Awry (Archers of Avalon #2)

Title: Awry (Archers of Avalon #2)

Author: Chelsea Fine

Genre: YA/Romance/Paranormal & Fantasy

Release Date: June 12, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♡

Hey guys!
Sorry I've been MIA this week.  So much has been going on!  I've been so busy that I forgot to put up a Fave Friday post.  I figured I'd just skip this week and start back up this Friday.
I've recently gotten a wonderful, perfect, and purple blog design, so look for that this coming week.  Hopefully, it 'll be up before Friday *crossing my fingers*
Alrighty, time for some awesome books!

Awry is the sequel to Anew in the Archers of Avalon series by Chelsea Fine.
I recommend this book to any YA book lover.  I guarantee you, this series will blow your socks off.
Awry starts off right where Anew ended; Scarlet is badly injured from an arrow wound.  Will she die and reincarnate?  Well, she obviously comes back to life because there are two other books in the series.
The quest for the fountain of youth is at it's most intense level.  To find the fountain would be a blessing ;Gabriel would be free to love whomever he chooses, Tristan would be free of pain, and Scarlet would be free of the curse that has haunted her for nearly 500 years.
But everything in Avalon is not as simple as just finding the fountain of youth.
Creatures start popping up all over the place, trying to steal the gang's precious and secretive memories.  Feelings are questioned, hearts are broken, and mysterious pasts are uncovered.

Scarlet was so determined to stay in a relationship with Gabriel, which totally set me off because I knew that she truly loved Tristan.  *sniff sniff* How could she hurt Tristan?  He definitely is my favorite character because of his selflessness, compassion, and undying love for Scarlet even as she's breaking his heart.
This book is definitely long at 500 pages (Hey, they've been cursed for nearly 500 years!  Parallelism!), but it goes by really quick.  Awry is fast-paced, while keeping the reader in check and informed.
I'm giving Awry a 4.5/5 because I absolutely adored this book, but I wanted to slap Scarlet for being so incredibly stubborn.

Wake

Title: Wake

Author: Amanda Hocking

Genre: YA/Paranormal/Fantasy

Release Date: August 7, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♡

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Via Goodreads

Wake is the first novel in the Watersong series by Amanda Hocking.

Truthfully, I only bought the book because I thought the cover was awesome; the holographic effect is a nice touch.  I had passed this book many times in my local bookstore, but the summary just didn't seem that intriguing.  I recently snatched it up online because of all the buzz online about the series, what with Tidal currently being released.

There seems to be such a plethora of mermaid/siren books out on the shelves (Of Poseidon being my favorite) that Wake seemed pale in comparison.

This book was okay, definitely not head-banging-amazing, but not terrible.  I personally do not like books told from 3rd person omniscient or 3rd person anything; I like to warm up to one character and stay in that character's mind.  Hopping around from person to person results in me becoming very discombobulated and chafed.  It's just not my cup of tea.

With that said, I'd like to explain my other reasons for not loving Wake:

The relationships were not fluid enough for me and felt too superficial.  For example, Harper and Daniel.  Harper was just a stubborn donkey-butt in general and Daniel was too much of a sweetie-pie for her.  Seriously, I felt absolutely no connection between them...I only felt the need to knock some sense into a certain someones head.

Penn, Lexi, and Thea.  Every interaction involving them suggested a bad Lifetime movie, sort of like "Bad Girls Club" meets "Mean Girls."  Totally wrong.

Although, I didn't enjoy the story, I felt empathy for Gemma and *sigh*, yes, Harper.  Their mother's mental condition was a realistic element and it served well in the story.

Overall, I'm giving Wake a 3.5/5 because the story was too trite for my taste, the relationship's were only skin-deep, and everything was just too cheesy.  But this would serve as a 'Meh' quick read.

Arise

Title: Arise (Hereafter #2)

Author: Tara Hudson

Genre: YA/Paranormal Romance

Release Date: June 5, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥

New Orleans
Saint Louis
Number One Cemetery
A night there can change a life . . . or a death.

Increasingly worried that dark spirits will carry out their threats and hurt the people she cares for most, Amelia is ready to try anything to protect them. And for his own very different reasons, Joshua has come to this cemetery at midnight to join her in a powerful ritual.

Both know that once Amelia steps inside the Voodoo circle and the beautiful girl from the Conjure CafE begins the cere-mony, everything will change.

Tara Hudson's enthralling sequel to "Hereafter" escalates the danger and excitement, bringing a new dimension to her already mesmerizing story of a haunted love.

