"The big ending was jaw-dropping in more than one sense and I am officially (once again) anxiously awaiting the third novel." — Miss Remmers
Release Date: February 28th, 2012 Publisher: Harper Teen Challenges: 75+ Challenge
"I’m pushing asidethe memory of my nightmare,pushing aside thoughts of Alex,pushing aside thoughts of Hanaand my old school,push,push,push,like Raven taught me to do.The old life is dead.But the old Lena is dead too.I buried her.I left her beyond a fence,behind a wall of smoke and flame."
Talk about a book you can't wait to get your hands on! When I finished "Delirium " (just over a year ago) I couldn't wait to read "Pandemonium" to find out what would happen to Lena and Alex. "Pandemonium" (do you think Lauren purposefully makes her titles hard to spell?) begins with Lena as a working part of the resistance and then goes between the "then" and the "now." At first I found this a bit confusing because I didn't really care about the "then" but as the story progressed I found myself addicted to both story veins.
New characters are introduced and new twists in "Pandemonium." I definitely believed in the resistance and their characters and loved the Hansel and Gretal bread crumbs that Oliver left for readers to find. I will say I'm not so sure about this Julian character. It's not that I disliked him, but more that I just didn't believe him. And I don't think I believed this particular Lena as well. Not that this bothered me throughout the novel because the plot was amazing on its own, but I do think it's worth mentioning (without being too specific).
I missed Alex. I missed his vision and his passion, but I guess it's a sense of irony that Lena (the believer in the society) makes it to the resistance and Alex... well, you know. I don't want to say anything further in case of a mistaken spoiler from "Delirium." But I will say that this book did not suffer from sophomore-itis (as my students currently are). The plot was just as fast paced and riveting and, despite the character changes and minor flaws, I still loved the characters. The big ending was jaw-dropping in more than one sense (albeit a bit predictable) and I am officially (once again) anxiously awaiting the third novel.
How does Lauren Oliver do this to me?!
-Connect with the author: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
To the FTC, with love: ARC from Publisher (Thank you!)
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Publisher: HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 375 pages Source: ARC from Publisher Series: Delirium #2 Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
Review: SPOILERS!! Pandemonium may be just one of the many dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels we have seen recently; however, it will always stick out to me simply because of the complexity of Lauren Oliver's writing.
I admit, it took me a while to get into the groove of this book. The chapters alternate between"now" and"then" and I had a hard time figuring out when was now and what was then. Yes, slightly confusing. About mid-way into the story I felt more comfortable with that structure. It gave us a glimpse of what Lena is doing now, compared to where she was once she first got into the Wilds. Lena"then" was more weak, a bit whiny, and sort of got on my nerves. Then again, she is dealing with the fact that Alex is not with her so I tried to understand her struggles to fit into this foreign world.
If anything, Lena's time in the Wilds showed her exactly what she needed to survive. She learned how people take care of each other and the true dangers of living away from everything she knew.
The"now" part of the story takes place months later with Lena in New York. I won't go into a lot of details of this section because it was part of the surprise of the book. I was fascinated reading what was going on and how Lena was involved. But I will say that this is the part of the story where the love-triangle begins and we meet Julian.
Lena and Julian do have a very unlikely connection and I liked that a lot. I felt Julian was a wonderful character to add to this story; but, I have a difficult time with this particular relationship. Part of the enjoyment of Delirum was the honest, true love story between Lena and Alex. I feel that is a bit tainted now. This made me become irritated towards Lena during the end of this book and question her feelings. Plus, the cliffhanger didn't help. I like to have a book end during a good place where I can feel good about what I just read. I didn't really feel that way at the end of Pandemonium.
Although I didn't like this sequel nearly as much as Delirium, Lauren's writing still continues to amaze me. Each new plot line or setting is beautifully crafted and it really transports the reader into the story.
I've decided to join the Bookish Ardour's Dystopia Reading Challenge! From January 1st to December 31st, 2011 I hope to read the following 15 Dystopian novels to qualify for the Contagion Level (15 books). There is an extra book, just in case I can't put the genre down. I really want to thank There's A Book for recommending this challenge to me! I am SO excited to get started!
