Krystal's Stellar Book Blog

Book Review: My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K Kelly Martin

2012-01-24T22:48:00.000-05:00

Publish Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 288
Series: None
ISBN: 9780375868859
Source: From online book club

Goodreads Synopsis:
Ashlyn Baptiste is falling. One moment she was nothing—no memories, no self—and then suddenly, she's plummeting through a sea of stars. Is she in a coma? She doesn't remember dying, and she has no memories of the life she left behind. All she knows is that she's trapped in a consciousness without a body and she's spending every moment watching a stranger.
Breckon Cody's on the edge. He's being ripped apart by grief so intense it literally hurts to breathe. On the surface, Breckon is trying to hold it together for his family and his girlfriend, but underneath he's barely hanging on.
Even though she didn't know him in life, Ashlyn sees Breckon's pain, and she's determined to find a way help him. As her own distressing memories emerge from the darkness, she struggles to communicate with the boy who can't see her, but whose life is suddenly intertwined with hers. In alternating voices of the main characters, My Beating Teenage Heart paints a devastatingly vivid picture of both the heartbreak and the promise of teenage life—a life Ashlyn would do anything to recover and Breckon seems desperate to destroy—and will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen, John Green, and David Levithan.

My Review:
What an interesting book! At first I was pretty confused to tell you the truth. My Beating Teenage Heart is about this boy, Breckon who has lost his sister and his journey through dealing with that, and Ashlyn, a girl who is watching over Breckon for reasons unknown to her.
Right away I feel bad for Breckon. The loss of his younger sister takes quite the toll on him and he's unsure how to act and get through this. Unfortunately, his family doesn't seem to be overly helpful at times because they are still coming to terms with things as well. For me, I really feel for characters who have to deal with situations like the death of a family member. Thankfully, I have never had to deal with anything like that and since I have a very tight knit family, I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened.
Along with Breckon's narration of My Beating Teenage Heart, we are reading through Ashlyn's point of view. She understands that she is either dead or in a coma, realizing something is wrong with her situation she tries her hardest to remember her life and memories. All while doing that, she is looking over Breckon, who is spiralling downward in his own attempt to deal, and trying to make him understand and realize that she is there for him. (Though she does not know why she's been sent to Breckon and not her own family).
I really did enjoy this book. The change of POV's between the two main characters was enjoyable. The story was original and C.K. Kelly Martin is a good writer. She can get the reader interested in her book and pull the reader in for more. For example, we know right away that Breckon's sister died, nothing is explained up front we just get little more information here and there and it isn't until the end that we really read what happened. Also, we wonder how Breckon and Ashlyn are connected, and it isn't until the end that we find out. But it's done in a way that the story is spread out, and we don't just get hit with a whack of explaination at the end, it's written so well that that doesn't happen.
Overall, My Beating Teenage Heart was a heartfelt read that I enjoyed. The story, the writing and the characters are all worth it, and made for an "unputdownble" book!

Top Ten Tuesday

2012-01-17T09:08:00.001-05:00

Thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for giving ideas to us each week!

This weeks top 10 - Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read YA Dystopia

1. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

2. Fever by Lauren DeStefano (I haven't even finished it yet, but I imagine with the way it's been so far that I'd definitely recommend it)

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

4. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

5. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

6. The Host by Stephenie Meyers

That's all I could come up with because that's all of this genre that I have read! I really wish that someone would have recommended this genre to me ages ago, becuase these books are fantastic and there are SO many others that I have on my list to read!

That's my top 10, er, top 6 for this week! What's yours?

Book Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

2012-01-16T09:11:00.000-05:00

Publish Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 304
Series: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2052-6
Source: From publisher for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?
Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.
Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

My Review:
Virtuosity was an alright book. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was nice to read a book like this in between some others. No major love trinagle, no paranormal/undead/anything else like that, so it was a little refreshing in that sense.
The book starts off with Carmen holding her $1.2 million violin over a building railing. We have no idea why, or what's happening other than she wants to kill off her instument! It was an intruiging way to start the book because right away the reader wants to continue reading and find out the story behind Carmens actions. We go on to find out that Carmen is this child prodigy, violinist, grammy winning superstar who is on her way to winning the Guarneri - THE ultimate violin championship. But she isn't the only one who will do anything to win it - anything inlcudes taking inderal, a prescription the Carmen has taken for so long to help her perform on stage. Jeremy has his own plans on winning this award, and though he and Carmen appear to be falling for each other, we can't be sure it's genuine. Because of that, readers are eager to continue.
The characters in Virtuosity were good characters, though I had a hard time relating to Carmen. This is probably due to the fact that I'm not a star performer, I wasn't home schooled and I've never been on a strict practice schedule. But that's fine, because I wasn't expecting to relate to the characters because of that.
Jessica Martinez is a decent writer. To be honest, I just read this book for what it was and didn't think too much into it and didn't try to visualize too much of it. I got what I got out of it, nothing more. I do think it's a good book to have on hand, or borrow from the library when you want a change of scenery though.

In My Mailbox (January 15, 2012)

2012-01-15T09:12:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

This is a few IMM's, including some Christmas gifts!

Gifts:

The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy Box Set by Maggie Stiefvater

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them by J.K Rowling

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil owls - so pretty!

Harry Potter Golden Snitch - this is so awesome (and my dog really wanted to be in the picture)

Review:

My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K Kelly Martin | Goodreads Synopsis

Black Heart by Holly Black | Goodreads Synopsis

The Summer of Permanent Wants by Jamieson Findlay | Goodreads Synopsis

Won:

Prize Pack from Beth Revis which included bookmarks, a poster, a limited edition Koi print, and a rubber band bracelet! I was so freaking excited to get this, as I had no idea I won. It just poped up in my mailbox one day and I was like, woah!

That is all folks! A pretty awesome mailbox if I do say so myself! Let me know what you got :)

Thank you Simon and Schuster for sending me something once again! A HUGE thank you to my family who knows me all to well and spoiled me. And thank yo Beth Revis, for making my day a little brighter!

Rafflecopter is having a giveaway!

2012-01-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I really like Rafflecopter, and they are throwing a Launch Party! Wooo Hooo!! Enter, because if you win and told them that I sent you, I WIN TOO! That would be awesome!

Good Luck :)

Book Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

Publish Date: December 6th, 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 502
Series: Infernal Devices #2
ISBN: 9781416975885
Source: From publisher for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

My Review:

To be honest here, I've been having a hard time writing this review. I have been done with Clockwork Prince since the day before it came out, and I've started this review at least half a dozen times but I just can't seem to get ny words to make sense. (Which is why I'm a reader, not an author!)
Here it is: I was disappointed with Clockwork Prince. I had high expectations going into the novel and maybe that was the problem. I read and loved Clare's Clockwork Angel so I was eager for the story to continue, but the story was dragged on for what seemed like too long. For the first part of Clockwork Prince I was downright not interested. The story line wasn't there to make me want to read and Will, Jem and Tessa though there in the story didn't feel there to me (you know what I mean, I'm sure).
Where Clockwork Angel ended I was expecting this one to follow it and be big and eventful, but I found it was lacking and dull. It wasn't until about page 300 (or somewhere around there) that the book seem to pull me in. The Shadowhunters continued their search for the Magister and the characters became alive again. All of a sudden the book was up to where I thought it was going to be and I couldn't put it down. Will and Jem have been 2 of my favourite characters and they were awesome from here forward! Will - the mysterious one who has secrets to hide and something to say about everything has a chance to finally get what he wants but we find out that he may be too late and girls, this will break your heart (Even if you aren't "Team Will".) Though if you are Team Will, you're in luck as a lot of Clockwork Prince was about him so there is plenty of time for Will to be swooned over! But Jem, the kind, well spoken of the two realizes that he can no longer hide his feelings and does something that I didn't see coming (until the moment leading up and I was like "No...NO way, this cannot be happening...") At first, I was shocked, I was concerned as to why Clare was taking this route for these characters, but I got over it, and it wasn't too bad anymore. Though I am so ready to find out more!
Tessa, Tessa Tessa...where do we begin. Her independence has just gone straight down the drain. She has become almost needy and selfish and it was a bit irritating to read at some points. Maybe there's reason behind this but I'm not sure. But, there are other characters back and as usual they are fascinating and well written. Jessamine is like you've never seen her, Henry and Charlotte have a revelation and Magnus is better than ever with his advice and one-liners.
Clare's writing, though I don't need to touch on that too much if you've read her work before or any of my reviews of her books for that matter, is just amazing. She can draw you into her world like there's nothing to it. She can paint pictures in your head as if you are right there watching the novel unfold through your own eyes. Clare really has a talent for writing!
That all being said, I guess my overall reaiting of Clockwork Prince is that it was a pretty decent read. If you can get past the first part, then you're in for something worth it in the end. Though there wasn't much Shadowhunter action going on, there was definitely some other action happening! Check it out for yourself if you haven't already, and be on the lookout near the end of 2012 for Book 3 in The Infernal Devices Series, Clockwork Princess.

Spotted: Cover of City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-04T12:27:00.000-05:00

Look at what I saw floating around today?

City of Lost Souls - The Mortal Instruments #5 by Cassandra Clare is to be released May 8th, 2012

What do you think? My first thought, to be honest, was that it looked much more computer animated than the other books. But looking closer, I kinda like it! It has kept in mind the other covers, and works well with the others. I'm excited to read this one when it comes out in May.

Book Review: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

2011-12-16T22:19:00.000-05:00

Publish Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Del Rey
Pages: 470
Series: Gone With the Repiration #1
ISBN: 9780345523310
Source: Book Club for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?
The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.
But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.
In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

My Review:

It took me a while to get into this book I must say. The cover is gorgeous and it has a very interesting and original premise, but every time I took it out to read, I just found myself reading the same sentence over and over and just wanting to read something else. But I kept at it, and I'm pretty happy that I did. It ended up not taking too long for me to get into the book once I got started.The whole human and zombie romance is very new to me, actually, the whole zombie thing is new. (I haven't been able to get into the zombie books out there, for some reason they don't appeal to me that much) But this zombie book had more of a storyline to it, instead of just fighting, blood, guts, and gore so that maybe helped keep things lively for me. Who knows, this may be the start of a whole new genre for me to read! The year is 2195, and the way that Lia Habel describes it is very unique. Her future world, called New Victoria is basically just as it sounds, a Victorian, antique era mixed with crazy new technology and cell phones. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, I think it was very intruiging and had me wondering what it would be like to live like that. (The only thing I couldn’t wrap my head around was the fact that in Dearly, Departed women were just objects basically. They were married into money and status and told to sit and look pretty and don’t say a word unless invited. I think (we) women would have a hard time going back to those ways again in the future.)The main characters in Lia Habels Dearly, Departed are Bram and Nora. Nora being the human girl and Bram being the zombie. I instantly connected with Nora, she a strong character who perseveres through so much and she doesn't give a hoot about what people say in the long run. With her being a "young lady" in the New Victorian age, she has rules to follow and standards to live up to. But she follows the beat of her own drum, and she is witty! She had me laughing out loud a few times while reading. And Bram, whodathunk!? A zombie who is respectful, charming and good-looking? He was the point of view that I enjoyed reading the most. The way he tells the story was to me what made the book as good as it was. Dearly, Departed is read through five different narratives, and at first that was challenging but proved to be fine later on. I really enjoyed reading Nora and Bram's POV's. I couldn't get into Victor's point of view, but that was just a minor detail in the grand scheme of things in my opinion. Habel's writing is enjoyable and descriptive. I was able to paint the story in my head which to me is a huge deal. Habel is able to take this zombie love story and make it work somehow. You may even forget that Bram is a zombie and not some laid back alive human!Dearly, Departed was a good read, after I was able to really get into it, it was worth it. I cannot wait to see what’s instore for Nora and Bram in Dearly, Beloved.

Stay Tuned

2011-12-12T07:46:00.000-05:00

I've got some book reviews coming! Including the highly anticipated Clockwork Prince and Dearly, Departed.

Stay tuned to see what I thought of both books!

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-12-07T22:25:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, to show readers what we are anxiously waiting for!

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

Expected publication date: July 10th, 2012 by Simon Pulse

Sixteen-year-old Kelsey Romano has always been one of the most popular girls at Concordia Prep. But after a disastrous breakup and her subsequent meltdown (um, destruction of school property, anyone?) she's kicked out of Con Prep and shipped off to Concordia High School, for good.

Seventeen-year-old Isaac Brandano has been kicked out of more prep schools than he can name. But now that his father's State Senate campaign is pushing a public school agenda, Isaac finds himself enrolled at Concordia High.

Kelsey and Isaac are destined to hate each other. And at first, they do. But when they are forced together on the creation of a new school club, sparks begin to fly. Then the club's critical event turns into chaos. Now Kelsey and Isaac must retrace their steps and figure out how and why everything got so got screwed up, who was to blame, and how they can move forward.

This new novel from fan-favorite Lauren Barnholdt showcases--through a sweet and sparkly narrative--how the last person you expect might just be the one who changes your life forever.

I like the idea of this novel. Nothing paranormal, nothing far-fetched, just a down to earth book that I'm excited to read!

