November 2013 New Releases

While 2013 may be winding down, there are still many books coming out!  Here are some that I am most excited for.

November 5

Champion by Marie Lu
#3 in the Legend Series

Why I'm Excited:  I read Legend earlier this year and really enjoyed it.  Now that the final book in the series is coming out I think I'll have to do a re-read and marathon the whole series!










 Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
#2 in the Finishing School series

Why I'm Excited:  This is another author I need to get started with.  I am so interested in her Parasol Protectorate series and this YA prequel as well!










November 19

World After by Susan Ee
#2 in the Penryn & the End of Days series

Why I'm Excited:  The first book in this series, Angelfall, has been on my radar since it was published.  It's gotten rave reviews and I really want to read it!











The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
#4 in the Bloodlines series

Why I'm Excited:  Ok, I need to read this series.  I have so much hardcore love for Vampire Academy, I HAVE to get to this series.  There is no excuse!











 Other Notable Releases

November 2 -  Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout

November 5 - Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce
                        The Trap by Andrew Fukuda

November 12 - Afterglow by Karsten Knight

November 26 - Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly
                         Crash into You by Katie McGarry

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Published March 22, 2011 by Philomel Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

Review:  Between Shades of Gray is an important book for people to read because it brings awareness to a side of World War II that doesn't get a lot of attention.  The atrocities that were committed in concentrations camps, as terrible as they were, were not the only crimes committed during the war and those victims weren't the only victims. 

I honestly had no idea what was happening in Lithuania and other eastern European countries until I read Between Shades of Gray.  The work camps in Russia were just as horrible as the concentration camps but their history is nowhere near as well know.  I think Between Shades of Gray tells the stories of the victims of tyrannical government gracefully and with care.  It doesn't exploit their pain but it doesn't sugar coat it either. 

I really loved all of the characters, but in particular I greatly admired Lina's mother.  She is so strong and sacrifices literally everything she has to try and make things a little bit easier for her children.  She is amazingly strong and I admired her bravery.

Between Shades of Gray is a book that needs to be taught in schools.  It's the kind of book that will open your eyes to the horrors that don't make it into history courses.  These are the kinds of stories that need to be heard so we can remember the victims and so we can prevent things like this from happening in the future. 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

#2 in the Infernal Devices series
Published December 6, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
In magical Victorian London, orphan Tessa found safety with the Shadowhunters, until traitors betray her to the Magister. He wants to marry her, but so do self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem. Mage Magnus Bane returns to help them. Secrets to her parentage lie with the mist-shrouded Yorkshire Institute's aged manager Alyosius Starkweather.

Review:  I can't believe I actually liked a Cassandra Clare novel. I never thought I would see the day.  This is my fifth Cassandra Clare book and the first one I can say I honestly enjoyed.  Even though the main plot didn't really go anywhere (much like Clare's other middle books City of Ashes and City of Lost Souls) I wasn't bored, unlike the other middle books.    

Honestly, the character development in the Infernal Devices is so much stronger than in The Moral Instruments it feels like two different authors.  I don't understand how engaging the characters of The Infernal Devices can be and how flat and dull the characters are in The Mortal Instruments.  There are a lot of writing faults in The Infernal Devices.  The word "startlingly" is used way too much!  It's like Cassandra Clare thinks that everyone in Victorian England walked around jumping at literally everything they see "ooh your eyes are blue!",  "ooh you are handsome!", "ooh your skin is pale!".  Just stop, seriously, it's so bad.  I also feel that Will is incredibly anachronistic.  I know he's supposed to be a rapscallion, but the way he talks is just too modern. 

I thought the romance was really well done.  I mean, this is of course the over used love triangle trope, but The Infernal Devices is actually successful because we don't know who Tessa will choose.  Both Will and Jem are viable options and we as readers actually have to read the rest of the series to see what will unfold.  So even though Will was a huge idiot (seriously, didn't he ever think to I dunno, talk to someone about his issues?  Why would he just take everything he was told as the truth and believe it blindly?  I don't understand) and I don't thing Jem (my boo) has a snowballs chance in hell, I'm excited for clockwork princess.

Overall The Infernal Devices series is turning out to be leaps and bounds better than the Mortal Instruments.  If I may be completely truthful I would recommend just skipping the Moral Instruments all together and starting with Clockwork Angel.  You get the same characters and plot, but more interesting versions.

