Friday, August 2, 2013

Winner!!

Hey all! The winner of my Welcome Back Giveaway is:

Kazhmere de Guzman!


I unabashedly love Jennifer Lawrence. : )

Kaz, I've sent you an e-mail to get your info & book choice(s). Congrats! Thanks to everyone who entered!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Upcoming book-to-film adaptations

     I feel like so many of the movies that have been made over the past year have been either sequels or book adaptations. Hollywood running low on ideas? No complaints here, so long as they don't half ass it! Here are some upcoming confirmed book-to-film adaptations over the next year or so. If you know of any others, leave them in the comments! I am not always super up-to-date on this stuff. : )

Horns by Joe Hill
Film Release: October 11, 2013

     If you don't know (I didn't when I first fell in love with his writing) Joe Hill is Stephen King's son and an absolutely amazing storyteller (shocker!) This isn't my favorite of his books (that honor goes to Heart-Shaped Box) but this is the only one I know of heading to the silver screen. Guess who's starring? Guess!!

Daniel Radcliffe! He is set to portray the tortured title character Ig Perrish. Eee!






Divergent by Veronica Roth
Film Release: March 24, 2014

I'm sure by now you all know about this one, but Veronica Roth's highly acclaimed novel Divergent is being made into a film starring Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, and a bunch of other super-talented stars. To be honest, I haven't actually gotten around to reading these books, but I know that they've gotten really great reviews around the blogosphere.







The Maze Runner by James Dasher
Film Release: February 14, 2014

     This YA novel about a boy who wakes up in a giant maze with no memories. So, that sounds pretty legit. This is another of those novels that got a TON of wonderful reviews but I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Man, my TBR list is HUGE. Honestly. James Dasher also has writing credits on this film, so hopefully he was able to bring the novel to life the way he wanted it to be portrayed.








If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Film Release: ??

This novel was just...I don't even know what to say. I am both glad and worried that it's being made into a movie, because sometimes you see a film adaptation of a book and it's like WHYYY. So, we'll see. This is set to star Chloe Grace Moretz, who is just AMAZING, so I'm thinking this will be a pretty great movie. : )










Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Film Release: February 14, 2014

These books are crazy-popular, and they are definitely not your typical vampire fare. The film is set to star Zoey Deutch who is just insanely beautiful. She was also in the Beautiful Creatures movie (as Emily Asher), and she's in that ABC show Switched at Birth.











The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Film Release: 2014

This book broke my freaking heart, you guys. Repeatedly. And I loved every damn second of it. The film is set to star Shailene Woodley and I would this is probably one of the ones I'm more excited/anxious about. Damn. Seriously, I loved this book so hard and if you haven't read it you need to. John Green is wonderfully talented. Just...seriously.







And there are a ton of things that are listed as 'in development', so who knows if they'll get off the ground. Here are a few:

The Age of Miracles by Karen Walker Thompson (THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (OMG!)
Matched by Ally Condie (Supposedly the entire trilogy has been picked up by Disney)


And then of course there's Catching Fire and City of Bones, both of which I am INSANELY excited about because I absolutely DEVOURED both of those  book series.

So. It's shaping up to be an interesting year!

Levitating Las Vegas

Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols
Genre: New Adult/Young Adult
Published: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Pocket Star

     Showgirl Holly Starr is sick and tired of assisting her dad, a celebrity magician, in his Las Vegas casino magic show. As soon as he keeps his promise to her and shares the secrets of his tricks, she can break out on her own. But can she really make it? For years Holly has taken medication to stave off crazy hallucinations that she can levitate objects. Just when she thinks she's ready to make a career and a life for herself her medicine-and her luck-run out.

     Elijah Brown suffers from a similar delusion-that he can read minds-and he's out of medicine too. Determined to save himself and his old flame Holly, he kidnaps her and takes her straight to the source, a town high in the Rockies where their medicine is made. What they discover there leads them to suspect their powers are not imaginary after all...and neither is the intense attraction they feel for each other.

    They make a pact to stick together as they return to Vegas to confront the people who kept them in the dark so long. But soon they're pitting their powers against each other in a dangerous world where the nightlife is seductive, domination is addictive, the sex is beyond belief...and falling in love is murder.

     I was so very excited for this book, you guys, seriously. Look at that cover! And that synopsis...oh man. And I bet that you can guess that this is leading to a 'but', so I'm mentally pulling a Bob Barker as in 'ding, ding, ding give them all a prize!' 

     Okay, sorry, sarcasm over. Probably. This book had so many appealing aspects: it takes place in a casino in Las Vegas, our main character is a girl struggling with the idea that she has a mental illness, there's glitz and glamour and cute boys and MAGICIANS for Pete's sake. 

