Book Blogger Hop! (4)

It is that time again! Book Blogger Hop is here!!!! Crazy for Books does an awesome job of hosting this event, and I have discovered many wonderful blogs through it.

ABOUT THE HOP: This is a weekly event, hosted here, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends! In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start Hopping!! Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews. If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

If you found me through the Book Blogger Hop, leave me a comment :)

Oh, sorry about not leaving any reviews this past week. I have been really busy with school. I will try to post a review this weekend.

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting on Wednesday (8)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.





This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is:

The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

Publication Date: September 7, 2010

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.


Doesn't this sound great? What is your WoW?

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (8)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 96 of Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard:

"She was so startled that she stood up, thinking someone might be across the room, watching her. But there was no one. She closed her eyes, trying to think who might have seen the police car at her house."

This book is definitely interesting. I cannot believe some of the things these girls get away with!





Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is hosted by the Story Siren.

I have been really good this week. I did not buy any books at all :) I will see how long I can keep this up.


This week was also great because I received my first review book ever! I am kind of excited about it.


Here is what I got:

Won:

• The Queen's Mistake by Diane Haeger from Princess Bookie's Contest Craze (donated by Celtic Lady)
• Looking For Alaska by John Green from Reading With Tequila

Borrowed:

• Vampirates: Blood Captain by Justin Somper

For Review:

• Titus and Atreus by Meridi Myers from and signed by Meridi herself!

That is all I got this week. What did you get?

Swords are for fighting,

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE Trailer

I know most of you have seen this, but I love it so much that I just had to post it! I am so excited for June 30th!

On a side note, I want to say welcome to all my new followers! I can't believe that I already have 80 followers. It has only been two months since I started blogging, and I love it!

Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop! (3)

Once again, I am participating in the Book Blogger Hop again! It is hosted by Crazy for Books and gives us bloggers a great opportunity to find new blogs to follow. Here is some information about the Hop and somes rules:

ABOUT THE HOP:
This is a weekly event, hosted here, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends! In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start Hopping!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.


If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

Swords are for fighting,

Cleverly Inked's Birthday Phenomenon

More prizes have been added to Cleverly Inked's Birthday Phenomenon!!! Since more prizes have been added, you can now earn some extra entries here. It was already on awesome giveaway, but now it is even more awesome! If you have not entered, I suggest you do so now by clicking the button!

Here is a list of the great prizes:
55 Authors
57 Books
$25 Amazon GC
Tshirt
Posters
Pins
Bookmarks
The Swag could go on for days!


PLUS 5 Extra Books to Add to the Mix for every 50 new followers!

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann

Synopsis:
A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd.

On a hillside near the cozy Irish village of Glennkill, the members of the flock gather around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared for the sheep, reading them a plethora of books every night. The daily exposure to literature has made them far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George’s killer.

The A-team of investigators includes Othello, the “bad-boy” black ram; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a pensive black-faced ewe with a weakness for abysses. Joined by other members of the richly talented flock, they engage in nightlong discussions about the crime and wild metaphysical speculations, and they embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, a village newcomer with a secret and a scheme; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a very odd flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love.

Review:

Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story was definitely interesting. There are very few books I have read written from the animals' point of view.

When I first picked up this book, I was pretty excited to start it. The beginning was great! I could not put it down for the first 50 pages give or take. Unfortunately after that, it was slow for me. Maybe I was just in a reading slump or something, but I found pages 50 to 200-something to be boring and even tedious at times. After I got through the middle, the rest of the book flew by again, and I liked the ending.

I found certain parts of Three Bags Full to be confusing at times. Maybe it was because you are seeing everything that happens through the sheep's point of view and their view of the world was obviously different than a person's view.

Another thing that was confusing was all of the sheep. Obviously a flock of sheep has many members, so when they all have different names and are talking, it was difficult to keep track of who was who. I was grateful for the list of the sheep characters in the front of the book. It helped me differentiate between the sheep, but it was still hard to keep track of them.

I did enjoy the few references to Wuthering Heights since I absolutely love that book. It was kind of interesting to see the sheep's take on the story. Overall, I guess this book was not for me. I thought the overall story was clever, but the way is was projected was confusing.

Rating: 2/5

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting on Wednesday (7)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.