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

#1 in the Georgia Kincaid series
Published in 2007 by Kensington

3 stars

Goodreads Review
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny. . .

Review:  Richelle Mead's writing is so fun and charming in The Vampire Academy series, and the same can be said for Succubus Blues.  I liked this, but it wasn't as awesome as Vampire Academy. My intuition about certain characters were correct but I was still surprised by the (depressing) ending. 

I do want to continue the story because I really do like Seth and I want to find out what happens to him. I tend to root for the beta males (I don't do that whole macho man thing, it's annoying and not sexy!) and I thought he was a compelling and charming character.  I'm not so sure I really like Georgina though, she could really use a backbone. No means NO!  However, I really liked that she's a flawed character.  So often the heroines of paranormal romance are sweet and innocent.  I liked that Georgina has a history but also tries to make the most of who she is and her situation.  She accepts herself, which is refreshing because so many paranormal main characters can't come to terms with their moral conflicts of their nature.

I really love Richelle Mead's writing.   The dialogue is snappy and fun and we get the added bonus of fun sex scenes!  Succubus Blues felt a lot lighter than some of her other books.  There was still a good plot and well developed characters, but overall things were more light hearted, fun, and sexy! 

Overall Succubus Blues is a fun adult urban fantasy.  I would recommend it for anyone who wants a quick paranormal romance with some snark and sass.  Succubus Blues is a great vacation or summer read!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

 #3 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 15, 2013 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Review:  Shades of Earth is the best of the three in the series, especially the first half.  We start off with the shuttle crash landing on Centauri-Earth and tensions mount as the people break into two groups, Earthborn and Shipborn.  I thought the racism was really well done and I could totally understand Amy's frustration at being caught in the middle.  I did enjoy their first impressions of the planet. My mind was coming up with all kinds of theories about what was going on with this planet and what kind of dangers they would face. Unfortunately I felt like my imagination was bigger than the planet because I felt like what actually happened on the planet was a bit of a let down.

The twists weren't all the surprising, I pretty much called everything that was going to happen.  I didn't appreciate Amy's parents as much as I wanted.  Her dad was all military all the time, and was set up as an antagonist which I thought was a step back in terms of plotting and the character development of Amy.  Her mom had no personality and was there basically to just be the scientist so new plot elements could be revealed easily.  That too felt like a cop out.  I honestly found the plot to be really confusing.  I literally just finished the book and I was trying to explain it to a co-worker and I couldn't summarize it.  Something about corporate greed and slavery?  It felt like Beth Revis was trying to get allegorical but also trying to do it subtly and it just didn't come out in a clear way.

Also I thought the love triangle was ridiculous and completely unnecessary. I hated how jealous Elder got, your girlfriend is allowed to be friends with other guys, though I thought Amy handled the whole situation pretty well.  Amy and Elder's relationship as a whole didn't really work for me, and honestly I would have rather Amy choose herself and learn to live as her own independent person. Alas, what YA heroine ever gets to do that?

Overall the Across the Universe series improved with each book.  I really appreciated that Revis stepped away from the sexual assault and intimidation in the second book.  That was a plot device that I really hated, as well as the general sense of sex is scary and bad that was in Across the Universe.  I appreciated the different allegorical themes throughout the series, but I did think some were more successful than others.  I think Across the Universe addressed racism very well throughout the whole series, whether it was the shipborns not trusting Amy because she looked different or the earthborns thinking they were better than the shipborns.  I thought the theme of government control were well explored at the beginning of the series, but fell flat later on.  Finally I don't think the evils of corporate greed were written about in great depth.  That portion of the story felt rushed and very surface level.

I would recommend the Across the Universe series to people who are looking for a science fiction with a lot of parallels to our current society.  While the series didn't really work for me, I know that many will find it compelling and surprising.

The Last of Us Video Game Review

Released June 14, 2013
Rated M for Mature
Genre Action/Adventure, Survival Horror
Developed by Naughty Dog
Published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Playstation 3 exclusive

The Last of Us was one of the most hyped games of 2013 and after a solid week of playing at every free moment, I can report that the hype was most certainly deserved.  I actually bought a PS3 just so I could play The Last of Us and it is well worth it.  Even though I finished the game yesterday I already started a second play through, which I don't think I've ever done with a game.

