The Book Addict's Rambings

Blog Tour: The Polaris Uprising by Jennifer Ibarra

2014-02-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today I am part of the blog tour for The Polaris Uprising by Jennifer Ibarra. Don't forget to checkout the giveaway at the bottom of the post!

The Polaris Uprising by Jennifer Ibarra
(Polaris #1)
Publication date: October 30th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

In less than seven years, eighteen-year-old Ryla Jensen will succeed her father as the president of Neress, a nation where all citizens are cared for from the moment they’re born. Fed, sheltered, even educated—every need of theirs is met.

The only price they pay is their free will.

Groomed since childhood to take on a role she’s not even sure she wants, Ryla’s only escape from the pressures of duty is her sister, Alanna. But when her eyes are opened to the oppressive regime her father built, she begins to question everything she’s set to inherit—and finds herself at odds with her sister’s blind allegiance to their father.

Torn between loyalty to her family and the fight for freedom, Ryla must decide just how far she’s willing to go to make a stand and risk losing the person she loves most in the world: Alanna.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About The Author

Jennifer Ibarra grew up on a steady diet of books, Star Wars, and other fantastic feats of the imagination. Her debut novel, The Polaris Uprising, is the first book in a trilogy and mixes dystopia with family drama, romance, and political intrigue.

She lives in Silicon Valley, where she does marketing for a tech company and spends her time running, cooking, baking, and keeping up with celebrity gossip.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

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Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

2014-02-10T00:34:00.000-05:00

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Series: N/A
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss
ISBN: 9780062014559
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 264

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

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.

Like many people I was pretty excited to see what Lauren Oliver had in store for us next. And the switch from science fiction to contemporary makes it easier not to compare Panic with the Delirium series because they are two completely different styles of books. Keeping that in mind I was really disappointed with Panic.

My biggest problem with the book was that it just didn’t intrigue me. I didn’t mind the story. A small town with nothing to do and no way to get out, so teenagers develop this game, Panic. Panic is series of daunting (some may say ridiculously dangerous) challenges the graduating senior class can compete in the summer after they finish high school for a chance to win a pot of cash. The challenges were varied and each was unique. Lauren Oliver did do a great job with the game aspect of the book.

I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters. I grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere and it just seemed like some of the towns people were caricatures of your typical small town. The story is split between Heather and Dodge’s points of view. Heather lives with her drunken mother and young sister in a trailer and only joined Panic because her boyfriend dumped her. Dodge is playing for revenge. His older sister Dayna is in a wheelchair after playing Panic two years ago. But he’s story was the least interesting. For someone who wants revenge and for the other party to pay he was certainly dull. I just kept on waiting for something to happen, but it never did.

In the end I had to put this book down. I read two books before I picked it up again, and that was only because I always try to finish books. I didn’t hate Panic, but I was definitely disappointed that it didn’t capture my attention like I hoped it would.

My Rating:

TTT: Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

2014-02-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week's topic is books that make us cry. And one thing is for sure...books make me bawl like a baby.

The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
This book had me in tears by the end of it. The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden was the first New Adult book that I read. I read it before I even new what the genre was. But man was it a good book. I loved the characters and that ending! I haven't even read the second book yet because I don't want to be disappointed. I mean how can it live up to the first?

Left Drowning by Jessica Park
This book had me all over the place with the characters. I loved every character and I was so invested in all their stories.

Entangled by Cat ClarkeEntangled deals with a teenage girl who hurts herself and gets pretty dark at times. The main character wasn't always likeable, but you still felt for her by the end of the book.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Ok so I get not everyone loved this book. It wasn't the best in the series by far, but it had me crying big ugly crocodile type tears. I mean I had to stop reading because the tears made the words to blurry to read that kind of tears. I avoided the spoilers so well so I didn't know what was happened until it was too late. Even when it did happen it was the aftermath that got to me.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave
There are two parts of this book that made me cry. The part when you find out how Little Bee meets Sarah and the ending had me in tears again.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel
This is another book that I think everyone should read. It is beautiful written and took my sister years to convince me to finally read it, but I am glad I did.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
I loved this book. It made me cry within the first few pages, which was embarrassing as I was on the bus, but it also makes you laugh throughout the book. Auggie was such an inspiring main character.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Ugh. How could one author make me cry one moment and have me laughing in the next? I don't know but if you haven't read this book yet just do it. Don't question it. Just read it.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Facade by Nyrae Dawn
I did not see the shocking surprise coming in this book and it made me cry so hard. I loved this book and need to read the next book very soon.

My Unexpected Hiatus and My (Hopeful) Return To Blogging

2014-02-03T16:51:00.001-05:00

I don’t know if you noticed, but I was MIA for most of January. I was all set to get back to blogging after the Christmas holidays. I had a wonder visit with my family and received lots of books for presents. I read so much over the holidays. I even had new posts planned and so many ideas churning in my head, but then stuff happened and I just needed a break.

My hiatus was a mix of several things, I was finally done my classes, worked way too much, and then my uncle and his wife passed away and I just didn’t feel like blogging. We weren’t close, but I needed a little break after all that. I thought I would be back sooner than this, but I just didn’t have any urge to even read over the past month. I mean I didn’t even read a single book in January. I mean not one. Sure I picked up a book a few times, but I couldn’t even read five pages before putting it down. So I figured don’t push it you will only regret it and blame the book.

This weekend I read a whole book in one day. So now I want to read again. I want to blog again. I want to be back into this lovely blogging community that I have rudely ignored for the past month.

