Friday, November 30, 2012

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

The Synopsis:
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?


My Thoughts:
Being that I wasn't too amazed by Bloodlines, I wasn't exactly dying to get my hands on this book, but I was pretty curious to figure out how things were turning out.  I mean, I was not happy with Adrian at all in the first book.  He was such a jerk, and I believe that while he plays this tortured bad boy role, there is a difference between being a bad boy and being a straight up jerk.  He was walking a very fine and dangerous line between the two in Bloodlines.  I have no problems with bad boys, mind you, but it's just gotta the right amount.  Secondly, I didn't really like Sydney all that much.  She just got on my nerves so many times.  And thirdly, I thought it was a little slow.  There was just so much muchness to it that I almost tossed the book aside and started a new one.

Good news!  I thought this one was so much better!
Let me begin with Sydney.  Alas, she still bothered me at times, but not nearly as much as she did in the first book.  Honestly, she reminded me of an emotionless robot in the first book.  She was a workaholic only living off of coffee, she never complained or stood up for herself and was overall just emotionless.  Mind you, I did not find her to be a flat character; just a very unlikable one in my mind.  After reading Golden Lily, I will admit that she has shown a little emotion in this one.  I could really see how much conflict she was feeling as she hung out with her vampire friends, but still had those nagging thoughts about how incriminating it was for her to be friendly with them.  She's in a tough cookie situation!  It's just that one moment she'll be all 'Yes, I'm going to have such a lovely time with these bloodsuckers!' and then within seconds, she'll be all 'No!  Stay away from me, Devil's spawn!'.  Either you like the friendly vamps or you don't, Sydney!  Make up your mind!  It was hypocritical of her, I thought.  (Plus, if she's already knee-deep in incriminating badness, why not take the plunge?  There's no way she could back herself out of the situation if she were ever to get caught.  Just my opinion.)

And could it be?

Yes I think it could be.

I, fellow readers, have the Syndrian Feels.  Oh!  Did I forget to tell you that I've kinda sorta forgiven Adrian?  I know!  Crazy, right?  I mean, here I was a few months ago telling you all that I was not sold on Adrian, and now I'm telling you that I've forgiven him!  I normally am not so quick to change my opinions about characters (Sydney, for example) but I feel that I finally got to see some of the real Adrian in this book and that was almost all I needed to go on Tumblr and create some Syndrian shipper post.  But I didn't.  I still do not forgive him for his reckless behavior, yet knowing that it effected Jill, too.  How could somebody consciously inflict vicarious states of intoxication on another?  HOW?!?

The story itself, I felt, had improved in this book.  While Bloodlines was extremely slow and monotonous with it's world building and long, descriptive paragraphs, this one moved at a much quicker pace and kept me interested.  I liked how we got to see different sides to the characters, including Sydney, who, might I add, scored herself a few dates!  It was nice to see this other, careless side to Sydney.  Well, as careless as she will ever be.  Also, more of an action-y plot I would expect for a book of the vampire genre was included in Golden Lily.  That was a nice improvement.  I can't tell you how much I need to read a book with blood, sweat, and tears.  If it doesn't have at least some of those three points, I lose interest.

While The Golden Lily wasn't exactly a five star for me, it was much of an improvement from the first book and left me wanting more once I was finished reading.  There are some definite Feels I am getting from the emotions between Adrian and Sydney and, while Adrian is no Will Herondale to me, he has definitely taken at least a small part of my carefully locked away heart.  I'm still feeling a little meh on the plot, but am more content on seeing more complexity and dimension in and between the characters.  Will I recommend The Golden Lily?  Yes.  That is, as long as you've read Bloodlines first.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Defiance by C.J Redwine

The Synopsis:
Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

My Thoughts:
I was so super excited for the publication of this book.  I mean, that is one kick ass cover with Rachel wearing that billowing cloak and boots.  The cover was what had admittedly drew me into the book.  After reading that synopsis, then I knew that I would really enjoy this book.  And then there was just so much hype for it!  So much hype.  So then, of course, all I wanted to do was read the pretty.

Honestly, I was just a little let down.  Just a little.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the book, but there were just a few things here and there that would irk me.