Game Play

The game play of The Last of Us is simple yet efficient, with every weapon and skill usable throughout the entirety of the game.  I never found myself only using one weapon or tactic (which I often do as I get further into a game); I was constantly switching it up to best fit the situation.  There are many different ways of approaching a situation, and while the game is linear it still feels expansive. I also really appreciated the NPCs in this game.  They never were a burden and I never felt like I was doing a painful escort mission.  Much like Elizabeth in Bioshock Infinite, they were an asset, alerting me to danger and hidden supplies.

The pacing of the game was great.  There would be a scene of intense action or drama followed by a more mellow scene that allowed you to appreciate the beautiful world building and connect with Ellie.  I loved exploring the world because there was no compass showing you which way to go, I had to just pick a direction and start walking.  This type of free form exploration lead me to discovering a lot of wonderful hidden details in the game.  The collectibles are also really well done, they aren't just hidden items throughout the game, they are little bits of story that add to the ambiance. 

Another aspect that really adds to the overall feel of the game is the sound and music.  They knew exactly when to use background music to add emotional effect and when to strip it away.  Also the sounds the infected made were absolutely terrifying.  More so than the infected that were screaming and moaning, it was the infected standing in a corner just sobbing that would really get to me.

Story

To put it simply, the story of The Last of Us is amazing.  I won't post any spoilers, don't worry, but all I can say is wow.  I don't think a video game has ever made me question my own morals and ethics as much as The Last of Us.  None of the characters are all good or all evil, they're a mix of the two and that makes it feel so real. Ellie and Joel are great characters and I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. 

In addition to the more personal relationships of the game I really enjoyed the apocalyptic scenario.  I thought it was a very interesting play on the zombie genre.  In The Last of Us the zombies are actually people infected with a parasite-like spore that takes over all motor functions (which is based on a real life fungus which is terrifying).  So the idea that the zombies you are fighting still have some amount of human consciousness is pretty horrific.  I also really liked how the government reacted to the infection and the resulting rebellion against the marshal law.  Whenever I read apocalyptic fiction I really want a firm world building, even if the focus is on the personal relationships between a few people, and The Last of Us really delivers on both fronts.

In conclusion, The Last of Us is one of the strongest video games to come out in the past five years.  The story, graphics, and game play all lend to an immersive and emotionally impacting experience.  The characters are all relatable, the world building on point, and an overall message that will stick with you long after you put the controller down.

10/10 - A standout game that will last the test of time.

October 2013 New Releases

Hi guys!  Sorry I'm a little late posting this, I got super sick (strep throat is no fun!).  But without further delay, let's discuss some of the October new releases!

October 1

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
#1 in the Legion series

Why I'm Excited:  Unbreakable is described as "Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code".  Um, yes!  A secret society of demon hunters?  Cool.











October 8

Emerald Green Kerstin Gier
#3 in the Ruby Red trilogy

Why I'm Excited:  First this cover is gorgeous!  But also this series as a whole is one of the most praised YA series out there.  Everyone I know who has read it just raves about how good it is.  Now that the series is complete I can marathon it!  There's also a movie of the first book that supposed to be really good (it's German because this series was originally written in German and I am waiting for the English release, obviously).






October 15

 Neverfade by Alexandra Bracken
#2 in The Darkest Minds series

Why I'm Excited:  Another YA series that has been getting a lot of hype and praise.  I never would have picked these books up based on cover appeal, but so many of my friends have loved these books that I am really interested in the series.









October 22

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
#3 in the Divergent series

Why I'm Excited:  Let's face it, this is probably the biggest release of October and probably one of the biggest releases of 2013.  Even though Insurgent was less than inspired for me, I am still excited to see how this series will play out.  I think I'll have to do a re-read of the whole series and marathon them back to back.  Maybe this will happen next year since the movie for Divergent will be coming out in March.







October 29

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
#2 in The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series

Why I'm Excited:  You all know I'm a big fan of Julie Kagawa's writing, whether it be about Fairies or Vampries.  I really enjoyed the Iron Fey series and this spin off sounds really great.  I'll have to dive into it soon.










