Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins

Genre: YA paranormal

Publication date: March 13, 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

I absolutely ADORED Demonglass, which is the second book in the series. The ending left me hanging on the edge of my seat and I am so eager to read Spellbound, I can't even describe it. If you haven't read the first two books in this series...do it now. I kid you not. It is the Hex Hall series and it is fantabulous!

And, I mean, look at the cover! Purrddddy.

So what books are you peeing your pants for?

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (REVIEW)

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)

Genre: YA paranormal -- Publication date: August 1, 2009 -- Source: Library

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance. (Goodreads.com)

All right, so I'll start with a little backstory. About six months ago I had this book checked out from a library in Florida, which was where I lived. I was so siked to read it, but I had another book that I was even more excited to read first (In the Vlad Todd Chronicles). I was halfway through that book when -- SURPRISE! I'm moving to Arkansas in two days and I really had to pack and return the books to the library. So not only did I not finish the Vlad Todd book (which drives me crazy to this day! I hate not finishing books!) I also did not get to read Shiver. And Shiver, apparently, is in high demand in Arkansas (no surprises there) and I have literally been checking my library for it for the past six months, and I FINALLY got it!

So you could imagine how thrilled I was to finally have my hands on it.

I apologize in advance, for this will be a review with lots of side comments (sometimes I talk to myself) and rambling. I've had way too much caffiene today. Not entirely professional, but imbued with love and passion for the books I read.

And, without firther ado, I present you with my review (Hey, that rhymed!).

I'm a die-hard vamp freak. I love love love vampires. Apparently some people believe that if you love vampz you can't be equally infatuated with werewolves. I STRONGLY disagree because I do love werewolf books. And hott werewolves that run around without a shirt on (yummy!).

And then I see Shiver, which has a pretty radtastic premise and I heard that it had a kickass romance in it. What more could I possibly want!?

But Shiver was much better than I had initially suspected it would be.

Okay, I'll admit, the beginning didn't thrill me. I was slightly confused and I felt pretty disconnected from both characters. Not to mention I found it pretty creepy that Grace was obsessed with a wolf. She didn't know that he turned into a human. She thought it was just your average run-of-the-mill wolf that lurked in the woods by her house and pretty much stalked her. And it was pretty darn obvious that she was in love with it! I repeat: CREEEPY.

But then he turns into - you guessed it - a human boy! And he is beautiful and broken and smart and gentle and...I could go on forever (LOL. That's the name of the third book) but my point is that the boy, Sam, is irresistable in literacy context.

Except he's got a little issue with the cold, and this time that issue may transform into something permanent. No biggie.

I loved entering Sam's point of view. He was sad and insightful. And his memories. I loved those. Sam felt real and fragile and wonderful, whereas Grace...wasn't. I don't have a problem with her. She doesn't bother me. I don't really want to slam her face into a wall. But I don't like her either. Sometimes I felt like her dialogue didn't fit her personality, but she was still a generally entertaining character.

The writing and the pacing were both fantabulous. It was easy to get absorbed in Mercy Falls. However, I feel like there could have been so much more in the plot. A little more umph! You know? I did love that there were obvious plot holes that were left to be filled by the following books.

All together, this story was delectable and I devoured it as quickly as possible.

 + 1/2

I rarely give out half-pawprints, but this was a special case.

Lovers of...

The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

The Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer

The Raised by Wolves series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong

The Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

will get shivers from this wonderful book.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

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

Red Glove by Holly Black

 

TEASER:

 

"I'm sorry if I'm horrible," she says, her mouth moving against my sleeve. "I'm really nervous."

 

"I thought we already established that I like it when you're horrible," I say under my breath, picking up the slushies.

 

Page 166

Excitement!

So, I did not watch the VMAs last night. I have, however, seen the trailer that was released for The Hunger Games!

Get ready for fangirl scream...

...

..

.

.

.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so darn excited for March 23, I can't barely breath...

Geeze, apparently the excitement made me completely forget my grammatical abilities, because that previous sentence made no sense....

Still. I am so excited for the movie to come out! It looks AH-FRIGGIN-MAZING!

And for those who are yet to see it.....

New feature!

Today I decided that I'm going to add a new feature to the blog, and, get ready for it, it is going to be called BOM. Which means Book of the Month.

I know, I know. It isn't very original, but whatever. I didn't really get this idea from anywhere in particular, but tons of blogs do it! I was just thinking about how there seems to be a book I really want coming out each month, and the purpose of BOM is to highlight a book that is being released that month that I am really looking forward to.

