Saturday, March 31, 2012

March Top 5

March was a busy month for me. I worked a ton and spent quite a bit of time working on applications and searching for a future. Compared to February, I've read so little. But there were some really amazing books in there. If you want to see my list of books read this month you can click on the "Read in 2012" tab - but here are the ones I've chosen as my top five reads for this month.

1. The Selection by Kiera Cass
I'm obsessed. OBSESSED. I read the book and then spent the rest of the day looking at pictures from the cast and the set. I so hope the CW picks up this show because I need fuel for my obsession. I'm just so in love with these characters. I'll have a review up soon - and the book will be released on April 24 and I HIGHLY recommend that you pick it up!

2. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Oh my gosh. Delirium was great, but Pandemonium blew me away. It was so good, so intense, and if possible this ending was way more cruel than the first book, which, who knew that was even possible? Read my review here

3. A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford
Same thing with the Delirium series. I really liked A Touch Mortal, but in A Touch Morbid, Leah Clifford really upped her game. Plus, the Luke-Kristen story that develops here - um, I'd like more of that please. Read my review here

4. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
I've travelled quite a bit and this book just captures the magic of discovering new places perfectly. It makes you want to get up and go find friends, see awesome things, gather experiences. Read my review here

5. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini 
Well, this isn't out until the end of May, but once I had a copy, no way was I waiting. And holy wow, it was just as epic as Starcrossed. I'm so in awe of this series. Awesome awesome awesome. I'll have a review up in a couple weeks.

And my honorable mentions (because these books rocked my face off too).


What were your top reads this month?

Secondary Character Saturday (3)

I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

This week I want to talk about:

Will from Anna Dressed in Blood
I just kept thinking through this whole book - what is going through this guy's mind? Seriously. He's your every day teenage jock. He's smart, has great potential, and he's loyal to his team - or his friends - no matter what. He's you're All-American (or actually, All-Canadian) golden boy. 
And then, this new guy comes into town, and suddenly he's chanting in witch circles and trying to kill ghosts. He was a really likeable person who started making bad decisions. But he had great motivation to make those bad choices. Seriously though, what was he thinking?
He seems relatively minor, but I think this whole story could just as easily been told from his perspective - with a few tweaks and obstacles of course - and been just as interesting.
I'm not going to say much more because I'm dangerously close to giving things away - but I just wanted to give this boy some props. He handles things pretty well, considering the situation he's thrown in to. I'm just very interested by his side of the story. 

Friday, March 30, 2012

Slide - Jill Hathaway

Synopsis: Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 
Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 
Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. (From Goodreads)


About a year ago I went with two of my friends to Barcelona. I got pick-pocketed within the first five minutes, we got lost - a lot, one of my friends hurt her knee and couldn't walk, our hostel was dirty and ridiculously loud (I'm talking reggae music BLASTING at seven in the morning loud), and it rained the whole time. Yet, I absolutely loved Barcelona. I knew it was a special city because even though the trip itself wasn't ideal, I had a great weekend. Why am I telling you this? Because, I'm not big into mysteries, yet I loved this book and that's how I know that it's something special. Vee is one of those characters that I'd like to think is like Barcelona - beautiful, vibrant, real, and quirky no matter the circumstances.

Vee is an exceptional heroine. She's strong, smart, and loyal. She shoulders a lot of burdens and it takes a lot for her to ask for help. She's pretty much assumed that she has to walk alone because of her condition. But really, what would you do if you passed out and slid into someone else's body? Would you tell people about it? I loved the way that Jill Hathaway handled that aspect of the story, because it added this magical realism element that really upped the level from ordinary to extraordinary. Then there's Rollins - one of my new favorite book boys. He's an angry teenage dream. He's got the secrets and the darkness, he's a writer, he's tough - oh, and his lip is pierced. Perfect.

What struck me most while reading, though, was that this is one of the best representations of a high school that I've ever read. Or at least it felt exactly what it felt like when I was in high school (minus the murder). I don't know if it's because Jill Hathaway is a teacher and her surroundings just bled into her writing naturally or if it was Vee's ability to slide into other people and thus present different views of high school. All I know was I had some serious flashbacks to my own high school days with the way she talked about hallways and lockers, the principal sneaking up out of no where, the cool teachers, the scary teachers - OH and the way that these kids actually go to class. Funny how many books have school as a central setting, but so rarely actually talk about characters going to class.

Oh, and there's a murder but people think it's a suicide so there's the mystery that threads through the story. But, after reading this, that's just the hook and the force driving the reader through. There are other things much more important going on - family, friends - who can you trust, how do you escape bad memories, how do you deal with losing people - either to death or by distance? How do you come together? Understand one another? Give a little and let someone really know you? These are the things that make reading this book worth it.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake

 Synopsis: Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. 
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. 
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life. (From Goodreads)

I love this book for quite a few reasons. The primary reasons, though were the male protag, that was refreshing, and of course, the fact that it freaked me out. Which is pretty much what you want out of a ghost story.

So reading this book from Cas's point of view was definitely awesome. I liked Cas a lot and I was never aware that the author is a woman writing from a male point of view. His voice felt authentic. With Cas at the center, the rest of your typical cast of characters felt fresh. Actually, there were numerous times where thought - this is the male/ghost version of Buffy. Cas = Buffy of course. But then there's Caramel, the popular girl who gets swept up in the hunting - Cordelia. And Thomas is both that nerdy, but charismatic boy - Xander and the witch who casts the spells - Willow. Cas even had the Buffy - I'm the only one who can do this - complex, even though the people who are there to help out are just as important.

But they weren't dealing with vamps - just some of the scariest ghosts I've ever read. Seriously, holy smokes. These ghosts, like, actually can kill you. The first time Anna killed, it was so graphic, so gross, so  freaking scary that my first reaction was - holy snit. The second was - ewwww. But it was really interesting to watch Anna transform into a tangible character and then to find out that there are scarier things out there than a ghost that can literally tear you apart.

