Feature and Follow Friday (4)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's Views

 

Sorry I was pretty MIA this week, I had finals and talk about stress! I didn't even read a word of my book! Now that it is Winter Break, I have much more free time to spend reading and with my family! So, yay, more blogging will be done, pinkie promise!

 

 

This weeks features are: Lite-Rate-Ture and JC's Book Haven

 

This weeks question is: What have you learned from book blogging that you didn't know before about the publishing industry?

 

Hmm, I guess the most obvious would be the ARC situation. I had no clue what an ARC was! Once I started blogging and heard about them I thought there would be an abundance of them and I could snatch one up no problem. Talk about wrong. Little did I know how much work it takes to obtain one ARC, never mind get stacks like some of the big wig bloggers do.

 

 

What have you learned about the publishing industry since starting to blog?

 

 



 

Feature and Follow Friday (3)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's Views

 

 

This weeks features are: My Library in the Making and Read, Breathe, Read

 

This weeks question is: What is the last book that made you cry? Tell us about the scene...

 

Gosh...honestly, no word of a lie, I NEVER cry when I am reading a book. It may get me choked up and emotional, but never to the point of tears. I am the type of person that needs to be in a sad environment in order to start crying. Funerals and movies are really the only times that I cry over sad instances. Then again, if I read Marley and Me, I'm pretty sure I may actually cry. Talk about a tearjerker!

 

 

What was the last book that made you cry?



When We Wake by Karen Healey

When We Wake
Author- Karen Healy
Publishing Date- March 5th, 2013
Little, Brown
304 pages
Received through ATW ARC Tours

My name is Tegan Oglietti, and on the last day of my first lifetime, I was so, so happy.

Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027--she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice. But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies--and wakes up a hundred years in the future, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened. Tegan is the first government guinea pig to be cryonically frozen and successfully revived, which makes her an instant celebrity--even though all she wants to do is try to rebuild some semblance of a normal life. But the future isn't all she hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better future?

 

I knew from the minute that I viewed this gorgeous cover on a tour site that I need to read this book. I mean, how could you pass up a cover as fantastic as this one? I love the clean lines and simplistic colors. I also love the cool frost that is shown on the cover models lips, eyes and eyebrows. Overall, this cover is definitely a winner for me.

This book reminded me quite a bit of Across the Universe, a book I read much earlier in 2012 and ended up loving!  In When We Wake, people who have chosen to donate their bodies to science upon death are cryonically frozen and preserved in hopes of being brought back in another era. Tegan, the main character, however, is the first ever person to ever fully awaken from her cryonic state.

I don't know what it was about Tegan, but I found her to be sort of bland and very dull. She was easy to relate to in the beginning of the book, but towards the end I ended up really disliking her. As a main character, I would have expected to like her much more than I actually did. She definitely was very unique and seemed to have a great layer to her that wasn't really seen much in the book.

Tegan's love interest, Abdi, was quite a different case though.. I really ended up loving Abdi. He was extremely like able and I looked forward to the parts of the story that featured him. He had an interesting life story and was very unique. I just wish that his partner could have been just like him!

The way When We Wake is written is in a very conversational manner. I felt like Tegan was always talking to me instead of narrating the story. I actually ended up really liking the conversational aspect of the book. It made the storyline flow and the pages just flew by.

Overall, I enjoyed When We Wake, but it definitely wouldn't be the first dystopian I would recommend to you. I think what really ended up killling it for me was the fact that Tegan was just so darn boring. Other than her, I really liked the other characters and the setting was really cool too!



 

Feature and Follow Friday (2)

 

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's Views and Alison Can Read

 

This weeks features are- Bookworm Brandee and Writer's Block

This weeks question is: Activity! Who do you want to be? If you could choose any character from a book. What do you think that character looks like and what do you have in common?

 

I would love to be Samantha Reed from My Life Next Door. I just fell in love with her and the Garrett family, so I would love to be in her position ;)

 

I have always imagined Samantha to look like Ashley Benson (Hanna from Pretty Little Liars)

 



What character would y'all choose to be?

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Meant to Be
Author- Lauren Morrill
Published- November 13th, 2012
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
304 pages
Recieved from ATW ARC Tours

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

Gosh darn! These contemporaries are just sucking me right in. I guess I have just had a secret yearning for romance for months now and now that I have time to read I am just gobbling them up! Meant To Be was no exception!

The first thing that struck me as funny when i went to pick this book up was the odd resemblance to Anna and the French Kiss, which I literally just finished reading! Both are about school and foreign countries and cute guys. In some ways I like that it was similar, but in others I think it may have been TOO similar.