Rachel, for example.  I loved her fiery--not to use the title, but--defiance and stubbornness.  But I sometimes found her to be too childish and pouty.  I loved how impulsive she was and she would say how strong she was--and be able to prove it--but then she'd go on this catatonic breakdown, and I was just like "Whaaat?"  She wasn't as consistent of a character as I had hoped.  She certainly was still a great character, but she was missing that consistency that would have made her more believable.

Secondly, there is a difference between cute awkward romance and just plain old awkward romance.  I mean, I guess to some people what Logan and Rachel had was cute in that awkward, but to me I was all "Stop.  Just stop right there."  I am definitely a Rachel/Logan shipper, right from the very first page, but there were these uncomfortable situations that bothered me.

However, there were many things about I did like!  I mean, this is some fantasy/dystopian something that had so much action and adventure and awesomeness.  The bad dude, I mean, he was really bad.  Like super bad man bad.  It was crazy!  I had no idea what he was up to or anything, so I loved it!  And then there's this dragon thing?  Yup.  'Tis good stuff.

And the writing!  So descriptive!  I was enveloped in the imagery that was Redwine.  The streets of Baalboden came to life, every person, good and bad, striding along the way.  It was amazing how Redwine just created this entirely different and original world and made it almost like this breathing thing.  It was awesome!  The storyline was not what I expected it to be at all, and things just pretty much took me by surprise at almost every chapter.  Those are two great aspects I'm looking for in books and I'm glad that Defiance could give them to me.

Defiance was the ultimate package of action, adventure, and overall awesomeness.  Even though there were some little hiccups here and there, it was a great book with masterful writing.  I was introduced to a dark and dangerous world that kept me reading until the very last pages, where I then proceeded to put down the book and experience a lovely book hangover.  If you are a reader looking for something entirely different to read with an epic plot, I would highly suggest Defiance.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where bloggers like me get to gush about what makes their hands all grabby.

Haven Terra is still recovering from an internship that brought her literally to the brink of hell when a trip to New Orleans leads to more trouble. There, while taking part in a student volunteer program, Haven and her friends Dante and Lance run across an enclave of devils known as the Krewe.

These shape-shifting devils are more reckless and vicious than any Haven, Lance, and Dante have encountered. Yet the friends soon discover that their French Quarter housemates are also angels in training, and together they must face off with the Krewe in their quest for wings.

But Haven’s resolve is tested when Lucian, the repentant devil with whom she was infatuated, resurfaces and asks her for help escaping the underworld. Can he be trusted? Or will aiding him cost Haven her angel wings—and her life?


For those of you who have not followed my blog for that long, I had written a review a long time ago that was quite fangirl-ish and overall very entertaining.  I mean, this is what had written: "And then there was Lucian. Somebody fan me, please, 'cause he was steamier than chicken enchiladas drowned in the hottest hot sauce on Earth. So that is a bit of an exaggeration, but he was Mr. Smokey Pants in this book. He was rip-off-his-clothes, drool-worthy hot with a side of awesome." 

Why?

And Aimee herself still remembers this review!  Not only is that awesome, but then there's this part of me that just doesn't know what to think of it. 

Anyway, I cannot wait for this book!  I'm so excited for it!  And it takes place in New Orleans!  I absolutely love New Orleans!  And Lucian is back!  Oh, my sweet goodness--yes!

So what are you all waiting on this fine Wednesday?

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Cover Reveal!

You guys ready for this cover reveal?  Yes? 



*************Are you sure?*************
Yeah?
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Publication date: February, 2013
Best friends since kindergarten, Adam and Christy have always been the perpetual outsiders in their small town in Texas. The other kids call Adam gay and Christy a witch.

On both counts the bullies are right.

Their junior year in high school seems destined to be the same old same old until Christy decides to cast a love spell for Adam at the midnight hour. The next day an alluring and mysterious boy enrolls at school and sets hearts a flutter, including Adam’s. Meanwhile, Christy’s mad crush on the handsome football player Ian seems to be going nowhere fast and her witch puberty is making her life miserable.

