Mini Review: Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

Title: Ballet Shoes

Author(s): Noel Streatfeild

Release Date: September of 2003

Publisher: Yearling

Page Number: 256

Format: Paperback

Source: Own

Synopsis:  Pauline, Petrova and Posy are orphans determined to help out their new family by joining the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. But when they vow to make a name for themselves, they have no idea it's going to be such hard work! They launch themselves into the world of sho business, complete with working papers, the glare of the spotlight, and practice, practice, practice! Pauline is destined for the movies. Posy is a born dancer. But practical Petrova finds she'd rather pilot a plane than perform a pirouette. Each girl must find the courage to follow her dream.

My Review: I was super excited to pick up Ballet Shoes. I own the movie and have watched it over and over again because it's fabulous, and I expected the book to be the same way. I wasn't let down. Pauline, Petrova, and Posy are orphans and their personalities are great because they are so different. Pauline when she gets older becomes the older sister figure and she loves acting, Petrova is a little timid and loves cars and aeroplanes, and Posy is outgoing and loves dancing with all her heart. I thought the characters really gave the story some splash. I thought the relationship between the three girls was just like three sisters, because despite being from different families, that was all these girls had ever known. The concept of three orphans working on the stage to earn money for their family was also really interesting. The plot kept going at a nice pace and would be good for keeping kids reading, because it is a middle grade book.

Rating: 5/5 worms

A great book for anyone, but I have to say I did like the movie better.

 

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming titles we're currently awaiting.

This weeks title is...

Pivot Point (Pivot Pivot #1)
by Kasie West
Publication Date: February 12, 2013

Synopsis(Goodreads): Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Dark Seraphine by KaSonndra Leigh

Title: Dark Seraphine (Seraphine Trilogy #1)

Author(s): KaSonndra Leigh

Release Date: October 21, 2012

Publisher: TriGate Press

Page Number: 216

Format: ebook

Source: Publisher 

Synopsis(Goodreads): "Mom always says the angels walk among us. She forgot to tell me that sometimes they're not all fluffy and nice."

Seventeen-year-old Caleb Wood has seen people he calls the walkers since he was a baby. It didn't take long for him to realize something…no one can see these strangers but him. They never stuck around or tried to touch him. And they never said a word. That was until one day on the first day of class in his senior year when an incredibly gorgeous girl strolls into his life…and things are never the same again.

Soon Caleb realizes he has stepped into the middle of a growing conflict between two ancient groups. And his ability to see the invisible ones, the half-breeds that want to modify the human race, just might be the only hope both he and the mysterious, but infuriating, Gia, have of making it out alive.

My Review: Dark Seraphine was so super good! It had everything that it needed and it was fabulous!

From the first page of this book I was sucked in. Stuff was happening and KaSonndra Leigh just grabbed us and threw us into the book. This book sounded like nothing I had ever heard before and it was crazy awesome and good. The plot was very fast paced and there was never a dull moment, because something crazy is always happening that usually comes out of no where.

Caleb was a great main character. He was caught between a rock and a hard place for most of the book and he has his flaws, but that's what makes him such a great character. I loved how he knew he had flaws and didn't think he was perfect and above everybody else. Gia was another great character. She was always popping up at unexpected times and she had me guessing what she was until the end. The side characters all fit together well too, and they all had a story and they weren't just shoved into the story because more characters were needed.

I loved the romance between Caleb and Gia. It wasn't one of those insta-love things that happen a lot in Young Adult books now, and I'm glad it was something different. There romance just happened slowly and it gradually got stronger and I was cheering for them in the end. More YA authors need to create romances like KaSonndra Leigh creates hers.

The writing style of this book was great. KaSonndra Leigh creates great characters and keeps the plot going smoothly. There were sometimes that I was a little confused with what was going on, but usually it was easy to tell. She also makes the dialogue sound like normal teenage conversation, which some authors don't do which was great. I could actually imagine kids at my school talking that way. 

Rating: 5/5 worms

Everything was great about this book. Definitely check it out!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Read in 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. They give us a topic and bloggers create a list to go with it.

This weeks topic is...

 

Top Ten Books I Read in 2012

 

1. The Fault in our Stars by John Green: My favorite John Green book yet. This book brought out so many emotions! A must read!

 

2.Easy  by Tammara Webber: I adored this book! More people need to read it!

 

3.The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater: With action and a cute romance, what's not to love?

 

4.Insurgent by Veronica Roth: I thought this book was a fabulous sequeal to Divergent.

 

5.Cinder by Marissa Meyer: You guys know how much I love this book. Enough said.

