else. Clearly 'Music Plus Books' was a naive name choice. I will definitely be needing a new name. And so, do you think I should change my name to 'Laura Plus Books' or something completely different and unique?

If I were to change my name to Laura Plus Books, my brand won't be lost to much. I haven't been way overboard with my branding but I do have to admit that I throw my blog's name everywhere. If I change my blog to Laura Plus Books, I will probably still have to change my logo but the change won't be extremely huge.

If I changed into a completely different name then I'd have a change to have a original and unique name. But I don't know if I'm ready. I do like Laura Plus Books a lot but I know that I could probably think of something better. I'd really really love your imput! Definitely leave your opinion in the comments for me. Please!!! And also, if you could do the poll in my sidebar as well, it'd be a massive help.

But now on to WHY I decided this. I'm legitimately really sorry to those of you who read my music posts. I really really am. I think I expressed this in my blogaversary post but back then I actually wanted to do the music posts. But now I feel like my music posts are kind of just a filler and I don't want to write them. I didn't want to have to go through all the trouble but I decided that I want my blog to be fun and not something I feel inclined to do because I feel like I have to. If I ever want to do a post about music or anything at all, I still will because music will always be a part of me.

I'm going to be a hard to change for me and it's going to be really be different. But I really hope you guys can all help and support me through this. Thank you for all you've already done for me.

Update
I'm pretty much set on Laura Plus Books as of right now because I feel as though it will be the least bothersome. I've made the decision that I will be moving to Wordpress as soon as that's possible. I'm just trying to work out how I'd go about it since I'll be changing my URL as well. I'm ready for a change and 2014 is the perfect opportunity. Thank you again everyone. Thank you for all your support through this decision. Even though I'm doing this because I don't always like writing my music posts, it's going to be touch. It's so nice to know that there will be people by my side. Happy holidays!

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Book Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

2013-12-23T20:16:00.000+11:00

Life. Death. And...Love?
Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.
But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.
Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.
Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

Heartbeat is a love story. I'm sure you can guess how it goes. Girl meets bad boy. But... oh what? His not actually bad? Oh my god, it's because his parents don't love him? I would've never guessed it! Emma is a young girl filled with grief because her mum is brain-dead. She hates her step-dad because she thinks that he doesn't love her. She thinks he's only there for the baby.

Well, if I could describe this book in one word, it'd be: over-dramatic. The writing was over-dramatic. The whole thing was just over-dramatic. I felt as though the main character, Emma, was just an obnoxious teenager. Okay, I understand that she's a teenager and so she can be angry, but holy crap, she's got to calm down a bit. I kind of wanted to just slap her in the face. Her thoughts were so illogical. I get that she's mourning and stuff but it doesn't make it any less annoying.

What I did like was the love story though. Even if it was cliche, it was still super cute. Of course there were a few setbacks but that was okay. Even with the bad stuff, this book sucked me in. I read it a lot faster than I normally read. I felt as though it was really short. Plus, it has a super sweet ending. To me, endings are pretty damn important. So when everything was wrapped up in a cute tiny bow, I was left smiling.

In no way would I say it's a favourite of mine but overall I did enjoy it. Not many female protagonists in YA please me so my annoyance wasn't anything different. If you hate over-dramatic or extreme cliche, I'd say stay away from it. Even though the concept is really unique, the characters aren't any different from anyone else. And finally, I leave you with some quotes...

"If he looked at you like you're the start of summer vacation, then yeah, he'll call."

"I get it, you're talking to him and you're looking at him and he's looking at you and maybe he gets stuff I don't because of his sister, but do you know how it feels to think that your best friend would rather talk to some guy she barely knows than you? And that I have to hear about it from everyone else! I mean, Anthony tried to talk to me about it. Anothony!"

That last quote was just the best. You tell her. I just wanted to high five Emma's best friend in that scene.

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book Depository | iBookstore
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Stacking The Shelves #20: Allen & Unwin

2013-12-21T12:36:00.002+11:00

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted on Tynga's Reviews. Basically you share what books you acquired that week whether it be physical or digital. Info here.