The cover will be my Blog, Goodreads, and Twitter picture. And of course I will probably do quite a few posts about it throughout the month.

So, stay tuned for my BOM posts, starting September (It's a little late for August, but if you've been reading my blog, there's not much of a secret as to which book that would be...*COUGH* Bloodlines...).

Twitter and Goodreads!

Something I've been meaning to do for a while is mke a Twitter and Goodreads account specifically for the blog, but everytime I thought of it I was always busy.

FINALLY.

Finally, I have done it.

So....Follow me on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/#!/BookBreather

And add me on Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6095442

In My Mailbox (1)

Sooo, this is my first in my mailbox! I'm excited to take part in this meme!

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

IN MY MAILBOX:

For Review:

The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan

Tris and Izze by Mette Ivie Harrison

(Thanks NetGalley!)

Flame of Surrender by Rhiannon Paille

(Received for blog tour!)

Enchanted by Rachel Wells

(Received from author!)

Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula by Elise Stokes

(Received from author!)

Purchased:

Vampire Academy and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

So that's what I got. What about you?



On my wishlist (4)

Okay, so I was going to post this yesterday, but I was so caught up in the magic of Bloodlines that I completely forgot!

On my wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City every Saturday.

If you would like to participate or learn more about it, click HERE.

My wishlist: 

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Publication date: August 2, 2011

Genre: YA paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:

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

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

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

I've heard so many wonderful things about this book and I've wanted to read it for the longest time. I like the creepiness factor and everything, so hopefully I'll be buying this soon.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Publication date: Jul 19, 2011

Genre: YA contemporary romance

Summary from Goodreads:

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

So, does this not sound absolutely adorable!? I mean, I've heard what a great writer Jennifer Echols is, but I've never read her work. Ever since I read the synopsis of this book I have been itching to read it!

The Nine Lives of Chloe King by Liz Braswell

Publication date: June 7, 2011

Genre: YA fantasy

Summary from Goodreads:

 

Chloe King is a normal girl. She goes to class (most of the time), fights with her mom, and crushes on a boy…or two. But around her sixteenth birthday, Chloe finds that perhaps she isn’t so normal after all. There’s the heightened night vision, the super fast reflexes – oh, and the claws.

As she discovers who she is – and where she comes from – it is clear she is not alone. And someone is trying to get her.

Chloe has nine lives. But will nine be enough?

I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon. I mean, I wouldn't say I necessarily LOVE the TV series, but I do enjoy it and that was enough to peak my interest in the books.

 So what's on your wishlist?

 

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (REVIEW)

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Genre: YA urban fantasy -- Publication date: August 23, 2011 -- Source: purchased

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

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

Anybody who has been reading this blog for a little while probably knows that I have been unbearably excited for this book for what seems like an eternity! Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series is my absolute favorite and awaiting the debut to this new series was agony. It's really difficult for me to write an informing review without spoiling this book or Last Sacrifice, which is the latest book in the Vampire Academy series, but I'll do my best.

First of all, it was delightful to be back inside of the world of the Moroi, Strigoi, and dhampir. And now the alchemists, of course! All of the politics and societal rules and different moral values of the species has always been so beautiful to me and re-entering is like a splash of cold water on a dry day in Palm Springs.

Now, I was never a skeptic of viewing the world through Sydney's point of view, but I strongly doubted that I would love her as much as Rose, considering Rose is, like, the epitome of amazing female protagonists. But Sydney Sage is amazing in her own ways - and equally infuriating. A recent stunt that was looked upon as the betrayal to the alchemists had put Sydney in a rocky patch with the rest of her kind, not really trusted, but not exactly UNtrusted by anyone other than the repulsive Keith Darnell. Sydney takes a lot of consideration into every single word she says, not wanting to give the alchemists a reason to believe that she is traitorous, but also wanting to be polite to her diverse company who she believes are vile, unnatural creatures of the night.

Throughout the novel she struggles with what she was taught as an alchemist and what she is experiencing before her. She is witnessing Moroi and dhampir dealing with inner turmoil, feeling real human emotions, and she WANTS to care for them, but it goes against all she is as an alchemist. Also, her easy submission to the alchemists is so infuriating because it is, well, easy. She hardly defends herself d doesn't put up much of a fight.

But here's the kicker...