When a great evil arrives in town that threatens everything they hold dear, the best friends realize that finding a boyfriend is the least of their worries. Soon Adam and Christy will have to battle a force of darkness that has killed in their town before, and will again.
Author Bios:
Rhiannon Frater:
Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,) and the author of three other books: the vampire novels Pretty When She Dies and The Tale of the Vampire Bride and the young-adult zombie novel The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters. Inspired to independently produce her work from the urging of her fans, she published The First Days in late 2008 and quickly gathered a cult following. She won the Dead Letter Award back-to-back for both The First Days and Fighting to Survive, the former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the best zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by Hannah Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact her by sending an email to rhiannonfrater@gmail.com.
Kody Boye:
Kody Boye was born and raised in Southeastern Idaho. Since his initial publication in the Yellow Mama Webzine in 2007, he has gone on to sell nearly three-dozen stories to various markets. He is the author of the short story collection Amorous Things, the novella The Diary of Dakota Hammell, the zombie novel Sunrise and the dark fantasy novel Blood. His fiction has been described as ‘Surreal, beautiful and harrowing’ (Fantastic Horror,) while he himself has been heralded as a writer beyond his years(Bitten by Books.) He currently lives and writes in the Austin, Texas area.


Friday, November 23, 2012

Did Ya Hear?!?

Jennifer L. Armentrout is giving away copies of Opal and swag!  Right now!  At this exact moment!  Click here to enter!

Through to You by Emily Hainsworth

The Synopsis:
Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He’d give anything to have just one more glimpse of her. But when Cam visits the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees an apparition. Her name is Nina, and she’s a girl from a parallel world. When Cam follows here there and makes an unbelievable discovery, it’s as if all his wildest dreams have come true. But things are very different in this other world. Nina is hiding a secret, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with the truth, he’s forced to make a choice that will change his life forever.










My Thoughts:
Thanks, Epic Reads, for this advance copy of this book!

I was very interested in reading this book.  I mean, who wouldn't be interested in a sci-fi contemporary that includes alternate dimensions and such?  This sounded so much like the television series Fringe and I was so glad when this pretty arrived in my mailbox. 

Cam was not what I expected him to be.  He was pretty darn mopey to me.  The book starts off two months after the shocking death of his girlfriend Viv.  I get why he would be so depressed even though it's only been two months after her death, but Cam didn't have this desire to move forward.  It's not very often when the reader is in the head of a person that has no desire to do anything with their life.  Usually, the characters are driven and impulsive.  Cam was neither, and sometimes, his antics would really bother me.  His attitude was something I could fathom.  On top of that, he was thick-skulled and trying to get him to move on and understand things was a process.

My thoughts overall for this book was kind of meh.  It was good and very interesting.  It was a fast read and was suspenseful at times, but I thought it was a little too anticlimactic.  It all just went on at this very steady pace, but luckily, I didn't find things all too predictable.  I was surprised at many things that did happen in the book, but was not surprised by Cam's Debby Downer reaction.

One of the best things about Through to You was that it was a lot like Fringe.  The idea of alternate dimensions intrigues me, and on top of that, I really love watching Fringe.  So just imagine all this Awesome packed into a book that is only 272 pages long.  Alternate dimensions are not seen a lot in books, and I wish there was more of it because the possibilities are endless with this idea.  I mean, just look at Fringe.  A whole entire television show was created because of it.

Through to You, while having an overall dampening mood and sometimes infuriating main character, was thought-provoking and different, but in a good way.  The idea of having this inter-dimensional love is interesting.  In the end, who would you choose?  Would you rather end up alone or would you end up staying with the one you love?  While lacking in action and adrenaline-filled climax, this sci-fi contemporary had me hooked.  Fans of both romance and Fringe will definitely enjoy this book.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Post of Feels

It's been a while since I've posted anything here on the blog, and for that, I am deeply sorry.  Being away from my baby is kinda tearing me up to pieces.  It really isn't a good feeling.  At.  All.  It's been really busy in my life and there's barely been enough time to read and review.  Sad face. 

But in my absence, a lot of things have been revealed and all!  And that makes me super happy.  While I may not be on the internet much, I still find ways to keep myself connected, even if the news is a little delayed.

So now it's time for me to talk about the Feels.



First: There will never be another Twilight movie.  The thought really hasn't been as profound as it was for the Harry Potter movies, but there was still a twinge.  Mostly, that is because the Twilight movies were cheesy and the only casting role I agree with is Taylor Lautner as Jacob. (I love you, Jacob baby!)  But, there's still this nostalgic feeling I'm getting and I think it has to do with the fact that the Twilight series was what really got me interested in reading.  Of course I'm going to see the movie in theaters and possibly bawl my eyes out at the end because I lost Jacob to Renesmee.

