Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Glitch #1

Release Date: August 7^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 371

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Source: NetGalley

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network. When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers. As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse. In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Once again, I found myself disappointed in a book I had been so excited to read. Glitch simply didn’t work for me. I found myself unable to really believe the story, or simply read the story without getting this  “Are you kidding me” kind of feeling. It simply didn’t work for me, on many level.

Zoe is the kind of character I can’t really decide if I liked or not. There’s just something about her that really made me unsure of her as a believable character, but there were other aspect of her personality (the facts that she do want to help others) that I did like. Of course, the interaction with Max was an other reason that I didn’t like her completely. I just hated what was going on between those two.

One thing that I didn’t understand is the fact that she doesn’t seem to know some emotions, but she knows most of them. She seems to forget emotions and words she already has experienced, or heard of in a matter of chapters (like the word “sorry”. It is used earlier in the book, and suddenly Adrien uses it and she doesn’t remember what it means…)

Now, the book presents us two male characters interested in Zoe. We have Adrien (the only interesting choice, to be honest) and Max (who is clearly a jerk). I have to say that I clearly hated Max for most of the book. After all, when the first thing you ask a girl is to show you her genitalia, you can’t really make a good impression. After that, it only goes worst with him. The only way I can describe him is a manipulative bastard. He tries to control Zoe from the beginning, because he wants her. He tries to force himself a few time, either to kiss her or to try to go farther, but at least she stops him if he tries is hands at going really too far. Adrien to me was the only really interesting character. I would probably check to sequel simply to know what will happen next to him.

Overall, this book really wasn’t for me. I may have found the idea excellent, but Glitch really didn’t find a fan in me. I’m cuirous to see if Override will be better, but I’ll probably have to wait for some reviews to decide if I give it a shot or not.

Review: Skylark by Meagan Spooner

Skylark by Meagan Spooner

Skylark Trilogy #1

Release Date: August 1^st, 2012

Number of Pages: 344

Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab

Source: BEA 

Sixteen year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky. Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped. Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret – but can she stay alive long enough to find them?

Skylark was one of these books I had heard good things about, but hadn’t actually heard what it was about. I started this book thinking I would love it, sadly I didn’t. It was one of those books that simply didn’t work for me. It really took me forever to get into the story, and there were a lot of things I simply didn’t get. I had so many questions that were still left unanswered by the end of the book. I get that there is a sequel coming up, and that many questions will be answered in the next books, but those missing things really made it hard for me to get into the story. I almost gave up on this book a few times (something I almost never do), simply because I couldn’t connect with the world and the characters.

I wasn’t that the characters were horrible. I actually liked many of them. I just felt like the book was all over the place. I felt like we were given too many genres of books, but none of them amazingly done. The world was just lacking to me. I couldn’t picture it, I couldn’t really understand it. There were too many things lacking in its description for me to really be able to enjoy it.

Skylark ended being unmemorable to me. The book felt slow and a little boring by moments, which ended up with me not being able to remember much about the big events of the books (Thank god for notes. I wouldn’t know what to write if it wasn’t for that.

Overall, this book simply wasn’t for me. I know many readers really enjoyed it, but to me, it simply didn’t work. Hopefully, some will enjoy it, I simply wasn’t one of them.

Giveaway: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Thanks to MM Publicity and Harlequin Teen, I have one copy of Pushing the Limits to give away!

Interested?

All you have to do is fill the Rafflecopter below! The giveaway is US/Canada Only.

Still not sure you want it? Why not read my review?

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About the book

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. Echo and Noah couldn’t be more different, but they find themselves united by a common goal: to sneak into their court-ordered social worker’s case files in order to learn the truth about themselves and their families. What they didn’t count on is falling in love -- and now Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

About Katie McGarry


Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and she remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Writing has given Katie an excuse to pursue her passions. Research for her books has provided her with the amazing opportunity to train with baseball players, ride along in a drag car at ninety-six miles per hour and experience boxing and mixed martial arts. Katie loves to visit schools and talk to teenagers about her research, writing and the truth that no dream is out of reach.