Last week I finished listening to "Between Shades of Gray" (review to come this week) and I read "Pandemonium" (Um... WOW!). This week I'd like to finish "Crossed."
"In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever."
In an effort to motivate me to read my own books (119 unread on my shelves, I counted) I decided to join the Off the Shelf Reading Challenge hosted by Bookish Ardour. This challenge is all year long (Jan 1 — Dec 31, 2011). I've decided to go all out and attempt at the Hoarder Level (76-125).
Okay, I SWEAR I have a review ("Passion" by Lauren Kate) ready to go for today. However, I'll be posting that tomorrow as I have an interruption. I don't mean this as a "Look what I got because I'm so much better than you" post because, really, if you know me at all you know that's not my style.
I just love when things work out. In 2011 I read some amazing novels but most notably: "Delirium," "Across the Universe," "Goddess Test," and "Wither." Since then I've had this list on my desk of books I neededto get a hold of — that I couldn't possibly wait for!
But as a "small town" blogger like myself, I figured unless NetGalley was overly generous, most of these books would be in my hands on their release date. But, after some coaxing from a fellow blogger, I decided to at least email some authors to see what they could do and these authors totally came through!
First, "Pandemonium" was sent my way from the Harper Collins.
Next, after speaking to Beth Revis, her publisher sent me a copy of "A Million Suns." Beth also sent me some great swag for students as well!
Then, yesterday I was approved from NetGalley for "Goddess Interrupted." And today, when checking my mail at school, I received a large package from Simon and Schuster containing "Fever" (among other titles I'll mention this week).
Again, this post isn't a "look what I got" post but much more of a "how good is life" post. I think it's amazing that four years ago I never knew that this community and professional relationship could exist and now I'm feeling like I'm on cloud nine and having "squee out loud moments" like today. I'm amazed at how generous the industry is and am so thankful for the opportunities that blogging has given me. Plus, I just really love when things work out this way.
This year we wanted to add to the excitement of Top 10 lists by making it an event! Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and and I are hosting a top 10 week where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. Each day you add your top 10 list to the linky (below), you get an extra entry into the giveaway for a $50 amazon gift card! Just remember, each day will have a linky for THAT Top 10 topic and your list has to be for that top 10.
First, we wanted to do a little wrap-up for the year! 117 Books Read! 36,776 pages read! 435 posts this year!
My goal for this year was 100 books so next year I'm bringing that up to 110!
Today is Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012!
Why: I've had Divergent on every single list this week so it's obvious that I'm dying to get my hands on this book! Can't.wait!! Add it to Goodreads Summary: 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.
Onyx by Janenifer L. Armentrout Entangled Publishing (May 2012) Series: Lux #2 Why: Does anything by Janenifer even need an explanation anymore? Hot guys, wonderful plots, kick-butt heroines, it's all there! And look at that *points to cover*.yeah… who can resist him?! Add it to GoodreadsSummary:No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins Hyperion Books (March 13th, 2012) Series: Hex Hall #3
Why: I adored the first 2 books in this series and I can't wait to find out what happens next. Sophie is one of my favorite female characters of all time! Add it to Goodreads Summary: Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?
Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready Simon Pulse (May 1st, 2012) Series: Shade #3 Why: This series has a special place in my heart! I'm so sad to see it end but I know Jeri will not disappoint.Add it to GoodreadsSummary: No other love has burned so bright
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced that she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves… even if that means betraying her own heart.
Why:Starcrossed was awesome and I really need to read this book! There were so many questions that have to be answered and I can't wait to see how it all plays out! Add it to Goodreads Summary: As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.