I quite like the cover of this book. The colors are vibrant and I like the mixture between reality and cartoon like. I am also really fond of the font they chose. Overall, it is a very attractive cover in my opinion. It would no doubt look great on your bookshelf!

As far as the main characters go, they weren't really my cup of tea. I found Julia to be boring, wishy washy and just plain rude. I had a hard time connecting to her as a character. Jason was just okay. He definitely didn't have me swooning like Etienne did. I honestly feel like I didn't really get to know Jason all that well, even though he shares a large part of the book with Julia. The supporting characters were much the same. I honestly had no care for any of them.

As far a plot goes, I found this book to be slow. It didn't really suck me in like most contemporaries and it became more of a chore to read than a pleasurable activity. There wasn't really all that much going on in the story and I guess that is what made the plot monotonous.

Overall, I enjoyed Meant to Be, but I definitely don't feel like it is the best contemporary you could choose to read. The characters were bland and the storyline was slow and monotonous. If your are looking for the traveling + love angle, then I highly recommend Anna and the French Kiss!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss
Author- Stephanie Perkins
Published- December 2nd, 2010
Dutton
372 pages
Obtained from PBS

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Oh my goodness! How in the world have I waited this long to dive into this book? People have been telling me for months how fantastic it is and I am so glad I picked it up!

I really like the cover of Anna. The colors are great and very attractive. I like how it shows a bit of her and Etienne (I am assuming) and ties in the setting as well. I will say that the cover model is a little too perfect looking. She isn't what I pictured Anna to look like at all. I think they could have used a quirkier girl. But, overall the cover is appealing to look at.

I loved loved loved the setting of this book. I have always wanted to go back to Europe, but most especially Paris! It sounds like such a gorgeous city and it served as a fantastic backdrop for the story. Reading about all of the landmarks made me want to visit!

Anna was a great character! She was unique and had a great personality. She had just enough turmoil in her life to make the book interesting and not burdening. I really liked the fact that her father was a Nicholas Sparks esque writer, especially because I love reading Sparks books!

And then there is Etienne. Pardon me a minute while I swoon. I don't see how anyone could NOT fall in love with Etienne St. Clair! Boys with rough backgrounds make the best guys to read about. He was unique as well and I could just picture his staggeringly great looks. The supporting characters were all great as well. They added a unique spice and twist to each part of the story.

The plot in Anna was quick and the story overall was extremely well written. I had a hard time putting the book down!

Overall, don't waste another minute of your life without reading this book! The story was fast and the characters were interesting. All I can say is READ THIS BOOK!

Feature and Follow Friday (1)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's Views and Alison Can Read.

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving! I have decided to join the Feature and Follow Friday meme after debating for a while. I think it will be a great way to meet new people!

This week's features are Danny from Bewitched Bookworms and Julie from My 5 Monkeys

 

This weeks question is: What blog are you thankful for?

 

Gosh, this question is difficult! I am thankful for so many blogs. But most especially I am thankful for Keeping it Real With Lucy, My Not So Real Life, and Singing and Reading in the Rain for providing great friendship in the blogging world. It is great to have met people my age that share my interests!

 

What blogs are you thankful for?

 

 

 

Beta by Rachel Cohn

Beta
Author- Rachel Cohn
Published- October 16th, 2012
Disney Hyperion
304 pages
Received through SBB ARC Tours

Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers--soulless clones like Elysia--are immune to.

At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an under-current of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care--so why are overpowering sensations cloud-ing Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi-ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, "Beta "is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor-rupted world.
 

I was actually pretty hesitant before starting this book. Most of the reviews I had seen were extremely negative. I try to not let others change what books I want to read, so I decided to try it out anyway. I am glad that I trusted my gut!

The thing that drew me towards this book more than anything else was the cover. Yes, I am a self professed cover snob. The font is very neat and sci-fi, and I feel absolutely mesmerized by the eyes of the cover model. Plus, this cover matches up with my rendition of Elysia almost exactly which I found pretty neat. And on top of that, the cover had this awesome sheen and smooth finish that was so neat to look at.

So, what was neat about this book was that it was set on this amazing island in the middle of the ocean. The island is modified to make occupants have a "high" feeling because of drugs pumped into the atmosphere. Everything about the island is perfect except for the fact that they have clones that they use like slaves. Clones are replica's of humans, except for the fact that they possess no soul which means they have no sense of feeling, taste and other factors of life.

Elysia was a really neat character. I found her easy to connect to and easy to sympathize with. She had this great, easy going nature and amazing romantic connection with a fellow Demesne inhabitant. I loved the fact that the entire story was told from her perspective so we heard every waking thought of hers.

