Booksaur: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Moon And The Tide (Marina's Tales #2)

The Moon and The Tide
by Derrolyn Anderson 
Pages: 328
Released: March 28, 2011
The Moon and The Tide by Derrolyn Anderson 
Note: This is the 2nd book in the Marina's Tales series. If you didn't read the 1st one, this review will contain spoilers from the 1st book.
Summary:
Things are just settling down and Marina is truly enjoying life again. She is able to return the company of her friends and family and the ocean. So far, things are going great... or so she thinks. Marina begins having some disconcerting visions letting her know the future is at stake. One thing leads to another and Marina finds herself caught in a situation that would expose her secret. She discovers hidden secrets along the way and must overcome betrayal, jealousy, and any other distractions that might render her from saving the ones she loves. Will she be able to stay strong and fight or will Marina back down from it all?

My Thoughts: Geezus. This is really different from the first book. The first book was like a setup and introduction to Marina's environment while The Moon and The Tide really spices things up with unexpected twists and turns. There is a ton of action and mystery packed into this book and I could not put it down. I became so involved with the characters and plot and it had me at the edge of my seat.

The book started off with a fun, relaxing vibe and I was just expecting to read about Marina's relationship, the town, surfing, etc. I was in no way prepared for the chaos that ensued as the book progressed. So many things were going on and I felt bad for the characters and what they had to go through.

In the first book, we were introduced to the characters and learn a bit about them. The Moon and The Tide does a great job giving us more info about the characters and their relationships with one another. We get to learn more about Marina, Ethan, Lorlei, Evie, etc. and I love how we get a better taste of the characters. I especially liked Marina's character development in the story and how she such was a strong female protagonist. Her relationship with Ethan defiantly intensified, although I did think they were moving a bit too fast, but then I realized they been through a lot together. Also, I thought the "bad guys" were well written--they were truly evil and I loved to hate them.

The writing style is awesome as usual. Anderson does a great job with the descriptions (they're vivid and detailed, but not to the point where she's describing the threads on a pillow).

I remember reading the first book and wanting more answers... well, the second book delivers. The secrets that are uncovered are shocking and the mermaid lore in this book is creative and interesting to learn about.

Conclusion:
Overall, the story played out very well and I the ending is perfect, it's not too abrupt and you'll be excited to read the sequel when it comes out. It is very intense and a rollercoaster ride. If you liked the first one, you'll definitely enjoy the second one (maybe even more). Sorry this review is a bit long--there is just so much that happens within this book. :)

P.S. I received this book from the author and my review is not biased. Please trust me when I say that I honestly loved this book... a lot and I'm hoping that this has persuaded you to check the book out and give it a read. :) I'm emphasizing this because I would not want to recommend a book to you that I did not enjoy.

Read it on your E-reader :)
5/5 stars

Source: Received from Author, Derroyln Anderson.

Here's where you can purchase this book: (ebook format)
Amazon (for Kindle)
Smashwords (for: Kindle, Epub, PDF, LRF, Plain Text, HTML, etc.)

Here's the author's website.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Between The Land and The Sea (Marina's Tales #1)

Between The Land and The Sea
by Derrolyn Anderson
Pages: 261
Released: March 19, 2011
Between The Land and The Sea by Derrolyn Anderson
Summary: Mermaids. Surfing. Romance. Danger. All wrapped up into one exciting YA series. Sixteen-year-old Marina has been traveling the world with her father her entire life, but when he is stationed to work in Afghanistan for a year he leaves her at her Aunt's house. He hopes she will finally be able to live a normal life and have the teenage/high school experience. She feels at home right off the bat and even meets a good-looking surfer named Ethan. Marina is just settling in when strange things begin to happen to her--she meets a mermaid who looks all too familiar and Marina cannot stay away from the sea. She discovers secrets pertaining to her past and encounters some life threatening situations.

My Thoughts:
I have not read many stories about Mermaids and this one really had me hooked. It was refreshing to read a new concept on mermaids and Anderson's take on it. This is one of those fast paced books since you're so caught up between the characters, mystery, and plot.

Lets start with the characters: I loved the characters that Anderson creates, they are realistic and funny. I liked how Marina was really just a sixteen-year-old girl; she was strong, but also needed to ask for help from her friends and family and that made it genuine for me. The side characters are great, I loved the relationship she had with her cousin Cruz and Megan and I would want them as friends. Of course we have Ethan, the love interest in the story and I liked how their relationship played out. They didn't rush into it and there was some tension lingering between the them. Anderson does a great job writing the characters because I empathized with them and was rooting for them throughout.