So just think about it.  There will never be another Twilight movie.  Let that sink in.



Second: MY SWEET GOODNESS!  THE CITY OF BONES TEASER TRAILER!

Was I super excited to watch this trailer? Hells yes!  I mean, I'm still kind of reluctant to watch the movie because Jamie Campbell Bower looks like the druggie version of Jace.  I do not find him very attractive, either.  However, I am not familiar with his acting abilities, so I will give him a chance. 

But this is about the trailer here.  First I was like:


And while I was watching the trailer, I was all:


And then:

BECAUSE IT'S THE FREAKING CITY OF BONES TRAILER AND ALL OF MY DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE.

Third:  The breakup Glee episode.


Yeah.

Fourth:  Need I remind you that Clockwork Princess comes out in the spring and being that I am a Tessa/Will shipper, these teaser snippets aren't helping?


Fifth: I JUST FINISHED READING THE DIVINERS AJKLDJIOASLDPOKI.


And that would be me as Joey Richter stroking the book with unrequited adoration.

Sixth:


Dear Daemon/Pepe,


And the way you kiss Katy/Sztella


And not to mention how gorgeous you are


Sincerely,
All girls out there


I'm sure I've felt some other Feels recently, but those are the main ones that come to mind.  Obviously, I couldn't vent any of these Feels to le family or friends because they are no fellow fandom members, but I'm sure some of these Feels pertain to some of you out there.  Man, it feels really good to get that all off my chest.  Whew.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

The Synopsis:
Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.






My Thoughts:
I had almost picked up this book a really long time ago when it first came out, but I didn't, and I'm not really sure why.  I think I vaguely remember my close friend, a fellow bookworm, had thought it was kind of meh.  I was still curious about the book--I mean, just look at the cover--but I thought that it could wait.  And then Jenna at Making the Grade had this 'Month of the Tiger' and it was all Tiger's Curse and Colleen Houck.  Being that I follow that blog closely, I thought that a month of recommending this series was plenty of nagging I needed to pick up the book.

I'm not sure that I fully understand Kelsey.  She wasn't a character that was exactly remarkable, but she was brave and courageous.  What I absolutely hated about her was the fact that she kept on trying to convince Ren that she wasn't as beautiful as he thought.  Um, EXCUSE ME. If there's an extremely hot, drool-worthy guy telling me that I'm beautiful and complimenting me REPEATEDLY, I think I'd be convinced that I'm probably not that ugly as I think I am.  Just saying.  But she never learned.  She didn't grow as a character.  Even though this series is, like, five billion books long, I expect there to be at least a minute growth in character.  She was also a little annoying.  She didn't think that she was worthy of Ren's love.  How could you think that, Kelsey?!?!

Another thing that bothered me as I read was the writing.  It was amateur.  Some of the situations the characters were put in was awkward at times, too.  Also put into mind that this book is a monstrosity.  It's long and weighs at least three pounds.  It's a hefty one.  So when it's full with this writing that isn't exactly right, it's a little off-putting.  However, this is Houck's first book, and I hope that as the series progresses, the writing will improve.

But those are the reasons why this book was not given five stars from me.  There were some things that I actually did enjoy about this book.  For one, the mythology.  Once again, I will mention how much of a history geek I am, so historical and mythological accuracy in books are key to me.  And it was great how Houck tied in all these Hindu aspects into the story.  Plus, it made me super happy when Mr. Kadam, the only character that I really connected to, would explain to Kelsey about the caste system and tell her stories about Durga and the other gods.  However, I didn't feel much of the local Indian culture in the story.  Since a majority of the book takes place in India, I would have expected more of the Indian culture to make more of an appearance in the story.

Another thing that I enjoyed about the book was that it was filled to the brim with action and adventure.  I can't fully enjoy a book if it doesn't have adrenaline-packed scenes or a scenic surrounding.  Besides the beginning, there really wasn't a slow, dull moment in the story.  I was glued to the book and I'm pretty sure I disappeared from the real world for a while when I was reading this book.

