Elegantly Bound Books

Review- Lola and the Boy Next Door

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Take:

Stephanie Perkins is brilliant! I feel like she is one of those tennis players like Roger Federer who works really hard but their movement and style seem effortless. They make what they do look easy. Like Roger Federer picked up a racket one day and decided that he was going to win more grand slams than any other man in the world. Like Stephanie Perkins just sat at her computer one day and decided that she was going to write the most amazing YA contemporary novels. I’m sure she put a lot of work into her novels but they flow effortlessly and grab you attention from the first chapter.

Before I picked up Anna and the French Kiss, I didn’t read much YA contemporary. After Lola and the Boy Next Door, I can’t get enough contemporary! Stephanie Perkins changed that for me. As much as I loved Anna and the French Kiss, I love Lola even more!

If I could be Lola, I would! She is the life and breath of the story and I could imagine Lola acting or dressing any other way. She’s one of the most well-written characters that I’ve ever read. I wouldn’t change a thing about her. I love her personality and that Cricket is the only person who truly understands her. Max believes that Lola is hiding who she is by dressing in costumes and wearing wigs. He believes he only sees the real Lola when she is dressed in plain clothes wearing her real hair. But he just doesn’t understand her.

Cricket is the most adorkable character I’ve ever read! And I absolutely loved that little contraption he gave Lola at the end! How could she not fall in love with the boy who gave her the moon and the stars! The relationship between Lola and Cricket is so deep yet so simple. They just fall in line with each other.

If Isla and the Happily Ever After is anything like Perkins’ first two novels, I’m going to fall head over heels in love with the characters!

Review- Demonglass

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Title: Demonglass
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Hex Hall #2
Publisher: Hyperion Children's Books
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

My take:

First of all, Demonglass was so much better than Hex Hall. If I remember correctly, I only gave it a three star review. I felt like Hex Hall served mainly as the set up for the series, an introduction to the character and to build the world for the readers. Demonglass started off with a punch, drawing the readers into the mystery and secrets that are surrounding Sophie’s life and very existence.

There is no such thing as the sophomore slump in this fun and light paranormal series. It’s summer break for Sophie after her first year at Hex Hall where she discovered her serious crush is also a serious threat to her life. Her father takes Sophie, her best friend/vampire Jenna and the gorgeous grounds keeper Cal off to England to spend her vacation in the family mansion. She thinks her father wants her there for some serious father/daughter bonding time but he actually uses her to get his hand on a very powerful book! I was completely surprised! But he also helps her control her crazy strong powers.

Everything we know about Hectate Hall is completely blown out of the water when we learn the truth about Mrs. Casnoff and her sister, who we meet in this book. There were so many plot twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat!

Even after Demonglass, I’m still torn about Archer. I loved him in Hex Hall but in Demonglass it got a little iffy for me. I feel like he’s hiding so many secrets from Sophie but continually swears that he doesn’t want to hurt her. I believe he doesn’t want to but I don’t think he realizes that he is by not telling her the truth. I’m team Cal! I love him! Even though he’s the strong and silent type, he’s loyal to her and believes she can do whatever she puts her mind to. He supported her even before she met him! And without him, she would have died already. Literally. Because he has healing powers.

And just when I think I’m getting a handle on Sophie being a demon, there’s this crazy cliffhanger! I recommend this book to anyone who has read Hex Hall whether they liked it or not!

In My Mailbox (34)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:44:00 +0000

For Review:

Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser

Bought:

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

That's it. Not much this week! What did you get in your mailbox? Let me know!

Follow Friday (26)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:28:00 +0000

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and this week's featured blogger is Omnon Books!

Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kickass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?

A: I enjoy books that keep me on the edge of my seat! It doesn't necessarily have to have a lot of action but as long as the story grabs me and keeps my attention then I usually love it. I also like mystery books when then ending comes from left field and I never saw it coming. I don't like when I can guess what's going to happen. I also enjoy well-rounded characters such as Karu from Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Clara from Unearthly and Jessica Darling. Writing style affects my feelings towards books as well. I love a beautifully written book.