Other Notable Releases

October 1 - The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
                     Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
                     Blackout by Robison Wells
                     How to Love by Katie Cotungo
                     Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

October 8 - The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
                     The Eye of Minds by James Dasher
                     Tandem by Anna Jarzab
                      Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein

October 10  - Just One Year by Gayle Forman

October 15 - Across the Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

October 22 - Reality Boy by A.S. King

October 29 - Horde by Ann Aguirre

                      Altered by Gennifer Albin

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Published November 6, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

#2 in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
5 stars

Goodreads Review
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

First, I am so sorry it took me so long to write this review.  I read it the day it came out and I swear I had written the review then.  You all know my undying love for Laini Taylor and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and that is no different for Days of Blood and Starlight.  So I am so sorry this review is so late, but here it is!

Review:  Guys, Days of Blood and Starlight gives me ALL THE FEELS.  Seriously, Laini Taylor just writes these words on the page and gives me all these feeling that I don't know how to process!  Basically I was just one big ball of ugly crying face.

 



Days of Blood and Starlight is much darker than it's predicesor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. While we certainly still have Taylor's beautiful writing, the beauty of the story is replaced by something a lot more mature. I really enjoyed how Days of Blood and Starlight leaves the love at first site (sort of) theme behind and focuses on much more difficult subjects like war, rape, and genocide. 

 

Poor Karou!  She is just at rock bottom, wracked with guilt.  She goes through a lot of terrible things in this book, and I have to say I really loved it.  I am a bit of a sadist I guess, but I really like it when the main character's world is completely ripped apart in a way where they can never fully go back to who they were before the beginning of the novel (part of the reason why I loved Mockingjay).  I like seeing how events of a novel change a person, for better or worse, and books where the main character never goes through any turmoil feel a little cheap to me.  Well, you don't have to worry about Karou not going through abuse in Days of Blood and Starlight, let me tell you.  I'm really excited for Dreams of Gods and Monsters to see how all of this bad stuff will change her from the first book. 

And Ziri...oh Ziri.  He is so amazing and brave and wonderful and all the bad things that happen to him just is NOT FAIR.  I didn't think I would grow so attached to a character just introduced in this book, but I DID.  His character really expands on the interesting "purity" theme because he is the last of the natural born Kirin and therefore Karou sees him as special.  But where Thiago's desire for only natural born women (not resurrected) is very negative and a parallel to the idea that virginity is the most important quality a woman can have, Ziri's purity feels a lot more important.  He is the last of her kind, not just in physical appearance but in culture as well.  I can understand Karou's protectiveness, much like a big sister not wanting her sibling to lose their innocence. 

I have to admit for a while I thought he was introduced to create a sort of love triangle with Karou and Akiva, but now I am a little ashamed that I thought Laini Taylor would take such a cliche road.  Gurl, I am sorry I doubted you and your amazing writing abilities.  I honestly hope Karou in the end will not be with either of them.  I think that Karou will eventually forgive Akiva, but forgive doesn't mean forget.  I dont' want her to go back to him.  I want Karou to love herself.

We also have to talk about the angels.  I really loved how their society is an allegory for today's government.  They really show what can happen when you don't question the ethics of the decisions made by the government and just follow blindly. 

So overall I think you all can tell that I love this series.  It is one of the strongest YA(ish) series out there and I am so so so excited for the final book, Dreams of Gods and Monsters (due April 2014, OMG WHY). 

No excuse me while I go re-read this and cry.

 

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

#2 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 10, 2012 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed.

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

 

 Hey guys!  Long time no blog!  I was out of town for work for two weeks and had no time to blog (sad day for sure).  But I'm back and we can return to our regular scheduled reviewing!

Review:  More like a 3.5, but not enough to add up to a 4. I ended up liking this a lot more than Across the Universe and I'm actually excited for Shades of Earth. The follow the clues was a cool idea, but I'm not sure it worked in this context because Amy just told Elder everything from the start. However, I enjoyed the build up to the final book (even though I totally called it, like spot on. I'm so smart).