Despite the sometimes unlikable main character and weak writing, there was a lot to enjoy about Tiger's Curse.  Tying in an old curse that has turned man into tiger with Hindu mythology was almost intoxicating for me and very enjoyable.  I may not have enjoyed the characters at times, but the story was plenty of reason to keep me reading on.  If you're a fan of big kitties, ancient curses, mythology, and action and adventure, you should maybe consider putting Tiger's Curse on your TBR list.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Spookygirl: Paranormal Investigator by Jill Baguchinsky

The Synopsis:
Winner of the Breakthrough Novel Award Contest--Jill Baguchinsky's quirky, creepy debut

Violet doesn't remember much about her late mother, but she is certain of one thing: she too can see ghosts and communicate with the dead. But when Violet discovers paranormal activity in the girls' locker room, she finds herself ill-equipped for handling the school's ghostly echoes. Through Violet's own investigation and with the help of some unlikely allies, Violet discovers there is a lot she doesn't know about her special skill--and more still that can stand in the way of its power. With sharp wit and determination, Violet sets out to uncover the truth behind her school's haunting, to finish the investigation that led to her mother's sudden death, and to learn why the only ghost she has ever wanted to see is the one that has eluded her forever.





My Thoughts:
I heard about this book a long time ago on Amazon and my curiosity was piqued, but I wasn't exactly motivated to read the book until I saw it at my local library.  It looked like a really cute and dark short read that would entertain me. 

For some reason, I didn't really find Violet to be very remarkable.  I did enjoy her jokes, some of them that probably shouldn't be funny because they were about the dead, but they were.  She was likable, but there wasn't exactly a characteristic about her that made her unforgettable.

Story wise, even though this was a short read, I was expecting more from it.  I felt that with all this darkness centering around this one house, there'd be more of a struggle.  Like, this house is supposed to be this terrible and dark and creepy place where people are afraid to even be within a mile radius of it.  And there was so much build up for the house throughout the book.  I don't know about you, but even if this book is kind of on the light and fluffy side, if there's a haunted house that the characters go into, I expect it to be mind blowing and memorable.  I would want it to be the highlight of the book, so when I think back on the book, that is what I remember most about it.

Another thing is that I thought that the bows were neatly strung by the end of the book, leaving the story all squeaky clean and a little too bright for a supposedly dark tale.  Once again, this book is supposed to be about a paranormal investigator.  That's some creepy stuff right there.  There was a whole lot of mystery and suspense, but at the very end, it was all neatly solved hastily and I almost expected rainbows and unicorns to start frolicking around.  Don't get me wrong, I don't mind reading books that are short, but when things get resolved a little to neatly, even if the book is a standalone, it's off-putting for me.

One thing I did like about this book?  There was absolutely no romance for the MC.  I sure do love my romance in books, but it's very rare to find a book that has absolutely zero romance.  And for a teenager in real life, some kids, especially the social pariahs, do not have this epic love that not even the weight of the universe can stop.  Doesn't happen.  So when Violet did not hookup with some kid, and I wasn't even thinking about it in the book, I was happy about it.  I think that a romance would not have fit in for this book and would only have made the romance insta-love-like if it was and the story would have been even fluffier.

Spookygirl: Paranormal Investigator was a short and entertaining read about a girl who works to help ghosts find their peace and lives in a funeral home with her father and befriends to goths that join her in her investigations.  It was morbidly funny and fast paced, always keeping me interested.  If you're interested in a short, different, and paranormal read, Spookygirl: Paranormal Investigator could be a book you would want to read.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Soulbound by Heather Brewer

The Synopsis:
Tril is a world where Barrons and Healers are Bound to each other: Barrons fight and Healers cure their Barrons' wounds in the ongoing war with the evil Graplar King. Seventeen-year-old Kaya was born a Healer, but she wants to fight. In Tril, and at Shadow Academy, where she is sent to learn to heal, it is against Protocol for Healers to fight. So Kaya must learn in secret. Enter two young men: One charming, rule-following Barron who becomes Bound to Kaya and whose life she must protect at all costs. And one with a mysterious past who seems bent on making Kaya's life as difficult as possible. Kaya asks both to train her, but only one will, and the consequences will change their lives forever.







My Thoughts:
So let's all be honest here and regard the cover of the book with new found interest.  Appraising thoughts are floating through your head at the moment, yes?  I mean, just look at Kaya on the cover there holding a katana and wearing this chain mail mask thingy while she's got all this leather clothing on.  I didn't have to read the synopsis to know that I would be interested in this book.  And the font of the title!  Love it!