     However, as anybody who has ever tasted my cooking can attest, throwing a bunch of yummy ingredients into a pot does not a delicious meal make. There was a little something something missing from this book for me, a certain cohesion. I know that sounds super vague but the truth is I can't exactly pinpoint what was missing, I only know that something was and it left me wanting. 

     I usually really enjoy Jennifer Echols writing, too. Oh, well. 

     If you're looking for something fun and a little flirty to get you through one of those 'I don't want to think' days, or a lazy beach day where your brain is all sun-soaked I would recommend picking this up. 

Oh hey guess what!! You can totally read the ENTIRE BOOK for FREE (along with a selection of other full-length novels from XOXO After Dark) here : http://xoxoafterdark.com/free-reads/

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Teaser Tuesday

Hey guys! It's Tuesday! That means its time for another Teaser Tuesday. This is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading and is an opportunity for people to share a little snippet from their current read. Anybody can participate!

*Grab your current read
*Flip to a random page
*Share two 'teaser' sentences from anywhere on the page
*Avoid spoilers! Don't be that person who ruins a book for someone else!
*Share the title & author so that other readers can check out the book, too.

So, here's my TT for this week:


"And then, as if in slow motion, he was falling, in skydiver pose. I was perched safely at the top of the jungle gym and I saw Charlie hit the ground with an ominous thud."
                     Pg. 88 Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls
                                              by Bennett Madison

I've only just started this book but it's a girl-detective type novel about a girl who is not as wholesome as Nancy Drew (and not quite as badass as V. Mars, but then again who is?)

What are you all reading?

Veronica Mars

Holy freaking hell I cannot wait for this!!



Ah!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Adults reading YA: Is there a stigma?

     I am 26. I realize that, technically, I'm closer to 30 now than 20, and am therefore no longer in my early twenties but in my mid-twenties (ugh, I'm still processing that...) At my library the YA section is in the Children's section, in a separate room and floor from the regular adult section. Suffice it to say, this makes me feel a little bit weird about browsing in there. I can't be alone in this, right?

     Here's the thing, though. The themes present in YA novels are the same themes present in novels for adults: sex, love, lust, civil unrest, violence, family issues, etc. My library even has The Hunger Games series stocked I'm both the adult and YA section, and novels by Dickens and Shakespeare are also in the YA section.

     I've realized through blogging that I am absolutely not the only adult who reads YA. A big portion of the buzz and support for YA novels and authors comes from bloggers, a good portion of whom are in their 20's. Books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and the Hunger Games broke a lot of barriers in the literature department, and it isn't uncommon to see older adults reading these novels that have been made into epic movies.

     So why is there still a stigma to adults reading YA? Why is it still looked down upon as a somehow lesser form of literature, when the themes are similar to ones Shakespeare wrote about, and his novels are considered timeless classics and, in my high school at least, required reading? Is this stigma imagined?

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

Hey all! Wednesday is upon us once again, so that means it's time for Waiting on Wednesday. Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically it's an opportunity to share a book whose arrival you're anxiously awaiting.

I always end up adding a ton of awesome books to my TBR list because of this meme! : )

This week my pick is:

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
Publication Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen

I have read some seriously mixed reviews of this book, but I can't wait to get my hands on it. I love Kierstn White's writing, and I've been anticipating the release of this novel since before the cover art (beautiful, beautiful cover art!!) was released.

What are you all waiting on? Leave me links, the books on my TBR list could use some company! ; )

P.s I'm rewatching Charmed (Netflix!), and is it just me or did they change the theme music? They totally did the same thing to Dawson's Creek! WTH, world?

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Golden by Jessi Kirby

Golden by Jessi Kirby
Published: May 14, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

     Julianna Farnetti had the kind of relationship depicted in romance novels, the kind of love that all teenage girls dream of finding for themselves someday. She and her boyfriend, Shane Cruz, are the golden couple of their small town, their future all mapped out before them. When she and Shane are killed in a car accident their senior year of high school they become almost mythical figures, larger than life.

     Parker Frost is the girl who plays it safe. Ever since her poet father left her business-minded mother, Parker has felt pressured to tramp down that side of herself and succeed, which means good grades, perfect attendance, and extracurriculars galore so that she can get into Stanford. Her best friend (and my new fictional bestie) Kat warns Parker that she's missing out on a lot of things that make life interesting and makes Parker promise to do one unexpected thing before graduation.

