Thursday 31 May 2012

The Shapeshifter's Secret Review

Rating: 

Publisher: Cedar Fort
Release Date: June 12th/2012
Pages: 328
Goodreads

What It's About!


Julia is finally discovering what–not who–she is.

Like any sixteen-year-old, Julia's used to dealing with problems. From her overprotective father to her absent mother to a teacher who definitely has it in for her. But everything changes when Julia's reactions become oddly vicious and angry---more animal than human. This action-packed adventure has it all: humor, romance, and a plot that will keep you guessing to the very last page.



A copy was provided for review from Netgalley
 

Review


At first I was really excited to read this book, and so happy when I got accepted by Netgalley. However..I couldn't finish it. This is one of the very few books I haven't been able to finish, I got as far as the third chapter and gave up. Right within the first few pages, it goes from Julia never having talked to this Caleb guy, to supposedly being friends with him. UM..WHEN did this happen?? I thought I missed something but when I read it over, I really don't think I did.

I found the story a bit weird. And how did Caleb know Julia's father? Maybe we find out later in the story, but I couldn't wait and find out. Her father and Caleb are a bit creepy. I found it really odd when Caleb, a guy she just started talking to, like, the day before, started to get all mad and upset when she told him about sneaking out of her bedroom. Her father is so overprotective he could drive a preacher to drink. AND make a nun swear.

Then there's Julia's friends. I wanted to slap them all in the face. They talked about nothing worth mentioning and were so stereotypical annoying girls, it ruined a lot for me. I think maybe younger readers would probably like it, but for someone who wants something good to sink their teeth into, I don't think this is it.

Wednesday 30 May 2012

The Taming Review

Rating: ♥♥


Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Release Date: January 24th/2012
Pages: 240

What It's About!

Katie likes to believe she's invisible. It seems much safer than being exposed as she is--shy, poor, awkward. So getting up on stage in the school production of The Taming of the Shrew should be complete torture. But as Katie tells it, something totally unexpected happened when she stepped on stage: "My head exploded. I loved it. Acting hit me like a sucker punch and I loved, loved, loved it! . . . Invisible Katie became visible Katharina."

Evan Cooper is, as they say, another story. He knows just what it takes to get noticed, and he uses every one of the skills he's honed after years of being the new kid. Like tossing the keys to his father's high-end Audi to a kid he's never met, first day of school. "I have insurance for car theft," he explains to a shocked Danny. "And there's a full tank." An abuse of the power that comes with privilege and money? Sure.

But more dangerously, is his romance with Katie another version of the same thing? Or is it the real thing?


A copy was provided for review from Netgalley

                                                                               Review

Honestly, the best part of this novel is the cover. I have to admit, I was expecting a little more than what it gave me. I love when I can sink into a book, and get lost in it for a while. Unfortunately, The Taming just wasn't for me. I liked the idea of the story, and thought it sounded like it could be really good, but I just couldn't get into it. After I read the first 4 or 5 pages, I lost interest and didn't read it for about a month.

What kind of confused me, was how Katie went from super shy, invisible girl, to this stage queen in 2.2 seconds. I think if we, as readers, had been introduced to Katie as the shy girl and were able to watch her slowly grow from shy to outgoing, it would have been more understandable, instead of someone flipping a switch and BAM, she's changed. With Evan, I felt like he was too unrealistic. He was definitely not what you would expect of a 17 yr old. Neither of them were very easy to relate to, and I just didn't really care for them much.

This was just one of those books I read, but couldn't fully grasp what was happening, so many things felt like they were rushed and hurried and all over the place. Other parts weren't so bad. I found myself having to re-read a few paragraphs because I felt my mind wondering instead of being in the story. It just couldn't hold my attention for very long. I'm actually kind of amazed I managed to finish it.




Sunday 27 May 2012

Keep Holding On Review

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

*ARC was provided by Penguin Canada for review (HUGE thanks!!)*

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Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.

