Gypsy Book Reviews

review: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

2013-02-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

"Dualed" is a thrilling high-concept YA where citizens must prove their worth by killing their Alts--twins raised by other families.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage--life. But then a tragic misstep shakes West's confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she's no longer certain that she's the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

REVIEW:

So, I read Dualed in June. June 2012. That’s a really long wait for the sequel, but the good news is: there isn’t a cliffhanger. Which makes me super happy because maybe now the wait will be bearable.

I doubt it. I’ll just have to reread Dualed because HELL YEAH IT IS THAT AWESOME. I do love a good action-packed novel, even when I do love the romance. I love that Elsie Chapman worked both into this fantastic debut, and she does such a great job with it.

I love love love West. She’s so mature for her age, and in this world Chapman created, it works. You sorta have to be mature instead of a young teenager when you know you might have to kill your Alt soon. Or have them kill you.

I have to admit that I did think about this idea a lot—You or your Alt?—and came to the conclusion that if I had to face against my Alt, and be the person that I am today, I wouldn’t make it. BUT if I lived in that world and had been training for killing my Alt? I think I could, because hello, I have been TRAINING for this moment, so it makes this book’s premise a little OH HOLY CRAP. What BIG thing happened to West to make it seem like she couldn’t do this?

You guys, I just absolutely adored the idea behind Dualed. It was unique and made me REALLY think, and I love thinking. I love books that challenge me to think of an alternate world.

Such a fantastic idea. Anyway. The romance fan that I am wanted more kissing; West and Chord have amazing chemistry between them, and man, I LOVED Chord. He was so sweet! Like he’s probably the sweetest YA love interest out there. LOVED HIM SO MUCH. He’s just . . . amazing. All the hearts for Chord.

The ending totally made this book for me, especially the big climatic event. I reread it after I finished the book because omg it was just perfect. And no cliffhanger! Yay! I’m really excited to see where Elsie takes the sequel. I can’t WAIT for that one. I would sell parts of my soul for it.

Dualed by Elsie Chapman is out now. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via netgalley.

Moving

2013-01-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

As you can tell, I have been failing at keeping my blog up to date. The truth is I'm in a type of law school and I spend a lot of time doing homework. Like 98% of my time is all about law, which doesn't leave a lot of time for other things.

So when Megan was looking for more bloggers, I jumped at the chance. I've joined the team at Book Brats as a guest reviewer. Seeing as I typically only read three books a month, I think it'll be the perfect way for me to still read and review but also not feel guilty for not updating.

If I have a book of yours for review, I'll be posting the review over at Book Brats, unless I've decided to not review it. Also I'll be closing down my gypsybookreview's email. You can email me here: ashelynn @ book-brats.com I won't be accepting review requests, however. ;) I'm still catching up on my backlog. I probably won't ever be open to review requests ever again, unless I've previously worked with you.

So that's my good news. I can't wait to start posting on Book Brats!

review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

2012-12-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

I’ve heard such great things about The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. But I didn’t really hear what it was about, just that it was Amazing with a capital A. I also heard it was a dystopian novel, and guys, I am so tired of those novels. But The Darkest Minds is more science fiction than dystopian; it’s actually a pre-dystopian novel, about how a country can turn into a dystopian country.

I loved The Darkest Minds. First, we have Ruby, our narrator, our main character. I loved her character. She seems weak, and shy, and not the bravest person in the camp—and I absolutely loved that about her. While I like strong characters, there ARE other types out there, and sometimes you aren’t the strongest, the bravest person ever. You can be shy and afraid to do anything because of the reaction, and that’s Ruby. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to her.

Then there’s IAAN, the Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration, which is killing off the children, except for a select few who survive. You guys, Alexandra Bracken absolutely killed this story with the science. And I mean that in a good way; I love it when a science fiction novel has actual science in it. But anyway, back to the IAAN—I loved that there was a disease that was killing off children, except for a select few. It put the entire world into panic. It put the entire country into panic.

So the children that survive are shipped off to camps, much like the camps Hitler put all the “unpure” races in, or what the U.S. government did with the Japanese in the United States during WWII. I thought it was genius, even if it’s horrible that children—who were as young as eight—were being brought to camps to “protect” themselves and their country, all while being “rehabilitated.”

Like I said: Alexandra Bracken absolutely killed this story. The Darkest Minds is a brilliant story about survival, not knowing what you exactly are, friendship, and even romance. I loved that the romance was low-key and not the focus of the story. Absolutely adored that.

But mostly I adored Ruby. Guys, I just can’t praise this girl high enough. She is seriously an amazing main character, and I loved her growth throughout this story. I can’t wait to see what she does next in the sequel.

Also, I’d like to give Alexandra Bracken a thousand brownie points for her writing. It’s not overly flower-y, but it’s also not straightforward. It’s simple, yet there are a few lines here and there that just take your breath away. It’s everything I love, all typed up into a single word. And it’s so brilliant.

The ending is totally cruel, but I knew it was going to happen—it’s exactly the sort of thing you expect from someone with Ruby’s type of power. And speaking of powers, or abilities, can I say I loved them? I especially loved how they categorized it: Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, and Green. I want to know what Reds can do, but it has to be something very, very powerful since they are the ones at the top. I hope it’s something we learn in the sequel.

And honestly, I just adored The Darkest Minds. I adored Chubs, Liam, and Zu—and I loved the world building. I keep repeating that The Darkest Minds is “brilliant,” but it’s honestly the only word that can describe it. Simply put, The Darkest Minds is a very, very brilliant novel that I hope everyone loves.

I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via netgalley.

review: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

2012-12-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

At nearly 500 pages, Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger seems like it’d be a slow read, one to take your time with and really think about the story. But in reality, it’s actually a fast-paced read, starting with a bang and ending with a lot of questions. After reading the jacket copy, I thought by the end, we would know what Sophie’s mind held and why she was put into the human world. But in reality, we only learn about the organization who put her into the human world, and what part of her mind holds—not all of it. And I really want to know why Sophie’s so special!

Sophie, when we first meet her, is incredibly smart. And that really didn’t bother me, but her parents DID bother me. I don’t know why they didn’t want the spotlight on her, and it really isn’t explained why. But I absolutely hated that Sophie wasn’t good at alchemy (hm, seems to be like Harry and Potions…) and it made me want to tear my hair out that her Mentor in alchemy was so set on failing her prodigies. I do not understand WHY teachers do that. What’s the point? To me it makes the teacher seem like a failure because s/he isn’t doing his job well enough that her/his students are retaining the knowledge and passing the class.