Beta delved into some really tough topics, some of which were rape and slavery. Rape was a common occurrence in Beta. Clones were used as toys almost. No regard was made for them, but only what their owner wanted. It was definitely tough to read about, but the book brings a great awareness to the subject.

The end of Beta absolutely made the book for me. It was definitely an unexpected ending and it had a fantastic cliffhanger. No doubt about it, I cannot wait for book two!

Overall, I really enjoyed Beta. It was a unique book with a quick plot and fantastic ending! I would highly recommend it to all sci-fi/ dystopian lovers!

 

An Apology..

Hi guys! Long time, no see (or type if you want to be literal). I just wanted to come on here quickly and say that I am sorry. I'm sorry that I have neglected you guys for almost a month now. To say the least, school has been kicking my butt this year! I have been struggling to figure out the balance of it all AND keep my grades from slipping. Let's just say it hasn't been easy. But, I try to look on the positive side. There are only six weeks left in this semester and I am so grateful for that! I am nearing my Thanksgiving break and not too long after that I have my 2 and a half week Christmas break. That means more time to read and blog! I have been in such a reading slump and it is sad to admit that I have yet to read a book this month (though I am about 30 pages into Anna and the French Kiss). But that's okay! Life will go on and I know that y'all will always be super amazing and loyal even through my rough times. So thank you! Thank you for sticking with me and my (at times) disaster of a blog. It is wonderful to always know that I have you guys to talk to! And don't worry, I will start posting again soon. I actually have a review scheduled for Wednesday, so yay!

 

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

Nerve
Author- Jeanne Ryan
Published- September 13th, 2012
Dial Books
304 pages
Received through ATW ARC Tours

A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?

Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.
 

So, leading up to the release of this book, I had been hearing tons of buzz about this book. So, of course, when it showed up as an ARC tour I was quick to add my name to the list. I ended up finishing the book slightly disappointed, which was a tad bit upsetting.

I'm really not a huge fan of this cover. I can't really determine a connection between the cover art and the book unless it is Nerve's logo. Even then I am very meh about the cover. It is very monochromatic and boring to the eye, in my opinion.

The beginning of the story showed promise, which was really what kept me reading. I liked the theatre aspect of the story and the fact that Vee was just a normal teenager. But, once we got past the initial introduction the story went downhill..fast.

The characters were a part of the book that I really didn't care for. Vee was extremely hard to get to know and she is definitely not the type of girl I relate to, AT ALL. Ian, her love interest and Nerve partner, was not much better. He was not romantic in the least and I found that he often gave off an extremely douche-y persona. So yeah, he was a no go. We also got a very limited amount of time with any other people , so as far as characters go, this book was not for me.

Then, the plot. I found it to be slow, monotonous, and at times extremely boring. I really felt like I had the whole book solved from the start and I really didn't even get into the story. More like I skimmed over the surface and just tried to get it over with.

I feel like many extremely vital things were not explained in the book I was left with many unanswered questions by the conclusion. What was the real point of Nerve? Is it government run? How was it started?..The whole premise of Nerve was very vague.

Overall, Nerve was not for me. I didn't end up with heart-pounding-can't-wait-for-what-happens-next feeling like I was hoping for and ultimately I finished the book unsatisfied. I don't think I will be recommending Nerve to anyone any time soon.

Blog Tour: The Serpent's Ring by H.B. Bolton

Hi guys! Today I am promoting The Serpent's Ring for CBB Book Tours! I have already started the book and I must say that it is a pretty awesome MG read!

Evan and Claire Jones are typical teenagers, forced to go with their parents to yet another boring museum ... that is, until something extraordinary happens to make their day a little more than interesting. After following a strange little creature into a closed exhibit, Evan and his older sister, Claire, discover the Serpent’s Ring, one of the magical relics formed from the shattered Mysticus Orb. Purely by accident, they have awakened its powers and opened a portal to Sagaas, land of ancient gods.

Before the siblings can comprehend what has happened, the Serpent’s Ring is wrenched from Evan’s hand by an enormous bird and flown back to Aegir, the Norse god of the sea. Evan and Claire, accompanied by a band of unlikely heroes, must retrieve the Serpent’s Ring before Aegir uses its immense powers to flood all the lands on Earth.
 