Review

By the time I finished reading this, I felt so inspired. The book is based on high school and bullying, and we see it all through Noelle's eyes. It starts off with Noelle being bullied really bad, with a mother that doesn't seem to really care about her and she starts off with one true friend. There's never any food to eat and they live in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment that her mother can barely afford rent for.

I felt so bad for Noelle, there was no reason at all for kids to be bullying her like that and being so mean. Sad thing is, a lot of kids really ARE that mean. I think any kid that's in grade 12 and lower should read this book.

It starts off with Noelle getting bullied but slowly things start to change and she starts to find out who her real friends are. She also starts to see that people aren't totally blind, and have been doing things to try to help her all along. About the middle of the book is when we really start to see the changes happening. Things really started to turn around for Noelle, but for others being bullied, not so much.

Susane Colasanti did an amazing job writing about the ups and downs of high school and the bullying that can, and does happen. I was never bullied like Noelle was, but I can just imagine how it can affect someone who IS. Keep Holding On is a good example on how you CAN change your life around and stand up to bullies, no matter how hard it is.

I think every school library should have 20 copies of this book on the front shelves so everybody reads it! :)
 

Thursday 24 May 2012

The Selection Review

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

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For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review

I totally fell in LOVE with this book, even though I didn't expect to. As soon as I seen it around the blogsphere, I knew I had to read it, if only because the cover is so gorgeous!

It's in NO WAY related to the Hunger Games!! If you think it is u must be stuck under a rock somewhere out in never never land. Just sayin.

Now onto the characters. It took a bit for me to warm up to America, but I finally did, especially at the end. I loved the way she treated her three maids, I think I would have been the same way. I liked Aspen right away, but after reading a little further, I sort of lost interest in him. My favorite character would have to be Prince Maxon. It was pretty predictable that he wasn't going to be the snobby royalty that America thought he would be, but I didn't expect to like him SO much! I also really liked May, America's younger sister, she's always so happy and excited about everything.

I loved this book from beginning to end, and this usually doesn't happen for me. I generally love parts of books, or the book as a hole, but not often I love the whole thing. I love the way America basically went from nothing, to everything and still stayed the same. She didn't even try to change who she was for the Prince, even after certain events and things happened.

After I finished reading it, I was so not ready for it to end. I will for sure be reading the second book! 

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Cover Reveal!

Cover Reveal: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

Release Date: January 1rst/2013
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What It's About!

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school -- until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?


 

Sunday 20 May 2012

Underworld Review

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

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Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.
Not this time.
But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies. And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

Review

Meg Cabot is one of my most favorite authors, and she usually writes amazing novels. And this, is another one. After reading Abandon, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Underworld, which actually turned out to be better than Abandon.

In this 2nd novel of the Abandon trilogy, we have all the old characters, like Pierce, and her Underworld boyfriend, John, but we are also introduced to some new characters, whom I really liked. When they were first introduced, I didn't think we'd actually get to know them, but as the book went on, I was pleased to find out we did. They really helped to mold the story.

Pierce is still just as dumb as she was in the last book, but not as much. She seemed to gain some depth and smarts to her character. As for John, well, he's amazing! He's not a creepy Underworld, death creeper, stalker, whatever, that they seem to try making him out to be. I really like him, especially in this novel.

Underworld has a lot of things going on, that happen throughout the whole book. Unlike Abandon, we're given a lot more emotion, and depth to the story. I really enjoyed reading it from beginning to end. And the end btw, is a total cliffhanger! After I read the last paragraph I was left with wanting more so bad that I read the little blurb at the back of the book for the 3rd installment of the trilogy. I never read them, it just makes me want the next book RIGHT NOW.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the mythology stuff, and of course, Meg Cabot fans especially.

News!

Unearthly and The Selection tv shows!

By now I'm sure a lot of you have heard that Unearthly by Cynthia Hand was in the running to get turned into a tv show by the CW. Today I have just found out that Kiera Cass' novel, The Selection, is being made into a tv show also! 