The once highly in-demand detective Alan Knightley has just woken up after an unexplained incident kept him asleep for four years. While he was out cold, his son, Darkus, took it upon himself to read of all his dad's old cases, and he's learned a lot about the art of detection. It's a good thing too—because suddenly the duo find themselves caught up in a crazy conspiracy that involves a group of villainous masterminds (who keep appearing and then vanishing), some high-speed car chases (that will have everyone fastening their seat belts), and a national, bestselling book with the power to make people do terrible, terrible things. But because Alan is still suffering the effects of his coma, he tends to, well, fall asleep at the worst possible moments, Meaning that young Darkus might just have to solve this mystery . . . by himself.

Knightley and Son by Rohan Gavin | Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In 1814, three cousins-Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope-discover their unknown family lineage of witchcraft. Beyond the familiar manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, a dangerous, alluring new underworld visible only to those with power is now open to the cousins.
But unbeknownst to them, by claiming their power, the three cousins have inadvertently opened the gates to the Underworld.
Now the dead, ghouls, hellhounds-and the most terrifying of all: the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters-are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers.
And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders...because she keeps finding the bodies.
Can the cousins unravel the clues and mystery behind their heritage and power before their gifts are stripped away ...or even worse, another witch is killed?

A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey | Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This week's haul includes to ARCs I received from Allen & Unwin. So thank you so much! To be honest, I think I actually received Knightley and Son last week or even earlier than that but I just completely forgot to include in my haul. As for A Breath of Frost, it came in the mail yesterday! I'm super excited to read them as soon as I can because they both seem super intriguing. I doubt I'll be able to read them before the release date but I'm hoping to read them both some time in January. Maybe even for the Bout of Books 9.0!

Have you read any of these? What did you get this month? And, are you doing the upcoming Bout of Books read-a-thon?

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Promo Blitz: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

2013-12-20T12:29:00.000+11:00

Life. Death. And...Love?
Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.
But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.
Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.
Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

Back Cover

Who else just loves the cover and the back cover? I think the back cover especially is so unique. I've already read this one since I was too excited. You can expect my review in a few days!

About The Author
ELIZABETH SCOTT grew up in a town so small it didn’t even have a post office, though it did boast an impressive cattle population. She’s sold hardware and panty hose and had a memorable three-day stint in the dot-com industry, where she learned that she really didn’t want a career burning CDs. She lives just outside Washington, D.C., with her husband, and firmly believes you can never own too many books.

“An intense examination of a family coping with grief, this absorbing character study easily keeps pages turning.”
— Kirkus on Heartbeat

And now for the giveaway. It's definitely an exciting giveaway with TEN ARCs of Heartbeat.

Blog Invasion: 2014 Rec Swap Challenge

2013-12-20T04:00:00.000+11:00

Hi guys! This is Richa from City of Books. Yeah, as you can tell from the title of this post, I'm invading Laura's blog for the day. Why? Because we decided to do this challenge that we call the 2014 Rec Swap Challenge. Basically, we're recommending 5 books to each other in this post, and we're challenging each other to read those books sometime next year. And the awesome part is that the recs are a surprise to us until the posts go live!

So Laura, here are my recs for you. I really hope you'll like them ❤

Alienated by Melissa Landers

This is one of my favourite YA sci-fi novels, and since you love sci-fi I'm sure you'll love this! Plus, it comes out in 2014 so I hope you'll pick it up when it releases :)

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Another sci-fi! Since I love the genre too, most of my top favourites can be found there. And Altered is definitely one you want to try out! FOUR hot guys *cough cough*

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

We both love dystopians, and I'm actually surprised you haven't gotten around to this one yet! Hopefully this challenge will make you read it soon ;) It's definitely one of my favourites out there.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

You haven't read any JLA books yet, so I think this will be a good start. It's centered around Greek mythology :) Maybe this will get you on the JLA bandwagon and I can't wait to hear what you think of it!

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

I don't read a lot of historical novels, but this is really fantastic. It's so gripping and I just think that everyone who reads it would love it. So I'm taking a chance and recommending it to you!

Alright, those are my five recs. And trust me, it was really hard to keep it down to five! Thanks, Laura, for coming up with this idea and I can't wait to go see what you've posted for me xD

Music Review: Holding Onto Heaven by Foxes

2013-12-19T21:49:00.000+11:00

Genres: Pop, Music
Released: 13 December 2013
℗ 2013 Sign Of The Times Limited

Today, I have a review for a new song by Foxes! If you remember, she was the one who sung in the hit single Clarity by Zedd. She has plenty of other amazing albums and singles but I thought I'd feature this one specifically because it's free on iTunes. I don't know about you, but I think that's a really good deal. For a good song as well!