     When Parker stumbles upon Julianna's senior year English project, a diary she kept that was meant to capture candidly who she was at 17 and who she aspired to be, and, against her own nature, begins reading it, Parker is launched into the middle of a life very different from  her own, and a 10 year old mystery. Was Julianna Farnetti the golden girl everybody thought she was?

     This book has a perfect blend of romance, mystery, adventure and angst, and Julianna's story is intense and completely engrossing. I had a hard time putting this book down, and got a little mad every time I got interrupted. I loved this book so much, and unraveling this mystery with Parker and watching her (tentatively) step out of her shell and become more confidant in herself was amazing.

     I also loved the incredibly realistic relationship between Parker and Kat. I hate reading a novel where the 'best friend' is just a prop but Kat felt like an actual, three-dimensional person to me, and her encouragement, support, and frustrations made me love her that much more. She urges Parker to try new things, supports her in her college dreams, and nudges her in the direction of the boy Parker's been crushing on since the 7th grade (Trevor Collins....just....sigh....) Kat is fantastic.

     If you are a fan of Sarah Dessen, or if you remember what it was like to be 17 you should definitely check out this book. LOVE.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Gimmie Gimmie

Hey-Oh! Guess what! I'm back from my super-secret, I'd-tell-you-what-I-was-doing-but-then-I'd-have-to-kill-you break from blogging! Yay!

To celebrate my return, I thought I would rock a giveaway to shamelessly win back my followers and maybe, if I'm lucky, get some new ones. So, what do you say? Want a free book? : D

Here's the deal:

Enter your info in the Rafflecopter below
The contest runs until the end of the month
Winner will be announced here and on Twitter
Choose your loot!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

iBook: Pick or Pass

Hola, fellow Bibliofreak! Are you like me? Broke, with an unrelenting love of books?

     My latest hobby is bopping merrily around the iBook store in search of things that are A. Palatable, B. Hidden gems, or C. Laughably bad. Since we're all friends here, and I wouldn't want you all to waste your time wading through some of the crap that's out there, I thought I would share my findings with you. Because sharing is caring. Thus we have my new (sure to be sporadic) feature, iBook: Pick or Pass.



Leashed by Zoe Dawson
Published: September 29, 2012
Publisher: Blue Moon Creative

     This novella (26K words) is the first in a series, Gone to the Dogs. As you can probably tell, dogs are a pretty big plot point in the world Zoe Dawson writes about.

     Our heroine, Callie Lassiter, is a dog trainer who comes from a family of dog breeders, Great Danes specifically. There was a lot of information about dog breeds, dams and sires (that's probably incorrect terminology, I've already forgotten what they're actually called.) This was knowledge I didn't previously have and would probably have survived another 20 years without caring about, but it adds authenticity to the story, I suppose.

     Our love interest is Owen McKay, Callie's neighbor and...I don't really know what to say about Owen McKay. He is a wealthy club owner/bad boy/notorious womanizer who is wearing leather pants when we first meet him. LEATHER PANTS. I don't know. On the one hand, Owen is essentially a trope. A bad boy with a reputation for bedding hotties who has a heart of gold and a serious soft spot for his Aunt Mildred, but for some reason I actually kinda dug Owen, when he wasn't making with the awkward dialogue (seriously, some of the stuff that came out of these people's mouths was cringe-inducing.)

     Callie's Great Dane, Jack, knocks up Owen's Great Dane, Jill, ensuring that they will have to spend time with one another for the remainder of the book while we wait for Jill to give birth (it's called Whelping. Did you know that? I did not know that.)

     This book is super cutesy, a pretty quick read, and written well enough that it's possible to overlook the trope-y ness of it all. It also serves to introduce Callie's set of dog-loving friends who, I assume, will be the stars of other books in this series. If you're in the mood for something light and fluffy then you could do a lot worse than Leashed.

Verdict: Pick

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Teaser Tuesday



Hey ya'll! It's Teaser Tuesday again! This is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should be Reading in which we book lovers get to share a little taste of what we're currently reading. Want to get involved?

*Grab your current read
*Flip to a random page
*Share two 'teaser' sentences from anywhere on that page
*Avoid spoilers!! Don't be that person who ruins a book for someone else. BOO!
*Share the title & author so that other readers can check out the book, too.

Here's my TT for this week!

"'I'm sorry,' I said. Then I slashed the blade. The world held it's breath for me as Sean's blood fell. "

Pg. 197 of Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride

I loved the first book in this series, it was funny and different from a lot of the other supernatural-based YA novels I've read lately.

What are you reading?!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Soon to be Read Saturdays!



Hi guys! This is something a little new I'm trying out, Soon to be Read Saturdays (StbRS). I thought it would be a neat and simple way for me to share what I have at the top of my TBR pile, and that way you know what reviews to expect the coming weeks. Fun, right?!

