Series: Divergent #2

Author: Veronica Roth

Read via: Won from YABC

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

I must admit that I remembered very little about Divergent, so when I began reading Insurgent I was a little bit lost. However, as it picked up speed I found myself catching up quickly. Insurgent is just as wild and intense as its predecessor. It picks up just where Divergent left off, and repeatedly flings the story full speed ahead.

Tris remains a kickass heroine, and I admire the incredible drive and sense of determination she possesses. The odds are stacked against her repeatedly, but she refuses to ever back down. Her relationship with Four though, is another story. The two of them experience a lot of difficulties throughout Insurgent. I struggled with this element of the story, because I really just wanted them to be happy for like a minute, but, ultimately, I think the ups and downs of their relationship were truly realistic. When it came down to it, I loved the fact that they were always there for one another despite anything and everything.

Insurgent is absolutely wild. The twists are numerous, and the action just keeps reaching all new levels. When things seem as if they cannot get any worse, they do. After Divergent, it seemed like the characters had faced the worst, but in comparison that was just a taste of what was to come. There was one twist that absolutely shocked me. I never saw it coming, and that is what I loved most about Insurgent.

Overall, Insurgent took the fantastic world and characters established with Divergent, and brought it to a whole new level. I was sucked into this book from beginning to end, which caused a very painful case of sunburn. Warning: do not sit out in the sun reading this book because you will not be able to put it down. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good dystopian.

Cover: 5
Plot: 4
Writing: 4.5
Personally: 4.5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

April 2012

Due to the high number of movies these months (and laziness), I am not including images for all of the movies featured.

We Bought a Zoo

Set in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo.

This was a rewatch, and I fell in love with it all over again!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy (I did!)

The Debt

1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.

Since this movie had such a stellar cast, I was definitely expecting a lot out of it. Unfortunately, I just found it to be rather slow moving, somewhat boring. This was a letdown for me.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Mirror, Mirror

An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.

This was such a unique, entertaining take on the Snow White fairy tale. I love how they took the basics of the story and spun it into something different. The acting is perfect and the story should entertain anyone!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

Abduction

A thriller centered on a young man who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons website.

Once again a rewatch. I actually got a good deal on this at work, so I bought it. I still found it to be an entertaining film, although I have yet to understand all of the fuss about Taylor Lautner. Lily Collins is brilliant though!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Life As We Know It

Two single adults become caregivers to an orphaned girl when their mutual best friends die in an accident.

This is by far my favorite “chick flick”. It is heartbreaking, beautiful, and adorably cute! If you haven’t seen it, you are missing out. Also, Katherine Heigl + romantic comedy = almost always good!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

The Hunger Games

Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place for the latest match.

I actually meant to write-up an entire review for this film, but since there were so many out, and I was having trouble articulating my thoughts, I decided not to. Anyhow, even though this was the second time I saw it, I still am a bit torn regarding how I feel. I think, overall, that the writers/producers/etc. stayed true to the story, but it did not have the emotional connection that the books had. I just had trouble “clicking” with the film. Most of the casting was fantastic. Jennifer Lawrence was perfection, and Elizabeth Banks and Donald Sutherland were brilliant. I still am not pleased with Lenny Kravitz as Cinna (just does not work) or Liam Hemsworth as Gale (might work, but hard to tell).

Rating: ?? out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Kelly’s Heroes 

A group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure.

I was on a Donald Sutherland kick after watching Hunger Games, and I heard this was a good one. Plus, there are also a ton of other great actors in this film. It was absolutely hilarious and entertaining, although it was also really long.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Grown-Ups

After their high school basketball coach passes away, five good friends and former teammates reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend.

During one of my classes for school we had to watch this film (then write a paper about the friendships in it). I am not a big Adam Sandler fan, so I was expecting not to like this, however, I actually found it to be quite funny and actually enjoyable.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Stardust

In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he’ll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm.

So, I have been interested in seeing this since it was released, but for some reason I hadn’t. When I finally watched it, I fell in love. It is a bit of an offbeat fantasy that is humorous, romantic, and unique. I completely loved it, and I cannot wait until I have extra money and can buy myself a copy! And BEN BARNES appears in the first ten-ish minutes (did you know I am IN LOVE with him!!)!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

Whip It

In Bodeen, Texas, an indie-rock loving misfit finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.