Via Goodreads

 
My Review:
Arise is the interesting sequel to Hereafter by Tara Hudson.
Arise takes place about two-three months after Amelia banished Eli to the netherworld.  In the beginning, the story does start off a bit slow, but quickly gains momentum the farther into the plot you get.  I love Louisiana, so I was tremendously excited when I found out that Arise took place in one of my favorite states.

It's interesting how Hudson incorporated old voodoo traditions and spells and all that jazz into the story.  It did seem a bit far-fetched when I read the summary, I mean, I didn't really expect the series to take this drastic of a turn.  But I guess she was trying to find more ways to fit in some diverse bad-guys.
Amelia does start new friendships; some end happily, some end strained and tearful.  I completely fell for some of the new characters; some were sweet, some were snappy.
Amelia and Joshua's relationship didn't seem to flow as it did in Hereafter, where everything felt natural.  But in Arise their interactions felt too mechanical, too forced.  It might just be me, but that's how I felt.

There was definitely more drama in Arise than in Hereafter; all of the running, escaping, and magic-playing really made it more exciting to read.  There was even some mystery and suspense, and I am a girl who craves mystery, so this pleased me very much.

Overall, I'm giving Arise a 4/5 because I adored the new additions to the crew and the mystery/suspense, but I would just label this book as 'average YA fiction', not 'star-slapping-amazing.'
Although, I will be purchasing the third book in the trilogy, Elegy.

Fave Friday 3 & GoodReads

Hey guys!  
It's Friday, my favorite day of the week (mainly because I get pizza).  
I am currently reading Across the Universe and, man oh man, is it slow.  There are all these sic-fi terms and I'm just staring at the page with a blank face that reads "What?"
Which is my normal reading face, so yup.  I bet the dailies at the library get a chalk full of it.  
*rethinks reading hideouts*
So, I also want to talk about GoodReads and why everyone should join this fantastic website.  
1. Giveaways!
GoodReads has a massive amount of giveaways going on all the time and I've won two so far.  So, if I can win, you can too!
2. Finding new books!
I have always had trouble finding new books to read that are within my normal genres, but GoodReads has helped so much.  They have basically every book in the U.S. registered on their website, so you can discover new books all the time (just like I do.  Surprise, surprise).
3. Become friends with authors (or technologically stalk them)
I am friends with some of my favorite authors, which I found pretty cool.  You can view what they're currently reading, what they want to read, and all that jazz.

In conclusion, join for the giveaways, because winning books is the most important part ;)

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

3. A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

Hereafter

Title: Hereafter

Author: Tara Hudson

Genre: YA/Paranormal Romance

Release Date: June 7, 2011

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.
Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

Via Goodreads

I loved this book!  When I first read the summary, I was like "Hey, this is just like The Hidden, but the dead and living are switched around."  But I could not have been more inaccurate; The Hidden and Hereafter have totally different writing styles, characters, and....well, everything.
At first, the writing did seem a tiny bit juvenile, sort of like reading a lower-grade book, but that really wasn't a problem because the vocabulary seemed to become more advanced the farther I read on (I have a problem reading books that have bad vocab.  My little pet peeve).
It was a bit difficult to delve into because in the beginning it seemed all very plain and just 'I'm dead.....yup.'  But never fear, that part also becomes more complex as the story progresses.
I was seriously enthralled into this book after about the first hundred pages; I totally couldn't put it down.
My two favorite characters (Joshua & Amelia) were such a joy to watch as their relationship blossomed and turned into something far more serious than a casual friendship.  They became dear to one another even though they were polar opposites.
There is a lot of rambling in this book, I mean, she is dead with no one to converse with, so she has a lot of stuff going on in her cranium.  It wasn't necessarily boring rambling, but I did get tired of it after a while.  Hudson probably should have deleted a lot of the unnecessary narration just to make it less 'I'm totally talking to myself 24/7' and more.... dialogue-ish.
Hereafter was a wonderful read and I would definitely recommend the book to anyone trying to escape the realm of fallen angels, fairies, and all that deliciously good stuff that becomes very trite, very fast.
Overall, I am giving Hereafter a 4/5 because of it's unique plot-line, but it was slightly lacking in substantial, mature language.