Book Trailer:

 

 

 

About the Author:

 Currently, H.B. Bolton resides in sunny Florida with her supportive husband, two adorable children, gorgeous greyhounds, and scruffy mutt. She is actively creating new worlds and interesting characters for the next book in one of her series. Shhhh, can you keep a secret? Not only does she write books for the young-at-heart, adventurous sort who yearn to dive into a good young-adult fantasy story, she also writes spellbinding, heart pounding women’s fiction. These particular books are written under the name Barbara Brooke, but that’s another story, altogether.

Catch H.B. Bolton on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads!

Purchase The Serpent's Ring from Amazon in PB or Kindle format, or from B&N!


The author was so awesome! She provided an amazing prize! You too can win your very own copy of The Serpent's Ring!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL!
You must be 13 or older
No cheating, I will check!

Enter the Rafflecopter below! May the odds be ever in your favor!

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Book Blast! Fate by Elizabeth Reyes + Giveaway!

Adriana Noriega's review on Goodreads

World Of Books

Hazel on Goodreads

The Autumn Reviews

Purchase FATE @ Amazon & B&N

Add it to your

"I write because I must. It's not a choice or a pastime, it's an unyielding calling and my passion."

~Elizabeth Reyes~

Blog /Amazon /Twitter /Facebook 

 

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Blog Tour: Roots of Insight by Breeana Puttroff

Roots of Insight
Author- Breeana Puttroff
Published- February 1st, 2012
Musefish Press
306 pages
E-copy provided by the author for review

Quinn Robbins has just returned from spending ten days in Eirentheos, a world she had never known existed. Trying to settle back into her familiar life and establish a relationship with her new boyfriend, Zander, is more of a challenge than she ever dreamed it would be.

Things are just beginning to feel normal again when Thomas shows up in her world, and invites her back to Eirentheos for a royal wedding. She's excited at the chance to reconnect with the people and places she had begun to fall in love with.

What she doesn't realize is just how deeply connected with this new world she might become ... and just what old secrets might be beginning to unravel.

The second book in the beloved Dusk Gate series reconnects Quinn with the charming princes, and the pristine world of Eirentheos. From a beautiful royal wedding to a dangerous rescue mission, Quinn's adventures are about to take her life on a course that will change it forever.
 

So, I read and reviewed book one in the Dusk Gate Chronicles a few months back and I absolutely loved it so, of course, when it came up on a tour site I had to get a spot! The second book, while not as good as the first, definitely did not disappoint!

I quite like the cover of this book. It is somewhat different from the first, but I think I prefer the simple layout and interesting font. Plus, it is a gorgeous bluey purple color!

I loved getting reunited with all of the awesome characters. Quinn was equally as awesome as in the first book and I absolutely swooned when I finally got to see Will and Thomas again! Having a second book makes me want the Rose family to adopt me even more. They are all kinds of amazing!

I finally got my romantic side fulfilled in this book. Not only does Quinn have a boyfriend on Earth, but she also ends up shacking it up with two other awesome guys in Eirentheos. Thank goodness that it didn't end up becoming a love square..phew!

I definitely think the storyline went much slower in this book than in Seeds of Discovery. There was plenty of action, it just read slower. It definitely held my attention though, no doubt about that.

The book wrapped up quite nicely, but it did end with one of my least favorite things in books...cliffhangers! This one is about the size of Mt. Everest! Thank goodness I have Thorns of Decision on my Kindle ready to be devoured!

Overall, I really enjoyed Roots of Insight. It was just as good as Seeds of Discovery and definitely left me wanting more!

 

September Reading Wrap-Up

Oh my goodness! Where has September gone? I feel like I was just typing up my August Wrap Up post and September TBR (which I epically failed on, by the way!). I had a really slow reading month this month and I'm hoping the coming months aren't as slow or I won't be reaching my 80 book goal. Any hoo, onto what I read and/or reviewed in the month of September.

 

 

 

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

 

Sad huh? Oh well, I am sure October will bring a much better month of reading. It is starting to get colder here which means more time inside. October is also my birthday month so I am hoping to get some cool new reads that will be releasing soon! 

 

How many books did you read in September?

 

In My Mailbox (25)

Hi guys! Happy Sunday! This week has been pretty slow in the reading department so I guess it is good that I only received one book. As always, In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

From Around the World ARC tours-

 

• Nerve by Jeanne Ryan- I received this book through an ARC tour program and I am about halfway through. So far it is pretty good. I cant wait to see where the story goes!

Also, I'd quickly like to mention that there are only 4 days left to enter my 100 follower giveaway! You can win your choice of any YA book valued at $13 or less on Amazon (US only). Enter here!

 

That's it for me! What awesomeness did you get in your mailbox?

 

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Breathe
Author: Sarah Crossan
Expected Publication: October 2nd, 2012
Greenwillow
400 pages
Received through SBB ARC Tours

Inhale. Exhale.