My two favourite things about this song has got to be the lyrics and the production. I love every single lines of the lyrics so so so much. They're not super inspirational or anything but nonetheless, I love them. My favourite verse:
"All these years
I've been chasing down the answers
I was here
Always tracing out your shadows
But I need you tonight"
As for the production, I love how it's made to feel so easy and breezy. The whole feel of the song is really nice and uplifting. However, I feel as though the melody isn't all that unique. It's not as catchy as some of her other songs. Also, she doesn't push her vocal ability in this song. I know that her voice has so much strength and I just really would've liked to have seen that power.

Either way, I really love this song. When I found out that it was free, I was utterly shocked. It's a really wonderful piece of art that effort must've have been put into. So if you decide to get this song, definitely check out her other albums as well. These include Youth and Glorious.

Buy on iTunes

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Book Review + Playlist: Captivate by Vanessa Garden

2013-12-17T00:00:00.000+11:00

In a glittering underwater world, nothing is as it seems...
For the past twelve months since her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret — a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.
Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young man named Marko...the King of this underwater civilisation.
Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his half-brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she wants nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie — Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people are hiding dangerous secrets...

Guest Post
by Vanessa Garden

Marko’s Playlist
What would the nineteen year-old king of an underwater civilisation have on his playlist? This is quite tricky because Marko has never been truly exposed to modern music (apart from his brief visits to land) and is a lover of all things classical. However, if Miranda were to lend him her iPod, these are the songs I like to think he’d choose to listen to (including a couple of his own favourites). Most of these songs are darkly romantic, and interestingly enough, more than a few mention the moon and stars (something Marin lacks).

1. The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (I feel this echoes how Marko feels about Miranda being brought to Marin)
2. The Boxer by The Editors (Marko would greatly identify with this song. His birth-right chains him to a responsibility that he sometimes doesn’t want)
3. Under the Milky Way by The Church (this is what he’d play while trying to figure out what Miranda wants)
4. Dream Brother by Jeff Buckley (for when he’s going through family stuff)
5. Bones by The Killers (this is another ‘figuring Miranda out’ song)
6. Across the Night by Silverchair (perfect for angsty, sleepless nights)
7. To you I Bestow by Mundy (this is the song that inspired Captivate!)
8. Waiting for the Sun by the Doors (this is actually here for a character named Blake, who lives in the underworld of Marin)
9. Round Midnight by Miles Davis (as a fellow musician, Marko would recognise the brilliance of this great man)
10. Polonaise in C minor Op 40 No.2. by Chopin (Marko’s favourite)

As my blog is about both books and music, it was only fitting that Vanessa did a guest post and of course a playlist for Marko. The choices are definitely perfect! I wouldn't change one song on that list. Thank you to Vanessa for taking the time to put that together. And to Harlequin Teen Australia for designing the corresponding image. Now for my review! Continue reading to see why I loved this book!

First off, I loved the characters. They had their flaws but there flaws where normal. Things that I could understand. I enjoyed seeing the relationships between the characters develop throughout the book. By the end, I was giggling non-stop at all the cuteness. The beginning was a bit irritating but once the romance started, it was amazing. There was heaps of action to keep me interested. Even so, reading it was a bit slow paced for me but it wasn't too slow. Just not as fast as I'd hoped for.

Another thing I really liked about this book was the writing. I felt as though it was a lot more literary compared to most Young Adult books. However, as unique as the writing was, the story wasn't too different from any other YA book. It was overall pretty predictable. But, I did like that Vanessa Garden still managed to throw a few unexpected bombshells in there.

Overall, I really did enjoy Captivate. A few problems every now and then but I think it's definitely worth checking out. If you're in need of a cute romance, with a really lovely ending, I say go for this one! Thank you to Harlequin Teen again for sending me an ARC of Captivate. This book comes out on the first of January next year!

Captivate by Vanessa Garden | Goodreads | Book Depository

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Bout of Books 9.0: Sign Up

2013-12-16T19:49:00.002+11:00

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.
- From the Bout of Books team.

Hey everyone! Just doing a quick post to let you know that I'm signing up for the Bout of Books read-a-thon once again! This will be my third time participating. I'm really happy with when it's being hosted because I'll be on holidays that whole week! Hopefully, I'll be able to read quite a few more books than I have in the past.