Ten

Title: Ten

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Genre: YA/Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: September 18, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♡

My Review:
Love heart-stopping suspense?  Love creepy islands and raging storms?  Love serial-killers?
Well, if you do (if you don't, just stop reading.  Just stop.), Ten by Gretchen McNeil is definitely the book for you!
Ten is sort of like those old mystery/horror movies where people would be stranded in a house and would all start dying off, one by one.
Let me just say, this is a sleep-on-the-couch-or-wherever-there-is-civilization kind of book.  I stayed up reading until 12 AM and I was pretty much a scared chicken.  Every creak or groan in the house resulted in me flying to my safe haven of pillows (classy, eh?).
Meg is the main character and the story is told in her perspective.
"Ten teens.  Three days.  One killer."
An if-you're-not-there-you're-a-loser party is held in a mansion on a private island, and Meg is invited.  Pretty sweet, right?
Well, some scary shiz starts to occur and the teens can't help but wonder: is this a party or some kind of sicko playing a joke on us?
There are some pretty violent deaths, but it's not like the narrator goes into gory-glory detail.
The story is kind of like Big Brother on, like, steroids.  All the teens are locked in a mansion.  They start dying one by one, until they suspect some foul play going on.
I absolutely adored this novel.  It is run-around-screaming scary.  It is suspenseful.  It had me glancing around every couple of minutes to make sure there wasn't a killer in the house.  So, it was pretty much perfect.
Overall, I am giving Ten a 4.5/5 because I loved the plot-line, but I feel like the author should have made the book about 100+ pages longer.

Anew (Archers of Avalon #1)

Title: Anew (Archers of Avalon #1)

Author: Chelsea Fine

Genre: YA/Romance/ Paranormal & Fantasy

Release Date: December 7, 2011

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥

My Review:
Anew, book one in the Archers of Avalon series, is a spectacular and stunning debut by Chelsea Fine.  This book is so wonderful!

Scarlet woke up stranded in a forest at fifteen.  Alone and abandoned, she could recollect absolutely no memories and could only grasp her name; her only sense of identity.  She struggles to adjust, but with the help of her best friend and guardian, she copes.  Scarlet meets a strange boy who reminds her of something familiar, but she can't quite place how she remembers him, but one thing's for sure: he knows the secrets of her past that she has been clawing at for years, and she will do anything to retain her memories and to find out who she really is.

The beginning of this book really grabs your attention because the plot-line is just so mysterious and intriguing.  The complete sense of hopelessness and desire (desire for her identity, that is) really shone through in the narration.
There is a love triangle, which I am not a big fan of, mostly because I hate seeing people become heartsick.  Scarlet's main love interest becomes more and more apparent the farther into the book you get.
I can't give too much away, but Scarlet's past is very interesting, and the story behind Scarlet and guy #1 and #2 is actually pretty sad.
Overall, I am giving Anew a 4/5 because I loved the plot-line, the love-sick characters, and all of the emotional complexities that Scarlet has to deal with.

Forget Cars! Bikes = Real Deal

Hey guys!
So, I was recently in a car wreck, which totally sucked because I was planning on going to Ulta and buying a bunch of superfluous lotions that would probably sit in my bathroom for God knows how long.
I just wanted to express my feelings and go on a little rant.
Cars are so dangerous, and before my wreck I would just hop in and be like "Whatever, I'm totally not getting into a crash." (Of course while driving safely!)  Wrong.  Cars are enormous pieces of sharp, jagged metal molded into the shape of a car with an engine and all that good stuff that makes it run.  I adore my car, so I never once though that it could harm me in any way.  But getting into a crash changes your perspective and your perception.  You become more cautious and, frankly, more paranoid.
Why don't we all ride bikes?
Well, the number one reason would probably be time.  Bikes are pretty darn slow and it would take quite a bit of time to get to, say, the other side of the country.  But they are a million times safer.  Bikes are easy to stop and not that dangerous, unless you're like a speed-racer who has no sense of caution.
When I go to college, I am seriously going to revert back to my kiddie-days and ride a bike.  Just ride that little bike all across town.  I will totally be the envy of all the students.
Cheap and safe.
Be careful while driving!

Fave Friday 2

Hey guys!
So, I'm not a big fan of Miley Cyrus, but I can't get her new single out of my head.  It's so catchy.  Damn, it's on replay in my head.

Yup, I've fallen to new lows...

1. Anew by Chelsea Fine

2. Ten by Gretchen McNeil

3. Firelight by Sophia Jordan

Carrier of the Mark

Title: Carrier of the Mark

Author: Leigh Fallon

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance/Mythology

Release Date: October 4, 2011

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥

My Review:
Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon had been on my list of 'to-read' for quite some time, so I finally snatched it up over the weekend.  I am so glad I did!

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRis.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

Via Goodreads

This story is a mixture of Twilight and Starcrossed; the whole Twilight-esque 'I can't be with you, but I need you' combined with the Irish mythology makes a really awesome and unique story.  But I have to say, since I'm not that familiar with Irish mythology, I was lost on some aspects of it.
Some parts did lag, but not to the extent where I put the book down and let dust consume it.  I mean, all plot-lines become slow in some parts, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.  In this case, it isn't.

