[Featured Discussion] - Price vs Quality

     This is a new segment, Featured Discussion. Where, I am looking at heading with this segment is more of a opinion based discussion. There is some that will be true and fact, but for the main part I want a good discussion, and I want people to chime in and talk. I will make my opinion and comments known as well. However please, PLEASE do not insult or degrade anyone else.

Featured Discussion:

     I was in South Bend, Indiana last weekend and hopped into the local Barnes and Noble to look around. I found a few books that I wanted to buy, but of course money doesn't allow me to get everything I want at the moment. During my search though, there was a family, in which the girl of the family was a late teenager of early twenties. During her search for a very specific book she looked through the shelves, she asked this question.

"The book is $10.99... that means the book must suck right?"

      Let me start off this discussion simple, I bought Divergent the first time for $10.79 at Books a Million. Later the book was lost  when I loaned it out to a friend and he bought me a hardcover copy to replace the book, and that weekend I went up to Anderson's Bookshop to get that copy signed by Veronica Roth herself. So by that I will greatly say that the price of a book does not at all indicate the quality of the book behind the cover.

     If you believe that, I feel greatly sorry for you. If you are't convinced yet. look at Barnes and Noble online. Their prices change nearly constantly, and if you known anything about economics, price is almost entirely dictated by supply and demand. NOT by how good or bad the book is. I fully believe that the quality of the book is determined by the reader. As well, I want to take this moment to say that there are a few fellow bloggers around that have different tastes in books than me. I understand that I may not appease all the fans and I won't have all of them at all, but those that have similar tastes as I, I want to give quality reviews to them as much as I can.

     If the price was dictated by the quality of the book, I would look to the future and see that every book could be read for free and you would pay as you go to read the next chapter. But it wouldn't be a $1 or $2 per chapter, it would be a pay what you want for the chapter you just read. I don't forsee that ever happening, but it's a great idea in my little head. Pay for the quality of the of the book you want, that's a dream.

     I am not saying that the quality of a book shouldn't be ignored, I am saying that the price of the book doesn't have anything to do with how the book is priced by any distributor or retailer. A while back, I had an issue with a mis-matched price with Barnes and Noble, the issue came with a pre-ordered book. I was charged more for a book that I pre-ordered, and their response was because of all the pre-orders the price went up because there were more people demanding the book, than the supply had really predicted. That's the best example, the true reality of how prices are determined, even if I wasn't a happy customer at the time.

     Just remember one thing, price doesn't indicate the quality of a book. There are numerous books that are $10 or lower and their quality can be past anything I could have thought. I just thought of this, the old proverb, "Don't judge a book by it's cover." That question is almost the same thing as saying the cover is black and it must suck because it's not vibrant and full of energy. Please, please never judge a book by the prices.

Read more »

[Flashback Friday] - #18

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past released that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!

Title:  Incarceron

   Author: Catherine Fisher

   Release Date: January 26th, 2010

     A thrilling, high-concept fantasy for fans of Garth Nix and Nancy Farmer.

     Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. Very few prisoners believe that there is an Outside, however, which makes escape seems impossible.

     And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl named Claudia. She claims to live Outside- she is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, and doomed to an arranged marriage. Finn is determined to escape the prison, and Claudia believes she can help him. But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost more than they know.

My Stance:

     Incarceron has been on my radar for a while. I have been looking at the book, and how people have enjoyed it's story for a while now; I just haven't been able to pin point why it never made my wishlist until just recently. The book I looked at maybe before I got into books and the genre, and really found the passion I have for books at the moment. So for that I should defiantly highlight this book.

     When I looked at this book again, and moved it to my wishlist, I thought of what it would be like for Alex to be stuck in jail at the end of Delirium through Pandemonium (sorry that's a spoiler if you haven't read the book yet, but maybe not that big of one :P). The premise and the perspective of this book is great! When I first got done with the synopsis, Finn's character stuck in the back of my mind. Was he born in the prison? If so what's the prison like? There is just so much about his character, and the environment he lives in.

     Then there is Claudia, the daughter of the warden. I understand that she's being forced into an arranged marriage. From what I see about the synopsis, during the escape Claudia and Finn will have a decent relationship. That's where I see Lena and Alex's great romance in these two characters and I hope that's the cause. I am curious to see if Claudia will take a more upfront active role, as opposed to sit in the back and hide for most of the book.

    I want to get into this book, and see the two characters that I am already finding myself drooling over! I hope you all are as well!

Read more »

[Book Review] - Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Title: Girl of Nightmares

   Author: Kendare Blake

   Series: #2 - Anna
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: August 7th, 2012
   My Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

     It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

     His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.


     Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.


     Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

My Review:

     Kendare Blake, I don't know where to begin with this author. She came back from Anna Dressed in Blood and makes a wonderful story that possibly concludes the two part series. Before anyone sticks out their bottom lip and moans and begs for a third book, I don't think it needs it. The book provided closure, but left you with that feeling as if you wanted more. I was happy with that, and fully believe that every book should have as great of an ending as this book.

     Cas is on of those characters that grew on me, I wasn't all that fond of him in the first book, because Anna took most of the spot light for me. However, in this book Cas takes center stage and the world into his emotional and mental trauma of losing Anna, comes to full light. It was apparent that Cas would suffer for the lose and the sacrifice that Anna made for the small group of ghost hunters. Cas's turmoil was a great change as compared to the first book, it was lighter and the suspense built up rapidly, while you wait for it to explode.

     Anna makes her appearance just as I thought she would, and when she appeared I cheered. Just like the first book, her appearances make the skin on your arms crawl. Her bone chilling skin that opens and seeps blood, to the stalking of Cas and warning him at every turn to stay away and help her at the same time. A constant echo in the back of Cas' mind, Anna screams a confusing message that leads the story forward.

     I then hit the sub characters Thomas and Carmel. I was torn by them over and over, and I know that they are great friends and have troubles between them. Just didn't expect Carmel's issue or dilemma at all, and when everything went down and Thomas was left standing there shocked, I didn't know if I wanted to keep going. Its that type of character development that makes this book worth reading.

     And then there is the villain in this book; which is the reason this book didn't get a 5.0 rating from me. I picked out the villain from the first ghost sighting, and I though tit wouldn't be, it couldn't be. But it was! And what a huge letdown it was, and when the book was done I thought the two books could have been combined into one book. However, I understand possibly why it was done as two.

     Girl of Nightmares was by far one of my favorite books, the series was great! I too hope there is a third, but like I said before, the closure of the second book doesn't require the need for a third book. Kendare Blake has made it on my authors to watch, and I look forward to her other books. There is great characters in these two books, and I absolutely couldn't wait for more!

Read more »

[Update] - Changes - 2/25

      I have a day off and I am working on a page that everyone has been looking for. I am working on the signed book page, but in the process I came across another idea. Featured Discussions, that I will occasionally do. Think of them as opinionated conversations about topics that I hear in bookstores. Along the lines of "Don't judge a book by it's cover," sort of discussions. I want people to look out for it and hopefully spark a few interests in those who want to voice their opinion as well. I want to keep the discussion productive, so if the comments are directed too negative or too insulting toward anyone I will remove comments as necessary.

     As well, I wanted to update the disclosure page so that the items belong together. When I look at it, I view all the items as a jumbled mess. I want the items to belong and want people to know exactly what they are looking at. So please look for the page and check it out!

     I am thinking about doing a segment on authors, ones that I have read about and doing some background information on them. As well as talking about some of the books they have done, and why they are some of the spotlighted authors on my list of favorites. I want to introduce people to selected authors that I have enjoyed and talk about the good and bad aspects of their novels, hopefully more good. What do you think? Would it be a good segment to talk about authors and their novels?

     So in closing I hope to get most of the changes above done today and the work on the signed book page completed and updated so you all can see the library of signed books that I have as well. Thank you!

Read more »

[Stacking the Shelves] - #18

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!

      I have been away for a while. I have to say the Christmas events kept me busy, and I have started a new job. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things, and getting things in order. I want to thank everyone out there for keeping around, and if you managed to find my site, I want to thank you and hope you enjoy what's around.

I know I had a week off, the holiday and all, I was a bit overwhelmed with work and all and I needed a week off to get things straight in my real life and with this blog. I am running out of books that I have read to conduct reviews on a weekly basis, or more accurately; I am reviewing books faster than I am reading them. So in that sense I have been looking at other avenues to be involved here, and other ways to format this blog and keep a familiar fan-base. Keep in touch and you will see some changes.

Fever

Through to You

Mercy

Hallowed

Lullaby

Mailbox Pickup:

Title:Fever

   Author: Lauren DeStefano

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: February 21st, 2012

     Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

     Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

     The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

     In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

      Fever is one of those books that I haven't read the first book. I don't exactly want to read the synopsis of the sequel to a book I haven't started but I have the fascination to get started and get through. As well, a few fellow bloggers have spoken about how they enjoyed Lauren's work.  As well, Rhine is a character that has depth and a unique character. However the plot is where I am lost; which may be a problem I have of not reading the first book. I want to get into the series and see just how Rhine deals with the turmoil and the trouble she's in.

---

Title: Through to You

   Author: Emily Hainsworth

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

     Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the meds wore off. And now, he'd give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv's deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn't Viv.

     The apparition's name is Nina, and she's not a ghost. She's a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can't believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn't the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he's forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

     Through to You is a book I continue to fall in love with, every time I read the synopsis. I love the whole Fringe aspect of this world or worlds. I don't know what the price would be for trying to get your girlfriend back from another parallel universe. I am not in love or even have a girlfriend, so I don't know how desperate one would have to be to feel the urge to enter another universe to get someone they loved back. So I expect Viv to be a rather thought invoking and deep character to get to know, and I won't back down from that.

