February 28, 2013

Review: Article 5 by: Kristen Simmons

Article 5 by: Kristen Simmons (2012)
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates Book
362 pages
Genre: YA/Dystopian/Romance

Goodreads Summary: New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned. The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My Review

My first thoughts: I will read the second book in this series. I have grown to really love these characters and I want to see how their lives play out. Although this was not a great dystopian novel, there were some issues I had with it, it was still really enjoyable.

In my last review I complained about how boring the first part of the novel was and how there was too much background information. Well this book was the exact opposite. The novel started off with a bang. There was no shortage of action and I loved it. BUT, and I hate to have to say this, there was not nearly enough information about how the U.S. came to be such a horrid place. The author only briefly mentioned a war that lead to the new articles everyone must follow, but there wasn't any detail. And this my friend was frustrating. To really fully immerge myself in a book I want to know about the world I am stepping into. I think I could have given this book a higher rating if it would have been better formed. I will say that the Articles hit on a lot of interesting controversial social subjects, but they were not emphasized enough besides the article Ember gets in trouble for.  It makes me sad because I wanted to give this book a higher rating. Although you don’t technically need the hard core details, I’m one of those readers that likes to know.

The characters are enjoyable and I may have once again fallen in love with a fictional male character, Chase.  I love Chase’s complex character. I not only wanted to hug him and smack him at the same time but I wanted to applaud him for fighting and doing the best he can. It takes a while for Ember, the female lead, to really understand what it means to fight to survive and she comes off as weak at times. Don't worry though, she gets better. The chemistry between Ember and Chase is wonderfully perfect. It helps that this wasn't insta-love, this was best friends that turned into more over time.  The flashbacks really showed off their relationship even more. I know there was a focus on the love story in this dystopian book instead of always the bad government, but I enjoyed the change. These two characters may have their ups and downs and some may get frustrated by this, but I thought it seemed appropriate for their situation.

I love a book with a lot of action and this one lived up to those expectations. I was always wondering what danger was lurking around the next corner.  It kept me glued to the pages.

So as you can see I have mixed feelings about this book, but I liked it enough that I will keep reading the series and suggest that others should take a chance at it. If anything I want to see where the author will take this story in the next book. I’m giving it a shot with an open mind. Luckily the second book just came out so I don’t have to wait long.

In the end, if you don’t delve too deep in breaking down the world Simmons created, you will really enjoy this book. 

RATING 4/5   Buy Article 5
10 comments
February 26, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday #5: Top Ten Authors That I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish. Here are the top ten authors that if money wasn't a problem I would automatically buy because I love these authors so much I wouldn't care what type of books they published. I do normally auto-read these authors by getting the books from the library, if only I could really afford to buy them all!


1. Deborah Harkness - I fell in love with A Discovery of Witches.
2. Rick Riordan - I already own The Percy Jackson series, the Kane Chronicles, and the Heroes of Olympus, and therefore I'm pretty sure if money wasn't a problem I would always keep on buying his books. Let's be honest, I probably will keep buying them no matter what anyway.
3. J.K. Rowling - I already technically have this author on my auto buy list. Who else bought The Casual Vacancy just because she was the one who wrote it?
4. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games. I believe that is all I need to say.
5. Michelle Hodkin - I fell in love with the Mara Dyer series and I'm really hoping for a lot more by this author. 
6. Veronica Roth - Give me more!
7. Nicholas Sparks - I know many think his books are repetitive, and they may be, but ever since I was younger and read my first Nicholas Sparks book I always seem to read every new one that comes out.
8. Cate Tiernan - I was a fan back in 2001 when I got my hands on her Sweep series and I have enjoyed her books ever since.
9. Meg Cabot - Princess Diaries grabbed my heart and I've enjoyed several of her other series. I wish I could own them all.
10. James Patterson - His books can be hit or miss but I still gravitate towards them.

I think sometimes I stick too much to the authors I feel comfortable with. I really should branch out more, but I love what I love.

