Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Review: Endlessly by Kiersten White

Endlessly by Kiersten White
Published: July 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 385
Series: Paranormalcy #3
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.


My Review: Let me just say that this book was so much better than the other books and I felt really satisfied with the ending.

I went into this book thinking that it would be just like Paranormalcy and Supernaturally but I was wrong. It was so much better. I can't believe how much better it was.

Right when you start this book you'll be laughing. I think I almost died from laughter. All the characters were funny and I couldn't help but love most of them. But there's still a few that annoy me to no end.

I don't think I've ever read a series quite like this one. Evie was original even if she did get on my nerves sometimes. I mean it got kind of annoying when all she thought about was Lend. It got old really fast but luckily Jack was there. I freaking love that guy. He's my favorite character. Sure he's messed up and completely insane but that's what's great about him.

The only thing that really bugged me was Lend. He was great in the first book but as the series went on I grew to like him less. All Evie would talk about was how much she loved Lend and how perfect they were for each other but I never really saw that. Evie constantly said this but I just didn't feel it.

At the end I couldn't help but cry over what happened to Jack. I'm so glad he was in this book. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if he hadn't been in it. I kind of wish there was more about Jack in the book. I really wanted to know more about what happened to him and what he was like before the faeries got him.

Endlessly was the perfect end to this series. I'm sure that you'll love this book if you've loved the previous books.

Teaser Tuesday #3

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading

My Teaser:
"I was pretty sure it was the last normal I was going to have for a long, long time. Whatever happened in the next few days, things would never be the same-not for Carlee, not for Jack, not for me...and not for Lend."
-page 285, Endlessly by Kiersten White
Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. Just do the following:
• Grab your current read 
• Open to a random page 
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Notice anything different?

I was getting really tired of how my blog looked so I started doing some looking around. I wanted to change some things around. Make it look better. Before I think it looked like I had no idea what I was doing and I really didn't. When I started this blog it took me forever to figure out how to change the font and what button did what. It was the most confusing thing I've ever done in my life. I'm just glad its over...for now.

Let me tell you finding the thing I wanted took forever. There were just so many different things to choose from but none of them seemed to be what I was looking for. After searching for a very long time I was finally I was able to find something I liked but once I found it, it took me awhile to figure out how to actually use it. If you're planning on changing the way your blog looks make sure you have a lot of time.


I think I should give credit to the websites that I used:
The Cutest Blog On The Block
Makin' Cute Blogs
Beta Templates
The CoffeeShop Blog

So...what do you think? Did I make a good choice? Any suggestions? I'll probably still make some changes to it in the future but for now I think I'm pretty proud of myself.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Published: August 30, 2011
Publisher:  Tor Teen
Pages: 320
Series: Anna #1
My Rating:  4 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.


My Review: I believe in ghosts. I admit it. They freak me out almost as much as zombies do and I'm terrified of zombies. So when I finally decided to read this I thought I'd be up all night. But I actually wasn't that scared. I was more afraid of what I thought would happen but when the part of the book that I thought would be really scary and freaky happened I wasn't scared. It was disappointing. I wanted be scared.

I'm not that hard to scare. I will jump at practically anything but for some reason this book just wasn't scary to me. I mean for a few pages I could feel myself starting to feel just the slightest bit scared but then nothing scary would happen. I would say that books don't scare me but that wouldn't be true.

I did love Cas and Anna's relationship even if I didn't really like it at first. At first I wanted Anna to just rip Cas in half (or try to) even though I really liked Cas because that would freak me out but that would also mean the end of the book so I settled for her tossing him around a little. Besides that Anna was a great character. She was a murderous ghost but she was also just a girl when she was alone with Cas. Anna was just wonderful.

What really made this book for me was the ghosts and Anna's story. From the moment the book started talking about how she died I needed to know. It kept me reading. I wanted to meet this Anna Dressed in Blood. The beginning also did a good job of dragging me into story. A kid who kills ghosts? Sign me up!

Another bonus! Anna Dressed in Blood is narrated by a male. Yes! Kendare Blake you blew me away with Cas. He seemed real to me. He sounded like guys I know. It was perfect.