Megan and Adam's relationship develops rapidly, and I mean, like, lightning quick.  One day they're school acquaintances and the next they're snogging ( I just had to); so, yes, it was a quick development, but it seemed believable.  I just wish Fallon had taken more time to build up the main act instead of rushing into it; dragging their relationship out and creating anticipation would have made it seem more memorable.
I love this book's cover art.  So gorgeous!
Overall, I'm giving Carrier of the Mark a 4/5 because of the diverse setting, the mythology-rich plot-line, and the sweet relationships,

Cursed

Title: Cursed

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Release Date: September 18, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥

So, I have come to the conclusion that anything Jennifer L. Armentrout writes will be like manna for the mind... seriously, she is a fantastic writer.  Armentrout keeps every story going with a steady pace, while also maintaining fluidity.
I have to say, I'm not a big fan of the cover of Cursed, but the story makes up for it.

Ember is dead, but alive..... say what?
A horrible accident changes Ember's life forever: she and her father are killed.  But before she can move on into the land of the dead, her sister touches her, which brings her back to life.  So, this is where X-Men: Teen Edition comes into play.
Ember struggles to maintain her cool (and sanity) as she balances taking care of her sister and her unresponsive mother while also battling the occasional school bully.  She then meets Hayden, who acts as her protector.  Ember is rushed into a world of supernatural powers as she struggles to keep her reign on her own special, little gift: death.

.
This book is magnificient!  The characters are diverse (some of them I wanted to throw a vase at, though....) and the pace was very steady.  Although, I did get a little annoyed at Ember when she became a tad bit obsessed with Hayden, but I'll forgive her (lol).  I loved Hayden, but he seriously pissed me off at times (cuddling scene... *growl*).
I would classify this book as a mystery, because there is the whole 'unidentified killer' factor, but there is also quite a bit of paranormal stuff going on here.
This is a very short read (287 pages), but you will not be sorry!  There is no sequel to this book, so I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick and short, yet cute and mysterious read.
Overall, I am giving Cursed a 4/5.  The story was wonderful, but I feel like Armentrout should have drug the plot out more to make it a bit longer.

This Just In!!

The sequel to The Madman's Daughter, Her Dark Curiosity, has a cover!
Visit this link to see it ↓
http://www.yabookscentral.com/blog/double-cover-reveal-and-giveaway-warrior-and-her-dark-curiosity-
This cover is so breathtaking!  The editing they did to give it an old-film texture is so vintage and classic.  *sigh* Goshie, the dress... I seriously want to buy it and wear it to prom.
I cannot wait to snatch this book up!
Also, scroll down farther on the link to enter for a chance to win an ARC!
Good luck everyone & good reading ★

Alice in Zombieland

Book 1

Title: Alice in Zombieland (The White Rabbit Chronicles #1)

Author: Gena Showalter

Genre: YA/Paranormal Romance

Release Date: September 25, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♡

My Review:
Alice in Zombieland has to be my favorite remake of Alice in Wonderland so far!

Alice Bell is your average awkward teenager with your average family, but there's a catch.  Her father is a bit off because he believes that zombies roam through the night, looking for their prey...humans.
Alice never gets the opportunity to experience a regular childhood or adolescence because of her insanely paranoid father.
One night, something tragic happens to her family and she is left fighting to maintain her sanity because she is seeing...odd things.  Zombies.  Alice then meets gorgeous and brooding Cole who pulls her out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light of the truth.

.

This book is fan-tab-u-louuuus!  I immediately fell in love with Alice in just the second chapter; she is headstrong, independent, and awesome.  She stays tough even when everything she loves is torn away from her.  This book has a fine mixture of characters, but it leans more towards the bad-ass, rebel, leather type.

The chemistry between Alice and Cole (♥ interest) is perfect!  I loved the dialogue that transpired between the two of them; you can really feel their pull towards one another.  Alice's friendship with Kat is so sweet!  So lovely!

Speaking of dialogue, Showalter sure does know how to keep it going!  It is witty, fun, and (most importantly) relatable.
From an action angle, it was good, but not fan-flippin'-amazing.  I had to skip over some of the action scenes because it kind of bored me (but take into consideration that I am not a lover of all things tough and Rambo).
Thankfully this book does NOT end with a cliffhanger (yeah!) because I don't think I'd be able to wait out the suspense.
Overall, I am giving Alice in Zombieland a 4.5/5 because of the witty dialogue, the awesome plot-line, and the relatable relationships between the characters.
P.S. The second book in the series, Through the Zombieglass, hits shelves September 24, 2013!

