YA Booklover Blog

YA Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop!

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:58:00 +0000

I'm super excited to be participating in another giveaway hop, hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and vvb32reads!

This hop is all about YA paranormal (if you couldn't guess by the title), so that's the theme we're sticking with today! Annnnnnnd it's international!

What can you win?
One of my favourite YA paranormal trilogies is The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong! Not only are they fantabulous books, but the MC's name is Chloe :D

So you have the chance to win one book from The Darkest Powers series! If you win you can choose the first book, or the second, or even the third if the mood strikes! It's up to you!

Rules

-The giveaway is open until Feb. 29th at midnight.

-You can gain 2 extra entries - 1 for being a GFC follower (right hand sidebar) and 1 for Tweeting about the giveaway.

-The giveaway is open internationally, as long as The Book Depository ships to you. To see if they ship to your country, click here.

-You are entering to win one book from The Darkest Powers series

-You must fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. Comments are great but they do not count as entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview With Shelli-Johannes Wells

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Today I'm interview S.J. Wells, author of Untraceable and On The Bright Side!

Today she's going to be focusing on On the Bright Side, a tween angel book!

Goodreads
Buy the book (ebook): Amazon
Buy the book (paperback): Amazon

Gabby is a disgruntled tween angel who has just been assigned to protect her school nemesis and ex-beffie. Problem is her ex-beffie is dating Gabby’s longtime crush. Instead of protecting Angela, Gabby pranks her (since when is sticking toilet paper to her shoe or spinach in her teeth a sin?) Soon, Gabby gets out of control and is put on probation by her SKYAgent, who has anger management issues of his own. Determined to right her wrongs, Gabby steals an ancient artifact that allows her to return to Earth for just one day. Without knowing, she kicks off a series of events and learns what can happen when you hate someone to death.

1. Everyone asks this, it is so clichéd. But, I also feel no interview is complete without it. So... what was your inspiration for On the Bright Side? How did you get your ideas?

The books about angels are always so dark. I’ve seen shows where people have died and say they’ve seen Heaven or the Other Side. They always explained it as peaceful and happy. I wanted to see if I could give a different view of the Afterlife. One that was more modern and hip and happy. Yet still allowed and encouraged growth and let angels make mistakes.

2. Was it difficult to switch from writing Untraceable, a thriller, to On the Bright Side, a humorous paranormal? Did the difference in genre change the way you wrote the book in terms of writing style and how you developed the characters and plot line?

At the time, I had just sent Untraceable out to agents. I needed a break. Untraceable is dark and edgy. I needed something light. Once I decided to do a humorous story about death, I changed to tween b/c there are not many books that specifically target that group. I just tapped into my 8th grade self – moody, on the brink of boy crazy, and irrational at times.

3. If your book were being made in to a movie, who would you pick to play your characters?

I don’t know many redheads in Hollywood. Probably a young version of Emma Stone in Easy A.

4. On the other hand, if your life were being made in to a movie, who would you want to play you?

Zoey Deschanel, people have told me I look like her – though I don’t see it at all!

5. This is another standard question in my interviews! I'm a huge name-nerd, and I always wonder how authors choose names for their characters. So... what is your naming process like?
I look for meaning. Gabby is for Gabrielle the arc angel. Michael is another angel. Angela is long for angel. So they all revolved around something to do with angels. Jessica is a friend of mine who is so positive – its funny when we are together b/c I’m kinda the skeptic.

6. Do you read reviews for your books? I've heard many different opinions on whether authors should read reviews of their novels or not, so what is your point of view?

I do b/c if a reader took the time to write it – I can put aside my ego and read I t. I learn so much about my writing from those reviews. Good or bad – they educate me about something. Something I do well that I thought I didn’t or something I need to do better. The only ones that kinda bother me are the ones that are so mean and hateful. Someone called Grace a bitch and I thought it was so uncalled for b/c she isn’t – she might be impulsive or annoying at times. But she is not a bitch – she cares more about people and animals than herself. So to me - it was just a derogatory word to call her, which felt unnecessary. But 99% of them are great to read.

What is the point of writing if we can’t know what our readers think?

7. If you had to re-title your book, what would you call it?

Diaries of a Disgruntled Angel – in The AfterLife, things may not always be as bright

8. Who are some of your favorite YA authors?

Kimberly Derting, Megan Miranda, Carrie Ryan, James Patterson, and John Steinbeck.