I loved almost everything about this book. The characters, the plot, and the writing were great. My only problem was that I don't think it ever explained why Anna spared Cas and it wasn't that scary. I hope that we get to find out why Anna spared him in the next book. I can't wait for Girl of Nightmares!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

What's Next? #3

 What's Next? Hosted by IceyBooks
What's Next is a weekly meme hosted by IceyBooks!
Here's how it works:
-Every Thursday select three-five books (not too many, not too little!) that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first.
-Post the cover, and if you want, the synopsis or even a random line from the book, for each of your selections.
-At the end of your post, ask readers to vote on which one you should read next!

The Book of Blood and Shadow
by Robin Wasserman

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora’s best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.


Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo

Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, the one thing she could rely on was her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’re sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. Ripped from everything she knows, she is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the one person with the power to destroy the Fold.

Swept up in a world of luxury and illusion, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But as the threat to the kingdom mounts, Alina uncovers a secret that sets her on a collision course with the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Now only her past can save her . . . and only she can save the future.


The Hunt
by

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?
What should I read next?

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly Meme. It's hosted on  Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick:

Prodigy
by Marie Lu
Release date: January 29th 2013

Jan. 4. 1932 Hours.

Ocean Standard Time

Thirty-Five Days After Metias’s Death


June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengence, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Would You Rather...? Tag

Hi guys! So I've been tagged for the Would You Rather...? tag by Delaney or D.L.T. She's awesome and so is her blog so make sure you check it out: The Random Ranter
Thanks Delaney!

Here are the Rules:
  •  Intros!-Tell us about yourself and your blog
  • Answer the 6 questions in anyway you want
  • Tag 6 bloggers (or however many people you want to tag)
  • Tell them they have been tagged and link back to your post
  • Put the Would You Rather...? picture to you post 
The Intro
Hi I'm Erika! On my blog I review books and I also participate in a few memes. I love talking to people on here so feel free to comment or share your opinion about a book!

The Questions
  • Reading: Would you rather read a classic book or a dictionary?
Classic book! I feel like I would get extremely bored reading the dictionary and classic books aren't bad!
  • Getting: Would you rather receive a $50 gift card to a bookshop or a library card?
I like owning my books and I haven't been going to the library very much because it was closed for awhile while they expanded it so I got in the habit of buying my books so I think I'd have to go with the gift card.
  • Shopping: Would you rather look at books at a bookstore or a library?
The bookstore because it has all the new books and they're all untouched and new.
  • Sleeping: Would you rather stay up and see what happens in the book (and its a part where it's a must) or go to sleep?
I would stay up because I honestly wouldn't be able to fall asleep not knowing what happens.
  • Writing: Would you rather write on a laptop/computer or in a notebook/paper?
Computer. My handwriting is terrible and I'd probably end up crossing out half of it while I'm writing because I'm a terrible speller. It would just be so much easier to use a computer.
  • Eating: Would you rather eat while you read or keep glancing at the bag of food while you read?
Keep glancing at the bag of food because I don't want anything on my book.

Blogs I'm tagging

leopard kitty books
Everything A-TO-C
Keepin up with the Joneses...in the Writers World
Books for YA!
My Miscellaneous Bookshelf
For the Love of Literature


          Teaser Tuesday #2

          Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading
             
          My teaser:
           "If life were fair, Carmel would turn around and look into his eyes, see that he's her willing slave, and be grateful. She'd lift him up and he wouldn't be a slave anymore, he'd just be Thomas, and they'd be glad to have each other."
          -page 155, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

          Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. Just do the following:
          • Grab your current read 
          • Open to a random page 
          • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 
          • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!
          Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

          Sunday, July 22, 2012

          Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

          Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
          Published: May 1, 2012
          Publisher: HarperTeen
          Pages: 464
          Series: The Sweet Trilogy #1
          My Rating: 2 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: Embrace the Forbidden

          What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

          This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

          Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

          Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?


          My Review: I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. It just looked so interesting that I had to pick it up but I'll be honest and say that I almost didn't finish this. And I always finish books.

          Anyway...

          You see no matter how much I tried I just couldn't like Anna. I literally hated this character. She was such a goody goody that it got on my nerves. And she said/thought the strangest things.

          "Kai, like Thai, only yummier. Gah! Who was this girl invading my brain?"
          I could not stop laughing. Who thinks those kind of things?