I was thoroughly impressed with this book. It was scary, but not only for the purpose of being scary. There's a great story here that is far more complex than it lets on. I'm so looking forward to The Girl of Nightmares, which is due out in August, because I'm so intrigued by these characters and where this story will go next.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Above - Leah Bobet

Synopsis: Matthew has always lived in Safe, a community hidden far beneath the pipes and tunnels of the city Above. The residents fled to Safe years before to escape the Whitecoats and their cruel experiments, and now Matthew is responsible for both the keeping of Safe’s stories and for Ariel—a golden-haired shapeshifter, and the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. 
But one horrifying night, an old enemy murders Safe’s founder, Atticus, and the community is taken over by an army of shadows. Only Matthew, Ariel, and a handful of friends escape Above. Now they not only have to survive in a sunlit world they barely know, but they must unravel the mystery of the shadows’ fury and Atticus’s death. It’s up to Matthew to find a way to remake Safe—not just for himself and his family, but for Ariel, who’s again faced with the life she fled, and who needs him more than ever before.  (From Goodreads)


I love the synopsis for this book and I've seen nothing but glowy, lovely things about it. I wanted to love this book so badly, but I just didn't connect with it. It was kind of like I could see how this would be a beautiful story, how it could be meaningful, but I was seeing it underwater. Everything was distorted and in the end, kind of empty.

It is narrated by Matt, or Teller. He is meant to hold all the stories of this underground world where all these people who are different have banded together. I hate to say this, but I kind of felt like he wasn't very good at what he did. I didn't care very much about the subjects of his stories. And his need to protect Ariel was infuriating. There was no hope, no release. Just her, running away, all the time. Their relationship was not healthy whatsoever. I never really understood Ariel, she was so spineless that it was hard for me to care what happened to her. More than once she'd run away and I'd hope she wouldn't come back.

I was also completely confused through the whole book. I didn't really know what they were doing until they were doing it; I didn't know what was happening until after it happened. Maybe I missed something, but I just felt totally exterior to the story because I wasn't drawn in.

This all said, my literary side of me wants to defend all these things. Matt and his gang are outsiders. But within their own group you kind of have to be in - to be in. So as readers who are technically outside of this world, maybe we're meant to stay that way and this writing style is reflective of that. We get snippets, moments - we get to look pressed up against the window, seeing, but not hearing. Because we aren't like them and we can't be.

I didn't enjoy this book, but a lot of people did. If it sounds like your kind of book I encourage you to read it and decide for yourself. Because I get the feeling that you're either going to be enchanted by it, or you're going to be like me and wonder what you're missing. And maybe it's worth possibly being enchanted and giving it a shot.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday - Playing Hooky

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over @ The Broke and the Bookish
This weeks topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Play Hooky With

Haaa. I saw this topic and I laughed. Because, I guess, you could say I'm playing hooky with every book I've read lately. I'm taking a semester off and working at a bookstore and reading. So if you look at it a certain way, it's kind of like playing hooky. But I'll pretend I'm still a motivated person and still in school - these are the books I'd skip class to read. 

1. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
 No way could you tear this book out of my hands once I picked it up.

 2. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
I was depressed when I had to stop reading in the middle and go to work. If my commitment had been class, I probably would have chosen the book (I'm such a bad student). 

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Actually, I kind of think I did read this instead of doing homework. (It happened a lot - thus, the taking time off). 

4. The Selection by Kiera Cass
I think if I was ever in that - school sucks, people suck, life sucks - kind of mood - I'd stay just stay home in my pajamas and read this book. 

5. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Can't really speak for this one yet, but I know that when it comes it will take priority over everything else!

6. Harry Potter
Because in high school I actually DID fake sick a few times just so I could stay home to read one of these books for the umpteenth time. 

7. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Well, I think it'd be dangerous to play hooky for this book. Because it's the kind of book that you blow something off to read, then suddenly you've given up everything to become a global wanderer. Which, really, is probably an okay thing. 

8. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
Ok, probably because I just finished a Starcrossed and Dreamless marathon, I kind of want to do it again. Reading both of these books straight through would definitely be worth playing catch up in real life later on. 

9.  The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines
 
I started reading this book for the sole purpose of procrastinating. I wanted something that wouldn't keep me completely occupied, but the story surprised me and I wound up reading the whole thing straight through. 

10. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
See reasons 1 and 4. 

Monday, March 26, 2012

A Touch Morbid - Leah Clifford

Synopsis: Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil. But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground. Can she trust anyone? Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall? A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing. (From Goodreads)

Ok. I liked A Touch Mortal A LOT, but A Touch Morbid - I'm in freaking love. Love. love. love. The first book was quite a bit of world building, so in A Touch Morbid the world was pretty established so the characters were really the focus here. It's not just Eden that we get to know here - but Az, Jarrod, Kristen and even Luke a little bit more. The point of view shifts often but Leah Clifford balanced all these different angles of the story so perfectly. Every part of this story, every character, every chapter, every word word flowed together so wonderfully to really bring the Sider world to life (ha. I would say that I didn't intend that pun, but I think I kind of did).

All these characters were interesting to me before, but now I adore every single one of them. Kristen and Luke especially. Kristen is one of my favorite characters ever and I loved her storyline. I wish there was more of it (she could probably have her own book). She's so insane and I shouldn't love her insanity, but I do. My favorite parts were between her and Luke. And Luke, dang you Leah, I'm smitten. I love that he's evil and he has strawberry lemonade in his fridge and he eats Lucky Charms. It also doesn't hurt that he's a rock star.

For most of the book I felt upside down. I like to think that heaven = good guys and hell = bad guys. But that's not the case here. EVERYTHING is a shade of grey - not a single character is completely good nor completely evil. It messes with my head...in the best way possible. Even Eden would probably be considered a villain to some, yet she's our heroine and it's impossible not to root for her. It's all about perspective and where you're standing when looking at a situation. And with so many characters getting page time, there are a lot of different ways to look at what goes down.

I also think I mentioned in my review for A Touch Mortal that there isn't a clear over-arching plot. That's true of this book too - it doesn't fall into any stereotype and I love that. It really feels like following these characters around through their lives and trials. In the end I was shocked (even though I probably should have figured it out, I didn't) but it just totally snuck (is snuck a word?) up on me. I was so wrapped up each person that by the end I was definitely falling for things I shouldn't have been falling for.

