Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Summary (from Goodreads):

An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train and sets off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House ( and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.

A trio of today's bestselling authors - John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle- brings all the magic of the holidays to life in three hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away.

Review:

I seriously have no idea what took me so long to get to this one. I know I bought it years ago, after discovering John Green and already knowing I loved Maureen Johnson. I really enjoy Lauren Myracle’s work too. Maybe it was the idea of the book being divided into 3 parts that was off-putting for me. I knew it would feel like I was not getting enough from some of my favorite writers. Though, that is crazy…I loved the three parts and I loved how nicely everything connected.

All the stories are linked by one, giant snowstorm. And I loved how characters from one story would pop up in others. It was super interesting to get more perspectives on particular situations and romances than you initially get. The first story (by Maureen) was about a girl on the train that crashes. She’s upset to not be spending Christmas with her boyfriend. Her parents were actually arrested due to a mob at a certain Christmas decoration store and she was on the train to her grandparents for Christmas.

On the train are also a large group of cheerleaders coming back from an important competition. And the cheerleaders are a focal point for the second story (John Green’s story), where a bunch of guys and one girl –named the Duke, are off on the ultimate race to make it to the cheerleaders before anyone else does. The girl from the first story comes to realize how much of a jerk her boyfriend is, while she falls for a guy who rescues her from the cheerleader party. John Green’s story is about two friends falling for each other. And then the third story is about a barista who used to date someone who was on the same train. Her story is about coming to terms with herself and growing up, and possibly trying to get her super sweet boyfriend back.

As you can probably induce from this, the book was a little cheesy. There was a lot of romance. And there was a lot of classic holiday romantic comedy moments. However, the cheese factor didn’t bother me. I mostly read the whole thing as super adorable. What made it adorable versus cliché, were the remarkably real and flawed characters.

There’s the boy who was heartbroken from a cheating ex who was more than aware of other people dating bad people. There’s the girl who comes to realize that she deserves more than the few minute phone calls from her boyfriend during times of emergency. There’s the girl who really sees how she makes everything about herself, and sometimes forgets to notice how everyone else is doing. There’s the boy who finally notices that his best friend is a girl, a girl with more interesting characteristics than any of the cheerleaders he’s talked to. And there’s the girl willing to do anything for her crush/best friend, including driving in a blizzard to meet cheerleaders.

It’s clear that all three writers excel at character development. Who didn’t know this already? They also all know how to write some amazing YA romance. I laughed a lot while reading this. I loved the characters’ relationships with their families. I learned about teacup pigs and waffle houses. And I was a little sad when it was over. I can’t really come up with anything negative to say here. I just loved it.

If you’re looking for something adorable to read or something to get you to forget about climbing summer temperatures, this is the book for you. I loved every moment of it. It gets a 10/10 from me.

Waiting on Wednesday (97)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on The Boy Who Lost Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente (3/3/15):

 
Description on Goodreads:

When a young troll named Hawthorn is stolen from Fairyland by the Golden Wind, he becomes a changeling – a human boy -- in the strange city of Chicago, a place no less bizarre and magical than Fairyland when seen through trollish eyes. Left with a human family, Hawthorn struggles with his troll nature and his changeling fate. But when he turns twelve, he stumbles upon a way back home, to a Fairyland much changed from the one he remembers. Hawthorn finds himself at the center of a changeling revolution--until he comes face to face with a beautiful young Scientiste with very big, very red assistant.

Time magazine has praised Catherynne M. Valente's Fairyland books as "one of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century." In this fourth installment of her saga, Valente 's wisdom and wit will charm readers of all ages.

Why I’m Waiting:

I had no idea there would be more books! A friend of mine just alerted me to this fourth installment, and I jumped up and down with joy. Seriously, the series is wonderful. There’s nothing out there quite like it. And I’m not sure why it’s not hyped a million times more than it is. Also, it sounds like there will be some new, interesting characters in this one. I love the cover. I like that it’s consistent with the rest of the series even though it sounds like there is a different main character. And normally a different main character would annoy me, but I’m just so happy there will be more books that I can’t even bother to be annoyed.

What are you waiting on this week?

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

Review:

This was one of my top 3 books I had to get my hands on at BEA. Thank you Scholastic for dropping these ARC’s. I waited in an unofficial line for an hour to be able to pick up this copy. And it was worth every second of line-waiting. It comes out at the beginning of July, so no one has much longer to wait, but still…I needed this book.

