Friday, October 21, 2011

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme created by Parajunkee and co-hosted by Alison Can Read where bloggers hop around meeting and following other bloggers. This week's featured bloggers are Book Savvy Babe & The Bursting Bookshelf

Q: What superhero is your alter-ego?

A: I'd have the ability to have any power I wanted! I am far too indesicive to pick just one, so why not have the power to have whatever you want?!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Book Blogger Hop! (4)

It's Friday! Which means that it's time for the Book Blogger Hop! Yay! Just in case you didn't know, the Hop is an awesome weekly event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books!

“What is your favorite spooky book (i.e. mystery/suspense, thriller, ghost story, etc.)?”

To be honest I am kind of a newbie to the "horror" genre. For the longest time I was a big baby and was too afraid to read anything "scary". This year is when I decided to get over that and started reading books out of my comfort zone. I have to say as of right now the creepiest book I have read so far and loved has to be Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick. I recently did a review on it too for my Halloween themed month and I totally recommend it.

What are your favorite horror books?

Follow Friday! (6)

Q: If you could have characters from a particular book meet and form an epic storyline with characters from a particular TV series, which would you choose and why?

A: Katniss from the Hunger Games meets Tris from Divergent. They are both kick-ass heroines and I bet they would be awesome together! I'd love to read about them in the same book. I'd also love to see how they team up and kick butt!

What are your mash ups?

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Zomtober: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Title: Ashes
Author: Ilsa J. Bick
Release Date: September 6th 2011
Publisher: Egmontusa
Pages: 480
Source: Purchased

Summary (from Goodreads):
"An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation"

My Thoughts:
I LOVED this book! It was creepy, disturbing, gruesome and exhilarating! It even had a little romance which was a nice contrast to all the devastation and misery in the story.

At first I was worried that Ashes was going to end up being a slow paced book. The beginning chapters were a bit confusing, but it picked up quickly and I was sucked right into the book. We are first introduced to Alex, a seventeen year old girl with cancer. All Alex wants to do is dump her parent's ashes into Lake Superior. Things don't go as planned for her unfortunately. Along the way Alex meets Ellie, an eight year old with an attitude and her dog Mina (who is awesome). Tom eventually shows up too along the way.

Like I said, this book is INCREDIBLE and original. The idea that EMP blasts can cause so much damage is haunting and Ilsa does a great job of proving that. The EMP blasts basically kills everyone through the ages of thirty to fifty and "Changes" everyone younger than twenty-five to thirteen. The change is horrific. Instead of killing the young, the EMP blasts fry their brains and turn them into zombie like people. I won't give anything away but let's just say Ilsa has a thing for great detail.

There is a pretty violent scene with a dog. I'm a big animal lover so I know how it can be hard for some people to stomach. It only lasts about a paragraph and I promise that's the only really violent animal scene. If you can stomach that one scene and continue with the story I promise it will be worth it!

I was impressed with how the story went down and how suspenseful and thrilling it was. I literally would not stop reading because I had to know what was going to happen next. The romance was good, I really liked Tom in the book and Alex was a good heroine too. Ellie tended to get on my nerves a lot due to her attitude and how defiant she always is. I started getting attached to the characters by the middle of the book. An event happens that caused the group to split up and my heart broke. The story wasn't the same with out the trio but it added to the mystery of what was going to happen. I have to say the last half of the book wasn't my favorite. It's not terrible, but I wanted the old back. In the sequel I hope my questions are answered and the trio can reunite!

The ending to Ashes is a killer! I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next so badly. I can not wait for the sequel! If you're looking for a creepy read, this is definitely for you!

Rating: 5/5

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're eager for.

Title: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Released: January 3rd 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

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

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

Why I want to read this:

The idea of androids is so cool, not to mention unheard of! I love the idea of the protagonist being a cyborg and falling in love with a human. Although the romance isn't new to YA, the story is. I love it when authors write about NEW things, not recycling old plot line in masked form. I feel that I will love Cinder and is one of the main reasons why I am looking forward to the New Year!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Zomtober: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Title: Boneshaker
Author: Cherie Priest
Release Date: September 29th 2009

Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 416
Source: Library

Summary (from Goodreads):
"Cherie Priest's much-anticipated steampunk debut has finally arrived in the form of a paperback original. Its plot features the sort of calibrated suspense that readers of her Four and Twenty Blackbirds would expect. Boneshaker derives its title from the Bone-Shaking Drill Engine, a device designed to give Russian prospectors a leg up in the race for Klondike gold. Unfortunately, there was one hitch: On its trial run, the Boneshaker went haywire and, long story short, turned much of Seattle into a city of the dead. Now, 16 years later, a teenage boy decides to find out what is behind that mysterious wall. Can his mother save him in time?