Now onto the writing: The writing style was fantastic and it kept the story going; there was not a dull moment and there was always something there to peak my interest. The story is told in first person (by Marina) and we get a sense of her emotions and how she personally deals with the conflicts in the book. Another thing that I enjoyed was dialogue--I found myself lost in their conversations at times.

Conclusion:
I would say this story is a fun summer-read-type book and I would recommend it to those who are into YA romance books (with a bit of supernatural element added in). There are not many YA mermaid books that I know of and after reading this, I want to pick up some more. Anderson's take on the mermaid mythology was unique and I definitely want to learn more about the mermaids in this book and I hope that she elaborates more as the series progresses. I enjoyed this book and I am already on the next one in the series: The Moon and The Tide.Check this book out!

P.S. I received this book from the author and my review is not biased. Please trust me when I say that I honestly loved this book... a lot and I'm hoping that this has persuaded you to check the book out and give it a read. :) I'm emphasizing this because I would not want to recommend a book to you that I did not enjoy.
Read it on your e-reader :)

5/5 stars

Source: Received from Author, Derroyln Anderson.

Here's where you can purchase this book: (ebook format) It's only 99 cents!
Amazon (for Kindle)
Smashwords (for: Kindle, Epub, PDF, LRF, Plain Text, HTML, etc.)

Here's the author's website.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry #1)

Perfect Chemistry
by Simone Elkeles
Pages: 360
Released: Jan 1, 2011
Perfect Chemistry
Summary: Brittany Ellis has everything, a perfect house, clothes, and life. She a senior in high school and captain of the cheer team. Alex Fuentes on the other hand has a bad boy image and is a gang member. These two cross paths when they are paired together as chemistry lab partners for the rest of the year. The two of them are anything but happy to be working together, but soon realize they have a lot more in common. This romance novel is about the facade that people put up to prevent others from knowing what's under the surface.

My Thoughts: I wasn't planning on reading this when I saw it at the book store, but after reading so many positive reviews on both Goodreads and YouTube, I had to check it out.

What I liked: The reviews were right. I like how Elkeles wrote the book in alternating chapters so we were able to see how each of them responded to their situations. I liked each character's back story and to see how much they grew as the book progressed. On the surface the characters seemed tough or "perfect," but to see all of that stripped away was surprising. The ending of the book great--to see how the character's lives changed the effect that the experience had on them. The side characters really made the story surprising and fun (good and bad guys).

What I disliked: There are some cliches in this book which make it a fun YA romance, but sometimes they were a bit too much.

Conclusion: This romance was sweet, but I would recommend it for the high school age (maybe not middle school yet) because some of the romantic content. The North vs. South side rivalry was a great addition to the book and reminded me of the teen movies that I used to watch. Overall, a fun read if you're looking for a romance YA novel.

4.5/5 stars

Source: Library.

Friday, May 27, 2011

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong (Darkness Rising #1)

The Gathering
by Kelley Armstrong
Pages: 359
Released: April 12, 2011
The Gathering
Summary: Maya lives in a very small town with a research lab on Vancouver Island. She lives with her adopted parents and does not know much about her biological family. The book starts out with a prologue in which Maya and her friend Serena are swimming in their town's lake. After chatting and talking to one another, Serena is suddenly pulled under and Maya is not able to save her and her body is pulled out of the lake later that day. A few years pass and Maya is still coping with Serena's death and strange things have been going on in town. From her strange paw print birthmark to the connection that Maya has with the animals. Maya and her friend try and uncover the mystery behind their friend, Serena's, death and the town itself. Add in a mysterious bad boy and secrets of the town and the strange people that Maya meet along the way.


My Thoughts Note: This is my first Kelley Armstrong book, and I didn't have a problem reading it without reading her previous ones.

What I liked: I liked the mystery of the book. The prologue really had me at the edge of my seat and I was ready to find out the mystery behind Serena's death and the strange things that have been happening to Maya. I liked Maya's funny relationship with her parents (reminded me of Olive Penderghast's parents from Easy A) and the kids in school. I thought it was a new take on the supernatural type book and I can't wait to see the secrets that the will reveal in the next book. Armstrong's writing style is simple and easy to follow along which makes the mystery a bit easier to uncover.

What I disliked: With that said, this book was alright. I the premise was interesting and so were some of the characters, but I didn't really get into the book as much as I thought I would. It might be because I had some high expectations going into this book and was waiting for that moment that I would be hooked and at the edge of my seat. After the prologue, I felt the beginning was a bit slow and when they do uncover something "huge," it wasn't very shocking to me. I think because Armstrong didn't really build up to it and would just have it happen out of the blue (which does work at times, but I think she doesn't do enough to build up the tension and mysteriousness).