Being that I'm a girl and read way too many YA books with defiant and strong heroines, I've pretty much turned into this ultra-feminist.  I'm all for women's rights and independence and not having to have to have men to help sustain their lives.  Equality and all that jazz.  But it doesn't go as far as that; I think that the underdogs out there deserve the same chance as a person that would have that chance fed to them.  So when Brewer introduces this idea of Barrons and their Healers, I was about ready to tell some of those characters where they can shove that chauvinistic, superior idea.  But, I didn't.  I held it together.

With this is mind, it ultimately made me almost love Kaya instantly.  She's a Healer by law, but she's got this violent, determined undercurrent that made her face her fears head-on and never give up.  So, what's the only thing a girl's gonna do now?  She sneaks behind the backs of practically everyone and trains in secret with this particularly attractive, infuriating, talented . . . brooding . . . Darius.  Okay, so the name's a little off-putting, but yeah.  Darius.

Speaking of, I've gotta pick a bone with this romantic geometric shape that has three sides.  So Kaya comes to the school and she's told that her soulbound has died and Trayton, pretty boy jock-dude with lots of money, is supposed to be Bound to her.  Don't get me wrong--I liked Trayton.  He was cute, if a little too polished for my taste, and really knew how to charm a girl.  It was a little too insta-love for my preference, though.  Enter Darius.  He's all dark and brooding and mysterious, but  he's a total dickwad.  Not my cup of tea, either, which means I didn't connect with either of the boys.  In all, I wasn't really shipping either one of the boys.

Another bone, alas, that I have to pick is that I had no clue where the fak we were!  And I couldn't pinpoint a certain date, either.  Being the history geek that I am, it really bothered me that I couldn't pick out the date.  Basing on the katana usage and ethnicity of the girl on the cover, I assumed the book took place in Asia somewhere.  But when the storyline got all adventurous and the characters traveled, I was lost.  A map in the beginning of the book could have helped.  My sense of direction and time was down the toilet for this one.

However, I will say that I enjoyed the action.  Loved it.  I was sucked into all of the fighting would get really excited.  That's what I think really gave this book bonus brownie points for me.  I think I was having a few flashbacks to The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa.  Possibly. 

Overall, I thought that Soulbound was a good and interesting book.  I definitely did enjoy it a whole bunch and I read through it pretty fast.  I loved all of the action and and these creepy monsters things whose name alludes me at the moment.  I cannot wait for the second book because lemme tell ya, with the ending that was given, no sane person would not be okay with it.  Soulbound was different, but it was great.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where bloggers like me can gush about what makes their hands all grabby.


In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood


I know this is probably making a certain someone very happy and possibly squee-ish (Ahem. Monica...) but I've actually found myself wrapped up in the story.  I think it's interesting and I wanna know what's going on between Adrian and Sydney!  Yes!  I want to know!  And having that I have to wait until February 12th, this is how it ended up on this week's WoW post.

Wait are all you of you guys waiting on this week?

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Endlessly by Kiersten White

The Synopsis:
Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.










My Thoughts:
Let me start off by saying that the Paranormalcy series has been a blast to read.  Just looking at the covers, I knew that I would somehow love the books one way or another.  I loved getting to know all about Evie and her insecurities and falling for Lend.  It has been a fun series with plenty of ups and downs for the characters, and once I finished reading Endlessly, I knew that the story and all of its characters were done justice.

Evie is one of the most alive characters I've ever read.  Even though she strived for some type of normalcy, never once did she ever doubt the decisions she made.  Sure, she had the entire race of supernaturals on her hands and a whole lot of stress that no person should never be put through, but never once did she give up and her determination for both a normal life and also a safe life was admirable.  And it was such a great experience as a write to see how much Evie's matured throughout the entire series.  I know I've put in reviews for the other books that I found her annoying and naive, but I can't even complain about that now.  She became such a strong character and I enjoyed being in her head throughout the series.

Things were a lot heavier than I expected them to be in this book.  It was deep.  The situation was a lot worse than I thought it'd be.  First of all, the Dark Faerie Queen?  I would not want to mess with that mama.  I didn't think that she was Queen Mab from the Iron Fey Series evil, but the DFQ had her own air of evilness.  And don't even get me started on the new director to IPCA.  Oh, how she got on my nerves!  You bad lady! 