          Oh and then there was her comment about her beauty mark.
          "Why did people call it that? A freckle was not beautiful. It was a small, dark attention grabber. I hated the way everyone's eyes went to it when they talked to me."
          Well you know what Anna I have five beauty marks on my face and a few freckles from the sun. Never once did I think this and I've never noticed people starting at them. Oh and guess what I have one right by my lips like you do and I don't complain about it and I don't try to cover it up either. I was offended by this. I almost threw the book across the room after reading that. Maybe I was overreacting but it still offended me.

          Anna would also just break down crying over nothing. Half the time I had no idea what she was crying over. She was like a three year old! Oh she told one lie and right after it she told the people she was lying. You don't do that.

          I also can't really figure out her obsession with hott Kaidan or why he likes her. During the book they make out a few times and then Kaidan goes to "work". That was just weird. Kaidan has no doubt been with too many girls to count and yet Anna is ok with this. She's somewhat ok with him going to "work" too.

          Then Patti her overprotective stepmother lets her go on a road trip with the son of the Duke of Lust. What? What happened to this overprotective parent? Then Patti has to say one of the strangest things I've ever read.

          "Hands off, mister."
          I couldn't take Patti seriously after that.

          After the road trip Anna would constantly be thinking about how Kaidan and her couldn't be together even thought she loved him. She was depressed and I didn't want to read about that. That isn't interesting to me. Oh and even after Kaidan is a complete jerk to Anna she still says she loves him and wants to be with him.

          The only good part about this book was the New Year's party she went to. That was awesome. Is it wrong to like a character better when they're drunk? Drunk Anna and working Anna was so much better than obsessive-stalker-heartbroken-goody-goody Anna.

          Thursday, July 19, 2012

          What's Next? #2

           What's Next? Hosted by IceyBooks
          What's Next is a weekly meme hosted by IceyBooks!
          Here's how it works:
          -Every Thursday select three-five books (not too many, not too little!) that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first.
          -Post the cover, and if you want, the synopsis or even a random line from the book, for each of your selections.
          -At the end of your post, ask readers to vote on which one you should read next!

          Anna Dressed in Blood
          by Kendare Blake

          Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

          Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

          So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

          When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

          And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.


          Hereafter
          by Tara Hudson

          Can there truly be love after death?

          Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life--or her actual death--she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but "will" him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

          Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

          Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, "Hereafter" is a sensation you won't want to miss.


          The Future of Us
          by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler


          It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

          By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.



          All These Things I've Done 
          by Gabrielle Zevin

          In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

          What should I read next?

          Wednesday, July 18, 2012

          Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

          Cinder by Marissa Meyer
          Published: January 3, 2012
          Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
          Pages: 400
          Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
          My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder's brain interface has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it a "matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.

          Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected wither the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.

          But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.

          My Review: I have a feeling that there's going to be many more fairy tale retellings in my future…

          Cinder is a modern retelling of Cinderella. I grew up on Disney and I still remember watching this when I was little. Actually I think I'm going to go watch it in a little bit just because I loved Cinder so much.

          Going into this book I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I just expected it to be good because I’d heard so many good things about it. I’m so glad I read it! The characters, the story, and the writing were all amazing. The book only lost points when I predicted the end on page 44. In fact I found the book very predictable. It made the ending less of a surprise for me but overall the book was really good.

          Cinder was a great character. She wasn’t weak and boring like some other characters I’ve read about. She was interesting and funny and cyborg. I’m pretty sure this is the first book I’ve read about a cyborg and I have to say that Cinder was simply a great character. She was also a mechanic. How many people have read a book (other than this one) about a cyborg mechanic? Anyone? Well I haven’t.

          The other characters in the book were perfect too. The evil Lunar queen, stepmother, and stepsister made the book that much more enjoyable. Just so you know I tend to like the villains in the book and I definitely liked the villains in the book. They were just such great villains that I just had to like them but I also hated them at the same time because well they were the villains. I also loved Iko and Peony (she was Cinder’s other stepsister). They were Cinder’s only friends and what happened to Peony broke my heart.