While I really liked the idea of the follow the clues to find the truth treasure hunt plot device, I don't think it worked in the context of this particular story.  Amy is told from the start not to tell Elder, that deciding what to do with the information discovered should be her choice alone.  But of course she runs to Elder immediately.  I felt like this was a missed opportunity to create suspicious and distrust between the two characters which could have lead to some interesting development in their relationship.  It also could have given Amy a real chance to grow and act independently.  It was also painfully obvious what the secret information was, so there really wasn't much tension while they were trying to figure out the clues.  A good idea, but not executed well. 

What did work very well was the dissolution of the Eldest/Elder system and the rebellions that start springing up all over the ship.  I felt like this was a great allegory for what is happening in the world today.  People who live in poor conditions who are controlled by their government will eventually rise up against the institution, often in violent riots.

Overall I thought that while A Million Suns missed the mark on a few plotting choices, it is a great improvement on the first book, Across the Universe.  The writing style was great and the deeper message about mob mentality and the inherent flaws in a dictatorial type of government work really well in the futuristic setting.

September 2013 New Reads

I know this is a few days late sorry guys!  I had friends visiting last weekend so I didn't have the opportunity to get this post out.  There are also a lot of really great releases for September, here are a few that I'm really excited about. 

September 3

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Why I'm Excited:  First I have to say I love the title, it's wonderful.  This book sounds crazy and suspenseful and I hope it's as dark of a thriller as I want it to be.






September 10

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake
#1 in the Goddess War series

Why I'm Excited:  I love the premise for this book.  What if supposedly immortal gods start developing strange and horrific diseases?  I love the take on Greek mythology and I can't wait to see where this will go.





September 17

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
#2 in The Raven Cycle

Why I'm Excited:  I really enjoyed The Raven Boys and I have to know what will happen next!  There was a lot of mythology introduced in the first book and I'm really interested in seeing it further explored.

Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston
#1 in the Heart of  Dread series

Why I'm Excited:  I love the setting for this series, a dystopian Las Vegas covered in ice?  Ok!  Sign me up.

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Why I'm Excited:  Gretchen McNeil isn't afraid to really get out there with her writing.  I love that she takes risks and writes horror for the YA genre, which is really under represented.  I love horror so of course I want to read this one!






September 24

 Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Why I'm Excited: I have to admit I am really drawn to this cover.  I love that it's not a person on the cover and the colors are beautiful.  I also really like the plot, it sounds like a unique idea and I'm excited to see how it is executed.

Vicious by Victoria Schwab

Why I'm Excited:  Everyone I know just raves about Victoria Schwab's writing, and I have yet to read one of her books (I am ashamed!).  If I'm correct this is her first jump into adult fiction and I'm excited to have a book that's a little more intense.





Other Notable Releases

September 3 - All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
                        Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney
                        Sweet Legacy by Tera Lynn Childs
                        The 100 by Kass Morgan

September 8 - Gold by Talia Vance

September 10 - Smoke by Ellen Hopkins
                           Monster by Ilsa J. Bick
                           The Final Descent by Rick Yancey
                           The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
                            The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman
                           Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

September 17 - The Wicked Within by Kelly Keaton
                           Once We Were by Kat Zhang
                           This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales


September 24 - Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
                           A Radiant Sky by Jocelyn Davies
                           Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender
                          Where the Stars Shine by Trish Doller
                           Find Me by Romily Bernard
                           Fallout by S.A. Bodeen
                           Inhuman by Kat Falls

Legend by Marie Lu

Published November 29, 2011 by Putnam
#1 in the Legend series
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review:  Legend is a great start to a series with will definitely fill your Hunger Games void.  It has fight scenes, snappy dialogue, kissing, and a government conspiracy!  I listened to the audio book and really loved the two readers. They were excellent and I recommend the audio book to everyone, especially if the gold text puts you off (as it did for me).

I really enjoyed Legend, especially the two main characters.  Day and June were both really great characters and I really enjoyed their banter as they got to know one another.  With that said, I do wish they lived up to the described intelligence.  We're told again and again how exceptionally smart they are, but they seem to get tricked and trapped a lot.  I really would have liked to learn more of Day's back story and his motivations behind his crimes.  We know he's done all of these crazy stunts (like attacking an airbase) but we never really learned why because he's kind of rogue and doesn't belong to a rebel group. 