My Thoughts:
Boneshaker was definitely an original and well put together novel. When I heard there was a steampunk zombie book taking place in Seattle, I knew I had to get my hands on it and devour that book. I had high expectations for Cherie Priest's Boneshaker, and I was not let down.

The world Priest creates is fascinating and ominous at the same time. It set the tone for the novel and added that extra "umph" to the book. The characters were also great. I felt like I knew Zeke and Briar was a wonderful heroine, definitely a kick-ass lady! I also liked how the Rotters (Zombies) weren't caused by medical experiments gone wrong or viruses. Instead they were created by dangerous volcanic gas called "blight", the blight can turn even a normal healthy person into a munching zombie if inhaled too much. I loved how Priest didn't make the Rotters the main part of the book, instead she allowed them to be lurking around which greatly improved the suspense in the book.

This book was also refreshing because it didn't focus on the typical relationships included in books nowadays (IE. Dramatic BF/GF stories). Boneshaker is the story about a mother and son's relationship and how secrets can sometimes lead people to do crazy things for the truth. The book did have some slow parts and a lot of the story in the end could have easily been predicted from the beginning. Despite that, it was usually well paced and action packed. I honestly don't remember being bored reading this book. I encourage everyone to read Boneshaker and I'll be sure to be on the lookout for the sequel.

Rating: 4/5

Top Ten Tuesday (2)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

3. Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

4. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth

8. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

9. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

10. I Am The Messenger + The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Imm/Book Haul! (5)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Let us know what books you've bought, borrowed or received for review!

Bought:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steve E. Wedel
The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evans
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Won:

ARC of Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs (Thanks so much Alex!)
The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith (Thank you so much Cristina!)
Fateful by Claudia Grey (Thanks so much Erin!)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

October TBR Pile!

Book Blogger Hop! (3)

It's Friday! Which means that it's time for the Book Blogger Hop! Yay! Just in case you didn't know, the Hop is an awesome weekly event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books!

“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite “banned or frequently challenged book”?”
Click here for 2010-11 list in PDF format. You can also click HERE to view past years and choose from any of those titles!

My favorite banned book is Perks of Being a Wallflower. I feel that the book is filled with powerful messages and is written beautifully. I highly recommend everyone to read it!

Follow Friday! (5)

Q: What book that hasn't been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character?

A: I'm not a big fan of books being made into movies. I just feel like they get too over hyped and popular. I'm one of those people who hate things that become the new "thing", especially when it comes to books. Maybe it's selfish but I really do like it when I read a book and I'm the only one out of my friends that has heard of it. It makes me feel like I am indulging in a secret story no one else had touched yet. I also feel that most times movies don't do the books justice. Its rare when a movie outshines the book.

I suppose the only one I'd like to see would be Divergent by Veronica Roth. I think it would make an epic movie! No idea who I'd pick for the cast though!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

IMM/Book Haul (4)

Bought:

Stray by Rachel Vincent
My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent
Genius Squared by Catherine Jinks
Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses and Spells & Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski
Daughter Of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Won:

Ghost on Black Mountain by Ann Hite
Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy by Michelle Zink

Library:

Chime by Franny Billingsley

Thats all I got this week! What did you get? :D

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Review: This Dark Endeavor By Kenneth Oppel

Title: This Dark Endeavor
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Release Date: August 23rd 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 304
Source: Library

"Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real.

They stumble upon The Dark Library, and secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are discovered. Father forbids that they ever enter the room again, but this only piques Victor's curiosity more. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is not satisfied with the various doctors his parents have called in to help. He is drawn back to The Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. With their friend Elizabeth, Henry and Victor immediately set out to find assistance from a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help create the formula.

Determination and the unthinkable outcome of losing his brother spur Victor on in the quest for the three ingredients that will save Konrad's life. After scaling the highest trees in the Strumwald, diving into the deepest lake caves, and sacrificing one’s own body part, the three fearless friends risk their lives to save another" (Goodreads)

I adored Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and when I heard someone was making a YA prequel I knew I had to read it! One of the reasons I was so excited to read it was because I wanted to know why Victor decided to do what he did in Frankenstein. Kenneth Oppel tackled that idea and created a wonderful story that even Mary Shelley would be proud of!