Book 2

Nevermore

Title: Nevermore

Author: Kelly Creagh

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance

Release Date: August 31, 2010

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♡

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

Via Goodreads

I had passed Nevermore by Kelly Creagh in the bookstore a couple of times; the cover made me reluctant to pick it up.  At first, I thought the girl on the front cover was wearing a nightgown, so I was like "Oh God, it's another one of those cheesy romance novels.  I bet there's a guy ripping his shirt off on the back."
Finally, I read a review online and mentally slapped myself.  It's based off of Edgar Allen Poe.  I ran to BAM and purchased it, and let me tell you guys, I am so glad that I bought this book!
The story takes place from a high school cheerleader's perspective: Isobel.  Don't start making the whole cheerleader stereotype assumption, because she is such a wonderful and sweet protagonist.
Isobel is paired up with Varen, the emo/goth/freak, for a project.  As she gets to know him better, she realizes that there is more to Varen than what meets the eye.
Varen is haunted by creatures, creatures that were invisible to Isobel, but are now making appearances in her life.  Isobel must try to save Varen before he succumbs to something far more dangerous and devious than anything she could've imagined.
Now, when I said this story is based off of EAP, I meant Creagh takes his stories and some factors of his life and incorporates them into the plot-line.
Nevermore is a bit dark, which makes it even more spectacular and wonderful!  There were some parts in the book were a bit confusing (Isobel running from the 'shadows'), but I started to adjust to the story after a while.
Varen is such an awesome character; he's dark, haunted, hawt (lol), and emo.  Nothing could be better!
This story is a must for any EAP fan (EAP love)!
Overall, I's giving Nevermore a 4.5/5 because of the amazing description, the relatable characters, and the dark action.

My Book of Life by Angel

Title: My Book of Life by Angel

Author: Martine Leavitt

Genre: YA/Teen/Coming of Age

Release Date: September 4, 2012

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

When sixteen-year-old Angel meets Call at the mall, he buys her meals and says he loves her, and he gives her some candy that makes her feel like she can fly. Pretty soon she's addicted to his candy, and she moves in with him. As a favor, he asks her to hook up with a couple of friends of his, and then a couple more. Now Angel is stuck working the streets at Hastings and Main, a notorious spot in Vancouver, Canada, where the girls turn tricks until they disappear without a trace, and the authorities don't care. But after her friend Serena disappears, and when Call brings home a girl who is even younger and more vulnerable than her to learn the trade, Angel knows that she and the new girl have got to find a way out.

Via Goodreads

*Sniff sniff*
I'm still having a hard time trying to keep the tears away whenever I think of this book.
I totally understand how My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt was a National Book Award Finalist.
The cover is so gorgeous!
This book is definitely out of my comfort zone; I'm usually not one to read books about depressing world-matters, like suicide, cutting, drugs, murder, you get my drift.  But I am so amazingly happy that I didn't just skip over this book!  This has to be one of the most provocative, eye-opening, somber stories that I have ever read.  I cried about 7 times while reading this.
So, this book is written in poem form, which with any other book I'd be like "NO."  But this story deserves to be an exception to every novel stereotype.  If you don't like the whole poem form, don't let that keep you from getting this book!  Once you get into it, it starts to read like a novel.
The main character is a 16 year-old named Angel.  She is the modern rebellious teen who has a semi-broken family.  Angel also likes to shoplift... which is how she gets introduced to Call who basically ruins her life.  Call persuades Angel to become a prostitute (because that is definitely how teenagers show their undying affection!  Yeah, right) and her life starts to teeter into an even more insidious downward spiral.  To top it all off, Call brings an 11 year-old girl to do some of the work.  Of course, Angel keeps her safe.
There aren't really any spoilers that I could accidentally spill (yeah!); the story is pretty straight forward.
Angel's narration is so lyrical and melodious, ugh... here come the tears.  She is an innocent who has been put in an unfavorable situation, but attempts to make the best out of it, and she does.
If you guys read this book, you will not regret it.  My Book of Life by Angel is a beautiful story that deserves more recognition than it has received.
Overall, I'm giving MBOLBA a 5/5 (surprise, surprise!) because I can find absolutely no faults with this book.
Perfectly flawless.

