Friday, January 4, 2013

Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate




Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
# Of Pages: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Publication Date: December 8, 2009
Source: Purchased
Level: Young Adult
Rating: 3 Hearts







Synopsis

(From Amazon.com)

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

My Verdict

There was something strangely addicting about this book! Even though I didn’t care for any of the characters and found the plot rather monotonous, I couldn’t stop reading. I don’t know what it was about it, but something kept me turning pages.

I found Luce to be a pretty annoying protagonist, she bounces between Daniel and Cam like a ping-pong ball. Oh my gosh Daniel, oh Cam is so sweet, look at how handsome Daniel is, oh my gosh Cam. That was pretty much her thought process the whole book.

I felt like I was intended to turn into a pile of mush over Daniel like Luce did but I really didn’t care for him either. The one character out of the whole book that I actually did like was Luce’s friend Penn who was funny, quirky and the only true friend Luce had, in my opinion. 

My favorite thing about this book was probably the setting. I always enjoy books where the characters live at boarding schools, it gives the author the ability to create this whole unique setting all their own.

The ending was nothing more than a bunch of chaos that left you unsatisfied and a little miffed about certain things. 

I know I’m in the minority here considering it was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I believe there are at least three or four more books in the series but I won’t be reading them. I will however look on Wikipedia to find out how the series ends. Mwuhahaha J the power of technology. 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Novels In Verse Reading Challenge Sign Ups

Welcome to the second annual Novels In Verse Reading Challenge!!! I had a blast hosting the challenge last year and look forward to doing it again this year! =D

RULES:
This challenge runs from January 3rd - December 31st, 2013. All books must be started on/after January 1st. Once you choose your level you can't change it. You can read any novels in verse you fancy, whether they be Young Adult, Middle Grade, or Adult it doesn't matter, just read! They don't have to be published in 2013 but YOU MUST READ THEM IN 2013. Also, feel free to re-read old favorites. AS LONG AS YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY REVIEWED THEM. You can post your reviews either on your blog or on Goodreads.

LEVELS:
Haiku 1-4 books
Limerick 5-8 books
Sonnet 9-12 books (This is the level I've chosen for myself)

BOOK IDEAS:
I've created some Pinterest boards with a bunch of titles to help give you ideas =) 

HOW TO SIGN UP:
(Sign Ups will be open until June 1st)
To join the reading challenge fun just creat your own sign-up post that includes the button above and the level you've signed up for. If you want you can even create a list of the books your hoping to read as part of the challenge. You can create a list of books beforehand or start a blank list and fill them in as you read. It's that easy! Whatever you do just be sure to come back here and link up that post! (Please link to your sign up post directly and not just your blog.)

At the beginning of every month I will post a linky list where everyone can link up the reviews they write throughout the month.

GIVEAWAYS:
I'm going to be doing a few verse related giveaways throughout the year that will be for challenge participants only! 

NOTE:
If you are the author or publisher of a middle grade or young adult novel in verse and would like to take part whether it be an interview, guest post, cover reveal or donating something for a giveaway please let me know! You can contact me at bornbookish {at} gmail {dot} com

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Book News: January Releases!

There are SOOO many awesome books coming out this month, many of which are much anticipated sequels or conclusions to some of the hottest new series. 

Coming January 1st . . . 


by
Lisa Schroeder

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.



by 
Kimberly Derting

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

Coming January 8th . . . 

by
Veronica Rossi

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.


by
Kate Brian

Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.

Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

Coming January 15th . . . 

by
Julie Cross

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.



Coming January 22nd . . .


by
Jennifer Lynn Barnes

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away. 

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.


by
Cynthia Hand

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Coming January 29th . . . 


by
Marie Lu

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?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Book Review: Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder





Title: Falling For You
Author: Lisa Schroeder
# Of Pages: 368
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Source: ARC (Thank you SO much Lisa!)
Level: Young Adult
Rating: 5 Hearts





Synopsis

(From Amazon.com)

Rae’s always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her…and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. He’s not about to let her go. And with danger following her every move, Rae must fight for the life and love she deserves if she’s going to survive.


My Verdict

I think at this point we all know that I think Lisa Schroeder writes the best verse novels out there! Whenever anyone asks me about novels in verse that is the first name that comes out of my mouth. This novel however, is Lisa’s first YA book told in traditional prose (with a good amount of poetry sprinkled throughout). I will admit when I heard this book wasn’t in verse I was disappointed, I was also a little nervous and wondered would it be as good as her other books? Well I am here to tell you that YES IT IS! Silly me to doubt.