Thank you guys for following my blog and please subscribe to my RSS feed if you can! Happy reading!

Review- Always a Witch

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Title: Always a Witch
Author: Carolyn MacCullough
Series: Witch #2
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights.

Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

My take:

I love this series! Well, at least I hope it’s a series and not just a book one and book two. I really hope there’s more because Tamsin is one of my favorite witchy characters! Not only is it a witch story but there is also time travel, action and a love story. It’s so fun!

Tamsin and Gabriel are such a great couple. They work well together as a team and they have such great chemistry. It’s not like super hot with tons of sexy times, but they’re funny, cute and sweet to each other. They’re powers work well together and without Gabriel, Tamsin would have a lot harder time achieving her goal.

I also love the message that Always a Witch sends out to teenagers. Don’t be afraid to be who you were meant to be. Tamsin soon realizes that she is the one with great power in her family and she has the responsibility to make sure that the Greene family isn’t destroyed. And when she understands what she has to do, she doesn’t let anyone get in her way!

Once a Witch and Always a Witch are both great books! They’re fun, light and super breezy reads! They’re such fun witchy books!

Waiting On Wednesday (47)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating. This is one of my favorite memes because not only is my TBR pile so much bigger at the end of the night but also the covers are always amazing!

Title: The Unquiet
Author: Jeannine Garsee
Hitting the Shelves: July 17, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications (again!) and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home and school. She refuses to be daunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom, or that her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

This book sounds good and creepy! And the cover is crazy!

What are you waiting for?

Top Ten Tuesday (1)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature of lists that varies every week created by The Broke and the Bookish!

Top ten books I think would make great book club picks:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter would make a great pick because all of the books in the series are great and it would really help sustain a book club if they run out of books to read.

2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead: If the book club was a group of girls then the Vampire Academy series would be great. There's action, love, betrayal and the paranormal aspect!

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth: Even though it's long, it's a quick read. There's a lot that can be discussed in Divergent and come on, even my mom loved it.

4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: It's a great novel. There's no other reason.

5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: It would be a good book to discuss after everyone stops crying.

6. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard: There is so much going on, so much mystery and so many secrets that it's easy for people to interpret the scenes different. People are going to pick different suspects and tell the group why.

7. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: Because no knows what's going on at all. Lot's to talk about.

8. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz: Again, it's a really long series and there's a lot of mystery and secrets.

9. Possessions by Nancy Holder: I had to throw in a horror book because I LOVE horror!

10. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: Because it's awesome!

Review- The Dark and Hollow Places

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Title: The Dark and Hollow Places
Author: Carrie Ryan
Series: The Forest of Hands and Teeth #3
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

My take:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is the first zombie book that I ever read and I loved it. After I finished it, I couldn't wait to find out more about the Sisterhood and how Mary was going to make it on her own. I loved whole vibe I got from the book, almost like that movie The Village. I wanted to know more about the fast one, the girl that the Sisterhood turned into a zombie and all about the secrets the Sisterhood had. But when you read the second book, it starts sixteen years in the future with Mary's daughter. I'm usually not a big fan of series that follow a different character every book, but I knew I had to finish this series because I wanted to know what was going to happen.

This trilogy is still really good even though all the questions I had after the first book went unanswered. The Dark and Hollow Places is more graphic and gruesome that the first two. We also see the depravity of mankind and the evil that some people will become just to survive. But the four teenagers show that there is hope in a dying world.

I love the way the relationship between Cather and Annah developed. They are two very broken people who think that they can never be loved by anyone. Cather has the virus alive inside of him and Annah has extensive scarring on the left side of her body. These two flaws are what they hate about themselves but make them unique to each other. Throughout the book, they're both trying to tell the other one not to worry about the flaw because they love it but they're having a hard time loving themselves.

Overall, I really enjoyed the ending of a great trilogy that I've come to love. The ending is so open that it allows the reader to fill in the blank.

