In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives bloggers a chance to show what they've borrowed, received, or bought.

Borrowed:

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Won:

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Bought:

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I won my first book ever (yay!) from Jessica's giveaway on her book blog. Check out her blog, she great book reivews, hauls, and all that good stuff. Thanks again Jessica, I can't wait to start it! Then we have Sweetly which was just released a few days ago, I love fairy tale retellings (this one is of Hansel and Gretel). Lastly we have Eragon I haven't delved into the series yet and I found it at my library for 50 cents so of course I'm going to pick it up! I'm excited to read all of these books. Have you guys read any of these books yet?

What's in your mailbox?

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Shut Out
by Kody Keplinger
Pages: 273
Released: Sept. 5, 2011

Shut Out 
Summary: Lissa goes to a school where instead of having rivalries with other school teams, they have it with their own. So at Hamilton High, it's an ongoing prank war--the football players against the soccer players. Her boyfriend, Randy, is the quarterback and is always engaging in some sort of prank and she is sick of him ditching her for it. Lissa comes up with a plan to end the rivalry, a hookup strike and she gets the girlfriends of the athletes to help her out. Basically, the boys will not get any 'action' from their girlfriends until they end the rivalry. Things don't go according to plan and now the girls find themselves up against the guys. Will either sides ever make amends or has this strike gone too far? 

My Thoughts: This book is a light read, there isn't much meaning or lessons to be learned but that's the point of it! Both Keplinger's books have a refreshing plot (yay).

What I liked: The premise was pretty interesting and the inspiration of this plot came from a play called Lysistrata in which the women went on a similar strike against their husbands. This book brings up the topic of sex which isn't discussed much in YA books and especially not many from a girl's perspective. So, I thought it was interesting to see where the novel went and it somewhat in a way challenged the boundaries of YA. It's a short, light read so I was entertained throughout.

What I disliked: Reading the book I could see some immaturity in the characters, it didn't bug me too much but I thought that they could have been more mature since they did deal with sex. Also, the love triangle in the book isn't very strong because you know who she is going to end up with. One guy makes her swoon whenever she's around him while the other is just there... he isn't given any redeeming qualities and isn't there most of the time.


Conclusion: Overall, I thought it was a good book if you're looking for a light read. I didn't love it like The Duff, but I'd say pick it up if you're looking for some more Kody Keplinger.

3.5/5 stars (note: was going to give it a 4, but The Duff was a 4/5) 

Source: The bookstore I went to put it out early... lol.

Giveaway Winners!!

Hi all :) I recently had a giveaway for Tower of Parlen Min by Matt Xell (my review) which ended August 21st. Thanks so much to all who've entered and here are the winners:

• Nikki (blog)
• Darlene
• Alejandro Juárez
• Rashid (blog)

Congrats! And thanks so much to Matt Xell (link to his blog) for being super generous. I hope I'll be able to host some more giveaways soon. Happy reading! :)

Hunger by Michael Grant (Gone #2)

Hunger
by Michael Grant
Pages: 590
Released: May 26, 2009

Hunger
Summary: Bam! Three months have passed since all the adults were gone and everyone under the age of fifteen are still trapped in the FAYZ. Food is becoming scarce and people are hungry. More kids are discovering their supernatural abilities while others are still powerless. Everything becomes chaotic and now it's the humans against the freak mutants. There's more, a creature called The Darkness lurks deep underground and is reaching out to some kids in the FAYZ. The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry.

My Thoughts: Couldn't put this book down! I devoured all 590 pages in a day? Ah :)

What I liked: I was blown away. Hunger had my heart racing, left me speechless, and kept me wanting more. There's not a dull moment and there were like 5 different things going on at once and he didn't leave us any breathing room, I loved it! Just when I thought something was over and done with, Grant threw in another situation. Hot dayum I really enjoyed this book and commend Grant on writing such a great sequel to Gone. The whole humans vs. freaks had me at the edge of my seat. Man, those kids were deadly to be around... literally. Then we have The Darkness, it's seriously creepy and Grant does an amazing job with the creature. Lastly, I loved seeing the kids' power develop--it's like watching an X-Men where we are introduced to each characters' powers--it was very entertaining and had a 'cool-factor' to it. And the ending leaves you very curious for Lies (Gone #3).

What I disliked: The series contains a lot of characters. I wasn't confused in Gone, but there was a tiny bit of confusion with some side characters, but it only happened maybe 4 times at most.


Conclusion: These poor kids. What will Michael Grant throw them into next? Just kidding, I can't wait to see where he goes with this series.

5/5 stars

Source: Library.

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives bloggers a chance to show what they've borrowed, received, or bought.

This is super short because I have a huge to-read pile already on my shelf ><

Bought: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

What's in your mailbox?

