Divergent Casting News: Four has been cast

For those of you who don't know, Divergent is the first book in an awesome dystopian trilogy. The third book is coming out this fall, but this book is all-systems-go to be made into a movie. The protagonist, Beatrice Prior, has already been cast, but Four's casting was made offical as of Friday the fifteenth. And here he is.

Theo James.

 

There goes my vision of Four. Theo James is not at all who I imagined Four to be or look like. I looked at him, IMDb-ed him, and now I'm just... no. Just... no. I can't I can't I can't

He isn't Four. At least, I can't imagine him as Four. But Veronica Roth said that she thinks he's perfect for the part, and the author knows best, right? I guess I can't really judge, though, considering I haven't seen him in anything. I guess I'll just have to wait until the movie comes out and see how he plays the part. But just looking at him... GIVE ME FOUR, NOT THEO JAMES! 

Well, those are my thoughts on the matter. Feel free to put yours - whether you're for or against - in the comments.

Book Haul (4)

This post could be alternately called In Which I Buy A Lot of Books.

Because this week, I ordered five books online. More books than I think I have ever bought in a single sitting.

So here's what I got:

 

 Okay, so three of these books I've already read, but I loved them so much I just had to buy them. Those are The Evolution of Mara Dyer, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and The DUFF. And here are the books I have yet to read:

Unravel Me, by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #2)
Shatter Me is definitely on of the most interesting books I've read. It's a dystopian, but the unique, gripping style of writing shoots it above and beyond to a whole new level. I loved Shatter Me, and since I already owned it, I had to buy the sequel. (I have this thing where I have to own all the books in a series if I buy one of them.)

The Goddess Inheritance, by Aimee Carter (The Goddess Test #3)
I own the first two books of this series, and the second one, Goddess Interrupted, left off with such a cliffhanger! I've read mixed reviews on this, but I'm still excited to see what I think of it, and how Aimee Carter finishes off the series.

Well, that's what I got this week! Post a link to yours in the comments and I'll check it out!

Anastasia

Book Review: Through the Ever Night, by Veronica Rossi

Title: Through the Ever Night
Series/Sequel? Under the Never Sky #2
Author: Veronica Rossi
Genre(s): Dystopian, Romance
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 341
Perspective: 3rd Person (Alternating Male and Female)
Summary: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Review: I read the first book a few months ago when I was in a non-reviewing period, and I didn't really like it that much. This book is just .5 of a star better than Under the Never Sky.

I don't think that's necessarily because this book and it's predecessor are bad, because they really aren't. I think my main problem with this series is the lack of emotion in it. It's written in 3rd person, switching between Aria's and Perry's POVs, and while there are a few 3rd person books that I can actually feel in, this isn't one of them. As I was reading Through the Ever Night, I felt like an impartial bystander, an audience member at a movie or play - I knew that this book wasn't real, that the things these characters were going through were only imaginary. I didn't feel at all in this story, and that majorly detracted from my enjoyment of it.

That being said, this book does have some cool things about it: I liked the relationships being created in it, despite my hard time with the actual emotion of them. I thought the characters in themselves were better fleshed out and characterized in this book then the first one, and I felt myself beginning to actually know Roar, Aria, Perry, and the others.

Even in a genre that is quickly becoming oversaturated with originality hard to find, Veronica Rossi makes her world just as interesting as it was in the first book. The inside world of the pods isn't really grown much in Through the Ever Night, mainly because it takes place outside. The outside is expanded upon, and we get to learn more about the clans and their rituals, prejudices, and way of life. I thought that this was one of the more interesting parts of the story.

I think a lot of readers will still like this book, from the romance and drama to the action-y scenes and dystopia to the little bit of paranormal brought to the table with the outside peoples' heightened senses. If you're a fan of romance and dystopia, I would recommend this book. But if, like me, you read a book for the emotions, I'm not sure how much you'll like it.

Rating:

Delirium TV Show Castings!

For those of you that don't know, Lauren Oliver's Delirium Series is being turned into a TV series by Fox. Delirium is one of my favorites books ever, and so I just found out on one of the writing websites I'm part of that Fox has cast the two main characters: Lena and Alex, Lena's love interest, along with the main character come Pandemonium, Julian. 