In My Mailbox (33)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:56:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is an awesome way to connect with our blogger and reader friends and share which amazing books we received, bought or borrowed during the week! This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This week's In My Mailbox is a compilation of two weeks worth of books. I ended up buying some and I got a few really awesome books for review!

For review:

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

Thumped by Megan McCafferty

Bought:

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Secret Society by Tom Dolby

The Trust by Tom Dolby

Special thanks to the publishers of HarperTeen!

Review- Born Wicked

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Title: Born Wicked
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of Putnam Publishing

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

My thoughts:

I read Born Wicked way back in December and I have literally been mulling over writing this review for two weeks now. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I really loved it. When I first started reading YA, I would say without a doubt, hands down, no hesitation that books about vampires were my absolute favorite (I’m sure Twilight contributed to my vampire adoration). But of course the lack luster has worn off and I realized that many vampire stories are very cookie cutter.

Witches have really grown on me and they have become some of my favorite stories in YA right now. As a history major in undergrad, I was always fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials and I would have taken that class in an instant if it had been offered. But sadly it was not and it was just a subject I dabbled in on my free time.

I loved the history of this story and that it is set in the past. It is set in a little town where at any indication that someone may be a witch, their sent off to an institution or hanged! In this world that Spotswood created, the witches used to be in charge and they openly practiced their magic. But they were overthrown by the Brotherhood who now impose their religious beliefs on the townspeople and rule with a strict hand. And all the witches are female.

The subplots were reall great as well! We have the whole story with Cate and her decision of whether or not she is going to marry or join the sisterhood. I'm kept on the edge of my seat just hoping that her or her sisters are not going to get caught doing magic. And then there's the whole intermingling of the Brotherhood and the Sisterhood and their roles in the community and the impact they have on the sister's lives. Then when Cate finds her mom's diary, so much more is revealed and the story just comes together with what is really going on and what could possibly go down in the next books!

Cate is such a great character. She is strong, protective of her family and is determined to help raise her sisters as her mother would have wanted. Finn, one of her possible love interests, is so cute and awkward but he is willing to accept her for who she is. Maura was one of my least favorite characters only because she was so annoying. There were times when I wanted to just slap her! But then after finding out about the prophesy, it seems like things played out they way they were supposed to.

I really loved this book! There are very few books that keep me up into the wee hours of the early morning because I just have to finish it and this one definitely did that to me! I was crying, it left on a cliffhanger and I just have to know what happens next and this first book hasn’t even been released yet! A great debut from a fantastic writer!

Follow Friday (25)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and this week's featured blogger is Fiction Fervor!

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

A: I generally enjoy most genres within YA and Adult fiction. I read almost everything from contemporary, dystopia, paranormal, sci-fi, historical fiction, horror and chick-lit. But I have never read any non-fiction books. They're just not my style. When I was in college, I had to read a couple of self-help type books and I also try to stay away from those as well. They're boring and I have a hard time relating to them.

Thanks to all those who are following by blog; old and new! Please subscribe to my RSS feed if you can!

Waiting on Wednesday (46)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:10:00 +0000

Title: Monstrous Beauty
Author: Elizabeth Fama
Hitting the Shelves: August 21, 2012

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences. Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

Blog Tour- Fracture by Megan Miranda

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Welcome to today's stop on the Fracture Blog Tour! I hope you enjoy my review. For more information on the book, where Megan Miranda will be signing and exclusive exerpts, please visit the Fracture Facebook Fan Page. I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour and I can't wait to get my book signed when she comes to Southern California next week!

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker & Company
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of the publisher

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

My take:

Fracture is a beautifully written novel about a girl who dies and is not quite the same when she comes back to life. When I first started to read this book, I thought it was just a contemporary novel. But then it turns out that there is a little paranormal twist to it. It's not full-blown like the existence vampires or werewolves, but it's subtle, and very well done.

I liked the characters a lot. Especially Delaney. At first I thought she was really distant and hard to relate to, but then when I thought about, how can I really relate to someone who died and then was brought back to life. She's dealing with not feeling like herself and a new aspect to her life that would have never had happened if she hadn't died. Then I realized that the way she was acting was very appropriate for what she was going through. She was mourning the death of her old self because she knew she was never going to be the same again.