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Praise for On the Bright Side....

“Full of charm and adventure, this heart-warming story is about deadly crushes, friendship, and spunky girls in the after-life. It left me clamoring for a sequel. This book is flipping adorable!” -Robin Mellom, author of Ditched: A Love Story and The Classroom (June 2012)

Clever and charming, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE is the story of a reluctant guardian angel, her still-breathing crush, and the frenemy she’s assigned to protect. A great read! -Suzanne Young, author of A Need So Beautiful, A Want So Wicket (6/12), and The Program (2013)

"With a smart, snappy heroine and a heart-warming crush, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE is a page-turning new take on guardian angels that left me begging for a sequel!" - Gretchen McNeil, author of Possess and Ten (9/12) (Balzar + Bray)

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S.R. Johannes lives in Atlanta Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. After earning an MBA and working in corporate america, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. You can find her hanging out online and visit her at srjohannes.com

Review of Fever by Lauren DeStefano

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Fever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2) by Lauren DeStefano
Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: February 21st 2012
Pages: 341
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Received from publisher in exchange for honest review

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they left behind. Determined to get to Manhattan and to find Rhine’s twin brother Rowan, the two press forward, amidst threats of being captured again . . . or worse.

The road they are on is long and perilous-and in a world where young women only live to age 20 and men die at age 25, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price-now that she has more to lose than ever. (via Official Site)

This is the sequel to Wither, so if you have not read Wither, this review may contain spoilers.

First Line: We run, with water in our shoes and the smell of the ocean clinging to our frozen skin.

I think the concept of The Chemical Gardens Trilogy is brilliant. And the way the world is formed is so sketchy and terrifying; everyone who lives there clings to whatever fragile life they have left, because death is always around the corner. The prose makes the world come to life, and while I was reading I felt trapped and delirious, just like Rhine. That, I think, is such an amazing part of these books - they are so captivating, and so terrifyingly plausible, that they entrance you.

I do have some complaints, though, fabulous writing and concept aside. In the beginning (and I'm talking first 10 pages), Rhine and Gabriel are all enthusiastic, ready to face the world and leave their horrible past behind. But they don't even make it to a town before all these shenanigans happen. At first I thought Madame's carnival was a really great addition. It's like this horrid, perverted paradise surrounded by wastelands. But then the descriptions started to dissolve into a haze. And I know it was all a part of the effect, all the smoky descriptions and foggy scenes, and sometimes I did appreciate this trait, but other times I wanted more. More solid descriptions and scenes, so I didn't feel so lost. Then, skip ahead a hundred pages or so, and I found the same thing happening again. This time, I didn't mind it so much. In fact, I thought it added to the book. They were no longer at the carnival, but with what Rhine was going through, it was understandable that everything would be fuzzy and confusing. Except it kept going. It just kept going. And that's when I started to get a little annoyed. Not overly so, because the writing and plot and characters were still keeping the book afloat, but I was just a little tired of all the cloudy scenes and muddled thoughts, and especially the dreams. Yes, at first the dreams were descriptive and hazy and scary. But then I found them getting a little repetitive.

I think to a point, all these effects are wonderful, and they help build the feel of the novel, but after that I was a tad annoyed.

Overall...
The world in which this book takes place, plus the writing and characters, is marvelous. I loved it! There was just that small factor of all the hazy bits which got to me a bit, but in the end it doesn't really take away too much from the story.

4.5 birds

& 1/2

Would fight a flock of crazed birds to read it!

Review of The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: December 8th 2011
Pages: 357
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought

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

First line: When Campbell's father died, he left her $1, 262.56 - as much as he'd been able to stock away during his twenty year gig as a fire dancer for the "Spirit of Aloha" show at Disney's Polynesian Hotel.

Okay, so here's the thing. I was not planning on reading this book as soon as I bought it. I had begun reading it on Facebook , and I just had to own it. So I went out, bought it, and was done a couple days later. It's just one of those books that completely grabs hold of you and won't let you go, even when you've finished the last page.

The way Wunder handles the subject of death is so unique to the story. It makes you realize that yes, one day we will all be gone, but the world goes on. And even though we're gone physically, we never really leave. Even though Cam is convinced there's no hope left for her, she realizes she still has this summer at least, and she finally starts to have fun, to not let the cancer control her. I guess one of the main messages I got from this book is to live in the present. And I liked that when we read Cam's story, we have no choice but to focus on the here and now. Sure, we get little snippets of back story about Cam and Perry and Alicia, but mostly the book is in the moment, and Cam has to make the most of it.