According to my sources, Emma Roberts is playing Lena.

I'm not overly impressed. I don't know, maybe she can pull it off.... I'm skeptical though. Her face seems too... wide for Lena. She also doesn't really just look like Lena to me. We'll have to see.

Daren Kagasoff is playing Alex.

He, on the other hand, looks almost exactly how I imagined Alex. His facial structure is just perfect for the part!

Julian is to be played by Gregg Sulkin.

He is probably my least favorite casting. I'm just really not liking this casting. Just... ugh. Sometimes I wonder what they're thinking when they cast these things...

So, my favorite to least-favorites:

1. Daren Kagasoff as Alex.
2. Emma Roberts as Lena.
3. Gregg Sulkin as Julian.

So, those are my thoughts. I'd love to hear your opinions below!

Here's the link to where I got the info. The links in the actors' names go to IMDb.

Anastasia

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Release Date: March 19th, 2013 (according to Goodreads)

Title: Emblaze
Series/Sequel? Violet Eden Chapters #3
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance
Summary: Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to..

My Thoughts:  I found the first two books, Embrace and Entice, new and interesting takes on angel mythology. The writing and the love triangle were both decent as well, so I'm excited to see where Emblaze takes the Violet next! Though I must say, the cover doesn't really sit well with me... Embrace's cover was gorgeous, but both Entice and now Emblaze leave something to be desired...

Leave your WoW in the comments and I'll check it out!

Anastasia

Book Review: Altered, by Jennifer Rush

Title: Altered
Series/Sequel? Altered #1
Author: Jennifer Rush
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Action/Adventure
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 323 (Hardcover)
Perspective: First Person (Female)
Summary: Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Review: Everything about this book - from the cover to the summary - led me to think this wasn't going to be anything special; just another typical science fiction-romance book. So imagine my surprise when it turned out to be so much better than that.

For one, this book is extremely fast and extremely addicting. It kept me reading hours past my bedtime, until my dad came in and turned out the light on me.

Altered was also extremely uncliche. The plot twists and surprises, which I typically guess correctly on within the first 50 pages were actual plot twists that actually surprised me. Maybe that was because my brain was half asleep due to how late I was reading it, but then again, maybe not. This book was more interesting than I ever would have thought, and I'm extremely excited for the second book.

The one thing that I disliked about this book was the romance. The romance was predictable and cliche, and I didn't feel their relationship at all. I found myself wanting to skip past the romantic parts to the much more interesting fight scenes and such - which there were a good amount of, by the way. Anna and the boys can't seem to stay out of trouble no matter where they are, and the fight scenes were awesome, even without the swords, daggers, and magical abilities I typically prefer. But, anyway, (I love this book so much, I'm going off on a tangent!) the romance was the worst part of the book, and I'm kind of cringing imagining this author trying to hype up Sam's and Anna's relationship in the next book.

Besides that little hiccup, this is a great action/adventure and scifi book I would recommend to just about any YA reader!

Rating:

Quick Blog Update

Hey! I just wanted to tell you about the amount of books I've been plowing through, and why there aren't reviews to them all.

Reason #1: As much as I love reviewing, I can be lazy. Being off of school this week, I haven't felt like doing much of anything besides reading, playing Fruit Ninja (it's addicting!), and doing my homework.

Reason #2: Instead of taking the time to do big reviews for every single book I read in this huge batch I got, I'm going to be doing a series of Mini Reviews! Each mini review post will have three-five books reviewed on it. Because they aren't full reviews and are grouped together by date, they will also be getting their own page right next to "Reviews" up on the navigation bar underneath the blog image. I'll either be posting the first one today or tomorrow.

Off to finish writing up reviews!

Anastasia

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Release Date:  March 5th, 2013

Title: Requiem
Series/Sequel? Delirium #3
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre(s): Dystopian, Romance, SciFi
Summary: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

My thoughts: Delirium, the first book, is one of my favorite books ever. It is a beautiful and amazing book, one that has changed my way forever. Its sequel, Pandemonium, is one of my least favorite books ever. In my opinion, it took the beauty and uniqueness of Delirium and stamped it all to pieces, replacing it with awful predictability and cliche-ness.  So, I'm interested in reading Requiem to see if it can possible redeem the disaster wrought by Pandemonium, and if Lauren Oliver can possibly dig herself out of the hole she's dug herself into.