This sounds weird, but every time I read a Maggie Stiefvater book, I forget how unbelievably talented a writer Maggie Stiefvater is. Like how does a person forget this? Does my brain under-praise her so then when I get to her next novel, it will be even better than expected? Seriously, every time I pick up one of her books, I have to read certain passages out loud to myself. Her writing is just that good. Her characters are fascinatingly real.

I thought I was done with these characters. But, clearly I wasn’t. And clearly Maggie wasn’t either. And then of course I got into the book further, and I was like, “how can I ever be sick of Cole and Isabel?” Along with the rest of the world, they were my favorite characters from the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. They are both such complex people. They are flawed in such obvious ways. Both have lost someone important to them. Cole was known for wanting to always escape his pain with substances and then with being a wolf. And Isabel was all about hiding her pain –coming off as kind of a terrible person, but at least a terrible person who didn’t show emotion.

I thought it would be hard remembering things because it has been so long since I’ve said goodbye to this werewolf series. But, I guess with excellent characters, it’s not hard to remember things. They speak, they live, they feel, and it’s like I was never apart from them. Maggie Stiefvater writes characters in a way that makes you feel like you are never really apart from them. I feel like I know them. I wish I knew them for real. And I certainly feel everything they feel. It wasn’t hard to get into the story, and I never really felt like I couldn’t remember something important.

This definitely read more like a contemporary though than a werewolf novel. The wolf thing is a part of it; how can it not be? But, I feel like it’s a small part. It’s more about coming to terms with loss and finding love. And the love/chemistry between Cole and Isabel is so ridiculously strong. I found myself smiling at every scene that involved the two of them together –even the hard to read scenes that were painful and sad.

It’s so easy to ship these two. I so badly needed them to be happy. And while I loved the side characters in this story (like the rest of the band and Sofia), no one could hold my focus like the two stars. There’s some interesting stuff that happens plot-wise. There’s a reality tv show, a scary fire, some family drama, a lot of dark snip bits about Cole’s past, some references to other loved characters from the earlier series, parties, and pain. But, like a lot of other books by this author, this was more of a character-based story than an action-based one.

I really got inside Cole’s and Isabel’s heads. And if I didn’t love them before, I certainly do now. This book is for everyone who wanted more Cole and Isabel. It’s for people who like character driven stories. It’s for people who love exquisite writing. And it’s for people who don’t mind a little darkness with their romance. I give it a 10/10. And I know I will need to own all the books this writer will write. I’m so glad for this chance I had to get to know Isabel and Cole better.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Summary (from Goodreads):

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

Review:

This was such an amazing surprise of a great book! I knew I’d like it because there are so man good reviews for it. And I’ve owned it for a long time. It’s on my reading challenge list of the year because it kept getting pushed to the end of my TBR lists, and I’m so glad I finally read it and put it at the front of my list. The only problem now is that I want to read the rest of the series, and I won’t have time to for a while. But still, it’s so good.

The book is kind of this smorgasbord of all cool YA themes: there’s mind-reading, feminism, talking animals, a creepy mystery, lots of discovering everything you knew about the world was wrong moments, war, kidnappings, fight scenes, important books, family drama, other worldly travel, aliens, and plenty of growing up. Seriously, just when I decided something like, “Oh, this is one of those dystopias,” I’d change my mind and declare it fantasy. And then after a while, it becomes sci-fi to the extreme. And despite all these fantastical elements, it never became too unbelievable. Like all good dystopias, it seems so real; like it’s possible the world can turn out this way (though I very much hope that it never does).

The whole concept of a world where men always know what everyone else is thinking and there’s never any quiet, is so completely terrifying. I love the idea that women’s mind’s are unreadable (once we know there are women alive out there –I’m not spoiling; this happens in the beginning). I also loved the writing style. Nothing is info-dumped on the reader. The reader is actually responsible for figuring out some things for him/her self. I called the biggest mystery only because I have read a lot of other dystopias. On the other hand, there were smaller details I didn’t guess. And I loved not guessing these things.

Todd is both the typical and also not so typical main character. He’s typical in his goodness. He can’t kill people (even the bad ones who attack his family and friends and then try to kill him). He does what his family asks of him even though he has no idea what is going on for a lot of the story. He wants to help his new friend, Viola, even though he knows nothing about her.