Review: Be With Me by J. Lynn

2014-02-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

Be With Me by J. Lynn
Series: Wait For You #2
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss
ISBN: 9780062294791
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Pages: 299

Goodreads | Amazon

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

J. Lynn is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. I just love her writing style in general. She knows how to write quirky, but relatable characters. Be With Me follows the events of Wait For Me, and concerns Jase and Cam’s sister Teresa.

Neither main character was perfect in this book, but somehow that is what made them work. Both have dark pasts that have made them what they are today. Teresa’s high school boyfriend hurt her physically and emotionally, and she is still dealing with being a victim years after the relationship ended. I won’t get into Jase’s past as it is a pretty big event that happens in the novel and shaped him into the person he was in the book. Throughout the book you could see that they had chemistry even when you wanted to slap the characters.

Teresa could be naïve at times, which some might say is because she was only eighteen. When she sees Jase’s scrapped knuckles she just believes his lame excuse without question even though the real answer was obvious. I did find that Jase was fickle at times and that was frustrating to read. One moment he was hot for Teresa and the next he was pushing her away. The book only covers a short time period and it did seem like they got serious pretty quickly even though they did know each other for years previous to the opening of the book.

The moment when Cam finally finds out about his best friend and little sister was absolutely perfect. I couldn’t stop laughing. It was exactly how I imagined it going down and J. Lynn did not disappoint with that scene.

Overall, this book deals with some heavy issues like domestic violence and other issues, but it is also light hearted and a fun read.

My Rating:

TTT: Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For

2014-01-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week's topic is 2014 debuts we are excited for. But I have to admit I am horrible at knowing what's debuting this year. I usually don't find out that they are debuts until I see them on everyone's list or read a bunch or reviews on them. But here are the top ten that I actually know about this time:

Alienated by Melissa Landers. The human girl and alien boy is something I don't read very often, so I'm intrigued. It does kind of remind me of Gravity & Hover by Melissa West slightly, but with a different spin to it.
Salvage by Alexandra Duncan. Another science fiction book here. This one is set in space and a girl fleeing her male dominate planet.
Elusion by Claudia Gabel & Cheryl Klam. Yet another scifi for me. This one the girl has to choose between love and loyalty? That is my kind of book.
Tease by Amanda Maciel. I'm pretty excited to see how this book plays out. Usually you read from the victims side of bullying and it will be interested to see from the accused this time.
Far From You by Tess Sharpe. I don't read a lot of mysteries or thrillers, but this one captured my attention.
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy. I don't read a lot of young adult contemporaries. I mostly stick to my science fiction and fantasy, but Side Effects May Vary is one of my most highly anticipated books for 2014.
Love Letters To The Dead by Ava Dellaira. Another contemporary (maybe my tastes are finally branching out?)
Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell
Half Bad by Sally Green. Witches! I can't tell you how excited I am for this one. Good witches vs. bad witches. I can't wait!
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. A re-telling! I hope this one lives up to the hype, because I hardly ever read re-tellings.

Review: Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

2014-01-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Series: Uninvited #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss
ISBN: 9780062233653
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Pages:

Goodreads | Amazon

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

Uninvited and I had a lot of ups and downs. After reading Foreplay by Sophie Jordan I was super stoked to read Uninvited even though it was a completely different genre. I really loved the characters in Foreplay and maybe that’s why I did connect with this book.

The biggest problem I had with Uninvited was the characters. The main character, Davy Hamilton, was a bit boring. I got that she’s just a regular girl who had her world shattered when she is found with the kill gene, but I just couldn’t connect with her. Most of the characters were flat and one-dimensional. I didn’t bond with any of them. Sean was meant to be mysterious and a loner, but he just seemed empty and blank to me. I didn't get any sense of who he was.

Hardly anyone had any emotional reaction in the entire book except for some of the sociopaths when they were attacking others. Davy’s brother Mitchell was the only character who had sort of reaction to her having the kill gene. Her mother barely acknowledged it happened, and her father pretty much disappeared from her life and was constantly working. Mitchell is the black sheep of the family. He’s constantly in trouble and has been kicked out of school countless times. Mitchell breaks down when he finds out that Davy has the kill gene and it’s heartening because you see how much he cares about his younger sister.

“Don’t apologize for being smarter than I am. I got over it. Basically, I’m . . . I’m just proud of you. And this crap doesn’t change that. It doesn’t change you.”

The plot did intrigue me and you could see how the country was getting worse and worse and it was only a matter of time until the Agency was given the power to control the HTS carriers. It didn't seem like not enough time has passed from the present until when the book takes place for all the downturn and violence to happen. The book cites stats from 2017, but I can’t envision how so much violence can happen in such a short time span.

The one thing that was done well was the sense of fear for Davy’s future. Little bits of events would happen that made you scared for her well-being. She no longer had any rights and no one will ever believe her again as she is now this violent and unstable girl.

I am going to read the second and final book in the series when it is released as I do want to see how this all turns out.

My Rating:

TTT: Top Ten Goals/Resolutions For 2014

2014-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is our goals and resolutions for 2014.

I have already done a post on what I want to accomplish in 2014 for reading and blogging, so I will try not to be too repetitive here.