Want to find more about the book? Why not visit Katie McGarry's Website?
http://www.katielmcgarry.com/

Want to buy it? You can order it online here:
Amazon
B&N
Indie Bound

Good Luck!

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Release Date: July 31^st, 2012

Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Source: BEA

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.    "An edgy romance that pulls you in and never lets go. I was hooked!"-Gena Showalter,  New York Times bestselling author of the Intertwined series
 So wrong for each other...and yet so right. No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.  Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Wow. That book was a hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that made me feel so much at the same time. I laugh, I cried, I smiled and I feared for those characters. It’s incredible how a book can do that. It is always harder for me to right reviews about those kinds of books, as they leave me speechless.

This book joins two characters that are full of issues. And when I say issues, I mean enough issues that will also take you on a rollercoaster ride. Both Echo and Noah have their weaknesses. Both of them have their flaws. Yet, the only thing I can think of now that I’m done reading is the strength they showed until the end, the way they fought to overcome all the obstacles on their way to happiness. Their relationship to me was so well done, as it grows slowly but surely, as they learn to know each other and to trust each other. Yes, there was some cheesiness by moment, but who doesn’t love some cheese in their life? I do have to say that Noah reminded me of the Fuentes brothers. And not in a bad way.

Overall, it was simply a breath-taking novel that left me speechless. I can’t even think properly of it. I now understand why everyone had been gushing about it, because it is absolutely worth all the fuss about it. It is a book I definitely recommend. I’m already dying to read more from Katie McGarry. It is one of those novels that I find extremely hard to critic, because in the end, my emotions always take over my reason, and this book touched me deeply.  Because of that, the flaws I could have seen are hidden in what I feel about the book.

Waiting on Wednesday: Soulbroken by Heather Brewer

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It is an opportunity for us to show books we can't wait to get our hands on.

This week, my pick is:

Soulbroken by Heather Brewer

The Legacy of Tril #2

March 2013

DIAL

Sometimes you have to break the rules to discover the truth.

In this follow up to Legacy of Tril: Soulbound, Kaya has learned that she is Soulbound to Darius, the Barron she secretly trained with at Shadow Academy. But he’s been sent away, leaving Kaya with questions about how he could be Soulbound to her and another Healer. Determined to find answers and prove herself worthy of fighting in the war against King Darrek and the Graplars, Kaya sneaks away, encountering a mysterious Barron named Gage in her travels. But Darius has shocking information about Gage—information that changes everything Kaya thought she knew about what it means to be Bound.

I've devoured Soulbound, and the ending left me begging for more. Can't wait to read what will happen next to Kaya.

Review: Endlessly by Kiersten White

Endlessly by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy #3

Release Date: July 24^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 385

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Bought

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate. The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands. So much for normal.

Endlessly was certainly a good ending to an excellent series. We once again get all the elements that made both Paranormalcy and Supernaturally so addicting. I devoured it and I enjoyed every pages. I was a little scared to finish this book, simply because I didn’t want to end. I simply love the world Kiersten White created, and I didn’t really want to leave Evie and Lend. Yet, she gave us the best ending she could have ever given us, leaving us satisfied in the end.

One of my favorite things in the book is certainly the characters. How can you not love Evie! She’s just so much fun! Her sarcasm, her personality, the way she acts with every character is simply addicting. I love her relationship with Lend (who is so sweet and so cute, and simply charms me everytime he is with Evie). Of course, Reth is also still there, being as manipulative as he always is. There are moments when you really can’t help but be charmed by him, and then two seconds later; he does something that really makes you want to punch him. I have to say I like that about him. It makes him a little unpredictable and so interesting. We also get to meet new characters, new enemies.