As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore Dial (May 1st, 2012) Series: The Seven Kingdoms #3 Why: I read Graceling and Fire a long time ago and have been checking on this book for over a year! I was so excited to see the cover and a release date, YAY! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Why: Hourglass was a whole book of greatness and I know this one will be just as good. And, I do <3 me some Kaleb!! Add it to Goodreads Summary: A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking…
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough…
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012) Series: Delirium #2 Why: Love the storyline that goes along with this series and Delirium really left me needing more! I plan to read this one very very soon! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Fever by Lauren DeStefano Simon & Schuster (February 21st, 2012) Series: The Chemical Gardens #2
Why: Another very unique dystopian and I really want to get my hands on this book to find out what happens to Rhine and Gabriel! Add it to Goodreads Summary:Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion. But danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago―surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The Two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine's twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous―and in a world where young woman only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can't seem to elude Rhine's father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion… by any means necessary.
Deity by Janenifer L. Armentrout Spencer Hill Press (November 8th, 2012) Series: Covenant #3 Why: *see answer above*: ) Actually, there is another book, Pure, coming out before this one, but I read it as soon as it entered my door so now I must have Deity.like.NOW! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: (Not available yet)
A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young Balzer + Bray (June 26th, 2012) Series: A Need So Beautiful #2
Why: Really loved A Need So Beautiful and the interesting plot in this series. It was another book that left me with a ton of questions that I gotta know the answers to! Plus, Harlin *swoon*. Add it to Goodreads Summary: Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is.
After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose affect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.
Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really? Yes, I know that was 11: ) There are so many more books too! I tried to highlight books in a series here but below are a few stand-alone books I can't wait for…
If I Lie by Corrine Jackson Simon Pulse (August 28th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Breaking Beautiful by Janenifer Shaw Wolf Walker & Company (April 24th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry Harlequin Teen (August 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller Bloomsbury (June 19th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt Simon Pulse (July 10h, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Don't forget to link each day! Signing up & then linking your Top 10 posts early you EXTRA entries into the $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. The last day to share your posts is January 8th, 2012. The winner will be picked using Random.org and announced during the week of the 9th, 2012. Good Luck! NOTE: this is the SAME Linky on each of the Co-Hosts Blogs, so please only enter your Name, Blog Name and URL once. Thanks!
In true "Last 20" fashion — it has been forever since my last post (August 2011) . This year I hope to keep better track because it is kind of fun to see where my books come from as a whole.
Double — NetGalley
Dead to You — ARC
Fever — ARC
Escaping Titanic — NetGalley
Fallen in Love — NetGalley
Passion — Library
A Million Suns — ARC
Torment — Own (Library Audio)
Cinder — NetGalley
The Night Circus — Library
Replication: The Jason Project — NetGalley
Silence — Library
Crossed — Own
Between Shades of Gray — Library
Pandemonium — ARC
The Pledge — NetGalley
Ashfall — NetGalley
Crescendo — Own (Library Audio)
Fallen — Own (Library Audio)
The Awakening — Own (Library Audio)
7/20 NetGalley 4/20 (1/5) ARC from Publisher 5/20 (1/4) Own 8/20 (2/5) Library I know that my numbers don't match up perfectly; this is due to the fact that I own quite a few of the books but I received the audio books from the library. I'm pretty happy with these numbers; I feel like for the most part the last twenty books I've read have been pretty well rounded in regards to where I received them from. From August (when I hadn't read a single books that I owned), I'm especially proud that a fourth of what I've read/listened to came from my own shelves. I think this goes without saying but — THANK YOU NETGALLEY!!!:) For my next 20 books I hope to see numbers like these — well rounded and opportunistic! Where have your last twenty books come from? It's a great way to reflect on your "numbers" if you will and if you're a stat person like me it's always fun to look at reading trends. If you do your own post, let me know so I can visit and see your reading trends!
This week I sort of lost my great pacing of last week, but to my credit it wasn't entirely my fault. I blame Amazon. I finished a great novel last Sunday ("The Pledge") and then figured I should wait until "Crossed"comes in the mail as I preordered it so that the book that I would have started didn't get neglected.
Did that make sense?
Well, I waited and waited and "Crossed" didn't come and I didn't start anything new. And then, on Thursday, my life changed. I received a copy of "Pandemonium!" So, needless to say, I'm pretty sure "Crossed" is in my mailbox but I have yet to go check. What I thought would happen, did happen! But with a different book and a different circumstance.