Conclusion: All in all, I would say pick this book up if you see it at the library or give the first prologue and first chapter a read if you see it in the bookstore. I am going to read the second book when it comes out though because they left a lot of questions and didn't explain much about Serena.

3.5/5 stars

Source: Library.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind
by Neal Shusterman
Pages: 335
Released: Nov. 6, 2007
Unwind
Summary: Unwind is a dystopian novel where unwinding happens. Basically, there was a Second Civil War, known as "The Heartland War," that was fought dealing with the issue of abortion. The two sides were pro-life and pro-choice and the war ended when the Bill of Life was passed.This is what the bill states:
...human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively "abort" an child... on the condition that the child's life doesn't "technically" end. The process by which a child is both terminated an yet kept alive is called "unwinding." Unwinding is now a common, and accepted practice in society
The story follows the lives of three children who are about to be unwound--Connor, Risa, and Lev. Connor is a rebellious kid, Risa lives in a foster home that is too crowded, and Lev knew he was going to be unwound by the time he was born. 

My Thoughts: Oh my gosh.

What I liked: This story is a great one. The premise is very original and the story unwinds very well. At first though, my impression was, this is so unrealistic, I mean who would agree to this Bill of Life? But after reading the book, I was truly convinced as to why parents would unwind their children. The story is told in a third person perspective and I like how each chapter is from a different character's view. It plays out like a mystery/chiller book and I was fearing for these kids--rooting for them to escape. I never really know who is good or bad and what the motives are behind some of these characters. One of these characters change drastically toward the end of the book and I love how the author had him "grow up" before us. The whole concept of unwinding was interesting and it gave the book a very creepy vibe. The ending was amazing--sad, scary, etc,-- I did not expect the twists (yes, plural) in the end.

What I disliked: I can't really thing of anything I disliked. Hm, maybe I would have liked to know more of Connor's back story and the trouble that he caused his folks. Also, I wish they made the bad guys more evil. Perhaps I disliked that the book ended and I had nothing more to read (not really a dislike huh?).

Conclusion: Overall, I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could. I love how he put some philosophy into it and what it means to be alive, etc. I was so drawn into this world Shusterman created and involved with the three main characters--especially Lev.

5/5 stars

Source: Library.

By the way, there's going to be a sequel to this book!!!! It's coming out September 2012 and it's called Unwholly. How awesome is that title? I am already predicting what it's going to be about :) and I am so stoked there is going to be another book in this series. It really ended on a good spot and had one of those to be continued???... sort of ending.

Here's my video review too:

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Book Talk: Favorite Book Series

Okay, I'm sure we've all read some pretty awesome book series. There are a plethora of series out there... so, what is your all time favorite series? That maybe a hard question so how about what are your favorite series?

Here are some of mine (keep in mind I've only read a few series) in no particular order:
Gone by Michael Grant
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Here are some series I want to start (yes I am very late...):

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Eon & Eona by Alison Goodman
Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Here's a site that lists book series in order
I really do love series. There's just something about being left at a cliffhanger and having to wait for the next book to see what happens. The first book is amazing, we are introduced to a new world, new characters, and the author's writing style. We get to see the characters really develop and be become attached to them. At the end of a series is sad since it's over, but we get to see where the author was leading the story and the finale of it. Afterward, we think about the story and do some more reading about it online (or at least I do) :).

Please, feel free to discuss anything in the comments such as:
What are your favorite series? What series did you not enjoy? Do you want a movie to be made out of a series?

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Firstlook at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss

Here's a first look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss from Hunger Games.

I am so stoked for the movie! I can't wait for a look at the other characters. I love how they were able to transform Jennifer and it looks very natural and her hair looks great. I know Jennifer is an amazing actress and can't wait to see more on Hunger Games (movie).
Source: Entertainment Weekly Post

According to Az Family, The Hunger Games movie "is slated for a March 23, 2012 release."

The actors for the movie are extremely talented (IMDB). For example Haymitch is played by Woody Harrelson (you might remember him as the cowboy from Zombieland)! Clove is played by the girl from The Orphan. Caesar (the game host) is played by Stanley Tucci (the dad in Easy A, or from The Devil Wears Prada). Okay, my point is these actors are well-known and did justice to the parts they played in previous movies.

I seriously didn't know how excited I was until I saw the cover of the EW magazine. Anyone else as excited as me? :) Tell me your thoughts and if you haven't read the series yet... get to it!

Let the hunger games begin!