As for the world: I want to know more about it. She has such trouble with alchemy because the rules of chemistry she knows are “wrong.” Why are they wrong? Because the world is different? Or because humans are just so stupid that they don’t understand chemistry like the elves do? They have this air about them, the elves, towards humans that is very condescending because the humans broke the treaty. Why? When? GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION. I want to know how this world works, especially since it’s so “different” from ours.

When Sophie moves to the Lost Cities, she gets guardians, who run a sanctuary for animals . . . that are extinct in our world. So there’s dinosaurs, wholly mammoths, etc. Which is cool, because wouldn’t you love to see dinosaurs? I would! Except these dinosaurs are way different than what we know of and Grady and Edaline, Sophie’s guardians, train them to be vegetarians so they don’t hurt one another. Okay . . . that. Um. Okay. Don’t you realize that animals aren’t like humans, and if they’re carnivorous, they don’t have molars to eat plants? They have teeth to rip apart meat. So training carnivores to be vegetarians (and getting rid of their urges to destroy one another), you are going to starve them because they don’t have the teeth to eat vegetables. Plus, all animals are here for a reason. Like if we have a low wolf population, the elk population goes up, which means there are more animals eating the grass, which could lead to elk starving because there isn’t enough feed for them. So having an equal balance of wolves and elk protects the ecosystem. There is a REASON why animals are carnivores and you can’t change that because you don’t want them to hurt one another. (I mean, there’s also a reason why animals are extinct, but that’s another rant for another day…)

There were also a few times were the middle grade voice felt a little too simple, and Keeper of the Lost Cities seems like it would appeal more to elementary-aged children (like second grade) than upper middle school children. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but again, Keeper of the Lost Cities is nearly 500 pages long. What eight-year-old would want to read 500 pages? I barely want to read 500 pages but that’s mostly because my time is limited and I am a lazy person.

But the story is enchanting, even if it doesn’t give us all the answers to all the questions, and the characters are very, very real. Also I’m not sure about Keefe. Does he have a crush on Sophie, because if so, ew. While I like him as a character, I’m just not so sure about his intentions towards Sophie. Then there’s Fitz, who Sophie has a crush on.

The characters are very real, even if they are just elves. Shannon Messenger has really captured their story in Keeper of the Lost Cities and I really am excited for the second book. I hope it has more answers than this one, and explains the world a little bit more.

I received a copy of this book from Stephie. She bought it for me because ~~she loves me~~ I won a contest from her.

review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

2012-12-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

REVIEW:

I’ve read reviews, heard people rave about Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, which is why I bought back in April—but I never got around to reading it until I was going home for Thanksgiving and saw the audiobook sitting on the shelf at the library. I was intrigued by Girl of Fire and Thorns, so I thought it’d be the perfect way to read it—through audio and leave my hardcopy at my home.

Boy was I wrong.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is 12.5 hours on audio; I drove four hours the first day and was so hooked that I was beating myself up for not bringing the hardcopy with me because I HAD to know what was going on. I drove around my little town just so I could figure out what the crack was going to happen.

A few days later, I drove back home and as soon as I got into my room, I launched under my desk (because that’s where my books are held) and dragged out The Girl of Fire and Thorns and began reading.

I think The Girl of Fire and Thorns is perfect to listen to; since it has such a huge Latin influence in its world, it’s nice to hear how the words are pronounced (if you don’t know Latin/Spanish) so when you go to the physical copy you know how to say them, and really be immersed in the world. The world is one of my favorite parts of this one; it’s so magical and real all at the same time; when they’re in the desert, I thought I was in the desert, too. I could picture Elisa’s world and I absolutely love when that happens.

I also love Elisa and her transformation. I love how, in the beginning, she’s insecure, but by the end she’s this badass warrior. It was a fantastic character growth and I just. GAH. I love it.

The main focus of The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson is the war brewing between the Invierne and Elisa’s people. But I also love that Elisa falls in love and that the romance doesn’t overtake the focus of the novel.

Rae Carson also isn’t afraid to push her characters to their very limits and I always love it when that happens but oh my god, so many deaths, so many . . . I am TERRIFIED for Elisa because I’m sure Carson isn’t afraid to push her until she’s a broken character lying in the sand of the desert. I’m equal parts terrified and excited for The Crown of Embers, book two in the trilogy. The ending for The Girl of Fire and Thorns is satisfying (yay), yet still leaves you wanting for the second installment.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, along with The Crown of Embers, are both out now from Greenwillow, an imprint of HarperCollins. I bought a copy of The Girl of Fire and Thorns and got the audiobook from the library.

review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

2012-12-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

REVIEW:

Prepare to be enchanted. Laini Taylor’s Days of Blood and Starlight is one of the best written sequels I’ve read, and one of the best supernatural war novels ever.

Days of Blood and Starlight has a different feel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone; Days is slower, grimmer, darker. It took me awhile to get hooked, and in fact, most of the action didn’t happen until after I read half of it—then I had problems setting it down and not thinking about it. But I was still captured by Taylor’s gorgeous prose, and by the monsters and story she weaved. I loved that Zuzana got to tell her side of the story, because Zuze is one of the best friends in YA fantasy that is, dare I say, amazing? With her humor and wit, I would love to be Zuze’s best friend. And I love, love, love that she knows the truth about Karou—there are so many best friends kept in the dark and their friendship is ruined that it’s a nice change.

“Please tell me you have to pee.”
“What? No. No, I do not. Don’t even ask.”
“Oh, come on. I’d do it myself if I could, but I can’t. I’m a girl.”
“I know. Life is so unfair. I’m still not going to pee on Karou’s ex-boyfriend for you.”
“What? I wasn’t even going to ask you to.” In her most reasonable tone, Zuzana explained, “I just want you to pee in a balloon so I can drop it on him.”
“Oh.” Mik pretended to consider this for approximately one and a half seconds. “No.”

- p. 1 (kindle)

Then there’s poor, sweet Akiva. The one fighting for hope, the one fighting for Karou. Even after knowing what he’s done, I still have so many feelings for Akiva—and I still, desperately, want to hug him because of all the angst leaking onto the page during his scenes.

And with the beginning, you can’t help but think: is Karou dead? Told in chapters alternating between Zuzana and Akiva, we still don’t know what happened to Karou, with Zuze sending her emails, and Akiva trying to find her. There was so much hope and devastation in those chapters that when Karou finally responds to Zuze, I swear my own heart exploded.

What I loved most about Days of Blood and Starlight was the characters. (As you can tell.) Laini Taylor has a way of creating these brilliant characters that stick around, almost like she’s resurrecting them and putting them into paper form. I also absolutely loved getting to know more about the world between seraph and chimaera, and the war brewing between them. I loved the setting—it was so rich, and bright.