          So the story was great but very predictable. I’d be able to predict something way before it happened. It sort of ruined the story for me because I wasn’t as surprised as I would have been if I hadn’t been able to guess what would happen. I absolutely loved Prince Kai and Cinder’s relationship with him. It was cute and Kai was just plain awesome. That last part of the book was intense but I don’t want to ruin it so I’m not going to say anymore.

          So if you’re not sure if you should read this then just ask yourself the following questions:
          Did/do you like Cinderella?
          Do you want to read about a cyborg mechanic?
          If you answered yes to those questions then I suggest you go pick up this book and read it!

          Waiting on Wednesday #2


          Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly Meme. It's hosted on  Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

          This week's pick:

          The Lost Prince
          by Julie Kagawa
          Release date: October 23rd 2012

          Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

          That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he's dare to fall for.

          Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

          My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.



          Tuesday, July 17, 2012

          Teaser Tuesday #1

          Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading


          My teaser:
          Iko wheeled her way into the room and paused before Cinder's desk, trying to catch her reflection in the netscreen. "I was imagining going to the ball and dancing with the prince."
          -page 193, Cinder by Marissa Meyer




          Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. Just do the following:
          • Grab your current read 
          • Open to a random page 
          • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 
          • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!
          Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


          Saturday, July 14, 2012

          Review: Burn Mark by Laura Powell

          Burn Mark by Laura Powell
          Published: June 19, 2012
          Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
          Pages: 416
          Series: Burn Mark #1
          My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: In a modern world-where witches are burned at the stake-two lives intersect.

          Glory. She's descended from a long line of powerful witches. The power of the fae is all she's wanted for as long as she can remember.

          Lucas. His father is the chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition. All he's ever wanted is to hunt witches.

          The fae appears as a dark spot on the skin. Like a kiss from the devil. And for Glory and Lucas, it appears almost simultaneously. Lucas will report himself to the Inquisition immediately. Glory will keep her fae a secret from the authorities. But it is the illegal gangs that hold the real power of the witching world. And it is through them that Lucas and Glory will be drawn together...whether they like it or not.


          My Review: Take a moment and look at that cover. Isn't it just stunning? Doesn't it make you want to pick it up off the shelves and crack it open? Too bad the inside wasn't as great as the outside. Yet again I judged a book by its cover.

          So I've been obsessed with witch stuff ever since I learned about it in school. Something about witches fascinates me and the Salem Witch Trials are also equally fascinating so when I first learned of this book I was literally dying to read it. Witches in London possibly be burned at the stake and coven gangs sounded right up my alley. But sadly this book wasn't as good as I thought it would be.

          The prologue was the only good part of the beginning but after that, things started to drag. I felt like I was just being buried in information and I had trouble keeping many of the characters straight. There were two different sets of characters because of the two different POVs. When it was from Glory's POV there were just so many witches and family members that I couldn't remember who was who. Then when it switched POVs it introduced the characters that Lucas interacted with or knew. After so many names I needed to really concentrate on this book but I found that extremely difficult.

          Not much seemed to happen until Lucas and Glory met but even then it still didn't get much better because then another POV was added. I got extremely bored whenever it was from Jonah's POV. I was tempted to start skimming the pages until it went back to either Lucas or Glory but I told myself I might get confused later if I didn't read everything.

          At least the end was loads better than the rest of the book. There were many twists that I wasn't expecting but I won't go into detail about those. Don't want to spoil the ending if you do want to read this.

          My favorite character would have to be Glory. She was strong willed and brave. She didn't take crap from anyone. She also didn't automatically trust Lucas when he first came to her coven. It took time for them to actually trust each other.

          Burn Mark wasn't bad it just wasn't my favorite book and if you like witch books then you'll probably like this one.

          Thursday, July 12, 2012

          What's Next? #1

           

          What's Next is a weekly meme hosted by IceyBooks!
          Here's how it works:
          -Every Thursday select three-five books (not too many, not too little!) that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first.
          -Post the cover, and if you want, the synopsis or even a random line from the book, for each of your selections.
          -At the end of your post, ask readers to vote on which one you should read next!

          I saw all these books in the bookstore.

          Sweet Evil
          by Wendy Higgins

          Embrace the Forbidden

          What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

          This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

          Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

          Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?


          Cinder
          by Marissa Meyer

          Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

          Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.