Please feel free to participate! I would love to see what you all have in your stacks. :)




Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride
















A Study in Revenge by Kieran Shields















The Curiosities by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff
















It's going to be a good week! What are you all reading?

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Jumping on the Bloglovin' bandwagon!

     Hey all! As you may or may not have heard, Google Friend Connect either is or is not going to be shut down July 1st/not July 1st but sometime in the near future. Seriously, the rumors surrounding this are crazypants and I tried searching Google for some kind of reliable information and keep coming up with squat. 
     
     Regardless, I know that a lot of people use Bloglovin' and so I checked it out, liked what I saw, and signed up. Now you can stalk my blog in a myriad of interesting ways! Yay! :) 

What do you all think? Do you have info/links from any reliable sources?

Return to the real world

     Man, life after vacation is tough! I had such a great time away, though, and I was so much fun to explore somewhere I had never been before. Now I have to catch up on everything I missed while I was gone!

     Hope you all had a good April, and I will return to regular posting a.s.a.p!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Vacation!

Hey all!

I'm going on vacation for a few weeks, so I will not be blogging during that time period. Two weeks is like a year in blogland, so I hope y'all don't forget me! I will also be avoiding Facebook, e-mail, my phone and all my real world responsibilities during this time period if that's any consolation. : )

Hope you all have a good few weeks! Read wonderful things!


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday


     Hey!! It's Wednesday! Yay! I'm super excited because A. Wednesday means it's time for another Waiting on Wednesday and I get to float around to some of my favorite blogs and stalk their posts and B. It means I only have 5 days before I go on vacation. AHH! Sorry. I'm contained now, I swear.

Okay, so WoW. Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we get the chance to highlight an upcoming release that we're stoked for. Ready for mine? Sure you are!

The Dream Thieves
by Maggie Stiefvater
Publication Date: September 17, 2013 (so far away!!!)

     Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after.

     If you read my blog you know I have some seriously madlove for Maggie Stiefvater. I fell so deeply into the world of The Raven Boys and I absolutely CANNOT wait to read the sequel, which unfortunately doesn't come out for some time. Boo! : ( Totally worth the wait, though.

I've heard some mixed feelings about the cover, but I love it, and I loved the cover for The Raven Boys, too. I may have to break my self-imposed book buying ban and add this series to my library.

P.S If you want more info/extras/to heighten your anticipation for this release you can check out Maggie's website for this series. I spent a fair bit of time there myself. : ) There's playlists, a book trailer, teasers, etc.

SO! What are you all waiting on? Leave me links! I love links!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti (a quick review!)

Title/Author: Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: August 30, 2005
Buy It: Amazon / Book Depository

     "Right away I got that Something About To Happen feeling. Right away I knew he was bad, and that it didn't matter."

     It is summer in the Northwest town of Nine Mile Falls, and sixteen-year-old Ruby McQueen, ordinarily dubbed The Quiet Girl, finds herself hanging out with gorgeous, rich, thrill-seeking Travis Becker. But Ruby is in over her head, and finds she is risking more and more when she's with him.

     In an effort to keep Ruby occupied, Ruby's mother Ann drags Ruby to the weekly book club she runs. When it is discovered that one of the group's own members is the subject of a tragic love story they are reading, Ann and Ruby spearhead a reunion between the long-ago lovers. But for Ruby, the mission turns out to be more than just a road trip...

     Sometimes you do things even when you know they're bad for you. Sometimes you step outside yourself a little in order to see yourself, and who you are, more clearly. This story about Ruby McQueen, her relationship with the so-wrong-for-her Travis Becker, and an impromptu road trip and kidnapping that is the true love story of the novel is so complex and honest that I would lay odds that any girl will be able to relate to it.

    This book is filled with wisdom, ridiculousness, humor, love, sadness and heartbreak, and the most interesting book club ever. This is my second Deb Caletti novel, and she once again manages to inject poignancy, grace, and beauty into a unique story about a teenage girl trying to find out who she is.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

"A man's identity is complete through action, a woman's, when she has  a man. Through him. We fall off our high heels into the narrow crevasse of what it means to be female. Let me tell you. You fall in love and you think you're finding yourself. But too often you're looking inside him for you, and that's a fact. There's only one place you can find yourself." She thumped her chest.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Review of Also Known As by Robin Benway

Title/Author: Also Known As by Robin Benway
Publisher: Bloomsbury Juvenile US
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Buy It: Amazon / Book Depository

     Being a sixteen-yaer-old safecracker and active-duty daughter of international spies has its moments, good and bad. Pros: Seeing the world one crime-solving adventure at a time. Having parents with super cool jobs. Cons: Never staying in one place long enough to have friends or a boyfriend. But for Maggie Silver, the biggest perk of all has been avoiding high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations.