On the other hand, Todd can be selfish. He complains a lot. He swears. He judges people before knowing them. He never thinks of his dog before he thinks of himself. He’s terrible at lying and keeping thoughts to himself, even thoughts about how his world has not been kind to women. And his dialect is annoying…I had to throw that in. There is a definite slang to the language he speaks and lots of misspellings done on purpose that I never officially got over. But, all of Todd’s flaws (except maybe his language) add to his charm for me. I liked that despite all these things, he’s probably the nicest character in the book.

Nothing is easy for Todd, ever. Between the deaths left and right, the running for his life constantly, the starving, the fighting, the bruises, the losses, and the life-altering realizations he never really has a moment of peace. And this made for some highly entertaining plot devices. This book is action-packed. It read like a mixture of a Stephen King novel, a Veronica Roth novel, and The Giver.  I honestly do not know how better to describe it than by making those comparisons.

I enjoyed the book from start to finish. It’s filled with tons of action, a never boring plot, and lots of twists and turns. The characters are wonderful. The world is terrifying. There’s pieces of fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, and even contemporary YA in it. There is some weird language stuff I was not the biggest fan of, but still I give it a 10/10.

A Good Week in Books (77)

I had a nice little book week! All weeks seem small after the books a girl brings home from BEA. However, I had my eyes on all three of these little gems, so I’m still very excited. Thank you, Macmillan Kids and Disney Hyperion for these gorgeous finished books to review.

My Last Kiss by Bethany Neal
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

How was your book week?

Series Giveaway (Unforgotten)

I’m in the process of attempting to make more shelf space. And I have a great series to give away (to my US followers). Keep coming back this month for more giveaways; I have a feeling I will have a lot more books to giveaway soon.

Any way, I’m giving away these two hard covers:

Unforgotten by Jessica Brody

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Standard rules apply. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with a shipping address, or I will have to randomly select a different winner. This contest is only open to US followers because I’m shipping the books myself.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Waiting on Wednesday (96)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson (3/5/15):

Description (from Goodreads):

At the end of Maureen Johnson’s New York Times bestselling novel, The Madness Underneath, Rory, Callum and Boo are reeling from the sudden and tragic death of their friend and squad leader, Stephen. The Shadow Cabinet picks up where readers left off, and now Rory is convinced there must be a way to bring Stephen back. Meanwhile, new dangers arise: Rory's classmate Charlotte is missing, and Jane and her nefarious organization are clearly planning something big—with Rory as their most valuable asset. Time is running out as the ghost squad struggles to protect London and Rory fights to bring Stephen back. 

Why I’m Waiting:

Honestly, I will be waiting on all Maureen Johnson books, always. I love her books. But I particularly love these books! They take place in London. There’s ghosts. There’s a kick-butt girl main character who I love. There are wonderful characters, just enough mystery, and all the good kinds of Maureen Johnson type teen drama. I find the covers kind of boring, but oh well; you can’t win everything. It’s hard to believe that it won’t be out till 2015!

What are you waiting on this week?

The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Summary (from Goodreads):

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Review:

Kimberly Derting has got the whole suspenseful romance thing down! I kind of loved the romance in this one (even though it involves the younger brother of the main character’s ex…) Seriously, Derting made what could have been the most awkward romance ever, just sizzle. It was so sweet seeing a guy earn the love of his long-time crush. Seriously, I found the chalk drawings so charming.

On the other hand, I wasn’t as big a fan of the plot as I wanted to be. It didn’t help that I have recently read a couple of books with similar plot lines. One book was about a girl in a coma who wakes up years later to a dysfunctional family and her boyfriend and best friend dating each other. Another book was one where the main character comes back after a traumatic experience she doesn’t remember. So, I was feeling a little done with this storyline before I even started it.

I guess I would have accepted the plotline if there was more action and more differences from other books I’ve read. The action didn’t really start much until the last ¾ of the book. And when it started, it was awesome. There was just a little too much typical YA stuff beforehand. I wanted more alien stuff, or more problems with the government earlier on. Though, I get the author not wanting to reveal too much –keeping the main character in the dark.

I did love the concept. It ended with a bit of an X-Files feel. And how cool is a YA X-Files book? There was just a little too much cliché, done before elements taking up the beginning of the book.  And wow, her ex was such a jerk! I can’t believe after everything they shared that he wasn’t more confused about his feelings or at least more considerate for Kyra’s.

