Off the Shelf #17

  Hello everyone and welcome to Off the Shelf!  This is my way of sharing any new books I receive or buy as well as let you all know what my reading plans are for the week and what I hope to get off my TBR shelf.


This week I'm traveling for work, so I'm very pleased that I finished Pure by Julianna Baggott.  I still haven't started Code Name Verity (I just have such a hard time with kindle books!) but I did buy and start Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and it's fantastic.  Seriously, I just love Russian people (*cough* Dimitri *cough*) and there is so much awesome potential in this book, I'm pretty sure I'll finish it quickly.


To Read This Week


Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

I've been on a bit of a book buying ban the past couple weeks, but I had to make an exception for Shadow and Bone because everyone I know (including Veronica Roth) has been gushing over it.  And so far they're totally right.

Here's Hoping

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Yeah, this has been on my list forever, but with being out for work I don't know if I'll be able to read it this week.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

#1 in the Blood of Eden series
Published April 24, 2012 by Harlequin Teen
egalley for review from netgalley
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


Review:  The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is the YA Vampire book I've been looking for.  It has fantastic world building, compelling characters, and an overall story arch that is exciting and interesting.

First off, I have to say that FINALLY we have vampires that are legit vampires!  There's no wussy sparkling vampires here, they are frightening demons of the night that hunt humans like deer.  There are two kinds of vampires, one that are more or less human like even if they think that humans are blood bags, and the other are horrific "rabids", mindless mutants that attack humans and vampires alike (kind of like the movie Daybreakers, did anyone else see that?).  The vampires are cool, how they came to be makes sense, and how they function makes sense.  There's also a really cool apocalyptic aspect to this book that also makes sense so yay!  Science in my science fiction FTW!  The world building and setting is lush and definitely the high point of the book.

Another high point of The Immortal Rules is the action.  Allison is a kick-ass warrior and there is so much awesome fighting!  One of the characteristics of Kagawa's writing is that she does not shy away from violence.  She has an excellent balance where you get a clear (and yes that graphic) picture of the fight without it crossing into gratuitous.  You see this throughout her Iron Fey series and it crosses over very well into Blood of Eden.  There is some romance, but it is very minor in comparison to the main story line which is awesome.  I really hope in future books the romance (aka angst) won't take over like we see so often in other dystopian books.

Overall I really enjoyed The Immortal Rules and would recommend it to anyone who liked Kagawa's Iron Fey series or readers who like action packed dystopians.  It is thrilling addition to the YA vampire selections and should not be missed!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

#2 in the Divergent trilogy
Pubished May 1, 2012 by HarperTeen
4 stars

Goodreads Review
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Review:  Insurgent is more like 3.5, but I'm going to round up. While there was some interesting development toward the ending, Insurgent sadly has a bad case of middle book syndrome. It felt like a transition book, not a unique story. 


My biggest problem with Insurgent is there's absolutely no refresher on who people are and what they're doing at the end of Divergent.  We literally just jump straight into the story without any background.  This would be fine if I had just read Divergent, but for the many people who read the book a year ago when it first came out, it is very difficult to remember all of the side characters.  I kept thinking, "Wait, who was that again?" and so I really had a hard time connecting to the characters.

Insurgent moved a lot slower than Divergent.  I got half way through the book before anything with the main story arc actually happened.  Insurgent got too hung up on the relationship angst, which was handled much better in Divergent.  When it comes to dystopian I prefer more action/science books, and Insurgent focused way too much on Tris's inner monologue.  Also the transitions between scenes were extremely choppy and hard to follow. There seemed to be a lack of editing in terms of continuity and flow.  This became more noticeable toward the end of the book as the action got more intense and thus made the story hard to follow.

However I still really enjoyed this book.  Some of the action scenes are great and I really like the concept of trying to force people into certain social constructs and how that society will ultimately crumble because all people are really divergent.  But overall the parts that I did enjoy weren't enough to draw me in to the story and ultimately I just didn't care as much as I did in Divergent.

Off the Shelf #16

  Hello everyone and welcome to Off the Shelf!  This is my way of sharing any new books I receive or buy as well as let you all know what my reading plans are for the week and what I hope to get off my TBR shelf.