For those who fell in love with Daughter of Smoke and Bone and are afraid to read Days of Blood and Starlight, don’t be. Laini Taylor has taken our expectations and has exceeded them—I can’t wait for what she does with book three.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor is out now. I received a digital copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

book haul: Indiscretion of the Snow Child at Splendid Academy

2012-12-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin: thanks to Nikki Loftin!
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey: bought
Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans: thanks to Simon & Schuster
The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban: thanks to Knopf!
Indiscretion by Charles Dubow: thanks to HarperCollins!

I know it's been awhile since I've been active, but this semester has seriously been kicking my trash. I thought last semester was the semester from hell--I WAS WRONG. You guys, I was so wrong. But I plan on posting at least once a week for the rest of December and 2013. Even though next semester might be tougher since I AM completing one of my degrees and will still be a legal student . . . but it's the plan! and that counts, right?

So tell me: what have I missed?

The Epic Giving Thanks Scavenger Hunt Post: A Gust Post by author Julie Cross + giveaway

2012-11-19T14:11:00.004-07:00

I’m so excited to blog this Thanksgiving week about all things book related that I’m thankful for. I’ve decided to just list some of my top items because I LOVE writing lists.

1) Copyeditors: they’ve saved me from looking like an idiot

2) Media mail: I can send a Tempest hard cover anywhere in the USA for $2.47

3) Fifty Shades of Grey: For being a gateway drug into the world of fast-paced, page-turning, commercial stories. For turning the public eye away from the computer and television and onto stacks and stacks of books.

4) Fifty Shades of Grey readers: I just know Tempest is going to end up on their TBR list eventually.

5) Teenagers who throw tantrums in Barnes and Noble: I saw you. Yes you. And I saw Dad give in and buy you 3 new YA books instead of 1 even though he just got you new clothes at the mall. Keep up the good work.

6) ARCs: still one of the most amazing discoveries I’ve made since becoming a publishing insider. Who doesn’t want to get an awesome book BEFORE release date?

7) The Fault In Our Stars: a story that will live in our hearts for years to come.

8) The librarians at YALSA YA Lit Symposium: Their passion for books and spreading the word reminds me who I’m really working for.

9) My Editor, Brendan Deneen: He is relentlessly and unconditionally there for me in all phases of my writing career. And shockingly not sick of me yet.

10) Agents like Kristin Nelson: Proof that business and love of books can go hand-in-hand.

11) Fan emails: I love all of them. From the upbeat polite ones to the borderline threatening ones telling me Jackson and Holly MUST end up together or the world might end.

12) Readers too shy to email: I love that you’re out there even if we haven’t met. But please do email me anytime.

13) Rick Riordan: For writing books that cause my 12 year old son not only to step away from the computer and Wii to read, but also to start looking up release dates and dragging me to the store to buy the next installment.

14) My Childhood Favorite Books: Little Women, Number The Stars, anything by Judy Blume and Roald Dahl, The Babysitter’s Club series.

15) The Perfect 10, My teen panel: They’ve given me a direct connection to the people who read the type of books that I hope to keep to writing forever and ever.

16) Authors Who Are Clearly Better Writers Than I am: They push me to work harder.

17) Amazing and Kind Authors I’ve Met: John Green, David Levithan, Erica O’Rouke, Simon Elkeles, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan, Megan Miranda, Antony John, Stephanie Perkins (okay there’s a whole lot more but I won’t list them all here because it feels like name dropping)

18) The Phrase, Chapter One: Because reading or writing, we all start in the same place.

19) All The Fans of Tempest and YA books: You are the reason I have the opportunity to write this post today.

20) The Power of Fiction: It’s changed me, shaped me, and made me a better person. Even if it isn’t real.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Julie Cross:

I live in central Illinois with my wonderful husband and three kids currently between the ages of 7 and 12 (the kids not the husband). My writing journey began in May, 2009 with a short story in a notebook.

Within a year, I had written seven (some good some God-awful) young adult novels. Not being a college graduate and having spent the previous fifteen years teaching gymnastics and working as a YMCA Program Director for Recreational Gymnastics, professional writing wasn't in my plans. Not even close. But ever since the day I started that short story, I haven't been able to stop. It was love at first sight.

After about a year of writing, I had a three book deal with St. Martin's Press, and a film option with Summit Entertainment. Crazy, right? I know. It wasn't until August of 2011 that I quit working full time in order to be at home with my kids more and of course, write more. My young adult time travel debut novel, Tempest, released on January 17, 2012. The rest of my personal story remains unwritten.

cover reveal: Betrayals in Spring by Trisha Leigh

2012-10-30T00:01:00.000-06:00

I've reviewed WHISPERS IN AUTUMN and freaking loved it.
I revealed the cover for WINTER OMENS, saying it was "SO, SO gorgeous."
Now, are you ready to see the third book's cover in this AMAZING series? (I have only read a little bit, but let me tell you, it's good. This series is kickass amazing.)

UM. YEAH. I'll just leave that there.

And want to know what BETRAYALS IN SPRING is about? Head on over to Trisha's blog then!

Vlog Tour: The Lies That Bind + Giveaway #3

2012-10-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the The Lies That Bind vlog tour! I freaking LOVED The Liar Society last year and can't wait, WAIT, WAIT to read the sequel. And lucky for you guys, you have a shot of winning a fantastic prize pack just by watching the vlog and filling out the form! But first, what the books are about:

Since when do the dead send emails?

Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here... sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...

Just when Kate Lowry thought she had life at elite private school Pemberly Brown figured out, she cracks open a fortune cookie to find a message from her best friend Grace--who's supposed to be dead.

Another Sister Gone

A classmate has gone missing, and Kate soon realizes that the disappearance is tied to the secret societies that rule her private school. Her best friend died for their secrets, and there's no way she'll let them get away with it twice. It's up to quirky outsider Kate to get some answers, but in a school where every answer leads to more questions and nothing's as it seems, who can she trust?

Coming from Sourcebooks Fire, November 6!

Week 3— Road Tripping across the USA!!: Lisa & Laura are heading out on Get Real: Contemps on Tour in November – it will be epic!! But packing is a pain. What do you think of their outfits for New York, California, and Virginia? Tweet us your fashion dos & don’ts #lie2mefashion

And if you missed Week 1, just click here. Week 2 is here.

Now do you want to win this EPIC prize pack? Just fill out the rafflecopter form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

devoured books (5): contemporary books

2012-10-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

SO. since school started, I had a hard time finding time to read--I only read four books in September. Yet I decided to do something about it and started reading whenever, wherever in October. I started reading and didn't write reviews. And then I read other books and didn't want to review past books, so here's a quick and dirty list of books I've recently read and what I thought about them.

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace was published February 8, 2012 by Flux.