Book Haul (3)

I went to Barnes and Noble the week, then realized that buying the books I wanted was cheaper. After seeing all the new releases that I wanted but couldn't have, I went to a library which turned out to have just about all of them. So now I have a total of fourteen books to read in the next three weeks. Because of how many books I got, I'm going to split them up in three different sections.

Dystopians: 

Ashes, by Ilsa J. Bick (Ashes #1): I've heard this book was really good. I picked it up and checked it out. Let's see what comes out of it.

Elemental, by Antony John: Tied with the fey, elementals are my favorite type of paranormal creature. I'm interested to see how this book portrays them. 

Insignia, by S. J. Kincaid: This book was recommended to me by a friend, and so I decided to pick it up and give it a go.

Through the Ever Night, by Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky #2): The sequel to Under the Never Sky, a dystopian I liked well enough, but didn't love. I'm interested to see if this can redeem the first book.

False Memory, by Dan Krokos (False Memory #1): This author is coming to the biggest (really only) bookish event near where I live, and so I'm trying to read as many books by the twenty-or-so authors coming as possible.

The Darkest Minds, by Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds #1): She is also coming to the same event as Dan Krokos, and her novel Brightly Woven is one of my favorites.

Others:

Altered, by Jennifer Rush (Altered #1): Truthfully, I saw the cover and I had to pick. This looks to be a scifi book with four hot guys. Is there anything better?

Catherine, by April Linder: I loved her book Jane, which is a rewrite of Jane Eyre. This time she rewrote Wuthering Heights, and though I've never read the classic, I'm excited to read more of her lovely writing!

Vortex, by Julie Cross (Tempest #2): The first book, Tempest, wasn't very good, but it was decent enough that I'm interested in seeing if the sequel is better.

Nobody, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: This should actually be with the other dystopians, but I didn't realize until after I made the collages that this was a dystopian and not just SciFi. I loved Every Other Day by her, and so I'm excited to read this standalone.

Level 2, by Lenore Appelhans (The Memory Chronicles #1): This is one of those afterlife/heaven books, and though I didn't think one could be written better than The Catastrophic History of You and Me, I'm still willing to give it a go.

Everbound, by Brodi Ashton (Everneath #2): The didn't think Everneath was very good, but like Vortex and Through the Ever Night, I'm still interested enough in the story to see how it turns out, and also if it can redeem the first.

Splintered, by A. G. Howard: The somewhat-creepy cover caught my attention, and though I didn't think we could have another rewrite of Alice in Wonderland, it seems that I was wrong.

And then the one book I have to keep this week is the one I was given for my book group:

The Hunt, by Andrew Fukuda (The Hunt #1): Everything I've heard says this Hunger-Games-with-Vampires is amazing, and so I'm greatly excited to see how it is for myself.

Whew! Well, that's it. Leave your comments, opinions, and links to your Book Haul down there, and I'll check them out!

Anastasia

New blog name - your opinions?

So I made up a couple other blog names along with (very similar) images. Tell me what you think and vote for a new blog title on the left sidebar. :)

My last name is Hart, and so that's the joke behind the last one. Tell me which blog name/picture you like so I can change it!

<3, 

Anastasia

Book Review: The Forsaken, by Lisa M. Stasse

Title: The Forsaken
Series/Sequel? The Forsaken #1
Author: Lisa M. Stasse
Genre(s): Dystopian, Romance
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 375 (Hardcover)
Perspective: 1st Person (female)

Summary: As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up.

The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. Desperate, she and the other prisoners concoct a potentially fatal plan to flee the island. Survival may seem impossible, but Alenna is determined to achieve it anyway.

Review:I was pretty excited to read this originally, but I read the prologue and literally rolled my eyes. It was pretty cliche in the beginning (Your parents were taken/rebels/killed too? Join the club!) but it quickly picks up, and just keeps getting faster and faster until slowing down at the end.

It was cliche and predictable only a few instances throughout, most of the time things were new and intense, and extremely enjoyable. There were also several completely unpredictable curveballs thrown in there - something extremely rare for me, considering the amount of this genre I've read.