Anyway, I've posted one of the trailers for A Touch Morbid because it shows one of the sweetest scenes in the book. I just definitely recommend this series. Leah Clifford is an amazing author (with great taste in music!) and her characters are some of my favorites. Plus, I'm pretty sure that ATM fans are some of the coolest people I've ever come across.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (2)

      
I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

The spotlight this week is on: 

Roar from Under the Never Sky
While I thought of Roar as the ideal Irish man, here's the initial description:
"Everything about him looked refined under the cool light. His lean build and sharp features. The cut of his dark hair. He wore fitted clothes. Black from head to toe, with no frayed edges or holes that she could see...Up close, she saw the gleam in Roar's gaze. He had a prince's look but a pirate's eyes."     
 In my mind he's like a sexy Irish-pirate. I really don't know where I get the Irish thing from, because I really don't think he's meant to be - but he's just so full of life. He's boisterous and he adds noise and diffuses tension. Aria instantly liked him and I did too.

And really, he's what makes Perry more likable. Sure, we see him with his nephew and that's sweet and all, but after Aria comes along he's really intense and focused. Then Roar comes along, and Roar is open and sweet. He acts to balance out Perry and just because they're so great around each other, Perry lightened slightly. It was when Roar came into the picture that I really fell for Perry - and Aria's view of the Outside, and thus Perry, begins to change as well. 

Roar is secondary to the story, but he has his own story. I love that all it would take is a shift in point of view and he could become a primary character. This adds vibrant depth to a story that  is already pretty wonderful. 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Kick-Butt Characters Giveaway Hop


Welcome to my stop on the Kick-Butt Characters Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Good Choice Reading. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

I read so many books with so many awesome and really strong characters. But in these books, these girls actually thrown down and aren't afraid to get dirty. Here's a few of my favorites and one winner will receive their choice of one book from this selection. Click on the titles if you want more info on any of these books. If it's in  a series, I have no problem if you want a different book in the series and if you choose Insurgent or Grave Mercy, it will be a pre-order. 

 

The details: 
  • One (1) winner will get his/her choice of one (1) of the books listed above.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until March 29, 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be contacted by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Spell Bound - Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis: I'm not putting the synopsis here. Because it in itself is spoilery if you haven't read the 1st two books. In fact, while I will do my best to keep out the spoilers in this review I still want to warn you that, while it is not my intention, sometimes they still happen. If you want to read what this book is all about, click on the cover to go to IndieBound and read the synopsis there. If you're coming here to see if Spell Bound is worth continuing the series, read on! and if you're here to see what the Hex Hall series is all about then exercise caution. (And might I suggest that you pick up Hex Hall as fast as you possibly can? Because if you haven't read these books yet, you're missing out on a whole lot of awesome.)

Hex Hall and Demonglass were up there with some of the first books I ever reviewed. Okay, I reviewed them a little over a month after I started the blog, but since it feels like I've been doing this forever, it feels like one of the first ones. Anyway, I just went and check on that review to see what I said about it (you can read it too if you wanna) and I had to giggle a little bit. Mostly because I pulled out this quote from Hex Hall:
“Jenna gave me a sympathetic look and cleared our empty plates. ‘Sorry in advance for what you’re about to see.’
‘What?’  I asked as the dining hall began to empty. ‘What’s going to happen?’
Jenna just shook her head. ‘Let’s just say you may regret that second piece of cake.’
Oh my God. Regret cake? Whatever was about to happen must be truly evil.”
And then said that if you couldn't see why that's awesome, we couldn't be friends. Which I still maintain. The reason I'm digging up the past is because, like it's hard to know a person without knowing where they come from - it's hard to talk about Spell Bound without revisiting where it came from.

Since all convention and structure has already been thrown out the window here - I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to go back to the lists I used to make of reasons I loved a book - both for nostalgia and because I'm having a hard time articulating all the love I have for this book without letting some stuff slip. Because, really, I only have two complaints - one I can't tell you about (and it's not  a complaint as much as a HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?! type-thing) and the other one is that it needed to be longer (or just to go on forever and ever).

So - 8 (of the countless) Reasons I love Spell Bound:

1. Sophie Mercer is one of my favorite heroines. EVER. Everything that comes out of her mouth is pure awesome.

2. Archer Cross.

4. Cal. Sigh.

5. Archer Cross

6. Clearly I love the characters. Every single one of them is huggable (well, the ones who aren't villains anyway - they're more of the run the other way sort). I love Jenna too, can't forget the vamp who loves pink.

7. I love Sophie and Archer together. So stinkin' much. They're so in sync, and their verbal banter just makes you feel like they get each other. I also very much appreciate that they fight over some pretty serious issues, because it just makes their relationship feel genuine. They like to sugar coat things with sarcasm, but there's real stuff in there too and that doesn't get completely swept away.

8. Let's face it, the paranormal genre is crowded (in a rock concert kind of way, not in a I need my coffee and there are too many people in the coffee shop way...). But, this series stands out as unique and exceptional. It's so refreshing. In a dark world, Sophie and gang bring the flashlights to play flashlight tag. On the way they just so happen to kick some butt.

Ok - so bad metaphors and a lot of incoherent spewing (seriously, this post got out of hand) aside - all I really want to say is - Spell Bound = Awesome.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday - Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over @ The Broke and the Bookish
This weeks topic is: Top Ten Books on my Spring To-Be-Read List


1. Bitteblue by Kristin Cashore
I love the Seven Kingdoms series and I feel like I've been waiting forever for Bitterblue and it's almost here.

2. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
I wish I had this book immediately after I finished Starcrossed. I NEED to know that Helen and Lucas are going to be okay.

3. The Selection by Kiera Cass
I've been pining after this one for awhile. It's the next book I'm picking up and I'm super psyched. 

4. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
Yay werewolves!

5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Been waiting forever for this one too! I know I'm not alone in excitement over this release. 

6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Ok, this one is out in June - but I'm counting it as spring. I'm so excited - I've been hearing awesome things. 

7. Slide by Jill Hathaway
I don't generally like mysteries, but the premise for this one sounds great. So glad it's out in a week and the wait is over. 

8.  Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday
Ok - another mystery. Weird. But I loved Deadly Cool and I've missed Hartley.


9. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
I'm recently getting back into historical fiction (thanks mostly to Grave Mercy) and I'm totally fascinated by the Tudor court.


10. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
I mentioned Struck last week. I love thunderstorms, so I'm excited purely for the role lightening plays. Which is probably weird, but oh well.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Book Blogger Confessions: Missing the Bandwagon

Book Blogger Confessions is a bi-monthly meme hosted by Tiger's All Consuming Media or For What It's Worth. What is it? It's allows bloggers to weigh in on a topic, talk about or own blogging experiences and maybe vent a little. This week's question: Everyone LOVES that book! Why don't I? How do you handle being the one reviewer who doesn't like a book that's taking the blogosphere by storm? Do you write a review? Pretend you didn't read the book?

As of right now, I review every YA novel that I read. Old or new, whether I liked it or not. If I read it, I make sure I take the time to write up my thoughts. And actually, this post is quite timely because I have to write a review here pretty soon about a book that I didn't like at all - but so far it's been receiving nothing but glowy love.

But this is far from the first time this has happened. Matched by Allie Condie, for example, is one that everyone seems to love and it just really didn't do it for me. And I know that some will probably consider this blasphemous - but The Iron Fey series - I read the first one, thought it was okay - but didn't really feel the desire to continue. Yet everyone is obsessed with this series. Although, I read these before my blogging days so I can't really speak to how I handled these particular situations.

Really, when I don't like I book, I worry more about the author than I do other bloggers or what other people thought. The thing I least want to do is hurt an author. Speaking for my own thin skin and resistance to letting my own work be viewed by outside eyes, I know that authors take a big risk on their own pride and emotions just by sharing their works. So I work really hard in my negative reviews to explain exactly why I didn't like a specific book. I did read Possession by Elana Johnson during my blogging days and really didn't care for it - even though everyone seemed to go bananas for it. If I remember correctly, this was the first negative review I had to write. It was a painful post for me, but being honest was just as important not completely bashing a book.

Maybe I got off topic, I don't know. Bottom line - books aren't separate entities all their own. They're attached to authors, editors, publicists, agents, readers - all who have poured incredible faith, love and hard work into them. I'm not going to love every book that I read (although I do love most of them) but I always work to treat every book and the people that come with it with respect.

And just because I'm now realizing there's quite a bit of negative energy in this post, I have to say that on the flip side of this - when I love a book that everyone else seems to love - that just fills me with all kinds of gooey feelings. I think one of the best things is to be a part of the positive and exciting buzz that surrounds a good book.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday

I'm starting a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays will now be dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So without further ado - the first honored secondary character:

Kristen from the Touch Trilogy

What would Leah Clifford's dark and twisty world be without the dark and twisty Kristen?
Well, it'd probably be a little more dark and a little less twisty.

Kristen is the perfect mixture of Victorian socialite and present day party girl. She's also the perfect balance of practical and insane. These books are already awesome but Kristen is the black diamond accent that makes it sparkle. I want to be her friend. I want to go "shopping" with her. Plus, she quotes poetry and uses words like "fortuitous" and "quell" in casual conversation. Love.

Now, honestly, I'm halfway through A Touch Morbid, so the Kristen I'm referring primarily to here is the Kristen from A Touch Mortal. Because there's all kinds of crazy things surfacing here (and by crazy I mean....crazy but holy wow awesome...although I'm a little worried that because I think that some of her past secrets are...well, hot...that I'm the crazy one...) and I can't speak very authoritatively about who she will be by the end of this book.

Here are a couple of my favorite Kristen passages from A Touch Mortal to demonstrate why I love her so much.

Some advice from Kristen: "Those you surround yourself with should fall into one of two categories. The used, or the amusing...You'd be wise to pick a category...because anyone else is a burden" (85).

On Kristen's personal boutique: "Eden's head twisted as she reassessed Kristen's dress, the antique rings adorning her fingers. 'You're telling me you rob graves?'
'Nine times out of ten, the dead wear designer, and I'm on a budget.' She rolled her eyes at Eden's hanging jaw. 'Oh, honestly. I wash them'" (92).

So there you go. My first honored secondary character - the super interesting, always entertaining, creepily fabulous, completely insane Kristen.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (From Goodreads)

Grave Mercy is so freaking awesome, I can hardly stand it. As soon as I heard "assassin nun" I was so in. Beyond knowing there would be a convent and a lot of bad-assery, I had no preconceived notions about this book. Even if I did, I still think I would have been blown away. It's everything that used to drawn me to historical fiction, plus fantasy, plus a strong heroine, the ideal man, a whole lot of politics that I can actually understand, AND it is still wonderfully relevant to present day society and issues- even if it takes place in 15th century France. In my opinion, the best books both contribute to a conversation, a movement, or idea and tell a captivating story at the same time. This is one of those books.

If you're still not convinced, read the first few pages - heck, read the first page and tell me you aren't immediately in awe. It's a whirlwind beginning that starts out as dark, disturbing, and intriguing. It begins with a girl who has no control and it turns into this incredibly empowered tale of said girl gaining strength, wisdom, and freedom to make her own choices. It's also one of those books where you finish and you think of the very first scene and just think - wow, she ended up so far from there. I finished it feeling like I'd been through the whole journey with Ismae, had made her decisions, and couldn't believe where I ended up. The journey was fast paced, intense, and so beautiful.

One of the most heartbreaking parts of this book was the struggles that women had to go through. The poor duchess is practically being auctioned off and used as a bargaining tool. Seeing her as a strong girl, but still having no control over her own life or her own decisions was frustrating. Then you have the girls in the convent who are using their hatred towards men, or at their negative experiences with men and channeling it into violence. Even these girls think they've gained control over their own lives, but really that hatred is just allowing men to still control them (Ok rant over). I won't go too much into the portrayal of religious institutions here, but I loved the way that the Christian religion was in the process of evolution and was turning into something like the Church we are familiar with today. Not to mention the mixture of religion and politics fit amazingly with the story, but has valid application to contemporary issues.