 Well this week I did ok.  I finished an audio book of Stephen King's Cell (which started off awesome and then went really weird really fast) and finished Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules (very good vampire story, almost perfect but just a little lagging in the middle).  I've also started Pure by Julianna Baggott and I'm about 100 pages in, thanks to a 3 hour layover in the airport.  I didn't get to Code Name Verity, but I did finish an almost 500 page book, so that has to count for something.

I also didn't purchase any new books this week, which is good considering I have way too many books that i haven't read yet.  I think I'm going to go on a bit of a book buying ban until I knock those numbers back a bit.  I did borrow an audio book of Misery by Stephen King from my dad, so I'll probably be starting that in a couple weeks.

To Read This Week

Pure by Julianna Baggott

 

This is the B book for my A-Z challenge, and I've already started it so I'm pretty sure I'll finish it.  I know it's June and I'm supposed to be up to E already, but oopsies!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Gosh dang it I just cannot seem to start this one!  It's an egalley on my kindle and because I'm stuck in a hotel for work for the next 2 weeks, I HAVE to read this!  It's supposed to be so good, what is wrong with me!?

Here's Hoping

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

  

Don't you Wish by Roxanne St. Claire

If I get Pure and Code Name Verity finished, I'd like to work on these two egalleys.  We'll see how far I get!

June 2012 New Reads

Hey everyone, here are some of the YA books and debuts set for June 2012.  This isn't a complete list, just some of the ones I'm interested in.  I hope this list will help feed your readers!

June 5

All These Lives by Sarah Wylie
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  Yes this is a cancer book, but it looks like a really interesting take on how siblings are affected when one of them has cancer.  I hope it will make me feel all the things.

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Why I'm Excited:  I haven't read any of Kody's books, but every premise sounds fan-freaking-tastic, and A Midsummer's Nightmare is no exception.  It sounds a bit like a teen dramady and I'm excited to see how the main character grows over the course of the book.

Tempest Unleashed by Tracy Deebs
#2 in the Tempest series

Why I'm Excited:  First off, this cover is beautiful!  This series sounds really cool, and while I don't have much experience with mermaid books, I think the Tempest series would be a great place to start.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
#1 in the Grisha trilogy
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  Shadow and Bone may be one of the most hyped debuts of 2012.  I've only heard rave reviews (hell, even Veronica Roth recommended it).  I know this is one of the June books I'll be picking up for sure.

Arise by Tara Hudson
#2 in the Hereafter series

Why I'm Excited:  COVER.  Plus I really like the premise for this paranormal romance, and even though Hereafter has a mixed bag I'm still very curious to see what I'll think about this series.

Surrender by Elana Johnson
#2 in the Possession series

Why I'm Excited:  Hummm, this series seems dubious to me.  I'm a little worried this series is a love triangle set in a weak dystopian setting, but it also seems interesting. 






June 7

The Glimpse by Claire Merle
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds like a crazy dystopian!  I really hope it focuses on the world building which has so much potential.  I love the idea of segregating a society based on potential for mental illness, but at the same time it does worry me that there won't be much science in this science fiction.  We'll have to wait and see!





June 12

Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt
#1 in The Lost Souls series
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds a little bit like what would happen in Children of Men if that girl didn't have a baby.  I am worried this will be another case of romance trying to be science fiction, but yet again I hold out hope there will be some science in my science fiction.

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Why I'm Excited:  I love Italy.  I've been there twice and I know I will be going back as soon as I possibly can.  I love the culture and the history and the amazing landscapes.  This sounds like an adorable summer romance book, and I can't wait to read it.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Why I'm Excited:  You guys, this cover.  Look at it.  It is stunning.  The concept sounds great too.  A re-imagining of Jane Austen's Persuasion set in a crazy science fiction future world?  YES PLEASE.

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
#1 in the Lies Beneath series
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  I really like this cover, even if it is a bit misleading (the main character is actually a boy).  This story sounds awesome though because they are BAD mermaids, and I like a little murder with my mythical creatures sometimes.

Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  Ah, a drama filled road trip.  This sounds like a really cute concept, and I hope it will be as fluffy fun as I think it will be.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
#2 in the Bloodlines series

Why I'm Excited:  I effing LOVE the Vampire Academy series, so a spin off with some of my favorite secondary characters?  YES PLEASE.