Evie really grows through the series, and I think this final book really shows us that. She matured through everything she was forced to go through, and she is still learning in this book, as she can’t seem to catch a break. Poor Evie still have a lot to do until she can finally have the normal life she has been craving for.

Kiersten White gave us everything we needed to really make this story end. She answered the questions that may have been left by the first two books (and the one raised in this one), leaving us only happy to leave Evie and company in peace. I’m already dying to see what Kiersten White will be giving us next, because her books a simply addicting.

Review: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Series: Elemental #1

Release Date: April 24^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 353

Publisher: Kensington

Source: Bought

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death. And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca. Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all. The storm is coming.

Wow. I read this book in only one sitting, finishing it at 4 am. Didn’t matter I was working the next day and had to get up early. With only a few pages read, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down until I had read the entire book. I really like the elemental concept. It was quite interesting, and the fact that the elementals were four hot guys surely helped. This book really gives you everything a book should give you. It gives you secrets and backstabbing. It makes you laugh, it makes you smile, and it makes you sad. I was really expressive while reading this book (a really good sign), and I’m quite lucky to be living on my own, or people would have thought me crazy.

Now, the characters will charm the socks off your feet. I mean, we get five hot girl and a really kick-ass girl. We have Michael, the brooding older brother who seems to have the world on his shoulder. We have Gabriel, the hot bad boy that knows how hot he is. We have Nick, Gabriel’s toned down twin brother, the intelligent guy. We have the last brother, Chris, who really charmed me from the beginning. I was dying every time Becca was spending time with Hunter instead of him. The last guy, Hunter, was probably my least favorite of the five, since he was clearly hiding too many things. It can be cute, but it can also be annoying. I do have to give him props for his dog (I’m a dog lover.) I want him! Finally, Becca, caught in the middle of the elemental drama, in the middle of the boy drama. I actually quite liked her. I like the way she interacted with every other character, because it simply made her such a complete character. I love seeing who someone is through his or her actions, and here I got that. Loved it.

I have to say, Brigid Kemmerer really got me hooked. I have to say; I was a little disappointed that book two isn’t about Chris once again (can’t blame me for liking him, right). Still, I can’t wait to read her next book, since her writing is simply addicting. Can’t wait to discover more about Gabriel, and the elemental world.

Giveaway: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

GIVEAWAY!

I ended cleaning my bookshelve last week, and I found out I had a second copy of The Near Witch (among many other titles). Since I need more space on my shelves for more books, I decided to give some away. Also, because The Archived comes out in exactly six months (sooooo far away) I thought I could give someone a chance to read her first book! (You can also check out my review to learn more about it, if you want. It's HERE!)

Once again, since I'm the one shipping, it's US/Canada Only. Fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter!

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Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Release Date: August 2^nd, 2011

Number of Pages: 282

Publisher: Hyperion books CH

Source: Bought + BEA

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen.The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

This book really caught my attention from page one. There is something beautifully eerie about what is going on in this book. I have to say that this book made me fall completely for Victoria Schwab’s writing. You get the feeling while you’re reading that every word, every sentence was so carefully chosen, to give you the desire experience. The world simply sucks you in, as the description easily bring everything to life,

I really liked the characters, especially Lexi. She was ready to whatever she though was right to do, so she could save the children. It didn’t matter that everyone around her forbid her to do anything. She had to do it. She was one of the rare characters that looked like they were really trying to save them instead of simply pointing fingers. Of course, I can’t forget about Cole. I love their interaction; there was such a great balance between the personalities of those two characters. The was enough mystery about Cole to keep me intrigued in who he really was, and made me curious as to what’s to come. There is something a little haunting about him; it simply makes him that much more addicting.

The novel is simply addicting. There’s this fairy tale vibe going on that is so intriguing. After all, not that many novels can give you the feeling of being one of those fairy tales we grew up it. Even the books inspired by fairy tales don’t always have the vibe that can be so addicting. Of course, the writing has a lot to do with my love for this book. There are few books that really make me fall in love with the words as much as the story, and this one is one. I’m already dying to read more from her. If you’re looking for a haunting modern fairy tale, this one is for you.