I have a bajillion more things to say about Grave Mercy but I'm going to stop for now. Although if you want to discuss more I'd love to carry on. But seriously. Read this book.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

March Top 5

March was a busy month for me. I worked a ton and spent quite a bit of time working on applications and searching for a future. Compared to February, I've read so little. But there were some really amazing books in there. If you want to see my list of books read this month you can click on the "Read in 2012" tab - but here are the ones I've chosen as my top five reads for this month.

1. The Selection by Kiera Cass
I'm obsessed. OBSESSED. I read the book and then spent the rest of the day looking at pictures from the cast and the set. I so hope the CW picks up this show because I need fuel for my obsession. I'm just so in love with these characters. I'll have a review up soon - and the book will be released on April 24 and I HIGHLY recommend that you pick it up!

2. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Oh my gosh. Delirium was great, but Pandemonium blew me away. It was so good, so intense, and if possible this ending was way more cruel than the first book, which, who knew that was even possible? Read my review here

3. A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford
Same thing with the Delirium series. I really liked A Touch Mortal, but in A Touch Morbid, Leah Clifford really upped her game. Plus, the Luke-Kristen story that develops here - um, I'd like more of that please. Read my review here

4. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
I've travelled quite a bit and this book just captures the magic of discovering new places perfectly. It makes you want to get up and go find friends, see awesome things, gather experiences. Read my review here

5. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini 
Well, this isn't out until the end of May, but once I had a copy, no way was I waiting. And holy wow, it was just as epic as Starcrossed. I'm so in awe of this series. Awesome awesome awesome. I'll have a review up in a couple weeks.

And my honorable mentions (because these books rocked my face off too).


What were your top reads this month?

Secondary Character Saturday (3)

I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

This week I want to talk about:

Will from Anna Dressed in Blood
I just kept thinking through this whole book - what is going through this guy's mind? Seriously. He's your every day teenage jock. He's smart, has great potential, and he's loyal to his team - or his friends - no matter what. He's you're All-American (or actually, All-Canadian) golden boy. 
And then, this new guy comes into town, and suddenly he's chanting in witch circles and trying to kill ghosts. He was a really likeable person who started making bad decisions. But he had great motivation to make those bad choices. Seriously though, what was he thinking?
He seems relatively minor, but I think this whole story could just as easily been told from his perspective - with a few tweaks and obstacles of course - and been just as interesting.
I'm not going to say much more because I'm dangerously close to giving things away - but I just wanted to give this boy some props. He handles things pretty well, considering the situation he's thrown in to. I'm just very interested by his side of the story. 

Friday, March 30, 2012

Slide - Jill Hathaway

Synopsis: Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 
Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 
Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. (From Goodreads)


About a year ago I went with two of my friends to Barcelona. I got pick-pocketed within the first five minutes, we got lost - a lot, one of my friends hurt her knee and couldn't walk, our hostel was dirty and ridiculously loud (I'm talking reggae music BLASTING at seven in the morning loud), and it rained the whole time. Yet, I absolutely loved Barcelona. I knew it was a special city because even though the trip itself wasn't ideal, I had a great weekend. Why am I telling you this? Because, I'm not big into mysteries, yet I loved this book and that's how I know that it's something special. Vee is one of those characters that I'd like to think is like Barcelona - beautiful, vibrant, real, and quirky no matter the circumstances.

Vee is an exceptional heroine. She's strong, smart, and loyal. She shoulders a lot of burdens and it takes a lot for her to ask for help. She's pretty much assumed that she has to walk alone because of her condition. But really, what would you do if you passed out and slid into someone else's body? Would you tell people about it? I loved the way that Jill Hathaway handled that aspect of the story, because it added this magical realism element that really upped the level from ordinary to extraordinary. Then there's Rollins - one of my new favorite book boys. He's an angry teenage dream. He's got the secrets and the darkness, he's a writer, he's tough - oh, and his lip is pierced. Perfect.

What struck me most while reading, though, was that this is one of the best representations of a high school that I've ever read. Or at least it felt exactly what it felt like when I was in high school (minus the murder). I don't know if it's because Jill Hathaway is a teacher and her surroundings just bled into her writing naturally or if it was Vee's ability to slide into other people and thus present different views of high school. All I know was I had some serious flashbacks to my own high school days with the way she talked about hallways and lockers, the principal sneaking up out of no where, the cool teachers, the scary teachers - OH and the way that these kids actually go to class. Funny how many books have school as a central setting, but so rarely actually talk about characters going to class.

Oh, and there's a murder but people think it's a suicide so there's the mystery that threads through the story. But, after reading this, that's just the hook and the force driving the reader through. There are other things much more important going on - family, friends - who can you trust, how do you escape bad memories, how do you deal with losing people - either to death or by distance? How do you come together? Understand one another? Give a little and let someone really know you? These are the things that make reading this book worth it.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake

 Synopsis: Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. 
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. 
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life. (From Goodreads)

I love this book for quite a few reasons. The primary reasons, though were the male protag, that was refreshing, and of course, the fact that it freaked me out. Which is pretty much what you want out of a ghost story.

So reading this book from Cas's point of view was definitely awesome. I liked Cas a lot and I was never aware that the author is a woman writing from a male point of view. His voice felt authentic. With Cas at the center, the rest of your typical cast of characters felt fresh. Actually, there were numerous times where thought - this is the male/ghost version of Buffy. Cas = Buffy of course. But then there's Caramel, the popular girl who gets swept up in the hunting - Cordelia. And Thomas is both that nerdy, but charismatic boy - Xander and the witch who casts the spells - Willow. Cas even had the Buffy - I'm the only one who can do this - complex, even though the people who are there to help out are just as important.

But they weren't dealing with vamps - just some of the scariest ghosts I've ever read. Seriously, holy smokes. These ghosts, like, actually can kill you. The first time Anna killed, it was so graphic, so gross, so  freaking scary that my first reaction was - holy snit. The second was - ewwww. But it was really interesting to watch Anna transform into a tangible character and then to find out that there are scarier things out there than a ghost that can literally tear you apart.