I did have some issues with the world building. In dystopian books set in America I really like to understand how we got from present day to the current government in the novel. There were some hints at this so I'm hoping this will be discussed more in future novels. I also would have liked to know some more answers to the Republic plague conspiracy as well as why they are at war with the colonies, but again I think that will be covered more in later novels. I also wanted to know more about the trials, especially what exactly when down with Day's trial.  There are a lot of interesting concepts that I hope will be fleshed out in further novels.

Overall I really enjoyed Legend.  The writing was really great and the pacing was spot on.  I know dystopian is a real trend right now is YA literature, but Legend is at the top of the pack.  If you liked The Hunger Games and Divergent, make Legend your next pick.

Bout of Books Day 7 FINALE!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

This is the final day of the read-a-thon, we made it!  I have to admit I went out with a bit of a whimper.  I woke up today and just did not feel like reading, so I didn't.  I watched 3 movies instead (Fight Club, We need to Talk about Kevin, and The Ruins.  They're all adaptations of novels though, does that count?).

I did go to Starbucks for a little while and read 31 pages of City of Lost Souls, but that's it.  I'm ok with it though, because I made a lot of progress and finished quite a few books I'd been working on for a long time.  So what was your final count?  Did you meet your goals?  Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading with me this week!

Number of pages today:  31
Total number of pages:  1551

Books started:  2

Books completed:  5

Bout of Books Day 6

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

It's the weekend and the end of the read-a-thon is in sight!   We're having friends coming over to have a board game night so I'm not sure if I'll be reading more today so I decided to do my update a little early.  I've still had a good day for the read-a-thon.  I finished The Walking Dead graphic novel for 234 pages.  I also have been listening to my Shades of Earth playaway at every available opportunity and I think I'm around 67%, so an additional 102 pages. 

Today there were two challenges and the first one was hosted by Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf.  This challenge was easy, we just had to answer the following questions.

Question 1: If you could be like any character from a fictional book, who would it be? What do you like about them?Tell me why!

This is a really easy question because I've had the same answer since i was 11 years old.  I would be Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series.  I absolutely love and admire Hermione.  She's smart and brave and loyal and an excellent friend.

Question 2: There’s lots of books out there, but is there one that you've been dying to read that doesn't seem to be written yet? Describe it briefly.

This is a harder question to answer.  I think I would like to read a book that has a character with realistic new age/Wiccan/witchcraft beliefs and practices.  No flying broomsticks or shooting fire out of their hands, but a real spiritual belief.  That would be interesting because I have yet to read a book where that group of people is accurately portrayed.  

The second challenge was hosted by I Read, Ergo I Write and we were to create an acrostic poem using a title of one of your favorite books.  I decided to write a poem about Mira Grant's Feed because I love the book and the title is only 4 letters haha (is that cheating?  oh well)

Friends, rise up while you can.
Everyone has someone on the wall, and
Everyone must know the truth.
Do not be afraid.

So that's my update for today, it's a quick one, but I hope you are all doing well on your challenges!  Maybe I'll update this later tonight if my friends don't stay too long.  Happy reading!

Number of pages today:  336
Total number of pages:  1520

Books started:  2

Books completed:  5

Bout of Books Day 5

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

Day 5 of the read-a-thon was really busy day so my reading progress has been minimal.  I listened to more of my playaway of Shades of Earth and I think I'm about 40% finished, so I'm guessing I read about 72 pages today.  I was really bored with all of my books that I'd been reading so I decided to start The Walking Dead graphic novel but of course the pages aren't numbered, go figure.  I made it through the first chapter which was 70 pages after counting.

Today's challenge was hosted by The Space Between and it was a bookish madlib, which is a great idea.  Here are my randomly selected words

A. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
B. The Joker, Batman comics
C. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
D. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
E. Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle mead
F. Hermione Granger, Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
G. Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

And here is my completed madlib!

Help! I'm being held captive at The Red Pyramid by The Joker!
It is very Sweet here!
He is demanding 13 Gameboards to set me free!
I have just discovered that Hermione Granger was captured too!
On second thought, please send Cherries, and don't worry if you don't hear from us for awhile!

Much Love,Pearl the Book Girl

That was a fun little challenge!  Fill out your own in the comments below if you want!  I'm hoping to finish Shades of Earth and the Walking Dead graphic novel tomorrow, we'll see.