     I want to make a guess on the ending of this book. Camden realizes that the girl he loved isn't the same (of course) and eventually will give her up. However the reality in that world gives Nina, a girl who seeks out her love who died on her, Camden. A trade of sorts, but the question I have if that's close or even remotely close whose reality or universe do they head off to?

---

Title:Mercy

   Author: Rebecca Lim

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: May 17th, 2011

     A fallen angel haunted by her past. Yearning for her immortal beloved. Forever searching for answers.Who will show her Mercy?

     Mercy has lost herself. She can’t count how many times she’s “woken up" in a new body, and assumed a new life, only to move on again and again. During the day she survives in the human world on instinct and at night her dreams are haunted by him. Mercy’s heart would know him anywhere. But her memory refuses to cooperate.

     But this time is different. When Mercy wakes up she meets Ryan, an eighteen year old reeling from the loss of his twin sister who was kidnapped two years ago. Everyone else has given up hope, but Ryan believes his sister is still alive. Using a power she doesn’t fully comprehend, Mercy realizes that Ryan is right. His sister is alive and together they can find her. For the first time since she can remember, Mercy has a purpose; she can help. So she doesn’t understand why the man in her dreams cautions her not to interfere. But as Ryan and Mercy come closer to solving the dark mystery of his sister’s disappearance, danger looms just one step behind.

     Will Mercy be able to harness her true self and extraordinary power in time?

     The first in a dazzling new series, Mercy masterfully weaves romance, mystery and the supernatural into a spell-binding tale.

     Mercy reminded me of a twist between Every Day by David Levithan and the Fallen series by Lauren Kate. An angel who doesn't have a form, and wakes up in a different person's body every day; that's not exactly how I thought the world would be or how Angels would persist. However Mercy is trying to find purpose, and I don't buy that she is just a teenager. I thought the whole has white father wings and typical halo or angeleque features would be present, nope. I like the twist though.

     I was looking at this book and thought immediately of an eternal angel hundreds of years old who would be looking to help those around her. Heling Ryan look and save his twin sister. With a person in her dreams that continues talking to her, and warns her of the danger that looms ahead of her. A big concern of mine is the whole lack of character that Fallen had, and I look forward to seeing if this surpasses that. I greatly hope so.

---

Title: Hallowed

   Author: Cynthia Hand

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: January 17th, 2012

     For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

     Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

     In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

     Cynthia Hand comes back with a sequel to Unearthly and I haven't read it yet. Sorry everyone. But I won't let you down. I am on my list of books to read and I am working ever so hard to get through the books. I need some good quality time alone to get through them all and with movies coming out this weekend, I wish there was more time. Clara... I believe there is a place on the shelf for all of your books, and I can't wait to get around to reading about you first hand. I know a few of my fellow bloggers have abandoned you, but I won't. I will finish the series!

---

Title: Lullaby

   Author: Amanda Hocking

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: November 27th, 2012

     Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.

     While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

     Lullaby being  the sequel to Wake, I picked this up on the fly because I find a good copy if it signed! I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. As well, when I first picked up Wake, I thought it would be a good short read when I had some time off and a good book to add to my collection. I have looked at the synopsis a few times and each time I hope the best for Harper and wished that her character would be better than the typical Twilight or Fallen character. As well in the paranormal world, I hope they keep the whole third wheel relationship out of the picture.

Read more »

[Flashback Friday] - #17

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past released that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!

Title:  Uglies

   Author: Scott Westerfeld

   Release Date: September 16th, 1996

     Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

     But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

My Stance:

     I finished Leviathan not too long ago and one thing occurred to me at the end of the book. I realized just what a great author Scott Westerfeld is. I enjoyed Leviathan completely, great story and a great steampunk spin on reality. As well, I know the rest of the series has high hopes and whatever happens with the series, I wanted to see the other series he did.

     It wasn't only how well Leviathan did that brought me to this book, it's been on my radar for a while. A friend of mine spoke of this book and how out of the ordinary and how good the book was afterwards. So when I looked up the book and the synopsis, I was caught off guard. This book reminds me so much of Delirium in some sense, Tally like Hana at first believe that what she wants is the same thing that she's grown up to believe and made to want. The deeper turmoil of this book isn't that her friend ran away, but what the world beyond being made glamour is.

     When I first read this book, I couldn't get the song Familiar Taste of Poison by Halestorm out of my head, and I feel fits. Shay is the reason for that; she doesn't want to change, doesn't want to risk the life she has and chooses it's be safer away from the government trying to control her. Tally is her friend, and at Shay's choice has to make one of her own. One that will either leave her fighting with her friend on the outside, or turning her own friend in, and who knows what will happen to her. The premise of this book, is so grand and beyond what I expected, that I have just one question at the moment for this, I understand that girls get to be made glamorous and supermodels, but what about the men? Do they all look like the debated revolting/hunky twilight characters, or like the movie actors like Jason Statham? Just something to think about.