What authors do/would you have on your auto-buy list? 
22 comments
February 25, 2013

ARC Review: Family Pictures by: Jane Green

Family Pictures by: Jane Green (March 19, 2013)
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
344 pages
Genre: Fiction/Family/Friendships/Secrets

goodreads Summary: New York Times bestseller Jane Green delivers a riveting novel about two women whose lives intersect when a shocking secret is revealed.

From the author of Another Piece of My Heart comes the gripping story of two women who live on opposite coasts but whose lives are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Both women are wives and mothers to children who are about to leave the nest for school. They're both in their forties and have husbands who travel more than either of them would like. They are both feeling an emptiness neither had expected. But when a shocking secret is exposed, their lives are blown apart. As dark truths from the past reveal themselves, will these two women be able to learn to forgive, for the sake of their children, if not for themselves?

My Review

I was not a fan of the first quarter of the book. It just didn’t do anything for me. I was kind of bored and nothing major was really happening with the plot. Sure we got to find out a little bit more about the characters, but I don’t think we needed such a long character introduction. To put it simply, nothing was happening and that is why it took me about a week to read this one book. However, when it got good... it got really good. Well, that was about the only thing negative I have to say about this book so let’s move on and I’ll tell you about its awesomeness.

This book is told from multiple view points, the mothers and children.  Although I’m not a huge fan of this strategy I felt that in this case it was done really well. The only times it became frustrating of course was when there was something big happening with one character, but then the next chapter was the view point of a completely different character, making small somewhat infuriating cliffhangers inside of the book. Yet, it kept me on my toes.

The two main women and their children were overall really interesting characters. You really felt for them, they seemed so real thanks to Green’s skills as a writer. One of the women was a little stuck up in an unbearable way, but she changes. When dealing with such a big life changing event (you must read the book to find out what this is!) the author did a wonderful job at showing the character's growth in a believable way.

I also want to congratulate Green on making the plot twists, for the most part, come out of nowhere. I love when I’m reading a book and something so dramatic happens that I must stop for a minute, ask myself “Did that just happen?” and re-read a couple of pages to make sure that it in fact did just happen before I can move on. There was a moment like this in the book and I think it was done exceptionally well. Who doesn’t love a good shocking revelation? Just a heads up: I know some of the other reviews of this book said the exact opposite, they said they knew what the plot twist was right at the beginning, but I believe that the reason I didn't see it coming was because I don’t read a lot of books in this genre.

I know my review seems a little vague but I don’t want to give any of the plot twists away. So basically I’m telling you that you should read it. You may struggle a little at first, but you will be rewarded if you stick with it. For fans of a well written story about family and friendship and the hardships they face will really enjoy this book.

Rating: 3.5/5   BUY Family Pictures

*I received this free ARC for review from goodreads First Reads, it in no way impacted my honest review, and I received no compensation. Thanks goodreads and Jane Green!
7 comments
February 24, 2013

Top Bookish News of the Past Week

Here are all the interesting bookish stories, pictures, videos, and blog posts I found this past week. 
All of the titles are linked up to their respective articles/blog posts. Click away!


ARTICLES
Gregg Sulkin - Julian

1. Delirium Casting News! That's right! Another actor has been chosen for the Delirium TV show. We have our Julian! Drum roll please... Gregg Sulkin! Yup, I have no idea who this is, but he looks pretty cute. What are your thoughts? Sorry but there is still no news on Alex. :( 

2. An open letter to the shoplifter caught stealing my book This is a hilarious post from an author I have never read, but if this hilarious/insightful post tells me anything, it's that he writes pretty darn well. 

3. American Writers Museum Will Open in Chicago in 2015 I live in Illinois and knowing that not only is Divergent filming here, but they are going to have an American Writers Museum has me very happy?! It has been my lucky year for bookish news so far. I hope it keeps on coming. I can't wait to visit this museum! I already asked my husband if we could go and he gave me the weirdest look when I told him it is set to be opened in 2015. 


4. Hunger Games: Catching Fire Victory Tour Posters Are you starting to feel a little depressed that we have to wait until November for the next Hunger Games movie? Well lucky for us they just released two new movie posters, something that will hopefully satisfy us a little longer until we get a trailer. What are your thoughts? I haven't read the second book in so long that I'm not sure what to think. I will however say with certainty that they look pretty darn cool, but they didn't really satisfy my hunger for the next movie.