Waiting On Wednesday: Disney-Hyperion Edition

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It is an opportunity for us to show books we can't wait to get our hands on.

So, this week,I decided to do a Disney Hyperion edition, as there are simply so many of there books I'm waiting for. I have to say, it was really hard to only choose three to be in this post. Here they are:

False Memory by Dan Krokos

August 2012

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn't at all surprised by Miranda's shocking ability.
Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn't easy--especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn't seem to matter...when there may not be a future.
Dan Krokos' debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

October 2012

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, TIME BETWEEN US is a stunning and spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new talent in YA fiction.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

January 2013

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

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

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

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

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

Both False Memory and Time Between Us are books I wanted to get at BEA and didn't manage to get. The Archived is one of the book I've been dying to read since I first heard of it, since it sounds amazing and I adore Victoria Schwab's writing.

Review: Circle of Silence by Carol M. Tanzman

 Circle of Silence by Carol M Tanzman

WiHi #2

Release Date: July 24^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 304

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Source: NetGalley

THE BIGGEST STORY OF MY LIFE COULD BE HOW IT ENDS It's my turn to run a "Campus News" crew, and I've put together a team that can break stories wide open. And Washington Irving High has a truly great one to cover, if only we can find a lead. A secret society has formed in our school. It announced its presence with pranks: underwear on the flagpole, a toilet in the hallway, cryptic notes. A circle of silence keeps the society a mystery. No one knows its members, agenda or initiation secrets-until a student lands in the hospital under "strange" circumstances. I "will" blow this story wide open and stop others from being hurt...or worse. And while my ex, Jagger, might want to help, I don't trust him yet. (And, no, not because of our past together. That is "not" important to this story.) But whether you find me, Valerie Gaines, reporting in front of the camera, or a victim in the top story of the newscast...be sure to watch "Campus News" at 9:00 a.m. this Friday. "This addicting, thrilling mystery hits upon many of our worst fears."-"Booklist "on "dancergirl"

If there’s one thing I can say about this book, it’s that it’s a great mystery. I couldn’t really predict who MP was, who were part of the group, which is always a positive things. (I do have to say that I had guessed one of the members before the end of the book.) It is a little disappointing when at the middle of the book, you already now who the bad guys are. Skeletor is seriously something. He is quite scary when you realized how far he is ready to go.

Now, Valerie is the kind of stubborn character that is perfect for this kind of novel. After all, she just won’t give up, even if it puts her at risk. Did I want to scream at her to stop a few times during the book? Yes! Was I captivated by her story, as she tries to dig deeper and deeper to find the truth? Totally. And with Jagger added to the mix, who is almost as stubborn as Valerie, we were in for a hell of a chase. I have to say that I really l enjoy the interaction between those two. They both don’t want to back down, so there's some tension between those two (doesn’t help that they use to date too!) I really enjoy seeing Valerie reacts to Jagger. It was quite entertaining.

Now, I have to say that the MP group was a little more extreme than I had expected when first reading about the book. I didn’t expect them to put people in dangerous situations, the way they did. Still, it’s mostly Skeletor that is crazily scary. I mean, imagine if he is that twisted as a teenager, what will he be when he grows older!

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the mystery. It was well written, captivating and I simply couldn’t put it down. I had to figure out who they were and what would happen with Jagger, before I stop reading. Definitely worth reading!

Review: Hold Still by Nina Lacour

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Release Date: October 20^th, 2009

Number of Pages: 230

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Source: Bought

An arresting story about starting over after a friend's suicide, froma breakthrough new voice in YA fiction Dear Caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can't. Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid - and Caitlin herself.