She knows that. And she hates it. She wishes she were different, but she doesn't see much of a choice.Which is why she doesn't want her younger sister, Zoe, sucked into the oppressive world of alchemy. As the story progresses, the reader gets to see Sydney sort of tossing aside that meek nature and taking action to stand up for herself and her friends. It's quite miraculous, actually, the slow transition she makes.

Another problem she faces is body issues. Compared to the Moroi, she feels frumpy and overweight and like she could never be perfect enough. I think that is important because it is something that a lot of younger girls face nowadays. I think it is very easily relatable.

This book definitely had an 'opening novel' feel to it. It isn't incredibly suspenseful or riveting, but it does keep the reader guessing. Little hints and remarks are dropped here and there that make you HAVE to keep reading. There are a lot of different conflicts thrown out on the table that are very obvious will be built on in later novels. And there is definite foreshadowing that I detect, which is super exciting!

This series could very easily be started without reading the Vampire Academy series, but I feel like it is a lot more enjoyable because I have read the predecessing series. The characters are much more intriguing, and it helps that I already love them!

The writing and pacing is beautiful as always, because Miss Mead sure has a way with words! I must say that I'm surprised at the lack of romance, but it makes sense because of Sydney's character.

The ending, though. Man. That was what took my breath away. Darn you, Richelle! It's not a huge cliffhanger, but it did leave me literally hyperventilating. All in all, The Golden Lily, which is the next installment in this new series, is much too far away! This was an excellent introductory book that I think would definitely please all vampire and Vampire Academy fans alike!

• Sydney. Sydney has such a good heart (though she made a pretty shocking deal with a very familiar devil) and it was impossible for me not to gradually love her. I know a lot of people either loved her or hated her in the Vampire Academy series. I didn't feel strongly about her, though. I was pleased when she had another role in Last Sacrifice, but I still felt like I didn't know enough bout her. I can honestly say that is no longer the case. I felt so connected to Sydney throughout this whole book, and she faces a lot of realistic problems that are very easy relate to. Like the pressure to be perfect, and trying to make everyone around her happy, and bottling what she truly feels. I began feeling so bad for Sydney throughout the story because she does everything with the best intentions but never receives the appreciation she deserves.
• ADRIAN. MMMMMM. If you haven't guessed, I love Adrian. I was never able to actually choose between him and Dimitri, because I love them for different reasons. But, my god. ADRIAN IVASHKIOV. I'm not going to go into major details, once again not wanting to reveal spoilers for Last Sacrifice, but I will say that we get to see a whole new side to him in Bloodlines. In Frostbite he is introduced as the vampire party boy with a great appreciation for women. However, as the Vampire Academy series progressed it was very obvious there was a lot more to him than that. In Bloodlines you get a good idea of what that is, though I'm sure there's a lot more to come. I mean, he literally gets his hands dirty. Adrian! His healing powers have certainly improved. He shows a great deal more of independence. And, brace yourself, ADRIAN IS AN ARTIST! Shocker, right?
• The mention of Mason. Okay, so I think this may be a spoiler, but it doesn't give away anything huge. In this book, there is a mention of Mason. Mason was one of my favorite characters until he, you know...but hearing about him was so amazing. I loved loved loved Mason and I still cry every time I think of him.
• Representation of high school. Honestly, I think Richelle Mead did a very good job representing a high school. I mean, I happen to know. I've been to my share of them.
• The realistic struggles. As I said before, Sydney deals with a lot of things that many young girls have to deal with on a daily basis, and it is refreshing to see those kinds of things in a vampire book!
• The religious content. It's no secret that Sydney and the rest of the alchemists are extremely religious, but it's not distracting. I mean, obviously it comes into play when Sydney has to make decisions and whatnot, but the book isn't focused on it, like, "PRAISE THE LORD!" Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with any religion, I just don't like books that preach to me. That's what church is for. 

I thought that this book was an absolutely perfect opening novel, but I have a feeling the following books in the series will be better, and pack an even stronger punch!

If you like...

The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

The House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast

The Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz

The Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow

then you'll love Bloodlines!

Giveaway winner!

Okay, so, I apologize for not posting this sooner. I have been so busy lately that it has been hard for me to keep up.

But, the winner of the eBook copy of Released by Megan Duncan is...

...

...

...

(That's my drumroll!)

Darlener Goodman!