Use the library more. Whether it's borrowing digital copies or actually going to my local branch I need to use it more than I am.
Comment More. I don't just want to keep responding to comments on my blog, but I want to comment more on others. I follow so many blogs, but sometimes I'm just really bad at commenting on others posts.
Read more books on my bookshelf. I have all these books just sitting there on my shelf, but I never get around to reading them.
Read more books that are on my TBR. My TBR is over 300. I have a rule that my TBR cannot be more than my books read, but it getting pretty close, so I would like to read one book a month (at least) to keep this down. I mean I would love for it to be under 100, but let's be honest, that's just not going to happen.
Schedule more posts in advance. I am awesome at scheduling my memes in advance. Usually I do this a month at a time, so I'm not scrambling for answers at 11:59 pm on a Monday night. But I would like to schedule my reviews further out. I'm starting to get better at this, but right not I usually am only one week (maybe two if I'm lucky) ahead of schedule.
Keep my Review Archive up-to-date. I usually only update it every few months, but then I get frustrated with how long it takes, so maybe if I do it once a month it will less of a task for me.
Read longer books. This is my Everest. I avoid those suckers like the plague, but I know there are some really great books that are crazy long (*cough* Game of Thrones *cough*), and I just need to suck it up and read some of them, because who knows what awesome books I am missing?
Continue reading self-published. I have read both good and bad from self-published, and I want to continue branching out and reading more of these.
Vary my reading. I tending to stick to the same genres and that get's me stuck in a rut. So I want to try branching out and reading others. Any suggestions?
Remember to have fun. I'm going to try not to get wrapped up in the pressure of blogging and remember I started this for fun!

What are your goals and/or resolutions for 2014?

Review: Into The Still The Blue by Veronica Rossi

2014-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Into The Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
Series: Under The Never Sky #3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss
ISBN: 9780062072092
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Pages: 400

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

As I have said previously, Under The Never Sky, isn’t one of my favourite series, but this final book gave me the closure I needed for the series. When you finish that last page you are satisfied with the ending and where the characters end up. Final books are toughies. I don’t know about you, but I need that closure with where the characters end up, and Veronica Rossi did that very well in this book.

There was a lot of action in Into The Still Blue. Cinder is being held captive by Hess and Sable and Aria, Perry, and others must rescue him. Cinder becomes a key player in this book. One of my favourite characters in this series was Cinder. He was so vulnerable and didn’t know if he could trust Perry. He would run away when he was afraid, but always came back to the Tides. I liked his relationship with Willow and Perry. He finally found a home with Perry until Hess and Sable stole him away.

Between Hess and Sable I thought Hess was the scarier one going into this book, but boy was I wrong. I didn’t end up hating Hess, but Sable? He was a worthy opponent in this book. He had this precise ability to manipulate someone who was completely against him and turn them into an ally.

“Aria couldn’t believe that only children would stand up to Sable. This place, which should have meant survival and freedom, was a prison.”

He was ruthless and well a bit psychotic at times too. Sometimes it’s that psychological edge that makes a better villain than one that uses brute force.

The action doesn’t stop for very long in this book, but it didn’t feel like you were rushing. It just kept on making me read more and more until I finally had to put my book down and go to bed (which was 2 AM by that point).

It turns out that Roar is a bad ass fighter. I always knew he could fight, but in the previous books you didn’t get to see it very much. You got the funny and jovial Roar. But in Into The Still Blue he’s still grieving from the events of the previous book and has a lot of anger to work through.

You also have fighting between the Tides and the Horns, and fighting between the Outsiders and the Dwellers. The end goal is near in sight and both sides are racing to get to the Still Blue first.

“She didn’t want to fight just so there would be more fighting. She wanted to believe—needed to believe—that things could get better.”

The book was intense at times and you didn’t know what would happen next.

My Rating:

Review: Defiance by CJ Redwine

2014-01-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

Defiance by CJ Redwine
Series: Defiance #1
Publisher:
Source: Gifted
ISBN: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Pages: 401

Goodreads | Amazon

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Going into Defiance I thought it was supposed to be a fantasy book, but it ended up being more of a science fiction book, even though it didn’t read like one. There were certain things I did really enjoy about this book, but others, such as world building that just failed me.

I did like the premise that years ago a beast was woken while drilling deep into the earth when humans were looking for a new source of energy. But the world building just wasn’t sufficient enough for me. I ended up with so many questions and not enough answers. There was very little information or world building given to you other than the original background information. I wanted to know why do women have no rights? What happened to cause this? It seemed to be a pretty extreme society where a woman can be whipped to death for going to the market by herself, and no one blinks an eye. Unfortunately, you don’t really get any of the answers to my questions in this book. The choosing ceremony didn’t make sense to me either. It just seemed to be convenient for the plot as it was never mentioned prior to the one scene.

I enjoyed the characters. Rachel was a strong heroine albeit could be whinny at times, and a bit foolish. Logan was sweet once he came around. He was very standoffish at the beginning of the book. The romance was the best part of the book. It was slow building, but still tugged at your heart strings.

“Apparently, honesty is a crime in this group. Look. You’re all, ‘Revenge is all I want! I’ll figure out my love life later!’ and he is afraid revenge will kill you before he has a change to really touch you—“
Willow

The characters I liked the best were the tree people, Willow and her brother Quinn. Willow had me cracking up laughing at her candor and her directness. And Quinn I wanted to know his story. I wanted to know why they were thrown out of their tribe.

My Rating:

2013 Recap - A Year In Review

2014-01-01T02:45:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year’s. I was able to go home and visit my family for a bit, which was nice because I don't get to see them as often as I would like as they live hours away. The trip there was long due to an ice storm, but I eventually arrived after a thirteen hour train ride that was supposed to only be six hours. One the best parts of my trip was that I got to take care of my uncle's puppy for a bit!

I took a mini break for the holidays, but now I'm back and ready to get back blogging. 2013 was a crazy busy year for me. I started my blog (best part of the year), went back to school part time, and continued to work two jobs. At times I wanted to cry because of the stress of school and working, but I persevered and made it through (and aced all my courses!)