Cam herself is so witty and funny, and while I was a little disappointed with some of the decisions she made, I think everything she did helped build her as a character. Perry and Alicia were also great characters, but I have to admit I was a little surprised at Perry - she never seemed too concerned or worried or upset that Cam was so sick.

Yes, this book is about death. But it's also about life and hope and miracles. Especially miracles. That's why I loved Promise. It's this magical place, such a glorious scene for the book to take place in. Miracles happen here - but not fake, cheesy miracles like you would expect to see. Instead, flamingos flock to Maine in the middle of July, and bouncy castles save your life.

Overall...
This book is amazing. It makes you think about life, and death, and miracles. Cam is so funny, and Asher is so sweet. I recommend this to any contemp. fans, although I think it's one that everyone should read!

5 birds

Would fight a flock of crazed birds to read it!

In My Mailbox #36

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:25:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren!

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Two Truths and a Lie (The Lying Game #3) by Sarah Shepard

Also, while you're here - what new feature would you like to see on YA Booklover Blog? Quotes? Teasers? Book blogging help? Random bookish rambling? Let me know!

What new feature should I start?

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Ever since ending Booklover Discovers, I've felt like there is a hole in my posts... Like I'm missing something! I would love to start a new feature, preferably a Saturday feature. I'm thinking of a few different ideas, like perhaps just a Saturday Ramblings sort of thing, where I just go on about whatever bookish stuff is happening that week. Or maybe a vlog of some sort? Or book teasers? Or quotes? Gah! I need help!

So, any input? What new feature would you like to see at YA Booklover Blog?

Is Google Friend Connect really going away?

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Sorry, I have to interrupt the regular posting schedule for a little question - Is GFC going away? For good? Even on Blogger blogs?

I've been hearing so many different rumors, and I just want to find out the real story! So, if you know any info, please share! I'm sort of freaking out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Broke My Heart A Little

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:17:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish :)

In honor of Valentine's day, this week's Top Ten Tuesday is books that broke my heart a little.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Gah! Ah! It was actually a tie between this one and The Half Blood Prince (if you've read it, you'll definitely know why it was so sad!), but in the end, this one won. Not only are there so many sad parts in the book, but just the fact that this was the last book completely broke my heart!

Mockingjay - I guess there is some sort of theme going on - every last book in a series must be devastating, including loss of beloved characters. Mockingjay definitely fits the bill on that one.

The Sky Is Everywhere - Do I even need to say it? This whole book, with the lyrical poems and heartbreaking notes, and Lennie's overwhelming sadness, just completely overcame me!

Between Shades of Gray - Like I said in my review, "It is the story of children forced to grow up too fast, too soon, and those who never got to grow up. Of mothers and fathers dying before they will ever see their children do great things. Of stolen lives and lost souls."

Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl - Anne is just one of the most wonderful characters I've ever read about - and she was not just a character. But her story, her whole life, was cut so short. Anne's honesty, wit, and pain just made me want to meet her, to tell her that while she may have died so young, her incredible story has been kept alive.

Jellicoe Road - When you find out the full story, and everything clicks together, it is just so heart wrenching.

The Book of Negroes - So many aspects of this story are just really gritty and terrible... Completely unimaginable, yet it all happened.

Thirteen Reasons Why - No matter how many semi-negative reviews I read for this, I always look back on it as something that just brought all these horrible realities to the surface, and Hannah's voice was just so witty - yet she was no longer alive as you heard her tales.

Twenty Boy Summer - This book is also fun and sweet, but it is pretty heart breaking too.

10.

Hana's Suitcase - Another Holocaust book, perhaps more MG, this one is also very captivating, including pictures and a modern day story running along side Hana's. It's non fiction, though, so everything is so real.

What about you? What books broke your heart?

Review of Bridger by Megan Curd

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Bridger by Megan Curd

Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Soul Fire Press

Release Date: June 4th 2011

Pages: 258 (Kindle Edition)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Ashlyn McVean doesn't believe in fairy tales. That is, until Ashlyn is thrown into the crosshairs of grudges her grandmother created long ago. After finding out she is one of two people able to cross between faerie realms, Ashlyn is faced with trying to understand her abilities, along with navigating a new relationship with her boyfriend, Liam. As if being on a centuries old hit list and dealing with crazed pixies isn't enough, her new abilities mean trouble for Liam. Knowing her new life puts everyone she loves in danger, Ashlyn must decide what's most important in her life between friends, family, love, and ultimately, realms.