 

6.Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl: It was so good! I can't wait to see the movie!

 

7.The A Circuit by Georgina Bloomberg: Both the first and the second were great, and I hope the third will be just as good.

 

8.The Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead: The perfect end to the Vampire Academy series. It was so good, I read it twice in a row!

 

9.Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare: I haven't read the Mortal Instruments series yet, but if this book was any indication of how that will be, I will definetly read it.

 

10. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen: This was my first Sarah Dessen book, and it won't be my last!

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming titles we are currently awaiting.

This weeks title is...

MILA 2.0
by Debra Driza
Publication Date: March 12, 2013

Synopsis(Goodreads): Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Vixen by Jillian Larken

Title: Vixen (Flappers #1)

Author(s): Jillian Larken

Release Date: December 14, 2010

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Page Number: 432

Format: ebook

 

Synopsis(Goodreads): Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry.

 . . .

My Review: I picked up Vixen because I hadn't read any books set in the 1920s and I didn't know much about flappers, and I thought it would be interesting to expand my horizons. I didn't want go go out and buy a book I didn't like, so I got it on my Nook from a library and began to read. I loved the book as I began to read and that feeling continued for most of the book.

Vixen was set in the 1920s with flappers in sparkly dresses, speakeasies in the most unexpected places, and people from the mob smoking their cigarettes on streetcorners. The 1920s aren't something I know a lot about, so I thought it was really interesting and fairly different from what YA does a lot of now. Aside from a few spots that felt kind of like I was in the modern day, this book did a really good job of making the world come alive. The plot also did a really nice job of bringing this book to life. It was pretty good with a few slow spots, but otherwise really nice.

Vixen was told in alternating perspectives of our three main characters Gloria, Lorraine, and Clara. And right off the bat, I didn't like Gloria. She seemed different from the other characters, everything came easily to her. And I hated her romance. One moment the guy she liked didn't like her, and then he did, and she acted like she was in love the moment she saw the guy, when she didn't even know him! But I really liked Clara and Lorraine, because they had interesting stories and their emotions felt real, while Gloria's just felt fake. And I really liked Clara's romance, because it didn't just happen, it gradually happened over time.

Jillian Larken's writing style was okay. There were times that the chapters seemed really long (especially in Gloria's case) and I got bored. Her writing style didn't capture me the way I was hoping it would, but I enjoyed reading about the 1920s, so her writing style was pretty much average.

Rating: 4/5 worms

The 1920s aspect of this book and the characters were what made this book really enjoyable for me. This is one that I think isn't really known, but a lot of people would probably like it.



 

 

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

Author(s): Marissa Meyer

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher: Feiwal and Friends

Page Number: 387

Format: Hardcover

 

Synopsis(Goodreads): Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

 

My Review: I haven't read that much sci-fi, but Cinder definetly takes the cake as my favorited sci-fi book yet! I can't believe I waited so long to read it!

 

The plot and idea of Cinder were so fabulous. I mean, a retelling of Cinderella in New Beijing during a plague running loose on the city? That's crazy enough, but then Marissa Meyer tells us our main character is a cyborg and everything just gets crazy. I liked how the world was clearly depicted and that it spent enough time on both the characters and the world to make this book great. Cinder never had a dull moment. It was packed with action and something was always happening. And even though it was a Cinderella retelling, the fairytale was just barely there and it wasn't overpowering the rest of the story. I loved it!

 

The charcters were also really, really awesome. Cinder is a really strong main character who's a cyborg. She is looked down upon because she's a cyborg, I think that's what makes her a great character. When her stepsister gets the plague she doesn't just let her go, and when her stepmother signs her up for plague research, she doesn't leave without a fight. That is one rocking awesome heroine! The rest of the characters were really well done too. Kai was definetly one of my favorites.

 

The writing style was really fabulous. I would sit down to read for five minutes and I would look at my clock and it would say I had been reading for an hour! The writing style was really captivating and it sucked you into the book and it wouldn't let you go untill you finished it. I kept reading in between classes, desperate to find out what happens next. Marissa Meyer, hurry up with the rest of the series please!

 

Rating: 5/5 worms

This book had everything, a great plot, some kick butt characters, and some flawless writing. If you haven't picked up Cinder yet, get it before Scarlett comes out next year!

 

 

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine. It showcases titles that we are currently awaiting.

This weeks title is...

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
by Marissa Meyer
Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Synopsis(Goodreads): Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I want from Santa (5)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is. . .

 



 

Books You Want Santa to Bring You for Christmas!!!

 

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: I can't believe I haven't read this yet! I definitely need it in my stocking this Christmas!