I thought it would be fun to take a look back at my reading for 2013 and my challenges (oh and there will be charts and graphs!)

My most popular post of 2013:

Reading

Overall, I was really happy with my reading outcome. I ended up reading 112 books (some which were novellas). I thought my reading was going to take a back burner to school, but I still managed to find time to do so. It definitely helped that I only had to take one course at a time, but sometimes it felt like I had no time to read.

Books Read: 112
Words: 33591
Books Reviewed: 89

One of my goals for next year is to branch out and read different genres. I love my comfort zone with my science fiction books, but I know there are some amazing books in other genres that I'm missing. If you have any suggestions let me know!

Best Books Read

Worst Books Read

TTT: Top Ten Books I Read In 2013

2013-12-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is books top books I read in 2013.
There were just too many books to choose from, so I decided to break it into three categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch. This was one of the first review copies I received when I started blogging, and I know I didn't do the book justice. If You Find Me was beautiful, haunting, sad. It gave me all sorts of emotions. Seriously if you haven't read it yet, you should.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Wonder had me wanting to cry within the first few pages, which was kind of embarrassing because I was on the bus and had to put the book away.
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales.
Crash Into You by Katie McGarry. Katie McGarry certainly knows how to write a swoon-worthy book, and Crash Into You was no exception.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. This has to be one of the sweetest books I have read in such a long time. The scene where Park is holding Eleanor's hand for the first time was probably my favourite.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. This is the book that got me to start reading fantasy books. The genre was never really my thing, but Daughter of Smoke & Bone blew me away with the world building and the phenomenal characters. I can't wait for the final book next year.
ParaWars: Uprising by Cait Greer. I read this one for a blog tour and it was amazing. Cait blends science fiction, fantasy, and new adult together seamlessly. Axel is the a smoking hot gargoyle and he had some pages smouldering!
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I recently just finished this book and it is probably in the top book I've read all year. Somehow the author created a love triangle that I didn't mind and it has an awesome, kickass heorine who is an assasin! I don't know why I waited so long to read this one.
Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier. I've been reading this series since college and I love the world the Juliet Marillier has created. I read on her blog that this is definitely the last one and as much as that made me sad that they won't be anymore Sevenwaters stories, it was the perfect ending to the series.
Ignite by Erica Crouch. This one came as a recommendation from a fellow blogger and it is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read.

The Dwellers Saga by David Estes. One of my favourite series. Don't let the fact that it's self-published put you off, because this is probably one of the best series out there.
Horde by Ann Aguirre. This was a perfect ending to the series. I wasn't disappointed and it met all my expectations. Not a lot series can do that, but this one did.
Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis. This book is one of those slow building post-apocalyptic books. It shows you the struggle the main character has to do day to day to survive.
Ashfall by Mike Mullin. One of the best science fiction book I have ever read. You seriously need to read this right now.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman. The world building in this book was superb. I received the second book for Christmas, so I can't wait to start it.

What were your favourite books of 2013? Any books I should put on my 2014 TBR?

Review: The Temptation of Lila and Ethan by Jessica Sorensen

2013-12-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Temptation of Lila and Ethan by Jessica Sorensen
Series: The Secret #3
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Source: Netgalley
ISBN: 9781455574896
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Pages: 250

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

On the surface, Lila Summers is flawless: good looks, expensive clothes, and a big, beautiful smile. But a dark past and even darker secrets are threatening to bubble over her perfect façade. She'll do anything to keep the emptiness inside hidden-which leads her into situations that always end badly. Whenever she hits bottom, there's only one person who's there to pull her out: Ethan Gregory.

Ethan set the rules a long time ago: he and Lila are just friends. He doesn't do relationships. Although his tattooed, bad boy exterior is a far cry from Lila's pretty princess image, Ethan can't deny they have a deeper connection than he's used to. If he's not careful, he could be in serious danger of becoming attached-and he's learned the hard way that attachment only leads to heartbreak.

When Lila falls farther than she ever has before, can Ethan continue to help as a friend? Or is he also getting close to falling . . . for her?

This is the third book in The Secret series. It seems to be a huge trend right now in the New Adult genre to have companion novels about secondary characters from the first book. I find this trend hit and miss, and The Temptation of Lila and Ethan is somewhere in the middle for me.

The best written parts of the book was a tie between when Ethan and Lila were not together yet (talk about tension) and when Ethan is struggling to get Lila clean after years of drug abuse. The Lila is this book is not the Lila of past books. When you first meet Lila in The Secret of Ella and Micha she is flirtatious and bubbly, but here you see what’s behind her drug fused façade. I wasn’t prepared for how dark Lila got so quickly, but it still worked for me.

Lila has been told she is unwanted and unloved her whole life. Her mother raised her to put beauty and materialistic things first before anything else, even her own daughter’s trauma. It was best never to cause a scene or embarrass the family.

“Lila you’ll never make it. Lila, you’re worthless. Lila, you’re messing up this family. No one will ever love you if you don’t change into something they can love. Be perfect. Be beautiful. Because no one will want you if you’re not.”

Lila really did struggle to overcome her problems. When Ethan finally wakes up and sees that her drug use is more than just a recreational and decides to help her, those pages were so real. You felt Lila’s urges to just have one more pill and what she was going through with her withdrawals. Ethan was petrified of screwing up Lila’s chance at sobriety, but didn’t shy away from it.

“It hurts like a knife slashing into my skin, deep, violent thrashes, but I know enough to know that she’s desperate right now and will say anything to get me to leave.”