Hold Still is one those novels that can bring you to tears. I fell in love with Nina LaCour’s writing with this book, and taken by surprise with this amazing story of a teenage girl trying to move on after the suicide of her best friend Ingrid. The book starts right after she learns about her suicide and takes us along her life for the following year. We are taken on the road of Caitlin’s search for answers, as she can’t quite make sense of Ingrid’s suicide. This book deals beautifully with two subjects that can be hard to explore: suicide and mental illness. In this book, Nina LaCour writes about both in a heartbreaking way.

It is hard not to feel anything for Caitlin. Her best friend just killed herself, and she now is left alone to deal with this, trying to understand the why behind her actions. We see Caitlin trying to deal with her guilt, while discovering Ingrid’s deepest thought in the diary she left behind. Reading someone’s diary after their death is never easy, especially if this person just killed himself or herself. After all, people don’t censure what they write in their diaries, as they are usually meant for their eyes only. It is hard not to fall for Caitlin’s heartbreaking journey.

Many characters added some great point of view on what went on. We met Jason, Ingrid’s biggest crush, and the guy she could never stop talking about. We met Taylor, who becomes a great addition to Caitlin’s life, and helps her live again. We met Ms. Delani, her photography teacher, who can’t seem to know how to act with Caitlin.

One thing I really like about the book was Ingrid’s journal. I love how it helped us understanding more about this character we never are able to meet first hand, even though her ghost is there during the entire book. I love the illustrations, how they really make you feel like we are catching a glimpse at her real journal.

Nina LaCour really made me fall in love with her writing. The Disenchantments didn’t catch my heart, but this one did. I absolutely cannot recommend it enough. It is simply heartbreaking, breathtaking and beautiful.

Giveaway: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

GIVEAWAY!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

I just received a second copy of Code Name Verity, and since I don't need two finished copies, I'm giving one away! It's US/CANADA only since shipping is pretty expensive, and I'm slightly poor these days. If you want to win, simply fill out the rafflecopter form below! Good Luck!

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Review: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

The Land of Stories #1

Release Date: July 17^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 448

Publisher: Little Brown Young Readers

Source: BEA

Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairytales. The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.
 But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought. 

The Wishing Spell was one of those books I probably wouldn’t have picked up if I hadn’t heard Chris Colfer talk about it at BEA. I don’t really read Middle Grade usually, but I really wanted to see how the book was, since I received a copy at the Children Author Breakfast. I have to say I was both impressed and disappointed in the book. Impressed that Chris Colfer can do so many things, but disappointed that this book wasn’t that original.

Characters are always something that matters immensely when I’m reading a book, and I have to say that I didn’t really get interested that much in Alex and Conner. I felt them to be slightly stereotypical, and I didn’t find them that captivating. Even the supporting characters didn’t impress me much, missing some kind of nuance in their personality.

Another flaw this book got is the writing. It’s not that it is incredibly bad. I just felt that Chris Colfer was sometime trying too hard to make it sounds poetic and take the language to a kind of higher level, which only brought for me strange similes and metaphors. The thing is, this didn’t really add anything to the book. Quite the opposite. It made the book heavier, and I felt that it probably wasn’t the best idea for a Middle Grade book of already over 400 pages. I do hope some editing will be done before the final release, so that some of this will be corrected.

Plot wise, I thought it was a cute story that will interest many younger reader. I still think the twins got things easy in the book, as everyone and his neighbor seems to be dying to help them get back home.

Overall, it may not have been love, but I’m really curious to see if this book, written by an actor well loved, will get children to read more. If it does, I can’t really complain. Still, I have to say it won’t be a book that I will be really recommending the young readers around me looking for some books to read. The Wishing Spell wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing. I’m still curious to see if there will be a sequel, and if there is one, what it will be about.

Review: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

Amelia Grace is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

Release Date: July 5th^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 304

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Source: Bought

An arresting un-coming-of-age story, from a breathtaking talent Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life. Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to the truth about Amelia's death.