Timepiece by Myra McEntire
#2 in the Hourglass series

Why I'm Excited:  I've heard mixed reviews about Hourglass, but this series sounds crazy.  The concept is pretty wild, so I'm interested to see how it will play out.






June 14

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds like a cute summer romance.  I'm hoping for lots of steamy make out scenes in this one!







June 19

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  I havn't read too many war books, but Something Like Normal looks like an excellent take on a young soldier trying to come back into normal life.

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Why I'm Excited:  I haven't read any of Courtney Summers's books, but I really appreciate how she is stepping away from her usual genre of contemporary to try her hand at a zombie novel!  I've also read many reviews about how fantastic this zombie novel is, so of course I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on it.






June 21

Stolen Night by Rebecca Maizel
#2 in the Vampire Queen series

Why I'm Excited:  This series sounds like a pretty cool paranormal romance and I really like the synopsis of the second book.  I also really like this cover, it's very pretty.






June 26

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
#1 in the American Fairy Trilogy
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds like an interesting take on the fae.  Usually we see fairies in lush forest settings, so the dust bowl setting is very interesting.  Plus that face on the cover is freaky!

Before I wake by Rachel Vincent
#6 in the Soul Screamers series

Why I'm Excited:  This series has some rabid fans, and I want to get in on it.  There are soon to be six books and I have yet to read the first one.  I will soon.

Friday Face Off Cover Reveal: Days of Blood and Starlight

Friday Face Off is a meme hosted by one of my favorite book bloggers Misty over at The Book Rat.  Usually this meme focuses on different cover designs for the same book and decides which is better for the story.  I wanted to take this meme and add a little twist to it today by discussing a cover reveal!

You guys may remember that I LOVED Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone and I still stand by my stance that it's the best paranormal romance I've read.  And I've been anxiously awaiting the second book, Days of Blood and Starlight.

I really like these covers together, but Days of Blood and Starlight is leaps and bounds better.  I love the color, I love how you can see her eyes more, and I love how it still matches Daughter of Smoke and Bone in title font and overall color scheme.  I'm so extremely excited for this book, can it please be November already?

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Published March 1, 2012 by Harry N. Abrams
5/5 stars

Goodreads Review
Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

Review:  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is Fantastic (yes with a capital F)! It's so hilarious I was literally loling through the entire book. It's kind of like if John Green was a sarcastic a-hole (and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible). Most of the time I find rambling tangents kind of annoying, but I loved the humor, even though sometimes it got to a place that made me more than a little shocked.  Kind of like this.

No seriously.  I was mostly cracking up, but every now and then I'd be like "Oh dear God!"....but mostly laughing hysterically.  A word of warning, the humor is a major part of the book, and it is NOT kid friendly, so if crude humor and swear words aren't your style, approach with caution.

One of my favorite aspects of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the stylistic choices.  The story is told in a variety of ways including bullet point lists and screenplay style, which makes it so much fun to read.  I also just really enjoyed the writing style.  Greg is very self deprecating and there are a ton of silly interjections that just made me laugh out loud.   

However, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl isn't all dirty jokes (I promise).  I think there's a pretty deep message too, maybe not a happy one, but a message all the same.  It talks about how not everyone is a fighter, and not everyone has profound moments when faced with death.  Sometimes people just die, and even though you may know that person, it doesn't mean your life will be all that changed.  There's a lot of pressure on people to feel SO SORRY that someone is dying, that everyone has to drop everything because they know someone who is sick, even if that emotion is fake and forced.  And a lot of times people care more about the guilt they feel about not caring then they do about the actual dying person.  We make a person's death about us, and we'll do things we think they'll want (such as make a movie commemorating their life) without really considering who the dying person actually is and what they would want.  This message isn't hopeful or heartwarming, but it's way more honest than a lot of other illness and death books out there.

So basically, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will appeal to a select audience.  If you're looking for a sentimental coming of age story where the MC learns a profound lesson through the death of a manic pixie dream girl, move along, this is NOT your book.  However, if you're looking for a realistic view of how effed up death can make you and how it's not something that can be tied up in a neat little package of revelations and self discovery told in hundreds of pages of laugh out loud ridiculousness, then run (not walk) and get Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.