One thing I really disliked in this book, however, was the author's attempt at romance. That was probably the most predictable and cliche part of this book, and subsequently the worst. It was obvious what was going to happen in terms of Alenna's relationship with Liam, and the romance seemed flat and forced without any real spark or chemistry between the chemicals.

Another thing I disliked was how the author wrapped so much up into neat tiny boxes. This annoyed me for multiple reasons:
1. If you're writing a series, you should leave at least a few loose ends to wrap up in the coming books.
2. A book - a really well-written book - is supposed to be believable, even if it's a fantasy book. Life doesn't wrap up into neat, nice little boxy. Life is messy and bloody and chaotic. And in a dystopian book especially, one would think they would see more of it. But many things - who the Monk was and the reasoning behind it and everything, what the Monk wanted her for and wanted to tell her, who she was, why her and Liam were even together - it all had a nice neat little explanation. And while some readers like that, I found it annoying and unbelievable.

This book also is not particularly memorable. I read it a week or so ago, and even now, many details and big things - like the main character's name! - escape me. It is, all in all, a fairly average dystopian book. Recommended for fans of dystopians who want a world that is fairly new and different.

Rating:



Quotes:
(There were a few others, but the post it notes I put in on the pages fell out, so I only have these two.)

"Before the secrets rise up and engulf me, and my chance to learn the truth gets ripped away forever."

- Page 113
___________________________________________________________________________________

"I know exactly what it means - to keep going at all costs. To never give up. And to find meaning in the journey."

- Page 247

Book Haul (2)

I know I'm a day late on this, but I wanted to do a book haul for this week:

Borrowed: 

Shift, by Em Bailey: I took this book out as one of those "I want to get a book out" book. I really just picked it up because the cover looked cool and the summary looked cool enough. So, I'm not too sure about this one, but I'll have to see. 

Given: 

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan: I got this for my book group. Apparently their other books are really good? I don't know, I guess I'll have to see. Expect a review for this Tuesday, though!

Bought: 

Legend and Prodigy, by Marie Lu: I LOVED Legend, and I was so excited to by it along with its sequel, Prodigy. I've already read Prodigy, and I'll be posting a review soon!

So, that what I got this week. Leave a link to yours in the comments and I'll check it out. :)

Anastasia

I'M SO HAPPY!

I just got Prodigy and Legend in the mail, which I ordered a few weeks ago. In case you didn't read my Waiting on Wednesday, I have been waiting for Prodigy since I read (and fell in love with) Legend. Ahhh! I'm pretty much like this right now:

Like, seriously happy! All right, off to lock myself in my room for several hours. I'm so happy it's Friday!

Off to reading!
Anastasia

Book Review: Dead to You, by Lisa McMann

Title: Dead to You
Series/Sequel? No
Author: Lisa McMann
Genre(s): Hard Topics, Realistic Fiction, Relationships
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 243 (Paperback)
Perspective: First Person (Male)

Summary: Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It’s a miracle…at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn’t going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there’s something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

Review: The one thing to say about this book: it's an extremely quick read. I was finished in one sitting of two hours. The page count itself is pretty short, yes, but also just the way it is written lends itself to be finished quickly.

I think the urgent quality of the plot is definitely a part of that. Things start off seemingly with the ending: Ethan De Wilde, who was kidnapped from his suburb when he was seven, has been reunited with his family after nine years through the Child Protection Services. But then he goes home, and things go from bad to worse, relationships build and break, and then BAM! it's finished.

And the ending... I've seen a lot of people on Goodreads complaining about the ending and how it was too abrupt and left too many questions unanswered. And I agree with that, to some extent. It was an extremely abrupt ending that slapped you in the face and left many questions unanswered, unless you were intelligent enough to piece together small clues throughout. Too-small clues, in my opinions. Who is Ethan, then? is everyone's question at the end. I had no idea either, until I went to the book group in which I read this book for, and the people who understood it told us that Ethan is actually David, Ellen's biological child. I didn't get that until they told me and explained it to me multiple times. And even now, I'm still not sure I like that twist and that explanation.

I thought that the summary was somewhat misleading. With the last line "But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable." I thought that it was going to have a paranormal twist of some sort, even a small one. And that kind of threw me off as I was actually reading it and found that it was pure realistic fiction.