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Awaken 
by Kat Kacvinsky
Pages: 320

Released: May 23, 2011

Awaken
Summary: Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her. Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking. In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

My Thoughts: I like how this book parallels our world.

What I liked: The book started out showing us Maddie's 'techie' lifestyle and I was hooked within the first few pages. It was interesting to see what the year 2060 was like and how technology was taking over people's lives. When they say everything is done online, they do mean everything. Kacvinsky does a superb job showing readers why we should not let technology control us and remind us that we are humans, not machines. This book really made me think a lot about society and more specifically how I am affected by technology. Like the book says, it's a drug and we're all becoming addicts. My favorite part of this book was Justin, he had a troubling past, he's very likable, and was an awesome love interest. I've seen GoodReads reviews and some say the book was slow, but it didn't seem that way to me--I couldn't put it down, the writing style was lovely too.

What I disliked: Argh, I was about to give this book a 5 star rating but then came the last ~15 pages of the book. the author did such a great job telling pulling us into this huge debate and I thought the ending was going to be a huge finale, but it was anticlimactic. It seemed a bit rushed and an arbitrary way to end things.

Conclusion: Despite the, ending I still enjoyed this book and would read it again because the author does a great job analyzing technology and our increasing consumption of it.

Cover translated: The Rebellion of Maddie Freeman

4/5 stars

Source: Library.

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Check out the German book cover (right). I never would have thought they were for the same book, very cool. ----->
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I had no idea this was a series, it didn't say so on Goodreads, might have to reevaluate my rating. For now it'll be fluctuating between a 4 and 5.

Gripped into Books 1000 Followers Giveaway

Check it out... she's giving so many great reads!

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska 
by John Green
Pages: 221
Released: March 3, 2005

Looking for Alaska 

Summary:
before. Miles Halter (a.k.a. Pudge) is living a non-eventful life--he doesn't have many friends or much to look forward. He also has an obsession with famous last words, and one of his favorite poet's famous last words are: "I go to seek the Great Perhaps" and so Miles hopes to find his 'Great Perhaps' at Culver Creek Boarding School before it's too late. At Culver Creek, he meets his roommate Chip (The Colonel) and the infamous Alaska Young. Alaska pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
after. Nothing is ever the same.

My Thoughts: Eureka! I've found a book that I shall now place on my favorites list.

What I liked: The writing style was superb, it's as if Pudge himself is talking to you about his experience at the school. It was funny whether it be the dialogue or the narrator's reaction in a certain scene. Moving on to the characters, they are what really makes this novel awesome. They are funny, witty, smart, and when put together they are the most fun ragtag bunch of teens and I would want them as my friends. Even though this novel contains great one liners and all that fun stuff, there is also a serious aspect to it which I didn't expect, but nonetheless enjoyed. This book has a lot of meaning put into it and it really made me think even after I put the book down. I loved how it made me analyze and delve really deep into the book. This is a stand alone book and I thought it ended perfectly, it gave me the closure that I needed and as I said earlier, I was still thinking about the story after I put the book down.

What I disliked: I understand that Alaska is this enigma that we will never truly understand, but I do wish that we were able to learn a bit more about her and see her develop a bit more. But honestly, this is just me being super nit picky.

Conclusion: Reading through this book, I was shocked, laughing out loud, and it had me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next.

5/5 stars


Source: Bought.

Giveaway from LC

Hey guys, there's a giveaway hosted by LC. Check it out :) she's letting you choose 2 books!

Here are the details:

Giveaway is open to anywhere that Book Depository ships (check the link- this is international!!)

Last day to enter is August 31st, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

THREE (3) winners will be chosen at random from Random.org

Winners will be notified on September 1st by email-- they will have 48 hours to respond

Click the Link :))

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives bloggers a chance to show what they've borrowed, received, or bought.

I only have 2 this week, but thought I'd start a weekly IMM :)

Borrowed:
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

What's in your mailbox?

Liebster Blog Award~

I received an award!!  It came to me from Marybeth of Headstrong Tomgirl (please be sure to check out her awesome blog!)  This award is the: LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD.  It is for bloggers who have under 200 followers.

The goal of the award is to "spotlight" up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.

The rules of the award are as follows:

1.  Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
      Thank you, Marybeth!

2.  Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

-Marybeth (Heastrong Tomgirl)

-Alexis (YA Books Beyond the Cover)

-Justin (Justin941 Book Blog)

-Claire (Whnbstihwsoft)

-Amber (The Healthy Book Lover)

3.  Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4.  Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5.  And most of all: support each other and have lots of fun!!

The Hunger Games Movie - Official movie WEBSITE!

The movie site for The Hunger Games is up!! http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/

I know it's just a countdown / mockingjay visual / music but I am beyond stoked!