2. The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse: The cover is just so beautiful!

 

3. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman: I've been hoping someone would notice me staring at it in the bookstore and buy it for me for Christmas. Maybe someone will....

 

4. Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket: Another book by Lemony Snicket? I must have it now!

 

5. Off Course by Georgina Bloomberg: I need to know what happens! This is one of my favorite series.

 

6. Everyday by David Levithan: This would be my first David Levithan book, but I've heard such good things that I feel that I must read it.

 

7. 52 Reasons to Hate my Father by Jessica Brody: Ahhhhhhhh! It looks so good!

8. Defiance by C.J. Redwine: I've heard super great things about this book.

 

Upcoming releases (because Santa is awesome):

9. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer: Cinder left me hanging. I have to know what happens next!

 

10. Cross My Heart, Hope to Die by Sara Shepard: I haven't finished the fourth Lying Game book, but I really, really want to read this one!

 

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming titles that we are currently awaiting.

This weeks title is...

The Moon and More
by Sarah Dessen
Publication Date: June 24, 2013

Synopsis(Goodreads):  Emaline works at her family's vacation rental company the summer before she leaves for college. She must confront her values, goals and choices as her relationship with city-boy Theo evolves and she's forced to say goodbye to the beach town where she grew up.

October Wrap Up and November TBR

This is incredibly late and there is no reason for it.

Books read in October:

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Easy by Tammara Webber

November TBR:

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
The Mockingbird by Daisy Whitney

Waiting on Wednesday(11)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted over at Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming titles we are currently awaiting.

 

 

This weeks title is...                                                                                                

Off Course (A Circuit #3)

by Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka



Publication Date: November 13, 2012

Synopsis(Goodreads): Equestrians Tommi, Kate, and Zara are expected to perform at every horse show big or small. So with the biggest show of the season just weeks away, they should be in prep mode. But that's easier said than done. Kate and Zara are both dealing with boy drama. And a road trip steals Tommi's focus. Then there's the issue of a new blog on the circuit-is someone from Pelham Lane Stables feeding gossip to the press? The drama explodes at annoying tag-along Summer's sweet sixteen bash.

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Title: Eve and Adam

Author(s): Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Release Date:

Publisher: Feiwal and Friends

Pages: 193

Format: Ebooks

Synopsis(Goodreads): 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?

My Review: I was disappointed my Eve and Adam. I liked the plot but there were parts in this book that had me confused and lacking interest.

The plot was my favorite part of this book. It was really interesting and had some twists that I didn't really see coming. I loved the action and suspense of it, and the first line of the book really set the tone for what it was going to be like. When Eve is walking across the street and gets hit by a car, my mind was going 100 miles a minute trying to figure out what was going to happen. The plot was totally awesome.

I thought the characters were okay. I thought that they were flat with no real emotion. I mean, when Eve got hit my a car and her leg got blown off she was just okay with it. I didn't like that at all. And Solo just ot on my nerves. He acted cocky and smart, but in the end he wasn't smart at all. He was just anoying the entire way through. I also didn't think the romance between Eve and Solo was any good either. It was emotionless and boring, and they were both so hot and cold about it. I didn't like it at all.

The writing style was also really annoying. This book was told in alternating perspectives, and that really bugged me. You have to do alternating perspectives well for me to like it, and I felt that this book didn't have it. When I had to go to school and came back later to read, I didn't know who was talking and it would take me a good page and a half to figure it out again. I also hated how the characters thoughts jumped around so much. They could be thinking about sending information out into the world and the next minute they could be thinking about how beautiful Eve's hair looked in the wind. I was not a fan of it.

Rating: 3/5

I loved the plot, but the writing style and characters bugged me. But if you're willing to over look the poor writing and characters, you might like this book.

 

Top Ten Tuesday (4)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish. They choose a topic and bloggers answer with their top ten things that would go on their list.

This week was a freebie, so I chose...

Top Ten Authors I'd Love to Meet in Real Life

1. Gail Carson Levine: Since I first read one of her books in third grade, I've been hooked on her books. Her fairytale retellings are awesome!

2. John Green: I'm pretty sure everyone wants to meet him.

3. Meg Cabot: I read her Princess Diaries series and I loved it. I bet she would be really cool!

4. Veronica Roth: I loved the first two books in her Divergent trilogy, so I bet I would like her too.

5. Suzanne Collins: I think everyone wants to meet her. I mean, The Hunger Games is legendary!

6. Ellen Hopkins: Her books are so real that its crazy.

7. J.K. Rowling: If I could just see her, I would be happy.

8. Stephanie Meyer: I really liked the Twilight series, even though some did not. I think it would be really cool to talk with her.