This is another film that I have been wanting to see, but that I never actually watched. I enjoyed this one as well, and Ellen Page was amazing, as always! The peek into the world of roller derby was quite cool as well.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

The Conspirator

Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life.

I brought this one home by chance. The trailer looked interesting, and it stars James McAvoy (another amazing actor!). This film was phenomenal! I was completely wowed. It is a heartbreaking look at an injustice of history, a must watch.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

Haywire

A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission. 

This was another movie that I watched primarily because of the cast, and, yet again, I was letdown. Ultimately, I was just completely bored. The story does not even start to make sense until about halfway through, and, by that point, I just didn’t care about the characters or the story.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

May 2012

 The Lucky One

 A Marine travels to Louisiana after serving three tours in Iraq and searches for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war.

My sister and I went to see this for my birthday! I have liked Zac Efron since High School Musical, and I am a fan of Nicholas Sparks. Therefore, it is no big leap that I went to see this. Unsurprisingly, I had read the book before going to see the film, and I was not a big fan. I was hoping that they would change some of the low points for the film, which they did a little bit. Overall, I thought this was enjoyable, but I did not love it.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Love & Other Drugs

A woman suffering from Parkinson’s befriends a drug rep working for Pfizer against 1990s Pittsburgh backdrop.

I had heard pretty good things about this film, and it has Anne Hathaway. It did not really work for me. My sister and I ended up shutting it off after about 20-30 minutes, because the only thing that happened was sex. I am okay with sex to a point, but this film felt like it lacked a whole lot of plot besides “ooh let’s have sex”, which was just boring.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Across the Universe

The music of the Beatles and the Vietnam War form the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor Liverpudlian artist.

After being introduced to the Beatles by one of my professors, I can finally understand why they have become such a phenomenon. This film was fantastic. It is so representative of the Beatles lifestyle and music and of the time period that it existed within. All around it was a remarkable film, although also rather sad.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

House Bunny

Finding family. Shelley Darlingson was raised in an orphanage, finally happy when she blossoms into a fox and moves into the Playboy Mansion. Unfortunately, she’s summarily expelled on her 27th birthday(she’s now too old). In desperation she takes a job as house mother for a sorority of misfits losing their house for lack of members. They have but a few months to find 30 pledges, or a sorority of mean girls will take over their place. Shelley figures that girls will pledge a house that boys find interesting, so she sets out to make the Zetas alluring, not act too smart, and host great parties. Can she succeed, and what about her own makeover? Sabotage is everywhere, plus it’s hard to be one’s self. 

My sister has been trying to get me to watch this forever, but I kept resisting. After falling in love with Anna Faris in What’s Your Number, I decided to give this a chance. It actually was a hilarious, heartwarming film with a fantastic cast. Anyone looking for a slightly different romantic comedy would like this.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Mirror, Mirror (2) 

 An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.

This was another rewatch, which I absolutely enjoyed both times! After seeing it with my best friends, I took my mom to see it as well (she loved it too!). Then my best friend, Fig, and I saw this (and Hunger Games) at the drive-in! It is hilarious, funny, and a really good film. Plus, the costumes were GORGEOUS!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

One for the Money

Unemployed and newly-divorced Stephanie Plum lands a job at her cousin’s bail-bond business, where her first assignment puts her on the trail of a wanted local cop from her romantic past.

I liked this about the same the second time around. It was a bit more serious than I expected, but I appreciated it for that. It had some great comedy, but also a good story.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

The Hunger Games

Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place for the latest match.

See above.

The Avengers

Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.

I was so excited to see this film! I saw almost all of the “prequels” for this when they were in theatres, and I really enjoyed them. So, I was definitely looking forward to this movie, and it totally and completely blew me away! It was action-packed, hilarious, and just hilarious. Watching the credits I remembered that it was written and directed by Joss Whedon, and I just went “Duhh, no wonder that was amazing!” But yes, GO SEE THIS MOVIE! I am now rooting for a Black Widow/Hawkeye crossover film. I fell in love with them, and I really want to see their story.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

  Dark Shadows

 An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.

Weird. Just weird. The cast is awesome, but the movie just weird. WHEN DID THE WEREWOLF THING HAPPEN? It just seemed totally random. The special effects for the ghosts were cool though.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Battleship

A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.