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace is a quick, emotional reader—and very straightforward. There aren’t twists and turns. You aren’t shocked how things turn out because you KNOW how it’ll all end, you just do. But if you’re looking for a book that you can read in a day, In Too Deep is the book you should pick up. I did, however, really dislike that Sam let the rumors go instead of correcting them once she figured it all out—which, I mean, there wouldn’t be a story to tell, but STILL. You know this isn’t going to end well, and it doesn’t. It just doesn’t. But I liked how fast In Too Deep is—I read it quickly, and while I wasn’t emotionally invested in Sam’s story, I did end up liking it. I would pick this one up if you love contemporary YA.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour was published October 20, 2009 by Dutton Juvenile.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour was *amazing*. Simply put, it struck me hard, and it struck me good, and oh good god, I just loved this one so, so much. I really felt bad for Caitlin, despite not having a close friend commit suicide, I felt SO, SO bad for her—because how else would you feel if your close friend, your BEST friend committed suicide, and you didn’t even see any of the warning signs? You had no freaking idea she was going to do that? And how would you feel, if your favorite teacher didn’t even LOOK at you anymore, or talk, because she didn’t want you to take her class again, because Ingrid was her best student?

I simply devoured this one, but also read it slowly, like I was savoring it. And I really liked how Caitlin grew throughout the book—especially the ending. It was like Caitlin was looking at her broken heart in the beginning, found the thread and needle, and stitched it back together, and at the end, she managed to stuff it back inside her chest. Talk about a doozy, emotional read, and absolutely loved it. Nina LaCour is a talented writer who weaved a brilliant story. Hold Still is my favorite read so far of October.

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr was published January 1, 2008 by Listening Library (audiobook).

Last year, I read How To Save A Life by Sara Zarr and fell in love, especially with the author—she wrote a BRILLIANT story, and when I saw Sweethearts on the audiobook shelf at the library, I grabbed it right away for my trip . . . and fell even more in love with it than I did with How To Save A Life. Guys, I don’t even. HOW can Sara Zarr be so brilliant? Like seriously. I fell in love with Cameron, and Jenna, and their complex story and ugh. All the feelings. I loved how it was such a sweet story, and I loved that they were sweethearts because I love the sweetheart stories. I especially love that they fell in love in elementary school and Cameron gave her a ring. Gah, my poor heart. <3

But what I really loved was how Cameron came back into Jenna’s life. Because sometimes, people come into your life and while they don’t necessarily always stay, they change it, for the brief moment they were there. And that is something everybody can related to, right? At least I think so.

And that brings me to the next book . . .

Looking for Alaska by John Green was published December 28, 2006 by Dutton (but I listened it as an audiobook.)

So, for those who’ve read my The Fault in Our Stars reviews known I didn’t really enjoy it as much as other people did, but guys, I loved loved LOVED Looking For Alaska. And the sucky thing about listening to audiobooks while driving is you can’t cry and boy, did I want to cry.

I loved Alaska. I loved Miles. I loved ALL the characters. I especially loved how Miles describes Alaska as being a hurricane. That quote is my favorite. Of all time. Like seriously. Alaska is, without a doubt, one of my favorite characters ever. She honestly stormed into my life, as well as Miles’s, like a hurricane and I was just a drizzle before the rainstorm. Looking for Alaska is a brilliant book that captures your attention and doesn’t let go at all.

But as an audiobook? ICK. I hated the narrator at first. His voice was all wrong for a young adult book, and I just did. Not. Like it. At all. But by disc 2, I forgot about it annoying me because I was so wrapped up in the story.

So, those are the contemporary books I've recently devoured. What have you read recently?

review: stealing parker by miranda kenneally

2012-10-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

stealing parker by miranda kenneally
october 1, 2012
sourcebooks fire
young adult | contemporary
catching jordan #2
pages: 256
source/format: netgalley/egalley
rating: ★★★★

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

After her family's scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back.

review:

For anybody that knows me, they know how much I love baseball. I love that game so much. I thrive on baseball like other people thrive on food. So when I found out Miranda Kenneally’s sophomore book was about baseball, and a forbidden romance (MY NEXT FAVORITEST THING EVER), I knew I was going to love it—and I did. Stealing Parker is an incredible contemporary YA, about love, friendship, relationships, and of course, the best thing ever, baseball.

Parker Shelton is dealing with a tough time in her life. Her mom recently left her family . . . for another woman, and their church has decided This Is Not Acceptable, and Parker’s classmates have also decided It Is Not Acceptable and will not talk to Parker. Guys, my heart ached for Parker. But all I really wanted her to do was to talk to her mother. Because WHY NOT talk to her?

And let me tell you, I did not expect this book to dive into religion so deeply. Yet it did—Parker is mad at God, but still goes to church every Sunday. Parker deals with being a good Christian girl, and woah, did I not expect any of that. It didn’t turn me off, but I wasn’t expecting it. At all. Yet it was a nice surprise to Stealing Parker. I really liked the church element.

I also really liked the baseball and softball element, and of course, Brian. The forbidden, steamy coach. I started out liking him a lot. He was NICE and amazing and I loved Brian and Parker’s chemistry. And then he turned into a sexual deviant and I hated him. I wanted Parker to stand up to him and get with the guy who was totally falling for her, while she was falling for him.

I loved the ending. There was a point where Parker lost EVERYTHING and I was crying. Okay, not really crying, but I wanted to. I wanted to cry and hug Parker because I just felt so bad for her. Then the ending came and Parker got her happily ever after, and I was a happy reader.

If you love romance with a fantastic story, I would recommend picking up Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally. It was a fast read, with fantastic characters, and I loved loved loved it so much.

review: blind spot by laura ellen

2012-10-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

Blind Spot by Laura Ellen
October 23, 2012
Harcourt Children's Books
Young Adult | Contemporary
Standalone
Pages: 356
Source/Format: ARC Relay/ARC
Rating: ★★★ 1/2

There’s none so blind as they that won’t see.

Seventeen-year-old Tricia Farni’s body floated to the surface of Alaska’s Birch River six months after the night she disappeared. The night Roz Hart had a fight with her. The night Roz can’t remember. Roz, who struggles with macular degeneration, is used to assembling fragments to make sense of the world around her. But this time it’s her memory that needs piecing together—to clear her name . . . to find a murderer. This unflinchingly emotional novel is written in the powerful first-person voice of a legally blind teen who just wants to be like everyone else.

REVIEW:

I had my difficulties with Blind Spot by Laura Ellen. For one, I hated Mr. Dellian, a teacher that deals with the special education classes (and AP history, I think.) It was SO frustration that he was out to get Roz. WHY? What did Roz do to him? NOTHING. ABSOLUTELY FREAKING NOTHING.