If you haven't signed up yet, make sure you do! Let's do it together yeah? If you have, or you're going to, let me know in the comments. I'd love to follow along with your journey as well. Who else is already getting pumped?

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December New Release: Giveaway Blog Hop

2013-12-16T00:00:00.000+11:00

The October New Release Giveaway Hop is hosted by Book Twirps & Refracted Light Reviews.

Hey everyone! Like always, I'm giving away TWO November releases. This giveaway is international as long as you can receive the e-books through email. Like last month, I'm including two giveaways and a game! One giveaway is just like my normal one but the other is a cover guessing game. People were liking it last time so I decided to do it again. Also, goodbye to O'Dell at Book Twirps! You've been an awesome host!

So first up, here is the normal giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And now, for the cover guessing game. Some clues? Here you go:

- These books have been mentioned on Book Twirps.

- They are all released/will be released in December.

- They are all Young Adult books. Some may be considered NA or MG as well.

Some may be harder than others but more hints will be given if you read the comments or ask for more. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Sit Tight Sunday #22: Louder by Lea Michelle

2013-12-15T17:55:00.000+11:00

Genres: Pop, Music
Expected Release: Mar 04, 2014
℗ 2013 Columbia Records

So we all know Lea Michelle right? Rachel Berry (not sure if that's how you spell it) from Glee! I haven't watched Glee since season 2 or 3 but that doesn't mean I don't still love it. If you've been following the news for the past few months, you'd know that Lea Michelle is going through a pretty tough time right now. This album is seriously so inspiring and I can't wait. The single Cannonball was released recently and I love it so so much! I'm so sure the rest of the album will be just as good or better.

Tracklist...

1. Cannonball
2. On My Way
3. Burn With You
4. Battlefield
5. You’re Mine
6. Thousand Needles
7. Louder
8. Cue the Rain
9. Don’t Let Go
10. Empty Handed
11. If You Say So

Pre-Order on iTunes

Buy on iTunes

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Stacking The Shelves #19: Healer Series

2013-12-14T20:07:00.000+11:00

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted on Tynga's Reviews. Basically you share what books you acquired that week whether it be physical or digital. Info here.

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.

This week I decided I'd finally take up all the recommending my friends have been doing. I've read the Study series by Maria V. Snyder and I loved it so I've been meaning to read the Healer series since the beginning. Now, with two books out and the third one coming very soon, I'm finally going to start it. I'm hoping to read it next! Thank you so much the Harlequin Teen Australia for sending me an ARC of Taste Of Darkness. If you don't recognise the cover, it's because it's the Australian cover. It's even prettier in real life!

Taste Of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.
Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

Touch Of Power by Maria V. Snyder | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Hunted, Killed—Survived?
As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.
Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.
War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

And of course, since I haven't even read the first book, I snagged myself an e-copy of Touch Of Power. And while I was at it, I got the second book too! Scent Of Magic! I'm super excited to start this series as soon as I can. If you've read it, let me know what you thought of it. Even though I haven't read it, if you haven't, you should grab a copy too! They're both under $5 on Amazon right now. And let me know what you got recently too!

Scent Of Magic by Maria V. Snyder | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

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Music Review: Flower by Yong Junhyung

2013-12-13T21:52:00.001+11:00

Genres: Dance Pop, K-Pop, Rap
Released: 13th December 2013
Cube Entertainment

Flower is Yong Junhyung's newest single. He is apart of the band BEAST and this was his first solo mini-album. I was crazy excited after I saw the teaser. One of my favourite things about this song is definitely the music video. So for this post, I'm inserting the music video after this paragraph instead of at the end. It's really symbolic and metaphorical and fancy and just overall really interesting. You can definitely see that meaning the that is being portrayed even if you don't understand the Korean.

As you can see, this music video is really a piece of art within itself.

Now, moving on to my other favourite thing about this song, the lyrics. The lyrics are definitely like a piece of poetry. They're so poignant and meaningful. If you didn't get it from the video already, basically, the main jist is pretty simple. It's about a breakup that's extremely hard because the girl that was everything to him, like a blossoming flower ends up withering. Even better? He wrote and produce this and his album himself! Amazing!