9. Richelle Mead: I absolutely loved her Vampire Academy series, and I'd love to talk to her about what happened with Rose and Dimitri!

10. Sarah Dessen: My favorite of her books was Just Listen, but I loved all of her other books too.

NaNoWriMo

Hey guys. This month I'm participating in NaNoWriMo. If you don't know what that is, click on the link here. But if you do know, you know I'm trying to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November.
So here's the scoop. Because I'm writing a novel, I probably won't have as much time to post and read. But stick with me. I will be back in December ready to blog my heart out.

Top Ten Tuesday (3)

 

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They choose a topic and bloggers list their top ten things to go in that list.

This weeks topic was....

Top Ten Characters  Kick-Butt Heroines

1. Hermoine Granger from Harry Potter:  Hermoine is my obvious choice. She is witty, smart, and she's a witch! That practically screams awesome!

2. Rose from The Vampire Diaries: Any girl who can fight vampires has got to be pretty awesome.

3. Tris from The Divergent Trilogy: Tris is awesome. She's even more awesome because she can kick some major butt.

4. Jessica from The Running Dream: Now while Jessica can't shoot some crazy guy or stake a vampire, having the will to run after you lost your leg is definetly kick-butt to me.

5. Puck from The Scorpio Races: Being the first girl to compete in a dangerous all-boys sport sounds like kick-butt to me.

6. Tally from The Uglies Series: Tally practically took down the whole ugly vs. pretty system down. That's crazy!

7. Katniss from The Hunger Games: Katniss is like the heroine.

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming titles that we are currently awaiting.

This weeks selection is...

Meant To Be
by Lauren Morrill
Publication Date: November 13th, 2012

Synopsis(Goodreads): Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be

Easy by Tammara Webber

   Title: Easy
   Author(s): Tammara Webber
   Release Date: May 24, 2012
   Publisher: CreateSpace
   Pages: 543
   Format: Ebook

 

   Synopsis(Goodreads): A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

My Review: Wow. All I can say is wow. I picked up this book, like I have picked up many others, knowing hardly anything about it,except that Ginger at GReads! had read it and loved it. So I looked it up on my Ereader, saw that it was cheap, and bought it. And oh my gosh, this book is now my favorite!

This book deals with sexual abuse, and when I figured that out, I was a little hesitant to keep reading. Sexual abuse is a difficult subject, I wasn't sure that reading about it was a good idea for someone of my age. But I'm glad I kept reading, because this book was fabulous. The plot was fast paced and I couldn't put this book down. This book had a dark undertone all the way through that was addicting, and I loved it!

I loved our main characters Jacqueline and Lucas. They both had gone through emotionally traumatic things and I sympathized with them. Jacqueline had been dumped by her boyfriend and was assaulted by a guy she thought was her friend. And Lucas had gone through some very difficult things in his past. I loved the characters and cheered when they got together. I also really liked our side characters.
They weren't just put in the story because they needed to be there. They also had a purpose.

I felt that the writing style was what really made it all work. Tammara Webber created a beautiful group of characters and a story with a fabulous plot and a message. I don't think she could have done any better.

Rating: 5/5 worms!!!

If you couldn't already guess, Easy was fabulous and if you haven't read it you should get it right now!

 

 

 

Mini Review: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author(s): John Green

Release Date: September 21, 2006

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Page Number: 228

Fomat: Paperback

Synopsis(Goodreads): When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun–but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

My Review: I liked An Abundance of Katherines. Colin was an okay protagonist and the supporting characters were good too. Colin was full of sadness over losing Katherine 19 at the beginning of the book, but at the end he had let that go and he had realized that he needed to move on. All the main characters in this book had a lot of character development, especially Lindsey and Colin. I really liked how Lindsey's character grew as the book went on. The only issues I had with this book, was that I felt that the first 100 or so page dragged on for a while (but that might have been just the fact that I didn't have a lot of reading time, so I didn't read a lot at a time). But after those pages, and especially at the end, the plot picked up and it was fabulous. I also felt that the wonderful writing style John Green had in The Fault in Our Stars that made me laugh and cry wasn't there. But otherwise I did really enjoy An Abundance of Katherines.

Rating: 4/5 worms



Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases titles that we are currently awaiting.

This weeks title is...                                                                             

 

Sacred

by Elana K. Arnold

Publication Date: November 13th, 2012

 

Synopsis(Goodreads): Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases titles that we are currently awaiting.

This weeks title is...