BLOG POSTS

1. Why do you really love Stories? This is a fun and interesting post from Foil the Plot. She wrote a great post about what makes her consider giving a book five starts instead of say four or three. It started a great discussion!

2. Book to Movie Review #1 Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief  Are you a Percy Jackson fan? I am, and a pretty big one at that. So when I raced to see this movie in the theater when it came out a few years ago I was super excited. Then I was super sad. I love Megan's funny break down of the differences between the movie and the book. Have you seen the movie? What did you think?

3. How to Get Out of a Reading Rut I'm sure we have all been there. The place that makes us depressed and confused, a reading rut. The blogger over at Writer of Wrongs gives us some tips and personal experience on how to get out of a reading rut. 

4. No Longer a DNF Virgin  A very interesting post that brought up a very interesting discussion. Do you DNF a lot of books or are you like me and have problems putting a book down once you start it, even if it isn't great? Head over to Christine's post and hop in on the discussion and see what book she DNF.

5. Real Men Read YA Have you read this blog yet? I discovered it a while ago and I kept forgetting to bring it to everyone's attention. Seriously, it is hilarious. Check it out if you haven't already. Who doesn't love a man blogging about how embarrassing it is to pick up a girly young adult book?


PICTURE
I AGREE! 

WHEW, I had a lot to post this week. Please share your thoughts below! 

Also, thanks to Christine over at Buckling Bookshelves for giving me the inspiration from her book news post last week to try out a different layout for this post. I love mixing it up a little bit and trying new things.

8 comments
February 20, 2013

Book Tour: Terra by: Gretchen Powell (Promo, Review, & Giveaway)



Terra by: Gretchen Powell (Terrestrials #1) (2012)
Publisher: Hopewell Media
286 pages
Genre: YA/Dystopian/Science Fiction
Buy The Book: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
Read a Chapter Sample
Synopsis

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl simply trying to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own. With him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.

The first book in debut author Gretchen Powell's anticipated Terrestrials series, Terra catapults you through a story filled with blood-pumping action, intrigue, and surprising twists that will wrench and warm your heart. As the hidden truths of this world unfold, the new dangers looming on the horizon are sure to leave you waiting breathlessly for the sequel.

(Mild language; recommended for ages 12+)

My Review

I was a little hesitant at first about reading this book, the synopsis sounded interesting but sometimes I’m not very good at enjoying a book that is too “out there.” Luckily for me, this book rocked my world and was just right in almost every way. As it turns out, I had no problem reading this book, and once I was about 100 pages in I couldn't put it down. Nothing and I mean nothing could keep me away. The shocking revelations along with the heart pounding pace had my head spinning and my fingers turning the pages at an alarming rate. By the way, you can’t tell this is a self-published novel so don’t let that turn you away from this wonderful read.

Let me begin by saying that the characters were insanely wonderful. Terra at times could get a little frustrating with all of her questions, but overall she was a strong female lead that I couldn't help but like. Her younger brother was even more likable, along with several other smaller characters that really made the book well rounded and seem real. Adam, the oh so lovable main male character in this novel, had me swooning over him. And that my friend is always a good sign of a good book.

The world that Powell created was interesting and intricate. The only issue I had with this was how long it took me to grasp and figure out the world she created. It took me a while to really understand the world Terra was living in. This is why I gave the book only four and a half stars. That and the feeling I had that there should have been just a little more something, making the book a little longer, maybe a little more sustenance. Something small was missing. Maybe I'm just greedy and I wanted more.

Just a warning, I loved the ending, but man am I frustrated. The ending had me seeing red, not because it wasn't good, it was really good, but because I have to wait for the next book. I felt like Terra, having a million questions that no one is answering.

I have already started recommending this book to fellow readers. You should buy it right now! I’m not kidding. It’s a great read especially for those that like dystopian novels with a little romance thrown in. Reading this book won’t take long and I promise it will be worth your time. 

Rating: 4.5/5   


Author

Gretchen Powell grew up in far-off places. She is 24 years old, half-Chinese, and the owner of two adorable miniature schnauzers. They wear many sweaters.