I never quite liked Kyra as much as I wanted to. I like that she was a softball player. But, I kind of wish that softball was more of a thing for her when she came back and less of something that took the back burner to coping with life. I feel like that could have remained important to her. I did like the guy. I like that it was the guy encouraging the girl to read (instead of vice versa). I like that he took her to a bookstore. And I like that he believed her, even when her mother didn’t.

All in all, I read this super fast. I loved the guy and the romance. I wished the plot had more action in it earlier on. And I wished it didn’t remind me so much of other books I have recently read. I liked how things ended. And I’m dying to know where things go for certain characters, so I will definitely keep reading the series. I give it a 7/10.

Amulet: Escape from Lucien (book 6) by Kazu Kibuishi

Summary (from Goodreads):

Emily, Navin, and their friends continue to battle the Elf King in hopes of destroying him forever, but one of his most loyal followers, Max, isn't making it easy for them. The crew journeys to Lucien, a city that's been ravaged by the war. Emily has more enemies there than she realizes -- and it'll take everything she's got to get herself and her friends out of the city alive.

Review:

I have an ARC of this one (Thank you Scholastic booth at BEA). This was actually one of my most anticipated ARC’s. I flipped out when I saw this. And while I’m so grateful to have read this super early, I do still think I will need to read a finished copy because a lot of the ARC is gray-scaled, and just so not as cool.

However, even though more than half of the ARC was in black and white, it was still beautiful. The worlds this author/artists can come up with are all just so fascinating and gorgeous to look at. Also, the story is getting so good! I particularly appreciated that Navin had a good portion of the book for his adventures. Navin goes to school with other kids learning to be soldiers and pilots. And no one believes that he is as good as others say he is.

Of course Navin proves everyone wrong, on a mission gone wrong. He and some friends (other students) crash into what looks like an abandoned world, taken over by shadow monsters. Emily is on a mission of her own with Max. There’s underground worlds, old friends, new friends, secrets revealed, more elf knowledge revealed, and plenty of more adventure! Also, my new favorite character was the elf girl mayor; really, she is so cool.

I’m not 100% sure how many books of the series there will be (10?), but I know there is a colossal fight scene in this works between Emily (along with the other stonekeepers) and the evil elf king. I also have a feeling that evil elf king is actually someone we’ve already met. He’s been in a creepy mask the whole time. And we know already that something happened to the evil king a long time ago. Can he really be someone else? I have so much speculation about something that probably isn’t even that important. But, oh well. That’s what I do.

I sadly now have an even longer wait for book 7. I’m really excited to see how the story continues. I can’t wait to see more worlds, and more panoramic views. This one gets a 10/10 again. I’m just loving these books.

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Summary (from Goodreads):

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Review:

I’ve been reading these books for the last seven years. There are a lot of different opinions out there about the books, the (bad) movie, the author, etc. And I get why people feel the way they do about all of it. But, for me, I can’t get enough!

Seriously, these books are my drug. I was debating not making any plans this weekend so I could pleasantly stay home and do nothing but read this. I even texted a friend of mine, “This book owns me.” Cassandra Clare’s books have this way of hooking me in and not letting me go. There’s nothing that I can seriously put my finger on for why this is the case. There are definitely better books out there. I just get so addicted. And I guess, I just absolutely adore all the characters.

On a side note, this book is enormous! It’s hit Harry Potter proportions -725 pages. Considering that it still only took me a few days to read really says something. At first I was upset that Cassandra Clare continued the series after City of Glass. Book 4 was kind of a disappointment. Book 5 brought back my crazy addictive reading habits. And I knew this one would be the same way. Clare can certainly write an interesting ending.

The story continued right after the previous book ended. There’s a whole new set of interesting characters, who immediately, of course, have to suffer. The new characters (children) endure the first Sebastian attack and watch their loved ones all turn into the Endarkened (shadowhunters that look like their former selves but actually are entirely dead inside except for the capability of following Sebastian’s orders). And Sebastian doesn’t stop with the L.A. institute (where the kids are). He attacks institutes all over the world. He even goes after downworlders (like the werewolf headquarters in NYC).