Congratulations, I will be sending you an email soon. Make sure you reply within 48 hours or the prize will go to somebody else!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman (REVIEW)

Where She Went (If I Stay #2)  By Gayle Forman 

Genre: YA Realistic fiction -- Publication date: April 2011 -- Source: Library

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance. (Goodreads.com)

Wow. This book is so good, and while it is the sequel to If I Stay it is so different! This book is told from Adam's perspective, who, if you read my last review you'd know, I completely fell in love with in the first book. But I fell in love with him all over again in Where She Went, but for different reasons. In this book, Adam is extraordinarily famous, he's got a beautiful new girlfriend, and he is completely broken. He never fully recovered from Mia's leaving him, and the fame has only corrupted him. Everything that he loves has pretty much been taken from him. Mia left him without a word. His relationship with his band is incredibly rocky. And his love for music has deteriorated.

And yet...

He sticks to his morals. He never once cheats on his girlfriend, he doesn't do heavy drugs. Okay, so he throws diva-fits at reporters, but I never claimed he was perfect. There is not much I can say about this blog without giving spoilers, but I love this book. Absolutely adored it.

It broke my heart multiple times. Gave me hope. Crushed that hope. Then returned it and then some. It left me with a bubble of warmth in my belly.

If you have read If I Stay but have not read Where She Went, I highly recommend that you do it now. I was crying on almost every page. If you haven't read If I Stay then...WHAT THE HECKTARDS ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?

I sucked in this book in about two hours, but it took me a few days to post my review because of school work and whatnot. But I haven't forgotten a single detail about the book. Read it. Really.

Once again, I can't post any specific reasons why I FREAKING LOVED THIS FREAKING BOOK because there is not a single aspect I don't love. The writing is beautiful and capturing, and, well, just read it. NOW.

If you like...

The Summer Series by Jenny Han

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

How It Ends by Laura Weiss

Then you'll love this book!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Genre: YA realistic fiction -- Publication date: April, 2010 -- Source: Library

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces - to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time. (Goodreads.com)

The only reason I picked If I Stay off of the library shelf was because I heard an enormous amount of buzz surrounding it. That seems to be a habit for me lately. Anyway, I really didn't know much about the book. I had a very vague idea what it was about, which I'm glad, because if I would gave read the synopsis or something, I probably would not have checked it out. Reading the synopsis now, I realize that it doesn't sound like my personal cup of tea.

Therefore, I was taken on a stunning adventure with this book that exceeded all of my expectations, which rarely happens when books are built by the hype. Get ready for a gush-fest, because when it comes to good books, I've been known to gush with the best of them.

If I Stay was one of those books that grabbed me from the very first page and held me like an unshakable vise. I think I may have set a new world record on how fast it is possible to turn pages! I read this book in one sitting, afraid that if I put it down it would magically dissolve or something. I had to go to bed after finishing it last night, but I wasn't worried about writing the review, because I was certain that this story was going to remain inprinted in my mind for weeks to come.

The plot was original. The idea that Mia gets to make the choice whether to live or die seems rather hard to pull of to me. There were so many directions it could have gone. It could have been totally unrealistic or annoying, or so many other bad adjectives. Instead, it was tear-jerking, heart-wrenching, and just plain gorgeous. I felt Mia's pain, I cried for her. At first it did seem a little silly, because if you could choose to stay in the world or go, why wouldn't you want to stay? But Mia's got reasons. Tons of them. And the fact that she wants to go becomes completely understandable, and a part of me wanted her to go, just so she didn't have to deal with everything that was going on around her. Of course, I really really really wanted her to stay.

Mia's narration of the story is perfect. There's a noticeable tinge of nostalgia, darkness, insecurity, longing...you name it. She was just a delight to read about. This book is told a lot through memories, which is a style that I have always loved. This is only the second separate book series that I've read that is like that, and I loved it just as much!

There is a beautiful romance in this book (once again, mostly told in memories, but the parts that are happening in the present are, well, beautiful) but not an overwhelming amount. Adam is sexy and sweet and wonderful, and I am so excited that the sequel, Where She Went, is told in his point of view.

This book is one of my new favorites, and I'm not even going to add a "Reasons I Liked It" section, because I cannot pick out individual reasons. The prose was breath-taking, heart-breaking, and pure magic. I loved absolutely every aspect!

RECOMMENDATIONS: (Cute little banner thingamajig will be made soon for this new feature!)

For people who love Sarah Dessen's Dreamland, and Laura Weiss's How It Ends, this book is definitely for you!