By day, she types and types (and types and types) for personal, professional, and cathartic purposes.

By night, she binges on episodes of Doctor Who and sleeps fitfully.

Sometime in the mid-afternoon, she writes a blog, called "Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!" about food, fitness, and her life.

She loves words. And Harry Potter. And especially the words IN Harry Potter.


Giveaway

Enter to Win a SIGNED Paperback of Terra, a SIGNED Book Tour Bookmark and an e-copy!


Follow This Blog Tour

6 comments
February 18, 2013

Review: The Waiting Sky by: Lara Zielin

The Waiting Sky by: Lara Ziein (2012)
Publisher: Penguin Group
246 pages
Genre: YA Fiction

Goodreads Summary: One summer chasing tornadoes could finally change Jane's life for the better.

Seventeen-year-old Jane McAllister can't quite admit her mother's alcoholism is spiraling dangerously out of control until she drives drunk, nearly killing them and Jane's best friend.

Jane has only one place to turn: her older brother Ethan, who left the problems at home years ago for college. A summer with him and his tornado-chasing buddies may just provide the time and space Jane needs to figure out her life and whether it still includes her mother. But she struggles with her anger at Ethan for leaving home and feels guilty--is she also abandoning her mom just when she needs Jane most? The carefree trip turned journey of self-discovery quickly becomes more than Jane bargained for, especially when the devilishly handsome Max steps into the picture.

My Review

Are you a fan of of the movie Twister? If you are, which I sincerely think you should be, then you will love this book. It is very similar to the movie with a slight twist.  I can’t recall reading a whole lot, if any, books on tornado chasers, making this book really unique. After reading this one I sincerely hope that changes, there needs to be MORE books on this subject.

I waited a long time to read this one and it was FINALLY in at the library. I may even have squealed just a little when I yanked it off the shelf. My excitement was spot on. I was not disappointed. I mean the cover alone is enticing. 

This is a quick and easy read at only 246 pages, both a positive and negative aspect of the book.  The great part about it being shorter is that it didn't take up a lot of my time, not to be rude to the book or anything, but I have so many other books I am waiting to read as well that I'm glad it was short. Who doesn't love a quick read that still gets your heart racing? The downside of this shorter novel is that although the story is well rounded, the author could have easily added some more depth and meat to the story. I could have read another hundred pages at LEAST of the characters chasing tornadoes. I wanted more time with the characters in this world and more time with tornadoes. 

This book has some dark quirky humor in it. It had me laughing throughout the whole book. However, It does have a darker more serious side as well, the main character, Jane, has an alcoholic mother. Jane was frustrating at times. I may have wanted to slap her, but since I have never really been in her position I felt like I couldn't really judge her for how she was handling it. The only thing that bugged me slightly was the fact that she seemed to be dealing with a lot of grown-up issues but still didn't seem that mature, then again every teenager has a right to be a teenager. All the characters were really enjoyable to read about, but like I said earlier, if  we got to spend more time with them it would have been even better.

This would make a great rainy day read. Next time you are stuck indoors and need something to occupy yourself I suggest you grab this one. Really you could read this book any day.

Rating: 4/5   BUY The Waiting Sky
6 comments
February 17, 2013

Top Bookish News of the Past Week


Here are all the interesting bookish stories, pictures, videos, and blog posts I found this past week. 
All of the titles are linked up to their respective articles/blog posts. Click away!

BLOG POSTS

  • I need to get my hands on this book.The examples that The Captive Reader gives us are hilarious. 
  • In honor of Valentine's Day here is a fun post featuring the best TV couples. Who doesn't love Luke and Lorelai?
  • Check out this cover... I'm sold.
  • I haven't heard of this reading list before, but I think I may have to challenge myself. It has a list of a young adult book that takes place in each state. See what book is in your state.
ARTICLE

  • These are pretty awesome. Just take a look! Then I started reading some of the comments and found links to even more book sharing places.
PICTURE

  • At first I was outraged, how can they change the cover of my beloved series?! And then I saw the cover and I was in love. What do you think?