Source

Moving on, he can sing! In BEAST songs, Junhyung is primarily the rapper so seeing him singing so well in the chorus is pretty awesome. The chorus was super catchy too. The whole song feels really heartfelt and passionate. My only minor problem is I feel as though the verses move too slow. I would've preferred the tempo being a bit faster. However, I do know that lots of people like the slower rapping for this particular song.

The production with the brass instruments and simple beats at the beginning, end and throughout the song make this even better. I think this song is top notch! Now that you've made it to the end of the review, scroll up a bit and listen to it again okay? Or drop me a comment and tell me how you like the song! What did you like? Or what did you not like?

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Book Spotlight + Giveaway: Hyperion Keats by Molly Zenk

2013-12-12T16:00:00.000+11:00

Three modern teens, a 200-year-old diary, a literary mystery to solve.
Twelve-year-old Hyperion Frances Keats, great-great grand niece of poet John Keats, hates tip-toeing around her older sister's “medical diagnosis”. Why is Isabella so determined to turn her back on what makes her unique in a sea of wannabes? Is popularity more important than the truth?
The sisters and boy-next-door Will find themselves in the middle of a mystery after discovering a 200-year-old diary written by the girl who inspired the sonnet “To A Lady Seen For A Moment At Vauxhall.” The teens aren't the only ones after the answers found in the pages from the past, though. The LBT Brotherhood – a secret society dedicated to preserving the Romantic Poets three creeds of love, beauty, and truth – want the secrets contained in the diary to remain lost to time and will stop at nothing to silence Hyperion, Isabella, and Will forever.

Giveaway
This giveaway will end on the 18th of December and is open to US only. Sorry to the international people! I totally understand how it feels when you can't enter these. Items lost in the mail is not the company's responsibility and they promise to never share your information. These are the prizes:

Grand Prize: Autographed Paperbacks of Hyperion Keats, Chasing Byron, and Hearts Affections.
Runners Up: (2nd, 3rd, and 4th place) Hyperion Keats e-book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the AuthorMolly Zenk was born in Minnesota, grew up in Florida, lived briefly in Tennessee, before finally settling in Colorado. She graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL with degrees in Secondary Education, English, and Creative Writing. She spent six years using those degrees teaching High School English, Poetry, and Creative Writing before going on “hiatus” to focus on being a stay-at-home/work-at-home Mom. Molly is married to a Mathematician/Software Engineer who complains about there not being enough “math” or info about him in her author bio. They live in Arvada, CO with their young daughters, one dog, and one cat.

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Book Review: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

2013-12-11T20:18:00.001+11:00

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .
But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Omg. So when this came out, I died. I requested it but I didn't think I'd get a review copy since I knew that there was probably high demand. So when I came home one day, and saw a package and opened to see The Fiery Heart, I was literally the happiest person in the world. I didn't read the Vampire Academy series until all seven were released but I've been following the Bloodlines since the beginning. If you haven't read either, go now. Please! It might be a slow start but you'll love it.

I love that Richelle Mead decided to go for two perspectives. It was just amazing. I loved getting into both Adrian and Sydney's heads. I also love that her writing is really colloquial. I feel like I'm having a conversation with the characters. I love all the characters and their humour so much. Well of course I hate the evil characters but I like their evilness. Make sense? No? Don't worry, haha.

Plus, the whole thing was so cute. Like so extremely cute. I had to try and restrain from giggling in public. In the end, I failed and probably looked crazy just awkwardly giggling. I read some reviews saying that there's not enough action. But I have to say, there's enough for me. Lots of action in, um, the sexual way, cough, and the normal way.

Oh and did I mention, Sydney and Adrian are so extremely cute? SYDRIAN FOREVER!

The other day, I was talking to my friend about the ending and she described it like this: it's so obvious that somehow it's not predictable. And she got it spot on. With so much going on you kind of expect it but you forgot about it until it happens. Lots of people were saying that the ending was a cliffhanger. Personally, I disagree and think that it's more just incomplete. I feel like the ending is just a beginning of another story which is really good. It didn't finish in the middle of a fight scene or before someone is going to die or anything like that.

So if any of you have started this series but haven't had time to read this one, I definitely suggest you do. If you read it without too much critiquing and more just enjoying, I promise you'll love it! And if you still haven't read the series, please do. You don't have to read Vampire Academy first but that series deserves reading too! Each book just gets better and better.