Breathe.
Breathe.
Breathe . . .
The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina
has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.

Quinn
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

So if you have been with me from the beginning you know I have been on a dystopian kick ever since I read Divergent last December. Guys, I think this one made one of my top favorite reads of 2012 it was that fantastic. *Be warned of potential fangirly review ahead!*

First off, the cover. Holy gorgeous! I love this cover. It depicts the story perfectly and even though I did not imagine the world outside of the Pod to look quite like that, I still really love the cover.

The world! Talk about corrupt! I really enjoyed learning about the world both inside and outside the Pod. The premise of the story was really well explained and I just fell into the book with little to no effort. The writing painted such a vivid picture in my mind and (as a visual reader) I just started thinking of what it would be like to live in the Pod. How cool, but at the same time so scary!

In the book, air is recycled and used again in the Pod so that everyone can continue to breathe. But, (here's the kicker) they must PAY for the air they breathe. Can you imagine having to pay for air? How the heck do the people not think that is ludicrous? It is actually mentioned in the story that oxygen levels inside the pod are upwards of 30%. I googled how much O2 is in our air, and we only have 20%. Wouldn't you be like high on oxygen or something? Goodness!

In the book, we get to see the world from three different perspectives. Alina is part of the RATS, an organization on a mission to replant the trees destroyed during the "Switch". Bea is a lower class civilian that lives with her parents who are just barely able to keep paying for her to breathe. Quinn, Bea's best friend is a Premium, a high class civilian, whose dad is high in the ranks of Breathe, the company that controls oxygen in the Pod.

I really enjoyed getting to know each and every character. I find it really cool to read something from three perspectives and get three different thoughts on a situation. Alina was a super cool, take charge, kick butt character. Bea was a demure yet totally awesome girl that had an amazing attitude and was ready to tackle the world. Quinn was the equally as amazing companion to Bea. He totally rocked my socks off, and I even admit to crushing on him just a bit :)

The writing was great. Even though the book was almost 400 pages, I felt like I was flying through the pages. The plot was fast paced and the storyline was quick. There was lots of action and very little down time, which I loved!

Talk about insane cliffhanger! Holy crap guys, I need the next book like now and this one isn't even published yet! I guess I must resign myself to a waiting game. *sigh*

Overall, Breathe totally rocked! The characters were awesome, the world was amazing (and creepy!) and the story flowed quickly and effortlessly! I cannot wait for Mrs. Crossan's next installment in this series!

In My Mailbox (24)

Hi guys! Happy Sunday and welcome to this weeks In My Mailbox post! I received quite a few awesome books this week and I am super excited to share with y'all! All books are linked to Goodreads if one happens to catch your eye! In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.



 

From the Library:

Butter by Erin Jade Lange

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

Skyfall: Troll Hunters by Michael Dahl

 

From PBS:

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

 

From ARCycling:

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker (Thanks to Jennifer ARCycling and Laura @ The Reading Nook!)

 

I do want to make one quick announcement- My 100 Follower Giveaway is in full swing! I am giving away one YA book valued at $13 or less on Amazon (US Only). If you are interested, enter here!

 

That is it for me this week! What awesomeness landed in your mailbox?

100 Follower Giveaway!

Hi guys! I have the most exciting news for y'all! Yesterday I hit 100 followers! You have no idea how excited and how proud I am that my little blog has gone so far in just 6 months! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect six months ago to be in this position. I feel extremely blessed!

So, I decided that in order to thank you it was high time for a giveaway! I am sorry, but at this time the giveaway will be US only! I pinkie promise that next time all of my international followers will be feeling the love too!

Please, enter the Rafflecopter below! May the odds be ever in your favor :)

Rules:

*Must be 13 or older/ have parents permission
*Must be a US resident!
*I will be checking to make sure your entries are valid! Please no cheating!

 

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Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate
Author- Jodi Meadows
Published- January 31st, 2012
Katherine Tegen Books
374 pages
Obtained from PBS

New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

 

I finished up Incarnate Sunday night, and I must say that I have definitely never read a book quite like it. I can see how it can be such and odd ball that it is a turn off. I, for one, really enjoyed it!

The obvious thing that first attracted me to this book was of course, the cover. Talk about gorgeous! The colors are awesome and the face is so captivating to look at!

I really enjoyed learning about the world that Incarnate was set in, it seemed to be very intricate and well thought out, but I did feel like the book was missing a few details that I feel would have made the story more enjoyable. What caused there to be only 1 million people? What caused the hatred between sylph, dragons and people? What happened to the people that used to live in Heart? I felt like a lot of my questions went unanswered.