2 comments
February 14, 2013

Valentine's Day Review: The Marriage Bargain by: Jennifer Probst

The Marriage Bargain by: Jennifer Probst (2012) 
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
308 pages
Genre: Romance

Barnes and Noble Summary: A marriage in name only . . .

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner Alexa Maria McKenzie casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

My Review

I decided to pick up a sexy romance novel to review for Valentine’s Day. Sadly, I didn't make the best choice. Many recommended this book to those that were fans of Fifty Shades or Bared To You. Although I wouldn't necessarily call myself of a fan of these books, I enjoy a good steamy romance on occasion and they fit that bill. This book did not.

The Marriage Bargain was missing a lot of steam and a lot of originality. I know romances have a general plot usually accompanied by cheesiness and that doesn't usually bother me, but this one seemed so familiar that I cringed a little. I had the occasional laugh while I was reading, but there was just nothing overly special about this book.

The characters were okay, but nothing to write home about. Although I really liked Nick he wasn't anything too new. I did however enjoy that there weren't huge dark horrible secrets/pasts that the characters had to deal with, like in Fifty Shades and Bared To You. That was a nice relief. On the other hand, there was way too much "I really like you but I’m not going to admit it crap."

I think if you are looking for a light read and don’t mind the repetitiveness of the romance genre that is obviously displayed in this novel then you would probably enjoy this book. For some reason it just didn't have me sold. I feel like it should have been either more cute with more comedy or more steamy and dark. I just felt like the book was trying too hard. 

Rating: 2.5/5   BUY The Marriage Bargain


Happy Valentine's Day!

6 comments
February 13, 2013

Library Loot #7

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.


My Library Loot

  • I wanted a good romance to read for Valentine's day. Sadly, it wasn't really that great.
  • I've been waiting a while to get my hands on this one. I just started it and so far so good. It reminds me a lot of the movie Twister. 
  • I saw a review of this book on one of the blogs I follow and I had to give it a chance.
  • This one reminded me a little of Final Destination.
  • Who wouldn't want to read a book that has a crumbling city and the line "Compliance is mandatory." on the cover.
  • I also read a review of this book on a blog. I was intrigued. 


I'm hoping to read all of these. I still have a couple I haven't read from the last time I went to the library. I also have a hand full of ARCs I need to read and a couple of books for upcoming tours. Wish me luck!

11 comments
February 12, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays #4


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
  • Make sure to share the title and the author too!
My Teasers

This book has been a great read so far! My teasers will show you how the book can be funny and dark at the same time.


"The winds have whisked his reddish-blonde hair into a fauxhawk, which would be hilarious if he wasn't standing a quarter mile away from a spinning vortex of death." (pg. 2)


"... let's face it, reasoning with a drunk is a lot like trying to train a chicken. After a while, you just let the thing squawk and flap and hope it doesn't escape the coop." (pg. 1)


~ The Waiting Sky by: Lara Zielin



Share the link to your teasers below!
18 comments
February 11, 2013

Review: The Archived by: Victoria Schwab

The Archived by: Victoria Schwab (2013)
Publisher: Hyperion
336 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Suspense/Thriller/Fantasy

Goodreads Summary: Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

My Review

This book exploded on the internet and I was eagerly awaiting its release. So here is the big question with this one… did it live up to its hype?  I’m going to have to say yes and no. I think all of the hype from other bloggers made my expectations too high. So here it is, my four star review of The Archived. 

Let's start with the characters. I was really excited about Mackenzie Bishop. Her character starts off strong and promising, I really couldn't wait to read a book with a strong female lead. However, as I got farther into the book my love for her wavered.  I can’t go into great detail here because it would ruin some of the plot, but let’s just say that I expected a little bit more out of her. I will note that I was hesitant about loving Wesley, I’m not a huge guyliner black nail polish wearing fan, but his personality was so amazing that I didn't care. I however didn't like the fact that we don’t get that much interaction with this character, I wanted more.

I really enjoyed Schwab’s writing style. I love how she seamlessly incorporates Mackenzie's past relationship with Da into the novel to help us better understand The Archive. There were some scenes that were so well written I got goosebumps, and not just from the creepiness of this novel. Which by the way, I advise that you don’t read this book late at night when it is super dark and your husband is sound asleep. It gets scary.