I was not expecting much from this, although the eye-candy is worth going for at least. This turned out to be a pretty good movie. Not something I will buy or be in love with, but it was definitely worth watching and I might watch it again.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Gone

When her sister disappears, Jill is convinced the serial killer who kidnapped her two years ago has returned, and she sets out to once again face her abductor.

I wanted to see this in theatres, but the chance never materialized. Anyhow, I jumped at the opportunity to watch it on dvd, and I am so glad I did. This is an amazing film! It is so suspenseful, and I was kept guessing for the entire movie. I can’t really say much without giving anything away, but, yes, this is a definite must-watch!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

X-Men: First Class

In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start world war III.

Yet another rewatch, but one that is well worth it. To begin with, the cast for this is amazing: James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender….!! This movie completely makes up for the mess that was X-Men: The Last Stand. Love it!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Torn so either!

The Bourne Identity

A man is picked up by a fishing boat, bullet-riddled and without memory, then races to elude assassins and recover from amnesia.

I saw the trailer for The Bourne Legacy in theatres recently, and I really want to see it. I figured it would make sense to see the first three beforehand, and Matt Damon is a pretty amazing actor. I really enjoyed this. It was full of action, Matt Damon is gorgeous, and it was just an interesting story. I will definitely be checking out the next movie!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Seven Days in Utopia

After a disastrous debut on the pro circuit, a young golfer finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas and welcomed by an eccentric rancher.

I have been planning to watch this forever, and I have taken it home from work to watch at least two or three times. This time it finally worked out, and I was able to watch this enjoyable film. It is a heartwarming story, and has some lovely casting choices (I am a huge fan of Robert Duvall, and the female lead is Jessica in True Blood).

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

Series: Mindjack Trilogy #2

Author: Susan

Read via: E-book copy provided by the author.

When you control minds, only your heart can be used against you.
Eight months ago, Kira Moore revealed to the mindreading world that mindjackers like herself were hidden in their midst. Now she wonders if telling the truth was the right choice after all. As wild rumors spread, a powerful anti-jacker politician capitalizes on mindreaders’ fears and strips jackers of their rights. While some jackers flee to Jackertown—a slum rife with jackworkers who trade mind control favors for cash—Kira and her family hide from the readers who fear her and jackers who hate her. But when a jacker Clan member makes Kira’s boyfriend Raf collapse in her arms, Kira is forced to save the people she loves by facing the thing she fears most: FBI agent Kestrel and his experimental torture chamber for jackers.

I was originally hesitant to read the first book in this trilogy, Open Minds, because I had no previous experience with the author or her books. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that book to be a very enjoyable read. After finishing Open Minds, I was quite excited when the author requested me to review Closed Hearts as well. I was very curious where the story would go. I am thrilled to say that I absolutely, completely loved this book!

Closed Hearts picks up several months after the first book, and finds Kira and her family in hiding from the backlash of Kira’s actions in Open Minds. I loved the interactions between Kira and her family. The relationship between Kira and her father was especially moving. The bond between the two of them is even stronger than it was before, and her father proves again that he is willing to do anything to save his family. Although, there are definitely a few bumps in the journey. Raf returns as well, which thrilled me. He was one of the highlights of the first book, so having him back made this book even better. Surprisingly, however, my favorite character in Closed Hearts was Julian. While I still love Raf, Julian has completely stolen my heart. He is dedicated, strong, and all around amazing. All of the “mages” were fantastic additions though.

This book was even more exciting than the previous one. It is a fast-paced, thrill ride that is impossible to putdown. Kestrel remains a creepy, scary-good villain, and he definitely raises the bar here. Molloy makes his return too, and some of his actions end up having quite painful results. Which brings me to a MAJOR plot twist, that I want to rave about, but to do so would totally ruin it. It is an amazing, heartbreaking element that adds so much more tension and drama going into the final book of the trilogy.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Closed Hearts. It was a perfect follow-up to Open Minds. It built nicely on the story of that book, but at the same time it was even better. I would highly recommend this series. Fans of Delirium by Lauren Oliver would likely enjoy this series as well, but anyone who loves a well written, unforgettable story should check this out. I will be waiting impatiently to see what will happen to these amazing characters that I have fallen in love with.