     Then Maggie and her parents are sent to New York for her first solo assignment, and all of that changes. She'll need to attend a private school, avoid the temptation to hack the school's security system, and befriend one aggravatingly cute Jesse Oliver to gain the essential information she needs to crack the case...all while trying not to blow her cover.

     Hmmm.... Okay, here we go. This book was absolutely mediocre. Middle-of-the-road. For every thing that I liked about it there's something I strongly didn't. Where should I start?

Robin Benway did a really fantastic job of creating characters that are realistic. The way that they speak to one another and their responses to certain social situations rang true for me. Roux, Jesse, and Maggie behave exactly the way actual teenagers do, which is nice because sometimes I read a novel and all I can think is "Yeah right, because all 17 year olds are this self-aware". Robin Benway's characters screw up, they are shy and nervous, sometimes bold and (hilariously) drunk, and lonely. They're perfect.

On the other hand, being able to write realistic teenagers does not mean that you can thrust them into any old situation and make it seem genuine. I don't know if it's lack of relevant details or being spoiled by very well written caper-type novels (Ally Carters Heist Society, duh) but I just couldn't buy Maggie and her family as spies. Which wouldn't be such a big deal except that it's (obviously) incredibly central to the plot.

Speaking of plot, it was pretty thin and at certain points there were *gasp* holes.

This was a quick read and while I didn't hate it, it didn't exactly leave a mark on me, either. There were a few times where I laughed out loud, and the relationship between Jesse and Maggie is really funny, awkward and lovely (except for the last 1/3 of the book where there are far-too-early in the relationship declarations of love) but overall this book fell flat for me.

I would say that it's worth a read, for sure, but probably pick up a copy at the library before you buy to make sure it's something you'll actually want to bother reading more than once. I know I don't.

**Side note: Robin Benways' Audrey, Wait! was really wonderful, and you should NOT skip that one. : ) **  

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Teaser Tuesday



Hello fellow readers! Today is Tuesday which means it's Teaser Tuesday time! I love alliterations : ) So, Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading in which readers/bloggers get to stoke the fires of bibliolove by sharing a few snatches of whatever they're currently reading. Wanna get involved? Yeah you do! It's easy.

*Grab your current read
*Flip to a random page
*Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page (without spoiling the book for anyone by giving too much away!)
*Share author/title so that other readers can salivate and add the book to their TBR piles

"I'll get the documents," I insisted when no one said anything. "Trust me, okay? I've got this."

I had no idea what I was doing.

Pg. 177 of Also Known As by Robin Benway


     I love a good spy novel! I've burned through the Heist Society novels (with the exception of the last, which I'm waiting on!) and I loved Audrey, Wait!, Robin Benway's previous book. Can't wait to get into this one! : )

What are you all reading?! Leave me links in the comments.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Review of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title/Author: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Buy It: Amazon / Book Depository

     It happens at the start of every November: The Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

     At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

     Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition-the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
     
     I once read a review of Maggie Stiefvater's writing that called it lyrical, and I would have to say that that is the perfect description. She has some kind of magic, weaving together improbably stories and making them seem so real they can break your heart, which to my way of thinking is the mark of a truly talented writer. There is a rhythm and cadence to her writing that invites you to sink down into it's depths and become absorbed by it, and trust me, you will become wonderfully enamored by the world she's created in this gem of a novel.

     This book is moody, atmospheric, and enthralling. It kept me up long into the night and it was 100 percent worth the exhaustion the next day. There is a subtle artistry in the growth of her characters, and the developments in the complicated and realistically depicted relationships between them.

     This story, alternating between Sean and Puck's viewpoints, starts off simply enough and throughout the narratives we get to know Puck and her brothers and follow her as she does the unthinkable: becomes the first girl to enter the Scorpio Races. She is met with opposition, but she is a strong and determined character and I was cheering her on as she faced down her adversaries with a bravery and surety that I wished I possessed.

     Returning champion Sean Kendrick has reasons of his own for wanting to win the Scorpio Races this year, and as the stakes are heightened throughout the novel he stands to lose everything he loves if he doesn't. I absolutely loved everything about Sean. He is steady as a heartbeat, quiet, still, and magnetic. Despite the fact that they are competitors, Sean and Puck are drawn to one another and ultimately end up training together.

     Throughout this novel Sean and Puck are forced to face several truths about themselves and the lives they've lead on the tiny island they both love, navigate the beginnings of a new friendship, deal with opposition and outright hostility from several different factions, and attempt to survive an event that regularly takes the lives of those who compete.