I loved Decker! Oh, but I got so mad at him and then I loved him again! I'm pretty sure someone who dives into an ice cold lake to save your life is a keeper! Troy totally fooled me. I though he was good and was going to help Delaney on the journey of discovering her new found gift. I really wanted him to be good.

Fracture is a great novel. It's heartbreaking most of the time but the ending makes up for it. It's a must read this year!

Waiting on Wednesday (45)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Title: The White Glove War
Author: Katie Crouch
Series: Magnolia League #2
Hitting the Shelves: July 3, 2012

Every society has its secrets.

The members of Savannah's Magnolia League have it all: money, beauty, power, and love. Some may call them lucky, but we know better. Spells, potions, and conjures are a girl's best friends, and thanks to the Buzzards -- a legendary hoodoo family -- the Magnolias never run out of friends.

Golden girl Hayes Anderson would never dream of leaving the League or Savannah, where there's no problem that can't be fixed with a cup of Swamp Brew tea -- served in a bone china cup, of course -- and no boy who can't be won over with a Conjure Up a New Love spell.

But when danger lurks and family secrets are unearthed, Hayes discovers that her life may not be charmed after all.

What are you waiting for?

In My Mailbox (32)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Bought:

Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

**I'm ashamed to admit that I have not read a John Green novel yet so I decided to start with his most recent! I really sounds like a tear-jerker!**

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

The Handmaid's Tale by Margret Atwood

How it Ends by Laura Wiess

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Then I went to the Dark Days of Supernatural and got a few books signed by the amazing authors that were there!!

Follow Friday (24)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:56:00 +0000

Hosted by Alison Can Read
Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

When I was in college and only had time to read textbooks, I listened to a lot of music. Epsecially music that didn't have a lot of words and some music that didn't have words at all. I didn't really like classical music, so I sought out modern instrumental bands. I disvoered Explosions in the Sky which is my favorite instrumental band!

Some of my other favorite bands include:

Death Cab for Cutie
She & Him
The Civil Wars
Ingrid Michaelson
Regina Spektor
Rilo Kiley
Florence and the Machine

Here is another favorite! Boyce Avenue does a lot of covers and they're awesome!

Waiting on Wednesday (44)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Title: The Raft
Author: S.A. Bodeen
Hitting the Shelves: August 21, 2012

Robie, 16, lives with her family on the Midway atoll, a group of islands in the middle of the Pacific. Her parents are scientists; it’s an isolated life. Robie enjoys visiting her aunt in Hawaii – she gets back and forth on a cargo plane that brings supplies to Midway.

During a visit, her aunt is called to the mainland for a work emergency, leaving Robie to get home on her own. On her flight back to Midway the cargo plane hits nasty weather, and goes down. It’s just Robie, the pilot, and Max, a co-pilot she’s never met till this flight, on board. Robie is pulled aboard a raft by Max, who is injured and slipping in and out of consciousness. They have a bag of candy and very little water between them. When they finally reach an island that seems abandoned, Robie hopes they’ll be found quickly. But she’s not sure she was even on the flight manifest. Her parents must be looking for her…aren’t they?

In THE RAFT, S.A. Bodeen creates a hair-raising suspense story that will have readers agonizing over the same question as Robie -- how long can they survive?

This book sounds crazy intense and I can't wait to read it!!

What are you waiting for?

Review- Everneath

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Title: Everneath
Author: Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My take:

I am quite surprised that there have been so many modern re-tellings of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone this year. So when I got this book for review, I was a little disappointed to discover that I would have to read yet another modern re-telling of Hades and Persephone. And with the way it started, I didn’t think I would be able to get through it. But then it turned out to be the most creative re-telling of Hades and Persephone that I have read this year! I definitely thought it was better than The Goddess Test and Abandoned.