Of Triton

Book 2

Title: Of Triton

Author: Anna Banks

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal

Release Date: May 28, 2013

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥

In this sequel to Of Poseidon, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

Via Goodreads

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This book is so sweet!
Alright, so this book is super-short, only 246  pages.  Now, that might sound like a lot, but it's about 1/2 the size of Of Poseidon.  Personally, I prefer longer books because I know that the story will take more time to delve into and I don't have to worry about feeling like the story just got cut off.  But this book has a steady pace; it does not feel too rushed or too slow.
There is not as much character and relationship development as I would have liked, it was mainly about the ongoing struggle between the Poseidon and Triton families (wow, I sound like a total dork saying that...).  So if you start this book before having read Of Poseidon, you will be in a whole world of lost.
Like I said earlier, the relationships were established in Of poseidon, and in Of Triton you just see the after-effects.

As stated in the summary, "Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess", which means that Emma's mom goes completely wacka-wacka.  And when I say that, I mean kidnapper-wacka-wacka, but that's only in the beginning of the book (Thank God, because I was ready to strangle the mother in some scenes).  She becomes so selfish.  I was amazed how quickly the mother's character changed; if I hadn't read Of Poseidon, I would've mistaken her for Emma's sister or something because of her immaturity.
If I could use three words to describe Emma's mother, I would say: Annoying.  Pitiful.  Sophomoric.  One of my friends who read the book was completely flabbergasted by the mother's behavior, which I totally understand.  There were parts that made me squirm in my seat out of  discomfort and plain-old "WHATTHEDUCK??"

This book is so winsome and pleasant that I overlooked a specific character for the good of the series.  There might even be an opening for a third book, but I'm starting to doubt it, because Of Triton has a very conclusive ending.
Overall, I'm giving this book a 4/5 because of the charming main characters, the well-thought-out plot line, and the diverse subject matter.

Book 1

Kudos to Anna Banks for being one of the first authors to successfully introduce mermaids into the land of YA fiction!!

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! Fave Friday!

National Chocolate Ice Cream day has finally arrived!  And let me tell you guys, I am so going to Baskin-Robbins after I post this.  I'm already starting to get hungry.
So, to celebrate I've been digging in my very own sweet treat!  Books!  (That cheesy line was crutial to the awesomeness of this special day)
I am currently reading two books right now (Whaaaa-?!)  Of Triton, the sequel to Of Poseidon, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I'm sure many, many people have read, but I'm slow to catch up with the book crazes.
I would also like to introduce....*drrumrrroll* FAVE FRIDAY!  Every Friday I will list some of my tops picks for the week.

1. The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

MY LIFE.

2. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Chocolate ice cream... HERE I COME.

Stacking & Stalking

Stacking
I am a total and complete clean-freak.
If something is disorganized, I will involuntarily stack it; it's just in my DNA.  So, for the past couple of days I have been debating whether or not to reorganize my bookshelf because of its' current disorganization.
My clean-freak side won.
The books were previously organized in alphabetical order by the author's last name.  Now they are organized by color!  Personally, I think it is a HUGE improvement from the helter-skelter 'put that book over there!' system.

Before

Before

After

After

Stalking
I have a tiny confession: I'm a bit of a bird-stalker.
Earlier today my parents told me that there was a baby bird attempting to fly outside, so my obvious answer was "OHMYGOSH I NEED MY CAMERA!!  WHY DIDN'T YOU GUYS TELL ME SOONER?!"
I went outside and found the bird; it was so darn ADORABLE.  I grabbed my camera and took some shots of it staring at me with a blank expression like I was some overly-excited bird enthusiast.  Anyone watching probably would've expected me to yell out "Give me more oomph!  Strike it, strike it!"  But come on, who doesn't love a bird?
The bird kept attempting to fly away the closer I got, which is understandable.  For all it knew, I could have been dreamin' up a bird-sandwich or something.
The bird finally took flight as I sat there on the warm blades of grass, just watching it.

The Raven Boys + The Scorpio Races & M.S. Rant

Title: The Scorpio Races

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Release Date: October 18, 2011

My Rating:

♥♥

So, since The Raven Boys and The Scorpio Races are both by Maggie Stiefvater, I thought I'd combine the reviews.  In fact, these books are quite similar in terms of narration...
Before I start reviewing the books, I wanted to talk a bit about Maggie Stiefvater.  Shiver and Lament were her first books to get published and they were flipping' fantastic.  They were geared more towards teenagers because of the slightly more adult subjects.  In other words, pre-teens are too young to read them.  Which is awesome because I seriously don't want to read a book that sounds like it was meant for a 10 year-old!  But with the more books that Stiefvater has written, they have started to lack a sense of maturity in the narration.  T.S.R. and T.R.B. all sound like they were meant for younger children, which tick-tocks me off because you can't be a young adult writer and write books for, like, 11 year-olds.  I just wish she would make her books more mature and more geared towards older teenagers.