           Starters
          by Lissa Price

          HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

          Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

          He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . 


           What should I read next?

          Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

          The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
          Published: May 24, 2011
          Publisher: Harlequin Teen
          Pages: 480
          Series: Steampunk Chronicles #1
          My Rating: 2 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finely Jayne had no one...except the "thing" inside her.

          When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.

          Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her and says she's special, says she's one of them . The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets, against the wises of his band of misfits. And Finley thinks she might finally be a part of something, finally fit in-until a criminal mastermind known as Machinist threatens to tear the group apart...


          My Review: So when I went to the bookstore the other day I was looking around the YA section when I came across this book. It was hidden behind a bunch of other books so I'm not even sure how I saw it in the first place. I picked it up and once I read the back I was hooked. I needed to read this book.

          I guess my expectations for this book were too high because I was disappointed. Very disappointed.

          Apparently the book I have has a bonus book called The Strange Case of Finely Jayne but instead of being in the back of the book it's before the actual book so I read it before the actual book not knowing that it was a bonus book. Man, was that bonus book boring. I almost gave up on the book right there but instead I kept reading because I had this hope that the book would get much better. And it did after the bonus book was over. Don't read that bonus book. Even if you liked The Girl in the Steel Corset.

          So the main character Finely Jayne is the daughter of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. You would think that being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would make Finely a very interesting character but she's not. I just didn't like her, whenever the book was from her POV it seemed to drag even when she was her "shadow" half. She also is part of a love triangle. A love triangle with the Duke of Greythorne and a crime lord. Jack Dandy (the crime lord) had absolutely no role in the book, he was just Finely's love interest. At least Griffin (the Duke) wasn't just there as a love interest. He was one of the only characters I liked in this book.

          Also the other characters like Sam and Cordeila had some issues. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't like Sam. I just couldn't. I didn't understand his problem with his friends saving him. Cordeila is telekinetic and telepathic but it never explains how this happened and it also never explains how Jasper can run extremely fast. That information just appears to be missing.

          The book was also extremely predictable. From the moment Sam first started talking to Leon in that bar I knew he was the Machinist. It was way too obvious to me. The book just seemed to scream that Leon was the Machinist, but it took them almost the entire book to figure it out. They also couldn't seem to figure out what he was planning. It was fairly obvious when Emily pointed out that the wax figure of the queen was missing its eyes and that they had taken measurements of the face and taken its clothing.

          Often while reading this I had to reread sentences or even entire paragraphs before they made sense in my mind. Sometimes it would also just switch POVs without any warning, leaving me confused for a few moments.

          I did like the idea of the Organites and the idea of Finely being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide but it could have been so much better. Despite everything I've said I actually somewhat liked this book after more than halfway through it but I didn't like it that much. I haven't had much experience with Steampunk books but I'm willing to bet that this will not be my last and I'll probably end up reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar just because I actually like Jasper and the next one sounds much more interesting.

          Wednesday, July 11, 2012

          Liebster Blog Award!

          I've been tagged with the Liebster Blog Award by Lil' Rae of Sunshine. The Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers. Award winners share 11 facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who tagged them, come up with 11 of their own questions and tag 11 more bloggers with the award.

          11 Facts About Me:
          1. I'm a moderator of two groups on Goodreads
          2. My favorite series is The Infernal Devices
          3. My favorite color is purple
          4. I have a dog
          5. I love mangoes
          6. I love frozen yogurt
          7. I play the violin
          8. I wish I played the guitar
          9. I wish I could draw
          10. I love taking pictures of anything but myself
          11. At least once a week I take every book off my bookshelf and then put them all back
          Questions from Lil' Rae of Sunshine
          1. How do you mark your place in a book? A real bookmark, scrap of paper, dog-earring the page?
          I use the closest piece of paper I can find. I always lose bookmarks and I hate it when people dog-ear the pages. If there's nothing nearby I just memorize the page and then go look for a piece of paper.

          2. Do you judge a book by it's cover?
          Sadly yes. I've been trying to stop doing that but I really can't help it. If a cover doesn't catch my eye I won't pay any attention to the book unless it has a really catchy title or someone recommended it to me. It's a bad habit.