I also felt the characters were flat. Ana showed little to no emotion and I had a really hard time trying to get into her head and get to know her. Sam was a tad bit better. I at least was able to connect on a small level with him and understand him. The romance was cute between him and Ana, but by all means it was not the best or most heart pounding romance I have read.

There was definitely no doubt that there was action though. Dragons attacked left and right, people went on killing sprees and Ana had to run for her life. I really enjoyed the more action packed parts of the book. There was no lack of excitement. Overall though, the plot dragged and there were many slow parts in the books that I was trudging through.

But, once I got past the fact that the book dragged AND had flat characters AND was missing major details, I really enjoyed it. Once I looked past all of the flaws I actually found Incarnate to be a real page turner.

Overall, I enjoyed Incarnate. The bones of the story were great, I just think the story could have been better executed. The characters fell a little flat, the plot dragged in places and the world was ill explained. I will for sure be continuing with the series though. I am hoping that all of my questions are answered when I read Asunder!

 

In My Mailbox (23)

Hi guys! Happy Sunday! So I got a lot of great books this week and I am excited to share! The library keeps coming up with awesome books, which digs me deeper into a hole of TBR!

 

 

Breathe by Sarah Crossan (SBB ARC Tours)

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers (PBS)

Everneath by Brodi Ashton (Won)

UnWholly be Neal Shusterman (Library)

Revived by Cat Patrick (Library)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Library)

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad (Library)

That's it for me! What awesomeness did y'all get this week?

 

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Eve and Adam
Authors- Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Releases on- October 2nd, 2012
Feiwel and Friends
304 pages
Provided by Netgalley

Sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker lives an affluent life in San Francisco with her mother, EmmaRose, a successful geneticist and owner of Spiker Biotech. Sure, Evening misses her father who died mysteriously, but she’s never really questioned it. Much like how she’s never stopped to think how off it is that she’s never been sick. That is, until she’s struck by a car and is exposed to extensive injuries. Injuries that seem to be healing faster than physically possible.

While recuperating in Spiker Biotech’s lush facilities, she meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like Evening, he’s never questioned anything... until now. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn’t right, and Emma-Rose may be behind it. Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship project: To simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.
 

So I finished up Eve and Adam late last night and I have to say I am a tad bit unimpressed. I had my hopes up so high just because *OMG, Michael Grant wrote the book!* I should learn to turn a blind eye to authors and covers. They always seem to get me into trouble.

The quality that first attracted me to this book was, of course, the cover. I know, the first thing they always tell you. DON'T judge a book by its cover. Well, I did... I totally fell in love with this cover. I just love the colors and the sci-fi feel!

Then I read the synopsis....talk about hook, line and sinker. From that point I knew this had to be moved up past all of my other TBR books!

But, when I cracked open the book (or in my case, clicked on the cover) and started to read, my expectations took a nosedive...fast. You know those books that you open the cover and immediately get the I'm-going-to-absolutely-love-this-book vibe. Yep, didn't happen to me. I felt unwelcome if that makes any sense. Partly due to the characters and partly due to other miscellaneous things that just irked me.

I really, really did not like Evening. Firstly, he name drives me crazy! Who the heck names their kid Evening?! Her nicknames weren't much better. E.V. made me think of E.T. (I so didn't want to be thinking of an extraterrestrial creature while reading a book!) and Eve made me think of Adam and Eve! Besides her name, I found her so difficult to connect with. Her emotions were always changing and she was so influenced by others that she hardly counted as a person.

Solo was OK. Not fantastic and at times he was a little jerky. But, when he actually decided to show compassion I really enjoyed his character! Aislin (how the heck do you even say her name?) was a pretty bland character also. She played the standard my-boyfriend-has-so-many-flaws-but-I-still-love-him type of girl. I'm not one to be attached to someone like she was, so she bothered me. The only character I even remotely liked was Adam and he wasn't even a real, legal human!

The plot, it was OK. It was a tad bit slow for my liking and not much really happened. I wasn't really shocked by any of the twists, nor was I connected to anything about the story.

The end definitely held 95% of the action. I really enjoyed the last 50 pages, but I still couldn't fully enjoy them because none of the characters really held a connection with me. And, the end was a bit weird. I really feel like the ending was cut off funny. I'm not sure if the books will continue as a series or as a standalone.

Oh, and the book is marketed as a dystopian, but I really didn't find a dystopian feel. It was more of a mad scientist/ Frankenstein type of book.