I feel like I should probably forewarn you about how dark this book is. It's extremely dark and scary, and it's not for someone who gets scared easily. It's for someone who wants to think, and who wants some well-written realistic fiction and real-world problems to do so.

Realistic fiction is not my genre by any means, but realistic fictions and dark, thoughtful story fans will definitely enjoy this one!

Rating:

Book Review: Nightshade, by Andrea Cremer

Title: Nightshade
Series/Sequel? Nightshade #1
Author: Andrea Cremer
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 452
Perspective: First Person (Female)

Summary:Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Review:I've never liked werewolf books. Ever. Every single werewolf book I've read, I've been less than impressed with. I'm not typically an animal fan, and so I guess I don't see the attraction of a human turning into an animal. So I didn't think I was going to like this book. But I did, much more than I thought I was.

The summary doesn't really do this book justice. It doesn't make it sound as interesting or well-written or just as great as it actually was. This was a great, interesting, riveting, amazing, fantastic, addictive, wonderful, etc., addition to an over-saturated genre. And maybe I've read too few werewolf books, but I though the way the myths and rules of the werewolf world were entirely unique as compared to everything else I have ever heard of or read.

But of course, this is a YA Paranormal Romance book. And of course, that means that it contains a love triangle. Shay, the mysterious new human boy who doesn't act human, vs. Ren, a werewolf who has been Calla's preordained mate since they were tiny. And though it was still a love triangle, with all the necessary parts, including sexual tension, confusing, fights (physical, mental, and emotional), and some (okay, more than some) make-out sessions. And yet, it didn't feel like the stereotypical love triangle. Andrea Cremer, it seems, is one of those authors who can put new life into a WAY overused plot point. And I loved it.

All in all, a great book I would definitely recommend for someone looking for some great Paranormal Romance! I can't wait to read the next book!

Rating:

Redesigning - Your Opinions?

 So, I'm looking to make some changes to this blog, including the blog name and the title image. So, I thought up one blog name, and made several images for it:

Yes, the blog name I came up with was Dressed in Poetry. But I was wondering if all of you other interesting, intelligent people can think of any good names for this blog. Maybe Royal or Regal Reviews? Or, if you like Dressed in Poetry, which of the blog images is your favorite?

So, blog name ideas? Or, if you like Dressed in Poetry, which of the blog images is your favorite?

Anastasia

Book Haul (1)

Things I borrowed/received this week:

Borrowed (from assorted libraries):

 

Clarity, by Kim Harrington (Clarity #1) 

This is one of those books that I've seen a lot on other book blogs, and so I'm interested in reading it. 

Fury, by Elizabeth Miles (The Fury Trilogy #1)

The cover and the title drew me in originally, and then I found that it sounds like my type of book: 

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.
Em and Chase have been chosen.
Doesn't that just sound amazing? I'm really excited to read this book!

The Juliet Club, by Suzanne Harper
I really have no concrete reason for picking up this book. It was more one of those "Well, I've only checked out five books, I need more" cases, and so I saw the word Juliet in the title and figured that this maybe just a cute, light book to read.


The Forsaken, by Lissa M. Stasse (The Forsaken #1)
Even though this book sounds something like the typical dystopian book, I'm actually really excited to read it.  Hopefully it lives up to my excitement!

UnWholly, by Neal Shusterman (Unravel #2)
I loved Unravel, and wished at the time I had read it that it had a sequel. And then I learned about this. Needless to say, I'm extremely excited to read this book!

Lucid, by Adrienne Stolz and Ron Bass
This is another book that I picked for absolutely no reason. I'm not even sure if I'll end up reading it, but I did pick it up and take it home.

Received:

Dead to You, by Lisa McMann
I received this from a book group that I'm in. I must say, I loved reading Lisa McMann's Wake series, and this sounds like a very dark, heavy book - just the type of stuff I love! I hope this turns out to be great!

Book Review: The Body Finder, by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Body Finder
Series/Sequel? The Body Finder #1
Author: Kimberly Derting
Genre(s): Paranormal, Mystery, Romance
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 327 (Hardcover)
Perspective: 3rd Person (Female)
Summary: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

Review: This book was great. I was pretty indifferent going into it, and then when I saw that it was in third person POV - which I typically dislike because I don't feel as connected to the characters while reading third person - I felt a bit of foreboding. Like an "Oh no, I'm not going to like this book" feeling. But despite the fact that it was third person, I still really liked it.

