Waiting On Wednesday (3)

 

**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by BreakingTheSpine**

This Is Not A Test

by Courtney Summers

published by St. Martin's Griffith

June 19th, 2012

It's the end of the world.  Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won't stop pounding on the doors.  On bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.  To Sloane Price, that doesn't sound so bad.  Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she's failed to find a reason to keep going.  Now seems like the perfect time to give up.  As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she's forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.  But as the dacys crawl by, the motications for survival change in startling ways and soon the group's fate is determined less and less by what's happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life -and death-inside.  When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

                                                                                                

I'm super excited for this book! I'm sensing a pattern in my WoW's (last week it was students locked in a superstore!) I love everything zombie and my daughters name is Sloane!  What are YOU waiting on this Wednesday??

*Book cover and synopsis are taken from www.goodreads.com

Book Tag

Book Tag

You have been tagged!

Here's how to play:
1. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you in their post.
2. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
3. Tag 11 people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!
5. Include these rules and a link to the person who tagged you with your post.

I was tagged by Laura @ Reading In The Mountains  

Here are my questions:

1. Do you prefer to read e-books or paper books? Why?

I prefer to read e-books because then I can have all of my books with me wherever I go.  As well on my reader I can make notes throughout that are easily discarded once I am finished writing my review.
2. Which book world would you want to live in? Why?

I'd like to live in the scenery of the Unearthly series, the mountains and fresh air was enchanting while I read those books.  Also, the hot boys wouldn't be too bad either.
3. If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only have 5 books which ones would they be?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Four Past Midnight by Stephen King, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks, The Mist by Stephen King
4. If you could meet 1 author who would it be?

Stephen King
5. Which published book do you wish you had written?

The Hunger Games series
6. If you could date any book character, who would it be and why?

I would definitely date Daemon from Obsidian.  He is just so hot, and mysterious and sexy! He's the bad boy girls dream of taming.
7. If you could be best friends with any book character, who would it be and why?

Probably Georgie Nicolson from Louise Rennisons series.  She may be a tad self involved, but she seems like an absolute riot!
8. If you could give any book character advice, who would it be and what would you tell him/her?

There is so many to choose from, the first that comes to mind is a recent read. I'd like to tell Nikki from Everneath to let her guard down with Cole because I truly believed her loved her and didn't know how to handle it.
9. Do you have reading/reviewing goals for this year?

I'd like to get my blog name out there a bit more and do at least 75 reviews.
10. What is your favorite genre to read?

Definitely paranormal YA although I love a good horror book too.
11. What new book/books are you looking forward to? 

I'm really excited for Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

The Blogs that I am tagging:

 A Nook Full of Books
Catching Books
AwesomeSauce Book Club
YA Story Teller Reviews
Blkosiner's Book Blog
Shhh... Not While I'm Reading
Jelly Loves Books
A Book A Day
Stepping Out of the Page

The Starry Eyed Review

 

Here are my questions:

1.) What book would you most like to see turned into a feature film?

2.) Why did you decide to start your blog?

3.) What 2012 release novel are you anticipating the most?

4.) What was your favorite book as a child?

5.) What is the one book you could read over and over again?

6.) Who is your favorite author?

7.) What is your favorite series of books? (3 or more in the series)

8.) Do you read 1 book at a time? or switch back and forth between a few?

9.) Where do you like to read?

10.) Do you listen to music while you read, or do you nee silence?

11.) Do you have an ereader? If so, what kind?   

Shadows (Lux 0.5) Review

TITLE: Shadows (Lux 0.5)
AUTHOR: Jennifer L. Armentrout
PAGES: 157 (ePub format)
RELEASE DATE: February 21st, 2012
PUBLISHER: Entangled
READ: February 26-27th, 2012
BUY THIS BOOK AT: Amazon

SYNOPSIS The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

I have been waiting for this one! I absolutely devoured Obsidian and was smitten with Daemon (as a lot of people were).  The way Jennifer Armentrout writes her romance is seething! It makes you feel lightheaded and keeps you up at night thinking about her wonderful characters.  I think I went into Shadows with the wrong expectations, I went into it thinking I would come out knowing what happened to Dawson and Bethany.  That did not happen, I feel like I came out of it with the same amount of knowledge that I went into it with.  It actually felt like I read a shortened version of Obsidian with the other male triplet and a different human.  Alien falls in love with human, alien accidentally reveals himself to said human, alien lights human up like a christmas tree, aliens fellow aliens are very unhappy about the reveal, things go awry and alien brings human back to life, alien and human have the same heartbeat.  