Number of pages today:  142
Total number of pages:  1184

Books started:  2

Books completed:  4

A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner

#1 in the Infinity Ring series
Published August 28, 2012 by Scholastic Inc.
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel -- a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring -- they're swept up in a centuries-long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gone disastrously off course.Now it's up to Dak, Sera, and teenage Hystorian-in-training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks . . . and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny!

Review:  The Infinity Ring is a really fun and interactive series for kids.  Not only is it a fun science fiction series that incorporates historical events (educational!) there is also an online element where kids can play a game that continues the adventure.  It's a great series for reluctant readers and could be used by parents to connect with their kids on the computer as well.

I think the Infinity Ring series could be a great tool for teachers.  Each book focuses on a different point in history and this could be used in the classroom to discuss the events around those major historical events and why they are important.  The computer game is a great hook to help draw kids in to introduce them to reading about history.

I was lucky enough to go to a book signing for A Mutiny in Time.  James Dashner is one of the most passionate authors I have ever met.  Not only does he enjoy the writing process, but he really cares about education and getting kids excited to read.  On the day of the signing he had spent his morning at local elementary schools talking to kids about reading and getting them excited about books and school.  It was very encouraging to see many young kids (and boys!) at the book signing event.  Dashner had obviously made an impression on the kids and it was so awesome to see their enthusiasm about the series.

Overall A Mutiny in Time is a great start to a fun multi platform series.  The Infinity Ring will appeal to kids ages 9-11, which I think is a very crucial age for developing an appreciation for books.  It's series like the Infinity Ring that will lay the ground work a life long love of reading.

Bout of Books Day 4

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

Well, we've passed the half way mark of the read-a-thon and I think I'm starting to burn out a little bit.  Last night before bed I finished a book I'd been working on for around six months, 158 pages of How to Heal Your Life by Louise Hay.  I gave it 4 stars.  I really liked the majority of the book which was about how your attitude and perception of a situation will influence what happens in your life, but I disagree that serious illness such as cancer is caused by resentment or childhood issues.  I think people just get sick sometimes, and there's no real reason for it.  Even with those concerns I still related to a lot of the book and found it to be an interesting read.  

I also listened to 25 pages of City of Lost Souls and I started Shades of Earth by Beth Revis, but I don't know how far I am.  I say this because I got a playaway from the library, which is awesome but they don't tell you page numbers.  The hardback edition is 369 pages and I'd guess I'm no more than 20% finished, so I'll estimate 75 pages read.  I'll be sure to finish this before the read-a-thon's end so I can know an exact page count.

And that's as much as I've read today.  When I got home I decided to play a new video game called Gone Home.  It's a beautiful story and at first I thought it was going to be scary but it's not so don't worry.  I won't spoil it for you but I would recommend it if you have a free evening.

There were two challenges today.  The first was hosted at In Wonderland, and this is the road trip challenge.  For this challenge we're supposed to come up with a list of places we want to visit and then find a book set there.  Here's my list, some of the places I've already visited and want to go back and some are destinations I've yet to see.  

Bookish Road Trip

Amsterdam, Netherlands - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Prague, Czech Republic - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Florence, Italy - A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

Portland, Oregon - If I Stay by Gale Forman

Seattle, Washington - Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

New York City, New York - The Diviners by Libba Bray

Austin, Texas - Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan

The second challenge was hosted by Paperback Dreamer and was definitely one of my favorite challenges so far.  It was a game of book shelf I spy and we had to look around our shelves and find books with certain images on the cover.  I managed to find 13/15 which is pretty good!

1.  Snowflakes - Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle  (You can't really tell but there are snowflakes on the wrapping paper of the present as well as on the spine)
2.  Flames - The Kill Order by James Dashner
3.  A City Skyline - The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
4.  The Moon - Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
5.  A Sword - The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
6.  A Wedding Dress - Envy by Anna Godbersen (this may be cheating because I don't know if that's actually a wedding dress or just a white one, but it could be a wedding dress so I'm counting it)
7.  High Heels - Cinder by Marissa Meyer
8.  Fog -  Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
9.  A Christmas Tree - ??? (damn my first one I couldn't find!  I have a copy of A Christmas Carol so I thought I had this one in the bag but nope!  The cover just has people at a party, not a tree in sight!)
10.  Sunglasses - Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John  (This might work for the combat boots as well)
11.  Lightning -  Drink Deep by Chloe Neill
12.  A Tattoo - Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
13.  Combat Boots - The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth  (Another one where I'm kind of cheating because I'm pretty sure those are cowboy boots.  Oh well close enough I guess)
14.  Hand Cuffs - ???  (And here's the second one I couldn't find.  Maybe I need to read more erotica?  What other genre of books would have handcuffs on the cover....uh true crime, police drama, dang it of course my mind goes to the dirty things)
15.  A Road -  Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

These challenges were a lot of fun!  How many can you find on your shelf?