This book can fall under a few different genres: romance, mystery, paranormal, even some could count it as almost realistic fiction. Because everything in this book was very subtle: it wasn't a paranormal book, or paranormal romance or paranormal mystery. It is a variety of genres, with emphasis not being placed on a particular genre, but just the story as a whole. And because of this, it can attract a variety of readers with a variety of tastes.

And looking at the genres as separate, they were each written very well in themselves. The romance was definitely both swoon- and aw-worthy, the mystery was wonderfully laid out, and the paranormal portion was explained well. And no matter your preference, the suspense and addictive quality of this book will keep anyone reading!

This is the first in a four-book series, but I'm intrigued to see what is coming next, because the way that this book was neatly tied up at the end would make me think it was a standalone, if I hadn't know better.

No matter your tastes, I would definitely recommend picking up this book!

Rating:

Sorry, Technical Difficulties

Obviously, I'm having some technical difficulties with the look of this blog. Sorry! I'm still pretty new to Blogger, so I'll try to figure it out ASAP! Hopefully it'll be fixed soon!

Anastasia

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Title: Prodigy

Series/Sequel? Legend #2
Author: Marie Lu
Genre(s): Dystopian
Summary: June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

I loved the predecessor, Legend. It was just so awesomely amazingly amazing. Either 4.5 stars, or a 5. And I ordered Prodigy and Legend from Barnes and Noble. And it's shipping January 29th. Which means I should have it by February 6th. And I'm just can't wait! Legend ended and I felt like I automatically needed the next book. Needless to say, I can't wait to get my hands on this book!

Leave your WoW in the comments and I'll check it out!

Book Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Series/Sequel? The Jenna Fox Chronicles #1
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Genre(s): Dystopian, SciFi, Hard Topics
Age Level: 10 and up
Page Count: 265 (Paperback)
Perspective: 1st Person (Female)
 Summary: Everything is different

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma - so she's been told - and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She's been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won't anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions.

What happened to Jenna Fox? And who is she really?

Review: I heard this book was amazing. Every review I read, every person I talked to who had read it, said it was amazing. So maybe my expectations were too high, or maybe it just wasn't my type of book, but I was disappointed.

One of the main reasons I think I didn't like it that much was because of the characters. I didn't connect with them. I felt like I didn't connect with anything in this book. I felt removed and separate from the story and the characters the entire time I was reading it. And that was a majorly hurt my level of enjoyment as I read this book.

I also thought, based on what everyone else said and reviewed, that the writing of this book was going to be great. And the writing of this book was good enough I guess. The way it was written definitely fit the story itself But it wasn't riveting, and I've read books that were much more interesting and suspenseful.

And it wasn't that this book wasn't interesting. The premise was unique and interesting and I loved that about. And it wasn't that this book wasn't suspenseful. There was a ton of suspense in this book. But once again, I didn't feel the expense and the urgency of the characters and the story because I wasn't connected.

So, yes, I'm extremely disappointed. I felt like this was a great book if only I could - to use the word one last time - connect. But despite all that, I would still recommend this book. I think many others will enjoy it, or at least find it an interesting book to think about.

Rating:

Book Review: Crewel, by Gennifer Albin

Title: Crewel
Series/Sequel? Crewel World #1
Author: Gennifer Albin
Genre(s): Dystopian
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 357 (Hardcover)
Perspective: 1st Person (Female)

Summary: Enter a tangled world of secrets and intrigue where a girl is in charge of others destinies, but not her own.

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls.  Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power.  Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

Review: I picked up this book for two reasons: the cover looked cool, and the author was coming to talk and sign in my town in a few months.

... I still don't really have any other reasons for reading it.

For one, this book had an extremely slow "start". And by "start", I mean the first half of this book. I was indifferent and disinterested until about page 140 out of 357 pages, and then things (finally!) began picking up. I'm not sure why that was, exactly. There was action, and there were things happening that should have been interesting, but they just... weren't. It took 140 pages for this book to actually start.