          3. Do you have any quirky reading habits?
          Well sometimes I get so into a book I start shouting at the book. Not sure if that's quirky though.

          4. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why?
          I'd have to say...oh that's a tough one. I think I'd like to go to France because it would give me a reason to actually use the French I'm learning in school and I've always wanted to see the eiffel tower.

          5. Do you use any of the social networking sites for readers (like Goodreads or Shelfari)? Love it or hate it?
          Well seeing as I'm addicted to Goodreads I'd have say that I love the social networking sites for readers. I even moderate two groups on Goodreads. I've never used Shelfari but I don't think I will anytime soon. I just love Goodreads!

          6. What's a book that you were really looking forward to, but it underdelivered? What book surprised you with it's awesomeness?
          The book that I was really looking forward to was From Bad to Cursed. I had such high hopes for it after the first book but it just didn't live up to it. A book that surprised me was Tiger Lily. It was pure awesomeness.

          7. Do you have any hobbies outside of reading?
          I play the violin at my school but I'm not serious about it or anything so I would call it a hobby. I also like photography.

          8. What is your fondest book memory?
          When I was reading Clockwork Angel and Will Herondale was introduced. Best character EVER. I couldn't stop smiling whenever the book talked about him.

          9. What are you reading now?
          I'm reading The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross and Burn Mark by Laura Powell.

          10. What's your favorite book genre?
          That would have to be Paranormal Romance. I just can't seem to get enough of those paranormal books.

          11. Pretend you meet a genie and he gives you three wishes (standard genie rule - you can't wish for more wishes): what would they be?
          I'd wish for Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare, a visit to Neverland, and I'd wish that I was an amazing writer. 

          Questions I'd like to ask:
          1. Do you have a favorite book character?

          2. If you could meet an author who would it be? Why?

          3. Do you ever dream about a book?

          4. Have you ever hated a book but loved the movie?

          5. Do you like listening to music while you read?

          6. Do you ever wish your life was like a book? If so what book?

          7. How many books do you read per year?

          8. Do you like going to the bookstore or the library?

          9. What's the funniest book you've ever read?

          10. Have you ever hated a book the first time you read it but then the second time you read it you loved it?

          11. How do you organize your bookshelf?

          Blogs I'd like to tag:

          Waiting on Wednesday #1

          Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly Meme. It's hosted on  Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

          This week's pick:

          The Raven Boys 
          by
          Release date: September 18th 2012

           “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s 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.

          From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

          Clockwork Princess Cover!

          Are you ready?
          Are you sure you're ready?
          Well here it is...
           In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it’s too late. As Jem’s health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves—even if it means never seeing the other one again?

          Release date:  March 19th 2013

          Isn't that absolutely gorgeous? The wait just seems that much longer now. Doesn't it? When I first saw this I just stared and then I started completely freaking out. It just made Clockwork Princess that much more real. We'll finally get to find out who Tessa ends up with (I'm team Will). When this book comes out I'm going to be so happy I'll cry and then I'll cry some more when I read it because I just know it's going to be heartbreaking.

          Tuesday, July 10, 2012

          Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

          Insurgent by Veronica Roth
          Published: May 1, 2012
          Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
          Pages: 544
          Series: Divergent #2
          My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: 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.

          "New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.


          My Review:  “Insurgent,” he says. “Noun. A person who acts in opposition to the established authority, who is not necessarily regarded as a belligerent.”

          If I had started this on a weekend then I swear it would have been done in one day and I've only done that one or two other times mostly because other books simply don't keep my interest for that long. But I could sit in the same spot all day and read Insurgent because it was just that amazing!

          Insurgent was different from Divergent. In the beginning it lacked all the excitement that the first book had but by the end everything was as intense as the ending of Divergent. So if this book lacked all the excitement of the first book why was it so good? Because it showed that Tris was human. It made it easier to relate to her because she was like everyone else who dealt with death. It was believable. I know that in other books the characters either avoid grief or just don't seem to express it the right way but Tris did.

          There was also no love triangle between Tris and Tobias (yes I am now calling him Tobias instead for Four) which is refreshing. That doesn't mean that everything is perfect between them because they go through ups and downs throughout the book.