Read more »

[Book Review] - Reached by Ally Condie

Title: Reached

   Author: Ally Condie

   Series: #3 - Matched
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: Novemeber 15th, 2011
   My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

     After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

My Review:

     The wait is over, Reached is finally here and the wait was worth every bit. The book surpassed everything that I had thought, and it went the same path that the last book, Crossed did; each chapter being told by another character (Xander, Ky, and Cassia). Lately books have been doing this, switching characters and most of them seem to leave you wondering what the characters were doing while the other one was telling their story and end up wanting more out of the characters or just in utter confusion. Most of you will remember my review of The Casual Vacancy and how horrible the character switches were there, but here is a decent one that leaves you feeling complete and fulfilled at the end of the day.

     The characters grew in this book and there was a sort of distance between them that made me want them all to meet up. Xander's faced with a choice and a realization that I believe and thought throughout the book he should have been able to realize. Ky learns how to understand his past and the relationship he has with Cassia; after Crossed, I felt that Ky and Cassia had drifted apart and in this book Ky shows his loyalty and faith to her. Cassia I feel is more of a inward, realizing who she is and what she wants. How the characters grow next to each other and constantly change the perception of who they are and what they want from each other.

     Reached brings the Society to its knees with the revolution bringing the cause and the plague to the society. I am not sure I agree with the means the revolution takes place. It's a sense of we'll get everyone sick, come in and cure everyone so you know how great we are and choose us over what you have now. Of course, as in reality, you had those who support Society of the Revolution. But when the plague goes wild, it's not only just the three fighting for their lives, but everyone.

     With the discovery of the Pilot and his first real appearance of the whole series. I found he was more philosophical and up in the clouds than a down to earth person. The pilot's character seemed to be more focus on his own personal goal than saving the lives of everyone else. I almost got the feeling he'd sacrifice the three if it suited his means. The let down, the complete lack of who I thought he would be and Cassia's perception of the Pilot I felt more appealed to than what was actually given.

     The decisions of each character build to a point, and the relationship between Cassia and Ky is just the beginning of this book. This isn't just a romance, but a war. And as the quarantine goes further than anyone anticipated Xander ends up dealing with the sick and dying on a level I hope no one has to see. That is the way I forsee the world ending, not some alien invasion, but a plague that ravages the world. The plague isn't the only thing Xander finds himself stuck in, but a romance he never thought would appear, and a broken heart for another broken heart.

     Reached by far was the best part of the whole series. The first book, was building a love that lasted throughout the entire series, and to any couple that picks up this series, I hope they learn what it means to stay together. In Crossed the relationship between Ky and Cassia is put to the test, as the escape from Society leads them to the Revolution. And Reached not only ends the series but ties everything together,  leaves you feeling complete and fulfilled.

Read more »

[Stacking the Shelves] - #17

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!

      I have been away for a while. I have to say the Christmas events kept me busy, and I have started a new job. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things, and getting things in order. I want to thank everyone out there for keeping around, and if you managed to find my site, I want to thank you and hope you enjoy what's around.

Here is another five books, and yet more headway. I love how everyone has been a great support and the views that I get on the weekend. I understand as well, that sometimes I forget to make a post, like last Friday, but I try to make up the post at a later date. Anyways, I bring a start of a series and hope you get an idea of books to read and maybe pick up a few that I am looking at, and that are on my shelf as well. So without further discussion...

Eve & Adam

A Beautiful Dark

A Fractured Light

The Lost Prince

The Paladin Prophecy

Mailbox Pickup:

Title:Eve & Adam

   Author: Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: August 16th, 2012

     And girl created boy…

     In the beginning, there was an apple—

     And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

     Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

     Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

      Eve and Adam is one of those books that the authors are the creators of one of my favorite books when I was growing up, the Animorphs series. I still have one book left from that series, and through time I got rid of the series, but I wish I hadn't. Anyways, I don't believe this is a nostalgia pick-up, but the story has a unique feel to it. What if you could create someone, wouldn't you make them perfect? But to be honest, the problem is, who would it be perfect for? Everyone views perfection in a different way, so what exactly is perfect?

      I don't understand the purpose though for creating this person or boy? Is it going to be made or is it a way for Evening to cope with the trauma she went through and hoping she'll pull through? Or could it be part of a romance that I just don't see yet. But other than that the book was a fairly good find and I can't wait to open the cover and get started on finding out the purpose of Adam.

---

Title: A Beautiful Dark

   Author: Jocelyn Davies

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: October 30th, 2012

     On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites--like fire and ice--Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move--only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

     In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

     A Beautiful Dark is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies.