This book was also fairly predictable. All the "big reveals" and "twists" and such, I caught almost immediately, at the barest amount of foreshadowing. Maybe I've read too many YA books, but the amount of predictability and cliche used in this book was just awful.

Now, I don't want to say that this book was totally awful, either. Skimming the reviews on here, I'm seeing a lot of "creative"s and "unique"s. And I don't disagree with that. This was a very unique and creative world, with the world being made of a weave. Of course, it wasn't the first time I've seen weaving being such an integral part of the story, and related to life and reality and the world. So it was creative... to an extent.

The one other thing I actually liked with this story was the prose. The writing itself was actually really good, and I found six quotes in this book that I really liked (The average per book for me is about 3 or four.) The way she strung words together was great.

So, that's my personal opinion. But I think this is the type of book that (judging from the amount of fours and fives I see here) it really depends on the reader. Try reading it for the writing, and the world.

Rating:

Quotes:

"It's how I imagine death will come to me: overdressed and smoking."

- Page 106
___________________________________________________________________________________

"He was a husband, a father, and I'm nothing and never will be. I guess the Guild assigned us our roles after all."

 - Page 219
___________________________________________________________________________________ 

"The rest of the world is perfectly still, but we are in motion, crumbling into one another."

- Page 235
___________________________________________________________________________________ 

"Remembrance is never useless."

- Page 294
___________________________________________________________________________________ 

"'Adelice, you have the power to stop this.' she reminds me.
'I know,' I murmur. 'I just can't think of a good reason to.'"

- Page 349

And now I kind of feel like an utter fail.

I was looking on one of my favorite book blogs, Down the Rabbit Hole, and I saw all of her challenges on the side. I clicked on one, the 2013 TBR PILE Reading Challenge, and found that it was hosted by another blog called Bookish. Then again, she's been blogging since 2010 and I only have (rather sporadically, I must add) for this past year. And she has 4000 followers, and I have 9 (whom I appreciate dearly). And she's much more experienced in blogging and her blog is much awesome-er than mine. But still. I'm just...

I guess I should have been more creative in my blog name... anyone have any ideas what I should change it to, or if I should change it?

Anastasia

Book Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer
Series/Sequel? Mara Dyer #2
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Genre(s): Hard Topics, Romance, Paranormal
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 527 (Hardcover)
Perspective: 1st person, female
Summary:  Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Review: In the first book, Michelle Hodkin weaves a deliciously creepy web of a story that gorgeously walks the line between reality and fantasy. And in this book, she does it again, only better. In the first book, there were a lot of problems with the way things were written, many parts that weren't laid out in the best way or passages that made little to no sense to me as the reader. In this book, she manages to keep the surreal quality while not having as many Wait, what? passages, though there were still a couple.

Another thing I loved about this was how much everything grew: from Noah and Mara's abilities to their relationship, to their characters themselves. You began to actually meet the characters, begin finding out who they were, and their reasoning behind many of their actions. Some of the whys of the previous book were answered as well, while leaving the reader with enough information to help them begin to understand, but withholding more in order to keep them guessing, and the tension and questions high. And while I thought the romance in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer wasn't particularly well-written, Evolution definitely made up for it.

Another thing about this book: it's more than 500 pages. It felt like 350. I've read books that didn't even pass 450 that felt like 800. It is completely compelling and addictive, just as much, if not more so, than the first book. It was a good thing it was break week for me, because otherwise it would have been torture trying to go through classes with this in my backpack.

I can't wait for The Retribution of Mara Dyer, coming out Fall 2013! (Can't find the specific release date, unfortunately.)

Rating:




Quotes:

"'I like pushing your buttons.'"
"'You'd enjoy it more if I undid them first.'"

-Page 284, Mara and Noah respectively.

"'You will love him to ruins.'"

- Page 292

"As he stood there in his exquisite clothes, flawless features staring my down, he still looked like an arrogant prince. But only now I could see that his crown was broken."

- Page 347

"This was the boy I loved. A little bit messy. A little bit ruined. A beautiful disaster.
Just like me."  

- Page 353

"'I'm the creepy girl. In a mental hospital.'
 He grinned. 'Nobody's perfect.'"

- Page 452