Overall, Eve and Adam was just OK. I found the characters difficult to connect to and the plot be be boring. The book lacked a little in the action area also. I'm not really sure if I will be continuing with this series if there is one.

BBAW Interview Swap: Beth from Yes, folks. I run like a girl.

Hi everyone! Today I had the pleasure to interview Beth from Yes, folks. I run like a girl. as part of Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

Please introduce yourself-

I'm Beth, and I wear many hats: I'm a college instructor, a runner, a frequent flier, a data geek, a cook, a problem solver, and I'm a voracious reader. I blog at "yes, folks. i run like a girl." I also write for Examiner.com.

What made you want to start a blog?

After 10 years of living in Southern California, I picked up and moved to the South (Pensacola, Florida, to be exact). I wanted to document my experiences in moving, and I also had a lot of free time on my hands when I first moved because I didn't know anyone yet!

What is your favorite genre to read?

I used to be a fiction junkie, reading almost every book by Isabel Allende and almost all of Stephen King's early work. But as I've gotten older I've fallen in love with non-fiction. I particularly like historical/biographical non-fiction. 'Angela's Ashes' by Frank McCourt got me hooked on biography. I also really enjoyed 'Dearest Friend: The Life of Abigail Adams' and 'Long Walk to Freedom' which is Nelson Mandela's autobiography.

I see you love to run! What has been your favorite race to run so far?

I really loved the Gulf Coast half marathon in Gulf Shores, AL last winter. The race only had about 400 people, the course was beautiful - winding through a park that took us past the beach and through marshes - and the food and festivities after the race were spectacular. The race was hosted at a place called Lulu's Home Port. Lulu, the owner, is Jimmy Buffett's sister and man can she throw a party! There was live music, comfortable seating, and plenty of good food. (Of course I love running, but being able to kick back and relax after the race is part of the fun!)

Besides running do you have any other hobbies?

Does reading count as another hobby? In all seriousness, when I'm not reading, running, or working, I travel as far and as often as I can. Some days that means visiting a nearby state park or historic site I haven't been to before, some days it means flying hundreds of miles to explore a new city. So if "travel" counts as a hobby, it's my favorite one!

I also love food. I enjoy both cooking and trying unique local dishes on my travels. Some of my favorite books have been food histories, like "Hungry Town: A Culinary History of New Orleans, the City Where Food is Almost Everything." That book captured many of my passions under one cover: travel, culture, and cooking... if there had just been a section on running, it would have been perfect!

Favorites Round

Food- Peanut butter!
Song- My taste in music depends on my mood and what I'm doing. I have a huge collection of hip hop and techno for running. Arcade Fire, Florence + The Machine, and The Black Keys are on repeat on my iPod. I also love blues, big band jazz, and zydeco, and I go to the symphony a couple of times a year... So I really do listen to a little bit of everything! But if I had to pick just one song, U2's Beautiful Day always makes me happy.
Movie- Honestly, I know this is going to sound sad, but I don't have a favorite movie! One movie I'll watch over and over again is the Batman movie 'The Dark Knight.' Loved that one!
Color- Red
Actor/ Actress- I don't watch enough movies or T.V. to have a strong favorite, but I really like Tina Fey. A friend gave me a copy of Bossypants for my birthday, and I can't wait to start reading it!

It was so awesome to get to know you Beth! I love to cook also, and Tina Fey totally rocks!

You guys can catch Beth over at her blog, Twitter , Pinterest , Facebook and StumbleUpon !

Giveaway- Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs

I'm hosting a contest as part of
Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash 2012

 Presented by SqueakyBooks

 

From August 22nd until September 22nd Enna Isilee at Squeaky Books is having a HUGE bash to celebrate her birthday! There’s a giveaway nearly EVERY DAY, tons of author interviews,and guest posts from some YA book bloggers. And I get to host a giveaway!

I get to give away a SIGNED copy of Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs!Entering is simple, just fill out the rafflecopter. THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO US ONLY! You have until September 21st at 11:59pm EST to enter. All winners willbe announced on Enna Isilee's birthday (September 22nd) on Enna Isilee's blog(SqueakyBooks). And today, Ennalee interviewed Tera Lynn Childs at SqueakyBooks. You should totally go check it out.

Enter to win below! May the odds be ever in your favor :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In My Mailbox (22)

Hi guys! Welcome to this weeks In My Mailbox, a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren! I attended the Decatur Book Festival last weekend, but I managed to restrain myself and only bought one book. I had a few holds come in at the library!

 

 

Bought-

 

Every Day by David Levithan- Guys, David Levithan totally rocked my socks when he spoke at the festival, so of course I HAD to buy his book. I had been ogling it for a while anyway and I have heard it is super fantastic. Even my mom wants to read it!