     This book, I got when I was in the middle of the Fallen series and it sounded like a better version of the whole angel or love story that I was looking for in that series. Skye is a girl who I can only imagine would be an average girl, and when two boys appear to be stalking her she seems to question them. Now I can buy that she would question the two boys, they're stalking for one; however, what I don't seem to buy into is why she questions her own past. Think of it this way, when you fall in love with someone I'm sure you don't look back on your life and question who you were back then. It just sounds absurd.

      And I have to point this out, why is it that Paranormal books feel they have to include the disastrous three way romance. I hate the idea of a third wheel and the while that goes on I tend to ignore one of the characters. I just hate how books like this make it feel like there a better person than another, and the choice between one character versus another is harder done for me. I don't view it the way everyone does, I don't view people as better than another, but how the connections between people fit together.

---

Title:A Fractured Light

   Author: Jocelyn Davies

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: September 20th, 2012

     When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. It's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

     Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

     A Fractured Light picks up right after A Beautiful Dark's shocking cliffhanger ending and is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga.

     A Fractured Light is the sequel to the previous book, and I left the synopsis alone. I wanted to read the first book before I got into this one. I'm sure there are viewers out there who are wondering why I picked up this sequel without reading the first book. The answer is simple, I am a completionist, I like to finish something I start, and while I know I haven't started it yet, it's on my shelf and I can't help but feel that I will get around to it. As well, if I made it through Fallen, I am positive I will get through this, no matter how much I hate three ring circuses.

---

Title: The Lost Prince

   Author: Julie Kagawa

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: September 18th, 2012

     Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

     That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

     Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

     Julie Kagawa has another series, The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten. I know that i'ts a sub-series to the Iron Fey series. I don't quite understand where this fit into the whole scheme of the Iron Fey series, but the general idea is very primitive. The series feeds right off her main series by involving Meghan's sister. However, I get the feeling that Chase never wanted to be involved and hates the fey world.

     I wonder who the girl is that Chase feels he needs to protect from the Fey. From what I have read in other series, normal people don't really stand a hope or any chance of competing against the Fey. Their world of magic and seduction would over power every fey, would consume a normal person in an instant. Now I will admit I have The Iron Fey series, I haven't started it as of yet, so I am not sure exactly what the world would be like for them, but I can't imagine it being good at all.

---

Title: The Paladin Prophecy

   Author: Mark Frost

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

     Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

     Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

     Co-creator of the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks, Mark Frost brings his unique vision to this sophisticated adventure, which combines mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural.

     This book I am not sure on. I wouldn't say that I think it's going to be a bad read or anything. I am just looking at it and trying to understand what the point of the book is. I understand that Will is a sort of supernatural. Whether he is smart or has abilities, that's to be seen, but after slipping up once on an exam people start following him. That's the part I don't understand. What was on that test that makes a government or whatever want to follow him and see what he is capable of.

     As well his parents die and he runs to the school? I'm sure that if someone murdered my parents the last place I would go is a school. Okay I should rephrase that, he loses his parents. When you put it that way, its like saying I lost my car keys; it's not the same thing and seems to downplay the importance of losing a family.  The other thing I don't understand, is there's no potential romance or connection to other people here. He's kept himself isolated, that he is alone with his parents until their deaths. It just doesn't make a lot of sense.

Read more »

[Waiting on Wednesday] - #15

          Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!

Title: Out of the Easy

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Date: January 29th, 2013

     It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

     Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

     With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.

     Ruta Sepetys made my favorite author list on her first book, Between Shades of Gray and with this next book, set in a different time and a different message I just can't wait to see her characters and the decisions they all face. In Between Shades of Gray, there was a depth to every character and the decisions they faced felt real and the empathy and sorrow I felt through the book felt raw and real at every turn. If you haven't, read the review to see in detail why I loved the book in further detail.

     Here however, with a girl who wants out of the brother world and wants more out of the world than what the underworld offers. Josie, is one of those characters that already I know there's depth to her and I want to read more about who she is and the life she leads. As well, the environment has the same potential, in the underbelly of society, most people don't see what goes on there often, and pulls people into it, and the imagination runs wild with possibilities.

     The question I have here, I  understand that a death causes Josie to get involved in an investigation, and there is talk of some sort of temptation. What are the temptations, like getting into the whole brothel life and choosing that for herself, greed/money? I am confused on what sort of temptations are being implied to here. Now back to t he death, why is Josie involved? Was she in the room, a friend? A synopsis like this would annoy me and usually turn me away from the book, but there is enough that's pulling me into the book and of course it's Ruta, she won't let me down.

Read more »

[Flashback Friday] - #16

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past released that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!