Parts of the book I really did like (drug use, Lila’s recovery, etc.), but others just seemed slightly bland (like the romance). It’s not that Lila and Ethan weren’t suitable for each other, because I think Ethan was fantastic for her, but something was missing in the story for me. The one consistent part that I did like in this book was Ethan. He was dealing with his own guilt and past, but pushed his problems aside to help Lila. Throughout her recovery he was panicked and afraid he was going to mess her up. He’s the type of character that I have been waiting for in New Adult. Ethan said everything I have wanted to see in a book about young girls that have been abused before. No means no! I feel like New Adult goes through this issue a lot, but no one ever says that it’s not okay for a guy to do that to you. And I was so happy to see that there was finally a book where the guy verbalized that it’s just not okay.

“Would you stop thinking about yourself like that? So you screwed some guys. So fucking what? People have sex and that doesn’t make you a slut. And it sure as hell doesn’t give rich douche bags an excuse to rape you or make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

“Don’t ever say that again. If a girl says no even once then a guy should stop. Hell, if she shows a single sign of not wanting it, the guy should stop. You should never, ever have to have sex with a guy when you don’t want to.”

I don’t know if Lila really did get over her past (which is pretty awful FYI). It seemed liked she was hiding and hiding her past from Ethan and then she magically moved past it after she told him about it. But maybe that’s what she needed to move on with her life? And the ending was a bit ambiguous for me. I know it’s because it was opening up for the next book, but I don’t really feel like it was necessary. It would have been a perfect ending with the wedding and all four of them on the cliff. I just feel like authors, especially in this genre, drag out series with companion novels upon companion novels, and I just can’t help read them even if they aren’t bringing anything new to the story.

“I can only imagine how broad my smile is at this moment because I’ve never had this—protection. I’ve never had someone in my life who would stand up for me and tell me that it was okay, that people make mistakes and it doesn’t mean you have to suffer eternally for them.”

My Rating:

Review: Rush Me by Allison Parr

2013-12-27T07:14:00.000-05:00

Rush Me by Allison Parr
Series: New York Leopards #1
Publisher: Carina Press
Source: Netgalley
ISBN: 9781426895333
Release Date: April 8, 2013
Pages: 263

Goodreads | Amazon

When post-grad Rachael Hamilton accidentally gate-crashes a pro-athlete party, she ends up face-to-face with Ryan Carter, the NFL's most beloved quarterback.

While most girls would be thrilled to meet the attractive young millionaire, Rachael would rather spend time with books than at sporting events, and she has more important things to worry about than romance. Like her parents pressuring her to leave her unpaid publishing internship for law school.

But when Ryan's rookie teammate attaches himself to Rachael, she ends up cohosting Friday-night dinners for half a dozen football players.

Over pancake brunches, charity galas and Alexander the Great, Rachael realizes all the judgments she'd made about Ryan are wrong. But how can a Midwestern Irish-Catholic jock with commitment problems and an artsy, gun-shy Jewish New Englander ever forge a partnership? Rachael must let down her barriers if she wants real love--even if that opens her up to pain that could send her back into her emotional shell forever.

Rush Me was a book that sounded New Adult, but in reality it read more like a chick-lit book. Our main character Rachael is on her way to a party when she loses track of her best friend and ends up at the wrong place. There she runs into a NFL player who of course despises her and they do not get along. When going back for her scarf the next day, she somehow ends up playing poker and hanging out with the guys and befriends them.

I just did not click with the book. I wasn’t a fan of either main character. Rachael was whinny and immature for most of the novel, and Ryan was not a charming guy. I don’t understand how he was supposed to be charming (as other characters mentions throughout the book). He was a complete ass and manhandles Rachael several times throughout the book. Ryan does simmer down as the book progresses, but I couldn’t get over how rude and condescending he was at the start of the book. He was straight-up rude and an ass to Rachael when he first meets her, and not in the “I’m an asshole, but look how adorable I am” kind of way.

As I said Rachael was whinny throughout most of the book. She was a bit stuck up and instead of having confidence she preferred to look down on others and make snap judgments instead of getting to know them.

I did enjoy the other teammates. They all had distinct personalities and weren’t lumped into the typical jock type of behaviour. They were sweet and treated Rachael as a sister. I wished you saw more interaction with them throughout the book as the relationship was nice. Same with Rachael’s roommate, Eva, a theatre major starting her first real performance. She was an interesting character, but after one point she kind of just disappeared. Does this mean that as soon as Rachael got a boyfriend she just ditched her friends? Because that’s just not cool in my books. Rachael whinnied about Ryan to her for weeks and then when they final hookup she disappears on her?

TTT: Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me

2013-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is books we wouldn't mind Santa bringing.

What books do you hope Santa brings you?

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

2013-12-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Source: Bought
ISBN: 978161963045
Release Date: March 30, 2012
Pages: 404

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

I’m unsure of where to start with this review. I knew going into this that so many people went bonkers for this book, but I just didn’t realize how much I would love it. Within the first few pages I knew this is my type of book and I’m going to love it. I don’t think I’m going to be able to put into words how much I freaking loved this book. It was perfect.

There was a lot of hype to this book, and sometimes that puts me off from a book because I don’t want to be the only one not to like it. So it’s just easier to avoid it and read something else instead. But I finally picked it up and boy am I glad I did!

Let’s start with Celaena. She is this awesome girl who is an assassin. An assassin! She’s deadly, but loveable. Celaena is clever, funny, well-read, and ever so arrogant. She’s really everything you could want in a heroine. She could kick some series ass and the moments where she had to hold back and just be average were the best. She got so frustrated with Chaol not being able to tell everyone that, yes, she is Adarlan’s Assasin, and she is amazing.