Wow.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I first bought this book. I hadn’t really read that much about it, and the only feedback I had heard came from John Green, and he said nothing but good things about this book. I mean if John Green recommends it, it has to be good right?

Well, I can honestly say that I absolutely loved it. First, the writing was absolutely amazing. It’s worth reading just for that! Kat Rosenfield created a story that was simply haunting and breathtaking. This book is simply more than a murder mystery, more than just some kind of coming-of-age (or un-coming-of-age, as it is presented). The book is about wanting to break free, wanting to live your own life, yet being scared in someway of the unknown. Being scared of losing those left behind.

The book alternates between Rebecca’s life and Amelia Anne finale day. We see Becca trying to make sense of her fast approaching future out of her little town, of the death of this mysterious girl, and her struggling relationship with her boyfriend that will be left behind once she finally leaves. We see Amelia Anne trying to share her dream with her boyfriend, as she goes through her final day. I really found that having a glimpse at Amelia Anne final moment interesting. On the other end, Becca’s side of the story ended up being sometime confusing, as we aren’t always sure if she is telling us about the present or some kind of past events.

Still, the book caught my attention from page one, with the amazing writing and beautiful storytelling. The murderer slightly surprised me. I didn’t really figure out exactly who the killer was, but I did find it logical and not that surprising after we finally learn what really happened.

Overall, I absolutely adored this book. It was simply beautiful amazing and heartbreaking. The descriptions are simply vivid and bring easily to life the world and characters Kat Rosenfield has created. I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary, if only for the writing. I was far from disappointed with this book and enjoyed every moment of it.

Waiting On Wednesday: Simon & Schuster Edition

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It is an opportunity for us to show books we can't wait to get our hands on.

So, this week,I wanted to do a Simon & Schuster edition, as there are simply so many of there books I'm waiting for. I have to say, it was really hard to only choose three to be in this post. Here they are:

Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini

October 2012

Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring.When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn't remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.

Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she'd rather keep buried. Memories of people she's hurt, people she's betrayed...and people she's killed.

As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she's hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves...even if it means losing them both forever.

Sever by Lauren DeStefano

February 2013

What if you knew exactly when you would die? In the not-too-distant future, genetic engineering has turned every newborn into a ticking time bomb — males only live to age 25 and females only live to age 20.

In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When 16-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by "the Gatherers" to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Rhine has only one purpose after she has been married to her new husband, Linden: to escape and find her twin brother.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden’s eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant to whom she is dangerously attracted, Rhine is desperate to learn the truth and protect those closest to her. But, as her sister wife Cecily keeps insisting, her role may be much bigger than that.

In the first two books of the Chemical Garden trilogy, Wither and Fever, Rhine struggles to escape the mansion and then to navigate the brutal world outside. Now in Sever, the third and final book, Rhine uncovers some shattering truths about the past that her parents never had the chance to tell her and the alarming implications regarding her own genes. She may be the one who can save the human race.

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans 

January 2013

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow prisoners, Felicia passes the endless hours downloading memories and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and the boy she loved, Neil.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber disappears, and nobody but Felicia seems to recall she existed in the first place. Something is obviously very wrong. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, she learns the truth: a rebellion is brewing to overthrow the Morati, the guardians of Level 2.

Felicia is reluctant to trust Julian, but then he promises what she wants the most—to be with Neil again—if only she’ll join the rebels. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself in the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

Let's see why I'm excited for these titles. Well, I've been curious about Touching the Surface since I first heard of ti a few weeks ago. It sounds incredible. For Sever, it's easy. I simply adore her series, so I'm dying to know what will happen next. Finally, when it comes down to Level 2, I've been dying to get my hands on this book since I first heard of it a BEA. Hearing Lenore talk about made me really excited for it. Can't wait to read these three books!

