Friday, May 27, 2011

Harry Potter...In ONE Word

I found this video today, and I just needed to share it with everyone.

Book Review: Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Publish Date: January 11, 2011
Rublisher: Razorbill
Pages: 398
ISBN: 978-1-59514-397-6
Series: Across The Universe # 1
Source: ARC won from other book blogger

Goodreads Synopsis:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.
 
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

My Review:
I loved Across The Universe! And I mean loved it! When it first became available in ARC's, I tried so hard to get my hands on one, I don't generally read many books like this one, but ATU really caught my eye. I even did this post, and was part of a secret launch mission for Godspeed, the ship in ATU. It was lots of fun working on this post, and having it post on 11/1/11 at 11:11am. Eventually, after hearing such great reviews of this book, I won myself an ARC. My TBR pile was so backed up, that it sat around for a while until you guys picked it for me to read next. And I am SO glad that this one was picked!
Beth Revis has some ideas of the future that seem so obscure at first, but by the end of the book they just don't seem that way anymore. Revis had me convinced that things could happen that I couldn't even imagine. The idea of freezing humans for 300 years and sending them across the Universe on a ship makes for a great story, and add to that the fact that Beth Revis is a great storyteller - and together we have this amazing novel!
The detail put into the writing is just right. Revis says just enough paint a clear picture in our head and doesn't go on for 2 pages about the colour of the flowers or the dullness of the ships grey metal walls. She knows when to stop writing and move on.
I thought Elder was a phenomenal character. On a ship where the people are like drones, Elder's personality really shines. He has a genuine quality to him, and when he meets Amy for the first time, you'll feel a flicker of hope for him. Another of my favourite characters is Harley. I thought that Elder was sincere and sweet, but Harley took those qualities to the max. He seems like a great friend and even though he was put in the mental ward with the "crazies", you'll wonder if he is actually crazy. Then we have Amy, the young girl who was 'unfrozen' 50 years too soon. 50 years!!! That's almost half a lifetime! I felt so bad for Amy - waking up on a ship that has such advanced technology and being labeled a freak, and then to be around when "The Season" starts, I could not imgaine that at all (if you've read the book, you know what I mean by "The Seaon", if you haven't read it, you'll know exactly what I mean when you read it!)
While reading Across The Universe, I really liked the futristic ways and things Beth Revis has written about, the book really had me thinking for days after, and I talked about this book to anyone who would listen! I definitely recommend this book, it's different, orginal, and Revis has made it her own! I cannot wait to read the next book in this awesome series!
Go read it, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Wither + Fever ARC Giveaway

Back a while ago, I got an ARC of Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I read it, and thought it was a great book. But I needed more!! I was ready to know what happens next - lo and behold, we have our chance now! Over on Laurens blog, she's holding a giveaway for a signed and personalized ARC of Wither, and and an ARC of Fever. Fever is the upcoming, highly anticpated sequel to Wither.

*I took this picture from Lauren's blog, on her post about the contest - this is NOT my picture*

Check it out! Here's the link to Lauren's Blog and your chance to enter. Good luck everyone.

Monday, May 23, 2011

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer



Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer hits stores everywhere 9.27.11. Pre-order your copy here. Download the widget here. Enter to win an Advanced Reader’s Copy here.

ARC as an Afterthought

While dusting my bookshelf the other day, I was thinking...we all love getting those shiny new ARC's before the actual release day, we love reading them, and spreading the word about these new, upcoming books, but what do you do with the ARC's once you've read them? Do you keep them at the back of your shelves? Do you give them away for others to read? What about once you've read them, do you buy the finished copy of any of the ARC's? Since I've read ARC's and haven't moved onto the finished copy of the book, I don't know whether the books change much from one to the other. That's what I'm curious about - is it worth getting the finished copy if you have the ARC?

Let me know your opinions!

*Note - I really do NOT like dusting my book shelves! This chore takes way too long!

And obviously, since most ARC's say right on / in it - I would never think of selling an ARC.





Thursday, May 19, 2011

Book Review - Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Publish Date: October 19, 2010
Publisher: Philomel
Pages: 452
ISNB: 9780399254826
Series: Nightshade
Source: Bought

Goodreads Synopsis: 
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?

My Review:
First off, the cover of this book is gorgeous. I've heard a lot of good reviews of Nightshade, so when I found it at a second hand book shop for less than half the price, I picked it up. And what a shame to throw this beautiful book to the bottom of my TBR pile, so I started it right away. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I didn't think this book was that great. Let me explain...it took me a long time to actually get into Nightshade. For the first while I found that there wasn't any explanation to the story (or as much as I would have liked/needed) And to be honest, I'm still not sure I know the reason behind why the wolves and humans go to school together any why the humans are terrified of the wolves. Maybe we'll find some answers in Wolfsbane, but I would have liked some answers now.
Though I will say this - Nightshade has an addictive quality about it that made me want to continue. As the novel progressed, so did my liking of it. So by the end, around chapter 30, things were looking really good! The writing is well done, except that I couldn't exactly picture everything in my head the way I like to. I would have one image in my head, of either the characters, the setting or whatever, then the next paragraph / chapter would change that image for me.
I really liked the characters though.. Calla, Ren and Shay are memorable characters. I now completely understand the whole Team Ren or Team Shay debate, and I'd have to say that I'm Team Ren. The characters are your typical teenage characters and Cremer did a good job with them. Ren and Shay are both fighting for Calla's attention, and they do it in a way that is so believable and real. I'm eager to read more about these two guys, that's for sure.
I'm a little torn over this book, and because of that I've had a hard time writing this review. On one hand we have a gorgeous looking book, with fun, memorable and gorgeous looking characters and a very addictive quality to it. Then we have on the other hand a story line that seems to have a few flaws and that I can't paint in my head. Maybe I was just expecting more from Nightshade, I don't really know. Should you read it? Absolutely! If you love paranormal books with a good love triangle, if you love books about Werewolves, if you're looking for something new, then you may just love Nightshade.
I'm just looking forward to reading Wolfsbane, because with the cliffhanger we were left with at the end of Nightshade, I think we're in for quite the book!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

In My Mailbox (May 15, 2011)


In my mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren


Yeah, I'm going to say it - I got so spoiled this week! TWO signed and personalized books :)! Yippee.