“You know, I actually felt guilty. Just a little guilty. And now I remember why I shouldn’t have. I hate sitting around locked in my room, bored out of my senses. I hate all these guards and nonsense; I hate you telling me to hold back when Brullo sings Cain’s praises and I’m just there , bored and unnoticed in the middle. I hate being told what I can’t do. And I hate you most of all!"

The romance was very well done. I’m not a fan of love triangles, but this is one of those times where I’ll make an exception. There was no insta-love here. Each romance was slow building. I was team Chaol all the way. He was stern and sexy. I love the love-hate relationships that turn into something more. I don't know why but I'm always cheering for the other guy who the heroine bickers with. Chaol made this book for me. I can't even put into words how much I loved him in it.

He challenges Celaena in ways that Dorian just can’t and Chaol’s feelings weren’t as immediate as Dorian’s. It was this ever so slow building relationship that he didn’t even realize how he felt until the end. There were points in the book where I was screaming “Go away Dorian! You are ruining things!” Still I liked Prince Dorian, but he seemed slightly selfish and spoiled at times. It was like Celaena was a game to him, but he also had this sweet and lonely side to him too. Dorian and Celaena had an immediate physically connection, but I just don’t buy it for the long haul of the series.

One of my favourite elements of Throne of Glass was Celaena’s friendship with Nehemia. I find it very difficult (and frustrating) to find solid female friendships in young adult books. But here was a perfect example of how you can still have an grand romance and an amazing and meaningful friendship. Celaena and Nehemia’s friendship had its ups and downs, but they still supported each other, and it wasn’t just fluff to support the romance.

But seriously if you haven’t read this yet just do it! Go and buy it and devour it like I did. You won’t regret it.

My Rating:

2013 End Of Year Book Survey

2013-12-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?

I can't just pick one so here's my top picks:

Horde by Ann Aguirre, Crash Into You by Katie McGarry, Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor, Ashfall by Mike Mullin, If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch, Attachments by Rainbow Rowell, Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis, and This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I was so excited when I saw there was going to be a fourth book. When I got my hands on a review copy I was even more excited, but sadly it was not even close to the greatness of the first book.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales. I just started reading it before bed one night without really thinking or having any expectations on the book, but it turned into one of my top reads of 2013.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell or the Razorland Trilogy by Ann Aguirre. I just simply love these book. I push it on people constantly.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

It would have to be Daughter of Smoke & Bone, The Grimoire Saga, or Pushing The Limits series. All three were superb.

6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2013?

Katie McGarry and Emily Murdoch.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. I'm not a big fantasy genre person, but this book was amazing and beautiful. It was everything I was missing from this genre.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Facade by Nyrae Dawn. I couldn't put it down. It was one of my very late into the night reads.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I don't re-read a lot of books, but I probably will re-read Attachments by Rainbow Rowell again.

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2013?

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

Celaena Sardothien. She was clever, strong, funny, arrogant, and could kick everyone's butt. Maybe it's because I just finished reading Throne of Glass, but Celaena was one of my favourite heroines this year.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Ignite by Erica Crouch. This book was perfect and was written so beautifully.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

Daughter of Smoke & Bone. It made me realize that I do like some fantasy/paranormal books. It was just such a fantastic book that it opened my eyes to a whole new genre that I just cast aside.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

Unwind by Neal Shusterman. That book blew me away.

15. Favourite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

"We don’t ever have to be together, Kara, if that’s not what you want. It doesn’t have to be that way. But I will always make certain you are safe.

I’ll do my best to respect what you want, Kara. I just want to be nearby. Someone has to catch you when you trip."
Braeden - Treason by S.M. Boyce

"What’s wrong with me that nobody wants to keep me?"
Isaiah - Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

"I’m an angel, and so are you. You’ve fallen, sure, but you are still an angel. I can feel who you are, your true spirit. I can see the soul you believe you lost. It’s still there inside you.”
Michael - Ignite - Erica Crouch

"It's real, Six. You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily-ever-afters that should piss you off."
Sky - Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Shortest: The New World by Patrick Ness at 24 pgs
Longest: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers at 576 pgs.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

Umm...the ending of Allegiant. I was so careful (and successful too) to avoid spoilers for this book. That when I finished I had to wait forever to talk to someone about it. I had a book hangover for a very long time after that one.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Romantic: Although, the series isn't my favourite. I love Aria and Perry together from Under The Never Sky series.

Friendship: Celaena and Nehemia. I don't see a lot of really great female friendships in young adult books lately (which is a shame), but Throne of Glass had the perfect friendship. Even though they had their ups and downs Celaena and Nehemia still supported each other.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Ignite by Erica Crouch. I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't for Chiara from Books For A Delicate Eternity.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

No surprise here. It was science fiction.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Isaiah from Crash Into You by Katie McGarry and Chaol from Throne of Glass.

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

It would be a three way tie between Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis, If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch, and This Song will Save Your life by Leila Sales.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Lichgates by S.M. Boyce and The Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

Poison by Bridget Zinn.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

Allegiant by Veronica Roth, Horde by Ann Aguirre, Facade by Nyrae Dawn, Hopeless by Colleen Hoover.

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Ashfall by Mike Mullin. This book doesn't get nearly enough love. You honestly need to read it.

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?

I found so many new blogs that I love this year. In Italics, Book Rock Betty, Books For A Delicate Eternity, Another Novel Read, and Paper Riot. I could go on for such a long time with all the new and great blogs I discovered this year.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?