Yes, I did get the warm and fuzzies that I had expected due to the way Jennifer makes the romance seem epic and undeniable. I also enjoyed watching Daemon stew over his brothers choices while knowing that the same situation is in his future. We gained a little more insight into the life that the Luxen live here on Earth and into the bond between the triplets.  But when I put this book down I found myself trying to see how it stands on its own by Obsidian and I just cant say that it does.

I definitely still recommend this to anyone looking for an Alluring Read, but reader beware, you're going on a ride that's going to feel quite familiar.

*Synopses and bookcovers are taken from www.goodreads.com 

The Peculiars Review

TITLE: The Peculiars
AUTHOR: Maureen Doyle McQuerry
RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2012
PAGES: 368 (ePub format)
PUBLISHER: Amulet Books
READ: February 23 - 26, 2012
BUY THIS BOOK AT: Amazon / Chapters.Indigo

SYNOPSIS This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance.

On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena's father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

This book had everything that I look for in a good book. It had mystery, it had a great adventure and it had awesome characters.  I really enjoyed the story of this book, I did, but that being said I had such a hard time getting into it because of the writing. I also feel I should note that it felt very slow, although that could have been due to my inability to get into the flow of the writing.  I'm not a huge fan of books written in the 3rd person and this one was also written in old speak (takes place in 1888).  The thing that kept me going on this one was the mysterious land of Scree.  I had to know what awaited in that peculiar place, otherwise I would have put this book down in the first 50 pages.  

I was also drawn to out MC Lena.  She had a longing about her, she had so many questions and she was willing to go to any length (and sometimes make terrible decisions with horrific consequences) to get her answers.  I connected with her sense of displacement, she didn't feel that she belonged anywhere, she wasn't quite normal but she wasn't quite peculiar either.  Jimson was also a great character, I loved his zest for life and he was a nice contrast, at times, to the serious undertones of the story.  The character I loved the most was Mr. Beasley, he had such a great heart!  The mystery that surrounded him for most of the novel was just as intriguing as the mystery surrounding the land of Scree.

I would definitely reccomend this book due to it's great story, but definitely warn of the style of writing and how it was difficult for me to adjust too.

Follow Friday (1)

This is my first time taking part in Parajunkee & Alison Can Read's weekly blog hop! I think this is such a great idea by my fellow bloggers and I really appreciate their effort in helping new blogs get their name out there. So this weeks question..... 

Q: Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most…

 This is my comfy little corner in my living room where I have the lamp that emits the perfect amount of light for reading.  Those pillows are sooooo comfy!!

 

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

 

***Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine***

Monument 14

by Emmy Laybourne

published by feiwel + friends

June 5, 2012

Your mother hollers that you're going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don't stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don't thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not-you hurdle down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it's the last time you'll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you'd stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.

But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne's action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world-as they know it-apart.

This book sounds like an end of the world thrill ride! I love the somber sense of impending doom that is achieved by the cover and I can't wait to find out what happens to these people!

Hallowed Review

TITLE: Hallowed
AUTHOR: Cynthia Hand
PAGES: 249 (ePub format)
RELEASE DATE: January 17, 2012
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
READ: February 21, 2012
BUY THIS BOOK AT: Amazon / Kobo / Chapters.Indigo

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Wow! This was a perfect followup to the amazing debut in the series.  Cynthia Hand maintains her great pace and gives the characters even more depth in this second book.  Once again I'm torn in this well written love triangle because I love both Tucker and Christian! Both of our leading men are explored much more deeply and we see new sides to both of them that makes me love them even more.

Cynthia paints such a stunning picture in your mind with her writing, the scenery, the glory, the hair, it's all ridiculously well written.  The emotions conveyed in this book are heavy! I felt like I was on a roller coaster and by the end of the book I felt like I needed to take a nap.  It definitely ended up going in a direction I was not fully prepared for and I found myself needed a box of tissues at my side for the last 1/4 of it.

Our girl Clara has really grown up in this book and is prepared to face all the trials and tribulations that come along with being and angel-blood.  In the first book where we had a young girl finding out about who she really is and not knowing how to deal, we now have a woman who is dealing with her situation head on.  I love it! A strong minded, smart protagonist!!