This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is:

The Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) by Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: August 31, 2010


Synopsis:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I LOVED the Mortal Instruments Series, so I am excited to read this!


Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 76 of Dark Visions: The Strange Power by L. J. Smith:

"So much for remote vision. She'd bet anything Fawn
wasn't out there concentrating on a picture like this.

Kaitlyn was about to sit up and tell Joyce that she'd
ruined the experiment when the screaming began."

Exciting! I cannot wait to see what happens.

Swords are for fighting,

Mel's 250 Follower Thank You Giveaway

Mel over at He Followed Me Home.....Can I Keep Him? is having an awesome giveaway for her followers. All you have to do is fill out the form before May 4th and you are entered to win!

Review: Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Synopsis:

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas seek refuge with Black Cross, an elite group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend--the vampire Balthazar--all her secrets threaten to come out.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas have orchestrated Balthazar's escape and are on the run, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they run, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything--but can it survive what's to come?

Review:

Hourglass is the third novel in the Evernight series. It was definitely fast-paced, and I could not put it down. Claudia Gray throws in many twists and turns, some of which are shocking. I enjoyed the fact that Bianca and Lucas spend practically the whole book together. Their relationship grows in this book, and I really enjoyed seeing both of them grow as a character. Of course, they encounter some bumps in their relationship, but that is to be expected.

I loved that Balthazar was in this book. He is by far my favorite character in the series, so it was nice to see him in it. He was not in it all that much, but I love the parts that he was in.

The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending. I honestly hated the way things ended. I do not understand how Bianca could not see what was coming. It was so obvious! I do not want to give anything away, but I was definitely disappointed in how things turned out. I hope what happened can be reversed.

That being said, I still liked the book. I just did not like how it ended. The ending left me wanting more with so many loose ends and a cliff-hanger. I am impatiently looking forward to Claudia Gray's next installment in the series to see how everything plays out. I do not know when it is going to be released, but I want to know what happens next!

Rating:3.5/5

Swords are for fighting,

Huge Contest from Flipping Pages for All Ages and Wastepaper Prose

Check out this amazing contest hosted by Flipping Pages for All Ages and Wastepaper Prose! It is seriously epic! There will be 21 winners and the contest runs until April 30th. All you have to do is follow both blogs. There are plenty of opportunities for extra entries too! You can enter here.

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week's IMM is huge! I bought so many books this week. I don't know how I will ever get through them.

Won:

• Fire by Kristin Cashore from Reading Extensively


• Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr from Smart Girls Read


• My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent from All-Consuming Books


• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan from Caster Girls


• Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White and swag pack from Wastepaper Prose
  

Bought:

• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick


• The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong


• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher


• Beastly by Alex Flinn


• Blue Bloods by Melissa De la Cruz


• Good Girls by Laura Ruby


• Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard


• Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith

I think I have a little problem....maybe I should stop buying so many books and focus on reading all of the books I have that I have not read yet. I'm going to try not to buy anymore books for a while. I doubt this will last long, but I'll give it my best.

Anyways...what did everyone else get this week?

Swords are for fighting,

Top 100 YA List

I thought I would see how many books I've read on the Top 100 YA list from Good Books and Wine. I will put the ones I have read in blue and bold, and put the ones I have in my TBR pile in green and italicized :)

100. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
99. Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
98. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
97. Among The Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
96. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Claus
95. Forever by Judy Blume
94. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
93. Tithe by Holly Black
92. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
91. Wings by Aprillynne Pike
90. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
89. Angus, Thongs And Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
88. Marked by PC And Kristin Cast
87. Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
86. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
85. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
84. I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
83. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
82. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot
81. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
80. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
79. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
78. Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
77. Evernight by Claudia Gray
76. If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
75. Life As We Knew It series by Susan Beth Pfeffer
74. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
73. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
72. Alana: The First Adventure series by Tamora Pierce
71. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
70. Unwind by Neil Shusterman
69. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
68. Paper Towns by John Green
67. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
66. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
65. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
64. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time by Mark Haddon
63. The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
62. Blue Bloods series by Melissa De La Cruz
61. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
60. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
59. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
58. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
57. Eragon by Christopher Paoloni
56. Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine
55. The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith
54. Fallen by Lauren Kate
53. The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
51. Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke
50. Number The Stars by Lois Lowry
49. Lord Of The Flies by William Golding
48. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
47. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares
46. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
45. The Summoning series by Kelley Armstrong
44. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
43. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
42. Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card
41. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
40. Wake series by Lisa McMann
39. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
38. Are You There Good? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume
37. Looking For Alaska by John Green
36. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
35. A Great And Terrible Beauty series by Libba Bray
34. His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
33. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
32. Romeo And Juliet by William Shakespeare
31. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
30. Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
29. Forest of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan
28. Holes by Louis Sacher
27. The Outsiders by SE Hinton
26. The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger
25. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
24. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
23. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
22.Uglies series by Scott Westerfield
21. Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
20. Poison Study series by Maria V. Snyder
19. Book Thief by Markus Zusak
18. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine
17. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
16. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
15. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
14. Anne of Green Gables series by LM Montgomery
13. The Giver by Lois Lowry
12. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
11. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
10. Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
9. A Wrinkle In Time series by Madeline L'engle
8. Graceling series by Kristin Cashore
7. Percy Jackson And The Olympians by Rick Riordan
6. Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
5. Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
2. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
1. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