Okay, so I have both pros and cons for this book. First off, I thought it was fairly fast paced... It got a tad boring at parts, but was overall entertaining with all it's action and how quickly it moved. However it was a fairly high fantasy novel, which is hit and miss for me. I enjoyed some of the fantasy/faery aspects, but some of the others I could have done without - that's just personal preference, though, and if you like fantasy/faery books then don't let my genre preferences deter you from reading this.

But here's the thing: my biggest pet peeve with this book was that some parts were just so, completely unbelievable. For instance, at the very beginning, Ashlyn's dad dies. Then, just a couple weeks later, she's off to Ireland with her best friend. Sure, for a day or two Ashlyn cries, but after that there is virtually no mention of her father's death, and when there is, Ashlyn doesn't seem the least bit sad.

Then, (**Spoiler Alert**) when Ashlyn and Jamie are in Ireland, and Jamie goes all psycho, and they have to leave Jamie behind, no one back home seems to care. Ashlyn comes back from Ireland with Liam instead of Jamie, and no one really minds. She tells her friends that Jamie is just staying longer, and even at the end of the book, when it's been months, no one asks about Jamie. And if Jamie is really a changeling, then she wouldn't have had parents - Ashlyn never mentions this. She never mentions going to Jamie's house or anything, so either Ashlyn just never asked whether her friend lived in a house or had parents, or Jamie just didn't tell her...(**Spoiler Over**)

Those parts (and many others) just seem so haphazard and unbelievable, like the author just decided to completely look them over even though they mean something to the book. It really frustrated me while I was reading.

Ashlyn's character is easy enough to like. She's strong, but sometimes a little oblivious. Like when Chris started acting differently, Ashlyn seemed to just brush it off. One thing I did like about this book was the relationship between Liam and Ashlyn. Although the book had a love triangle going on, it was actually not too bad. I thought Liam and Ashlyn's relationship was subtle and fit very well into the book.

Overall, this book was pretty fast paced and creative, but just didn't work for me. I liked most of the characters and the plot was okay, but it was just too fantasy-ish, and so many parts were completely unbelievable and haphazard.

3 birds

Mhm. Okay. Flip a coin. Heads - bird wins. Tails - it's mine.

In My Mailbox #35

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:37:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren!

Paper Towns by John Green

Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey

PS, infinite thank yous to Linna @ LJ Designs for the new look!

This or That Character Interview: The Priest and the Peaches

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:20:00 +0000

I'm very happy to be a part of the blog tour for Larry Peterson's The Priest and the Peaches! Before we get to the fun interview, here is a little about the book itself...

Buy for Kindle | Nook | iBookstore | Smashwords | PDF

Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

When I asked Larry he'd like to do a This or That interview, he replied...

I spoke to the main character, Teddy Peach, and asked him if he would take care of this. So---I leave it in his "capable" hands. Don't forget that these kids are still back in 1966. Hope it works out.
Larry Peterson
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Hello, I know Mr. Peterson asked me to answer these questions but I didn't have time so I asked my younger brother, Dancer, if he would answer them for you. Dancer sometimes has a chip on his shoulder because he thinks everyone treats him like a "baby". He is 14 and thinks he knows everything.

Good luck,

Teddy Peach

(P.S. sorry I didn't answer them myself)

1. City or Country?
I swear, this is dumb. Fine--New York City. And it is in America in case you didn't know.

2. Pen or Pencil?
Pencils keep on breaking and my stupid fountain pens keep leaking and keep ruining my shirts because I always forget and stick them in the pocket so I choose chalk. Got a problem with that?

3. Cats or Dogs?
Cats are too sneaky. Gimme a dog any day. I can trust a dog.

5. Polk-a-dots or Stripes?
How about both. Like stripes with polkadots between them. Yeah, this is dumb. Now I know why Teddy wanted me to answer these questions. He's probably laughing his head off about this.

6. Pancakes or Waffles?
Polly Chinkins or Schmun? Betcha don't even know what they are. So, if you answer me I'll answer you.

7. Books or Movies?

Well, I like that James Bond movie, "Goldfinger" with Odd-Job and his killer top hat and how they crushed that guy up in the the Lincoln at the junk yard. That was cool. So, movies.