It’s frustrating when someone clearly has a vendetta against one and it isn’t explain—and even more frustrating when it’s a teacher against a student. There should be NO REASON for a teacher to do what Dellian does to Roz—marking her absent for sitting in the front, which he KNOWS she has to do in order to see, etc. etc.

And yet I can’t help but wonder if that was Laura Ellen’s intent: to make the readers get so frustrated with Dellian. But I don’t think it actually works, because at the end we learn more about Dellian and his relationship with Tricia and now we have to feel sympathetic for him? Oh hell no. That doesn’t work for me at ALL.

As for Roz. Oh holy mother, I ended up hating her at points. She makes mistakes, yes, but they’re mistakes she could have easily avoided, especially with Dellian. Look, I get that when you have a disability, you don’t want people to act different around you, but getting in trouble with the school because you and Dellian have some twisted war going on is NOT going to make you sympathetic toward the readers.

What I did like was the writing style. I LOVED that this book is written differently than most, but after a while it gets annoying. This book is almost split in half: we have a prologue that hooks the reader, stating that Tricia’s body was found six months after she disappeared and then chapter one is when Roz meets Tricia. You know there’s an impending doom, but while readers are waiting for the story to GET ON WITH IT, the story is taking its time to develop the relationship between the characters.

While this one was addicting, I found my thoughts wandering and resulting in me having to reread a lot of paragraphs because of the writing style, especially during the first half before Tricia goes missing.

Le sighhh.

Also, the ending. Ugh, that ending. It was a disappointment. I wish it would have been awesome. It’s just . . . everything was building up to something epic and then the mystery was resolved and instead of it being this huge explosion of awesome, it fell back down to the earth and broke. No explosion. NOTHING. It was a letdown of an ending.

BUT I liked it. It’s a strange little book. I like those type of books.

Vlog Tour: The Lies That Bind + Giveaway #2

2012-10-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

Just when Kate Lowry thought she had life at elite private school Pemberly Brown figured out, she cracks open a fortune cookie to find a message from her best friend Grace--who's supposed to be dead.

Another Sister Gone

A classmate has gone missing, and Kate soon realizes that the disappearance is tied to the secret societies that rule her private school. Her best friend died for their secrets, and there's no way she'll let them get away with it twice. It's up to quirky outsider Kate to get some answers, but in a school where every answer leads to more questions and nothing's as it seems, who can she trust?

Coming from Sourcebooks Fire, November 6!

Week 2—The Liar Society in Hollywood: Lisa & Laura dish on if The Liar Society should become a movie vs. TV show and who they think should play Kate, Liam, Seth, Taylor & Bradley. Tweet or post to Facebook your fave picks! #lie2me

And if you missed Week 1, just click here.

Now do you want to win this EPIC prize pack? Just fill out the rafflecopter form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Renegade Blog Tour: Strong Female Characters + Giveaway

2012-10-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

Renegade by J.A. Souders, the first in the Elysium Chronicles, is set to release November 13, 2012 from Tor Teen. You can add it to Goodreads or pre-order your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound.

Strong female characters. Three words that set off a flurry of debates. What exactly is a strong female character or a SFC. What does it mean to be one? Do you even want to be one?

I’ve read quite a few of these debates online and almost always I’m disappointed. Not with the debate itself, but with the definition of a strong character. Almost always the SFC is defined as cold and calculating, cruel, not sexually appealing or the opposite, too sexy to be real with no brain and almost always very “manly” or even sometimes referred to as a lesbian—like that’s a bad thing.

Take for instance the actress, Michelle Rodriguez, who’s pretty much been typecast as the “tough girl.” Even though she’s incredibly sexy, they always dress her up and put her in parts that are “manly” and then kill her off. Because everyone knows that a completely badass female with a brain, who doesn’t necessarily need the hero to save her is disposable. (*sarcasm alert*)

Can we see the problem I might have with this definition? Why can’t a feminine female be strong? Why does the female lead always have to be a damsel in distress? And if she’s strong, why does she always have to come across as shrew? Or unattractive? Or being referred to as a lesbian? For that matter, what does it matter if she is a lesbian? Why is that a bad thing? Can’t she be straight and strong? Or “weak” and lesbian? Why must we always follow the tropes set before us?

And come to think of it, what exactly makes a character strong? Male or female? The circumstances? Their ability to kick butt? How they wield a gun?

What makes them weak? Letting the male lead protect them? Or open doors for them? Being irresistible? What? Is there even a “right” answer?

In my opinion, there isn’t a right answer, but I thing we need to spend more time defining what makes someone “strong” then focusing on how to define a strong female character and what to do with her.

GIVEAWAY TIME

Sadly, this giveaway is only open to US residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vlog Tour: The Lies That Bind + Giveaway

2012-10-11T22:01:00.000-06:00

Since when do the dead send emails?

Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here... sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...

Just when Kate Lowry thought she had life at elite private school Pemberly Brown figured out, she cracks open a fortune cookie to find a message from her best friend Grace--who's supposed to be dead.

Another Sister Gone

A classmate has gone missing, and Kate soon realizes that the disappearance is tied to the secret societies that rule her private school. Her best friend died for their secrets, and there's no way she'll let them get away with it twice. It's up to quirky outsider Kate to get some answers, but in a school where every answer leads to more questions and nothing's as it seems, who can she trust?

Coming from Sourcebooks Fire, November 6!

The first vlog is about Kate Appeal--why Lisa and Laura want to be like Kate in their next life.

Now do you want to win this EPIC prize pack? Just fill out the rafflecopter form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

review: something like normal by trish doller

2012-10-08T00:00:00.001-06:00

something like normal by trish doller
june 19, 2012
bloomsbury USA childrens
young adult | contemporary
standalone
pages: 216
source/format: bought/ebook
rating: ★★★★

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

review:

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller is one of those books that everybody in the blogosphere is screaming about; they love it, they love it, they love it and promise you’ll love it too. And the good thing is, it’s so easy to fall in love with this book because of how sympathetic you are for Travis; I just wanted to hug him. But Something Like Normal is too short and too fast for me to actually LOVE LOVE this one.

Travis, our marine hero, has such a likeable voice that I fell for him on the first page. Even when we learn what he did to Harper, I still felt so bad for him, probably because of what he witnessed in Afghanistan and with Charlie. Plus, his voice. Guys. Travis’s voice is perfect teenage boy with a dash of tragic hero and YUM I LOVE IT.

“I think Paige belongs on the cover of Maxim in nothing but her underwear, which is exactly why I was attracted to her in the first place” (p. 3).

YES. This is why I fell for Travis.