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
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Music Review: Human by Christina Perri

2013-12-10T19:56:00.001+11:00

Genres: Pop, Music
Released: Nov 18, 2013
℗ 2013 Atlantic Recording Corporation

I love Christina Perri's music so much. Her previous standouts for me include Jar Of Hearts and A Thousand Years but I'm pretty sure that everyone loves those. I also really loved Arms and Distance. I can't quite remember how I came across Human but I remember loving it the first time I listened to it. I knew I had to do a review as soon as I could and so here you are! I hope you enjoy!

Once again, I think the rating speaks for itself. I know it must seem like I just love every single song I listen to but that's just because I only review the standouts. I don't read as many books as I listen to songs. Though it's hard, if I had to choose my favourite thing about this song, it would be the lyrics. I just love them so so much. The message and meaning in it is so touching and sincere. You can really relate to every single word she sings. A FEW of my favourite lines. I love every one though.
I can fake a smile...
But I'm only human,
and I bleed when I fall down,
I'm only human and I crash and I fall down,
Your words in my head,
Knives in my head,
You build me up and then I fall apart.

I just like her voice so much. I love how she sings with so much emotion in every single word. In this song, I like that it slows down and quickens. Also, how her voice gets so extremely powerful at the climaxes. Even though it's not necessarily 'catchy' it's definitely a song that gets into my head all the time. I sing along every time I listen to it and I don't give a crap if I'm in public, haha.

Well, I think that's enough from me. It's pretty clear that I really really love this song. Now it's your turn. I'm not giving you a choice. Listen to it!

Buy on iTunes

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Sit Tight Sunday #21: Elizabeth Rose by Elizabeth Rose

2013-12-09T21:43:00.001+11:00

Sit Tight Sunday is a weekly feature on my blog for me to showcase upcoming music. The original post can be found here.

Genres: Electronic, Music, Pop
Released: 17 January 2014
℗ 2014 Inertia Access

I don't believe it. I actually just completely forgot to do this post yesterday! I'm falling off the radar. But anyway. Now, Monday night as I'm writing this, today I'm featuring another Aussie artist. To be honest, I really don't know much about her and just came across her song, The Good Life one day and wanted to know more. When I found out she was releasing an album soon and that she was Australian, I knew that she had to be my next Sit Tight Sunday post.

Elizabeth Rose is her self title's extended play (EP) coming out January next year. I know not everyone likes electronic music but I really love her style. I love that she's a DJ and that she produces and writes her music herself. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure she's an indie artist. The Good Life is a single that was released somewhat recently and is the first released on the album. I'm so excited to listen to the whole thing.

Tracklist...
1. The Good Life
2. Out Of Step
3. Is It Love?
4. Sensibility
5. Only Me

Buy on iTunes

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Stacking The Shelves #18: These Broken Stars

2013-12-07T16:59:00.001+11:00

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted on Tynga's Reviews. Basically you share what books you acquired that week whether it be physical or digital. Info here.

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets to the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.
Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder - would they be better off staying in this place forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

This week the only book that I've added to my shelves is These Broken Stars. Thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending me this review copy! I'm really excited to read it because I've been seeing this book everywhere. I'll probably won't be able to read this year but I'll squish it in when I can!

What did yous get this week?

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Music + Movie Review: Catching Fire

2013-12-06T21:59:00.003+11:00

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Released: 21 November 2013
Director: Francis Lawrence
Lionsgate

Today, I come bearing a review of Catching Fire! Omg. Now, I clearly don't review movies so it's not really a review, just an OMG I LOVE IT. It's been awhile since I'd read the books but I still remember it quite clearly. I love how the producers and directors kept it so close to the book. It all feels so real now that I've watched it. The movie sets were done so beautifully with the clock arena just how I thought it'd be. I also loved the casting. Some people disagree but I love it. I was a bit iffy about it at first but all the actors have grown on me as much as they've grown into their characters. Perf acting. Perf characters. Perf everything.

I'm sure everyone's watched it by now but seriously, if you haven't, go watch it now. I watched it last Saturday and I'm still so in love with everything. Shout out to http://movietimes.com.au/ for making it way easier to maximise my Catching Fire experience. I love being able to check the movie times before I go and when I get there. Just in case! If you've watched it, fangirl with me in the comments! If not, I hate you. Kidding, I still love you! But you should really watch it!