 

Library-

 

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter- I adored the rest of the Gallagher Girls books, so I of course I had to request this one. I actually picked this book up at the libarary a while ago, but never got to it.

 

First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky- I read Awaken a while ago and remember liking it, so I decided to try out another one of her books. It's only 200 pages so it should be a pretty quick read. Oh, and the cover is kinda awkward. Definitely not bringing this one to read at school!

 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author- Ransom Riggs
Published- June 7th, 2011
Quirk
352 pages
Obtained from PBS

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. Fiction is based on real black and white photographs. The death of grandfather Abe sends sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and explores abandoned bedrooms and hallways. The children may still live.

I really surprised myself by liking this book. Usually weird is not my thing. I don't typically gravitate towards horror or fantasy for that reason. Somehow though, this book really sparked my attention and grabbed hold of me until the last sentence.

I think the cover of this book is really neat. Throughout the story there are many gorgeous and quirky photographs of peculiar children. I love how they took one of the photographs for use on the cover. It really matched the story well and did a great job of attracting me, the reader.

The concept of this book and it's overall layout is pretty cool. We start out in America where we meet Jacob and his aging grandfather. Jacob is just a typical teenage boy, except for the fact that his family owns a bajillion drugstores and is mega rich. He hates working, but loves to hang out with his friends. And his Grandpa is just your typical Alzheimer's-crazed-but-completely-awesome grandfather. He loves to tell stories about this peculiar home in the UK that he escaped to during WWII.

One night Jacob finds his Grandfather dead in the woods behind his house and starts to go a little crazy with grief. He decides it would be best to travel to his Grandfathers roots and see if all of the crazy stories his Grandpa had told him were really true. He ends up travelling with his dad to the itsy bitsy island where the home supposedly was. That is where all of the craziness begins!

We are introduced to a group of people suspended in the 1960's who continue to live the same day every day. Time resets, so no one ever ages. I really loved this concept! It added a great dimension to the book because it almost added a completely different plot line that was merged somewhere towards the end.

The characters were all so unique. Each had a peculiar quality that was really neat! It went anywhere from being able to float to being able to bring inanimate objects to life to being invisible. How cool is that! Each person had a unique voice and you were definitely able to distinguish who was speaking even after the introduction of so many characters.

This book read super fast. The story was written in such a way that it flowed effortlessly and was coupled with pictures to complete your vision of the character being described. When I was little I loved reading books with pictures, so the fact that and adult book was written with pictures too is awesome to me!

At the end of the story there was this incredible plot twist that I never saw coming. Seriously, it made the whole book! I was seriously wondering how the author was going to bring the book to a close in such a short span of pages. But he did, and he was even kind enough to provide a huge cliff hanger.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The concept was unique, the characters were cool and I love the time travelling aspect. It definitely wasn't a tear-your-heart-into-a-million-pieces type of book, but it was still worth the read.

 

September TBR

Hi guys! Now that August decided to leave us behind, I am here with my September TBR. Most of these books I HAVE to read, either because I promised them to people, they are coming out soon, or have a library due date coming up. I am thinking 8 is a pretty manageable number, so I am hoping to get them all knocked out this month!

 

• Unearthly by Cynthia Hand- I had this requested from me last month and I couldn't get to it, so I will definitely be reading it this month. Lots of my friends have read and loved this book, so hopefully I will also!
   

• Incarnate by Jodi Meadows- Another book that was requested from me. I have also heard great things and I absolutely LOVE the cover!
   

• Nolichuck by Jackson Keene- I received this one for review a few months back and I still have yet to read it! It looks cute and the font is pretty big, so I will be knocking this one out this month.
   

• Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler- I got this book of of Netgalley last week and then I found out they were coming to my local mall for a book signing. I need to get this book read so I can determine if I want to go to the signing or not.
   

• Starters by Lissa Price- I have been wanting to read this book for a while now and I got it from the library 2 weeks ago. I am trying to get it read before it is due!
   

• Roots of Insight by Breeana Puttroff- I read the first book, Seeds of Discovery, a few months back and really liked it so I decided to join the blog tour for this one! I need to have it read by the end of the month so my post will be ready for early October.
   

• Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter- I loved the first four books in this series, so I am excited to get to this one! It is due back at the end of the month so I am pushing to get it read!
   

• First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky- I remember really liking Awaken when I read it, so I decided to try out another of Katie's books. It is a pretty short read, so it should be no problem to get read.

That's it for me! How many books are you hoping to read in September?