Overall today was a lighter day, but that's ok I'd been going very hard for three days straight, I needed to do something else!  I think we're going to go see the City of Bones movie tomorrow and then we're having a board game night with our friends on Saturday, but I think I'll be able to finish at least one more book.  Good luck to everyone else in the challenge and happy reading!

Number of pages today:  258
Total number of pages:  1042

Books started:  1

Books completed:  4

Bout of Books Day 3

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

Today is day 3 of the read-a-thon and I rocked AGAIN!  Woo!  I listened to 44 pages of City of Lost Souls (I didn't get distracted by my ipod this time!) and then I finished my second book of the challenge, Crescendo, with a final 129 pages to round it out.  I really disliked Crescendo and gave it 2 stars, and it was the interesting parent situation that saved it from 1 star. Crescendo was 65% mean girl drama, 30% boyfriend drama, and maybe 5% plot.  

I also managed to finish another book, A Million Suns by Beth Revis (88 pages).  I actually really enjoyed the second half of this book.  I rated it 3 stars, but it's more like 3.499 stars.  I thought the idea of a trail of clues was an interesting idea, but I don't think it was effect in this particular setting.  I also really disliked all of the rape threatening that was going on in the first half.  I did think the ending was pretty good and I'm really interested in reading the final book, Shades of Earth.  May start that tomorrow in fact. 

Today's first challenge was hosted by Musings of a Bookshop Girl who asked two questions, what are the 5 books at the top of your TBR pile and if you went into a bookstore right now what 5 books would you walk out with? 

The books at the top of my TBR pile are

 I'm working my way through The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series and am currently on City of Lost Souls, so Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare is next and I'm really excited to see what happens with Jem.  I want to read The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken for two reasons.  First Christine at polandbananasbooks loved it and second I got approved for an egalley of the second book Never Fade which is supposed to also be awesome.  Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is another YA book that has gotten a lot of buzz on youtube lately.  I've had a lot of good luck with contemporary YA lately, so I'm really anxious to read this (plus cover.  So good!).  I've recently been reading my first Neil Gaiman series, The Sandman graphic novels, and I really want to read one of his novels.  I recently picked up a copy of The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it's been getting a lot of praise so I am really interested in reading it.  And Finally I have Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde this is a recent purchase that Karate really likes, so I want to read it!

The second portion of this challenge is really hard.  I think if I were to go in a book store right now I would pre-order books, so here are the top 5 that are coming out soon that I really want.

 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black is coming out soon, September 3rd, and I love the title and the concept is really cool.  I plan on asking for this for my birthday.  Allegiant by Veronica Roth is the final book in the wildly popular Divergent series and is set for an October 22nd release.  With the movie coming out next year I want to be hipster and finish the books before the movies.  Cress by Marissa Meyer is the third book in one of my favorite YA series ever.  It's not coming out until February of next year but you best believe I'll be getting it the day it drops.  Right along the same line is Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor.  This is the final book in another of my favorite series and I have to get it, April cannot come fast enough.  And then finally I have Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.  The release date has been pushed back multiple times and we can only hope that by May it will be ready.

The second challenge was hosted at Such a Novel Idea and we were to write a poem using the titles of books we own.  I loved this idea and knew I was going to write a haiku because they are my favorite.  

Torn teeth, flesh, and bone
The outsiders crash and burn.

Ashes rage within.

Yeah, that turned out kind of angry not sure why lol. 

Ok this post has been long enough.  In summary, I finished 2 books and read 261 pages.  I will probably start Shades of Earth tomorrow and perhaps try and make progress on one of my netgalley books.

Number of pages today:  261
Total number of pages:  784

Books started:  0

Books completed:  3