8. Harry Potter or Twilight?
Who is Harry Potter? Twilight? What's that mean? Okay, you mean right before dark. So what?

9. Coffee or Tea?
Beer--only kidding, I'm not "old" enough to drink beer. Don't tell my brother I said that, okay? He's always freaking out at me for sneaking beer. Answer is coffee.

10. Skiing in the Alps or Lying on a Beach in Spain?
None of us ever went skiing and if I had to go to a beach I'd rather go out to Coney Island. Spain--sure, why not. Our phone number is CY3-3790. Give me a call and let me know what time we're leaving. Man, Teddy is gonna be so ticked off at me for this.

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Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

He also has a blog (http://www.ThePriestandthePeaches.com) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.

Review of Dead to You by Lisa McMann

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Dead to You by Lisa McMann
Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: Feb. 7th 2012
Pages: 243
Reading Level: Young Adult

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

First Line: There are three of them. No, four.

I didn't have huge expectations of this book, so maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much. I've read Wake (so-so) and Cryer's Cross (good), and while I was hoping to like this book, I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. And while it may not be the best book I've ever read, I really enjoyed it.

Ethan is faced with this insane situation - being returned to your family after having been abducted nine years ago. I thought perhaps we'd get a lot of that teen angst, no one understands me, I'm just going to sulk because poor me, I've had it harder than anyone else in this family. But, surprisingly, Ethan is really kind. He loves is mom, and forms such a great friendship with 6 year old Gracie. I liked his character, for the most part. Sometimes when he lost control I was a bit upset, but I understand that he can't always be perfect.

As far as plot goes, I thought it was creative overall but maybe a bit predictable within itself. See, the whole idea of Ethan being returned, and him not being able to remember his past life, had me captured. But when you get into the whole idea of it, and the way she could have taken the plot, I think McMann played it fairly safe. There were some surprises and mild twists, but overall it was sort of tame. Then, the ending. Honestly, I was hoping for it to continue, but it didn't - and now I'm hoping for a sequel. McMann leaves the book completely hanging, and I really want to know what happens next. This is perfect if there is a sequel, but as far as I am aware, there isn't, so I am a little disappointed. I think if she was set on that big twist, then ideally for me it would've been earlier in the book, or the book would've been longer, so that the story could continue and at least feel complete. Some people may have liked the surprise, and the quick, unexpected ending, but for me, I needed more to have closure with the book.

As for the writing, I read two reviews for this book which used phrases that I thought described the prose perfectly: stream of consciousness, and minimalistic. It really is just Ethan's mind, describing this massive event in his life, how he sees it. Sometimes there are short sentences, almost jot notes from his thoughts. And some of the chapters are very short.

Overall this was a fairly fast paced, intruiging read that I really enjoyed. I liked Ethan, and I really liked the other characters he meets. I was a bit upset with the way she ended the book, and the safeness of the plot. But, in the end, I would definitely recommend this book, especially to anyone who likes a mix of contemp. and mystery.

4.5 birds

-Sweet read! Would definitely knock out a few birds for this one-

In My Mailbox #34

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:23:00 +0000

IMM is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren!

Leave me a comment! If I don't get back to you today (I'm going to be out) I will definitely check it out tomorrow!

Exciting Releases: February

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

There we are, fighting for all these awesome books :)

Exciting Releases is a feature that takes place every month to showcase all the exciting books being released! Can you believe it's already February? I only managed to read 5 books in January... Hopefully I'll catch up this month! So, without further ado, here are the exciting releases coming out in February 2012!!

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker - Feb. 1st

The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin - Feb. 1st

The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone - Feb. 1st

This One Time With Julia by David Lampson - Feb. 2nd

A Midsummer Tights Dream (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey #2) by Louise Rennison - Feb. 2nd

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale - Feb. 2nd

Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne - Feb. 2nd

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook - Feb. 3rd

The Rivals (The Mockingbirds #2) by Daisy Whitney - Feb. 6th

Dead to You by Lisa McMann - Feb. 7th

Two Truths and a Lie (The Lying Game #3) by Sara Shepard - Feb. 7th

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) by Jessica Spotswood - Feb. 7th