Cover: 3.5
Plot: 4
Writing: 4.5
Personally: 4

Overall: 4 out of 5

Author: Sarah Cross

Read via: NetGalley

Mirabelle’s past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents’ tragic deaths to her guardians’ half-truths about why she can’t return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.
In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who’s a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.
But fairy tales aren’t pretty things, and they don’t always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own… brothers who share a dark secret. And she’ll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

What do you get when you mix a stunningly gorgeous cover and a retelling of not only my favorite fairy tale, but a ton of different fairy tales combined? An amazing story, no? Well, that is what I was expecting, but, unfortunately, I found that Kill Me Softly did not quite meet my expectations.

Mira was a fun character at the start. She had guts, drive, and the elements of interesting backstory. As the story goes on, however, she shows some traits that I really disliked. Then we meet Blue. Blue is the only thing that I fell head-over-heels in love with. I absolutely adore this boy. He is slightly angsty, has a a protective streak a milewide, and is really just the sweetest guy. Unfortunately with Blue comes Felix. Felix is pretty much the opposite of Blue in every single way possible, and ultimately he just is creepy. The other friends that Mira makes while in Beau Rivage are also fantastically interesting. I loved the representations of all the various fairy tale characters, especially Viv, Henley, and Layla.

The premise of this story was compelling, and it’s rather reminscent of Once Upon a Time (which I adore). Unfortunately, it comes with a severe case of insta-love, and stupidity on the part of Mira. I hated the ridiculous relationship between Mira and Felix. It made very little sense, and their was no depth to back up Mira’s obsession dedication to him. The relationship between the two of them really ruined the book for me. Otherwise, I think I would have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Overall, this book was very disappointing for me. I wanted so badly to fall in love with it, but it just did not do it. While I probably would not recommend this, I still would be curious to read any sequels, especially if they were to focus on one of the other awesome fairy tale characters that appeared in this. I think there is potential for some great writing from Sarah Cross, but I feel as if the relationship development and the maturity levels of her characters could use some work. I will say, however, that it might be worth it to read this book just for Blue alone. He really is that awesome!

Cover: 4.5
Plot: 3.5
Writing: 3
Personally: 3

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Summer is here!!

And to kick-off the beginning of summer, I am offering up some great summer, beach reads for one lucky winner.

ONE WINNER – INT*

Winner will get their pick of TWO of the following books.

Starcrossed or Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
In Honor or Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Everlasting or The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier
Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour or Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker
Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard
Tempest Rising or Tempest Unleashed by Tracy Deebs
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti

CONTEST POLICY

01. You must be at least 13 years of age to enter.
02. You are not required to follow or spread the word (although both are very much appreciated). You just have to fill out the form.
03. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.
04. Closes for entries on May 31st at midnight.
05. Open to anywhere that The Book Depository ships to.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
And be sure to check out the rest of the Hop’s stops!

Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter’s sanity, Daire’s mother sends her to live with the grandmother she’s never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are—the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead. There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it’s when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she’s meant to be with…or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

Intrigued? Excited? Want a chance to read Fated?

One lucky winner has a chance to receive their own copy of Fated, enter below!

CONTEST POLICY

01. You must be at least 13 years of age to enter.
02. You are not required to follow or spread the word (although both are very much appreciated). You just have to fill out the form.
03. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.
04. Closes for entries on May 30th at midnight.
05. Open to US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WOW is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming books that we’re highly anticipating.

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends and total overachievers. Even if they aren’t the most popular girls in school, they aren’t too worried. They know their real lives will begin once they get to their Ivy League colleges. There will be ivy, and there will be cute guys in the libraries (hopefully with English accents)! But when an unexpected event shows them they’re missing out on the full high school experience, it’s time to come out of the honors lounge and into the spotlight. They make a pact: They will each take on their greatest challenge—and they will totally rock it.
Gigi decides to run for student rep, but she’ll have to get over her fear of public speaking—and go head-to-head with gorgeous California Will. Bea used to be one of the best skiers around, until she was derailed. It could be time for her to take the plunge again. And Neerja loves the drama club but always stayed behind the scenes—until now.
These friends are determined to show that smart girls get what they want—but that could mean getting way more attention than they ever bargained for….

Why? This sounds absolutely hilarious, who wouldn’t want to read it?! Plus, as a somewhat smart girl myself, I feel like this will be something I can relate to, and, like I said, FUNNY!

This title is set to be released on June 26th. Add it on Goodreads?