Oh and check out my Blood Red Road book review (below)

Blood Red Road by Moira Young (Dustlands #1)

Blood Red Road
by Moira Young
Pages: 459
Released: June 7, 2011

Blood Red Road
Summary: Saba has spent her entire life in Silverlake, a deserted wasteland, with her twin brother Lugh, her younger sister Emmi, and their Pa. She has never been outside of Silverlake and it's all she knows. Things change when a group of horsemen appear, capture her brother, and kill her father in the process. Before Lugh is taken away, Saba promises him that she will find him. Along her quest she runs into grave danger and she must fight to survive.

My Thoughts: Omigawd. This is the best book I've read all year. I am not kidding neither am I exaggerating. I devoured it. I'm going on a whim here but I think this is the next Hunger Games series (for me at least).

What I liked: This is a dystopian novel, but don't be fooled, it's not like the others, Blood Red Road stands out among the rest. It takes place in the future, but it isn't all technological, yet it works so well for the book. The setting is very unique, the land is barren, dry, dusty, etc. and it really gives the novel its character.

Another thing that stands out is the writing style. Many may be put off at first (I sure was) because it's so minimal e.g. the author uses 'fer' (for), 'cain't' (can't), 'hafta' (have to) but I found myself getting used to it around page 20 and guarantee you will too and I realized that I wouldn't want the novel written any other way.

I loved love Saba, she was stubborn, strong, determined, and she had a bit of Katniss Everdeen in her. She was so committed on finding her brother and didn't let anything get in her way. The character development in this book is impeccable. It's not just Saba who develops but everyone around her as well and I liked how the characters shared the spotlight. There is also some romance in the book which I thought was going to change the book's direction, but it only made it more awesome. The pacing is great, there is not a dull moment because there is always something going on and the action does not disappoint.

The ending is just... wow. (No spoilers of course!) When I thought the book couldn't get any better, it did. Within those last few lines, the author ended the book on the perfect note. Thank you Moria!

What I disliked: Honestly, nothing. Please just come out already book #2!

Conclusion: This book made me fall in love with YA all over again. There were moments while reading this that I was contemplating if I liked this more than the Hunger Games series. My answer... maybe ;). I don't usually do this but you need to pick this book up now on Amazon. It's ~$10 on Amazon or check it out at your library/bookstore.

5/5 stars

Source: Library. 

Blood Red Road MOVIE!!

Yes, the movie rights for this book has been sold to Director Ridley Scott. There is also an IMDB page for it already but there's not anything on it yet. The movie is expected to come out in 2014. -____- I'll be counting down! Any ideas for who you guys want as the actors/actresses?

Tower of Parlen Min by Max Xell [Review & Giveaway (End)!]

Tower of Parlen Min
by Matt Xell
Pages: 345
Released: July 23, 2010 

Tower of Parlen Min by Matt Xell
Summary: This story is about Ves Asirin, an orphan, who was chosen along with 19 other children to visit the Tower of Parlen Min--a large tower owned by a wealthy man (think sort of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory golden ticket sort of ordeal). When the children arrive there, they are given an opportunity to compete in a Sword Challenge in which the winning team will receive a $12 million prize. The kids go begin the challenge and go through a series of tasks where some are dangerous while others are mind numbing to solve.

My Thoughts:
First off, I thought that this book had a lot of great plot twists and the premise seemed very interesting; it had potential. There are a lot of action sequences in this book and you'll be hooked at those scenes. I also think that Xell does an great job imagining the story, from the storyline to the events that unravel to the creatures that the children must face off in the challenges--it was an adventure for sure.

Here are some things that set me back a bit though. Ves was the main character of the book, but I felt that he was more of a bystander who was there to deliver the readers the dialogue/scene. Another thing were the descriptions, I love descriptions because they really help you understand the scenes better, but I felt that there was a bit too much focus on describing each detail or action. For example, when the children were looking through books/computer for information, us readers are given maybe 3-4 plus pages of historical information, it definitely could have been summed up. Also, the pacing made it a bit difficult for me to follow along. It would either be relatively slow or super quick to a point where I wasn't given any time to absorb what just happened.

Conclusion: All in all, this book was pretty fun, and I liked how we were able to run through the tower and explore its many rooms and secret passageways. I had a few favorite scenes which include the fencing parts and when we got to learn more about Mr. Trent. The author had many great ideas coming into this book and it was an interesting mystery.

P.S. I received this book from the author and my review is not biased. :) 

3/5 stars

Source: Received from author, Max Xell. 

Here's where you can purchase this e-book:
Amazon -Vol. 1
Amazon - Vol. 2
Amazon - Vol. 3
Smashwords
LuLu

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Book Tour:

 

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Giveaway ENDED, thanks to all who entered :D