Genres: Soundtrack
Released: 19 November 2013
Universal Republic Records

Originally, I was planning to do a full album review but for the most part, I don't really have much to say about any of the songs. I just love them all! So I'm only going to review my favourite on the soundtrack. Who We Are by Imagine Dragons. However, definitely check out the reviews I've done in the past of the few songs that were released prior to the albums. We Remain by Christina Aguilera, Elastic Heart by Sia and Atlas by Coldplay. Keep reading for more on Who We Are!

Who We Are is a song made for the Catching Fire soundtrack. It's sung by Imagine Dragons so well, of course, I love it! I'm addicted to their album so when I saw this on the soundtrack, it was an automatic instinct to hit play.

First of all, I love the actual music in this song. The beginning starts off with this really cool beat that I can't describe. It just gets better as it goes on. It's an overall really upbeat song that just makes me feel good. Really though, it's a pretty deep song. The lyrics are about how even though they say we're crazy it's okay because it's who we are, doesn't matter if we've gone too far. There's a lot of repetition in this song but somehow it just works.

The only reason I took a star off the the vocals is because, one, I feel like Dan Reynolds could've done better and, two, they could've chosen someone else more fitting for this song. Don't get me wrong, I love love love Dan Reynold's voice but for this song in particular, I think a more powerful and harmonic voice might've worked better. Either way, I don't really care because I love it!

And finally, just to recap, I love Catching Fire and the soundtrack. If you haven't read the book, well obviously go do that. Then watch the movie. And then listen to the album. This is not a request. It's a command! Bye bye now.

Buy on iTunes

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Book Review: Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

2013-12-04T20:54:00.000+11:00

If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned.
If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.
Meg Lytton has always known she is different—that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne.
With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.
The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy.

Welcome to my somewhat overdue review of Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb! I read this book last month for the Clean Out Your E-Reader Challenge since I received this book through Netgalley. It had been sitting on my e-reader for the longest time. Witchstruck is a historical, paranormal romance all about witches. It's put as fantasy but I don't really see how it's a different magical world. I think paranormal would be a more fitting genre. It's a tale about Meg, a young witch who's trying to not get caught. It's filled with romance and danger.

To be honest, I really don't like historical fiction. It's why I put it off for so long after I got accepted. I guess the cover was just cool and I totally didn't expect it to be historical. However, I guess I was somewhat pleasantly surprised. Witchstruck definitely wasn't spectacular for me but I did enjoy it. The writing flowed really nicely throughout the book and the story-line was thought out rather well.

On the other hand, though the story was interesting, I found it rather predictable. It's one of those books where there can only be one kind of ending. It was different to usual YA books with a unique dilemma but that didn't mean the outcome was as intriguing. I also felt as though the book was dragging on for no reason. At some points I just didn't want to read because the relationships weren't developing. I didn't feel a strong emotional connection to the protagonist but I did feel happy for her when good things happened.

Overall, I liked it. I really did but it just wasn't a standout for me. It's that kind of book when you just shrug at the end. You care, but not really. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes witches or historical fiction though because I think you'd enjoy it a lot more than I did. If you're anything like me though, there's probably other books more worth your time.

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb | Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
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The Clean Out Your E-reader Challenge is hosted by Fantasy is More Fun & Because Reading is better than real life. All info can be found here.

Music Of November 2013!

2013-12-01T17:54:00.000+11:00

I have learnt my lesson. I really really need to start doing these posts at the beginning of the month instead of leaving them until the end. There are just so many good songs that I add to my playlist in a month. This month's post is my catch up for last month as well. I kind of went into a funk last month and listened to the same few albums on repeat. I've seperated the English music from the Korean music just to make it more understandable. To be honest, I'm not bothered to alphabetise them this time round but I promise I'll try my best to next month!