Title:  Uglies

   Author: Scott Westerfeld

   Release Date: September 16th, 1996

     Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

     But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

My Stance:

     I finished Leviathan not too long ago and one thing occurred to me at the end of the book. I realized just what a great author Scott Westerfeld is. I enjoyed Leviathan completely, great story and a great steampunk spin on reality. As well, I know the rest of the series has high hopes and whatever happens with the series, I wanted to see the other series he did.

     It wasn't only how well Leviathan did that brought me to this book, it's been on my radar for a while. A friend of mine spoke of this book and how out of the ordinary and how good the book was afterwards. So when I looked up the book and the synopsis, I was caught off guard. This book reminds me so much of Delirium in some sense, Tally like Hana at first believe that what she wants is the same thing that she's grown up to believe and made to want. The deeper turmoil of this book isn't that her friend ran away, but what the world beyond being made glamour is.

     When I first read this book, I couldn't get the song Familiar Taste of Poison by Halestorm out of my head, and I feel fits. Shay is the reason for that; she doesn't want to change, doesn't want to risk the life she has and chooses it's be safer away from the government trying to control her. Tally is her friend, and at Shay's choice has to make one of her own. One that will either leave her fighting with her friend on the outside, or turning her own friend in, and who knows what will happen to her. The premise of this book, is so grand and beyond what I expected, that I have just one question at the moment for this, I understand that girls get to be made glamorous and supermodels, but what about the men? Do they all look like the debated revolting/hunky twilight characters, or like the movie actors like Jason Statham? Just something to think about.

Read more »

[Book Review] - The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Title: The Ask and the Answer

   Author: Patrick Ness
   Series: #2 - Chaos Walking

   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: Novemeber 15th, 2011
   My Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

     Part two of the literary sci-fi thriller follows a boy and a girl who are caught in a warring town where thoughts can be heard — and secrets are never safe.

     Reaching the end of their tense and desperate flight in THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical government. Todd, meanwhile, faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives — Todd’s gritty and volatile; Viola’s calmer but equally stubborn — the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

My Review:

     The Ask and the Answer, when I finished this book, I was in awe. I loved this book, and instantly this series I wanted this book to be a movie. When I sat and thought about this book, I understood just than how real, and how raw this book was. There is just so much to this book, how the running pair of Viola and Todd go through a worst ordeal than the first book. Viola and Todd in this book, are not only stranded, but split apart to deal with the new world in their own way.

     Todd is split and put into the church chapel with the old mayor of the world and Mr Prentiss and his son run the city on their own. Okay well maybe more so Mayor Prentiss more so than anyone else, and as the town is taken over the cure to the noise is slowly taken away. The town used to be silent, a cure running through everyone so that they could live in peace. A larger town, not by our standards today, but by theirs a few hundreds or thousands of men in one localized area with their noise open wide to everyone would get loud and almost impossible to sleep or live by.

     Viola is put into the houses, where groups of women heal those who are injured. Houses of Healing, and the Mistresses who lead the others, each in different house, all seem to have a different agenda of their own. Both Todd and Viola struggle time and time again to get to each other. Their firm belief that each other can save the world, and together they are capable of everything is a romance and a ideology that every couple should have.

     However the story goes awry when the houses of healing turn into a revolutionary group with Mistress Coyle, the house leader for Viola. Having been part of the original war with the Spackle, the revolutionary group, The Ask, know how to fight a war. And when they bomb New Prentisstown and take off. Their war has started.

     As well, Todd's found himself involved with rebuilding a church or some type of barracks out of town and his crew of Spackle help rebuild. However Davy, the new Mayor's son, views them as slaves and incompetent; whereas, Todd is the opposite and empathizes with he Spackle. However, when the Mayor wants the Spackle banded, a growing resent rises through the Spackle group; and as well the events leading to the completion of the building of The Answer, ends with a genocide.

     The worlds of the The Ask and The Answer collide hard, and with the two groups waging war on each other. Mistress Coyle and Mayor Prentiss, two nearly identical leaders with the same intent; both Coyle and Prentiss want to lead the world into a future which they control. A world in which everyone would suffer, but both of those view the world as better with one group than the others. A world that Todd and Viola are stuck in the middle of; stuck in the middle of a waging war that they are all inbetween.

     This book is just everything I was looking for, there is so much action and drama. The raw emotion and pain in this book, felt both by Viola and Todd. The Ask and the Answer shows a world with separation of sexes. How men are greater than women or whatever. Than there is that bit of raw betrayal, the sacrifices Todd and Viola make for each other. This book is everything, that a reader couldn't hep pass up. I enjoyed this book, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to see a book that involves a couple who struggle through a dystopia unlike any other, through gender issues and fight through anything just to get back to each other. A book that involves a government torturing its own people, but not only the adults but the children as well. I will never forget the scene of Viola being waterboarded in the city, while Todd watches.