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth - Feb. 7th

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace - Feb. 8th

Pure (Pure #1) by Julianna Baggott - Feb. 8th

The Wood Queen )The Iron Witch #2) by Karen Mahoney - Feb. 8th

The Nightmare Garden (Iron Codex #2) by Caitlin Kitteredge - Feb. 14th

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley - Feb. 14th

The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers - Feb. 14th

Bewitching (Kendra Chronicles) by Alex Flinn - Feb. 14th

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen - Feb. 16th

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour - Feb. 16th

Trafficked by Kim Purcell - Feb. 16th

Fever (The Chemicle Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano - Feb. 21st

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg - Feb. 21st

A Beautiful Evil (Gods & Monsters #2) by Kelly Keaton - Feb. 21st

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr - Feb. 21st

Double by Jenny Valentine - Feb. 27th

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver - Feb. 28th

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby - Feb. 28th

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen - Feb. 28th

The Traitor in the Tunnel (The Agency #3) by Y.S. Lee - Feb. 28th

These all look so exciting! I especially can't wait for Graffiti Moon!!! :D What about you? What are you excited for this month?

Peoples' Choice (on what I should read!)

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:39:00 +0000

I've decided that every month I will use Random.org to pick 5 books from my Goodreads to-read shelf, and then I will put them in poll on my sidebar on which you can vote! I did something similar to this once last year and ended up reading Graceling, which I loved, so I'm looking forward to it! I'm hoping it will get me to read books that I probably would just pass over otherwise :) This little challenge of mine is inspired by I'm Loving Books' Random Reads Challenge. The poll will be up today and will run until Feb. 5th. For March I will put the poll up before the month starts so I have more time. We'll see how long I can keep this going, but I'm hopeful!

Happy reading!

Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth
Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 3rd 2011
Pages: 487
Reading Level: Young Adult

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her. (Goodreads)

First Line: There is one mirror in my house.

I'll admit it: I am one of those bloggers who reads a book and then doesn't review it until months later. I'm working on that bad habit, but for this review I'll have to rely on memory!

But, I read this book in the summer, and if there is one thing I remember, it's that I loved it! The plot is fantastic, and the whole world Tris lives in is crafted wonderfully. This book is definitely exciting and action packed right from the beginning. It is almost 500 pages but was never boring!

Tris was... strong. Not Katniss strong (I have to say, every strong female character will always be compared to Katniss ever since I read THG!), but still strong. She fit well with the story and took risks that built her character. However I have to say she might have been one of my downfalls for this book. There is nothing wrong with her, nothing that she does to make me hate her. Overall she is a good character - she just lacked something for me. Every once in a while I would just see her as some character, not one whom I was completely invested it - except when she had to make a big decision or was scared or some such thing - then I was definitely cheering her on! Four was also very brave and a little intimidating at times, yet he has this other side to him that Tris discovers throughout the book that makes him much more human. I really liked all the characters in Divergent, even if they only played a minor role. It was also very interesting how they decided who got to be part of the faction Tris chooses. It's so harsh what they have to go through (yet it also makes the book that much more exciting).

Overall Divergent is completely engrossing and I recommend it to everyone - especially if you enjoy Dystopia or action packed reads!

5 birds

-Would fight a flock of crazed birds to read it!-

Follow Friday #4

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:06:00 +0000

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read :)

Q: Which genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

Hmmm, this is a tough one. I don't strictly avoid any genres, to be honest. But, there is one type of book that I am beginning to really dislike: girl meets boy, boy has some sort of power/is a vampire/mythical creature/secretly a god, etc, and they must fight for their everlasting love. I know it's not a genre but honestly I'm just getting a little tired of it. Somehow the girl always ends up thinking she doesn't deserve this guy's love. However, there are definitely a few books that fall into this category that are great! But, for the most part, I've begun to get a little disappointed with these books.

Also, anything strictly just romance. I don't mind a romantic book (Anna and Lola are prime examples) but I like the book to have other elements to it as well.

What about you? What genres do you avoid at all costs?

Restock Yara's Bookshelves!

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:40:00 +0000

Yara, of the lovely book blog Once Upon a Twilight, recently lost her home in a devastating fire. Luckily, no one was injured. However, they have lost all of their possessions - including books! There are many different ways to donate to Yara and her family right now if you'd like to get involved. If you would rather donate books, there is a whole blog set up to restock Yara's (and her childrens'!) shelves :)

The Magic Will Never End (me gushing about Harry Potter)

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:39:00 +0000

Sorry if you commented on this post and your comments are no longer there. I've switched back to regular blogger comments and all the ones from IntenseDebate disappeared :(

A couple weeks ago, I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Since about September I've been reading and watching HP and have fallen in love. I don't know why I'm so behind on this whole thing, but it took me having to see the last movie to make me start the first book. And, wow. I was contemplating not even posting this because I doubt it's possible for any one to put into words just how thrilling, incredible, brilliant, and epic this whole series is. I've started up an all HP Tumblr to try to channel my adoration of HP, and you can check that out.