Monday, May 16, 2011

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green
Pages: 227
Released: September 21, 2006
An Abundance of Katherines
Summary:Colin Singleton, a grownup child prodigy, has been dumped nineteen times. And get this, all of them are named Katherine. After graduating from high school, Colin and his humorous (and only) friend Hassan embark on a road trip. They end up in Gunshot, Tennessee where they meet some pretty interesting Tennesseans and Colin works on a theorem that will predict the "future of any relationship" (taken from the summary). See where Colin and Hassan's adventure leads them as they deal with friendship, love, craziness, and a Monster Thickburger.

My Thoughts:

What I Liked: If you are unfamiliar with John Green's writing, he adds a bit of umph in his books leaving us with several messages which really leaves the readers to digest for themselves. Hassan's character is so awesome, whenever he is in a scene, I was grinning throughout--he is hilarious (even when the situation is bad) and is the ultimate best friend. The character development in this book is great as well. I enjoyed the ending and I thought it ended on a good note. The footnotes were interesting to read and I got a feel for how Colin's mind worked; he was always thinking extensively.

What I Disliked:
I'm not going to lie, this book was pretty darn slow until I reached about halfway. Thus, it took me a while to get through since I was putting the book down every chapter. I wish we learned more about the Katherines he dated throughout the book (or more on Katherine XIV at least).

Conclusion:
Although this book starts out slow (maybe even boring to some?), don't be discouraged to keep on reading until you reach halfway and from then on you might as well finish it. I think I went into this book having super high expectations because I read Looking for Alaska before this (John Green's debut novel).

4/5 stars


Source: Library.

And now I leave you with an alternate cover of this book ...

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (Fairytale Retellings #1)

Sisters Red
by Jackson Pearce
Pages: 324
Released: July 7, 2010
Sisters Red
Summary: The prologue starts out with a flashback that happened years ago. Scarlett and Rosie March are attacked by a Fenris--werewolves that can take on human form. In their struggle, Scarlett loses her eye fending for Rosie's life. Okay, now the story begins. After surviving their near-death experience, Scarlett believes that it is her duty to hunt down the Fenris and protect girls from getting killed. Rosie feels like she owes Scarlett her life and hunts alongside her sister; this is the only life she has known and does not really question it. Throw in Silas, their childhood friend / extremely good looking woodsman and follow the adventures of these three hunters.

My Thoughts:
What I liked: I was really looking forward to this book and it didn't disappoint. I liked how each chapter alternated between Scarlett and Rosie and I think Pearce did a great job writing two different characters. We get to see their different motives and their response to a situation. I liked how the romance was building up and the tension between the two characters. The ending was awesome I love the fight scenes and the conclusion left me satisfied and I like the approach Pearce took.

What I disliked:
There is a predictable part in the story which I found early early on, and I wish that it could have been more concealed so it would have been more of a twist in the plot. Perhaps I would like to know more about the Fenris as well, such as how they came to be.

Conclusion: This is really a great twist on little red ridding hood and I liked how the story played out. I am definitely going to pick up Sweetly when it comes out!

4.5/5 stars


Source: Library.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Battle Royale 
by Koushun Takami
Pages: 614
Released: February 26, 2003
Battle Royale 
Summary: Take a junior high class. Tell them they're going on a field trip. Put them to sleep and let the battle begin. Okay, that summary was a bit too short. It basically starts out with a class of junior high school students who are on a field trip and are taking a bus to the destination. Along the bus ride, they are put to sleep and wake up in a classroom. A man then proceeds to tell them they are in the program and will have to participate. The program is a battle in which they will have to kill off their classmates until one is left standing. Students are given a bag with food, water, and a random weapon and sent off to roam the islands.

My Thoughts:

What I liked: This book is so action packed! There are 42 students in the battle and I like how the author gives us their back story rather than just presenting them as a student. Takami does this through various flashback scenes and by putting us in the characters shoes. The kill scenes are not off screen which I really appreciate (because comparing it to Hunger Games--Katniss is the narrator and she only sees what 2 kills?). These kill scenes are also pretty gruesome and very realistic. I like how the author was able to capture the personalities of the characters and we get to see how psychotic/crazy/scared the characters are and their fight for survival. The ending was very good I believe and it was somewhat unexpected.

What I disliked: I really wish Takami did a more in depth job explaining the battle and as to why they put the children at risk. There is a small explanation at the beginning and middle of the story, but I was still confused as to why they have the battle. The novel is translated, so I feel like some of the writing and jokes are not "legit" in English (if that makes sense), I feel like some of it is lost through translation.

Conclusion: This is a roller coaster ride and there is so much action in this book, although I did put it down a few times, once I hit the action sequences I was hooked! Like the back says, it's definitely a "high-octane thriller." If you enjoyed Hunger Games, I believe you'll like this one as well! Another similar book would be The Long Walk by Stephen King which follows the same concept of fight till the death scenario between teens.

4.5/5 stars

Source: Library.