In the prequel, we are introduced to a fifteen year old Victor, his twin brother Konrad, their fiery cousin Elizabeth and their poetic friend Henry Clerval. Life was grand for the young group considering the time period. Victor, Konrad and Elizabeth have always loved going on adventures. It isn't until Victor, Elizabeth and Konrad stumble upon a secret passage way leading to a hidden library underneath the chateau that things start to progress. The library contains book after book about alchemy, all of which interest Victor immensely. When Konrad falls victim to a mysterious deadly illness, Victor is determined to save him by discovering the formula needed to create the mythical Elixir of Life. Will he be able to succeed in being able to create the elixir and save his brother before its too late?

This book was fantastic! It had so much action and the romance was just the right dose. Not to mention the humor thrown into it! Especially with Henry. There was also quite a few passages that held the same tone as Frankenstein, which made me very happy! Even the psychology of the book was grand. It was fascinating to see how Victors mind worked, his internal struggle to combat good and evil. I could slowly see the personality of this Victor slowly start to change into Shelley's.

Overall this book was amazing. If you're hesitant about reading Frankenstein then I recommend reading this first and then see how you feel about it. Totally recommend everyone to read it!

Rating; 5/5

Friday, September 16, 2011

Follow Friday! (4)

Q: It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

A: Most of the imaginary books I read have scary settings! I'm not sure I'd want to live in any of them, I'd be too afraid I was going to get killed! LOL!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Let us know what books you've bought, borrowed or received for review!

I didn't get anybooks for review this week but the wonderful RJ from RJ Does Books gave me Ripple! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I bought:

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Soulless by Christopher Golden
Bad Kitty by Michelle Jaffe
Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Dust & Decay by Johnathan Maberry
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Haunting by Shirley Jackson
A Girls Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky
The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
How to be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

So I got some good books this week! What all did you guys get? :)

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Review: I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale

Title: I Am Not Esther
Author: Fleur Beale
Release Date: July 1st 2004
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 256
Source: Library

"Imagine that your mother tells you that she is going away. She is leaving you with relatives whom you have never heard of-and they are members of a strict religious cult. Your name is changed to a biblical one, Esther, and you are forced to follow the severe set of social standards set by the cult. You don't know where you mother is, and you are beginning to lose your own identity." (Goodreads)

When I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. I have always been interested in what it is like to live inside a cult. And that is exactly what this book does, it offers a glimpse of what its like to be raised and dropped off inside of a strict religious cult.

Kirby is only 16 when her mother suffers a break down and ships her off to live with her uncle and cousins. All of which she never knew existed beforehand. A sense of normal is completely lost when she arrives and is forced to take on a new identity. All Kirby wants is to go back home to her mother. Will she be able to or will ''The Rule" completely take over her life?

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't nearly as dark as what I thought it was going to be, but it still had some intense moments that made me go WOW! It was really interesting to read about how someone raised outside of the cult views it as opposed to someone actually raised in it. The book itself was believable. I could picture Kirby as a real girl fighting for her freedom. Although the book was good I didn't think it was anything too amazing but it definitely was not bad! Overall the book was good and insightful! I recommend reading it, especially if you also want an insight into what is like being in a cult!

Rating: 3/5

Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Title: The Replacement
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Release Date: September 21st 2010
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 343
Source: Library

"Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs." (Goodreads)

The Replacement is a book I have been looking forward to reading for a long time, and when I finally got my hands on it at the library, I was ecstatic. Although The Replacement has one of the most original plots I have read this year, I found myself having mixed feelings throughout the book. Before I get into that I want to tell you a little about the story.

Mackie Doyle just doesn't fit in with the people around him no matter how hard he tries. It probably is because he isn't like everyone else. Mackie is a changeling whom replaced the real Mackie Doyle when he was just a baby. All his life Mackie was told by his father to stay hidden and to not call attention to himself in fear of people finding out about his secret. If people were to find out, they would kill him out of fear like they did to another changeling a long time ago. It was never hard for Mackie to say in the shadows until Tate comes into the picture. Tate's little sister has just died, to everyone else it's just a tragedy, but to Tate it was mistaken identity. Tate swears that wasn't her sister she found dead, it was something else entirely. Mackie also knows the truth but is he willing to return from where he came in order to help save Tate's sister? The rest you all will have to find out for yourself!

The way Brenna writes is intriguing. I was captivated into the story by the first sentence. When I first started I thought it would an action packed story filled with gruesome things. While there were corpse-like fey and bloody scenes, it wasn't nearly as action packed as I thought it would be. I also found myself confused often to what was going on.

I loved the friendships Mackie had with Rosewell and the twins. I wish there would have been more about the friendship then the relationship with Tate. Although I did find the relationship cute, It just didn't seem believable to me. I also never knew why Tate was compelled to talk to Mackie all the time in the beginning. Like I said, confusion!