New To My Playlist:
The Monster (feat. Rihanna) - Eminem
Strong - One Direction
Say Something - A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
Everybody - Justice Crew
Holy Grail (feat. Justin Timberlake) - Jay Z
Of The Night - Bastille
Stay The Night (feat. Hayley Williams) - Zedd
All of Me - John Legent
Borrow My Heart - Taylor Henderson
Like A Drum - Guy Sebastion
Warrior - Havana Brown
Alive - Dami Im
Move - Little Mix
Timber (feat. Ke$ha) - Pitbull
Human - Christina Perri
Who We Are - Imagine Dragons
Silhouettes - Of Monsters and Men

Rap God - Eminem

Hush - Miss A
Only You - VIXX
Tonight - M&N
Just Another Girl - Kim Jae Joong
Now - Trouble Maker
Missing You - 2NE1
Gone - Jin
One Way Love - Hyolyn
Memory Of Your Scent - Huh Gak
Voodoo Doll - VIXX
Madly - FTISLAND

Songs I've Done Reviews Of:
Rap God
Missing You
Alive
Hush
She's Mine

Album Reviews:
The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2

Sit Tight Sundays:
Hush
Midnight Memories
Britney Jean

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Sit Tight Sunday #20: What Should I Do by T-ARA

2013-12-01T17:01:00.000+11:00

Sit Tight Sunday is a weekly feature on my blog for me to showcase upcoming music. The original post can be found here.

Last week, I missed my Sit Tight Sunday post again. I've skipped quite a few weeks over the course of it's existence. Sunday was probably a bad day to do a meme/feature on my blog but oh wellsy. Today, I'm featuring T-ARA's comeback, What Should I Do? Even though their latest single, No. 9 is still relatively new, they're already preparing for their comeback. What Should I Do? is coming tomorrow! December 2nd. But just to tease us, they've already released multiple teaser photos and videos.

Just from the pictures, it's kind of hard to tell what particular style they're going for in this song. However the videos show that it's probably going to be a sad song with lots of meaning. The two versions switch between an older time period and 2013.

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Books Of November 2013!

2013-11-30T00:23:00.002+11:00

Hi guys! I can't believe that it's the end of the month already. Well, here on my blog, you know what that means. A monthly wrap up of all the books I read! This month, I was participating in both the Clean Out Your E-Reader Challenge and Sci-Fi Month. So basically, I was planning to read 4 or 5 books for COYER and ended up reading 3 but actually, I'm really happy with that! I read Indelible, Witchstruck and Heartbeat. For Sci-Fi Month, I was planning to read 2 but ended up reading 3 which is super amazing. I read Cinder, The Darkest Minds and Pawn.

Along with those 6, I also read Captivate which makes 7 books this month! I'm actually so happy with myself. I really didn't think I'd get that far. My standout books for this month are definitely the 3 Sci-Fi Month reads and Captivate. All which I gave 5 stars on Goodreads. My plan for next month is 4 books. Like definitely 4. No more and no less. Right now, I'm currently reading The Fiery Heart so I definitely want to savour it!

Music Review: Rap God by Eminem

2013-11-29T18:34:00.002+11:00

Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap, Music,Hardcore Rap, Rap
Released: 05 November 2013
℗ 2013 Aftermath Records

I can't deal with most rap. Because most rap is just talking and when I want to listen to rap, I want to listen to rap. Eminem's album The Marshall Mathers LP2 came out at the beginning of the month on the 5th but the music video for Rap God came out on the 27th so I really wanted to do a review. I loved The Monster and I love Eminem's music overall so I was really excited to watch this video. When eminem raps, he raps. He wasn't joking when he named this song Rap God.

Now I did this review knowing that most people who read my blog probably don't like rap. But I decided to just go for because I like this song. It's a whole six minute song that doesn't bore me for a second. As soon as I pressed play, it was like wow. It begins with strong piano chords until the electronic music comes in. Throughout the song, the piano comes and goes, which I loved.

Now I don't think I have to say this but Eminem raps fast. Like really fast. And I LOVE it. I love how he slows down in some parts and then fast in others. To be honest, I wasn't too bothered to read through every word of the lyrics, because there are 6000, but from what I can understand from the song, the lyrics aren't too bad. Most of eminem's song have a message and this one is no different. You can read all about the music with this post: EMINEM, ‘RAP GOD’ – SONG MEANING
- Just a note though, there is quite a bit of swearing in this one!

Now the only reason I took off a star for production is because I thought the song could do with just a little less electronics and more piano. That's just my own personal preference though! Plus, I took off a star for the melody because well, it's a rap song. They're usually not catchy with an awesome melody anyway. So really, this song is perfect!

If you're willing to give it a go, you definitely should. Plus the music video is actually pretty awesome as well! It's six minutes but it's still cool. Cause he know the way to get 'em motivated. Be a king? Think not, why be a king when you can be a God?

Buy on iTunes

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