I've only read 22...how sad. I'll definitely have to read more.

Swords are for fighting,

Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis from Kelley Armstrong's website:

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Review:
The second book in the Darkest Powers Series was better than I expected it would be. It was a thrilling ride full of action and adventure. Chloe Saunders is on the run from the Edison Group with her supernatural friends Simon (a sorcerer), Derek (a werewolf), and surprisingly, Tori (a witch).

I enjoyed the fact that Chloe grew more as a character, and for that I found her more likable. She continues to learn more about herself especially the necromancer side of her. She discovers that she has to be more careful with her powers because she is more powerful than she originally thought. There are instances where she accidentally raises a corpse from the dead while she is sleeping to accidentally reanimating dead animals. Through these sticky situations, Chloe learns that her powers are broader than she thought because she finds out that she can actually control the zombies that she raises (whether they want to be controlled or not).

I enjoyed following Chloe through this book. She finds out some tough truths like her friend, Liz, being killed at the hands of the Edison group and discovering some shocking truths about her aunt, the Edison Group and even herself. The only character that truly annoyed me at times was Derek. I hate how angry he can get, but I guess that just comes with being a werewolf. I especially hated it when he took his anger out on Chloe. When Derek was not angry or upset, I could tolerate him. In fact, he seems like a pretty decent guy, but his anger kind of pissed me off.

Overall, I liked The Awakening better than The Summoning, but it is still not my favorite series out there. Although, I am looking forward to seeing where Kelley Armstrong takes this story in the next installment in the series, The Reckoning.

Rating: 3.5/5

Swords are for fighting,

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis:

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

Review:

OK...I read this book a while back, so this will be a quick review as I try to remember what I thought. Look for reviews of the rest of the books in the Darkest Powers Trilogy in the future.


The Summoning was definitely an interesting book with a storyline being something that I never read before. Before reading this book, I have never read a book about a necromancer, so it was nice to explore that aspect of the supernatural world. I had fun spending time with Chloe as she tried to figure out what exactly is going on with her and the world around her. She doesn't really know anything about her new found ability. I like that she was able to make friends with the other kids in the group home even though they are all so different. If I remember correctly, it was a quick read.


I know I thought it was a so-so read with an ending that left me wanting to know what happens next. Not one of my favorite books, but it was still worth reading.


Rating: 3/5


Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop!

I am participating in the Book Blogger Hop again! It is hosted by Crazy for Books and gives us bloggers a great opportunity to find new blogs to follow. Here is some information about the Hop and somes rules:

ABOUT THE HOP:
This is a weekly event, hosted here, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends! In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start Hopping!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.


If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.



Review:

Stolen definitely deals with a scary subject: kidnapping. This book seemed so believable and realistic that it truly did frighten me. The kidnapping scene was intimidating: being kidnapped in an airport and no one notices. It kind of makes me cautious of people in airports now.

Lucy Christopher obviously has a gift. Her book is unlike any book that I have ever read. I loved that it was written as one long letter to Gemma's captor, Ty. I could not help but like Ty even though he kidnapped Gemma and took her away from her family and life as she knew it. I know he is a major creeper, but, from Gemma's point of view, it was hard not to like him at times.