Ask the Passengers
by A.S. King
Publication Date: October 23rd, 2012

Synosis(Goodreads): Astrid Jones copes with her small town's gossip and narrow-mindedness by staring at the sky and imagining that she's sending love to the passengers in the airplanes flying high over her backyard. Maybe they'll know what to do with it. Maybe it'll make them happy. Maybe they'll need it. Her mother doesn't want it, her father's always stoned, her perfect sister's too busy trying to fit in, and the people in her small town would never allow her to love the person she really wants to: another girl named Dee. There's no one Astrid feels she can talk to about this deep secret or the profound questions that she's trying to answer. But little does she know just how much sending her love--and asking the right questions--will affect the passengers' lives, and her own, for the better.

In this unmistakably original portrayal of a girl struggling to break free of society's boxes and definitions, Printz Honor author A.S. King asks readers to question everything--and offers hope to those who will never stop seeking and sharing real love.

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases titles that we are currently awaiting.

This weeks title is....                                                                                                

Valkyrie Rising
by Ingrid Paulson
Publication Date: October 9th, 2012

Synopsis(Goodreads): Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

Yes, I'm back.

So I was gone. But I have an excuse. School is crazy, homework takes time, and I had a week long horse show. But I will hopefully be back in full swing soon with reviews.

Book Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent (Divergent #2)
Author(s): Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Page Number: 525
Format: Hardcover

Synopsis(Goodreads): One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

My Review: After reading Divergent in May and being totally blown away, I couldn't wait to read Insurgent. I didn't know when I was going to get it, but I was so excited. I was so lucky when one of my friends lent me her copy so I could continue on with this trilogy.

Divergent left me wondering if the world would be explained in Insurgent, and when I heard reviews saying that it did, I was super excited. We would finally know what was outside the fence. I would be reading and keep getting closer and closer to the end, and I kept telling myself that it would all be explained. But it didn't and that was kind of disappointing.

Otherwise, Insurgent was absolutely fabulous. Most people said that it had "second book syndrome" but I didn't think it had that. It was action packed and even the parts that weren't action packed were interesting.

I think Tris is a great narrator and character. Yeah, she does do things before thinking, but she still is a fantastic character. And don't even get me started on Four/Tobias. He's still super awesome.

The ending killed me. You spend all that time waiting for the information that changes everything and then its reveled and the book ends it was frustrating but it also hooked me. Now I can't wait till next fall to get the next book!!

Rating: 5/5 worms

Everything about this book screamed 5 worms. The writing, the plot, the characters the ending, everything. I loved it and it was definetly one to check out.

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted at Breaking the Spine. It showcases titles that we are currently awaiting.

 

This weeks title is...

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza’s brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen hi...more

The Spindlers

by Lauren Oliver

Publication Date: October 2, 2012

 

Synopsis (Goodreads):

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza’s brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen hi...moreOne night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza’s brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul.

She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him.

To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom. There, she uncovers a vast world populated with talking rats, music-loving moles, greedy troglods, and overexcitable nids . . . as well as terrible dangers. But she will face her greatest challenge at the spindlers’ nests, where she encounters the evil queen and must pass a series of deadly tests—or else her soul, too, will remain Below forever.

From New York Times best-selling author Lauren Oliver comes a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty, the meaning of love, and the enduring power of hope.



Top Ten Tuesday (2)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They choose a topic and bloggers list their top ten things to go in that list.

This weeks list is...

Top Ten Books On Your Fall TBR List

1. All These Things I've Done  by Gabrielle Zevin: I can't tell you how long I've been longing to read this. The Book Rat praised this book and I can't wait to read it.

2. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare: In preperation for Clockwork Princess, I need to re-read Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince, but I am definetly looking forward to it!

3. The Mockingbirds by Daisey Whitney: The cover on this book is so pretty, and the idea of this book is so unique that I have been waiting forever to get this book.

4. The Host by Stephenie Meyer: After reading the entire Twilight Saga and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (both of which I love) I can't wait to sink my teeth into this!

5. Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin: This book is massive, and I know it will take a week or two to read, but I have heard only positive things about this book. Plus, I love fantasy!

6. I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan: I have heard nothing about this book, but that is what makes me so excited to read it. Plus, another beautiful cover.

7. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke:  It's been four years since I read Inkheart, so I will have to re-read the rest of the trilogy before reading Inkdeath. But I'm really excited to bring this trilogy to a close.

8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: I have no words to describe why I want to read this book. I just do.

9. Marked by P.C. and Kristen Cast: Another book that's been on my nook forever, I've been super excited to give this series a try, even though I've heard mixed reviews on it.

10. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: Another raved about book in the booktube community.