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (REVIEW)

Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1) 

Genre: YA Paranormal -- Publication date: May 2010 -- Source: Library

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that? (Goodreads.com)

I'm really not sure what to say about this book, so I'll start with the cover. I admit, I'm kind of a cover freak and I do indeed judge books based upon the covers. I've always loved Infinity's cover. I remember the first time I saw it, I almost bought it, but then decided against it only because I was getting Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead. Every time I would walk by the book, my eyes were drawn to it and when I finally found it in my library I was like, "HECK YES!" However, the content on the pages is by no means as beautiful as the artwork on the cover. I'm not saying that the book is bad, because it wasn't horrible, it just didn't hold that spark for me.

The plot was definitely original, I'll give it that, but it just seemed a little scattered to me. The main focus is the zombies that are beginning to take over New Orleans, but then there's the fact that people want to control Nick, and Nick learning his powers, and a bunch of other stuff that are just there. It wasn't exactly confusing, it just left me unsatisfied. I guess that is why there is a series, though, because it left me with so many questions.

The writing was mediocre, in my opinion. Kenyon didn't craft words together in a particularly stunning way. The descriptions didn't create vivid pictures in my mind. It wasn't horrible, obviously. It was good enough for me to be able to finish the book and not be banging my head against a wall the entire time. One problem I had, though, was that Kenyon would randomly switch perspectives with no warning! I thought it was, like, writing 101 to at least make a paragraph break before switching point of view. Granted, it was in third-person, but one minute the narration would be Nick's feelings and then I'd get thrown off by a switch to Caleb's feelings. I had no problem with the pacing, for the most part, but as I mentioned before I didn't like going in and out of Nick's head.

As for the characters, well, it was pretty easy for me to feel connected to Nick. I really liked Bubba and Mark because they were so intelligent and whacky, and fun. A lot of the dialogue in the story was sort of unnecessary and just rambled on, but it was still fun to read.

There was a total lack of foreshadowing, which made the story a lot less interesting. Nick would come to conclusions and explain how he got there, but it would have been helpful if we had seen some of the things. Does that make sense? An example (as unspoilery as possible) would be that Nick had to do something super duper important in order to save himself and his friends, and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to do it, and then suddenly, "Oh yeah! So-and-so once told me about this, and that's what I'm going to have to do." Does that clarify anything? Probably not! See, this is what I meant when I said I wasn't sure what to say about this book. I guess you could say that this book has more telling than showing.

All together, this story wasn't painful, but it wasn't magical either. I'd definitely be interested in the sequel, but I'm not dying to get it into my hands.

• The voice. Nick has a really strong voice that just screamed at me! He is tough and dry and stubborn as all get-out!
• The secondary characters. They each had fun personalities and I loved them all.
• Zee breaking of zee stereotypes. Nick's mom is a stripper, but she isn't strung out on drugs or always bringing men home. She hates what she does because it's the only way that she can support her son. And Nick may be kind of idiotic, but he's surprisingly smart and well-behaved for someone who was raised in the ghetto. He's got a pretty good moral compass going for him.

Library jackpot!

So, I just got back from the library, and I am so pleased with my findings that I had to share them, because it was an incredible outcome. Thank god for modern libraries, eh?

Paranormalcy and Supernaturally by Kierstin White

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Clarity by Kim Harrington

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Red Glove by Holly Black

Every single one of these was on my TBR pile, and I am so glad to have snatched them :D Expect reviews for each of them sometime soon!



On my wishlist (3)

On my wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City every Saturday.

If you would like to participate or learn more about it, click HERE.

My wishlist: 

Entice by Carrie Jones

Publication date: December 14, 2010

Genre: YA paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever.
But that's not quite how things have worked out.

For starters, well, Nick is dead.
Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned...she's Astley's queen.

I've read so many bad reviews for this series, but I love it. It's a light and easy read, and with the cliffy ending of Captivate, I've been itching to read this book.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Publication date: February 1, 2011

Genre: YA dystopia

Summary from Goodreads:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

GAHHH! I've wanted to read this book for forever. The premise is original, and I've heard so many great things about it.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Publication date: May 31, 2011

Genre: YA mythilogical paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:



How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

I've been in love with this cover since the moment I saw it. It is just so beautiful. I also have a slight infatuation with mythology, therefore I knew that this book would be perfect for me. I've read a few reviews about it, and I feel like this is either a love-it-or-hate-it book. I hope that I read it and love it!

What is on your wishlist?