There is a lot of death and war in this one. There’s werewolf pack leader battles, mass downworlder kidnappings, demon dimenions, heavenly fire (trapped in Jace), crazy weapons, sizzling romance, great sacrifice, supernatural betrayals, and plenty of drama. There were also tons of tie-ins with Cassandra Clare’s other works. Characters from her other series made cameos and certainly had a lot of mentions. A lot more is learned about Magnus (and I finally understand the roots of The Bane Chronicles). The codex is important through out the whole book. And little snip bits from books as far back as City of Bones are thrown in, tying it all together rather nicely.

It looks as though the new characters (kids) I fell in love with will be getting their own series next. And I know people give Clare a lot of angst about not writing anything out of the same universe. But, I don’t care. I will read those books. I will read more about Magnus too. The characters are just so loveable. I’ve even come to love characters I initially thought I wouldn’t like. I initially hated Alec and Isabelle. And now I feel like I’d go down fighting for them.

I did find some of the resolution with Sebastian to be rather abrupt. After all that he did, I was hoping for a bit more drama/action than I received at the end. However, he was my least favorite character (and not just because he was evil), so I can’t really complain too much. I found everything involving the fairies in this one to be utterly fascinating and I cannot wait to see where things go with this.

There was some cheesy romance/reunions at the end and normally this would result in an eye roll from me, but in this case, with all the stuff thrown at them, I appreciated the cheese factor awarded to the characters. I’m genuinely happy with how things ended. Clare did a nice job of tying different elements from all the books together. The action and romance were just so much fun to read. The characters have really gotten to the point where I think of them as old friends. And the new characters will eventually come to be that for me too. I give this book and this series a 10/10. It’s been a grand seven years.

BEA Goodies Giveaways!

Time for some giveaways! The first one will be for US followers only (because I will be shipping the books personally). The second one is open to everyone (international followers, welcome!)

If you’ve seen my last “A Good Week in Books” post, you know I brought home a lot of books from BEA last week. The first giveaway (for US followers only) is for these two books:

Lux: Beginnings by Jennifer L. Armentrout
(This book is autographed! And if you’re not familiar with the author, know that this book is a combination of the first two books in the Lux series: Obsidian and Onyx)

Sway by Kat Spears
(This is an ARC of a super cute sounding contemporary that comes out in September)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway number two (open to anyone that the Book Depository or Amazon or Barnes and Noble can ship to –International followers welcome!) is for your choice of any of the two books I brought home last week. Most of the books are not out yet. If the book(s) you want are not out yet, I will pre-order them for you. If I can’t pre-order yet, I will add the title(s) to my cart/write it down to check every week until I can pre-order for you. Here’s a list of books to choose from. Please pick two:

Clariel by Garth Nix
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Breaking Butterflies by M. Angelais
The 8^th Continent by Matt London
Tape by Steven Camden
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
The Yeti Files by Kevin Sherry
Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George
Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson
Amuelt: Escape from Lucien (book 6) by Kazu Kibuishi
Deadly Curiosities by Gail Z. Martin
Sublime by Christina Lauren
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
Lux Beginnings by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Throne of Bones and Frost Born by Lou Anders
Gabriel Finley and the Raven’s Riddle by George Hagen
Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future by A.S. King
On a Clear Day by Walter Dean Meyers
Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes
Sway by Kat Spears
Falling into Place by Amy Zhang
Nest by Esther Ehrilich
Chloe by Design: Making the Cut by Margaret Gurevich
Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle
The Swap by Megan Shull
Bombay Blues by Tanuja Desai Hidier
Dork Diaries (1) by Rachel Renee Russell
Landline by Rainbow Rowell
The Key that Swallowed Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos
Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer
The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O’Brien
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Love is the Drug by Alaya Dawn Johnson
After the End by Amy Plum

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Standard Rules Apply. Winners have 48 hours to respond to my email with their shipping addresses. If I don’t hear back within 2 days, I’ll have to randomly select a different winner. The first giveaway is for US followers only. The second giveaway is open to everyone!

Good luck! Thanks for stopping by. I actually have more giveaways coming up soon too! So, so many books.

Waiting on Wednesday (95)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray (11/4/14):

 
Description on Goodreads:

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

Why I’m Waiting:

First off, look at that cover! It is so pretty. Second, it’s “…Every Day meets Cloud Atlas.” How cool does this story sound? I absolutely love YA books that deal with other dimensions. We need more of them. I’m don’t remember loving the vampire series this author wrote, but I don’t remember hating it either. I’m anxious to give the author a new start. And I know a lot of bloggers that really like her too.