          There was also a lot of death in this book but that is to be expected in a time of war. At some points in the book I would simply start to tear up because of what was happening and I would cover my mouth to keep from screaming. That is something I have never done before...not quite sure what that means but it just made me love this book that much more. But there was also humor to balance out the horrors that were happening around Tris and to Tris. Ok maybe not balance but it lightened the mood.

          So if you have read Divergent I can't believe you haven't read Insurgent yet! And if you haven't read Divergent then why are you reading this and not the book?

          Favorite quotes:
          "You were right," Tobias says quietly, balancing on the balls of his feet. He smiles a little. "I do know who you are. I just needed to be reminded."

          "People, I have discovered, are layers and layers of secrets. You believe you know them, that you understand them, but their motives are always hidden from you, buried in their own hearts. You will never know them, but sometimes you decide to trust them."

          "Cruelty does not make a person honest, the same way bravery does not make a person kind.
          "

          Review: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

          Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
          Published: May 1, 2012
          Publisher: Dial
          Pages: 576
          Series: Graceling Realm
          My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

          Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.


          My Review: For some reason when I first read about Bitterblue in Graceling I didn't really like her. Something about her just seemed to bug me but after reading Bitterblue I loved the character.

          Bitterblue takes place almost nine years after Leck was killed. Bitterblue has been the queen for quite some time now but her kingdom isn't any closer to repair than it was when she first became queen. All of her citizens are just starting to wake up from Leck's thirty-five year reign where the citizens' minds were clouded with lies and truths to terrible to relive. But how can Bitterblue figure out what's best for her people when she doesn't even know them? This leads to her sneaking out of the castle at night to listen to the stories. She meets Teddy and Saf while out one night. They claim to be truthseekers and Bitterblue wants to know everything they know but someone wants the truth to stay buried along with all of Leck's victims.

          For me this book started out kind of slow, I found the parts when Bitterblue was at her castle less than exciting but that was only in the beginning. After she met Teddy and Saf everything starts to get more exciting and I found that I could barely put the book down. I found myself wanting Darby's Grace which is never sleeping because I wanted to finish this book so badly.

          But now I wish I hadn't finished it. I didn't like the ending mostly because of what happens with Saf but I don't want to spoil the ending so that's all I'll say about it.

          I loved how we got to see Katsa, Po, and so many other characters again. It made me realize how much I missed reading about them even if it was from Bitterblue's point of view. I also loved how there were maps and pictures at the end of the book along with the names of most of the characters in the story (it was very helpful in the beginning when I was still learning the names and the Graces).

          The story kept me on the edge of my seat while I was reading it. Everything that happened was fairly unpredictable but at the same time it made sense. The only thing I wish for is another book in the Graceling Realm series.

          Review: Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

          Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
          Published: October 8, 2008
          Publisher: Flux
          Pages: 325
          Series: Books of Faerie #1
          My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

          Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .

          Lament is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.


          My Review:  "Then They will kill you. Haven't you heard the legends? Don't you know what happens to cloverhands who cannot control the fey? Eyes gouged out. Paralyzed. Killed."

          Why oh why does Maggie Stiefvater write so beautifully? I can't help but love all of her books and I think I loved this book even more than the Shiver trilogy but I think this book ties with The Scorpio Races. I have to say I'm a sucker for a good faerie book. I love them. I would live in the world of faeries if I could...well maybe not because the fey are vicious creatures.

          Deirdre Monaghan is shy as you can get and also ordinary. Completely ordinary...until Luke Dillon comes along and she finds out that she is a cloverhand. One of her many problems is that Luke is a faerie assassin and he's supposed to kill her because the Queen wants her dead. And if Luke doesn't kill her Aodhan (a.k.a Freckle Freak) will.

          I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book. It was just plain amazing! Well how do I know I loved this book? First it's about faeries and as I explained before I love faerie books. Second Maggie Stiefvater is an amazing writer. And third but definitely not my last reason I found myself thinking about the book nonstop.

          I also loved the characters. I especially loved James and Luke even though we didn't really get much of James I felt like I knew him without really knowing him...anyway he was one of my favorite characters and my heart broke for him when Deirdre found out that he loved her because she didn't love him back. I actually started screaming at the book about how I'd take James...it's a good thing I was at home.

          So...
          Go read this book! I dare you...