Review: Soulbound by Heather Brewer

Soulbound by Heather Brewer

Legacy of Tril #1

Release Date: June 19^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 304

Publisher: Dial

Source: Razorbill Canada

What’s worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you’re treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there’s the evil king who’s determined to rule the world unless you can stop him... Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who’s stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can’t be broken... and blood is the strongest bond of all.

I was pretty excited to see this book show up in my mailbox a few weeks ago. I mean, it sounded like something so addicting, I just couldn’t resist. When life finally gave me enough time to read, I started it. I thought, “Why not start this book and read for about an hour before going to bed.” Well, that was a horrible idea. Seriously. Soulbound was simply too addicted to be started an hour before going to bed! It was clear I wouldn’t be able to go to bed until I was done reading it. I was so caught up in the story; I literally bruised myself over this book (reading while walking in a really small apartment where there is way too much stuff? BAD IDEA!).

This book was simply perfect for the mood I was in (I’m not saying it was completely perfect, nothing ever is). I needed some action, and this book has some, and some romance (yes there is kind of a love triangle starting in this, which will probably more present in the next book, but seriously, it wasn’t the most important thing in the book).

I really liked the idea of Barron and Healer, even though I thought the rule that Healer can’t fight was stupid. I think that’s why I really liked Kaya. She was willing to go against the rules to do what she thought was right. It’s also one of the numerous reasons I really liked Darius, and didn’t like Trayton that much. I mean, Darius was just so badass, and such an interesting character (considering that there are so much mystery surrounding him), where Trayton was too much of a rule following kind of guy. There was not that many things that were exciting about Trayton.

Of course, I can’t forget that epic ending that made me literally scream! I was a little mad over the ending, simply because I WANT TO KNOW WHAT WILL COME NEXT NOW!! There are so many answers I’m still waiting to find, and I hope they will be answered in the next book. Some more explanations about certain details would have made the book even better, but I’ll wait to see if they are answered in the rest of the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, form the first page to the last. There was something so addicting about it, and something so captivating about the world Heather Brewer created. I’m already dying to real Soulbroken (and I have to say, the title is slightly scaring me). Definitely worth reading!

Review: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Soul Screamers #6

Release Date: June 26^th, 2012

Number of Pages: 339

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Source: Bought

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...  Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend. But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life....

Okay, let me start by saying that if you haven’t read If I Die, you should probably skip this review, because you’ll read spoilers.

Now, are those who haven’t read If I Die gone? It’s my last warning!

OH MY HOLY SMOKES! I’m in love with this series! Seriously, Rachel Vincent seems to take me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with this series. I mean, wow. First, let me start by saying how much I love the Tod and Kaylee’s relationship. They are so perfect for each other. Neither of them are perfect, that’s for sure, but they compliment each other perfectly are simply amazing together. Tod is simply so present for Kaylee, and it is big considering everything she went through. I mean, she died at the end of her teacher, killed him, got her soul resurrected, became an extractor and she STILL has to go through high school in order to help clear Noah’s name.

Now, I cannot not talk about Noah, as he went through Hell in the last book. He was addicted to Demon’s Breath (Ouch), lost Kaylee to his brother (double Ouch), and got framed for Kaylee’s murder (Triple Ouch. Things aren’t easy for him. Sabine may be there for him, but things aren’t easier for her. After all, the guy she loves still can’t stop thinking about his ex, an ex who cheated on him with his brother. Let’s just say no one has it easy these days in their circle. Poor them.

Kaylee and company can’t seem to really catch a breath in this sixth installment in the series. Things are getting ugly, and there’s not much that can be done about it. This book seriously reminded me why I love this series so much. It was simply amazing.

Rachel Vincent is great at getting her readers hooked on her series. I’m already dying to figure out what will happen next, especially with that ending (I mean, HOW CRAZY WAS THAT!!) This book won’t disappoint fans of the series, especially if you’re a huge fan of Tod and Kaylee. You’ll be caught in the story from page one, and will be left begging for more! April 2013 can’t come soon enough!