After digging into this a little further, I found some websites that said Unearthly has not yet gotten passed for a pilot, but so far The Selection is well on it's way to hitting the CW channel this fall! 

I thought Unearthly was for sure a go, but I guess we will see...

So I have to admit, I'm sort of on the fence about the CW and it's books to shows business. On the one hand, I'm super excited, especially for The Selection to be made into a tv show. I think it will be amazing. I highly doubt, however, that it's anything close to the Hunger Games, as I've heard a lot of people say. I really hope Unearthly ends up making it onto tv too, but I wouldn't be that heartbroken if it stayed as a book. 

Getting to my next point, I LOVE shows like the Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl, and really hope these 2 books turn into shows as well, but can the CW really not come up with their own original material for shows, that they have to always turn popular YA books into their tv shows? I'm not saying I'm against it in any way, I'm just wondering, since it seems like all the movies and tv shows these days are either based off of best selling novels, or are remakes of things already done. 

I guess what I'm really trying to say, is I think it'd be a lot better if it was 50/50. Sure, make awesome books like the Hunger Games, Gossip Girl, etc. into books and movies, but still have some original material happening here. It's getting a bit old seeing all the same stuff all the time, how about something new for a change? 

What are your thoughts on this? Leave a comment below and let me know!



Friday 18 May 2012

Witches of East End Review

Rating: ♥♥♥




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 The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.

Review

This book had sat on my shelf since last summer, since I bought it a few days after it came out, and finally I decided to read it. At first I was really excited to read it, I love Melissa De La Cruz and her Bluebloods series, but after reading people's reviews on it, I got a little less excited.

I didn't end up being as disappointed as I'd expected though. Overall, it was a really good read. The thing that bothered me the most, was the mother, (Joanna?), and her "obsession" with the Tyler kid. Like where did it even come from? It seemed like one minute she hired this housekeeper and hung out with the housekeeper's son for like an hour and already had this whole "motherly" relationship with him, there was nothing leading up to it or anything. Just found it a bit weird.

My favourite character would have to be Freya. She was the most real character, she had a lot of personality and the whole "torn between 2 guys" thing going on, which, I'll admit, I can be a total sucker for. Ingrid was a very flat and boring character, not much else to say about her.

I have to say, I was actually a bit surprised by the ending, I really thought it was going to turn out different. It turned out to not be as predictable as I was expecting, which was nice. I really enjoyed this book for the most part, but not as much as I enjoyed Melissa's Bluebloods series. I would probably recommend anyone who wants to read it to get it from the library, or not pay more than $5 for it, it just doesn't have that WOW factor.




Friday 11 May 2012

Stacking The Shelves
 Meme hosted and created by Tynga's Reviews





Bought: The Vow DVD
Acsend by Amanda Hocking
Underworld by Meg Cabot
The Selection by Kiera Cass

For Review:  In Dreams by Robert Logan




Wednesday 9 May 2012

♥Wishlist Wednesday♥

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris has been on my wishlist ever since the cover was revealed across the blogsphere. I sooo cannot wait to get my hands on this one!

Add It To Goodreads

What It's About!

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.


Monday 7 May 2012

Thoeba Review

Rating: ♥♥♥.5


*A copy was provided for review*

Thoeba's world fell to darkness forcing her to flee. She came to Earth to protect the Energy, losing everything in the process.

Darkness has found a way to follow her and threatens to take this world as well.

With only humans as allies, can she succeed?

Thoeba is Donna Milward's debut novel, the first book in her new anthology, and will be released June 26th/2012.

 Review

I had mixed feelings about this book, so that's why it ended up with a 3.5/5 hearts. I love pretty much all novels about angels, mythologies, that type of thing, so that's what I mostly liked about this book. However, I feel like the author could have given us more background and story build-up in the beginning of the book, instead of rushing in and leaving the reader to piece things together. It took away from some of the story, because instead of enjoying the story, half the time I felt like I was trying to figure things out. 