I was thoroughly impressed with this book. It was scary, but not only for the purpose of being scary. There's a great story here that is far more complex than it lets on. I'm so looking forward to The Girl of Nightmares, which is due out in August, because I'm so intrigued by these characters and where this story will go next.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Above - Leah Bobet

Synopsis: Matthew has always lived in Safe, a community hidden far beneath the pipes and tunnels of the city Above. The residents fled to Safe years before to escape the Whitecoats and their cruel experiments, and now Matthew is responsible for both the keeping of Safe’s stories and for Ariel—a golden-haired shapeshifter, and the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. 
But one horrifying night, an old enemy murders Safe’s founder, Atticus, and the community is taken over by an army of shadows. Only Matthew, Ariel, and a handful of friends escape Above. Now they not only have to survive in a sunlit world they barely know, but they must unravel the mystery of the shadows’ fury and Atticus’s death. It’s up to Matthew to find a way to remake Safe—not just for himself and his family, but for Ariel, who’s again faced with the life she fled, and who needs him more than ever before.  (From Goodreads)


I love the synopsis for this book and I've seen nothing but glowy, lovely things about it. I wanted to love this book so badly, but I just didn't connect with it. It was kind of like I could see how this would be a beautiful story, how it could be meaningful, but I was seeing it underwater. Everything was distorted and in the end, kind of empty.

It is narrated by Matt, or Teller. He is meant to hold all the stories of this underground world where all these people who are different have banded together. I hate to say this, but I kind of felt like he wasn't very good at what he did. I didn't care very much about the subjects of his stories. And his need to protect Ariel was infuriating. There was no hope, no release. Just her, running away, all the time. Their relationship was not healthy whatsoever. I never really understood Ariel, she was so spineless that it was hard for me to care what happened to her. More than once she'd run away and I'd hope she wouldn't come back.

I was also completely confused through the whole book. I didn't really know what they were doing until they were doing it; I didn't know what was happening until after it happened. Maybe I missed something, but I just felt totally exterior to the story because I wasn't drawn in.

This all said, my literary side of me wants to defend all these things. Matt and his gang are outsiders. But within their own group you kind of have to be in - to be in. So as readers who are technically outside of this world, maybe we're meant to stay that way and this writing style is reflective of that. We get snippets, moments - we get to look pressed up against the window, seeing, but not hearing. Because we aren't like them and we can't be.

I didn't enjoy this book, but a lot of people did. If it sounds like your kind of book I encourage you to read it and decide for yourself. Because I get the feeling that you're either going to be enchanted by it, or you're going to be like me and wonder what you're missing. And maybe it's worth possibly being enchanted and giving it a shot.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday - Playing Hooky

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over @ The Broke and the Bookish
This weeks topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Play Hooky With

Haaa. I saw this topic and I laughed. Because, I guess, you could say I'm playing hooky with every book I've read lately. I'm taking a semester off and working at a bookstore and reading. So if you look at it a certain way, it's kind of like playing hooky. But I'll pretend I'm still a motivated person and still in school - these are the books I'd skip class to read. 

1. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
 No way could you tear this book out of my hands once I picked it up.

 2. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
I was depressed when I had to stop reading in the middle and go to work. If my commitment had been class, I probably would have chosen the book (I'm such a bad student). 

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Actually, I kind of think I did read this instead of doing homework. (It happened a lot - thus, the taking time off). 

4. The Selection by Kiera Cass
I think if I was ever in that - school sucks, people suck, life sucks - kind of mood - I'd stay just stay home in my pajamas and read this book. 

5. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Can't really speak for this one yet, but I know that when it comes it will take priority over everything else!

6. Harry Potter
Because in high school I actually DID fake sick a few times just so I could stay home to read one of these books for the umpteenth time. 

7. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Well, I think it'd be dangerous to play hooky for this book. Because it's the kind of book that you blow something off to read, then suddenly you've given up everything to become a global wanderer. Which, really, is probably an okay thing. 

8. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
Ok, probably because I just finished a Starcrossed and Dreamless marathon, I kind of want to do it again. Reading both of these books straight through would definitely be worth playing catch up in real life later on. 

9.  The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines
 
I started reading this book for the sole purpose of procrastinating. I wanted something that wouldn't keep me completely occupied, but the story surprised me and I wound up reading the whole thing straight through. 

10. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
See reasons 1 and 4. 

Monday, March 26, 2012

A Touch Morbid - Leah Clifford

Synopsis: Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil. But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground. Can she trust anyone? Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall? A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing. (From Goodreads)

Ok. I liked A Touch Mortal A LOT, but A Touch Morbid - I'm in freaking love. Love. love. love. The first book was quite a bit of world building, so in A Touch Morbid the world was pretty established so the characters were really the focus here. It's not just Eden that we get to know here - but Az, Jarrod, Kristen and even Luke a little bit more. The point of view shifts often but Leah Clifford balanced all these different angles of the story so perfectly. Every part of this story, every character, every chapter, every word word flowed together so wonderfully to really bring the Sider world to life (ha. I would say that I didn't intend that pun, but I think I kind of did).

All these characters were interesting to me before, but now I adore every single one of them. Kristen and Luke especially. Kristen is one of my favorite characters ever and I loved her storyline. I wish there was more of it (she could probably have her own book). She's so insane and I shouldn't love her insanity, but I do. My favorite parts were between her and Luke. And Luke, dang you Leah, I'm smitten. I love that he's evil and he has strawberry lemonade in his fridge and he eats Lucky Charms. It also doesn't hurt that he's a rock star.

For most of the book I felt upside down. I like to think that heaven = good guys and hell = bad guys. But that's not the case here. EVERYTHING is a shade of grey - not a single character is completely good nor completely evil. It messes with my head...in the best way possible. Even Eden would probably be considered a villain to some, yet she's our heroine and it's impossible not to root for her. It's all about perspective and where you're standing when looking at a situation. And with so many characters getting page time, there are a lot of different ways to look at what goes down.

I also think I mentioned in my review for A Touch Mortal that there isn't a clear over-arching plot. That's true of this book too - it doesn't fall into any stereotype and I love that. It really feels like following these characters around through their lives and trials. In the end I was shocked (even though I probably should have figured it out, I didn't) but it just totally snuck (is snuck a word?) up on me. I was so wrapped up each person that by the end I was definitely falling for things I shouldn't have been falling for.