Elite by Rachel Van Dyken. This book threw me through the ringer and I didn't even know how to put into words the absurdity and fun I had reading it.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

I haven't written a discussion post yet on my blog. I have been meaning to, but it's just one of those things I have put off.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?

I've read so many good discussion post this year. I liked Daisy Chain Book Reviews' Has Book Blogging Fallen out of Fashion? post, Jamie @ Perpetual Page Tuner always has great discussions, and I love Arial's discussions @ In Italics.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

I didn't go to any events this year as my city never has any, but I really enjoyed participating in The Broke and The Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday.

6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?

Starting my own blog. I started The Book Addict's Ramblings in late January of this year and I am so happy I did.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

My review of The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot. It got the most views.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

My reviews. I get lots of comments on my Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting On Wednesdays, but hardly any comments on my reviews.

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

The book blogging community. It was such a welcoming group and made being a newbie so much easier.

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Yes! I may have signed up for too many challenges, but I just love doing them. I finished And So It Begins Challenge, 2013 eBook Challenge, 2013 End of the Series Challenge, 2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge, and my Goodreads reading challenge.

For the second year in a row I failed miserably at my TBR Reading Challenge. I only crossed four off my list this year.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I loved Obsidian, but haven't taken the time to read the rest of the series. I even have Onyx sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I've heard amazing things about this series, so I'm making it a priority to read this book!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

Too many. Here's the books I'm dying to read in 2014, but Sunrise by Mike Mullin tops the list.

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige and Half Bad by Sally Green.

4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?

Again, Sunrise by Mike Mullin. I've waited so long for this final book and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

Start discussion posts on here and participate more in the blogging community.

Stacking The Shelves (5)

2013-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

I have been crazy busy with work lately, so I haven't had a chance to do a Stacking The Shelves post in a few weeks. I have received some great books for review and some early Christmas presents that I can't wait to delve into.

For Review:

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Jamie Campbell, Patchwork Press, Simon Pulse, HarperTeen, and Tor Teen!

Gifted:

Thanks to my Broke & Bookish Secret Santa Christa @ More Than Just Magic and my Bookish Christmas buddy Amanda @ Confessions of a Bookie Monster! And my sister too for an early Christmas present.

Bought:

2014 Blogging & Reading Goals

2013-12-20T11:48:00.000-05:00

2013 flew by and we are almost 2014 is almost here. I'm looking forward to 2014 as my blog is turning 1 in January/February! I'm not quite sure of my blogoversary date, so I better look into that!

Get my Netgalley feedback to approval ration to above 80%. This is my #1 goal for 2014. I made a newbie mistake when I first started blogging and requested too many review copies, and I want to clear up my review TBR list for 2014.
Don't request as many ARCs on Edelweiss and Netgalley.
Complete three 2014 blogging reading challenges. I love challenges, so this shouldn't be a problem! I've signed up for four so far (2014 Series Challenge, 2014 Standalone Reading Challenge, Lucky No 14 Reading Challenge, and Dystopia Reading Challenge), and I know I'm going to find more.
Be more active in the blogging community and twitter. I feel like I hardly interact on twitter and I want this to change.
Hit 400 followers
Comment on more blogs
I want to start doing discussion posts. I have all these ideas floating around in my brain, but I never do one!
Host a giveaway!

Read at least 100 books. I should have more time next year as I won't be in school, and we a little luck I will be able to quit my second job. If the latter happens I will have so much more time to devout to reading and blogging.
Read at least 35,000 pages
Read five books outside my normal genres.

What are your goals for 2014? What would you like to see more or less of on The Book Addict's Ramblings?

Tour Stop: Lichgates by S.M. Boyce

2013-12-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

I'm super excited to be part of the blog tour for Lichgates by S.M. Boyce. If you haven't read the first book yet, do it! S.M. Boyce paints such a beautiful world in her Grimoire Saga. Book 2 and 3 are out now and both are just as amazing as the first.

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour. And there is also a giveaway at the bottom of the post for a $30 Amazon gift card (open internationally).

Lichgates by S.M. Boyce
Series: The Grimoire Saga #1
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: October 15, 2011

Fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon will enjoy this contemporary remix of the classic epic fantasy genre.

Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things—Ourea.

Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother’s recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With no way out, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book’s untamed power. Discovered by Ourea’s royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict—a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn’t trust anyone… but she’s being hunted and can’t survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn’t know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords

About The Author

International Amazon Bestseller. Fantasy Author. Twitter addict. Book Blogger. Geek. Sarcastic. Gooey. Odd. Author of the action-packed Grimoire Saga.

S.M. Boyce is a novelist who loves ghosts, magic, and spooky things. She prefers loose-leaf tea, reads far too many books, and is always cold. She’s married to her soul mate and couldn’t be happier. Her B.A. in Creative Writing qualifies her to serve you french fries.

Boyce likes to update her blog a few times each week so that you have something to wake you up in the morning.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the character development and world building was excellent. Ourea is an intense and fascinating land. Each of the kingdoms that Kara visited was distinct and unique in its own way. Hillside has protected Braeden for years from his past, but holds its own secrets. Losse is a magical underwater world, and Kirelm is a traditional world, where men are warriors and women embody beauty.

I loved Braeden. I fell for him the moment he called Kara, Miss Kara. I think he will always protect Kara. His intentions were not noble at first, but I think he would always put her first. I don't know if I trust him entirely. His weakness to his father is obviously his greatest downfall, but it will be something he will struggle with. He thinks in order to protect Ourea from his people is to destroy the Stelian race. I don't think a massive genocide of one race in his world is the answer. I think this is something he will be struggling to come to terms with throughout the series. Kara's right in which it is not up to us to decide who deserves to live or die. He does want peace, but peace must come from compromise, not bloodshed.