Unearthly Review

TITLE: Unearthly
AUTHOR: Cynthia Hand
PAGES: 262 (ePub format)
RELEASE DATE: January 4, 2011
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
READ: February 20, 2012
BUY THIS BOOK AT: Amazon / Kobo / Chapters.Indigo

In the beginning, there is a boy standing in the trees....

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

I LOVED this book! It had a great flow to it, it built up well and the climax was awesome.  Yes, it's another love triangle book (seems that's the template most YA authors run to now) but I feel it's very well executed.  I fell in love with Tucker and at the same time I really liked Christian!  That's never happened to me before, I always pick a side.  I also really appreciated the way Cynthia treaded lightly around all the God talk.  This is a book essentially about the beings of Heaven and Earth, but it didn't feel preachy at all (even the angels don't go to church!).

Our protagonist Clara Gardner also won me over throughout the book.  She's a heroine with a head on her shoulders and I really appreciated that.  She had her purpose in life but she was going to stay true to herself no matter what the cost.  So often we see girls in these books that have no mind of their own, so it was so exciting to read a character and be able to respect her for her decisions.

This is a perfectly paced book that leaves you ecstatic for the sequel.  I definitely recommend Unearthly to anyone looking for an Alluring Read.

New Releases Feb 21st - 27th

New Release Books for the week of Jan 21st - 27th

Shadows (Lux 0.5)

by Jennifer L Armentrout

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Double

 by Jenny Valentine

When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel's identity, gaining the family and friends he's always dreamed of having. But becoming someone else isn't as easy as he hoped--and Chap isn't the only one hiding a secret. As he teeters on the brink of discovery and begins to unravel the mystery behind Cassiel's disappearance, Chap realizes that he's in much deeper danger than he could have imagined.
After all, you can't just steal a life and expect to get away with it.
Award-winning author Jenny Valentine delivers an explosive mystery where dark secrets, betrayal, and loss pave the way for one teen's chance at redemption.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me

by Jess Rothenberg

Just before her 16th birthday, Brie Eagan literally dies of a broken heart after her boyfriend tells her he does not love her. She then must go through the five stages of grief, while watching her friends and family try to cope with her death, before her faith in love is restored and she can move on to the afterlife.

A Perfect Blood

by Kim Harrison

Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth--a would-be creator is determined to make his (or her) own demons. But it can't be done without Rachel's blood, in this latest blockbuster by a "New York Times"-bestselling author.

A Beautiful Evil (Gods & Monster #2)

by Kelly Keaton

Myth and mayhem inhabit a richly reimagined New Orleans in this sequel to Darkness Becomes Her.After the epic graveyard battle at the end of Darkness Becomes Her, Ari and her friends know what they’re up against: Ari is facing the Medusa curse and is haunted by the image of what she will become. To make matters worse, the heinous goddess Athena has kidnapped young Violet and is threatening to destroy Ari.

Ari, along with the superhot Sebastian, is doing everything she can to learn more about Athena and to get Violet back. But the battle of good and evil is bigger than she realizes, and she’s about to be pulled into a world more horrific than she could ever imagine....

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2)

by Lauren DeStefano

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

The Dressmaker

by Kate Alcott

 

Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes a vivid, romantic, and relentlessly compelling historical novel about a spirited young woman who survives the disaster only to find herself embroiled in the media frenzy left in the wake of the tragedy.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes.

Amidst the chaos and desperate urging of two very different suitors, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat. Tess’s sailor also manages to survive unharmed, witness to Lady Duff Gordon’s questionable actions during the tragedy. Others—including the gallant Midwestern tycoon—are not so lucky.

On dry land, rumors about the survivors begin to circulate, and Lady Duff Gordon quickly becomes the subject of media scorn and later, the hearings on the Titanic. Set against a historical tragedy but told from a completely fresh angle, The Dressmaker is an atmospheric delight filled with all the period's glitz and glamour, all the raw feelings of a national tragedy and all the contradictory emotions of young love. 

Faery Tales & Nightmares

by Melissa Marr

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.

From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with...or to fear.

Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

I Will definitely be reading Shadows and I'm hearing that The Catastrophic History of You and Me is a fantastic read!  What books have you excited this week?