My Review:
The Scorpio Races.... hmm, well, this book was pretty darn boring.  The gist of it is this girl (Puck) loves riding horses and she enters this race where if she wins, she gets a ton of money (which she could really use because her brother is a total screw-up).  She meets another equestrian (Sean) and he's cute and she falls in love with him, you get my drift.
The problem with this book is that it is completely and totally nod-off boring.  Nothing really meaningful seems to transpire between the two main characters, it's just "Let's ride them horses!"  The narration.  Goshie wow.... Puck (the main character) sounds like she's 11.  Totally.  Not.  Acceptable.
The book is supposed to be somewhat violent, but I started laughing when it got to the "violent" scene. Terrible.  I feel so bad saying that because I absolutely adored Shiver and Lament.  I'm giving T.S.R. a 2/5 (sorry!).

Title: The Raven Boys

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: YA/Paranormal/Mythology

Release Date: September 18, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥

My Review:
The Raven Boys.  This book was not bad, but not jump-out-of-your-seat-heart-attack good.  The subject was really hard to understand throughout the entire book.  I only understood the not-fuzzy parts, which was basically nothing.  Apparently, there's some old Irish legend that states that some guy is buried in a tree and he controls electricity.  Sorry if that's incorrect, but that's what I got.  This book was a tiny bit more adult because of all the swearing and the brawls and the fact that they are teenagers.
I'm giving T.R.B. a 3/5 because it was pretty boring in some parts, but it actually was not that bad.


Would I recommend these books to anyone?  Nope.

Snuggle Up!

I pull my fuzzy, plaid-print blanket closer to my body, trying to keep the cold at bay.  My eyes drop to the empty mug sitting on my desk that seems to be provoking me with it's cocoa-colored exterior.  I quietly sigh and, much to my reluctance, stand.  I fill up my mug with chocolately-cocoa-goodness, smiling as it fills my insides with a sweet and  delicious warmth.
I spot my current novel siting half-open on the kitchen counter, the sunflower bookmark reminding me just how much I have left to finish.  My hands automatically pick up the novel as I trudge back to my window-seat.  My lips curl into a tiny smile as I relish in this moment of pure contentment. 

Everyone loves to snuggle up with a good book, right? (Rhetorical question unless your answer is 'yes'!)
I have made a list of snuggle-worthy novels that are perfect for a summer/winter night!  These books are completely and wholly perfect.  They are also fairly quick and enjoyable reads.

1. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
2. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
3. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
4. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
5. The Hollow by Jessica Verday

And what better to set the ambience than some good Lana Del Rey?

This is basically what the perfect night for me comprises of.... or every night.

Onyx

Title: Onyx (Lux #2)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Release Date: August 14, 2012

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♥

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

Via Goodreads

HOLYSWEETMOTHER.  Right now I seem to be on a book high, because Onyx (Lux series #2) has just taken my breath away!
This book is flipping' fantastic!  Onyx is the sequel to Obsidian and this is such an amazing follow-up.  It might even be better than Obsidian...

The main character, Katy, is such a strong protagonist; she tries to do everything in her power to do good, but throughout the book she makes some mistakes.  Deadly mistakes that will cost others their lives.  She has really grown on me as a character, I mean, she's a blogger.  And she's awesome.
Katy and Daemon's relationship is slightly strained in the beginning of this book.  There is another possible love interest, which really ticks Daemon off.  I found it the slightest bit aggravating when Katy kept trying to convince herself that Deamon was only attracted to her because of their whole alien connection.  It felt like that scene in The Little mermaid where the cute sea animals are singing "Kiss the girl", but Ariel and the guy keep hesitating.  Very similar!  Except this reluctance is brought out for about 3 months, which was sad (:/).

This book does have some fatalities in it, and it really hammered me because it was the death of such a sweet character (no spoilers!).
I loved the fact that the author gave us glimpses of Katy's normal, go-to-school day, but she also gave us Katy's alien-inflicted life.  It just seemed to help me stabilize her character in my mind.
DAEMON.  Of course, he is just as amazing and swoon-worthy in Onyx as he was in Obsidian.  You get to see a different side of Daemon in this book; not the rock-hard, stone-hearted Daemon that seems to come through in Obsidian, but a sweet and caring Daemon.  I'm not exactly sure why, but when I picture him in my mind, he looks exactly like Damon from the Vampire Diaries... maybe it's the name (VD love!).

Overall, I am giving Onyx a 5/5.  You guys MUST read the Lux series if you are looking for something in the YA paranormal fiction area; it's a good break from werewolves and vampires.