And I might as well say this: Jack is back! *happy dance*

And is it possible that I cared enough for all of the characters that I had the FEELS?  The answer is: Yes!  It is possible!  They weren't like "AWWWWW, somebody hold me!  I have the FEELS!!" but it was more like a "Oh, how my heart flutters and my eyes get all misty!".  Those kind of Feels.

Endlessly had the right amount of spunk and fierceness that I could only describe as a work of White.  It was highly entertaining and the story was an original idea inspired by all the things that go bump in the night.  Endlessly was the perfect end to a series.  Be prepared to see a different side of Evie and all the paranormals and see a whole different kind of evil.  For those that love a book with the perfect balance of light and dark and paranormal influences, the Paranormalcy series is something I'd be putting on your TBR list.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

The Synopsis:
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

My Thoughts:
Being that I have a deep love for all things free and cheap, I jumped on the opportunity to download Sweet Venom after seeing it proudly advertised on Pitch Dark as free a few weeks ago.  Never mind that I loathe reading anything on technological devices.  Ironic, since I run a blog here and read other peoples' reviews all the time.  Call me a hypocrite.

I had downloaded it onto my phone, and I just expected that I'd pick it up and read it whenever I got bored and didn't have my current read on me.  At first, that's just what I did.  I think that lasted for only a day or two before I had a hard time putting it down.  I didn't have high expectations for this book because I'd never read up on it or anything, so I was happily surprised to become wrapped up into the story.

I was so surprised that I didn't even know there was a third sister to the group.  I'd read nothing of the synopsis!  It's so unlike me!
After getting acquainted with all three sisters, I found that I mostly connected with Gretchen and Grace, Gretchen being my favorite.  Gretchen was all badass ninja-like as she takes down Greek monster after Greek monster.  This is a regular walk-in-the-park life for Gretchen.  She was also pessimistic and untrustworthy, which made me like her even more.  And she named her car.  So when two other sisters stumble into her now not so walk-in-the-park life, she was believable with her reactions.

Grace was cute.  She had that very girl-next-door vibe, but I found her to be naive at times and too trusting and optimistic.  Too much sunshine for me.  But that's what made her her, so I can't complain much about that.  I did, however, like how she tried her best to keep the trio together.  She was fiercely determined and stubborn and knowledgeable.

And then there was Greer.  I'm not going to say much other than I didn't like her.  We did not have that connecting moment, but that could also be due to how little 'screen time'--if you will--she got during the book.  And I was not convinced about her by the end of the book.

Since I love Greek mythology so much, I thought it was really interesting to read where Medusa happens to be the good guy.  It was a different and original take on my beloved Greek mythology and I did enjoy it to the point that I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second book (this time in HB form, thank you).  There was action and the budding romance between some of the characters was extremely adorable.  Unfortunately, there were times in the story where I'd get confused about who I was reading about.  Maybe it's because all of their names began with a 'G' or the writing style got a little too consistent between characters.  I'm not sure.

Sweet Venom was an original tale that tells the story of three sisters destined to kick Greek monster butt while being sassy and fierce as they do so.  I was happily wrapped up into the story and was gladly transported to the sunny streets of San Fransisco, California.  And although Childs transports readers into the dark alleyways of the city and introduces them to the not-so-attractive monsters, Sweet Venom was a short and entertaining read with dimensional characters and great imagery.  If you're into Greek mythology or if you even like some monster butt-kicking, Sweet Venom would be a great read  for you.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

The Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa's talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation called AMRF threatens his life in no uncertain terms.

But what Noa and Peter don't realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who'd stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Fans of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will devour the story of Noa, a teen soul mate to Lisbeth Salander.




My Thoughts:
I was so excited when I first caught wind of this book and my expectations for it did not fall flat.  This book was awesome!  Hackers!  Government Sekrit Stuff!  It's like this book had my name printed on it somewhere.  All I knew is that I had to get my hands on this book.  It's safe to say I devoured it.