In My Mailbox (November 20, 2011)

2011-11-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Bought:

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - I actually pre-ordered this one, and have had it for a while. just kept forgetting to take a picture of it!

For Review:

Fever (The Chemical Gardens #2) by Lauren Destefano | Goodreads Synopsis

Dead To You by Lisa McMann | Goodreads Synopsis

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel | Goodreads Synopsis

Won:

Signed archival print of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer! And signed bookmarks!! This has to be one of the coolest prizes I've won, EVER!

Once again, a HUGE thank you to Simon & Schuster, and Michelle Hodkin!

What ended up in your mailbox this week?

Spotted: Cover of Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate

2011-11-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

Another one! And it's just as pretty. Take a look:

Fallen In Love (Fallen Shorts #3.5) by Lauren Kate is set to be released January 24th, 2012

From Goodreads:

This book is about the only Valentine's day that Luce and Daniel ever had together. How romantic and heartbreaking is that?

How awesome does that sound?

Spotted: Cover of Rapture by Lauren Kate

2011-11-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

It's here and it's gorgeous:

Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate is set to be released June 13th, 2012

The cover is so pretty and I love when the covers all tie in to each other! I still haven't read Passion, but I have a copy on my bookshelf, and I'll be looking to add this one as soon as I can!

What do you think?

Book Review: Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

2011-11-06T20:40:00.000-05:00

Publish Date: November 1st, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 330
Series:
ISBN: 9781442423510
Source: From publisher for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everyday people into hunters, killers, crazies.
Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever. Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd.
Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad? These four teens are on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found, this is a journey into the heart of darkness – but also a journey to find each other and a place of safety.

My Review:

Why oh why did I wait so long to read this one? Simon & Schuster were nice enough to send me a review copy back some time and I never got around to it until now and I'm kicking myself wondering why I didn't read it sooner!
There are a few keys words that stuck out to me on the back cover of the ARC - "Society has fallen apart. No one can be trusted." Sounds great, huh? But those words are nothing compared to what actually transpires in the novel. Dark Inside is a creepy book, even scary at times. I'd even go as far as saying that Jeyn Roberts has a twisted mind! The detail she puts into her writing (the death's of the people, the killing scenes, etc) is absolutely wild (and twisted and crazy and it will have your stomach in knots and your nose wrinkled). Yes, the detail is that vivid. But more than that, the story has a great plot. An earthquake that rattles and shakes more than just the ground. People are turning on one another, killing each other and few that are left to survive are being hunted down. You'll be on the edge of your seat the whole time it takes you to read Dark Inside, and trust me it wont take that long because you'll be so engrossed and have that need to find out what happens next.
The novel goes between narrators and Jeyn makes it easy to follow. We're taken on adventures of basically the survival of the fittest and each character has their own way of dealing with the almost apocalypse type thing that some say is happening. Each character has the common goal of surviving and outrunning what is out there but yet each character couldn't be more different. We get so many emotions running through the characters and pages of Dark Inside but it never feels overwhelming. The cowardice, the bravery, the sadness, the adrenaline, everything the characters (and the reader) feel ties in so well and makes for a great book. And the ending!? Wow!
Jeyn Roberts debut novel is awesome, truly truly awesome, and definitely worth the read! Just be prepared, at times Dark Inside is gruesome and paints a clear, sometimes unwanted picture in your head that may keep you up at night!

Enjoy!

Breaking Dawn Trailer

2011-11-05T20:28:00.000-04:00

Well, this is so exciting! I'm a huge Twilight fan (insert sighs and rolling of the eyes here.... are we done?) Anyways, only about 12 more days until Part 1 comes out, and I'm so excited!

Have a look!

Spotted: Cover of Endlessly by Kiersten White

2011-11-03T20:54:00.001-04:00

Wait for it.....

Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3) by Kiersten White

I have not yet read Paranormalcy or Supernaturally, but have always thought the covers were super cute! And they did it again, Endlessly is awesome and it ties in with the other covers so nicely!

It's expected to be released July 24th, 2012 by HarperTeen, so I have plenty of time to read the first two in the series!

What do you think of this cover?

Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi Blog Tour

2011-11-02T00:10:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Hamish Hamilton Canada
ISBN: 978-0-14317-923-8
Pages: 336
Series: None
Source: From publisher for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

An exhilarating new direction for Helen Oyeyemi with a mischievous story of love, lies and inspiration.
It’s an ordinary afternoon in 1938 for the celebrated American novelist St John Fox, hard at work in the study of his suburban home – until his long-absent muse wanders in. Mary Foxe (beautiful, British and 100% imaginary) is in a playfully combative mood. “You’re a villain,” she tells him. ‘A serial killer . . . can you grasp that?”
Mr Fox has a predilection for murdering his heroines. Mary is determined to change his ways. And so she challenges him to join her in stories of their own devising, and the result is an exploration of love like no other.
It isn’t long before Mrs Daphne Fox becomes suspicious, and St John is offered a choice: a life with the girl of his dreams, or a life with an all-too-real woman who delights him more than he cares to admit. Can there be a happy ending this time?
Mr Fox is a magical book, as witty as it is profound in its truths about how we learn to be with one another.

My Review:

Hands down, Mr Fox has got to be the most interesting book I've ever read. The idea of the book caught my attention so I was eager to get it, and start reading it. Though once I started reading it, I wasn't sure what to think. The first 'chapter' of the book starts off great, we meet some characters and kind of have a feel about the book. Then we move on, and the narration changes and the story somewhat changes too, since there are short stories amongst the novel. And this is where things get tricky because I found it a bit hard to tell who was who and where we were going and who was narrating what. The characters are original though, interesting and down right funny. Mary Foxe was an imaginary friend who will make readers chuckle to themselves. And Mr Fox himself is an inventive character who will draw upon your curiosity.
Mr Fox (the book, not the character) reminded me of an abstract painting. The novel was wild, it was different and you really need to stop and think and dig deep to find the meaning behind it. And there will be some people who read it once and love it, and truly get everything out of it, there will be those of us who have to reread it, and really digest it, and there will be some who just wont see and understand the whole picture. But that's okay, this book isn't for everyone.
Helen Oyeyemi's writing is incredible though. She has a way with words and sentences that is truly unique in every way, and that added so much to the story for me. I would be reading Mr Fox and Oyeyemi's voice and words would carry me away from the story and I would honestly have to go back and reread what I just finished because I was lost with the writing but not the story. Helen is a gifted writer and at such a young age, I can see her going far with her gift.
Though this book wasn't what I thought it was going to be, and all in all wasn't for me, I can see this book being thoroughly enjoyed by many others!

About the author

Helen Oyeyemi was born in Nigeria in 1984 and raised in London. She is the author of three novels: The Icarus Girl, which was completed before her nineteenth birthday; The Opposite House, which was nominated for the 2008 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; and White is for Witching, which was nominated for a 2009 Shirley Jackson award and won the 2010 Somerset Maugham Award. She is also the author of two plays, Juniper’s Whitening and Victimese.

More Blog Tour Stops:
Tales of a Ranting Ginger - Oct 24
Snowdrop Dreams of Books - Oct 25
Just a Lil’ Lost - Oct 26
In the Next Room - Oct 27
Evie Bookish - Oct 28
Florence in Print - Oct 31
A Bookworm’s World - Nov 1
Krystal’s Stellar Book Blog - Nov 2
The Indextrious Reader - Nov 3
Hands and Home - Nov 4

For a short story written by Helen Oyeyemi, you can visit here, or to read an NPR review, feel free to check it out too.

Thanks for stopping by my part of the blog tour, be sure to check out the rest of the list above of the other tour participants!

100 Most Popular YA Books

2011-10-26T16:58:00.000-04:00

Alex Finn – Beastly

Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones

Ally Carter – Callagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)

Ally Condie – Matched

Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills

Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)

Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)

Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)

Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush, Crescendo, Silence

Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)

Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)

Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3, 4)

Christopher Paolini - Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)

Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)

Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)

Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)

Ellen Hopkins – Impulse

Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply

Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)

Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere

Gail Carson Levine – Fairest

Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)

J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)

James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why

Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)

Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

John Green – An Abundance of Katherines

John Green – Looking for Alaska

John Green – Paper Towns

Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)

Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness

Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)

Kristin Cashore – Graceling, Fire

Lauren Kate – Fallen, Torment, Passion

Lemony Snicket - Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)

Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)

Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)

Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

M.T. Anderson – Feed

Maggie Stiefvater – Shiver, Linger, Forever

Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)

Markus Zusak - The Book Thief

Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger

Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Mary Ting – Crossroads

Maureen Johnson – 13 Little Blue Envelopes, The Last Little Blue Envelope

Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)

Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Meg Rosoff – How I live now

Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)

Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road

Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)

Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion

Neal Shusterman – Unwind

Neil Gaiman – Coraline

Neil Gaiman – Stardust

Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book

P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 )

Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)

Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks

S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)

Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip

Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride

Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key

Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever

Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Scott Westerfeld - Leviathan (1, 2)

Scott Westerfeld - Uglies (1, 2, 3)

Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days

Shannon Hale – Princess Academy

Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)

Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry, Rules of Attraction, Chain Reaction

Stephanie Meyer – The Host

Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)

Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees

Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)

Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)

Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)

Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)

Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

Out of the 100 books on the list, I've checked off 13 (40 including the sequels) and 18 of them I own and have my bookshelf to read (55 total including firsts, and sequels, etc).

There are quite a few books on this list that I have on a list to read, but I don't own them so I didn't add them to my counts at all.

*Bold are the books I've read, italics are the books I own*

If you've posted this list, be sure to link it to me, and I'll stop in and have a look!

Book Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

2011-10-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: July 26, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers
Pages: 390
Series: Nightshade # 2
ISBN: 9780399254833
Source: From publisher for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

My Review:

Once again I was disappointed with Andrea Cremer's book. Sometimes I feel that I'm the only one who feels this way because I always see so many rave reviews floating around (maybe because on Cremer's twitter feed, it seems there's only ever RT's of the best reviews out there). First off, the cover art, not my favourite (and I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way) .The original was definitely better. The girl who is supposed to be Calla on the cover reminds me so much of Jules, the girl who played the wolf on The Vampire Diaries. Coincidence much? And the girl on the new cover, why the need to look slutty? So disappointing.
The story picked up right where Nightshade ended (I won't go into detail and spoil anything about that) and it seemed that we were off to a good start. I wouldn't say the beginning was great, but I wasn't losing hope just yet. But then it just went on and on and 10 chapters in I couldn't believe that I was already that far in because the story hadn't gone anywhere yet. Then imagine my surprise when I reached the last page and had a HUGE question mark on my face - "What? Really? That was it? That was Wolfsbane? What happened?"
We do meet some new characters thankfully, Connor and Ethan among them. Connor was a good addition since he added some humor and kept things mildly interesting. And obviously we still have Shay and sometimes he drives me nuts! He just wont let Calla make her own decisions, and sometimes he's just all over the place with his feelings. But Wolfsbane was short on one thing - Ren. I was really looking forward to seeing Ren again but where the story took us, Ren wasn't along for the ride as much as he could have been. And that's ok, I get that's where Cremer wants to take the story, but I missed Ren.
Andrea Cremer spent so much time on the history of the Seachers and the Keepers and informing the readers of everything that she missed the little details of the characters interaction, the characters appearance and things like that that play a huge role in the overall picture of the book. So again, another disappointment.
Overall, Wolfsbane didn't live up to my expectations and I wasn't happy about it. I was hesitant to read this one because of my feelings toward Nightshade, and I haven't been impressed so far, so Bloodrose wont be on the top of my TBR pile that's for sure.

Waiting On Wednesday

2011-10-19T00:01:00.002-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, to show readers what we are anxiously waiting for!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Expected publication date: February 7th, 2012 by G.P Putman's Sons Books for Young Readers

A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Cassandra Clare in this spellbinding fantasy

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

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

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

Sounds like such a great book! And the cover is really pretty. What do you think?

Top Ten Tuesday

2011-10-18T11:24:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday again! So let's participate in another Top 10 Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

This week - Top ten books whose title or covers made me buy it (in no particular order!)

1. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - Gorgeous cover really! Much better than the new ones, if I do say so.

2. House of Night series by P.C and Kristin Cast - I had no idea what these books would be like but the covers are so pretty!

3. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - once again, the cover is what made me read/buy/love these books

4. Fallen by Lauren Kate - my boyfriend actually picked this book out for me once because he knew I'd love the cover.

5. Wither by Lauren DeStefano - Gorgeous!

6. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - even before I knew the synopsis, I wanted to get my hands on this pretty little thing.

7. Across The Universe by Beth Revis - such an eye catching book!

8. Gin, Tonic and Cucumber by Rafaele Germain - I love the bright pink, fun cover! And the story was just as fun! And the title is awesome

9. The Vampire Diaries - I bought some of these books based solely on the fact that TVD tv show is based on these books, and I wanted to know if TV Damon is comparable to book Damon.

10. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - the title and the cover art for this one is fantastic!

That's my top 10, what's your's?