Another thing I didn't really care for was the switching of character POV's. I love it when an author has different character POV's and has a chapter for each character. With Thoeba, though, it feels like it randomly switches between characters, all we get is a little ~~~ to indicate the new POV. Sometimes I wasn't even completely sure which character's thoughts I was supposed to be reading about. 

The story itself was really good. It keeps a good pace, things continuously happen, and the main plot was pretty well done. Most of the story is very descriptive, very easily seen in the mind's eye (when your not going WTH? sometimes lol). As you get farther into the story, you get to know the characters a little better and don't feel so lost as to who they really are, but sometimes it still didn't quite click for me.

Overall, I kind of feel like the author rushed everything down on paper (or computer, whichever, whatever), and didn't take enough time to fully build her characters, and the background of the story and its characters. Some parts of the story felt like they got more time than others spent perfecting and tweaking, but maybe it's just me. I recommend it for mythology lovers, for sure.

 


Saturday 5 May 2012

The Fame Game Review

Rating: ♥♥♥
  
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In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter?

Filled with characters both familiar and new, Lauren Conrad's series about the highs and lows of being famous delivers Hollywood gossip and drama at every turn.

 Review

I didn't have really any expectation going into The Fame Game, but it was better than I thought. I still haven't read Lauren's first trilogy, L.A. Candy, so I wasn't familiar with Madison Parker's character, or any other of the characters from the first trilogy, that I've seen other reviewers talk about. That aside, the characters, old and new, were not that hard to get to know. They're a bit flat, especially Madison and Gaby, they don't seem much more than a pretty face. The other characters had more depth to them, but not by much.

I was somewhat surprised how well Lauren's writing was, I guess I expected it to be a little sloppy, since she's a celebrity author, and most of them can't write worth a crap. The writing is simple, to the point, and easy to read. I think this is one of the fastest books I've ever read, I read it in almost a day.

I love the story line. I loved watching Mtv's The Hills when it was on, so it was kind of cool reading this and seeing what really probably happens behind the camera and "reality" tv. The Fame Game is a fun read. It's a good book to read on a rainy day when you just want something normal to read, and get a break from the paranormal, dystopian, other genres that everyone's been reading lately. I am going to definitely be getting the second book when it comes out.




Friday 4 May 2012

Cover/Book Reveal!

The Torn Wing (The Faerie Ring #2) by Kiki Hamilton

Release Date: Oct. 2nd/2012
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What It's About!

Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and the ones she loves, she needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will Tiki be brave enough to face the truth?

A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation…



The Gates Review

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

*A copy was provided for review*


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Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Getting There is Half the Battle...

Armed with more unsettling knowledge about Gavin Devereaux and her circle of friends, Camille Hart is faced with new adversities and lethal propositions when she returns to the Amaranth exile to carry out Gavin’s risky crusade.

Realizing her journey through the bayou was only the beginning of her struggle to stay with Gavin, she finds that leaving her Louisiana home is the least of her worries. New evils await her on the other side, and as she and her friends press on with their mission, they are confronted with the reality that everything doesn't always go according to plan.

As secrets unfold and alliances are formed and broken, only the strongest will survive and the power of love will be tested when a war between witches, humans, and vampires erupts into an all-out power struggle and all is on the verge of being lost.

Review

I had also read & reviewed Amaranth, the first book in this trilogy, and I had loved it but The Gates definitely feels like a step-up! I had been DYING to know what happened next with Gavin and Camille, since they're my favorite characters. Camille is such a kick-ass female character that you don't usually see too often (but I'm noticing more in the YA genre now, thank god), and Gavin is the hot and steamy guy character that everyone loves to read about. ;)

Once again, Rachael did an amazing job with the world and character building that started in the first book. Where Amaranth left off with a cliffhanger, The Gates picks up where the story left off and we find out what happens next, and there are again a lot of things that happen that I can't say without giving away spoilers!

I enjoyed reading this one more than the first book, probably because as with every 2nd book in a series, you already have the backgrounds/info on the characters, so you can just jump right into the story. I highly recommend this book, especially if your craving for action and romance.



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