Then there’s Harper, our damaged love interest. I hated how everything came to light when Travis and Harper run into each other when he comes back from Afghanistan. It felt a little too convenient, you know? But I did like that she punched him—way to take action, Harper. YOU GO GIRL. But what I wanted to know is why now? Why face Travis NOW, after what he’s gone through?

Harper is one of those characters where I disliked and liked her every other page. I think by the end of the book I ended up liking her more than what I did in the beginning. I liked how her and Travis’s relationship had its bumps, because it’s something normal . . . even though he’s suffering through PTSD after Charlie’s death, his girlfriend hooked up with his brother, who also stole his car.

As for the story—it’s short, at 215 pages, it’s a nice, quick read. But I feel as if I missed significant parts of the story, of Travis’s character development, even of Harper’s character development. She’s just as broken as Travis and her coming to terms with what happened in middle school between them is important to the story. Yet the pace moves very, very quickly and there’s a lot of fade to black parts that left me revealing, trying to understand what happened.

Also, Travis and Paige hook up a few times after he gets back home—but we never see it. We don’t see them kissing, or anything, because of that, this book isn’t sexy and hot and ughhh, what am I supposed to do? There’s barely any sexytimes between Travis and Harper and UGH. Also, hell yeah I’m complaining about this. I was expecting a hot, contemporary book. And that wasn’t what I got. So a little heads up to anyone hoping for a hot read with a sexy marine. ;)

But Something Like Normal is a beautiful, gorgeous book about a boy whose life has been rattled after the death of his best friend, and I absolutely loved it, despite my problems with the pacing and the characters. If you love contemporary YA, you should definitely pick this one up.

review: velveteen by daniel marks

2012-10-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Velveteen by Daniel Marks
October 9, 2012
Random House Children's Books
Young Adult | Urban Fantasy
Velveteen #1
Pages: 464
Source/Format: Edelwiess/eGalley
Rating: ★★★★

HEY! This book was a book love pick. Check out my post here.

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that's not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it's not a fiery inferno, it's certainly no heaven. It's gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn't leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what's really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she's figured out just how to do it. She'll haunt him for the rest of his days.
It'll be brutal . . . and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen's obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she's willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.

Velveteen can't help herself when it comes to breaking rules . . . or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.

REVIEW:

Oh, Velveteen. You could have been so amazing. My problem with Velveteen was it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. It was completely different and it really hindered my enjoyment of reading this book. However? It is still pretty kickass and I would totally recommend Velveteen by Daniel Marks to people who love morbid stuff. And angry main characters. Mostly angry main characters.

Velveteen was so angry and I connected with her right away. She so had a right to be pissed; I mean, hello, she was MURDERED. And not just murdered. He tortured his victims before killing them. And I mean total torture. It was brutal. And Velvet totally needs to get revenge on that bastard. I was cheering for her the entire time, even after I knew she was the one causing the shadowquakes and all that shit.

You guys know how much I love world-building, right? Daniel Marks nailed the nail right on the HEAD with his world-building. Holee Crap, I loved it. LOVED EVERY LITTLE DETAIL. I savored each passage when he described Purgatory, or even the real world. I would reread those passages because holy crap, I fucking loved them all.

Also: I cuss more when the book themselves have cussing. So, a little warning for those who like to steer clear of cussing in YA books. And should probably steer clear of my blog.

So… how did this book not live up to my expectations or something like that? Well, from my understanding, Velveteen happens in a matter of days, and I thought it didn’t work at all for this book. I also didn’t really like the writing style. It’s written in third person, but more like you are sitting around in a circle listening to somebody tell you a story. “And so Velvet did this and that and such.” It just… didn’t fit well with me. I also felt no real chemistry between Velvet and her love interest. While he was nice, there just wasn’t a click there and it kinda pissed me off how quickly their relationship moved—almost as quickly as the book did.

However, it’s a real page-turner and I had to know what was going to happen. I will definitely be reading the sequels, because I do care about the characters and I did love parts of this book. I think for the next two I’ll sorta know what’ll be inside and it won’t be such a shock to me like Velveteen was.

Other Reviews:

book haul: Embrace The Sinister Diviners

2012-10-06T18:09:00.001-06:00

The Diviners by Libba Bray (review copy from Little, Brown)

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin (signed; from author)

Entice by Jessica Shirvington (signed; from Sourcebooks)

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington (signed; from Sourecebooks)

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols (from Laura Bradford)

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna (from Rachel of Fiktshun)

Keeper of the Lost Cites by Shannon Messenger (from Stephie from Fake Steph)

And swag! Whispers in Autumn and Winter Omens by Trisha Leigh bookmarks, from the author, and The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin bookmarks and stickers from the author. I love swag.

I'm so thrilled to have signed copies of Embrace and Entice! I loved Embrace, and I can't wait to continue Violet's adventure. HOLLA. I am so full of excite. What did you get in your mailbox?!

review: unspoken by sarah rees brennan

2012-09-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

unspoken by sarah rees brennan
september 11, 2012
random house books for young readers
young adult | gothic fantasy
the lynburn legacy #1
pages: 370
source/format: netgalley/egalley
rating: ★★★★

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

review:

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan is the first book of Brennan’s I’ve read, so I didn’t know what to expect, but after reading a lot of praise from one of my favorite bloggers, I decided to just freaking read Unspoken and holy crap, am I glad I did. This is most certainly not the last of Brennan’s I’ll read.

Guys, I’m not even sure why I was so hesitant to read this one. I’d read a few reviews where the ending really annoyed them, but oh my lanta, am I so, SO glad Cait convinced me to get over my fear and just read Unspoken.

I love Kami. Everything about her made me smile—even when it seemed like an inappropriate time to be joking. That can be so annoying at times, yet it wasn’t. Although I must admit that Angela was annoying all the time and I started to hate her every time she showed up on the page. I STILL have no idea what her deal with was with everybody, aside from hating people in general. Look, I get it, but I’m not an asshole to people when I’m in a hate-all-the-people mood. But Angela is, and she’s in that mood, FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK. Honestly, Angela is the entire reason I didn’t really LOVE Unspoken.

But I love that it’s gothic, and there’s magic, and it’s all so real and oh my god, I adore this book. It’s just so PRETTY, you know? From the cover to the words that make up a gorgeous, gorgeous story.

And the Lynburns. Guys. I love stories where the entire FAMILY is corrupt. Or seems corrupt. And I love love all the mysteries that unravel as Kami digs deeper into the Lynburns’ secrets. I am so excited for book two, especially after that ending (which isn’t as bad as everybody makes it seem), and to be reunited with Jared and Kami.