"Life requires balance. Though a dandelion is never as stunning as an orchid, we would never appreciate a flower's beauty without also appreciating a weed's simplicity. Therefore we must accept that there is evil if we are to understand what it means to be good."

Kara I truly liked. She was a sarcastic and quick witted, which is my favourite kind of heroine. She's just a regular girl who got sucked into another world and told she was the one everyone has been waiting a millennium for. She will have a long, lonely road ahead of her, but she can trust and rely on Braeden. There are a few characters that can go either way in helping or betraying her along the way, the Muses, Twin, Heir Aurora, etc. She will need to learn who to trust in order to succeed.

"If this world didn't want her, she would try to save it anyway: for her dad, for her mom, and because being the Vagabound was all she had left."

I wish I had a Xlijnuhl. Flick sounds adorable. A miniature fox with massive ears, zebra stripes, random magical powers, and hatches from an egg! I think every girl should have one of those.

My Rating:

Purchase

Lichgates (Book 1)

Amazon | Smashwords

Treason (Book 2)

Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords

Heritage (Book 3)

Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting On Wednesday: Love Letters To The Dead by Ava Dellaira

2013-12-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming releases that we can't wait for.

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
Series: N/A
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary,
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path.

What book release are you excited about?

TTT: Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

2013-12-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's authors that were new to us in 2013. 2013 I found some really great authors and definitely want to keep reading their future works.

What new authors did you discover this year?

Lucky No 14 Reading Challenge

2013-12-16T01:43:00.001-05:00

The Challenge

This challenge will require you to read 14 books (or more) from 14 categories below. You can combine the books you read with other challenges, but can not use the same book for different categories in this challenge.

The Categories

1. Visit The Country: Read a book that has setting in a country that you really want to visit in real life. Make sure the setting has a big role in the book and it can make you know a little bit more about your dream destination.

2. Cover Lust: Pick a book from your shelf that you bought because you fell in love with the cover. Is the content as good as the cover?

3. Blame it on Bloggers: Read a book because you’ve read the sparkling reviews from other bloggers. Don’t forget to mention the blogger’s names too!

4. Bargain All The Way: Ever buying a book because it’s so cheap you don’t really care about the content? Now it’s time to open the book and find out whether it’s really worth your cents.

5. (Not So) Fresh From the Oven: Do you remember you bought/got a new released book last year but never had a chance to read it? Dig it from your pile and bring back the 2013.

6. First Letter’s Rule: Read a book which title begins with the same letter as your name (for me, Astrid means A, and I can read anything that started with the letter A). Remember: Articles like “a”, “an” or “the” doesn’t count :)

7. Once Upon a Time: Choose a book that’s been published for the first time before you were born (not necessarily has to be a classic book, just something a little bit older than you is okay. You can read the most recent edition if you want to)

8. Chunky Brick: Take a deep breath, and read a book that has more than 500 pages. Yep, the one that you’ve always been afraid of!

9. Favorite Author: You like their books, but there are too many titles. This is your chance, choose a book that’s been written by your fave author but you haven’t got time to read it before.

10. It’s Been There Forever: Pick up a book that has been there on your shelf for more than a year, clean up the dust and start to read it now :)

11. Movies vs Books: You’ve seen the movie adaptation (or planned to see it soon) but never had time to read the book. It’s time to read it now, so you can compare the book vs the movie.

12. Freebies Time: What’s the LAST free book you’ve got? Whether it’s from giveaway, a birthday gift or a surprise from someone special, don’t hold back any longer. Open the book and start reading it now :D

13. Not My Cup of Tea: Reach out to a genre that you’ve never tried (or probably just disliked) before. Whether it’s a romance, horror or non fiction, maybe you will find a hidden gem!

14. Walking Down The Memory Lane: Ever had a book that you loved so much as a kid? Or a book that you wish you could read when you were just a child? Grab it now and prepare for a wonderful journey to the past :) Comic books or graphic novels are allowed!

Review: Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

2013-12-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
Series: Under The Never Sky #2
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
ISBN: 9780062072061
Release Date: January 8, 2013
Pages: 341

Goodreads | Amazon

It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.

Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first.

Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

I didn’t fall in love with Under The Never Sky. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t give me the feels that I was hoping for or that it gave others. I finally decided to pick up Through The Ever Night and see if I was wrong about the first book. And while I enjoyed the second book more it still won’t be one of my favourite series.

I did love the world that Veronica Rossi has created. The dweller vs. tribes. She has created this beautiful, but harsh world where nature is beating down on the Earth and making surviving harder and harder. The Aether storms are getting worse and burning fields of crops, destroying pods.

Aria and Perry’s reunion at the beginning of the book is short lived. They both have their own paths to forge. Perry is now the leader of the Tides and must be responsible for each of his tribe members’ lives. Perry has a lot of trials to overcome. His land is burning with each Aether storm, his tribe is starving, and they don’t trust him to make the right choices. He is still impetuous and jumps into action before thinking things through. This further alienates him from some of his tribe as they don’t see him as a leader, but a reckless kid. While Perry is dealing with his tribe, Aria takes off with Roar to find the Still Blue.

The author created the perfect balance between action/adventure and the storyline. I am going to read the third book as I want to find out how the series will end, but overall the book just didn’t blow me away.

My Rating:

2014 Standalone Reading Challenge

2013-12-15T23:59:00.001-05:00

The Challenge

To read 15 Young Adult and Middle Grade standalone novels in 2014 released in the United States between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.