     As well, this book makes my shelf and I started the last book, Monsters of Men. I hope the series goes great with the rest and ends just as well. Here's to the greatest couple I've read in a book and I hope to see more of them. And here's to Monsters of Men, and hoping for a fantastic end!

Read more »

[Stacking the Shelves] - #16

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!

      I have been away for a while. I have to say the Christmas events kept me busy, and I have started a new job. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things, and getting things in order. I want to thank everyone out there for keeping around, and if you managed to find my site, I want to thank you and hope you enjoy what's around.

More headway! The list is slowly getting smaller, however I feel that one of the posts will be longer than the others, mainly cause I picked up a series instead of pieces of a series as they come out. This isn't that post sorry, you'll understand when the post shows up. Anyways, this is does have a few books that I've been happy to get my hands on and have been waiting on for a while. Thanks for the patience and the views.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Rebel Hearts

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

The Crown of Embers

Beta

Mailbox Pickup:

Title:The Treachery of Beautiful Things

   Author: Ruth Frances Long

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: August 16th, 2012

     A darkly compelling mix of romance, fairy tale, and suspense from a new voice in teen fiction

     The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.

      This book when I first saw it was reviewed by a fellow friend of mine, and she spoke highly of this book. I was hoping to see what she was talking about, and what she was saw in this book. However, after a few of the books that I have read, I just had to read the synopsis before settling down with this book. All I have to say is, after reading the synopsis, I am either confused with how I missed this book, or am I being too over confident in this book.

      This book has layers of difficulty. I found the most intriguing point was the whole need to get closure, watching your brother taken by a forest of trees and no sign of where he went. Jenny's story of venturing into a world where her brother went into, and meeting people who she doesn't know, let alone understand. She than meets up with Jack, a faerie whose beauty masks his personality. I am not sure if Jack is someone I would trust or want to ignore and move on from. I hope Jenny and Jack start a romance in this book.

---

Title: Rebel Heart

   Author: Moira Young

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: October 30th, 2012

     Nothing is certain and no one is safe in the second book in the highly praised Dust Lands trilogy.

     It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

     What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.

     Saba is Back! Blood Red Road was by far one of my favorites and the book ended in a way that I really hadn't thought of. I enjoyed how macho, stubborn, and even more of a man than some of the other boy or masculine characters were in that book. However Rebel Heart brings Jack back. Saba goes after what she wants now, instead of trying to save her family, her brother Lugh; Jack is the focus of her troubles this time.

      What I don't understand is what secrets Jack could hide, and I guess in the first book I expected and knew that Jack was a complete mystery most of the time. I don't want to give away the ending of Blood Red Road to those who haven't read it, but at the same time, I wonder what new power or who rose to power, because of that ending; and that power has to do what with Jack? This is my speculation and I hope I'm wrong, whoever rose to power, Jack has some affiliation to them and how they want Saba. I hope to get into this book soon, just so I can find out.

---

Title:The Girl of Fire and Thorns

   Author: Rae Carson

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: September 20th, 2012

     Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
     Elisa is the chosen one.

     But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

     Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

     And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

     Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

     Most of the chosen do.

     The Girl of Fire and Thorns, I had this on my wishlist for a while, and when I had a few things come about I couldn't help but pick this book up with a few others. I picked up both books in the series, so I won't talk much about the second, mainly cause I haven't read this one as of yet. Anyways Elisa, a girl who is heir to a throne, and the younger of two princesses, and the one who isn't noticed let alone believes she ever will be. I have sympathy and utmost respect for this girl, cause I believe half of those people who are in power, don't feel they are noticed, when they are actually in the spotlight all the time.

     As well, I want to explain Elisa is a girl who has expectations placed on her, and she probably too soon becomes a wife of king. Her expectations pile up as, his kingdom needs a chosen one. Her expectations in my opinion are enough to drown someone, and for that reason I am curious and cannot wait to get into this story to see how she handles what is expected of her. I want to if she falls, or if this supposed prophecy is fulfilled because a girl who isn't noticed, rises to the occasion.

---

Title: The Crown of Embers

   Author: Rae Carson

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: September 18th, 2012

     In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

     Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

     The Crown of Embers, is the sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I haven't read the first book, and I don't want to spoil the ending. So I skipped this synopsis, and I want to keep it that way. I want to know what happens to Elisa, and if she's successful. I hope the best for Elisa, and hope she leads her people to more.

      The other issue I have is the relationship with her husband. Was the betrothing too soon, or was it actually worth while? I want to know Elisa, and I want to see who her husband is and what he wants out of her. If she is the chosen one, there seems to be motives for anyone, and everyone wanting her. So why can't he be one of those. It would turn a whole good lovely romantic book, into a twisted heat of anger and betrayal. I hope that's not the chase here, but I have a feeling.

---

Title: Beta

   Author: Rachel Cohn

   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

     Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

     Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers--soulless clones like Elysia--are immune to.