What are you waiting on this week?

Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Summary (from Goodreads):

From Rob Thomas, the creator of the television series and movie phenomenon Veronica Mars, comes the first book in a thrilling mystery series that picks up where the feature film left off.

Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is no simple missing person’s case; the house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.

In Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas has created a groundbreaking female detective who’s part Phillip Marlowe, part Nancy Drew, and all snark. With its sharp plot and clever twists, The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Review:

This was the book I took with me to NYC. I read it on my train rides to BEA and I read it while in line to meet authors. Four different people (at different times) asked me if I picked up the book at the conference. Clearly, Rob Thomas should have made an appearance at BEA…

I need to say I’m a hardcore fan of this tv show. I backed the kick starter for the making of the movie. I even received my digital copy of the movie the day it hit theaters. I have watched and re-watched the show enough times to quote it. That being said, I was not quite sure what to expect with the book series.

I had to own it, of course. I bought it as soon as it came out. And I certainly enjoyed it. Did it hold the same level of snark, dark humor, intelligence, and awesomeness of the show? No. Did this matter to me? A little. I guess I’m at the point where I will take any form or medium that is this show. I will take more movies, more episodes, more writing. Frankly, it’s such an amazing story, with some of the best characters out there. More is good.

I do feel like the writers were almost trying too hard to make Veronica sound just like she did in the show. And, well this didn’t work so much for me. One of the coolest things about the show was that Veronica was always tying in new jokes, new one-liners, and new references to other things. This book didn’t have so much new, and instead had a lot of repeated one liners from the past…I think Veronica, being as smart as she is, and as fresh and snarky too, would have come up with a few new things to say since highschool and college.

I was also slightly disappointed that Veronica wasn’t smarter…I was so looking forward to being inside her head. The show and movie could go from one scene to the next without having to explain what Veronica was thinking, and this made the girl seem almost super hero smart. Cause I would constantly go, “Oh! How did she think of that?” And I was constantly wondering what was going on in her fast paced brain. Now, I finally have a chance to see what the girl is thinking, and there’s nothing too amazing in my opinion. The book kind of did the skipping to the next moment thing a lot, like the show did, but in book format, it just didn’t work as well.

Also, couldn’t the series have started once Logan returned from his term away? I seriously missed him. And like with the book idea, I’d take any form of Logan (book, movie, tv show, daydream, etc.).

I found the mystery to be really good. They threw in the cartel! And I felt like I was referring back to some old Breaking Bad knowledge I have stored away.  I found the whole thing with Veronica’s mom to fit in really well. I also kind of loved how things tied together or didn’t tie together with past mysteries. I loved the role Mac played in the investigating. And I loved Veronica’s dad’s relationship with Wallace. Really, there are just so many interesting, and real characters here.

The story read quickly. The mystery was addicting. It was wonderful getting to see so many past characters. It frankly was just wonderful to get any more Veronica Mars in any way possible. However, I felt like the book could have been a little fresher and newer. I wish it didn’t repeat so many old things. I also wish Veronica came off as a little more intelligent/gifted than she did. I wanted more Logan too. I had a lot of fun reading it and I will most definitely continue to read more if they are written. I give it a 7/10.

A Good Week in Books (76) BEA 2014 Edition

I have been a bit MIA this week. I left for New York last Wednesday, got back Monday, and have been working and reading since. I was at BEA Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (for Book Con). Sunday, I went with some good friends to go see Wicked –cause why not end the week with an awesome Broadway play?

BEA was insane. I met so many cool bloggers, authors, publishers, editors, booksellers, and book lovers. I even met a book cover designer (!) who designed some really cool YA that I know and love. There really is something magical about being at a giant conference filled with people who will not judge you for your obsession with the written word. Seriously, everyone leaves BEA with bags of free books and no one really judges.

I went to some amazing panels too. I heard Kathy Reichs, Jodi Picoult, David Mitchell, Cary Elwes, Veronica Roth, Danielle Page, Alaya Dawn Johnson, and Marie Lu speak. I got the scoop on all the upcoming Children’s, Middle Grade, and YA titles.

I met up with friends from the year before! I met up with library school friends. And believe it or not, I also tracked down a bookstore. I’ve been wanting to go to a particular children’s bookstore in NYC (Books of Wonder) for the longest time, so I did, and got even more books…Thank you, Emma, for going along!