Since I don't have a lot of book news to talk about, I thought I'd sum up the rest of my life as it is currently being led. This week and last week my life has changed quite a bit (no, I'm not pregnant). First of all, I decided to coach hockey this year. It will be my first year coaching but I grew up playing the sport and feel like I'm ready to get back on the ice. I'm just coaching 10U girls, so nothing too competitive or over the top (so I need to keep reminding myself not to take it that far haha).
I'm also registering for my first grad classes that begin in January and, due to the cost of higher education and the class load, I'm beginning to freak out.
And then there is NaNoWriMo. I was so excited to participate this year. I got about ten kids to join a club at school and we all set our own word goals (mine was 30,000). I knew that I wouldn't have a lot of time to write during the week so I planned "write-a-thon" parties at the public library with my students during the weekend. So, confession time, yesterday was the first time I sat down to work on my WIP. I know, I'm a complete slacker. Then I got frustrated with my WIP because it wasn't going anywhere (probably due to my lack of preparation). So today, I'm meeting my students in an hour, I'm filing that WIP away and taking out an older one that I feel like I have a better idea of its direction. So we'll see how that goes. I'm loving reading everyone else's progress and reading the Twitter feeds of all the committed participants. I think my biggest struggle is the number one rule of NaNoWriMo, throw away your inner editor. It's extremely difficult. So my personal NaNoWriMo perspective is to use this time to write more and hopefully create a habit that will be possible the other eleven months of the year.
I feel like my life has changed due to added commitments so much in the last few weeks. I'm so excited to begin all of these new life endeavors.
Last year in what seemed like a span of weeks I read five fantastic novels that just happened to be the first of a series: "Across the Universe, " "Delirium, " "The Goddess Test, " "Wither, " and "Matched. " These five novels absolutely changed my reading life. With each of these books I was positively awe-struck.
"I read this book almost in its entirety in one day... but it feels like I've known these characters for months, years even! The journey I just got back from after reading "Wither" was an experience that every bibliophile looks forward to with every book they open. "Wither" may not fulfill this experience for everyone — but it sure did for me."
"I hurt with the emotion I felt, I hurt because I couldn't stop willing the plot on, my heart hurt out of love for the characters, and my adrenaline never slowed the last 100 pages. This book caused me physical pain I loved it so much."
"Fantastically timed writing along with perfectly developed characters and a seamlessly exciting plot makes "Delirium" an instant favorite and a story not likely forgotten anytime soon."
"'Across the Universe' was woven so intricately and beautifully that this plot driven novel is definitely on my 'OMG! I need the next book!' list."
"I don't know about you, but during the duration of reading this book I wrote entirely in cursive. What an inspiring concept!" So you can only imagine how excited I am for their sequels to be released. "Crossed" (out last week) was in my fingertips at BEA and I had actually started reading while in line for other books but unfortunately it was not to be finished. I pre-ordered it through Amazon about a month ago (and I won't make that mistake again); it arrived on Friday and I am so excited to continue the story.
Today I received in the mail at school a copy of "A Million Suns" by Beth Revis (Jan 2012) from the publisher and am completely stoked! Last week I received a copy "Pandemonium" by Lauren Oliver (March 2012) from the publisher and am currently only about 100 pages in — but this four day weekend will completely change the game around.
Please ignore my yellow bookmark. And to finish things off I just found out that "Goddess Interrupted" will be released on NetGalley a few months before the release (March 2012). If you're getting the impression that I am on a book high — you'd be completely underestimating my excitement. My "in my mailbox" has never EVER been so exciting before! I'm a relatively small-town blogger and probably only receive one book a month from publishers (if that). But this post is not an "IMM" (expect a vlog!!), there is a reason these books in particular are crossing my doorstep. At school I have put together a group of ten students, a very cool name is yet to be decided on, who meet, read, suggest, and promote YA books to my other students during Friday's Recreational Reading time. Basically we meet during lunch and talk books — much like a book club. Then we decided which books of the week are our absolute favorites and each student volunteers to book talk a book to my English classes on Friday before reading. It started out with "older" books and ironically my five favorites were all chosen to be book talked. Then my students started to talk about the sequels and how they were dying to get their hands on them (much like myself) and so I figured I'd attempt to receive one of these coveted ARCS and become the coolest and most awesome teacher ever. So I sent out a few emails to authors (as I have no legitimate "contacts") and low and behold (who ever thought of that term?) two books found their way to my doorstep. I'll be presenting these books to my students on Monday when we meet and I can't WAIT to see their eyes light up. The idea that publishers would send ME (of all people — according to the students) books before they even came out is a completely foreign idea to these students and I'm just exploding with excitement. I sort of feel like a cave man bringing home fire (or a wheel) for the first time.