     At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an under-current of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care--so why are overpowering sensations cloud-ing Elysia's mind?

     If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi-ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

     Beta, a book about a world of clones, or experimental clones who grow uncomfortable and appear to be starting to grow restless. As well, the other world of "normal" people seem to be in a comatose. The people, the wealthiest of the world, and living in a paradise who want nothing. As well, the air they breathe, is a drug that puts everyone into a high of some sort. I understand that you all just got that from reading the same stuff I did, but at the same time, I propose a question, I want to know why they need that drug to be high. I want to know that answer, and I want to know more about the clones

     As well, the clones are immune to the drug that's in the air. And Elysia, being a clone, shouldn't feel emotions, yet she does. Going on the idea that if someone finds out she feels, things could happen to her, what soft of things? I want to know, what would happen to Elysia if she is found out. The clones, they aren't all supposed to feel, but what happens if they all do? As well, I wonder if there is a romance that will appear out of this book; can a clone love? That is my question out of this book?

Read more »

[Waiting on Wednesday] - #14

          Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!

Title: Requiem

Author: Lauren Oliver

Date: January 29th, 2013

     Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

     After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

     Lauren Oliver is by far one of my favorite authors, and I have enjoyed the Delirium series, however I enjoyed the first book mainly because of the emotional love story with Alex and Lena. In the second book, with Julian, I didn't feel the same way (as my review showed), because of the character development wasn't even there. Well I guess I can't say that, Lena did grow and change but Julian just wasn't the character I thought he would be, and Lena seemed to move too fast away from Alex. It just didn't seem like the same romance like the first book.

     Anyways Requiem has a new spin on everything. Going back to Hana in the first book, and the life she leads in the city with a political leader and contrasted to Lena's life in the Wilds. I want to see what Hana has been up, and how life has treated her. On the other side, I am curious to see the interaction between Julian and Lena now that time has passed, or possibly passed; I am not sure where the book starts off.

     Where is Alex in this book? In the whole synopsis there is mention of the good significant characters in this book, but Alex doesn't even get a mention. With how Pandemonium ended I would at least expect to see him somewhere present. Just for the record, I am Team Alex so. Normally I don't do Teams, because I can't seem to decide or can point to which one I prefer over the other. In this case, I made an exception.

     I would love to pick up this book and answer all the nagging questions I have on the best romantic story I started, and by far one of the best authors I've read. I just hope the book does better than Pandemonium. Here's to Hana and Lena's comparison and the the anxious anticipation for this book!

Read more »

[Flashback Friday] - #14

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past released that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!

Title:  Neverwhere

   Author: Neil Gaiman

   Release Date: September 16th, 1996

     Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but demanding fiancee. Then one night he stumbles across a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her - and the life he knows vanishes like smoke.

     Several hours later, the girl is gone too. And by the following morning Richard Mayhew has been erased from his world. His bank cards no longer work, taxi drivers won't stop for him, his landlord rents his apartment out to strangers. He has become invisible, and inexplicably consigned to a London of shadows and darkness - to a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

     For this is the home of Door, the mysterious girl whom Richard rescued in the London Above. A personage of great power and nobility in this murky, candlelit realm, she is on a mission to discover the cause of her family's slaughter, and in doing so preserve this strange underworld kingdom from the malevolence that means to destroy it. And with nowhere else to turn, Richard Mayhew must now join the Lady Door's entourage in their determined - and possibly fatal - quest.

     For the dread journey ever-downward - through bizarre anachronisms and dangerous incongruities, and into dusty corners of stalled time - is Richard's final hope, his last road back to a "real" world that is growing disturbingly less real by the minute.

My Stance:

     This book is an older book, a lot older than some of the books I have listed on this blog and what I normally read. However, this book has come highly recommended from a friend of mine, and I'm holding her to her world. I look at recommendations and want every recommendation to be a good solid 4.0 rating or higher, so I have extremely high hopes for this book. I know that's not fair to place on a book, but if I was to recommend a book to anyone it would have to be at least a 4.0 or higher rating for me to feel justified recommending it to my fans or friends, and that's what I expect in return. Nothing against the book, it's more of recommendation expectation.

     Now to the book, I am confused on the synopsis and it does have me interested. I am a little confused on the setting. I understand it's in London, so lets get that stupidity out of the way. What's got me worked up, is the alternate universe. Is it sort of like the TV show Fringed, how there is a similar London just an alternate universe where similar choices led to a different outcome. That's the main issue that I'm curious on with this book.

     As well, the character Door opens the world for Richard I understand that her name sis a very poor metaphor. However, her character just doesn't stop there she goes forward and changes his life. I just don't foresee the life that Richard is forced into normally without saving Door. As well, Door has this mission she needs to discover regarding her family's death, and there is just enough information to make me curious what it is, but at the same time it leaves me hanging so I want to know and read the book.

Read more »