Book Review: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

2011-10-16T23:42:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 544
ISBN: 9781451626339Series: None
Source: ARC from publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this first adult novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the unforgettable Crank trilogy, three female friends face midlife crises in a no holds-barred exploration of sex, marriage, and the fragility of life.
Ellen Hopkins has made her mark as the wildly popular author of several novels for young adults—every one of them a New York Times bestseller, and every one a hard-hitting exploration of tough-to-tackle topics. Now, in Triangles, Hopkins brings her storytelling mastery and fearlessness to take on the challenges of adult dramas.
In this emotionally powerful novel, three women face the age-old midlife question: If I’m halfway to death, is this all I’ve got to show for it? Holly, filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea, a single mom and avowed celibate, watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Then there’s Marissa. She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts. As one woman’s marriage unravels, another one’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s is reconfigured into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all three of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness before it is through.

My Review:

When I was first contacted to review Triangles, I thought why not? It sounds like a powerful read and I was looking for something outside of the YA to read for a change. When I first skimmed through the pages and realized that Hopkins writes the whole story in poetic verses, I was a little apprehensive. I do love poems but I, for the life of me can't always find the meaning behind the author’s words. So I was worried that I would go through Triangles with a haze of "what on earth is going on?". But that was not the case at all! The story is told through poetic verses, but the meaning is loud and clear and read as if it was reading in paragraphs. For those who have read Hopkins other books, including the best selling books Crank, Impulse, Burned, etc. this is what you're used to, but like me, if this is the first time, this is a new way to read. I really enjoyed Hopkins writing. She can paint such a clear picture in the small amount of words she uses, and she can put so much behind those characters. I honestly felt like there was more character development in Triangles than there is in some other books where the author has chapter upon long chapter to develop them.
The story is about love, more specifically about love triangles and how lives are impacted and joined like the lines of a triangle. In this book, Hopkins writes a whole poem about the lines of the triangle, and I think that was my favourite part of the novel. Also, the poem at the end of each characters chapter that sort of summed up what happened and the feelings of the characters was very interesting, and well worth it.
Triangles has so much emotion throughout it. At times it’s very erotic and risky, but there was a balance so it wasn’t like reading an erotic novel from start to finish. The characters, as I said have so much behind them and because of that, I felt as though I knew them, as though I was living in the book with them experiencing the things they were going through. Let me tell you, the things these characters go through is unbelievable. We have children with disabilities, affairs, relationships without love, and so much more.
In a nutshell, Triangles is a great read. It’s not a YA so don’t expect teenage love triangles and bitchy, catty teen girls, instead be prepared for adult topics, powerful emotions and the raw truth about families and friends and betrayal.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-10-10T23:34:00.000-04:00

To all my fellow Canadians out there I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Hope it was full of good family, friends and food.

Happy Thanksgiving

And enjoy this beautiful weather, Fall is my favourtie time of the year. It's gorgeous out there, with the cool temps and the bright leaves on the trees and the ground, just lovely!

A little MIA happening over here

2011-10-10T23:29:00.000-04:00

Hello my blogger friends,

I'm just popping in to say sorry for my lack of posts lately (sure, I've never been one to have routine posts, but whatever!). I've just recently started a new full-time job and let me tell you that I am not used to it at all. I'm not complaining or being a fancy-pants here saying that an 8 hour shift is hard, but it's hard on me when I'm not used to it! So what I'm saying is that when I get home from work, I don't want to sit in front of the computer and type, I want to play with my daughter and when I'm not working, I'm cleaning, sleeping and of course reading. Until I get used to this, my posts will lack in content or not even exist!

But I do have 2 reviews that I am working on right now, Triangles by Ellen Hopkins and Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. One of which I enjoyed and one I didn't. Stay tuned to find out which is which!

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-10-04T22:34:00.004-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, to show readers what we are anxiously waiting for!

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Publication Date: November 15, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderly

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

First off, look at that cover? I love it so much! And the idea of a dystopian / sci-fi book with a storyline like this? - So interesting! I've never read any of Kimberly Dertings books before, but this one seems like it could be a good read!
I'm looking forward to this one!

In My Mailbox (October 2, 2011)

2011-10-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

This is the last two weeks, just to let you know! :)

I was so lucky again this year to be able to attend:

It was so much fun, and such a gorgeous day! And we go a great pile of books!

Bought:

Harry Potter series Books 1-7

Whiteout by Ken Follet

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Raymond and Hannah by Stephen Marche

Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

A few kids book my daughter picked out

*I got all of these books for a donation. It felt great to donate money for a great cause, but I felt like I was stealing ALL 7 HP books! Now my daughter has her own set, and she is so excited about that!*

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Elixir by Hilary Duff

For Review:

Devoted (Elixir #2) by Hilary Duff | Goodreads

Mr Fox by Helen Oyeyemi | Goodreads

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare | Goodreads

Thank you everyone for these awesome books! And let me tell you, when I saw that it was Clockwork Prince in the mail, I was so freaking excited! Clockwork Angel (The first in this series) was the first ARC I got, and the first book I reviewed on this blog, so this means a little something more to me I guess. So thank you again!

Leave a comment and I'll be sure to check your In My Mailbox.

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-09-24T23:02:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 489
ISBN: 978-0-0620-2402-2
Series: Divergent #1
Source: Won from book store

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

My Review:

Veronica Roth's debut novel, Divergent was a phenomenal read! I don't know why I waited so long to read it. I loved it more than I thought I would, not that I didn't think I'd love it, I just wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did!
I knew from the first page that it was going to be something magical (and not magical in the Harry Potter magical way), it was magical in the sense that Veronica Roth creates a world unlike no other. A world in which we immerse ourselves in the original and realistic factions of Candor, Dauntless, Amity, Abnegation and Erudite. I haven't read a lot of dystopian books, but this one was fantastic, well-written and all in all, epic!
Tris, the main character, is probably one of the strongest female leads I've read in a while. Even with growing up in Abnegation, and being told to think and act a certain way, she was strong willed, didn't take anybody's crap and could dish out a solid right hook if she needed. I loved everything about Tris and what she stood for. Then there's Four, a mysterious and intriguing character. There seems to be so much we don't know about Four, but Tris (and me for that matter) still wanted to befriend him. There was something about Four that stood out, I don't think Roth tried to play up on Fours good looks or give him much sex appeal, I think he had it naturally.
The story is so unique and Veronica Roth's idea of her dystopian world is exciting! I could picture everything - the Abnegation with their grey clothes and everything in an orderly fashion, the Candors in their blue clothes, the dauntless and their "bad ass" looks - and the writing excels. Roth's way of writing seems effortless, as if she's been writing best sellers for years upon years, yet Divergent was the 22 year olds debut novel! There is not one negative thing I can say about Divergent.
It's an exciting and engaging ride with twists and turns and Divergent will have your mind racing as you flip the pages and continue the one choice you made - the choice to read Divergent!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Trailer

2011-09-24T09:27:00.000-04:00

It's here!! Finally here - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer book trailer!

Watch for yourself:

Thoughts? The only thing I can say that I'm disappointed about is the girls voice. It's not what I had in mind when I thought of Mara, but other than that, the trailer is really cool! Amazing even :)

Enjoy, and make sure to pick up a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer when you can! It's the best read.

Book Trailer

2011-09-20T13:01:00.002-04:00

So for my Waiting on Wednesday post, I mentioned that I was waiting for

- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi -

Then today, I came across this:

I thought I was excited for this book before, but that trailer just makes me even more excited for Shatter Me! And I've heard so many great things about it. I can't wait!

Breaking Dawn Exclusive Trailer

2011-09-19T22:49:00.000-04:00

Alright, I love Twilight. I read the books numerous times, and loved them then, and continue to love them now. The movies, on the other hand, weren't what I was expecting, but I still watch Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse and I'm excited for Breaking Dawn. The trailer has been released, and it looks like it may be the best one!

Breaking Dawn was one of the better books, what with it being full of emotion and action and just plain awesomeness.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you a Twilight fan?

Spotted: The Cover of Insurgent

2011-09-19T11:57:00.000-04:00

Here we go guys:

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth is set to be released May 8th, 2012

Goodreads 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.

What do you guys think?

I'm so excited for Insurgent. I read Divergent and have been working on my review, but I absolutely loved it. And the cover for this one? Gorgerous, the tree for Amity is perfect and I love the train going by at the bottom. Just wonderful!

And The Winner Is....

2011-09-19T11:24:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in annoucing the winner to my Blogoversary Giveaway, with my vacation and all, I didn't have the time. So without further ado, the winner is...

unlucky (or lucky in this case) entry #13

Kandice who chose The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

A quick glance on my spreadsheet shows that The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was the book that most had as their pick, and trust me, it's a great choice!

The winner was chosen by random.org and has been notified. If the winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. The book will be shipped from The Book Depository when available, and I am not responsbile for lost or stolen packages.

Thanks to all who entered, and don't forget to enter my current giveaway for a copy of Bloodlines by Richelle Mead via The Bloodlines Canadian Blog Tour.

Just checking in...

2011-09-16T22:02:00.002-04:00

Hey guys, Just wanted to let you know that I've been away this past week. My family and I went to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and were up in a cabin with poor internet connection. I was able to get my post up for the Canadian Bloodlines Blog Tour, but that was about it. I still have to pick and annoucne the winner to my Blogoversary giveaway, and I have a few reviews that I need to post.
I'm in Ohio right now for the night before making the rest of the drive back home to Ontario.

Hope to see you all back reading my posts and reviews!

Happy Reading!

Bloodlines Canadian Blog Tour

2011-09-15T00:01:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the lovely Tynga at Tynga's reviews for letting me use this pretty header.

I was really happy when Penguin Canada contacted me to participate in the Canadian Blog Tour for Bloodlines. I've never read Richelle Mead's books, so I was excited to start here!

BLOOD DOESN'T LIE

I wasn’t free of my past, not yet.

Sydney’s blood is special. That’s because she’s an alchemist—one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she’s still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir—the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir—is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill’s guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places—a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside—and within—the school grounds. Now that they’re in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.

And because I really loved Adrian -

But if you prefer Mr. Dimitri Belikov, this ones for you -

And if neither of those were good enough for you, check out the teaser trailers for Rose Hathaway, Sydney Sage, or Jill Dragomir.

Plus, if you're intruigued by Bloodlines, and don't have a copy (yet), you can read the first chapter here.

Be sure to read my review here.

And the fun on my stop for the Canadian Bloodlines Tour doesn't end there, Penguin Canada has given me the opportunity to share the love with another reader out there. One lucky Canadian winner will get their own copy of Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below (and bear with me as this is my first time using it). Canadian only please as Penguin Canada will be shipping the prize. Be sure to do the mandatory entry correctly in order for your entry to count.
Thanks for stopping by!

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

2011-09-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill Fiction
Pages: 421
ISBN: 978-1-59514-317-4
Series: Bloodlines #1
Source: ARC for review from Publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

BLOOD DOESN'T LIE.
Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning.

My Review:

Bloodlines is a spinoff of the highly popular Vampire Academy series written by Richelle Mead. This was the first book of Richelle’s that I’ve read and it wont be the last! I’ve had my eye on Vampire Academy books but never had the chance to read them, so when Penguin contacted me about Bloodlines, I jumped on the chance!
I was intruiged from the first page. I wanted to know more of the world Richelle Mead created, and I wanted to meet all of the characters. We first meet Sydney when she is awoken in the middle of the night by her father to tend to something very important. What could be so important that she’s forced to wake up? Well, Sydney is an alchemist, a human who’s in the middle of Vampires and Humans – protecting the secrets of the vampires, and protecting humans lives.
Bloodlines is a great read. It’s a vampire story, but it’s original. I’ve seen that some Vampire Academy readers who were hyped for this book, weren’t that impressed. Not that they didn’t like it (in the cases that I’ve seen) but they just didn’t think it was up to par with the VA series. The main thing I’ve seen is that Sydney wasn’t as strong a character as Rose. As I said, I haven’t read the VA series, so I can’t make a comparison between the two main characters. I can say that I thought Sydney was awesome. She was a strong girl who was true to her alchemist beliefs but wasn’t affriad to take chances. She knew that her first priority was to the alchemists, but felt like there was a middle ground too. Sydney was sent to protect and be the guardian to Jill, the sister to the Moroi Queen and be with Vampires, more specifally dhampirs, and moroi. Through converstations and scenes, we see that this isn’t the first time Sydney has ‘worked’ with the vampires, and other alchemists aren’t too thrilled with this. But as I said earlier, Sydney knows her limits, and rules and tries to stay true to her upbringing. Because of these mentions of Rose, and their past experiences, I am so eager to read the VA series. Richelle adds these sutble hints of the other series, and I believe it is to tie up loose ends in VA and to get people interested in VA! (And it worked, I went out and bought two of the books while reading Bloodlines – check out my IMM post here).
The other characters in Bloodlines are great too. We meet Jill, the vulnerable young girl who Sydney is responsible for protecting from danger. We learn so much about her throughout the novel, and I truly felt for her. All she goes through cannot be easy, but she’s a tough girl. I was introduced to Adrian Ivashkov on Bloodlines, and let me tell you, I adore him! The comments and remarks he makes were enough to make me laugh outloud. Again, Richelle adds comments in Bloodlines about Adrian and Rose, and makes me need to know more of their past. I learned so much about Adrian, and things he’s dealing with. He’s definitely a favourite character of mine now.
Another thing while reading others thought of Bloodlines, people seem to be disappointed that there was no romance. Really? I don’t think that this novel needed the romance. To me, it had enough of everything else – mystery regarding the Vampires, curiousness towards the Alchemists, and a rollercoaster of great story telling –that we didn’t need the extra romance. That’s not to say that Richelle shouldn’t add a little romance (maybe with Adrian and someone) but it can wait.Richelle Mead does an excellent job of creating this world in which you feel apart of. I suggest everyone read Bloodlines, and if you haven’t read the Vampire Academy series, read this one first. You wont be disappointed!