The action in this novel was very fast paced. The plot moved forward so quickly that at times I think I got whiplash. Although I enjoyed that it was full of mystery and action, I was kind of hoping for it to slow down just a little. I would have loved to get to spend some more time with Mac being a keeper and her general life before the conspiracies and such popped into the story. I just wanted a little more.

I really did enjoy this novel. It was definitely different and full of suspense. I just can’t give it a five because, and I am sorry to say this, but I didn't love it enough. I am still recommending this book to others, especially those looking for a amazingly written creepy novel. Enjoy!

Rating: 4/5   BUY The Archived                                            
3 comments
February 10, 2013

Top Bookish News of The Past Week

Here are all the interesting bookish stories, pictures, videos, and blog posts I found this past week. 
All of the titles are linked up to their respective articles/blog posts. Click away!

ARTICLES

  • I live in Illinois. I will be keeping tabs on this story!
  • What book to movie adaptation are you waiting on? I didn't even know about all of these!
  • You know you want to look...
BLOG POSTS

  • Read this post, its rather interesting and humorous. 
  • I can't wait to read this one. Thanks for the great review!
  • I love a post that makes for a good discussion. I love that in the blogging world you can speak your mind.
VIDEO
  • This commercial aired during the Super Bowl. It was funny, but it made me cringe...those poor books in that poor library. 

5 comments
February 6, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #3: Code White by: Scott Britz-Cunningham

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I'm waiting on...

Code White by: Scott Britz-Cunningham

Release Day: April 9

Goodreads Summary: Under the glare of live television cameras—and with her lover, Dr. Richard Helvelius, and her estranged husband, Kevin, both looking on—Ali is about to implant a revolutionary mini-computer into the brain of a blind boy. If it works, he will see again. But someone wants to stop her triumph. No sooner has she begun to operate than the hospital pagers crackle with the chilling announcement, “CODE WHITE.” A bomb has been found in the medical center.

But this is no ordinary bomb—and no ordinary bomber. As minutes tick off toward the deadline, Ali suspects that a vast, inhuman intellect lies behind the plot—and that she herself may be the true ransom demand.


This book sounds really interesting and I'm always open for a new type of thriller. Plus, it reminded me a little of Grey's Anatomy.

What are you waiting for?
27 comments
February 4, 2013

ARC Review: Rapunzel Untangled by: Cindy C. Bennett

Rapunzel Untangled by: Cindy C. Bennett (Feb. 12, 2013)
Publisher: Cedar Fort
304 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Fairy Tale/Gothic

*I received this free ARC for review from Netgalley, it in no way impacted my honest review, and I received no compensation. Thanks to Cedar Fort publishing for this awesome book!

Goodreads Summary: For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.

My Review

I tip my hat to you Cindy Bennett, for giving me the chance to climb into a fairy tale retelling as unique and loveable as they come. I couldn’t put this book down once I started.

This is no ordinary story of Rapunzel. This Rapunzel lives in the 21st century locked in a tower in an old creepy mansion with Facebook being her only connection to the outside world. I loved the moderness this old fairy tale was given. Not only do I love the modern twist but this story is dark, and reminded me of a gothic novel more than anything. The fact that Bennett has no problem showing how dark these fairy tales can be makes it that much more enjoyable. I was getting kind of tired of the cute little fairy tale stories I’ve run into as of late and this one is anything but.

I loved the characters. Rapunzel was interesting and humorous, just wanting a chance to leave her tower with the ever looming prophecy hanging over her head. Fane is a cute and charming young guy, a perfect prince. I instantly liked him. This book has all kinds of funny dialogue between these two characters with one liners you won't soon forget. You can’t do anything but love them. I even enjoyed Gothel, the evil mother, and the slow revealing of the woman who locks Rapunzel in a tower. This was the most complex and interesting fairy tale retelling I have ever read. Full of mystery, cuteness, and terror, this one is original.

I recommend this novel to anyway and everyone, especially those that love a good fairy tale. Take a chance and read it. You will be surprised at what you find lurking in the pages.

Rating: 5/5   BUY Rapunzel Untangled
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