This week I welcome Cassie from Happy Book Lovers as this weeks Guest Reviewer.
********************* Going to a party can often change your life. You may find someone to fall in love with, someone to fall out of love with, what you don't usually expect is to discover something which puts everything you thought you knew about yourself in doubt. When Clary finds herself at Pandemonium, it's just another night, another night of teenage fights with her mother, of wrestling with the mating habits of your peers, that is until Clary witnesses a murder. But this is no ordinary murder, the corpse vanishes and it appears that only Clary can see the killers... Clare created an unimaginable world, yet at the same time made it so touchable. I had the same eerie feeling when reading Scott Westerfeld's books; that feeling that somewhere in the world, this could really happen. I read this in little over twenty-four hours, and am currently dying as the library doesn't have the second copy in. One of the most memorable traits was how flawed the characters were. It was, of course, in a good way, allowing them to change allegiances freely. This, in turn, made the plot totally unpredictable, and I will be the first to admit I was shocked by the ending. I also loved Alec. I loved him. He was one of those not-mentioned-a-whole-lot people that I fell in love with, despite his petty love life. I also loved how recent issues were brought into the novel (I won't give it away), making the entire thing seem so much more realistic, contributing to that creepy-factor I mentioned earlier.
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Again, Cassie, thank you so much for this awesome review! I've never heard of this book and I'm definitely going to add it to my list! Thanks!
Please share some book love and visit Cassie at Happy Book Lovers.
My November RAK, I feel, was very successful. I received a copy of "A Million Suns" from Megan at Amethyst Day Dreams and sent out the following titles:
"Crescendo" to Rescue Reads
"Enclave" to A Book Obsession
"Hex Hall" to Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!
"Beautiful Darkness" to Sophistikatied
"Rules of Attraction" to Amethyst Day Dreams
"A Million Suns" to Miss Amanda Button
"Pandemonium" (on loan) to Miss Amanda Button
"Enclave" to Miss Amanda Button
As I mentioned earlier this month (when talking about the RAK) , the RAK provides me the opportunity to find good homes for great books who are taking up valuable real estate on my husband patrolled shelves.
That being said, for December I'd love to put the following books on my RAcK — haha get it? I, of course, accept gently used copies or Nook Books!:)
Human.4 by Mike Lancaster
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Divergent by Veronica Roth
I absolutely love that they've added the Top 5 Books on Your Wishlist section to the form. I don't even scroll over to the actual linked wishlists. I focus merely in on two things: the country they live in and the Top 5 Books listed. What I did this month was figure out what books needed to leave my bookshelf and then do a quick [edit — find] and type in those book titles. It was that simple! I adore that part of the form and I am SO glad they inserted it!
I really do love this service/program not only because it helps me find homes for books (and brings a few in) but because of the promotion of community. For instance, most of the bloggers I sent books out to this month were completely random (due to the process in which I searched for who was looking for a book) and so the majority of these bloggers were new to me! I am so excited to have discovered Rescue Reads as Erika is a Midwest blogger (yay!).
Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kick ass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?
Recently, the books that I've really been enjoying have more sensitive male character's (like "Fever"'s Linden and "A Million Suns"'s Elder) and stronger heroines. I relate this primarily to my love for Mr. Darcy.:)
I reviewed "Dead to You" by Lisa McMann, "Fever" by Lauren DeStefano, and "Pandemonium" by Lauren Oliver. I also reminded readers to look into BBRAW (as it's two weeks away!). If you haven't heard word of BBRAW yet — make sure to check it out! It should be a LOT of fun and the more the participants the better!:)
Lots of things to talk about today. First, here are a few contest winners.