Overall, I found Stolen to be extremely interesting. The descriptions were beautiful. The story was captivating. This book was hard to read and disturbing at times, but I could not put it down. I found it to be fast-paced and original. It was suspenseful and the whole situation was kind of twisted, but I loved every minute of it.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Cleverly Inked's Birthday Phenomenon

Cleverly Inked is hosting an AMAZING Birthday Phenomenon Contest!

Rules: Open International (unless otherwise stated) 13yrs of age and older You must be a follower. ** Please note some of these books/swag have adult content** Ends May 13th

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis:

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Review:
All I have to say is WOW! This book is absolutely amazing. I could not put it down once I started to read it even though it is a whopping 470 pages!

Lauren Oliver is obviously an extremely talented author. I cannot believe that Before I Fall is her debut novel. Her writing is amazing. She captured the voices of teenagers perfectly, and the story was breathtaking.

I enjoyed getting inside of Sam's head, but my favorite character was Kent. I could not help but fall in love with Kent. He is an amazing guy. I loved his sense of humor and his personality. Every scene with him in it were by far my favorite.

Before I Fall is definitely a thought provoking novel. This book makes you realize how many things you take for granted in your life. We never know how much time we have left on this earth, and we do not realize that our choices make a big impact on everything around us. I'm definitely going to be reading more of Lauren Oliver's books in the future.

Reading this book is an emotional roller coaster ride. I was happy, sad, laughed, and almost cried. The ending did leave me speechless and feeling empty, but in a good way (if that makes any sense). I knew how it was going to end, but I hoped it would end differently. I hoped there was a happy ending for Sam after she fixed her life, that she could somehow change the future, but the ending was bittersweet. That being said, I did like how it ended. It takes guts to write a bittersweet ending like Lauren Oliver did, and it was genius.

Rating: 5/5

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting on Wednesday (6)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.




This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is:

Winter Longing by Tricia Mills

Publication Date: August 19, 2010

Synopsis from Tricia Mill's website:

Winter Craig finally gets up the nerve and tells her long-time friend Spencer
that she likes him as more than a friend. The best part? Spencer likes her as
more than a friend too. With the perfect boy to love and be loved by, she begins
her senior year at her small Alaska school and indulges in the dream of becoming
a costume designer for the movie industry. Life is perfect — until tragedy
strikes. Winter’s perfect life turns upside down as she deals with an unbearable
loss, doubts about her future, a best friend whose home life is getting worse by
the day, and unexpected feelings for an unexpected boy.

Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

A plane crash in Alaska takes Winter’s first love away forever . . .

When Winter’s boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she’s robbed of the future she’d only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer’s presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can’t change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a
possible new love?

It sounds so great! Can't wait to read it.

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret... Beautifully rendered, this first installment of Twilight: The Graphic Novel is a must-have for any collector’s library.



Review:
Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 is a must have for any Twilight fan. The art in this book is absolutely amazing. Young Kim is obviously a very talented artist. Her pictures are beautiful, and I think she captured the characters perfectly.

The only downside to this book is the story. The graphic novel only covers about 1/3 of the book, and there is not really any action. Obviously, the whole book could not be put into one graphic novel, but it left me wanting more. Unless you are a huge Twilight fan (like me), I would suggest checking it out of your library before buying it. I, on the other hand, will definitely be picking up the next volume.

Rating:
Art: 5/5
Story: 3/5

Quick review for a quick read! It seriously only took me like half an hour to read the whole thing.

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (6)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 41 of Fallen by Lauren Kate:

"Just before she ducked into her first class, she dared to glance back. His face was blank, but there was no mistaking it - he was watching her go."

Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (7)

Sorry this is so late! My computer would not work! Luckily it is working now, so I get to play catch up!

Here is what I got this week:

Bought:

• Hourglass by Claudia Gray


• Fallen by Lauren Kate


• Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 by Young Kim and Stephenie Meyer
  

Borrowed:

• Zombie Blondes by Brian James

Won:

• A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare from Open Book Society

I also had the opportunity to see Michael Bublé in concert this past weekend. Definitely one of the best days of my life! If you ever have the chance to see the amazing Michael Bublé live, do it! It is so worth it. Here's what I got:

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Thanks for staying with me :)

Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop!

I am participating in the Book Blogger Hop this week! It is hosted by Crazy for Books and gives us bloggers a great opportunity to find new blogs to follow. Here is some information about the Hop and somes rules:

ABOUT THE HOP:
This is a weekly event, hosted here, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends! In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start Hopping!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.