The main concept behind this particular modern take on a Greek myth is these being called the Everlings. Every so often, they take unsuspecting females down into the Everneath and feed off their life source for their equivalent of 100 years (6 months normal time). They are ruled by their queen who seems to have been the only girl who has ever survived the feeding. Even though it is not really specified, I’m guessing that all the Everlings are male because if a female ever survived, she can threaten to take over the queen and her particular Everling would encourage her to do so.

So Nikki, who disappeared without a trace six months ago, has now survived the Feed and wants to go back to her family and her boyfriend but she will only have six more months before she has to leave the mortal world forever. Her soul was already claimed by the Everneath and it’s only a matter of time before they come looking for her. But she has no idea why she survived and all the other girls had not and her journey to figure it out is so good. At least the second half of the book is.

The other thing that made the book really good for me was the Daughter of Persephone. They are this cult of women who believe they are decedents of Persephone and they literally groom their daughters to be taken to the Everneath in the hopes that they will survive and overthrow the queen. I love mysterious subplots that are rooted in the past. I feel like I’ve already give away too many spoilers so I’m going to wrap this up.

Get through the first half of the book because the second half is really good and the ending, of course, leaves you with a crazy cliffhanger. It’s definitely not one of my favorite books, but it was enjoyable.

Review- Thin Air

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Title: Thin Air
Author: Lynn Seresin
Publisher: Self-published
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Book given by the author in exchange for an honest review

Alice Ayre is no ordinary teenager. She took her first name from a statue in Central Park, pulled her last name out of the air (literally), and she’s actually almost a thousand years old. In fact, the only “ordinary” thing about Alice is that she’s in love.

Alice was a sylphid—a winged air spirit—when she spotted Daniel Field camping in the Adirondacks and lost her heart to the handsome NYU student. Intangible to the human senses, her only hope of winning his heart resides in becoming mortal, even though transmutation is forbidden by Paralda, ruler of the air. Risking punishment, however, seems a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness.

Tracking down Daniel in New York City ends up being surprisingly easy. Getting noticed by him for all the right reasons is another story, especially when the human world keeps tossing challenges in Alice’s path. Just when she’s mastered zippers and buttons, she catches herself dropping a sugar packet into her coffee and mistaking a photo of John Lennon for one of Daniel’s relatives.

Her eccentricities raise the occasional eyebrow with Daniel and his friends, but her quirky charm, sweetness, and sincerity win out. Before long, she lands a job, begins a relationship with Daniel, and starts settling into her new life—until her past comes after her.

My take:

When I first received Thin Air in the mail, I was so surprised by how thick it is. I even kind of avoided because of the length. But then my review book started piling up and I made a decision to just get through them no matter what. And I literally read Thin Air in less than two days!

The first aspect of the book that really pulled me in was the sheer creativity of the characters. I have never read a book where the author turned the simple elements of the environment into actual creatures that make the wind blow or the rain fall. It caught my curiosity so immediately that I instantly wanted to know more about the elementals.

I really enjoyed the supernatural world that Seresin created. Just above the clouds, live a type of elementals called the air sylphids. Their main job is to make the clouds which is pretty cool. I wish my job was to just make clouds! So after living for years and years without mating with one of her own, she falls in love with a human and eventually decides that she needs to become human herself to truly be happy.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how fast she found Daniel. She was thrown in the middle of New York City, completely naked, without even a name and she manages to find Daniel within a matter of hours. It seems a little unlikely to me but I guess her story with Daniel was more important than her journey to find Daniel.

My most favorite parts of the book were when she was figuring out how to be a human and to do normal things that we do every day. They were really funny and it made me realize how often we take for granted normal things like eating or opening a can of coke.

Even though the ending was happy, there’s also this cliff hanger that makes me want to know what’s going to happen next or if she will ever be safe! And I must say this Daniel must be damn good-looking for so many women to be in love with him! I really enjoyed this book and it really is different, exciting and very creative! Definitely worth the read.

In My Mailbox (31)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is an awesome way to connect with our blogger and reader friends and share which amazing books we received, bought or borrowed during the week! This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

It's been a little while since I've done an IMM but I realize that I've gotten a lot of books and bookish things lately so I thought I should share them all with you!