How familiar were you with Greek myths and folklore before writing the Goddess Test series?  Was a lot of research required?

+ I first fell in love with Greek mythology when I was a kid learning how to read, and my infatuation only grew from there. I’ve studied various kinds of mythology for years, sometimes for class and always for fun, but even then I put a great deal of research into the Goddess Test series. Mostly as a refresher to make sure I was getting my facts right, but I also researched the various myths looking for ways to tie the plots and characters together in unexpected ways.

Was Goddess Interrupted any easier or harder to write than the first book in the series, The Goddess Test?

+ It was both easier and harder, in a strange way. I rewrote The Goddess Test multiple times, and I’ve never edited a book more heavily in my life. Goddess Interrupted did require some editing, of course, but it was much easier.

However, the pressure to deliver a sequel worthy of the series made the writing process for Goddess Interrupted more difficult than I’d anticipated. There’s something called the “sophomore slump”, where sequels or second books generally don’t quite match up to the second, and I wanted to avoid that at all cost. So that added a lot of stress, but in the end, I was very happy with the results.

You give the gods and goddesses in the series “ordinary names” – Zeus is named Walter, Aphrodite goes by Ava, Hermes is named James.  Why did you do that and do the more contemporary names have any significance?

+ This was something I went back and forth on multiple times. Initially the characters Kate encounters weren’t council members at all – I changed that very, very quickly though. By the second draft, I had a place for each of the Olympians, and I did some heavy rewriting to replace my first draft characters with the gods. I wanted to find a way to keep their names the same, but since they’re supposed to live among us in secret in the modern world, it didn’t really make sense. How many men named Zeus do you know, or women called Aphrodite? On top of that, keeping the council’s identities secret was incredibly important to the plot. So eventually I decided they would have changed their names when Western civilization stopped worshipping them as gods, allowing them to live freely among us.

I did choose each name for what it means, some more than others – Walter, for instance, means “army leader”, while James means “supplanter”. The exception is Calliope, which in the story was chosen by her counterpart for its Greek roots. The reason the gods changed their names – and why Artemis didn’t wind up with the name Diana – is explained throughout the series, but you get to actually see this happen in The Goddess Legacy (July 31).

Goddess Interrupted begins with the main character Kate Winters adjusting to her new life as an immortal.  Given Kate’s innate strength and stubbornness, was it difficult to switch gears to portray her as a bit more vulnerable and unsure of herself in her new role as goddess AND wife?

+ Not so much, to be honest – her progression felt natural to me. While Kate is very tough in certain ways, she’s extremely vulnerable as well. She’s emotionally dependent on the people around her (her mother in the first book, Henry in the second), and that in and of itself carves the path she takes in the sequel. She’s spent six months with Henry, falling in love with him and forming a relationship she thinks is going to last for eternity. But Henry is battling his own demons and isn’t ready to be the person she needs him to be, and because Kate is so stubborn, she has a hard time coming to terms with that. In the sequel, Kate really is her own worst enemy emotionally – her entire world has changed, after all, and that’s a lot for anyone to take – but it’s all part of her development into a goddess and queen.

Kate finds herself trying to work through her rather complicated relationship with James, as well as her relationship with her new husband, Henry (Hades).  Neither seems to be black and white, but rather varying shades of gray.   Were any of Kate’s feelings or situations based on any relationship struggles you’ve been through? 

+ Not personally, no, but I did try to make Kate’s relationships with the people in her life as realistic as possible. She isn’t perfect, and neither are they, and that’s something they all have to work through at varying points in the series. None of the relationships in the books are based off of specific experiences I’ve been through though.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?  Least favorite?

+ Outlining is by far my favorite part of the process. I love the idea stage, where anything’s possible, and it’s such a shiny place. All of that comes crashing down when I write the first draft though, which is the hardest part for me. I tend to get mentally exhausted about two thirds to three quarters of the way into the manuscript, and it’s always a struggle for me to push through it, especially if I’m on a deadline. And inevitably there are a ton of problems I didn’t notice in the outline stage that have to be fixed for the story to work. I’m a perfectionist, so in order for me to continue writing the story, everything I’ve already written has to make sense.

Do you have a favorite quote or line from a poem or book?

+ I love so many quotes that I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite.

How did you get your first publishing deal and how did that feel?