     I loved everything about this book. It made me laugh, made me grunt in frustration, broke my heart, and made me fall in love with Sean Kendrick and cheer for Puck with all my heart. This is what young adult fiction should be, and you NEED to read this book.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Library Love

     I love to read. No surprises there, I suppose. Unfortunately, being a semi-typical 20 something (broke as a joke) leaves me with a pretty minuscule book budget. Thankfully, I have a really badass public library down the street that I can take advantage of, and if they don't have what I need I an hop online, request it, and wait for it to show up (I seriously LOVE interlibrary loans).

     I have a TON of books on my TBR list (according to Goodreads it's 247. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?) but I  have plenty of downtown to read at work, so I manage to keep up with most of the series and authors that I'm obsessed with. This week I've got a pretty decent haul so I thought I'd share what I'd be doing in the next week or two.

The Madness Underneath (Shades of London 2) by Maureen Johnson

     I've actually already finished this book. I'm loving this series, although the ending to this one left me in suspense. You're killing me, Maureen Johnson! Absolutely cannot wait for the third, and this one's only just been released.








Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

     This one has been on my TBR list since before it was even released so I'm excited to have finally picked it up. Loving it so far! : )











Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

     This book has gotten a ton of buzz, and the blurb and the cover are both so beautiful and intriguing.











Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

     Zombies and Gena Showalter's writing: two things that make the long, long list of things that I love that make me happy. Can't wait to get to this one, and that cover...seriously? Love it! I started this one today at the laundromat and wound up laughing out loud and sighing loudly, guaranteeing that I would have the whole bench to myself. Bonus!










The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

     Another book that got a TON of hype. The cover is definitely eye-catching and everything I've heard from people who've read the series has been positive. I'm pretty stoked to start this one, too.













     So, what about you all? What books will you  be devouring this week? 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

Hey guys! I think this whole changing the clocks thing has thrown me off my game, because I've been a zombie these past few days I swear. Anyway, I'm getting back into a normal rhythm now, thankfully. It's Wednesday again, which means it's time for another Waiting on Wednesday. I love Wednesdays! I end up adding about a million books to my TBR list. : )



If you don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which allows bloggers the chance to spotlight an upcoming release they're anxious to get their hands on.

This week my WoW pick is:

This is What Happy Looks Like
by Jennifer E. Smith
Publication Date: April 2, 2013

     When teenage moved star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an e-mail about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

     Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

     I've only read one other novel from Jennifer E. Smith (The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight) but I loved it so much that I instantly threw this author onto my instant-read list. She has the ability to suck you in with her dynamic characters and fun plot lines, and this book promises to be just as fun/crazy/lovely.

     As a side note, I seem to have read a TON of books set in Maine lately. It is certainly atmospheric here, but I always wonder how many of those authors have actually been to my lovely state.

What are you all waiting on? Let me know!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Review of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Title/Author:  The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Buy It: Amazon / Book Depository

     "There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Marks Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love...or you killed him."

     It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

     Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be-dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them-not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

     His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

     But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all-family money, good looks, devoted friends- but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

     For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

     This book captured me completely. I cracked it open to read a chapter or two before bed and subsequently buried my face for the next two days. I was a little skeptical of this book at first, to be honest, but for the life of me now I can't remember why.

     This novel is peppered with characters that are so three-dimensional you'll have a hard time remembering that they're fictional. I fell in love with all of them, from brave and genuine Blue and her eccentric household of psychics (a motley assembly of amazing women with their own secrets and bonds) to Gansey, the leader of the Raven Boys, who holds everyone together with his contagious convictions regarding a mystical quest.

     You know from the moment that Blue sees Gansey on the Corpse Road that their fates will intertwine, but it's the way that they intertwine that is so wonderfully surprising. The friendships between Adam, Ronan, Gansey, Noah and (after a fashion) Blue are imperfect; there are misunderstandings, tension, anger,and social and financial disparity but at the heart of it all are a group of people who you know will always have each other's backs. They are all flawed, they encourage one another to rise above their flaws, and they accept one another regardless. This is the type of friendship we all aspire to and are envious of.

     As far as the plot goes, there's something for everyone: danger, premonitions, action, a little romance, quips, interesting family dynamics, and a quest that Indiana Jones would have been jealous of.
 
     I was expecting, perhaps, more run of the mill tropes recycled in a hundred other YA novels but I have to say that this one definitely stands above the rest and declares itself King of the Mountain (or Queen. I'm not sexist). The way that Stiefvater weaves these stories together, while at the same time maintaining the integrity and personalities of each of the individual characters involved is masterful. These people reach beyond the pages of the book until you are certain they are all hidden away in some mystical little town somewhere, whispering their tales in Stiefvater's ear.