Bought:

Harry Potter: The Compete 8 Disc Collection (Christmas Present)

Rosebush by Michelle Jaffe

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

Zombie Blondes by Brian James

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

For Review:

Fracture by Megan Miranda

**The blog tour for Fracture stops by here on January 19!**

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

I think I had a pretty good week and I literally just got The Last Echo yesterday which made me the happiest blogger ever!!!!

Review- Hallowed

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Title: Hallowed
Author: Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly #2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of HarperTeen

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

My take:

I cannot even begin to tell you guys how much I not only loved this book, but love this series. I reviewed Unearthly a few months ago and I just gushed. It’s a series that you can connect to on almost every level because it just grabs hold of you and won’t let you go. I read it last month and I’m still thinking about the characters.

In Hallowed, just like Unearthly, Clara is still struggling to fully understand her purpose and figure out what she is supposed to do with now knowing that Christian is also an angel-blood. She truly believes that she messed up her purpose by saving Tucker instead of saving Christian like she believed she was supposed to. And then there’s Tucker who is all-country, hot and completely in love with Clara. In Unearthly, I was completely and one-hundred percent team Tucker and totally against the idea of Clara and Christian. But after reading Hallowed, I’m torn. Tucker let me down a little bit and Christian redeemed himself. As much as I loved Angel’s character in Unearthly, she kind of made me a little upset in Hallowed with her jealousy.

Hallowed had me running through almost every emotion. I cried through almost the whole second half of the book! There are also so many OMG moments that confused me, made me happy and made me sad. I loved the part about Clara’s dad and that whole subplot was very well executed. There is also something very creepy going on with Jeffery and I have a very bad feeling that he might do something terrible in the next book!

Honestly guys, this is one of my favorite series right now and this second book will not disappoint you if you loved Unearthly. Might I say, it is even better than the first. Which is normally unheard of, but in this case, it’s true. If you haven’t read Unearthly yet, I hope this review will make you want to go out and buy the book! Because you need to!!

Follow Friday (23)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. This week's featured blogger is Pawing Through Books.

Q: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

A: I have at least 50. I have an obsession with owning book and I like to buy the bargain books from Amazon. But then I never get around to reading them because I get overwhelmed by the amount of review books I get. It's an endless cycle. But I will read them all....eventually.

**Thanks for following and reading my blog! Subscribe to my RSS Feed if you can!**

Review- Deadly Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Title: Deadly Cool
Author: Gemma Halliday
Series: Deadly Cool #1
Publisher: HaperTeen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

My take:

I had an awesome time reading this book! Even though it's full of mystery and suspense, it's still so hilarious that I was laughing throughout almost the entire book!

The main character, Hartley, discovers that her boyfriend is cheating on her with one of the cheerleaders and when she goes to his house after school to confront him on the matter, she finds the said cheerleader dead in his closet, strangled with a pair of ear buds. Hartley thinks she knows her boyfriend well enough and automatically believes that he couldn't have possibly committed the murder. But since the body was found in her boyfriends house, the boyfriend is the number one suspect and he is nowhere to be found. Hartley sets out to clean her boyfriends name and finds herself in some pretty crazy situations along the way.

Hartley is so funny and she just doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. After another murder puts everyone on edge, she is set and determined to find out who is killing her classmates. I love her partnership with Sam, who sounds so hot and tortured but is also mysterious and a little bit creepy because his motives for helping Hartley are unclear. But, in the end, they make a great team and hopefully, in the next book, a great couple! Because everyone wants to date the bad boy at least once.

Deadly Cool is a great contemporary/mystery read that had me on my toes while laughing the whole time! Hartley's story will continue in the next book, Social Suicide, which will be released sometime this year! I can't wait!

Book Chat- 2011 Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Book Chat is hosted by Misty @ The Book Rat!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Waiting on Wednesday (43)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Grant) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Hex Hall #3
Hitting the shelves: March 13, 2012

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

So much was revealed in Demonglass and I just sped through the book. I love this series and I just can't wait to read the next one!!!