I have books signed by Caragh M. O’Brien, Scott Westerfeld, Amy Plum, A.S. King, Philip and Erin Stead, Mem Fox, David Wiesner, Garth Nix, Sarah J. Maas, Gail Z. Martin, Christina Lauren, Kresley Cole, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Danielle Page, Jack Gantos, and Garth Nix. I also had David Mitchell sign my conference program, cause why not?

Before I go through all the books, I did also receive some books the week leading up to BEA (one I pre-ordered, and the other two are courtesy of Macmillan!)

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva

I also picked up some amazing tote bags, and a little bit of swag! The rolled up posters went to my library already (they were for the new Amulet book and the new Raina Telgemeire book).

Besides Mr. Wuffles! By David Wiesner and Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page (which I got from the awesome bookstore) all the books listed and pictured below came to me free from BEA:

Mr. Wuffles! By David Wiesner
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip and Erin Stead
The Scarecrow’s Wedding by Julia Donaldson
Baby Bedtime by Mem Fox

Clariel by Garth Nix
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Breaking Butterflies by M. Angelais
The 8^th Continent by Matt London
Tape by Steven Camden
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
The Yeti Files by Kevin Sherry
Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George
Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson
Amuelt: Escape from Lucien (book 6) by Kazu Kibuishi
Deadly Curiosities by Gail Z. Martin
Sublime by Christina Lauren
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
Lux Beginnings by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Throne of Bones and Frost Born by Lou Anders
Gabriel Finley and the Raven’s Riddle by George Hagen
Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future by A.S. King
On a Clear Day by Walter Dean Meyers
Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes
Sway by Kat Spears
Falling into Place by Amy Zhang
Nest by Esther Ehrilich
Chloe by Design: Making the Cut by Margaret Gurevich
Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle
The Swap by Megan Shull
Bombay Blues by Tanuja Desai Hidier
Dork Diaries (1) by Rachel Renee Russell
Landline by Rainbow Rowell
The Key that Swallowed Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos
Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer
The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O’Brien
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Love is the Drug by Alaya Dawn Johnson
After the End by Amy Plum

And here are the lovely autographs (the last one is the book con booklet signed by David Mitchell):

 

 

And I think I will end this super long post with some pictures by the Cassandra Clare wall (which actually served as a really great meeting spot). Casey, if you’re reading this, I just had to share the picture of you too! It like was our wall.

Amulet: Prince of the Elves (book 5) by Kazu Kibuishi

Summary (from Goodreads):

Emily survived the chaos of the Guardian Academy, but Max Griffin has stolen the Mother Stone. With it, the Elf King forges new Amulets that will give him the power to invade and destroy the nation of Windsor. Emily and her friends lead the soldiers of the Cielis Guard in a fight to stop him, but Max stands in their way. And when she seeks information from the Voice of her Amulet, she discovers that the Voice is much more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

Review:

Again, I am blown away by this artwork. It is just so pretty. The details of the landscapes and the panoramic views of this crazy world are always my favorite pictures.

What Kibuishi has become so skilled at is his ability to only release tidbits of information at a time, while continuing to surprise you. I like not knowing all there is to the stone, and learning more with each book. I also like getting to know certain characters better in later installments. This book certainly painted Max in a completely different light. It’s always nice getting to know why bad characters behave the way they do.

I was also glad to see more of a role for Emily’s brother. He doesn’t get a lot of spotlight in all of the books. And I find him particularly interesting. I still want to know more about why everyone just thinks of him as a commander. Also, the ships/robots/creations in this one were insane! I could easily recommend these books to Star Wars fans because of these futuristic machines.

It was also super interesting to be able to learn more about the elf characters. I felt bad for the group’s elf components from the beginning. They don’t even get to have much color to their illustrations. No one likes them. They have such a bad rep because of the king. But, it’s clear that the elves traveling with Emily are not like the king at all. And one of the things that impressed me right away about Emily’s brother was his affection for them, and his ability to see beyond what everyone else does.

It’s hard to talk about these books without giving away too much of the story. So, I’m cutting myself off from plot-chatting. However, know that with each book the artwork gets more amazing, the characters get more interesting, and the plot definitely twists and turns in unexpected aways. I love that this book can surprise you and I don’t feel like I already have all the answers. I can’t recommend this series enough. This book gets a 10/10. I can’t wait to start the ARC I picked up at BEA!