If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

Swords are for fighting,

12x12 Reading Challenge

The Twelve by Twelve Reading Challenge came from two bloggers, Pizza’s Book Discussion in 2009 and FOMA’s National Just Read More Novel’s Month 2010. Each month a different blogger hosts this event.

For the month of April, One Persons Journey Through a World of Book is hosting the event. You can go here for more information about it.

For this month, I am going to try to read at least 10 books. I don't know how close I will get to my goal, but I will try!

Here is what I have read so far this month:

1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
2. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
3. Stolen by Lucy Christopher
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5. Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 1
6. Hourglass by Claudia Gray
7. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
8. Fallen by Lauren Kate
9. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
10. Night Visions by LJ Smith

So I have eight four more books to go! We will see if I make it!

I will keep updating this post throughout the month.

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting on Wednesday (5)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.






This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is:



Dark Flame (Immortals #4) by Alyson Noel


Publication Date: June 22, 2010

Synopsis from Goodreads:
At the start of this mesmerizing new installment of the Immortals series, Ever is helping her friend Haven transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and carelessly putting them all at risk, their friendship becomes more and more strained. At the same time, Ever delves deeper into magick in order to get control over her enemy Roman and free Damen from his power. But when the spell she casts on Roman backfires, she’s bound to her deadliest enemy. Frantic to reverse the spell the moment the moon enters a new phase, she finds her efforts are fruitless—there’s a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, one that propels her toward Roman. Desperate to break free of this terrible curse before Damen or the twins can discover what she’s done, she turns to Jude and delves deeper and deeper into dark magick, ultimately risking everything she knows and loves—including Damen.

I have enjoyed reading the Immortals series so far, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens.

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Synopsis:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Review:

I loved this book! The world that Kristin Cashore created is amazing, and the added map at the beginning was a nice touch. I loved the characters. The plot was amazing. I loved everything about this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and never grew tired of reading this book. In fact, I could not put it down!

The main character, Katsa is a strong woman from the very beginning. I love that she thinks for herself even when her uncle, the king, seems to control her. I am so glad she broke free of him after she grows into herself a bit more, and realizes that she is not a killing machine. I loved watching her gain more self-esteem as she got to know Po. Katsa is flawed, but that is just a part of what makes her so great.

Some other reviews that I have read of Graceling mention that they did not like the fact that Katsa is set against marriage. Personally, I did not have a problem with this. Sure, Katsa is against marriage, but I found this to be understandable because she does not want to be considered "property" and wants to be able to always make her own decisions. In the world that Kristin created, women seem to be under their husband's rule once married, so it is completely understandable why Katsa never wants to marry. She wants to be her own person and make her own decisions, but that is just my opinion.

That being said, Graceling is a great debut novel by Kristin Cashore. It is an amazing fantasy adventure. There were some twists that I did not see coming at all. I loved that it was not predictable. Did I mention I loved this book?

Rating: 5/5

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



This week's teaser comes from page 20 of Stolen by Lucy Christopher:

"I stopped and changed direction, but you were like a cowboy with his rope, circling me, stopping me everywhere I wanted to go. You were drawing me in, running me down."

This book is definitely thrilling so far and sort of scary.

Swords are for fighting,

Relay for Life

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that I am a part of the Relay for Life event at my school, which is going on this weekend. It is an event where people come together to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. You can read more about it here.

It is a really great event put on every year, and even though it is not book related, I thought I would let you guys know. I know cancer affects a lot of us out there. If you want, you can donate some money to fight cancer. Don't feel obligated to at all, but if you want to here is the link to donate.

Thanks for reading,

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. It is a weekly meme where I share all the books I received this week!

Here is what I received this week:

Won:

• Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver from Pure Imagination
• Stolen by Lucy Christopher from Pure Imagination
• Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook from Pure Imagination
• The Line by Teri Hall from Pure Imagination
• Pleasure Of A Dark Prince by Kresley Cole from Parajunkee's View

Borrowed:

• The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

Bought:

• The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Great week for me! What did you get?

Swords are for fighting,

Happy Easter!!!!

I just wanted to say Happy Easter to everyone!




Hope everyone has a great day!

Swords are for fighting,