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-09-07T12:10:00.000-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, to show readers what we are anxiously waiting for!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 15, 2011

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Sounds wonderful doesn't it? And the cover is pretty!

Top Ten Tuesday

2011-09-06T23:13:00.000-04:00

It's been so long since I've participated in a Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish so I thought it would be fun to give it a go!

This week - Top Ten sequels I'm Dying to Read:

(in no particular order...)

1. Insurgent (Divergent #2) By Veronica Roth - Because I just finished Divergent and it was freaking fantastic!!

2. The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead - I loved Bloodlines, and was introduced to the lovely Vampire Academy world from it and because of that, I'm excited for this one.

3. A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis - You all know I loved AtU! So obviously, I need to read this.

4. Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare - Will and Jem? YES PLEASE!!

5. Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano - Wither was such a great read, and I'm eager to find out what happens next.

6. Mara Dyer # 2 - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was one of my fave reads, can't wait for the second in the series.

7. The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong - I want to know more about the paw shaped birthmark!

8. The Soul (The Host #2) by Stephenie Meyer - IF this book happens, I'm interested to see what happens in it. I LOVED The Host and Ian and Wanderer!

9. City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare - Such an interesting series, and I'm ready for some more!

10. Passion (Fallen #3) by Lauren Kate - I've had this book for some time now, and really want to get around to it soon! The covers are the best part of these books, but I'm eager to see what happens between Luce and Daniel.

There we have it, my list for the week!

Thanks for stopping by.

Rook Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2011-08-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 450
ISBN: 978-1-4424-3239-0
Series: Mara Dyer #1
Source: ARC from Publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

My Review:

Well Ms. Hodkin, you have written yourself one heck of a book! Hands down, one of the best books I've read this year.

I'd had my eye on this book for quite some time, and was thrilled when a copy from the lovely people at Simon and Schuster ended up in my mailbox. From the first page, I was hooked!

Michelle Hodkin isn't just a great writer, she is a great story teller. Everything about the way she wrote The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, her debut novel, is extraordinary!

Ms. Hodkin clearly has a way with words. They draw you in and make you want more. The story was painted clear in my head and I love when the author can do that. I felt like I was there, experiencing things with the characters. The other thing I loved about Mara Dyer were the short chapters. I love that I can read here and there (like on my break at work, waiting for my ride, whenever I had a few minutes) and I wouldn't have to worry about being in the middle of something big and important. But honestly, the way Ms. Hodkin ends the chapters...HOLY COW! At some points, it's almost impossible to stop reading.

Let's talk characters. I loved the characters in Mara Dyer. Obviously, we have Mara, a girl who was the only survivor of her friends in an accident. She is such a great character. Everything about Mara is honest, believable and real. She was going through a tough time, dealing with the deaths of her friends. As I was reading, I could really relate to Mara. Her parents were great characters too. And her brothers played key roles in the book, which was great to see. (Not like other books where the family is there just for the sake of having a family) Then we have Noah...oh Noah. I love him! (He's everything I want and more :) !) He was the bad boy with the bad boy reputation (and yes, admit it, we all adore the bad ones) He was sweet, with a gentleman quality and I saw some modesty in him too. Together, Mara and Noah were wonderful. Michelle Hodkin got the characters perfect! Their playful banter and smart remarks always had me smiling and actually laughing out loud.

Engaging characters aside, the story and the plot really had me going. Hodkin had me guessing from the beginning as to what was going on, why Mara was the only survivor and I was a little worried that it would get cheesy at the end when the final plot was revealed. But trust me, there was no cheese in this book, just twists, turns and a whole lot of guessing.

I really can't say enough good things about Michelle Hodkins book. Everything was fantastic. Michelle is a great writer and I believe we will be seeing a lot more greatness from her in the future.

Read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, if you don't read anything else, just read this!

In My Mailbox (August 21, 2011)

2011-08-21T10:41:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

It's been a slow for the last few weeks, but I'm ok with that, I have so so many books I need to read, not all of them are for review, but some have been sitting on my shelf for ages now. So I've been reading tons.

For Review:
The Isle of Blood (The Monstrumologist #3) by Rick Yancey | Goodreads Synopsis
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld | Goodreads Synopsis

Won:
Ron Poster, Ron Lego Keychain, and blogger bookmark (not shown) - Thanks to Vamps, Weres and Cassay!

Thanks once again Simon & Schuster!

Make sure to comment and leave a link to your IMM and I`ll be sure to stop by.

And don't forget to enter my 1 year Blogoversary giveaway!

Mini Book Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

2011-08-20T22:46:00.001-04:00

Goodreads Synopsis:

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

My Mini Review:

Since I'm a Bloodlines blog tour hosr, I wanted to save my review for then, but I really liked Bloodlines and with the release just days away, I've been telling so many people about how great this book is. So I wanted to share this with you - my readers! Here's my mini review...

As I've said, I loved Bloodlines. I haven't read any of Richelle Mead's books before so this was a first. The story, the characters, the writing, it was all done so well that I guarantee this wont be the last of Meads books that I read.
I really liked Sydney, I think she is a strong character and I enjoyed reading about her. I am very intrugied about Adrian and Rose as they are mentioned in this book. (Adrian does have a role in Bloodlines though not to the extent of Vampire Academy series)
I can't wait to read more in the Bloodlines series, and I hope and encourage you all to pick up this book, whether you're new to Richelle Meads books or not, I'm sure you wont be disappointed!
Stay tuned and come back for a visit when I post my full review and participate in the Bloodlines Blog Tour. (My date is scheduled for September 25th, 2011) Hope to see you all then!

My Blog is 1 year old today & Giveaway!

2011-08-18T15:27:00.003-04:00

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

* Happy Blogoversary to Me! *

1 year ago today, I started Krystal's Stellar Book Blog. It's a place where I can write my thoughts on the books I read. I have had so much fun posting my reviews, and I was thrilled when I started to get followers. And even more thrilled when I started to recieve ARC's from publishers and authors.

Throughout the year, I've recieved many ARC's, I've interviewed a few authors, and had the opportunity to chat via email to some authors. Not to mention, I've had the chance to read some amazing books that I may not have thought of reading.

I'm going to keep this short and simple...

Thank you everyone, for everything.

*Thank you followers, for making me feel special*

*Thank you publishers, (huge HUGE thank you to Simon & Schuster, you guys have been behind me from the beginning sending me surpirses in the mail!!), for giving me the chance to read*

*Thank you authors, for writing great stories*

and

*Thank you fellow bloggers for the inspiration!*

And to celebrate, I'm going to giveaway a book that I have read and loved within the last year:

These are the books to choose from:
*clicking on the picture will take you to Goodreads

Rules:
1 winner will choose 1 book from the above list
Contest is open to wherever The Book Depository ships - check the list HERE.
Contest closes September 8th, 2011 at 11:59pm

Mandatory entry:
Must be a follower of my blog
Comments will NOT be accepted as the mandatory entry, form MUST be filled out.

Extra entry:
Comment on this post. Whether it's to wish me a happy blogoversary, to recommend a book/series, it's up to you!

Nothing too complicated (I hope!)

FILL OUT FORM HERE

Good luck!

Fury Blog Tour!

2011-08-17T00:18:00.000-04:00

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Release August 30, 2011

Simon & Schuster

I was lucky enough to read and review an ARC of Fury, you can read my review here. Also, I was lucky enough to be part of this blog tour, and today you get to read my exculsive Q&A with the author, Elizabeth Miles.

Here we go:

Stellar Book Blog: What made you write about Furies? Have you always been fasinated with them, or is it just the direction your novel took?
Elizabeth Miles: The Furies are a lesser-known creature in Greek mythology—I hadn’t heard of them myself until I was in my twenties. I was immediately drawn to their vengeful and disproportionate sense ofjustice. I thought it would be a great foundation for a contemporary novel.

SBB: Do you know the outcome of the characters before you write them, or does it play out in your head as it's happening and as you're writing?
EM: I work off of a very detailed outline. Of course individual scenes and emotions develop organically, but I’m always conscious of where I am in the story and where I need to go.

SBB: Which is your favourite character in Fury and why?
EM: It’s hard to choose a favorite! It was fun to write Chase—I enjoyed exploring the male perspective. I certainly have some key things in common with Em. The Furies are deliciously bad and I love watching them do their thing. And some of the minor characters, like JD and Drea, are people who I would actually be friends with.

SBB: Since this is your debut novel not due to be released until August 30, now that it's circulating around reviewers and such, and people are reading it, what does it feel like? Is it what you were expecting? You must be so excited for Aug 30 to come!
EM: Thank you, I am super-excited for August 30th! I’m also: overwhelmed, nervous, proud, insecure, gleeful…am I doing a good enough job demonstrating that I’m dealing with a lot of conflicting emotions? I poured a lot of energy into Fury and I’m happy with the result. No matter what happens, that will remain true.

SBB: Fury isn't over yet, what can we come to expect in this trilogy in the upcoming books?
EM: It sure isn’t…Fury is the first book in a trilogy. The next book, which I’m revising right now, is called Envy, and it will follow some old characters and some new ones through increasingly terrifying ordeals with the Furies. We’ll find out more about where the Furies came from, and more about how the Ascension teens will choose to banish these beautiful persecutors.

Thank you Elizabeth for taking the time to answer these questions!

And for your listening pleasure, the Fury Series Playlist:

For more information on Elizabeth Miles and Fury

The Fury Series * Goodreads * Twitter *
Facebook * Elizabeth's Blog

Book Review: Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

2011-08-15T23:36:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 400
ISBN: 978-1-4424-3229-1
Series: I couldn't find any info but it seems as if it will be a series...
Source: ARC sent from the publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:
High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

Are about him.

My Review:
Straight up, Witchlanders wasn't my cup of tea. It took me so long to get into the story. I started it, than started another books - finished them - then went back to this one. I just couldn't get into it. Witchlanders started out dull to me, there wasn't enough to keep me interested. Ryder, the main character, worked in the hicca fields to support his family. Mabis was dependent on a drug like flower and everyone wanted more than what they had. And there was some background information on the Witchlanders and the Baen, but as I said, there wasn't enough.
Lena Coakley's writing wasn't terrible, I just couldn't get into it. Though after I finished about half the book, it started to look up! Ryder set out on an adventure and the story took shape. The characters grew, the plot thickened and I was captivated. But this didn't last till the end unfortunately. It was over within a few chapters.
I really did like Ryder though, he was a strong character and it was nice to see a female author write a male main character and do it easily and make it work. Ryder has to take on a lot of responsibilities and his stubborn and reluctant attitude flow well with the story.
The idea of witches, witch magic and throwing bones to see outcomings is original and I was definitely intrigued. But I just couldn't get into it. There were so many good moments throughout Witchlanders that had me on the edge of my seat, pushing me to read more, but not enough of those moments to make this debut novel a memorable read for me.

Gripped Into Books is having a massive giveaway!

2011-08-11T10:45:00.000-04:00

Gripped into Books has reached a pretty amazing milestone - 1000 followers! Congrats!And because of this, they have decided to hold this awesome contest with so many books to win! The button at the beginning of this post shows just a handful of the prizes. If you want to read/own :
The Iron KingSummer and the CityHereafterSupernaturallyWitherBloodlinesand many, many more,
than this is the contest for you! Go here have a look, but just don't enter, I wanna win this one! Good luck, and congrats over at Gripped into Books.

Spotted: Cover of Destined by P.C. and Kristin Cast

2011-08-10T10:52:00.001-04:00

Exciting news for those of us who are HoN fans! The US cover for book #9, Destined has been revealed!

What do you think? I've seen that some people thought this was Stark, and I was like NOOOO....this isn't Stark, it's Aurox - see the Bull shadow behind him?. (Thankfully, I mean, Stark is way cuter than this guy on the cover)

Whether you're a House of Night series fan or not, you'll probably agree that the covers for the books are so pretty.

Enjoy, and remember we only have to wait a little longer for Destined as it's due to be released October 25th.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

2011-07-31T23:03:00.000-04:00

Goodreads has the synopsis of A Million Suns by Beth Revis, and now I am even more excited about this book!

Enjoy...

When Elder learns harrowing news about the space ship Godspeed, he and Amy must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, all the while dealing with the romance that’s growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart. It all boils down to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

I mean, Really?! One mind-bending conclusion? - to get off the ship?! How awesome does that sound? I can already picture it...a fast -paced, high intensity, twisting and turning kind of book! January 2012 can not come any faster!