The story did keep me entertained though. I ended up liking it at the end and wanted to see how Mackie's life would change in Gentry. Over all I say this is a good fey book and encourage you all to at least try it!

Rating: 3.5/5

Friday, September 9, 2011

Book Blogger Hop! (2)

It's Friday! Which means that it's time for the Book Blogger Hop! Yay! Just in case you didn't know, the Hop is an awesome weekly event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books!

Many of us primarily read one genre of books, with others sprinkled in. If authors stopped writing that genre, what genre would you start reading? Or would you give up reading completely if you couldn’t read that genre anymore?

My Answer: I already am pretty eclectic in what genres I read. The main genre I tend to pick up is YA and if authors stopped writing it I feel like I would be lost for awhile! I would probably start reading Adult Fiction more. Hopefully it never happens!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Follow Friday! (3)

Q: Have you ever wanted a villain to win at the end of a story? If so, which one?

A: Frankenstein! I wanted the monster to win in that book. That's the only one I can really think of. Usually if I end up liking a villain it is because the protagonist seems under developed. I consider it a flaw when I am reading but luckily I haven't run into that often!

I'm Still Here

Hey guys! I'm still around, I've just been so busy with school! I am hoping to get reviews up this weekend. School is just taking over my life right now! Blah. Hopefully next week will be better.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Let us know what books you've bought, borrowed or received for review!

I did not get anything for review this week! I did jump on that Half-Price Books Labor Day Sale though.

I bought:
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Game Of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
An Acquaintance with Darkness by Ann Rinaldi
The Boy Who Couldn't Die by William Sleator
Extras by Scott Westerfeld
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble
Dark Mirror by M.J Putney

Match Made In High school by Kristin Walker

Illustrated Guide to Mad Men by Dyna Moe

Library:

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale

What did you guys get this week? :D

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Labor Day Weekend Read-A-Thon

I am going to participate in the Labor Day Weekend Read-A-Thon this weekend! You can check out Katie’s Book Blog for more information! I am not sure how many books I will actually get through, but I am going to try my best to read as many as I can!

I am going to start out with a low goal of books because I don't want to get myself freaked out over having too many LOL! I will update my progress through twitter!

I plan on reading:

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings, #1) by Jackson Pearce
I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale

Random Acts of Kindness (September)

This will be my first month participating in RAK! I am so excited to be a part of it. If you don't know about what it is, Vanessa and Isalys over at Book Soulmates have created a program, called the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)! Basically, you donate a book to anyone off the sign up sheet....without expecting anything in return. Its a super fun way to get to meet new bloggers!

Here are the rules:
• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.
• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)
• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.

*NEW* Please, once you receive a RAK, email or tweet @BookBrunette so that she can update the Google doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU EMAIL HER. SHE WILL BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPDATING THE GOOGLE DOC.{Thanks @BookBrunette for accepting!!}

*NEW* E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble as well.

At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K! (Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

THIS IS OPEN TO EVERYONE! ...Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts. Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!
=====================================================

Seeing as it is September I thought I would leave my wishlist here. Thank you to all who decide to send me a RAK! I really appreciate it.

I have not received anything this month as of yet but have shipped out two books!

I gave Wake by Lisa McMann to RJ @ RJ Does Book

I gave Darkest Hour (Mediator 4) by Meg Cabot to Shanyn @ chickloveslit

Leave your wishlist down below so I can check them out too! ^_^

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Book Blogger Hop! (1)

It's Friday! Which means that it's time for the Book Blogger Hop! Yay! Just in case you didn't know, the Hop is an awesome weekly event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books!

Q: What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season – A particular book release? Halloween? The leaves changing color? Cooler temperatures? A vacation?

A: This fall I am super stoked for all the awesome new book releases coming out! Especially this month. I just can not wait! I am also excited for Halloween. Who doesn't like to be someone/something else for a day and get free candy? Thanksgiving is also another holiday I am looking forward too. I love family time and the food isn't bad either!
What are you all excited for?

Follow Friday! (2)

Q: If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? And, why?

A: Really, I wouldn't change anything to most stories. An author chose to end a story a certain way because he/she felt that was the perfect way to end it. I am not going to lie and say I have enjoyed every ending to a book I've read, because I haven't. Sometimes a bad ending to a book can completely destroy how I feel about a series.

Take Twilight for an example. The very first book had a lot of potential. It could have turned into something amazing and yet in the second book I could tell the plot was starting to fall apart. The last book, Breaking Dawn was a train wreck. Everything felt so rushed and not even a little bit realistic at all.