But, anyway, I clearly did decide to post this, because I guess I just wanted to mention that I have never (ever) felt more attached to a series, or characters, or even an author. I've seen so many interviews with book bloggers, and when asked who they'd like to have dinner with, a ton of them answer "J.K. Rowling". And now, I completely understand why. Because Rowling has this gift for crafting stories that will completely capture you and not let you go, even when you are done reading the books or watching the movies.

When I finished the last book I went into a complete slump, dragging myself around the house repeating in my head, "no more no more no more no more". And then I Tweeted a whole bunch about my utter depression and devastation at having reached the end of these marvelous books. But, truthfully, the magic will never end. Sometimes when I'm bored in music class I pretend that I'm in the Hogwarts choir with Professor Flitwick conducting. Lately I've found myself using the word "brilliant" an awful lot. Last week (I kid you not) I turned on my bedroom light and instinctively muttered "lumos"! And I can't wait until I reread the books again and again, and watch the movies 1000 times over. Because with this world that J.K. Rowling has created, the magic doesn't have to end; it's with us in everything we do, and the incredible story of Harry, Ron, and Hermione will always be there for us to come back to.

Review of Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:14:00 +0000

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Release Date: September 13th 2011
Pages: 248
Reading Level: Young Adult
*thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother.

Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? As Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear her family apart.

This book has an element that I've never seen before: the plot was so utterly simple. Yet the author managed to continue the book until the end without it falling completely flat. It was like a car running on fumes, and I have to give Pfeffer credit for that. Really there was just one main story line with some [very] small strands branching off it, and every time you thought something else might get added to it... nope. Just the same story line. And while I think it could have been a bit more interesting if different things were added to the story, this was definitely a first for me and I have to say made it sort of unique.

As for Willa's home life... On the outside, everything is just this perfect facade of happy family life. They are the model blended family. But then, throughout the book, little things start to appear, signs that maybe this is all an act - maybe their family is actually broken, tearing apart, and they are all just trying to pretend like nothing is wrong. This is wear Jack, Willa's stepdad, comes in. He his nice and funny and kind but also, he is the reason they are all pretending - because he needs them to be a happy family. And Willa's mom is just as bad, and there is a flashback in the book that I think was one of the stronger scenes, really emphasizing how this family is built.

But, there were also some drawbacks. Because some parts, especially Willa going into her real father's house, were a bit underwhelming. I found myself wishing at times for more descriptive writing, more detail. And a lot of the time I was expecting more to happen, but I found that the book was just sort of... going. With no point.

Overall the mystery part of this novel was not quite what I was expecting, and not focused on as much as I thought it would be. But, the contemporary part is done very well, and all in all this book was a fast paced and okay read.

&1/2 birds

In My Mailbox #33 (I think)

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:21:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren!

Dead to You (Feb 2012)
Black Heart (Curseworkers #3) (April 2012)

Review of Girl Fight by Faye Harnest

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:04:00 +0000

Girl Fight by Faye Harnest

Publisher: James Lorimer & Company Limited

Release Date: August 15th 2011

Pages: 144

Reading Level: Young Adult

Zadie thinks she's tough and indestructible, like the superheroes she draws in her graphic novels. She'll fight any girl who dares to take her on, and she always wins until, one day, she loses. Beat up and riled up, she quickly gets her revenge and hospitalizes the next girl she challenges. Scared that this time she may have gone too far, Zadie tries to keep out of trouble. But when some girls launch a cyberbullying campaign against her meant to spur her into violence, Zadie decides that enough is enough, and the lines between superhero and supervillain become blurred.

What I found about this book is that it felt, not quite like a novel, but like thoughts just zooming out of Zadie's mind, landing on the pages. Her decisions (most of them) were rash, and her character was, while physically strong, not very emotionally strong. It was easy to tell this, the pages were just blank canvas waiting for her thoughts to spill out onto them. Almost like some sort of twisted diary. But, the writing is also infused with a comic book feel: implied speech bubbles and KA-POWs and starbursts. Of course there aren't any actually starbursts on the page but the way it is written gives it that feel.