In My Mailbox (July 31, 2011)

2011-07-31T21:36:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

For Review:

The Time In Between By Maria Duenas / Goodreads Synopsis

Bought:

Vampire Academy (Vampire Acadeny #1) by Richelle Mead - I'm reading Bloodlines right now, and really enjoying it so I thought since these were bought at a second hand shop, I could do with them!

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead

The Vampire Diaries The Return Vol. 2 Shadow Souls by L.J Smith

Goodies Sent:

Solstice postcards, trading cards and a lovely card from P.J Hoover

Losing Faith postcards, stickers, bookmarks, etc from Denise Jaden

Thanks everyone who sent me these lovelies!

Spotted: The Cover of Fever

2011-07-30T22:06:00.000-04:00

Once again, I can say I'm a little behind in the reveal (sorry!) but nonetheless, I needed to show you guys this:

The gorgeous cover for Fever (The Chemical Garden Book #2) has been revealed! I don't know about you guys, but I love this cover. I love that they stuck with the same theme for both books (they can match on my bookshelf! Yippee!)

I for one cannot wait to get my hands on Fever. I really enjoyed Wither, thought it was original and well written, and I'm so excited for 2012 when Lauren DeStefano lets us have Fever!

Book Review: Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

2011-07-26T10:28:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: June 22, 2010 (First published April 21, 2009)
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 352 -- Paperback edition
ISBN: 978-1-4231-0877-1
Series: Bad Girls Don't Die #1
Source: Bought

Goodreads Synopsis:
When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.
Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

My Review:
Bad Girls Don't Die has this totally creepy cover, I love it! From the first time I saw it, I was intruiged then I was send the second (From Bad to Cursed) novel in the series and knew I need to read BGDD.
I think I had high expectation for this book. I wanted it to be creepy and super scary. I mean, antique dolls? - I was expecting doll heads twisting around, dolls walking and talking but I didn't get any of that. I didn't even get the creepy feeling I look forward to when reading these books. It could be that I read most of this book while laying at the beach, not the ideal place to read this type of book - I know. But even the occasional nights I did read some, I wasn't freaked out or all that convinced that I was reading a "scary" book.
I do love the idea of a girl who collects dolls, then gets possesed by one - it's neat and has potential to be great but unfortunately it wasn't executed well in Bad Girls Don't Die, in my opinion. I think the first few chapters were the best, but then the author seemed like she wanted to add a love interest to the story then almost forgot to take it anywhere, but the thought kept popping into the story. I found it a little all over the place to be honest. The writing was alright, I didn't have enough to paint the story or see the characters (or dolls) come to life in my head.
Overall, the foundation of Bad Girls Don't Die is there, but I think it needed to be built up a little more. I will be reading From Bad to Cursed to see where Katie Alender takes us next though.

In My Mailbox (July 24, 2011)

2011-07-24T10:34:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

For Review:

Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier | Goodreads Synopsis

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer | Goodreads Synopsis

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead | Goodreads Synopsis

Thanks so much Penguin Canada for these! You guys spoil me some :)

Can't wait to read these 3! My daughter is really excited about Peter Nimble, I'm excited for the Bloodlines Blog Tour, and Wolfsbane is hopefully going to answer some questions from before (Though I'm so disappointed that Wolfsbane doesn't match my gorgeous Nightshade book)

What did you guys get this week? Leave links and I'll check it out!

Harry Potter Party

2011-07-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

Thanks to our local Chapters the other night my family and I were able to visit Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and have a quick game of Quddditch.

When we first ran through Platform 93/4, we went on a hunt for the Golden Snitch. Apparently we need to work on our Seeker skills as neither of us found the snitch.

Our next stop was Ollivanders. Our little Wizard here needed a new wand!

Wand making @ Ollivanders

Ollivanders Wand Shop

Located in Diagon Alley, as well as a shop in Hogsmeade
Owned by the Ollivanders and run by Mr. Ollivander who remembers each wand ever sold in his shop
Acknowledged as the best wandmakers in Britain, and highly noted around Europe

Next we went the Honeydukes, one of the most famous places in Hogsmeade!

Honeydukes

Sweet shop known for its chocolate and candy
This shop has a secret passage into Hogwarts, in which Harry Potter used after Fred and George gave him the Marauder's Map (to get into Hogsmeade)
Owners of Honeydukes is Ambrosius Flume and his wife
Home of some of the best Wizard sweets/chocolate including:

-Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans - the most popular candy in the Wizarding World

"You want to be careful with those. When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour - you know you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once."

—Ron Weasley to Harry Potter

-Chocolate Frogs - very popular, and have cards that portray famous wizards and witches on them

-Fizzing Whizzbess - Harry Potters favourite candy, though when he found out they might contain animal parts, he wrote in his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that he'd never again eat them

-Pumpkin Fizz - Fred and George brought this stuff back to celebrate Gryffindor's victory over Ranvenclaw

-Treacle Fudge - Hagrid loves to make this stuff!

Hedwig joined us

We thought we'd have some fun at Zonko's Joke Shop

Zonko's Joke Shop

A favourite place in Hogsmeade for Hogwarts students
Known to carry "jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred and George Weasely's wildest dreams"
Items sold include Dungbombs, Hiccough Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, Sugar Quills and Nose-Biting Teacups

We had to stop and make a potion in Potions class.

Potions Class

Known potions professors include Severus Snape and Horace Slughorn
Potions is required for all first to fifth year students at Hogwarts

To end the night, our little wizard sat down and read the Daily Prophet.

What a magical night we had!

In My Mailbox (July 17, 2011)

2011-07-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

For Review:

Mind Gap by Marina Cohen | Goodreads Synopsis

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez | Goodreads Synopsis

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts | Goodreads Synopsis

Thanks Marina Cohen (who is one of the nicest authors! I worked with her for my Great Canadian Blog Bash, and we've chatted here and there, and she is so super nice!) and thanks as always to the greatest people ever over at Simon & Schuster!

Feel free to stop by, I know I haven't been the best blogger lately because of summer vacation, but I'm working on it - and I got some fantastic books last week you should check out in my last IMM post.

Harry Potter - Funny!

2011-07-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I just finished watching these, and they are so funny!
Enjoy!

I love Hufflepuff, don't get me wrong! This was the house my daughter was sorted in when we went to the Harry Potter Exhibition, but this video is pretty darn funny!

In My Mailbox (July 10, 2011)

2011-07-10T22:51:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

So, I missed last week but I'm here this week with some pretty awesome books!!

Bought:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling - I was able to get myself a First American Edition of this lovely book to add to our colloection

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling - once again, a First American Edition!

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry - bought this since I got an ARC of Dust & Decay

Lego Harry Potter: Building The Magical World - couldn't resit this (since we got it for super cheap!!)

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella - thanks to library book sales!

Empire Magazine - Harry Potter Speical - thanks to the family for this one :)

Won:

Clarity by Kim Harrington - Thanks Terry over at TerryLynnJohnson

For Review:

ARC of The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler | Goodreads Synopsis

ARC of Triangles by Ellen Hopkins | Goodreads Synopsis

Thanks so much McClellandBooks and Simon & Schuster (you know how much I love you guys at S&S!)

What did you guys get? Leave a comment with a link and I'll check it out.

From Ash to Nash

2011-07-08T23:43:00.000-04:00

I've recently had the chance to read The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, and let me tell you that I loved it! (You can check out my review here) As soon as I read it and posted my review, I wanted to find out more about Victoria - not in the stalker kind of way - just some friendly knowledge is what I wanted. And I came across this Ash to Nash Tour that she's participating in.

3 Authors

8 Cities

From Ashville

To Nashville

Now I live in Canada, and unfortunately will not be able to attend to any spots on this tour, but I wanted to do my part and get the word out! Not only is Victoria Schwab on this tour, but Beth Revis, author of Across The Universe and Myra McEntire, author of Hourglass will be part, too!
Wow! I've read Beth's AtU (review here), and I absolutely loved this book too. Though I haven't had to chance to read Hourglass, it's on my list to read soon! Such a great team of authors.

You can go to the website that has all of the information you need, and even enter to win some pretty amazing stuff! Anyone who is lucky enough to meet them, I'm jealous and have fun!

Cover Reveal!

2011-07-07T14:53:00.001-04:00

I know that these photos have been circulating the net for some time now, but with Summer Vaction starting and such, I haven't had much blogging time. So I'm sneaking a in post quickly now (between watching the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows World Premiere and housework)!

Three books that I'm really looking forward to reading! And look at the covers - they are pretty gorgeous aren't they?

Book Review - The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2011-07-07T09:52:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: August 2, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1-4231-3787-0
Series: None
Source: ARC from publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

My Review:
The Near Witch, by debut author Victoria Schwab was a fantastic read! There is not one negative thing I can say about it, other than - it ended. Seriously, if the only thing that bothered me about The Near Witch was that the author had to stop writing the book at some point, than that's saying something I think!
This book is about a town called Near, it's a small town, houses surrounding the main part of the town, the moor around the houses and everyone knows each other. Near is a peaceful town until a stranger is spotted in town one day, then unfortunate events begin to happen the next day - children start to disappear. The whole idea of the novel is original, unique and frightening. I may be chicken, but I get scared when children are involved whether it's a book, TV or movie - if kids and witches/paranormal events etc are together, then I'm bound to be a chicken. The Near Witch was no exception.
Schwab creates characters that will become so familiar to you. You will get to know these characters such as Lexi, Cole, the Sisters, Otto, Tyler and Wren and you'll get attached to them in one way or another. Whether it is to feel bad for them, to want to help them or maybe even smack some sense into them - you're attached. Lexi, the main character is a strong young women, who, like her deceased father is a tracker. She is able to pick up clues in nature to find her way around and to feel more connected to her surroundings. She feels she has to be a protector of her family (her mother and her younger sister) as she takes on the role of her father. Cole is a mysterious character who forms a relationship with Lexi that is just so special. And the Sisters, Magda and Dreska play a huge role in The Near Witch and were two of my favourite characters. They have an eerie way to them, and add to the whole creepy feeling of the novel.
The setting in The Near Witch becomes very clear with Victoria Schwab painting it. Down to the ripples in the fields to the wind whispering secrets, you're there and all of your senses will be awake. Victoria Schwab has a writing style unlike any other. The whole novel reads like poetry and you will get lost in her writing and story telling.
The Near Witch was one of the best 2011 books I've had the chance to read and review.And mark my word, this will become a classic. We'll be reading The Near Witch for years to come. I highly recommend this book and I'm eager for more to come from Victoria Schwab!

The Great Canadian Blog Bash Winner

2011-07-03T09:47:00.001-04:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Canada Day Long Weekend!
We sure did!

Happy belated Canada Day!

Thank you to the lovely hosts of The Great Canadian Blog Bash, and thank you to everyone for stopping by my blog! And now the winner of this awesome prize pack is:

Jeanette

I will be emailing you right after I post this for your mailing address. Please get back to me by July 5th, or I will pick another winner.

*Winner was chosen by random.org

Some of your favourite Canadian authors are:

Kelley Armstrong

Sue White

Timothy Findley

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Robert Munsch

Catherine McKenzie

Farley Mowatt

Margaret Atwood

Chevy Stevens

Guy Gavriel Kay

Charles De Lint

Congrats to the Winner!

Book Review - Fury by Elizabeth Miles

2011-06-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 330
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2224-7
Series: Fury
Source: ARC from Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Synopsis:
Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.
Em and Chase have been chosen.

My Review:
As it seems I start off a lot of my book reviews talking about the cover of the book, it's only fitting that we start there for Fury too! The cover is beautiful! I may be a little biased (red hair myself) but who wouldn't love the cover with a girl with amazing flowing, long red hair?!
The main idea of Fury is that two people, Chase and Emily (Em), living their own different lives in the same town are chosen by 3 Furies to pay the price of something they have done. We meet Chase and Em along with some other important characters, such as Gabby, Zach, Ty, Drea and my personal favourite, JD. For the most part they are your typical teenage characters - popular, the jocks, trying to fit in, etc. Right away, Chase and Em are not likable characters, but I think that's the point. They have done something horrid, and need to pay, so Miles doesn't make us like them right away. But I really do love what she did with JD's character. He's the friend who is sometimes embarrassing to be seen with (wacky hair, strange clothes) but you love to spend time with, and he's alright with that. To me, JD had the most lasting impression, and every time he appeared I couldn't help but smile!
I was expecting a little more mythology and paranormal aspects to Fury, it seemed to be lacking that in the long run of things. But overall the story is pretty original and well written though it took about 100 pages or so for me to get into it. But after that, I was really in! Lauren Kate wrote "Achingly gorgeous. Fury seduced me." (quote taken from cover of ARC of Fury) I completely understand and agree with that statement! Fury called to me all hours of the day and night and I needed to read it.
Though it is a bit slower starting out, Fury is an eerie and haunting read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series because I still have so many questions I need an answer to.

Not book related - but almost as good a topic...