Bought:
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - I love, love, love this gorgeous cover. I've read this already, and I'm just working on my review, so stay tuned!
The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith - I had told myself not to buy any books this week, and I did pretty good (bought only Nightshade as a Mother's Day present to myself) and I wasn't going to get this one, but when I read this sentence -"The Marbury Lens crawls inside your head and wont leave. Scary, creepy, awful and awesome" -  Micheal Grant author of Gone and Hunger - at the top of the book, I knew I had to get it, plus it was on the bargain shelf of the bookstore.

Free:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore - found this one for free, and I've seen a few decent reviews about it, so why not!?

Won:
Haunted by Joy Preble (signed!) - I won this from a twitter contest! And the cover is even prettier up close.
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (signed!) - This was from the "Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Blog Hop". I was so excited to win this book - I've been meaning to read it for ages now, as it's part of the Contemps Challenge. Very happy about this!

We also had an exciting day yesterday - I heard that there was a "Meet Geronimo Stilton" event happening about a half hour away from us, so we went! Daughter got to meet him, which was fun (though she was a little nervous!) and we picked up a few books, and Geronimo himself signed one for her!  



All in all, it was a great week for bookish fun!

What did you guys get this week in your mailbox?

Saturday, May 14, 2011

And the winner of what I should read next is....

So I had a poll going on for a bit as to what book I should read next. We finally have a winner, and blogger is finally co-operating with me - so I'm here to share with you the winner!


In third place - Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
In second place - Divergent by Veronica Roth

and the winner of "What should I read next..."


My ARC of Across The Universe by Beth Revis!!

I'm very excited to read this! I also was part of a secret Launch Misson of the Godspeed back when the book came out. I did this post  and it was so much fun watching the videos before anyone else, and getting a look into Beth herself, and the ship Godspeed. (I was a little disappointed, because in return for doing this secret launch, I was supposed to get some cool piece of ATU swag from the publishers - which I never got!) 


Stay tuned for a review of Nightshade and PLL#4! Have a great weekend!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Book Review - Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Publish Date: January 4th, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 233
ISBN: 978-1-4424-1233-0
Series: None
Source: Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.
Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.
But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?


My Review:
In this debut novel, we get a good look into highschool bullying, what it's like to be a loner and get teased and picked on. Cara, a young girl in high school is the one who is teased and bullied and when her best friend Zoe shows up in her room one day after years apart, things start looking up. Though after some deaths and disappearances, Cara starts to question whether her friend coming back was such a good idea.
Woods is a able to paint a clear picture from the very first sentence, to the last. I could see the whole story play out like a movie. The characters are well thought of. And it's easy to feel bad and to relate to Cara in Choker. For me, I hated high school, and I was a loner. I hated the drama, and the whole time felt like one big popularity contest. The kids walked around thinking they were better than everyone else. Thankfully I didn't get the bullying, and teasing, but I did see it happen, and Woods portrays it perfectly in her novel.
Elizabeth Woods debut thriller is a great book, I read it in 2 sittings and couldn't put it down. She knows how to draw you in, and she'll take you on twists and turns. I highly recommend this book and I'm definitely anticipating any upcoming novels from Woods.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

In My Mailbox (May 8th, 2011)

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there! I hope you're having a Fantastic day!


In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Won:
Divergent by Veronica Roth - my mom actually won this for me, she knew that I wanted it, and won it on a Twitter Triva game! Thanks Mom :)

For Review:
Wildefire by Karsten Knight | Goodreads Synopsis
Untold Story by Monica Ali | Goodreads Synopsis

Borrowed (From Library):
The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias and Particularities by Racheline Maltese - we've had fun with this one, that's for sure!


Thanks to Simon & Schuster, Wanda from YMCBookalicious and my mom! You guys are great!

And while you're here, stop by HERE to pick which book I should read next.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Help me pick a book....

Alright, so I need a bit of help picking what to read next. I have so many great books that I need to read, and I should get on to that real soon, but I can't narrow it down it just one. So this is where you come in...I have a few ARC's and review copies that I'll still read, but I want something else to read too.



So take your pick, and if you want, you can comment as to why I should read that one.
Thanks guys - I'll leave the poll open for a few days while I'm wokring on some reviews and posts.

Cheers!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

In My Mailbox (Sunday May 1st, 2011)

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Sorry readers that I haven't been posting lately, and I missed last weeks IMM, but I've had this nasty cold and just haven't felt like doing much!

So here we are, this weeks In My Mailbox!

Bought:
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffengger - Thanks to my library for their awesome book sales!

Won:
Un Amico Italiano: Eat, Pray, Love in Rome by Luca Spaghetti - Thanks Penguin for having the contest for this one!
The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S Lee - this one is from a book club I'm in, Thanks Guys!

Review:
The Secret of a Spicy Jalapeno by Charlie Courtland | Goodreads Synopsis

Thanks everyone for a fun week! And I have a ton of good books to read, I may have to get you guys to help me pick! Leave a link to your IMM and I'll go have a look.

Thanks for stopping by -


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