I think there are a few underlying messages in this book, and the very strong one was, for me, how Zadie could fight her way through anything and thought she was so tough, until she really injured someone, and suddenly she had to find out how to be emotionally strong too.

However, I did find this book a bit boring in places, which is odd because it was pretty action packed. I guess I was just a little tired of it in the end.

Overall... Short read, interesting writing, but not entirely for me.

3 birds

In My Mailbox #32

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:52:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren!

Quick video this week, sorry for the awkward pauses in the middle!

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Exciting Releases: January

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:52:00 +0000

That's me, running to get all these books :)

This is the first post in a series of posts that will go on for hopefully all of 2012. Each month I will post about the exciting new releases coming out that month. Exciting Releases is inspired by all the other bloggers who post about exciting releases every month!

Irises by Francisco X. Stork - Jan. 1st

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - Jan. 2nd

The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker - Jan. 2nd

Don't Breath A Word by Holly Cupala - Jan. 3rd

Charmfall (Dark Elite #3) by Chloe Neill - Jan. 3rd

Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi - Jan. 3rd

The Alchemy of Forever (Incarnation #1) by Avery Williams - Jan. 3rd

Cracked by K.M. Walton - Jan. 3rd

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer - Jane. 3rd

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler - Jan. 3rd

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer - Jan. 3rd

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Cary - Jan. 5th

Love? Maybe. by Heather Hepler - Jan. 5th

The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols - Jan. 6th

A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis - Jan. 10th

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Jan. 10th

Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe - Jan. 10th

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand - Jan. 17th

Fracture by Megan Miranda - Jan. 17th

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic - Jan. 17th

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard - Jan. 19th

A Beautiful Eye (Gods & Monsters #2) by Kelly Keaton - Jan. 21st

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe - Jan. 24th

New Girl by Paige Harbison - Jan. 31st

Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany - Jan. 31st

Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows - Jan. 31st

There are SO many great books coming out this month, it's crazy. I'm so excited for all of them. What about you? Any one particular book you're looking forward to this month?

Blogging Resolutions 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Chloe Booklover) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:07:00 +0000

Happy 2012! Another year of blogging has gone by, folks. It was super fun and I can't wait to make 2012 just as amazing!

Here are my blogging resolutions for 2012...

1. Find a Blog Design I Love
I've had this design for a long time now, because I've sort of forced myself not to keep changing! But I don't love it and hopefully this year I'll switch over to something that I really love.

2. Stop Accepting Books I Don't Want to Read
I get a lot of book review requests, and only recently have I begun to turn down the ones I don't want to read. But when I first started getting the requests, I accepted them all because I was just so excited! Now in the aftermath, however, I have a lot of books to review that I'm not so keen to read. It's not fair to the author and it's not fair to myself.

3. Comment More and Become More Involved in the Blogosphere
I feel like I haven't been commenting as much or Tweeting as much or just plain reading other blogs as much! My Google Reader reached 1000+ sometime back in September, and I haven't cleared it out yet :/

4. Stick to Memes
I love Top Ten Tuesday and Waiting on Wednesday, not to mention Follow Friday and In My Mailbox. But I can't keep up with alll of those, so I'm going to try and find one that really works for me and stick with it. IMM is definitely staying.

5. Improve My Reviews
Sometimes when I'm reviewing a book my thoughts get all jumbled and tangled and when I look back and read my reviews they are very hard to get information from! I hope to fix this.

6. Reformat Some Really Old Reviews
Like this one and this one. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote those, but all I get when I read the review now is coloured text and a picture. Although, the first link is my first ever post, so maybe I'll leave that one be.

7. Be Happy With My Blog
I'm stealing a page from Audrey's book here. Sometimes I look at my blog compared to another blog - whether it is better designed, has more followers, more comments, etc. - and I feel bad about my own blog. But in truth all the blogs I read are run by dedicated and hard working bloggers, and I'm happy I can say that I'm a part of the wonderful book blogging community! In the end we are all great bloggers and no matter how many followers we have or how many ARCs we get, we all have one thing in common - we love reading! So, I'm proud of what I've accomplished, and what this blog has become. I really look forward to seeing how it continues to grow in the future!

I'd love to hear your blogging resolutions (or any resolutions) for 2012! Leave a comment!!