2011-06-25T09:36:00.003-04:00

SHOES!!

And not just any pair of shoes - TOMS shoes! Not only are TOMS super cute to look at, but they have a One for One movement. It's easy, simple and will help improve the lives of children. For each pair of TOMS shoes bought, one pair will be dontated to a child in need!

-One for One-

And just think of how cute you could look sporting these super cute wedges while reading? I'd definitely pick these, they are dressy but casual and would look great in the Summer!

For more information you can go to the Canadian TOMS website. If you're Canadian and would like a chance to win a pair, you can go here MommyMatter to participate in The Great Canadian Blog Bash!! Good Luck !

Book Review - Wildefire by Karsten Knight

2011-06-25T00:20:00.001-04:00

Publish Date: July 26, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 393
ISBN: 9781442421172
Series: Wildefire
Source: ARC from Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

My Review:
I had no idea what this book was about or anything else until it ended up in my mailbox and then I looked around online. I was amazed at how many readers were (and still are) anxiously awaiting Wildefire. First off, the cover is gorgeous, the Lilly and the purple and the smoke are so eye-catching!
While reading Wildefire, my first thought was that the author is trying too hard. There were words in the sentences that just didn't need to be so big and long. I mean sure, we don't need to use simple words for everything, but I found his wording to be excessive sometimes. Like 2 or 3 words in one sentence that aren't familiar so sounding them out and making sure I had the right meaning would actually make me lose the whole importance to of the sentence. Other than this one set back, the novel was phenomenal!
I've yet to read a book about Polynesian gods and goddesses and I found it very interesting. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the second book in Karsten Knight's series and getting some more useful facts and info on the gods and goddesses. Also, with the next book, I'm hoping to get a little more character development with Ade and the others. Knight did have some development here, but in order to connect some more and really know the characters personally, I need more in the next book. (I know there was the part about the types of gods/goddesses they are, and believe me, that part was excellent and I really enjoyed it, but something is missing)
Ash and Eve are great characters though. We learn a bit about them and why Eve is the way she is, and why she does the things she does. I absolutely love Ash and her sarcastic tongue. She was entertaining and I'm glad Knight kept that up throughout the whole novel. We learn a little something about Colt that will make for an interesting plot in upcoming novels, and the cliffhanger at the end of the book had me turning back pages to make sure I had it right.
I read this books quickly and now I'm ready for the next one by Karsten Knight. I think we're in for some good and promising novels and I, for one cannot wait!
Pick up Wildefire when you can, it's a thrilling read and will keep you up until the wee hours of the night!

The Great Canadian Blog Bash - Giveaway

2011-06-24T00:03:00.001-04:00

I`m excited to be participating in The Great 2011 Canadian Blog Bash hosted by:

Nancy at Whispered Inspirations, Patty at Pampered Patty, Kat at Kat`s Confessions, Steph at Good Girl Gone Green, and Jennifer at Mom vs the Boys.

This blog hop is place for Canadian Bloggers to get together to showcase our amazing Country and the people who make it what it is. Each blog participating will be a giveaway sponsored by Canadians - wether it be themselves, or a Canadian company and it`s open to Canadians only.

What am I giving away? Well seeing as my blog is a book blog, I thought why not some books and swag from some of our great Canadian authors!

Here's what's up for grabs:

(clicking on book picture will take you to Goodreads for description)

Signed, hardcover copy of Kelley Armstrongs Living With the Dead (Women of the Otherworld #9)
*Note: this is an adult book*

Copy of Up Up Up Stories by Julie Booker

Copy of Mind Gap by Marina Cohen
*Note: this is a YA (Young Adult) book*

And some signed bookmarks and postcards from Denise Jaden author of Losing Faith

Deatils:

One winner gets it all!

Must be a GFC follower
Canadian Only
Giveaway open June 24 2011 - July 1st 2011 (winner will be chosen by Random.org, announced on my blog, and emailed and have until July 5th to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen)

Fill out this form to enter!

I do love comments, but they will not count as an entry.

For more giveaways on this hop, go here.

*Disclaimer - Prizes we donated to me by authors and will be sent by them (except the Swag from Denise Jaden which will be sent by me) Due to the Canadian Postal strike I cannot guarantee a delivery date. I am not responsible for packages not being delivered and/or recieved*

In My Mailbox (June 19, 2011)

2011-06-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Fun, and easy week this week!

Bought:
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
Heist Society by Ally Carter
(Last week I got the second book of both these series, so I was able to grab the first book at Chapters to read first!)

Won:
Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens - Signed and personalized copy! Yippee!!

What's in your mailbox this week?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

2011-06-16T23:03:00.000-04:00

Because we can't get too much Harry Potter in one day...

This is amazing. I've watched it over and over and it gets better each time! I'm so excited for this movie.

Book Review - Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

2011-06-16T13:19:00.001-04:00

Publish Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 377
ISBN: 978-1-41699-609-5
Series: None
Source: Won from author

Goodreads Synopsis:
A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

My Review:

I don't generally read a lot of YA Contemporary. I usually read YA with magic, vampires, wolves, angels, etc. But once in a while I like to keep it real. Normally that's when I'd pull out a Jodi Picoult or Nicholas Sparks novel to read but this time because I've had my eye on this one for some time, I read this!

Denise Jaden tackles a very tough issue - religion. I think this is one of the hardest types of books to get into and really enjoy because of all of the different views on religion. Sometimes authors come across as preachy, and I can't stand this. Thankfully Jaden writes about religion respectfully and not once does it come across as preaching things to us. Religion was merely there as part of the story- not to be drilled into our heads.

The characters in Losing Faith are simple but not dull. Brie seems just like any other girl her age trying to fit in, have friends and then find out answers about her sisters death. Tessa is your goth/bad-ass chick, but when you get to really know her, you realize there's much more to her than her appearance. Alis is your cute guy who comes into the picture and steals the heart of some. What I loved about this YA contempt book was that Denise Jaden didn't overdo Alis' good looks/rock solid arms/chiseled chin/ whatever else could describe a good looking male lead character (as some YA books do -- nothing wrong with this -- but we can't always have unrealistically good looking males!) Jaden made it clear that while yes, Alis is a good looking guy, he isn't being drooled over by every single girl character in the book. So this is what I mean by simple but not dull.

It's refreshing to read a book with real life situations, and Losing Faith is full of real life. It's emotional and well written with a plot that moved along nicely. It's worth the read!

Mysterious Harry Potter news...

2011-06-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

Apparently, I'm a little behind, but today on Twitter I saw this:

"Harry Potter fans flock to JKRowling's mysterious new site, Pottermore http://gu.com/p/3vvet/tf #bookculture"

(note: that link takes you to the Guardian news site, NOT the Harry Potter site)

Clicking on the picture below will take you to the Pottermore site

What?! Pottermore...so that means more Potter! How exciting is that? What could this all mean?
Check out this countdown here on YouTube and start guessing!

There's talk that it could be a new book, (though a spokesperson and confirmed that it is NOT a new book) an encyclopedia, among other ideas!
What do think it could be? Are you as excited as I am (and I know my daughter will be when she's home from school and sees this good news!)

We'll all have to wait and see what this exciting and mysterious news is!

Book Review - Unbelievable by Sara Shepard

2011-06-14T13:52:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: December 1st, 2008
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-06088-741-4
Series: Pretty Little Liars (#4)
Source: Bought

Goodreads Synopsis:
Four pretty little liars' charmed lives have turned into living nightmares.
Emily's been shipped off to Iowa to live with her überconservative cousins. Aria's boyfriend is behind bars—because of her. Spencer's afraid she was involved in Ali's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse: She's clinging to life in the hospital because she knew too much.
If these girls don't start listening to me, Hanna's going to look like the lucky one.

My Review:
As with the other 3 PLL books, this one was great. The writing was consistant, the characters were true to themselves. In this book we find out so much but we're still left with a huge cliff-hanger at the end. I was really looking forward to reading this after the end of Perfect, to continue the story and see what happened! And boy oh boy did we learn some great things!! There was so much revealed in Unbelievable and it was truly exciting!
Though I really enjoy reading these books, I've stopped reading them as of now, only because I'm not sure there was a need to continue the series. I feel like it could have been wrapped up in Unbelievable and left here for us to love. So I just don't feel like reading anymore of these right now. That's not to say that I'll never pick up the other books to read, but I have so many (new and different) promising books to read, that I'm just sticking with those.

In My Mailbox (June 13, 2011)

2011-06-13T22:59:00.001-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

A fun mailbox this week!

For Review:

Eden (The Keeper Chronicles) by Michelle Haley | Goodreads Synopsis Signed and personalized copy!!

From Bad To Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die #2) by Katie Alender | Goodreads Synopsis

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab | Goodreads Synopsis

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter | Goodreads Synopsis

Waterbottle and playing cards for the Disney Hyperion Teen unRequired Reading

Won:

Passion by Lauren Kate - Thanks to my online book club for this one!

Thanks Simon & Schuster and Disney/Hyperion Teen for the books and swag this week!

Because I love Harry Potter so much.

2011-06-07T21:28:00.000-04:00

Nothing like a good trip down memory lane, with a few new moments here and there!

Exciting!!

In My Mailbox (June 5, 2011)

2011-06-04T23:04:00.001-04:00

Look at this stack of books!!!

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Ok, so last week I didn't get any books in my mailbox (or the week before last either!) But I definitely made up for it this week!

Bought:

Dreaming Anistasia by Joy Preble - A few weeks ago I won a signed and personalized copy of Haunted (Dreaming Anistasia #2), so while The Book Depository was having their extra 10% off, I decided I'd use it to get the first book in the series.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks - I love this book!

The Spiderwick Chronicles Book #1

For Review:

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley | Goodreads Synopsis

Dust & Decay (Benny Imura #2) by Jonathan Maberry | Goodreads Synopsis

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin | Goodreads Synopsis

Fury (Fury #1) by Elizabeth Miles | Goodreads Synopsis

A HUGE thanks again to the lovely people at Simon & Schuster! You guys make my day when I get mail from you! (I was expecially happy when I got The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer!!) Thanks again!

What did you guys get in your mailbox? Leave a comment with a link to your post, and I'll make sure to check it out!

Harry Potter...In ONE Word

2011-05-27T16:22:00.001-04:00

I found this video today, and I just needed to share it with everyone.

Book Review: Across The Universe by Beth Revis

2011-05-27T11:54:00.001-04:00

Publish Date: January 11, 2011
Rublisher: Razorbill
Pages: 398
ISBN: 978-1-59514-397-6
Series: Across The Universe # 1
Source: ARC won from other book blogger

Goodreads Synopsis:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

My Review:
I loved Across The Universe! And I mean loved it! When it first became available in ARC's, I tried so hard to get my hands on one, I don't generally read many books like this one, but ATU really caught my eye. I even did this post, and was part of a secret launch mission for Godspeed, the ship in ATU. It was lots of fun working on this post, and having it post on 11/1/11 at 11:11am. Eventually, after hearing such great reviews of this book, I won myself an ARC. My TBR pile was so backed up, that it sat around for a while until you guys picked it for me to read next. And I am SO glad that this one was picked!
Beth Revis has some ideas of the future that seem so obscure at first, but by the end of the book they just don't seem that way anymore. Revis had me convinced that things could happen that I couldn't even imagine. The idea of freezing humans for 300 years and sending them across the Universe on a ship makes for a great story, and add to that the fact that Beth Revis is a great storyteller - and together we have this amazing novel!
The detail put into the writing is just right. Revis says just enough paint a clear picture in our head and doesn't go on for 2 pages about the colour of the flowers or the dullness of the ships grey metal walls. She knows when to stop writing and move on.
I thought Elder was a phenomenal character. On a ship where the people are like drones, Elder's personality really shines. He has a genuine quality to him, and when he meets Amy for the first time, you'll feel a flicker of hope for him. Another of my favourite characters is Harley. I thought that Elder was sincere and sweet, but Harley took those qualities to the max. He seems like a great friend and even though he was put in the mental ward with the "crazies", you'll wonder if he is actually crazy. Then we have Amy, the young girl who was 'unfrozen' 50 years too soon. 50 years!!! That's almost half a lifetime! I felt so bad for Amy - waking up on a ship that has such advanced technology and being labeled a freak, and then to be around when "The Season" starts, I could not imgaine that at all (if you've read the book, you know what I mean by "The Seaon", if you haven't read it, you'll know exactly what I mean when you read it!)
While reading Across The Universe, I really liked the futristic ways and things Beth Revis has written about, the book really had me thinking for days after, and I talked about this book to anyone who would listen! I definitely recommend this book, it's different, orginal, and Revis has made it her own! I cannot wait to read the next book in this awesome series!
Go read it, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Wither + Fever ARC Giveaway

2011-05-24T15:19:00.000-04:00

Back a while ago, I got an ARC of Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I read it, and thought it was a great book. But I needed more!! I was ready to know what happens next - lo and behold, we have our chance now! Over on Laurens blog, she's holding a giveaway for a signed and personalized ARC of Wither, and and an ARC of Fever. Fever is the upcoming, highly anticpated sequel to Wither.