Anyway, I've posted one of the trailers for A Touch Morbid because it shows one of the sweetest scenes in the book. I just definitely recommend this series. Leah Clifford is an amazing author (with great taste in music!) and her characters are some of my favorites. Plus, I'm pretty sure that ATM fans are some of the coolest people I've ever come across.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (2)

      
I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

The spotlight this week is on: 

Roar from Under the Never Sky
While I thought of Roar as the ideal Irish man, here's the initial description:
"Everything about him looked refined under the cool light. His lean build and sharp features. The cut of his dark hair. He wore fitted clothes. Black from head to toe, with no frayed edges or holes that she could see...Up close, she saw the gleam in Roar's gaze. He had a prince's look but a pirate's eyes."     
 In my mind he's like a sexy Irish-pirate. I really don't know where I get the Irish thing from, because I really don't think he's meant to be - but he's just so full of life. He's boisterous and he adds noise and diffuses tension. Aria instantly liked him and I did too.

And really, he's what makes Perry more likable. Sure, we see him with his nephew and that's sweet and all, but after Aria comes along he's really intense and focused. Then Roar comes along, and Roar is open and sweet. He acts to balance out Perry and just because they're so great around each other, Perry lightened slightly. It was when Roar came into the picture that I really fell for Perry - and Aria's view of the Outside, and thus Perry, begins to change as well. 

Roar is secondary to the story, but he has his own story. I love that all it would take is a shift in point of view and he could become a primary character. This adds vibrant depth to a story that  is already pretty wonderful. 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Kick-Butt Characters Giveaway Hop


Welcome to my stop on the Kick-Butt Characters Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Good Choice Reading. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

I read so many books with so many awesome and really strong characters. But in these books, these girls actually thrown down and aren't afraid to get dirty. Here's a few of my favorites and one winner will receive their choice of one book from this selection. Click on the titles if you want more info on any of these books. If it's in  a series, I have no problem if you want a different book in the series and if you choose Insurgent or Grave Mercy, it will be a pre-order. 

 

The details: 
  • One (1) winner will get his/her choice of one (1) of the books listed above.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until March 29, 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be contacted by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Spell Bound - Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis: I'm not putting the synopsis here. Because it in itself is spoilery if you haven't read the 1st two books. In fact, while I will do my best to keep out the spoilers in this review I still want to warn you that, while it is not my intention, sometimes they still happen. If you want to read what this book is all about, click on the cover to go to IndieBound and read the synopsis there. If you're coming here to see if Spell Bound is worth continuing the series, read on! and if you're here to see what the Hex Hall series is all about then exercise caution. (And might I suggest that you pick up Hex Hall as fast as you possibly can? Because if you haven't read these books yet, you're missing out on a whole lot of awesome.)

Hex Hall and Demonglass were up there with some of the first books I ever reviewed. Okay, I reviewed them a little over a month after I started the blog, but since it feels like I've been doing this forever, it feels like one of the first ones. Anyway, I just went and check on that review to see what I said about it (you can read it too if you wanna) and I had to giggle a little bit. Mostly because I pulled out this quote from Hex Hall:
“Jenna gave me a sympathetic look and cleared our empty plates. ‘Sorry in advance for what you’re about to see.’
‘What?’  I asked as the dining hall began to empty. ‘What’s going to happen?’
Jenna just shook her head. ‘Let’s just say you may regret that second piece of cake.’
Oh my God. Regret cake? Whatever was about to happen must be truly evil.”
And then said that if you couldn't see why that's awesome, we couldn't be friends. Which I still maintain. The reason I'm digging up the past is because, like it's hard to know a person without knowing where they come from - it's hard to talk about Spell Bound without revisiting where it came from.

Since all convention and structure has already been thrown out the window here - I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to go back to the lists I used to make of reasons I loved a book - both for nostalgia and because I'm having a hard time articulating all the love I have for this book without letting some stuff slip. Because, really, I only have two complaints - one I can't tell you about (and it's not  a complaint as much as a HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?! type-thing) and the other one is that it needed to be longer (or just to go on forever and ever).

So - 8 (of the countless) Reasons I love Spell Bound:

1. Sophie Mercer is one of my favorite heroines. EVER. Everything that comes out of her mouth is pure awesome.

2. Archer Cross.

4. Cal. Sigh.

5. Archer Cross

6. Clearly I love the characters. Every single one of them is huggable (well, the ones who aren't villains anyway - they're more of the run the other way sort). I love Jenna too, can't forget the vamp who loves pink.

7. I love Sophie and Archer together. So stinkin' much. They're so in sync, and their verbal banter just makes you feel like they get each other. I also very much appreciate that they fight over some pretty serious issues, because it just makes their relationship feel genuine. They like to sugar coat things with sarcasm, but there's real stuff in there too and that doesn't get completely swept away.

8. Let's face it, the paranormal genre is crowded (in a rock concert kind of way, not in a I need my coffee and there are too many people in the coffee shop way...). But, this series stands out as unique and exceptional. It's so refreshing. In a dark world, Sophie and gang bring the flashlights to play flashlight tag. On the way they just so happen to kick some butt.

Ok - so bad metaphors and a lot of incoherent spewing (seriously, this post got out of hand) aside - all I really want to say is - Spell Bound = Awesome.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday - Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over @ The Broke and the Bookish
This weeks topic is: Top Ten Books on my Spring To-Be-Read List


1. Bitteblue by Kristin Cashore
I love the Seven Kingdoms series and I feel like I've been waiting forever for Bitterblue and it's almost here.

2. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
I wish I had this book immediately after I finished Starcrossed. I NEED to know that Helen and Lucas are going to be okay.

3. The Selection by Kiera Cass
I've been pining after this one for awhile. It's the next book I'm picking up and I'm super psyched. 

4. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
Yay werewolves!

5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Been waiting forever for this one too! I know I'm not alone in excitement over this release. 

6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Ok, this one is out in June - but I'm counting it as spring. I'm so excited - I've been hearing awesome things. 

7. Slide by Jill Hathaway
I don't generally like mysteries, but the premise for this one sounds great. So glad it's out in a week and the wait is over. 

8.  Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday
Ok - another mystery. Weird. But I loved Deadly Cool and I've missed Hartley.


9. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
I'm recently getting back into historical fiction (thanks mostly to Grave Mercy) and I'm totally fascinated by the Tudor court.


10. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
I mentioned Struck last week. I love thunderstorms, so I'm excited purely for the role lightening plays. Which is probably weird, but oh well.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Book Blogger Confessions: Missing the Bandwagon

Book Blogger Confessions is a bi-monthly meme hosted by Tiger's All Consuming Media or For What It's Worth. What is it? It's allows bloggers to weigh in on a topic, talk about or own blogging experiences and maybe vent a little. This week's question: Everyone LOVES that book! Why don't I? How do you handle being the one reviewer who doesn't like a book that's taking the blogosphere by storm? Do you write a review? Pretend you didn't read the book?

As of right now, I review every YA novel that I read. Old or new, whether I liked it or not. If I read it, I make sure I take the time to write up my thoughts. And actually, this post is quite timely because I have to write a review here pretty soon about a book that I didn't like at all - but so far it's been receiving nothing but glowy love.

But this is far from the first time this has happened. Matched by Allie Condie, for example, is one that everyone seems to love and it just really didn't do it for me. And I know that some will probably consider this blasphemous - but The Iron Fey series - I read the first one, thought it was okay - but didn't really feel the desire to continue. Yet everyone is obsessed with this series. Although, I read these before my blogging days so I can't really speak to how I handled these particular situations.

Really, when I don't like I book, I worry more about the author than I do other bloggers or what other people thought. The thing I least want to do is hurt an author. Speaking for my own thin skin and resistance to letting my own work be viewed by outside eyes, I know that authors take a big risk on their own pride and emotions just by sharing their works. So I work really hard in my negative reviews to explain exactly why I didn't like a specific book. I did read Possession by Elana Johnson during my blogging days and really didn't care for it - even though everyone seemed to go bananas for it. If I remember correctly, this was the first negative review I had to write. It was a painful post for me, but being honest was just as important not completely bashing a book.

Maybe I got off topic, I don't know. Bottom line - books aren't separate entities all their own. They're attached to authors, editors, publicists, agents, readers - all who have poured incredible faith, love and hard work into them. I'm not going to love every book that I read (although I do love most of them) but I always work to treat every book and the people that come with it with respect.

And just because I'm now realizing there's quite a bit of negative energy in this post, I have to say that on the flip side of this - when I love a book that everyone else seems to love - that just fills me with all kinds of gooey feelings. I think one of the best things is to be a part of the positive and exciting buzz that surrounds a good book.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday

I'm starting a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays will now be dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So without further ado - the first honored secondary character:

Kristen from the Touch Trilogy

What would Leah Clifford's dark and twisty world be without the dark and twisty Kristen?
Well, it'd probably be a little more dark and a little less twisty.

Kristen is the perfect mixture of Victorian socialite and present day party girl. She's also the perfect balance of practical and insane. These books are already awesome but Kristen is the black diamond accent that makes it sparkle. I want to be her friend. I want to go "shopping" with her. Plus, she quotes poetry and uses words like "fortuitous" and "quell" in casual conversation. Love.

Now, honestly, I'm halfway through A Touch Morbid, so the Kristen I'm referring primarily to here is the Kristen from A Touch Mortal. Because there's all kinds of crazy things surfacing here (and by crazy I mean....crazy but holy wow awesome...although I'm a little worried that because I think that some of her past secrets are...well, hot...that I'm the crazy one...) and I can't speak very authoritatively about who she will be by the end of this book.

Here are a couple of my favorite Kristen passages from A Touch Mortal to demonstrate why I love her so much.

Some advice from Kristen: "Those you surround yourself with should fall into one of two categories. The used, or the amusing...You'd be wise to pick a category...because anyone else is a burden" (85).

On Kristen's personal boutique: "Eden's head twisted as she reassessed Kristen's dress, the antique rings adorning her fingers. 'You're telling me you rob graves?'
'Nine times out of ten, the dead wear designer, and I'm on a budget.' She rolled her eyes at Eden's hanging jaw. 'Oh, honestly. I wash them'" (92).

So there you go. My first honored secondary character - the super interesting, always entertaining, creepily fabulous, completely insane Kristen.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (From Goodreads)

Grave Mercy is so freaking awesome, I can hardly stand it. As soon as I heard "assassin nun" I was so in. Beyond knowing there would be a convent and a lot of bad-assery, I had no preconceived notions about this book. Even if I did, I still think I would have been blown away. It's everything that used to drawn me to historical fiction, plus fantasy, plus a strong heroine, the ideal man, a whole lot of politics that I can actually understand, AND it is still wonderfully relevant to present day society and issues- even if it takes place in 15th century France. In my opinion, the best books both contribute to a conversation, a movement, or idea and tell a captivating story at the same time. This is one of those books.

If you're still not convinced, read the first few pages - heck, read the first page and tell me you aren't immediately in awe. It's a whirlwind beginning that starts out as dark, disturbing, and intriguing. It begins with a girl who has no control and it turns into this incredibly empowered tale of said girl gaining strength, wisdom, and freedom to make her own choices. It's also one of those books where you finish and you think of the very first scene and just think - wow, she ended up so far from there. I finished it feeling like I'd been through the whole journey with Ismae, had made her decisions, and couldn't believe where I ended up. The journey was fast paced, intense, and so beautiful.

One of the most heartbreaking parts of this book was the struggles that women had to go through. The poor duchess is practically being auctioned off and used as a bargaining tool. Seeing her as a strong girl, but still having no control over her own life or her own decisions was frustrating. Then you have the girls in the convent who are using their hatred towards men, or at their negative experiences with men and channeling it into violence. Even these girls think they've gained control over their own lives, but really that hatred is just allowing men to still control them (Ok rant over). I won't go too much into the portrayal of religious institutions here, but I loved the way that the Christian religion was in the process of evolution and was turning into something like the Church we are familiar with today. Not to mention the mixture of religion and politics fit amazingly with the story, but has valid application to contemporary issues.

I have a bajillion more things to say about Grave Mercy but I'm going to stop for now. Although if you want to discuss more I'd love to carry on. But seriously. Read this book.