The winner of a signed copy of Trauma Queen, 3 bottles of nail polish, and a t-shirt is… Jessica L.
The winner of a limited edition signed print of The Sisters Brothers is… Mickey @ imabookshark
Congrats you two. Please email me back within 48 hours with your mailing addresses.
I had to mention this cover because for some reason I didn't even know it was released yet! Love that blue.sooo pretty! This is Soul Thief, book 2 in The Demon Trappers series by Jana Oliver.Release Date: August 30th, 2011Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Riley Blackthorne’s adventures continue in the second spellbinding Demon Trappers novel, as she battles demons… and a love that could destroy her At the start of the second thrilling installment of the Demon Trappers series, 17-year-old Riley Blackthorne has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her sweet boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. Add to the mix: Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad, and Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether. But as the demon count in Atlanta increases, the already crippled Trappers Guild has its hands full, and, when the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever. As Riley’s life becomes a dangerous balancing act, will she be strong enough not to tip? And who will be there to catch her if she falls? USE GOOGLE to see The Demon Trapper's site and grab a widget.
I will be hosting a week-long event highlighting relationship abuse and ways to stop/prevent it. Authors Deb Caletti, Janenifer Brown, and Mandy Hubbard will be here discussing their books and providing links to helpful sites people can use if they are in an abusive relationship.
It will be from June 27th- July 1st and the authors and their publishers were kind enough to donate books for the event.
USE GOOGLE to learn more about the books: Stay by Deb Caletti, Bitter End by Janenifer Brown, and But I Love Him by Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard).
"I'd go so far to say that "Cinder" out-dirties, out-evils, out-swoons, and plain out-does the classic tale that we all grew up with." — Miss Remmers
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012 Publisher: Feiwel and Friends Challenges: 100+ Challenge, eBook Challenge
"Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl... . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling."
"Cinder" entered my life at the worst possible moment — a week before my research papers were due. Needless to say, until today I had only read to page 28. The subsequent pages were read in one sitting while the husband played COD.
"Cinder" is more than a re-imagining of the classic Cinderella story but is more comparable to Star Wars meets "Across the Universe" with a little bit of Cinderella twisted in type of story. When I think of Cinderella, I think of foolish stepsisters, a wicked stepmother, a quiet and almost ridiculous Prince, and of course the few mice and pumpkins. "Cinder" on the other hand incorporates one evil, and I mean REALLY, evil stepsister (what a brat!), and WITCH of a stepmother!, a handsome, humorous, and chivalrous Prince, with a few androids sprinkled in.
Quick note: I had to ask Husband, but apparently a cyborg (if you didn't know) is part human part machine and an android is all machine.
First with the evil people — while reading this story I could feel myself flush with anger and my cheeks redden with indignation towards Adri and even Pearl. I've loved and cried for characters before (see Delirium and Pandemonium) but I don't think I've ever really hated a character so much in a book that I could feel the physical effects and drain on my body after reading.
The prince, much like the evilness of these two characters, goes away beyond the quiet dark haired prince from the Disney classic. While Cinder and Kai did fall rather quickly, I was rooting for them the entire time. I loved every page with Kai on it and waited for him to make an appearance (I just wish he would have made an appearance earlier in the novel). Kai is... I mean, just WOW! Definitely a vote over the "what's his face" from Cinderella. Does he even have a name or is he just Prince Charming? Dumb.
Anyway, I digress — I think my favorite part of this story falls to the android, Iko. As I mentioned on Twitter, I really wish I had an android that was an R2D2/Iko cross. My life would be an endless conversation full of cleverness. Do you think I could train my iPhone to be an android?
Anyway, "Cinder" is a definite must read the first week of January before school is in full swing. I absolutely adored it's plot and characters. I'd go so far to say that "Cinder" out-dirties, out-evils, out-swoons, and plain out-does the classic tale that we all grew up with.*
* You know, unless you were born after 2000 If you're interested, Barnes and Noble has the first five chapters available for a free download.
-Visit Marissa around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