The book is about a girl named Rae who has a very difficult home life that she keeps hidden from even her best friends. The way she deals with this dark part of her life is through keeping a poetry journal where she lets all her emotions flow freely.

I absolutely loved the formatting of this book! The book starts off with a snippet of Rae in the hospital but we don’t know what happened to put her there. The book then jumps to six months earlier, then we get another snippet at the hospital, five months later, snippet, four months, and so on and so forth. This created a great sense of tension and mystery throughout the whole book as we wonder what is going to happen to Rae.

As for the characters, it was so refreshing to have such a strong, intelligent, and loving protagonist like Rae. Her love and care for others, even those who had hurt her kept surprising me. She really was a remarkable character. 

Nathan is the new guy who immediately shows interest in Rae. You could tell he was trouble from the first moment he opened his mouth, I just wish Rae could have seen it too! It was understandable how she looked past it though, because she had never had a boyfriend before and dreamed of having someone who really cared for her.

Leo was the awesome friend. He was completely laid back, fun, caring, super sweet and did I mention he’s homeschooled?!? Homeschooled characters don’t really pop up often in YA so I was pretty excited. (I was homeschooled myself, so that’s why I’m so excited about this!)

All in all, this book was a battle between light and dark, about finding the light even in the darkest most trying times. It was emotional. It was mysterious. It was hopeful. It was wonderful.

Falling For You Release Day!

HAPPY FALLING FOR YOU RELEASE DAY
Lisa Schroder's new book Falling For You is now at a store near you! 
Woop, Woop!
I've already read it and let me tell you this is one your not gonna want to miss! 
Synopsis:
Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give. 

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. 

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.



Check back later for my 5 star review!

Monday, December 31, 2012

Going to London!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not going to be around for the first couple weeks of January because. . . .
I'm going to London!! 
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I can't believe I just said that.

 I can't believe this is real life.

I AM SO SUPER EXCITED. I'm not really the traveling type, I haven't gone very far from home before,  never mind leaving the country!  So this is a really big deal for me!

I've scheduled a bunch of posts that will go up while I'm away but I won't be able to reply or comment back until I return. But don't let that stop you from coming by and leaving some nice comments for me to find when I get back ;) 

Sunday, December 30, 2012

End of the Year Wrap Up 2012

As the end of the year draws near it's time to look back and reflect on all the books I've read this year!

In 2011 I read 60 books.
My goal this year was to read 80, let's see how I did.

Audio Books = 1

Adult Books = 1

Short Stories = 4

Picture Books = 7

Middle Grade = 17

Young Adult = 46

GRAND TOTAL = 76 
Although I didn't reach my goal =( I still read 16 more books than last year so that's an improvement!

Now it's time for the

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)
YA-
Contemporary: Fracture by Megan Miranda and Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
Dystopian: The Selection by Kiera Cass and Starters by Lissa Price
Suspense/Thriller: What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen and Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne
Mystery: Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

OTHER- 
Nonfiction: Great Day Everyday by Max Lucado
Picture Book: ish by Peter H. Reynolds
Middle Grade: May B by Caroline Starr Rose

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Fallen by Lauren Kate

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Meant To Be by Lauren Morrill

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
Unearthly Trilogy by Cynthia Hand
Fracture by Megan Miranda
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Starters by Lissa Price

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?

Lauren Morrill, Megan Miranda, Lissa Price



7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Survive by Alex Morel

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne
What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen
Survive by Alex Morel

 9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill


10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?













11. Most memorable character in 2012? 
Skeeter and Aibileen from The Help by Kathryn Stockett


12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Karma by Cathy Ostlere
The Firefly Letters by Margarita Engle


13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012? 
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read? 

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore


15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 
"I stand up. Stretch my arms out wide to the
empty horizon. Do not be afraid of limitless
possibilities. The desert is infinite to the eye
as love is to the heart."

- from Karma by Cathy Ostlere


16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012? 
Longest: Karma 528 pages
Shortest: ish 32 pages

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand!!!

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Romantic Relationships: Hadley & Oliver from Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
                                           Julia & Jason from Meant To Be
Sibling Relationships: Callie & Tyler from Starters
                                      Sam & Riddle from I'll Be There               
Friendships: Clara & Angela from Unearthly
                       Nora & Vee from Silence

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously
Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder


20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan


Looking Ahead…



1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?
Unravel Me by Taherah Mafi


3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?
I just want to keep reading, blogging and enjoying it!