ALL THE LOVE.

waiting on wednesday (48): false sight

2012-09-25T22:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

False Sight by Dan Krokos

August 2013 by Disney * Hyperion

Goodreads

At the end of 2011, I made a list of 2012 books I was really excited about. False Memory was on that list, and guys, it may be my favorite book of 2012. I adore science fiction, especially when it's kickass science fiction and it's thrilling and ugh. False Memory is amazing. Seriously, it was.

Now if you haven't read False Memory, PLEASE do not read the rest of this post as it contains spoilers. :)

All Miranda wants is a normal life. She's determined to move past the horrible truth of her origin as a clone so she enjoy time with her boyfriend, Peter, and the rest of her friends at school. But Miranda quickly learns that there's no such thing as normal--not for a girl who raised to be a weapon. When one of her teammates turns rogue, it begins a war that puts the world in jeopardy. Now Miranda must follow her instincts--not her heart--in order to save everything she's fought so hard to keep. With the image of a terrible future seared in her mind, what will she have to sacrifice to protect the people she loves?

Dan Krokos's sequel to the tour de force False Memory is a mind-blowing thriller with high-octane action that will leave readers begging for the final book in this bold and powerful trilogy.

ARCs exist of False Sight and omg I would be the happiest blogger in the WORLD if I got one. (hint, hint, Disney.)

Um yeah, that's what I'm waiting on--what are you waiting on this Wednesday?

top ten tuesday: series I haven't finished

2012-09-24T22:31:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

1. Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer--Guys, I freaking loathed Wolfsbane, and I haven't felt the urge to hate myself so much to read Bloodrose. I have it, though! Along with Rift. But man, do I not want to finish this series at ALL.

2. Matched series by Ally Condie--I heard Crossed was horrible. And while I enjoyed Matched, I didn't love it so much that I rushed out to get Crossed. Yet thanks to Brooke I own Crossed and think it'll go onto the winter reading pile.

3. Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke--Guys, I really adore this series. But when I discovered it, only the first two books had been published and I hadn't even realized there was a third book until about two years ago. And I've yet to actually pick up Inkdeath.

4. Book of Faerie series by Maggie Stiefvater--I read Lament and really enjoyed it, but actually getting the sequel and reading it? I haven't done that yet. I've heard the final book in the trilogy is scheduled for 2014, so maybe I'll read Ballad before then . . .

5. Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins--Another series I love, but I haven't picked up Spell Bound yet . . . and I'm not sure why! Especially after Demonglass's cliffhanger ending. :P

6. The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan--the first book was okay, but I'm in no hurry to get around to the rest of the series. Although I AM rather curious about the rest, I don't think I'll pick them up.

7. Possession series by Elana Johnson--the first book confused the crap out of me, but I gave it three stars. Then I read the sequel/follow-up novel and absolutely despised it. I will NOT be reading the third and final book. Or even the short stories for that matter.

8. Legacy by Cayla Kluver--after I read the first book, I was really really confused about what I just read. I attempted to read the sequel and didn't get really far into it.

9. Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz--this one the main characters annoyed me so much that I avoided the sequel at all costs. I may be a sadist, but I am not THAT big of a sadist to read the sequel. No thank you.

10. The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze--we all know how I feel about this one, and while it's ongoing, I won't be reading the sequel at all.

And those are the series I haven't finished yet. What are yours? (Leave links, please!)

review: origin by jessica khoury

2012-09-24T00:00:00.000-06:00

origin by jessica khoury

september 4, 2012

razorbill

young adult | science fiction

standalone

pages: 375

source/format: publisher/ARC

rating: ★★

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home--and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin--a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost.

review:

Oh, Origin. You could have been so amazing. You had all the potential. At first glance, Origin by Jessica Khoury seems to be the perfect science fiction novel readers are looking for: a secret laboratory creating immortals? Oh hell yeah, sign me up! Sadly, this one fell a little (a lot?) short.

Pia, our “perfect” immortal girl, is a rather annoying teenager and she wasn’t exactly who I thought she’d be. She’s lived in this laboratory in the jungle all her life, yet she acts like a normal teenager (how is that even possible when she’s surrounded by SCIENTISTS?) and she’s taught by scientists, to be a scientist, but she doesn’t act like a scientist—she doesn’t question anything, only until Eio appears in her life and ugh.

It’s also rather ridiculous she calls all the scientists “uncle” or “aunt.” It didn’t make any sense to me as to WHY they would tell her to call them that when they’re trying to get her to be a scientist (or the fact that they won’t tell her the secrets to her origin; are you fucking kidding me.) It got to the point where I was questioning if Jessica Khoury actually knows how scientists act, and I don’t mean how they act on TV (emotionless, smarter than others, etc. like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory or Bones from . . . Bones.)

Since Pia’s immortal, she doesn’t fear pain or death or anything like that: expect for being swallowed whole by an anaconda, because ew, so you KNOW a scene is going to pop up where she faces an anaconda. I won’t say anything else about this scene, as I don’t want to spoil it for you guys, but I will say that I hated how Pia confronted her fears. It was like she forgot all about them and to me that just wasn’t realistic, you know?

I also really disliked that when “Aunt” Harriett shows up, Pia has to constantly remind her that she is perfect—and then in the book, Pia makes mistake after mistake (like “bumping into the fence”) and all I can think is you are not perfect, child. You are far, far from perfect.

Eio, on the other hand, and the other natives of the jungle, really annoyed me. Origin has the same problems Avatar (the movie) has: they natives are in danger and need the white man to save them. What. The. Crackerjack?! Why does Pia have to same them? What makes her so special, besides being immortal, that SHE has to save them and they can’t save themselves?

And Eio—the love interest. For me, it felt like Pia wanted to experience love, so she fell for the first guy she saw outside Little Cam. I never quite understood what Eio saw in Pia to fall for her, either. Or why everybody in the tribe liked Pia.

Then there’s the whole mystery who Eio’s father is, because Eio says he’s a scientist at Little Cam and when Pia begs him to tell her who it is, he won’t. Which I don’t understand why he wouldn’t tell her, because there’s really no VALID reason for her to not know, right? My only guess is that Jessica Khoury wanted mystery in Origin and I guessed who “Papi” was as soon as Eio said his father was a scientist because you guys, it isn’t that hard to know who the Papi is.