*I took this picture from Lauren's blog, on her post about the contest - this is NOT my picture*

Check it out! Here's the link to Lauren's Blog and your chance to enter. Good luck everyone.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2011-05-23T23:36:00.000-04:00

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer hits stores everywhere 9.27.11. Pre-order your copy here. Download the widget here. Enter to win an Advanced Reader’s Copy here.

ARC as an Afterthought

2011-05-23T23:19:00.000-04:00

While dusting my bookshelf the other day, I was thinking...we all love getting those shiny new ARC's before the actual release day, we love reading them, and spreading the word about these new, upcoming books, but what do you do with the ARC's once you've read them? Do you keep them at the back of your shelves? Do you give them away for others to read? What about once you've read them, do you buy the finished copy of any of the ARC's? Since I've read ARC's and haven't moved onto the finished copy of the book, I don't know whether the books change much from one to the other. That's what I'm curious about - is it worth getting the finished copy if you have the ARC?

Let me know your opinions!

*Note - I really do NOT like dusting my book shelves! This chore takes way too long!

And obviously, since most ARC's say right on / in it - I would never think of selling an ARC.

Book Review - Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

2011-05-19T11:20:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: October 19, 2010
Publisher: Philomel
Pages: 452
ISNB: 9780399254826
Series: Nightshade
Source: Bought

Goodreads Synopsis:
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers.
But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

My Review:
First off, the cover of this book is gorgeous. I've heard a lot of good reviews of Nightshade, so when I found it at a second hand book shop for less than half the price, I picked it up. And what a shame to throw this beautiful book to the bottom of my TBR pile, so I started it right away. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I didn't think this book was that great. Let me explain...it took me a long time to actually get into Nightshade. For the first while I found that there wasn't any explanation to the story (or as much as I would have liked/needed) And to be honest, I'm still not sure I know the reason behind why the wolves and humans go to school together any why the humans are terrified of the wolves. Maybe we'll find some answers in Wolfsbane, but I would have liked some answers now.
Though I will say this - Nightshade has an addictive quality about it that made me want to continue. As the novel progressed, so did my liking of it. So by the end, around chapter 30, things were looking really good! The writing is well done, except that I couldn't exactly picture everything in my head the way I like to. I would have one image in my head, of either the characters, the setting or whatever, then the next paragraph / chapter would change that image for me.
I really liked the characters though.. Calla, Ren and Shay are memorable characters. I now completely understand the whole Team Ren or Team Shay debate, and I'd have to say that I'm Team Ren. The characters are your typical teenage characters and Cremer did a good job with them. Ren and Shay are both fighting for Calla's attention, and they do it in a way that is so believable and real. I'm eager to read more about these two guys, that's for sure.
I'm a little torn over this book, and because of that I've had a hard time writing this review. On one hand we have a gorgeous looking book, with fun, memorable and gorgeous looking characters and a very addictive quality to it. Then we have on the other hand a story line that seems to have a few flaws and that I can't paint in my head. Maybe I was just expecting more from Nightshade, I don't really know. Should you read it? Absolutely! If you love paranormal books with a good love triangle, if you love books about Werewolves, if you're looking for something new, then you may just love Nightshade.
I'm just looking forward to reading Wolfsbane, because with the cliffhanger we were left with at the end of Nightshade, I think we're in for quite the book!

In My Mailbox (May 15, 2011)

2011-05-15T10:48:00.000-04:00

In my mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Yeah, I'm going to say it - I got so spoiled this week! TWO signed and personalized books :)! Yippee.

Bought:

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - I love, love, love this gorgeous cover. I've read this already, and I'm just working on my review, so stay tuned!

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith - I had told myself not to buy any books this week, and I did pretty good (bought only Nightshade as a Mother's Day present to myself) and I wasn't going to get this one, but when I read this sentence -"The Marbury Lens crawls inside your head and wont leave. Scary, creepy, awful and awesome" - Micheal Grant author of Gone and Hunger - at the top of the book, I knew I had to get it, plus it was on the bargain shelf of the bookstore.

Free:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore - found this one for free, and I've seen a few decent reviews about it, so why not!?

Won:

Haunted by Joy Preble (signed!) - I won this from a twitter contest! And the cover is even prettier up close.

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (signed!) - This was from the "Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Blog Hop". I was so excited to win this book - I've been meaning to read it for ages now, as it's part of the Contemps Challenge. Very happy about this!

We also had an exciting day yesterday - I heard that there was a "Meet Geronimo Stilton" event happening about a half hour away from us, so we went! Daughter got to meet him, which was fun (though she was a little nervous!) and we picked up a few books, and Geronimo himself signed one for her!

All in all, it was a great week for bookish fun!

What did you guys get this week in your mailbox?

And the winner of what I should read next is....

2011-05-14T00:07:00.000-04:00

So I had a poll going on for a bit as to what book I should read next. We finally have a winner, and blogger is finally co-operating with me - so I'm here to share with you the winner!

In third place - Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
In second place - Divergent by Veronica Roth

and the winner of "What should I read next..."

My ARC of Across The Universe by Beth Revis!!

I'm very excited to read this! I also was part of a secret Launch Misson of the Godspeed back when the book came out. I did this post and it was so much fun watching the videos before anyone else, and getting a look into Beth herself, and the ship Godspeed. (I was a little disappointed, because in return for doing this secret launch, I was supposed to get some cool piece of ATU swag from the publishers - which I never got!)

Stay tuned for a review of Nightshade and PLL#4! Have a great weekend!

Book Review - Choker by Elizabeth Woods

2011-05-09T09:26:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: January 4th, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 233
ISBN: 978-1-4424-1233-0
Series: None
Source: Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.
Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.
But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

My Review:
In this debut novel, we get a good look into highschool bullying, what it's like to be a loner and get teased and picked on. Cara, a young girl in high school is the one who is teased and bullied and when her best friend Zoe shows up in her room one day after years apart, things start looking up. Though after some deaths and disappearances, Cara starts to question whether her friend coming back was such a good idea.
Woods is a able to paint a clear picture from the very first sentence, to the last. I could see the whole story play out like a movie. The characters are well thought of. And it's easy to feel bad and to relate to Cara in Choker. For me, I hated high school, and I was a loner. I hated the drama, and the whole time felt like one big popularity contest. The kids walked around thinking they were better than everyone else. Thankfully I didn't get the bullying, and teasing, but I did see it happen, and Woods portrays it perfectly in her novel.
Elizabeth Woods debut thriller is a great book, I read it in 2 sittings and couldn't put it down. She knows how to draw you in, and she'll take you on twists and turns. I highly recommend this book and I'm definitely anticipating any upcoming novels from Woods.

In My Mailbox (May 8th, 2011)

2011-05-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there! I hope you're having a Fantastic day!

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Won:

Divergent by Veronica Roth - my mom actually won this for me, she knew that I wanted it, and won it on a Twitter Triva game! Thanks Mom :)

For Review:

Wildefire by Karsten Knight | Goodreads Synopsis

Untold Story by Monica Ali | Goodreads Synopsis

Borrowed (From Library):

The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias and Particularities by Racheline Maltese - we've had fun with this one, that's for sure!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster, Wanda from YMCBookalicious and my mom! You guys are great!

And while you're here, stop by HERE to pick which book I should read next.

Help me pick a book....

2011-05-06T09:03:00.000-04:00

Alright, so I need a bit of help picking what to read next. I have so many great books that I need to read, and I should get on to that real soon, but I can't narrow it down it just one. So this is where you come in...I have a few ARC's and review copies that I'll still read, but I want something else to read too.

So take your pick, and if you want, you can comment as to why I should read that one.
Thanks guys - I'll leave the poll open for a few days while I'm wokring on some reviews and posts.

Cheers!

In My Mailbox (Sunday May 1st, 2011)

2011-05-01T11:03:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Sorry readers that I haven't been posting lately, and I missed last weeks IMM, but I've had this nasty cold and just haven't felt like doing much!

So here we are, this weeks In My Mailbox!

Bought:

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffengger - Thanks to my library for their awesome book sales!

Won:

Un Amico Italiano: Eat, Pray, Love in Rome by Luca Spaghetti - Thanks Penguin for having the contest for this one!

The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S Lee - this one is from a book club I'm in, Thanks Guys!

Review:
The Secret of a Spicy Jalapeno by Charlie Courtland | Goodreads Synopsis

Thanks everyone for a fun week! And I have a ton of good books to read, I may have to get you guys to help me pick! Leave a link to your IMM and I'll go have a look.

Thanks for stopping by -

So here it is, what we've all been waiting for....

2011-04-27T23:02:00.000-04:00

I was so excited when I heard that the world premier for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 movie trailer would be tonight. How exciting!! Little did I know that when I watched it (at least a 881 times!!) that it would make me want to cry. It's almost over...the amazing world known as Harry Potter is just about finished. Anywho, enough with the ramblings, just watch this:

There you have it (and I bet you watched it more than once), the final movie of the EPIC series known as Harry Potter. As sad as it is, I have NEVER seen a Harry Potter movie in theatres. I didn't even see Part 1 (because my daughter wanted to see it, and I heard that it was too 'dark' for her, and blah blah. So I didn't see it, and we have since bought the DVD, and daughter LOVES it. So we're going to see this one for sure. We have to see at least one in the theatres.
It's been a wonderful journey, and though it's officially ending, The Magical World of Harry Potter will never actually 'end'. We will continue to love and read and watch Harry Potter!

So so exciting!
(Now I'm off to look at more Harry Potter tattoos on the net... !!)

Book Review - City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

2011-04-19T11:39:00.001-04:00

Publish Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 424
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0354-3
Series: The Mortal Instruments
Source: Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Summary:
City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Review:
I was really looking forward to reading City of Fallen Angels, and when I got my own copy from Simon & Schuster in the mail, I was totally stoked.

I started reading it that night, and was right away engaged in Simon, Clary and Jace. I loved that the first part of CoFA was in Simon's point of view. I liked seeing how he was dealing with the whole vampire / daylighter thing. Next we moved onto Jace and Clary. I loved the way we started with them, the playful training, and flirting, and I was full of goosebumps and butterflies and I was happy for them. I was happy for me too, honestly! I was glad to be diving into the Shadowhunter realm, and I wanted to see Isabelle, and Alec again! I was ready for this!

Then something happened, Jace started avoiding Clary, and I had no idea why! A little while in we found out the reasoning behind this, but I still felt like I missed something. I went back and read a few chapters thinking that maybe in my excitement I missed a page (or 10) and missed a very clear and obvious reason behind Jace’s behaviour. I was wrong though – and the back and forth happenings between Jace and Clary just got a little frustrating.

Clary seems like a whole other character at some points. She doesn’t seem to be the strong willed, independent Shadowhunter (in-training) like the other books. And to be honest, we didn’t get into a lot of actual Shadowhunter fight scenes which was lackluster for me! I wanted the tension, and the fighting, and get a feel of Clary in her new life as a Shadowhunter. There was a pretty wicked scene at the end of the book, which kind of made up for the previous chapters, and Cassandra Clare left us with a HUGE cliffhanger and I swear throughout the last chapter of the book, I was holding my breath the whole time!

Cassandra Clare still has her ways with writing though, she still manages to make her scenes come to life in my eyes with the description she uses. Though at points there were comma’s used excessively (I don’t usually care about this, I use comma’s where I’m sure they aren’t supposed to be, it happens – but it seemed to really stand out to me this book) We’re introduced (or re-introduced) to a few characters from Clockwork Angel, and we meet a new character of whom I’m totally looking forward to seeing more of. The favourites were back of course, Alec, Magnus, Isabelle, Simon, Luke and Jocelyn. And it was great seeing the familiar names.

Overall, I enjoyed City of Fallen Angels because I enjoy the story, the characters, and Clare’s writing. Sure, Clary wasn’t her usual self, and at times the story felt rushed, but overall, it was enjoyable! I’d recommend this book to others who have read the series, and if you haven’t read the Mortal Instruments series, then you should – they are worth it!

Book Review - Perfect by Sara Shepard

2011-04-17T22:16:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: June 1st, 2008
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Pages: 298
ISBN: 978-0-06-088738-4
Series: Pretty Little Liars
Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary:
In a town where gossip thrives like the ivy that clings to its mansions, where mysteries lie behind manicured hedges and skeletons hide in every walk-in closet, four perfect-looking girls aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.
Three years ago, Spencer, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and their best friend Alison were the girls at Rosewood Day School. They clicked through the halls in their Miu Miu flats, tanned in their matching Pucci bikinis, and laughed behind their freshly manicured fingernails. They were the girls everyone loved but secretly hated—especially Alison.
So when Alison mysteriously vanished one night, Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna's grief was tinged with . . . relief. And when Alison's body was later discovered in her own backyard, the girls were forced to unearth some ugly memories of their old friend, too. Could there be more to Alison's death than anyone realizes?
Now someone named A, someone who seems to know everything, is pointing the finger at one of them for Ali's murder. As their secrets get darker and their scandals turn deadly, A is poised to ruin their perfect little lives forever.