Almost instantly, I liked Noa's character.  She was strong, mentally and physically, smart and cunning, and independent to a fault almost (key word: almost).  I love how she goes from this very non-confrontational-looking girl into a semi-less non-confrontational-looking girl.  Noa was hardened by her life in the in foster care system and on her own.  She was admirable and her determination was solid.

And can we just take a moment here to admire the cover?  I love it!  So original and creepy.

Every character, I felt, that was introduced were all dimensional.  Nobody was flat and they all brought different personalities into the story, making me connect with them.  And I will say this, that connection ran deep for me with some of the characters, fortunately but unfortunately.

Story wise, I also enjoyed it!  It was filled to the brim with mystery and bad guys with plenty of action to keep the book moving at a healthy pace.  And the position that Noa was put in would have made me break down and cry with all of the stress.  I don't consider myself a baby, but--geez-- I would not have been able to handle all the things that happened in the book as flawlessly as Noa.

My only issue I had with this book was the lack of romance.  Usually when a book doesn't have romance in it, I don't mind.  It's no biggie.  I think that YA needs some books that don't include romance in it because not all teenagers have flings or find their true love at sixteen.  But for some reason, I was shipping Peter and Noa--hard.  And nothing really went on.  What I'm really hoping for is that in the next book there be a little more something-something.  I mean, this isn't a deal breaker or anything, but it was just one of those things.

And I might as well add that I thought Peter was such a sweetheart.  I liked his character.

Don't Turn Around was a thrilling story about a boy and a girl trying to escape the grasp of evil hands.  Never a dull moment, the story was written, and the adventuring duo created.  Don't Turn Around was masterfully written, bringing readers into a world full of the Evil and the Underdogs.  If you're interested in exciting thrillers, Don't Turn Around is the one for you.

Slide by Jill Hathaway

The 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 distant lately, 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.


My Thoughts:
Thanks to the author herself, I was given a copy of this book.  Thank you, awesome author!

I wouldn't have put this book at the top of my TBR pile, but I was quite curious about it.  It was a short read and the murder/mystery aspect of the book kept me glued to it all day, and I finished it in one sitting. 

Vee was sometimes a difficult character for me to relate to.  She wasn't very confrontational, and although I'm not either, when something involves murder, I would try my best to somehow get the cops to handle the situation.  However, there wouldn't be much of a book, then, if she just went to the cops in the first place.  And when you've got a best friend that's willing to be with you every step of the way, I'd make sure that I did drag my friend with me.  First of all, murder is scary, and I would not enjoy doing the detective work alone, especially if I had these 'narcoleptic' fits where I witness the murder. 

However, what gave this book macho brownie points was this overall idea that it could have been anyone.  It could have been a teacher, a student, anyone.  And that was super creepy.  I also really enjoyed how it wasn't all about solving the murder for Vee.  She had her sister to take care of, a father to deal with, and a certain cutie pie that just moved to her school.  All of those elements created a thrilling quick read.  I liked that.

The best thing that Hathaway did with this book, though, was that she made it real.  No joke!  I can't tell you how many books I've read where the MCs go to school and it's like nothing ever happens there.  Kids are mean.  Kids are bullies.  Kids are cruel.  And although I've never been bullied or been subject to the many eyes of judging kids, a lot of other kids do.  It was refreshing, almost, to see how much school was incorporated into the book.

Slide was a gripping tale about an unsuspecting girl that has the potential to save lives.  The mystery and creepy edge to the story kept me glued to the pages.  Honestly, I wouldn't want the book to be longer than it was because Slide happened to be fun-sized--cute, awesome, and sparkling.

And did you hear???  There's going to be a second book!  It's called Impostor.  It comes out next year.

Happy reading everyone!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

I'M ALIVE!!!


I feel that this gif accurately depicts how happy and thankful I am that things turned out relatively okay here.  My cat (incidentally, her name is Sandy) wreaked havoc upon the coast and luckily, my house was left pretty unscathed, besides a monster tree that fell in my backyard.  And even though my all the streets to my house flooded, my home didn't flood.  Unfortunately, my cat took out the power for about a day and a half, but then also took out my cable so I had no WiFi, which then led to no WoW post this week or the discussion post I was planning on, or any reviews whatsoever.

But I have internet now! (as in I just got it back today!)  And this all makes me very, very, very happy.  Hence the flailing.  So, everybody, be prepared for lots of reviews!  There will be many.

~A very alive Millie

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