Mockingjay was also another loss for me. The Hunger Games was probably one of the best YA Dystopian books I have ever read. Catching Fire was just as good too but I got a sense of the plot beginning to weaken by the end of it. When Mockingjay rolled around my expectations were sky high for it being the last book. I was let down. Katniss was supposed to be a strong heroine and willing to fight for what she loved, in Mockingjay all that determination seemed to leave her and she was just a depressed teen who gave up. I loved Katniss's determination and will to fight, when I read about how moody and emo she was it just irritated me. Suzanne killing off so many characters also infuriated me. It was just too depressing for my taste. I would have atleast kept Prim and Finnick alive, and given Katniss back her strong will.

So what do you guys think? Anything you wanna change?

Mimi Valentines 300 Follower Giveaway!

I know everyone loves giveaways! So I thought I'd share a really awesome one with you all! All you have to do is be a follower of Mimi and bam! You could win one of several cool releases coming out this fall! :)

Enter HERE! :D

GOOD LUCK!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're eager for.

Title: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Released: September 29th 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

"The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities"

Why I want to read this:

I have always been fascinated by Jack The Ripper. There is just something about him that is so mysterious and haunting that I am just compelled to him. I even have books about him (Now you all probably think I'm crazy XP) A book written in a YA format is like my dream come true! This book seems so suspenseful and intriguing I can hardly wait!

What are your thoughts? Do you want to read this book too? If not, what are you looking most forward too? Please let me know! :)

Review: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Title: Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Release Date: November 6th 2007
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 335
Source: Library

"The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive." (Goodreads)

This book was an amazing read! It has been a long time since I found such a suspenseful and action packed story line but alas, I did. Neal Shusterman creates such amazing adventures in this book that leaves the reader completely captivated until the very end! I have to say that the concept of this entire book is utterly heartbreaking, but there are such exciting scenes and the perfect amount of romance jam packed into this novel. Following Connor, Risa, and Lev's story gave me such a roller coaster of emotions. The mere idea of being unwound gives me chills down my spine.

In Shusterman's Unwound world, Parents have children because they know they will love them unconditionally, but some parents have more sinister ideas in mind. Instead of accepting their children for who they are and trying to work through conflicts and problems, they have their own flesh and blood unwound. When a child is unwound, they are literally taken apart, piece by piece. Although parents only have the option to do this between ages 13-18, a large amount do. There are even religions that believe being unwound is one of the holiest things a person can do. They call them Tithes, the chosen ones. Tithes are literally born into the world to be unwound. When a child is chosen to be unwound, the parents have no chance to stop it once the papers have been signed. After being taken from home, the unwind will be transported to a Harvest Camp, or the Chop Shop as the kids call it. No one really knows what happens once an unwind goes there, the only thing people know for sure is that the old you never comes back. Every piece of what remains will be saved and used for different transplants for another person.

Connor is a rebellious teenager who always seems to act on impulse and find himself in trouble quiet often. He finds out his parents have had enough and have decided to unwind him. Risa, lives in a StaHo (State Home) and is chosen to be unwound do to budget cuts and Lev is tithe who feels being unwound is his divine destiny. These three teens meet unexpectedly and their adventure for survival begins immediately.

The emotions in this book are phenomenal. Along with the characters, the reader also experiences the emotional roller coaster of events. The pain of being rejected by ones own parents is heartbreaking and devastating. Although this book is darker, there are some elements to take from it. Sometimes a person has to create their own family and sometimes a person has to fight for what they believe in only if it's just them. This book was such a page turner and kept me thrilled through the whole thing.

The book is quite old but I am so happy I got the chance to read it! Shusterman is currently writing a sequel for Unwind coming out during the fall of 2012. I highly recommend everyone to read this book! You won't regret it!

Rating: 5/5

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday (1)

Top ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they post a new list. It's super fun and super easy to do! It's also a great way to meet new bloggers!

This weeks top ten is...

What is your Top Ten TBR Books of Fall 2011?

It was really hard to come up with just ten considering how many awesome books are coming out. I think this is one of the best years for YA releases. I did narrow it down to the books I want to read REALLY REALLY bad. I don't think I need to explain these books this week considering how popular they seem to be right now!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Let us know what books you've bought, borrowed or received for review!

I have a giant IMM this week! I need to stop buying books before my room is completely taken over by them. Too bad its so addicting! My Half-Price Books had a lot of goodies this week and I just couldn't help myself. :)

Won/For Review