And guys, I totally didn’t DNF this one because I heard the ending is totally awesomesauce and makes up for the lame start . . . and middle. For me, no, it doesn’t. I’m sorry, but if it takes over 260 pages for a book to get interesting (which is when it did for me), that is WRONG. Especially if I am following my 100 pages or bust rule. It took me WEEKS to get through the first 260 pages of Origin, only to read it in a day once things started happening besides the romance between Eio and Pia. While I highly like that this one is a standalone, I would not recommend this one to anyone. It is more fantasy than science fiction, especially since Pia’s immortality is reversed at the end (OF COURSE IT IS.) Spoilers, yo. Highlight that sentence at your own risk.

other reviews:

book brats

i swim for oceans

the intergalatic-academy

review: The Angel by Tiffany Reisz

2012-09-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Angel by Tiffany Reisz

September 25, 2012

Harlequin MIRA

Adult | BDSM erotica

The Siren #2

Pages: 416

Source/Format: Netgalley/egalley

Rating: ★★★★ 1/2

No safe word can protect the heartInfamous erotica author and accomplished dominatrix Nora Sutherlin is doing something utterly out of character: hiding. While her longtime lover, Søren—whose fetishes, if exposed, would be his ruin—is under scrutiny pending a major promotion, Nora's lying low and away from temptation in the lap of luxury.

Her host, the wealthy and uninhibited Griffin Fiske, is thrilled to have Nora stay at his country estate, especially once he meets her traveling companion. Young, inexperienced and angelically beautiful, Michael has become Nora's protégé, and this summer with Griffin is going to be his training, where the hazing never ends.

But while her flesh is willing, Nora's mind is wandering. To thoughts of Søren, her master, under investigation by a journalist with an ax to grind. And to another man from Nora's past, whose hold on her is less bruising, but whose secrets are no less painful. It's a summer that will prove the old adage: love hurts.

REVIEW:

You guys know how much I loved The Siren. Well, I may love The Angel by Tiffany Reisz a tiny bit more. I haven’t read a sequel that surpasses the first in a really long time, so I was shocked when The Angel did. It is so, so good. And it features the person I was most curious about from The Siren: Michael. Angel.

Michael is a confused seventeen-year-old who attempted suicide a year earlier and Father S. saved him. This is a tad bit spoilery for The Siren, so proceed with caution: Father S. told him if he didn’t harm himself for a year, he’d take him to meet Nora Sutherlin. And he does, in The Siren. And Nora takes Michael’s virginity. And it was an icky scene because he’s still technically a minor. BUT I was rather curious about this youngster and his backstory—why did he attempt suicide? (end spoilers, btw.)

And while it does dive into why in The Siren (I believe), we learn so much more about him in The Angel. And his love story made me roll around in angst. Guys, I wanted Michael and Character Who Will Not Be Named to get together SO HARD. They deserve each other and they spend the entire book glancing at each other and not confessing up their feelings. I felt like I had to get some Barbie dolls and force them to kiss. And you know, do some naughty and kinky things. ;)

God, it seemed like yesterday that I read The Siren, but when I actually started reading The Angel, I hadn’t realized how much I missed Nora Sutherlin. Oh, Nora. <3 I love every bit and piece of you. Your witty remarks, your love for Søren… and Wesley. Oh Wesley. My heart broke at the end of The Siren, and it broke again during The Angel. While I’m all Team Hot Guys, Wesley is tucked into a special place in my heart. I would take him home in a heartbeat. Who cares about Søren when you have Wesley?

. . . of course, not everybody feels that way, but whatever. I do, so shut your mouth. :P

Speaking of the lovely priest, The Angel takes us into Søren’s backstory quite a bit. We learn more about his family and what made him become a priest, all of which is relevant to the plot: a journalist sniffing around Søren for a story because she got an anonymous tip that there was suspicious behavior. Intriguing, no? I mean, when you think Catholic priest, you think abusing little boys, don’t you? Don’t lie to me. So needless to say, I was intrigued from the very beginning. Especially since The Angel starts with a very hot scene.

God I love this book. This series. I need MORE. *lusts after The Prince*

The Angel doesn’t disappointed—it’s as intense as The Siren was, but it brings in new characters and stories. Just a little fair warning: there is talk of incest which made me shudder. I’m one of those people who are disgusted by incest, but can you really blame me? It’s icky. It makes me cringe and my stomach roll and I want to not read about it. And that was just a little scene. It wasn’t like Forbidden byTabitha Suzuma.

But I do recommend The Angel to The Siren lovers. I absolutely fell head over heels in love with this one, and need to know what happens next because holy crap, that ending is absolutely CRUEL. I cried, no lie. But aside from all that, be prepared to fall in love and be shocked at all the new revelations. Tiffany Reisz knows how to write a thriller, and she so does with The Angel. I had to keep reading to know what these characters knew and I didn’t!

A little taste of Nora’s personality, and a little tease:

“Gross,” Nora said. “Those two guys are kissing. That’s disgusting.”

“It’s quite unnatural,” Kingsley agreed. “I shudder at the very thought.”

“Is that so?” Juliette asked in her rich, melodic Haitian accent. “Then what were you doing with that young man last night?”

“Business meeting. We were discussing the ledges at the Möbius.”

“While naked?” Juliette asked, batting her eyelashes.

“It was an informal meeting,” Kingsley said.

p. 403-404, egalley

review: What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

2012-09-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

September 18, 2012

HarperTeen

Young Adult | Dystopian

The Hybrid Chronicles #1

Pages: 356

Source/Format: Edelweiss/egalley

Rating: ★★★★★

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable–hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

REVIEW:

Oh my gosh, how much do I love What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang? So much. Like seriously, this book is so amazing I just wanted to hug my iPad while reading it. It’s so different from the usual dystopians out there that I questioned if it really was a dystopian. I think of it as more of an alternate history, and you’ll understand why when you read it.

What’s Left of Me is such a gorgeous book, especially how it’s written. In first person present plural, it’s not something you see in YA fiction every day, and at first I really thought it was going to drive me insane, yet Kat Zhang does it so effortlessly it’s hard to believe that it’s written in a different tense we’re used to. I love it. I love that she brings beauty by her choice of words. What gorgeous prose.

And then you have these characters; Addie and Eva. I love that it’s Eva’s story, not Addie’s, although they do occupy the same body, we are firmly in Eva’s mind. I love that both are so different it’s hard to believe they are the same body.

The world is so fantastic. I so adore it when a world comes to life, and Kat Zhang’s hybrid world breathes on the pages, just like the characters do. Oh man I love this book.

Yet, What’s Left of Me has a dash of romance. And while it’s nice that it doesn’t take over the entire story, I wonder: how would it work, when the recessive souls fall in love? That question sounds like I’m asking naughty things, but I mean in general. Get your mind out of the gutter. I really do want to know how the love would happen since there are TWO souls in ONE body; what if they both fall in love with a soul and the other falls for another soul in another’s body? (If that makes sense.) I’m just curious.

But even after that, I still really loved this one and am dying to have the sequel. It’s such a gorgeous book that changes your view of how you live, and I want everyone to read it.