+ My agent, Rosemary Stimola, sent the manuscript out to various publishers, and after a long submission process, Harlequin TEEN offered to publish it! I was stunned at first, but that quickly gave way to giddiness. It was an incredible feeling to know I’d be published, and to this day, I still can’t quite believe it.

When is the next book in the series due out? Any hints on what will happen in book 3?

+ Goddess Interrupted, the sequel to The Goddess Test, came out in late March. The next book in the series, The Goddess Legacy, will be out July 31. It’s a collection of five novellas told in the perspectives of Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James, and Henry, and together they form one story.

The third book in the series, The Goddess Inheritance, is currently scheduled to be released in March 2013. Unfortunately I can’t say too much about it, but the challenges that Kate will face are pretty clear by the end of the sequel!

After the huge success of The Goddess Test, Goddess Interrupted is on many, many TBR lists for this summer.  What’s on your TBR list? 

+ I’m so excited for a slew of books coming out – The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, Grave Mercy, The Selection, The Serpent’s Shadow, Philippa Gregory’s YA novel, and a ton of others. I never have as much time to read as I want, but I’m definitely making time for all of those and more!

Yearbook Superlatives! If you went to high school with the Greek gods and goddesses, who would you vote for?

* Most likely to succeed? – Hera

* Class clown? – Hermes

* Nicest? – Demeter or Hephaestus

* Best dressed? – Aphrodite

* Best dancer? – Apollo

* Most school spirit? – Iris

* Most likely to attend summer school? – Ares

* Teachers pet? – Athena

Interested in learning more about the Goddess trilogy? Visit the website here!
And check out my reviews for The Goddess Test & Goddess Interrupted!

Also, thanks to the fabulous people at Harlequin, I have one copy of Goddess Interrupted for a lucky visitor.

01. You must be at least 13 years of age to enter.
02. You are not required to follow or spread the word (although both are very much appreciated). You just have to fill out the form.
03. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.
04. Closes for entries on May 25th at midnight.
05. US & CAN Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author: Heidi Ayarbe

Read via: Teen Book Scene

A one-word text message: That’s all Michal “Mike” Garcia needs to gather a crowd. Mike is a seventeen-year-old bookie, and Sanctuary is where she takes bets for anyone at Carson High with enough cash. Her only rule: Never participate, never place a bet for herself.
Then Josh Ellison moves to town. He pushes Mike to live her life, to feel a rush of something — play the game, he urgest, stop being a spectator.
So Mike breaks her one rule. She places a bet, feels the rush. And loses.
In an act of desperation, she and Josh — who has a sordid past of his own — concoct a plan: The pair will steal from Carson City’s elite to pay back Mike’s debt. Then they’ll give the rest of their haul to those who need it most. How can burglary be wrong if they are making things right?

A teenage bookie, how many book revolve around that? So, of course, I had to check this book out. Plus the girl on the cover really reminds me of someone, although I cannot figure out who. Anyways, I was very excited to read this one, but it did not really live up to the expectations I had.

Mike interested me from the beginning. She was compelling and decidedly different from the typical YA protagonist. I admired her ability to do something for herself, especially with the element of risk involved. Mike was such a complex character. I truly appreciated the blend of strength and vulnerability that she possessed. Josh, I was not as much of a fan of, he seemed like a rich kid that was playing at caring. I had trouble finding any kind of sympathy for him. The romance between Mike and Josh felt rather forced to me, and I never really felt the chemistry between the two of them. Personally, I thought the relationship between Mike and her childhood friend (sorry, his name escapes me at the moment) had a lot more going for it.

The story was interesting, and it dealt with a lot of hot topics. I appreciated the glimpse into the world of illegal immigrants and their struggle. Also learning about betting and the world of a bookie was engrossing. However, I felt as if the story lacked and redeeming element of hope, which made it into something very depressing. I had trouble accepting Mike and Josh’s actions, and their rationalization of them was not acceptable to me.

Overall, this book had an interesting storyline, but it was extremely dark, depressing. I have read and appreciated books that deal with extremely dark subjects, but I feel as if their needs to be some type of hope within the story. Perhaps I am just an eternal optimist, but I had trouble with this book. Maybe it just was not for me. This is not one to add to my favorites or my recommend lists.

Cover: 3
Plot: 4
Writing: 2.5
Personally: 2.5

Overall: 3 out of 5