My Review:
There's not much to say about this book that I haven't already said about the first 2. The suspense of Perfect is there and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Things in the novel started to become clearer and sometimes you'll get that "a-ha!" moment when you figure something out (or think you have).
The characters are all the same, they haven't changed one bit, and I like that about this book. Along with the characters being true for all 3 novels, the action, suspense, drama and excitment is true too. I'm glad that I have number 4 to jump right into because with the ending of Perfect, you will want and need to have Unbelievable in your hands to start right away.
I'm excited to be able to see what else A has planned and see what get's revealed in Pretty Little Liars #4 since I've heard that this is where the good (better), juicy stuff comes out!
If you haven't already, you should definitely grab these books to read. You wont be disappointed, and they are quick, easy reads for in between some of the other books that are on you pile to read!

Spring is in the air!

2011-04-14T11:42:00.001-04:00

Here in Ontario we've been having some pretty decent weather. The sun is shining, the grass is slowly turning green, and flowers are starting to bloom. All of this, along with the laundry hanging outside is fabulous. But what I don't like about Spring?

SPIDERS!

They are everywhere now, yes, including in my bathroom, where a big black one was narrowly staring me down last night. Eww, I hate spiders, and I refuse to kill them myself unless I have a shoe with me. I can't aim with a kleenex and get it the first time - they crawl around the kleenex making me scream even louder, and it's an all out disaster. Sure, some of you will hate that I kill them, but I cannot be kind to those eight legged nasty things.

"Why spiders? Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies"?" - Ron Weasley Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

I give Ron Weasley full credit for what he did in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Follow the spiders? Never would I do that, and Ron, who is deathly affraid of spiders too, followed the spiders. Aragog was a ginormous spider that not only did Ron have to stand and look at, but he then sent his "children" to chase after Ron and Harry. Gross.

Poor Ron even has dreams of spiders wanting to tap-dance with him later on in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!

Anyways, while I love Spring, I do not like the spiders that come with it! But I do love Harry Potter and Ron :)

And on that good note - Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is coming out on DVD tomorrow!

In My Mailbox (April 10, 2011)

2011-04-10T10:12:00.002-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Once again, I've missed a week - so sorry about that!

I've had an exciting 2 weeks that's for sure.

Bought:Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Poster Book

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secret's Poster Book

Harry Potter Hogwarts Through the Years Poster Book - these 3 books were bought a a used book store, my daughter found them, and we love them!

Won:

Get Laid or Die Trying by Jeff Allen

ARC Drought by Pam Bachorz

Review:

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare | Goodreads Synopsis

Up, Up, Up by Julie Booker | Amazon.ca Synopsis

The Taker by Alma Katsu | Goodreads Synopsis (I have the US edition cover, the one on goodreads.com is the UK edition)

I was so excited to get City of Fallen Angels, I was so eager to check the mail each day, and I tweeted about it, and I talked about it. I think I drove everyone nuts - "Has the mail came yet?" "Where's the mail?" "Is that my book?!" but when it finally came (I had to wait for my daughter to come home from school, because she loves to open these packages for me!) she tore it open, and there were City of Fallen Angels buttons with the book! How freaking fun! Then, the next day - ding dong, dogs barking - the mailman came again, but this time with a CoFA POSTER! Yippee! Thank you, thank you Simon & Schuster - you guys rock!

So thanks as always to Simon & Schuster (again)! You guys are awesome. Thanks as well to Nikki Katz, and YMCbookalicious bookclub!

Book Review - The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

2011-04-04T21:47:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: April 5th, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-385-66851-4
Series: Darkness Rising #1, Darkest Powers #4
Source: ARC won online

Summary:
Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

My Review:
Honestly, this book was great! I read this book quick and it had me wanting more. I'd sit down for a coffee and find myself an hour later (done my coffee) but still reading. Kelley Armstrong's books do this to me though, when I read the Darkest Powers (The Summoning, The Awakening, The Reckoning), it was the same thing. What I loved about The Gathering was that I was hooked right away, on the first page. There is no slowly introducing characters, plots etc before anything happens, you get a major event playing out in the first chapter and then BAM! you're hooked and there's no turning back!
We have what seems to be the typical characters in books like this - girl, girl's friend, new boy in town - but Kelley Armstrong still makes these characters original and her own. Maya, the girl who loves animals, and lost her best friend has a relationship with her parents where she can talk about her sexuality and about her dog being the only "protection" her and a guy will need for going on a walk in the forest. She's a teenager who lives in this small town in Vancouver, and loves to wander the forest. The new guy, Rafe, is the mysterious one who lives in an old abandoned cabin with his sister and people just aren't sure about him. He's got a secret and of course he's totally cute and only interested in Maya and her paw print birthmark. Then we have Daniel, Maya's best friend. He's a genuine guy who looks out for Maya and keeps her out of trouble. He's my favourite character in the book and I'm really looking forward to knowing more about him.
Overall, The Gathering is an exciting read and the fact that it's set in Canada AND Kelley herself is Canadian (lives in Ontario, as do I!) is awesome. I love reading books with beautiful Canada as the backdrop and it's also so great and important to support talented local authors!

Just a reminder - CoFA TOMORROW!

2011-04-04T21:29:00.000-04:00

For any of you who live under a rock, you shouldn't because you may miss something as exciting as tomorrow!

City of Fallen Angels will be released April 5th, 2011. That's right, tomorrow! Woo Hoo!

So exciting! Happy Reading :)

Do You iClue?

2011-04-01T10:35:00.000-04:00

I came across this totally awesome contest, and I thought I would share it with you!

Pretty awesome, huh?

You can go here to read some more about it, get details and enter yourself. This sounds like a fun game, a clue to answer each day for 6 days - answer each and get 6 entries to win the iTouch, and there's other ways to get entries too.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Book Review - Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

2011-03-28T21:06:00.000-04:00

Publish Date: March 1st, 2011
Publisher: Atria
Pages: 466
ISBN: 978-1-4391-0272-5
Series: None
Source: Simon & Schuster

Summary:
One miscarriage too many spelled the end of Max and Zoe Baxter's marriage. Though the former couple went quite separate ways, their fates remained entangled: After veering into alcoholism, Max is saved in multiple senses by his fundamentalist conversion; Zoe, for her part, finds healing relief in music therapy and the friendship, then romantic love with Vanessa, her counselor. After Zoe and Vanessa, now married, decide to have a baby, they realize that they must join battle with Max, who objects on both religious and financial grounds. Like her House Rules and several other previous Jodi Picoult novels, Sing You Home grapples with hot button issues.

My Review:
I love Jodi Picoult, I'd have to say that she is my favourite author. I've been reading her books since I was in highschool and I did a project on The Pact (my favourite of hers). And I just devour her books!
Sing You Home took a little more time for me to get into, maybe just because my daughter was having surgery, then March Break and work, but when I could sit down and read it, it was worth it. I did find the story to move faster than Picoult's other books - almost like she just wanted to get to the end of the book, and get her point made, but that was just a little downfall, that didn't ruin the book at all.
Zoe is such a strong character. And I mean this in more ways than one. Not only is she written stong by Picoult, she is an emotionally strong character. For all that she goes through, she stays as tough as she can, and that's amazing. We meet a young girl named Lucy and I would have loved to have seen more from her. She was such a great addition to Sing You Home, and I was eager for scenes with her in it.
It is so obvious that Jodi Picoult researches everything she puts (and doesn't put) into her novels. She doesn't miss a beat throughout Sing You Home. She shows her knowledge in music, music therapy, infertility, IVF, embryos, and of course - law. I live for Picoult's court scenes: the bantering, the pleas, the arguments, and the raw emotion, they all play in my head like a movie and this book was no exception.
Sing You Home is a must read! It will get you talking (I mean, I could go on about gay rights, frozen embryos, religion and many more issues that are brought up in the book, but this is a review. I'll save my opinions on these issues for my bookclub discussions).
Jodi Picoult deals with tough issues, and throughout her books she makes clear arugments from all points of her characters, and this I don't imagine is easy. Once again, Jodi Picoult has proven herself to be a masterful writer.

In My Mailbox (March 27, 2011)

2011-03-27T21:50:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

I missed last week - sorry!

My family and I have been enjoying cool mornings and sunny afternoons walking through our town, and neighbouring town finding little bookstores that we've been browsing through. We've found some great little stores that we'll be visiting again for sure.

Bought:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling - This is a First American Edition to add to our collection!

The Vampire Diaries The Fury and Dark Reunion by L.J Smith

The Vampire Diaries The Return: Nightfall by L.J Smith - both TVD books were super cheap, and I cannot pass up a book for just a couple of dollars.

That's it! What did you get in your mailbox this week?

New Button

2011-03-26T09:48:00.000-04:00

I've finally decided what my blog is going to look like - I've tried this deisgn with the owls and I love it. After trying different desgins, with the help of my sister, this is the one I'm sticking with. So for any of you that followed me before, and had my old button, you can remove that one and add the new one(which is on my sidebar)!
I did try to have it so it changed by itself, so I didn't have to bother you all to change it, but that didn't work, so I'm sorry! Just grab my new one, and we're all good!

Thank you!

ARC giveaway over @ Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe

2011-03-25T09:57:00.000-04:00

For all of you who are looking to win a great book, you should head on over to see

Shannon Whitney Messenger.

She's giving away 3 great looking ARC's.

What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (The pretty, orginal cover - thankfully!)
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

There will be 1 lucky winner for each book.

Bookish Pet Peeves - Stickers on Books...

2011-03-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Top Ten Tuesday,(unfortunately I didn't get to do my post - oh well!) and this weeks discussion was "Top 10 Bookish Pet Peeves". I saw some interesting pet peeves, among them were things like:

dog earing pages - I personally don't like doing this, only because I find it tough to quickly find the right page, so I'll use book marks, or take note of the pages I want to remember
bent spines - well this is how we know the book has been read and loved
books without covers or pages missing - this does bother me, there is no need to have a book without a cover, and how are we supposed to enjoy the book as a whole with pages gone?

But there was one that stood out to me:

Stickers on books!

Thankfully, where I buy a lot of my books - !ngido Chapters - they use these really cool stickers that stick but are super easy to come off. Therefore there is no gross, sticky-icky residue left of the pretty books. But there are some book companies that use the stickers that are nearly impossible to come off. I had one book that I tried to peel the sticker off - it was terrible!

After that disaster, I found a solution. It's as simple as a hairdryer! Just blowdry the stickers / tape right off those babies. This works each and every time. Give it a try next time, and you'll see how easy it is. Just don't let your book go up in flames. (Low heat setting, don't aim the dryer too long, etc)

There you have it - a pet peeve and a solution!

Anticipating City of Fallen Angels

2011-03-20T22:43:00.000-04:00

In a few short weeks (or long I suppose), we'll all have our hands on this:

!!!!

City of Fallen Angels, the highly anticipated fourth novel in Cassandra Clares' New York Times Best Selling series, The Mortal Instruments, hits stores April 5th, 2011. If you're like me and have already read City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass, this day can't come fast enough.

*Don't read any further if you haven't read the others in this series - I do not want to be responsible for spoiling anything!*

“City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.” (From Goodreads)

I'm really looking forward to reading this book to get into Simon's head and into his world. Now that he's the only vampire who can withstand light - daylighter, as they call it - it's going to be great to understand Simon a little more, and see how he adjusts to the vampire life.
After Clary and Jace came to the realization that they are not actually brother and sister, I'm very very eager to find out where their relationship goes from here. I love Jace, I really do. He's a smart and funny character. Not to mention cute, and sexy ;) He puts up a wall and doesn't allow anyone to get past it really. Jace is a genuine guy in all honesty, and I'm ready to dive back into a world where he exists.
Alec and Magnus also play a role in City of Fallen Angels, and now that they are open with their relationship, it's going to be interesting to see where Clare takes us with them. I really like Alec and Magnus, and I'm glad they're back! Alec is a sweet, sensitive guy, and he compliments Magnus and his quirky sense of style perfectly.
Since I've read Clockwork Angel, (the first ARC I ever got and the main reason for starting this blog) I cannot wait to see the two series entwine together. I loved Tessa and Will and Jem and I'd love to have them altogether. (Which is so unlikely - impossible actually, to have all the characters from The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices together in one book) But that's alright because it's going to rock no matter what!

We all thought that TMI series was finished with City of Glass. We were sad that it was over, but we were okay with that, knowing that all series have to come to an end sometime. So it came as a big surprise when City of Fallen Angels was announced. I'm happy that Cassandra Clare has continued with this story of Shadowhunters vs Downworlders and I know that I'm not the only one.

So thanks Cassandra Clare and Simon & Schuster! And hurry up April 5th!!

And for those of you who just can't get enough, here's a trailer for you - it's "Previously in The Mortal Instruments Series" and goes over what's happened so far! Enjoy!

Words by Ginny L. Yttrup Giveaway Winners

2011-03-15T11:07:00.000-04:00

My giveaway for Words by Ginny Yttrup has ended, and using random.org, I have found myself 2 winners!

Thank you to all who entered!

Without further ado, the winners are:

Lynda V (Canada)

Emma H (US)

I will be emailing you both, please respond within 48 hrs to claim your prize

*winners were chosen by random.org*