     I loved, loved, LOVED this book and if you haven't read it I would definitely suggest moving it to the top of your to do list. Ten billion stars!!! (not that I actually use a rating system)

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Teaser Tuesday


Ladies and...erm. Are there any gentlemen here? I dunno! Anyway, hey all! It's Tuesday again, and thus it's time for another Teaser Tuesday. I can tell your excited. I can just sense these things. So, in case you don't know, here's the deal with TT. It is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading in which bloggers/readers/humans get to make you drool over what we're reading. Want to get involved?

*Grab your current read
*Flip to a random page
*Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page (and be careful to avoid spoilers, because you don't want to be the person who ruins the book for someone else, right?)
*Share author and title so that other readers/bloggers/humans can check out the book if they'd like
Easy as pie! (I've made pie. It is not easy.)
Anyway, here's my TT's for this week! (Also holy crow how is it MARCH already? Sheesh!)

"He didn't think it missed her notice how his left hand  curved familiarly around the leather binding, how the thumb and finger on his right hand knew just how much pressure to apply to coax the pages to spread where he wanted them to. The journal and Gansey were clearly long-acquainted, and he wanted her to know."  Pg.205 The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Do you guys have teasers to share? Leave me links!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Review of Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title/Author: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: September 11, 2012
Buy It: Amazon / Book Depository

     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-on-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 that all 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?

     Oh man, you guys. This book is INTENSE. Every time I start a Sarah Rees Brennan book I know I'm in for characters who are so real they slip into your affections easily and refuse to leave once you shut the book, and Unspoken was not an exception. Kami Glass is an intelligent, sarcastic, and intrepid girl report who manages to be all of those things without coming off as false at all. She is an incredibly genuine girl who I would totally want to be best friends with if she was, you know, not fictional.

     Kami stands up for herself and her friends, who are also very realistically drawn. These are not people thrown in simply to advance the plot; Kami is close with her friends, trusts them and, in a twist on the usual (read: annoying) friendships in recent YA actually confides in her friends when things start getting weird. Or, weirder, really.

     The relationship between Kami and her not-so-imaginary friend Jared is a complex and beautiful thing. They have shared their lives with one another from the time that they were born, neither truly believing the other exists outside the bonds of their own mind. Their reactions to finding out their imaginary friends are real, and all of the stumbling and feeling out of boundaries that ensues afterward was at times hilarious and heartbreaking (damn you, Sarah Rees Brennan!) but always genuine.

  Throw in a centuries old mystery surrounding this quiet little English town, a ritual sacrifice, incredibly funny dialogue between characters you will fall hard for, a murder, and sleuthing that would make Veronica Mars proud and you've got one hell of a book. You wont be able to put it down, and the sequel is shooting to the top of my TBR list. Seriously. SO MUCH LOVE.

     If for some crazy reason you haven't read anything else by Sarah Rees Brennan I would suggest that you get your fix of wonderfully flawed characters and supernatural creepiness by picking up her series The Demons Lexicon.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

I'm baaaack (&Teaser Tuesday!)

Hey y'all! Holy mackerel has it been a crazy few weeks! Things should return to normal now (or at least as normal as they've ever been, ha ha) so I'm going to jump right in with my Teaser Tuesday post.

What's Teaser Tuesday, you ask? Great question! Teaser Tuesday is a way for bloggers and readers to share a quick little snippet from the book(s) they're currently engrossed in. It's a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should be Reading. Want to participate? (Yeah you do!)

*Grab your current read
*Flip to a random page
*Share 2 'teaser' sentences from that page (please be careful to avoid spoilers. You don't want to be that person who ruins the book for someone else!)
*Share the title and author so that other bloggers/readers can check out the book!

See? As easy as the automatic car wash!

This week you guys get 3 teasers. Yup. THREE. Cause that's how many books I'm reading. : )

"It wasn't bad, Jared being real. He was holding on to her tight. She was certain he would not let her drown."
                            Pg. 57 Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan














"As I hold the phone against my ear, I actually feel sad. In the future, Jordan and I were supposed to meet at college and get married. Now, we'll probably never even know each other." 
       Pg. 129 The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler












"He' shrugs. 'Sometimes you just know when you like someone.' He's looking right at me again, and that same shiver of excitement rushes through my body."
                Pg. 73 The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Slow week!

Between a few ridiculous snow storms, car shopping, and school vacation I've had no time to blog but never fear, I shall return next week!

Hope you all had a good week!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Book Birthdays!