BOOK HAUL

Hey guys, so I received a bunch of books within the past week, but I've only read a few of them.  I'm not going to do a thorough book review, because I only have a couple of minutes.
So, I am going to list all of the books and rate the ones that I have read, along with a tiny synopsis.  I would SO appreciate it if ya'll could rate the ones that I have not yet read (I'll leave those blank).

(They're the ones laying horizontally XD)

1. Onyx (Lux Series #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

• I have about 60 more pages, but this book totally kicks-ass!!  I'm giving it a 4.5/5.  This is a drop-whatever-you're-doing, forget-about-the-turkey-in-the-oven, FANTASTIC read!

     2. Opal (Lux Series #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

     3. My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt

     4. Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

     5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

• I'm not completely sold on the plot line... is the book good?

     6. Of Triton by Anna Banks

     7. Marilyn Monroe by Barbara Leaming

• I am sooo excited to read this!!

So, if anyone can tell me about the books that I have not yet read, I would really appreciate it!

Oh, and I just had to post a picture of a total-book-nerd shirt that I got at BAM!  

Bloglovin'!

I now have a Bloglovin' account!  I really wish I had found out about this amazingly useful site before...

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/7965803/?claim=hbbg874he48">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

The Inevitable Summer Reading

Alright, so this is a subject that I have been anxiously awaiting to do a blog entry on.
I totally feel empathy for the students who receive their summer reading list and start groaning and complaining about how the books are 'boring', 'dumb', 'pointless', etc.  Even as a high school senior, I still feel such reluctance and procrastination when it comes to summer reading.  I know that schools assign the books that they feel will have some sort of impact on the students, or cause them to have, like, some divulgement or something.  They know that students do NOT look forward to reading these books; they're not as naive as you think (XD).
What the schools need to realize is that they need to assign books that will make the students perk up and say "Wow, my school has awesome taste in books!" (If that is possible... I can't really imagine any students saying that, though!)
During the summer of 7th grade, my school assigned The Shadow Children for summer reading.  So, I (very grudgingly) went and got the books.  I never once thought that that single book would get me addicted to reading, I never once thought that I would be visiting B&N every Saturday to see what their new releases were, and I NEVER once thought that reading would become my escape from a world that I never felt included or accepted in.
I absolutely loathed reading when I was younger, but because of that one book on my summer reading list, reading has become (quite fascinatingly) my most favorite thing to do.
You never know when something is put in your path for a reason, and you never know what the tiniest things can do to change your lifestyle and your mindset.  Because of a simple book on my summer reading list, my life has changed substantially, and I hope that anyone who detests reading will find that one special book that will change their view on, quite frankly, the world we live in (for the better).

Poison Princess

Title: Poison Princess (Arcana Chronicles #1)

Author: Kresley Cole

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Release Date: October 2, 2012 

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♡

Evangeline “Evie” Greene, 16, leads a charmed life until her horrifying hallucinations predict a disaster that decimates her Louisiana hometown. She joins classmate Jack - with his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, bad attitude - and 22 other teens, as an ancient prophesy re-enacts the ultimate battle between good and evil. But who is on which side?

Via Goodreads

I have always loved listening to Louisiana natives, they way they seem to have an exotic lilt in their voices.  So, I was beyond excited when I found out that Poison Princess by Kresley Cole was set in Louisiana!

This book is pretty fan-tab-u-lous!!  It is luring, suspenseful, charming, and sweet.
So, the gist of this novel is a privileged girl named Evie survives the "apocalypse", along with the not-so-privileged boy she states she cannot stand, Jack (I love him!).  Evie has these "talents" that connect her to nature and flowers and all that wonderful stuff.  She finds many others throughout the book that also have special powers.
The narration is spot on.  The story is told with equal amounts of sugar and salt; Evie is caring and sweet, but she also has a bad-ass side (yeah!).  Jack, Jack, Jack, God he's so amazing!  Gorgeous, courageous, and with a Cajun-French accent!!  Evie and Jack's relationship is interesting; they ignore each other one minute, they can't get enough of each other the next, and then they can't stand each other (tsk tsk :/).

This book has a whole bunch of adventure.  There is zombie fighting, potentially-rapists armies, explosions, crashing into homes, etc.  I am not totally into the whole action scene, but this sufficed without becoming overbearing.
The characters in this book will truly grow on you guys.  They all have different stories and struggles, but they fill in the puzzle pieces perfectly.
So, if you guys love strong protagonists, Southern based novels, and charming Cajuns, ya'll will adore the books in The Arcana Chronicles!

Overall, I have to give Poison Princess a 4.5/5 because of the well-told narration, the intriguing characters, and the diverse plot line!

P.S. The second book, Endless Knight, hits bookstores October 1, 2013!