Hey all! These books are releasing today! Yay! Check them out, add them to your TBR lists or link me reviews if you've already read them (lucky ducks!). Happy Tuesday!



The final installment of Lauren DeStefano's Chemical Garden trilogy!


1950's New Orleans, mysterious deaths, and clandestine underworlds? Yes please!


Lots of buzz in the blogosphere for this one, and no wonder. What would you do if you could see the future?


Mysterious island, girl on a search for answers, young hot lobsterman? Sign me up!


Dangerous visions and boys who know your secrets? Yup, I'm on board.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

     Hey-oh, it's Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers get the chance to share the books we're all twitterpated over. Yes, that's right. Twitterpated. This week my WoW is:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
by April Genevieve Tucholke
Publication Date: August 20, 2013

     You stop fearing the devil when you're holding his hand...

     Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White's sleepy, seaside town....until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet's crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet's grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet's already so knee-deep in love, she can' see straight. And that's just how River likes it.

     Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of a gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeous told as it is terrifying. A debut to watch.

     Gothic romance? Mystery boy? Sign me up! Plus, look at that cover? It's seriously gorgeous, and perfectly matches the tone set by the blurb. Can't wait!

What's your WoW? Leave me a link in the comments!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Review of Mind Games by Kiersten White

Title/Author: Mind Games by Kiersten White
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: February 19, 2013
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Buy It:  Amazon / Book Depository

     Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her-except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

     Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways...or risking each other's lives by refusing to obey.


     In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other-no matter the cost.


     This book is, indeed, a stunning departure from Kiersten White's previous writing. We are introduced to sisters Sofia (Fia) and Annabelle (Annie) when they are young, at the funeral of their parents. We get to know them, and the strong and tumultuous bond that they share, through chapters that alternate between not only each of their points-of-view but time as well.

     Each of the girls has a very distinctive voice and each of the them is carrying their own burdens and guilt relating to their bittersweet history with one another and the school they attend, The Keane school, run by the elusive and enigmatic Mr. Keane. Neither of them wants to be there but until they can both escape together, safely, they are trapped, pawns in a game neither of them can understand fully.

     We get to see the intricately woven threads of the bond holding the girls together in their flashbacks, along with the ever-shifting dynamics of their relationship. In the present, Fia grapples with the person she has had become in order to keep her sister safe and tries to keep her feelings for her 'manager', Mr. Keane's son James, in check because she knows that he has motives of his own.

     James was one of my favorite characters. He is a very well-developed character with a painful past and an ambiguous agenda and I couldn't help but root for him even as he was breaking Fia's heart (and his own). I loved James because he felt so very three dimensional, struggling to break free of his own personal demons and hindered by his (in my opinion) very real feelings for Fia (who can be a bit of hellion, it must be said).

     Annie, Fia, and James are all intrinsically tied together, and I loved the story, the writing, and the beautifully drawn and fully fleshed out characters. I can't wait for the second installment of this series. I would definitely recommend that you pick this book up! Familial obligations, heartache, romance, dancing, psychics, and plenty of action. Win!

Want a quote? Sure you do!!

"I lost her the minute I brought her here with me. And if he can salvage something of who she used to be, no matter what his game is, I have to let him. I wont waste this time. I'm going to figure out what, exactly, is going on here. Because if I understand the what, I can understand the why, and if I understand those I can figure out the way to get us both free to a better future."

Teaser Tuesday!


Happy Tuesday! It's time for another Teaser Tuesday, hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Want to participate? 

*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page (avoid spoilers or too much info so as not to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title and author so that other readers can check out the book!

"If they had that information, if they could access medical records and find women without depending on sketchy news reports or rumors or the muddled visions of their Seers, they could find all of them. No one would be safe." 
                       Pg. 40 Mind Games by Kiersten White

     Just started this one today, so a review will be popping up here soon. So far so good! Leave me links to your teasers in the comments section so I can come check them out!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

It's Wednesday again!


     It's time for another Waiting on Wednesday! In case you don't know, this is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we bloggers get to share with you the books we're anxiously awaiting. 


Mind Games
by Kiersten White
Publication Date: February 19, 2013

     Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her- except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

     Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways...or risking each other's lives by refusing to obey.

     In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined t protect each other-no matter the cost.

     Um, yes please? I really loved the Paranormalcy books (although I've only read two of them thus far) and I really like Kiersten White's writing style. And as an added bonus I just got an e-mail yesterday from Epic Reads letting me know that I've won a copy! Can't wait to read it, and I'm sure a review will be coming soon. : )

What's are you waiting on? Leave me a link in the comments section so I can come drool over your picks!