Friday, November 30, 2012

Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep

Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep ReviewReading Level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 384 Pages
Release Date: December 24, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Mythology
Source: Netgalley

Mythos Academy Series
Book One: Touch of Frost
Book Two: Kiss of Frost
Book Three: Dark Frost
Book Four: Crimson Frost
Book Five: Midnight Frost (August 2013)

Order On Amazon: Paperback
                                Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Paperback and Nook

Author's
( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook )

Goodreads Summary:

For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes—the most hideous face I’d ever seen. No matter how hard I tried to forget what had happened, I saw him everywhere I went. It was Loki—the evil god that I’d helped set free against my will.

I should have known that my first official date with Logan Quinn was destined to end in disaster. If we’d gotten into a swordfight, or been ambushed by Reapers, I’d have been more prepared. But getting arrested mid-sip at the local coffee hangout? I didn’t see that one coming.

I’ve been accused of purposely helping the Reapers free Loki from his prison—and the person leading the charge against me is Linus Quinn, Logan’s dad. The worst part is that pretty much everyone at Mythos Academy thinks I’m guilty. If I’m going to get out of this mess alive, I’ll have to do it myself…


My Review:

This series has gradually progressed into something worth reading. When I first read Touch of Frost, I thought it would be similar to the Born At Midnight series by C.C. Hunter, because the Mythos Academy idea resembled that of Shadow Falls. However, I learned pretty quickly that that was not the case. Touch of Frost, in my opinion, was corny, boring, and slightly unrealistic. But even though I got a bad first impression, I had faith in Jennifer Estep and decided to continue reading the series. I'm so happy that I did! Throughout the last two novels, Jennifer's humor has grown, and instead of Gwen's inner dialogue being completely facepalm worthy, I found myself actually laughing at some points of the novel. I'm not saying that this novel was perfect...but really, what novel is?

Gwen has grown in character in some parts and stayed the same in others. In Crimson Frost, Gwen is braver then ever before and is willing to do anything to save the people that she loves. A quality that is very admirable in any character. And as I said in the first paragraph, her sense of humor has improved drastically compared to the first novel. There are still certain parts that I found corny, but not nearly as much. However, I still had many problems with her character. I don't want to give away too much information, but for example: When she was falsely accused of doing something she didn't do, she would yell, "I didn't do anything wrong!" over and over again. I mean I don't mind if you yell it once or twice but come on, think of a better way of explaining what happened. She sounded more like a whiny kid at that moment than Nike's Champion. There were also other things that she said that rubbed me the wrong way, but you'll have to read the book and judge it yourself. :P

Jennifer does a pretty good job at summarizing the past three books. Since I read tons of books at a time, it's super difficult to keep track of which character goes with which book, especially if those novels have similar themes. But I didn't have any trouble remembering any characters in these particular books, with the exception of Morgan. But Jennifer reminded us who she was, not long after Morgan made an appearance.

The action was super well paced! Crimson Frost was one of the few books that could fully capture my attention! Even if I didn't totally like the actions that Gwen took, I couldn't tear my eyes off of the page. There was always something interesting and intriguing taking place, so that the reader would never lose interest! I was literally reading Crimson Frost until the wee hours of the morning, which resulted in me turning into a walking zombie at school. Ask my friends, they're my witnesses! xD

Hmm.....what else to say. Ooh Ooh, I know! So in the last book, Dark Frost, we met the Fenrir Wolf that Gwen saved, Nott, I believe her name was. *Spoiler for those who haven't read the last book* For some reason, I care more about an animals' death in a book than a human one. Seriously, after Nott died protecting Gwen, I fell to the ground crying my eyes out, because Nott was by far my favorite character. I loved her so much, and my heart just broke to see her go. That's why when we discovered that Nott had her baby, Nyx, I was overjoyed! Not as happy as I would've been if Nott survived, but still happy that there was going to be another wolf puppy in the next novel. I was hoping for Nyx to have a bigger role in Crimson Frost, but she was gone for most of it. *Frowny Face* However, I understand the reasoning behind that, because she's still a teeny puppy and can't help out at all. Hopefully she'll be close to fully grown in the next installment, and we can see her alot more! :D

Overall, Crimson Frost was a huge improvement from the previous novels in this series. It was action packed, had decent humor, and had me Reading Until Dawn! xD Be sure to set aside some time for this novel, unless you want to become a walking zombie like mua. xD

Heroine- 3/5
Romance- 3/5
Action- 6/5
Comedy- 4/5
Overall- 4/5
 
*An ebook copy was provided by Netgalley
 in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.*

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Feature and Follow (15)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee!
 
Question: Activity! Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think they look like? Add an image to make us all happy.
 
Answer: Omg I absolutely love this question. To-Die-For Book crush? There are so many that I can barely count them all! But if I had to choose, they would have to be Daemon from Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Ash from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. I usually go for the dark, broody, mysterious guys in books, which is such a girl thing to do, but oh well! xD Can't help myself! Geez, I'm practically swooning from just thinking about them!
 
The guy that's on the cover of the book series is exactly who I imagined Daemon to be! If you haven't seen the cover or read the book (Which you should have because if you haven't, then you haven't lived!) here it is!
 
Not too sure who I think would look like Ash because I haven't been keeping up to date with movies due to overwhelming amounts of homework. (Gag!) If you have any ideas on which celebrity he would look like, feel free to comment or add a link below! :D

Update: Actually after thinking about it, I came up with two possible candidates! Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries and Logan Lerman from The Percy Jackson Series! I think that Ian would probably fit Ash's personality better, but Logan was so cute that I couldn't resist!





 



How about you?
Who are your fave book crushes? :D

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge



The 2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge is hosted by the awesome people over at Auntie Spinelli Reads and Megan Likes Books. Since most of my favorite reads are from the paranormal genre, I can't wait to get started on this challenge! If your a fellow paranormal lover as well, feel free to read the rules below and sign up for this awesome challenge Here.

Rules
  1. This challenge runs from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.
  2. You must have a blog to able to participate, since reviews must be added to the linky.
  3. When you sign up with the linky, please put the link to your post about joining the Paranormal Reading Challenge.
  4. You're welcome to list your books beforehand or just add as you go.
  5. Sign-ups are open until December 1, 2013
  6. At the beginning of each month, I will post a kick-start post, each month featuring a different category of paranormal creature. This post will also include a linky to include your reviews from that month.
  7. Each review you link will qualify you for an entry into the monthy giveaway and if your review includes the feature paranormal creature of that month, you get a bonus entry.
  8. Each book can only count for one category, even if it contains more than one paranormal creature. For example, Twilight contains both vampires and werewolves, but you can't use it for both the vampires and werewolves/shifters categories.
  9. Everyone who completes the challenge will be entered into a grand prize giveaway at the end of the year.
  10. If you read multiple books from one category, feel free to add them to the linkies. Don't stop at just one!
  11. Book can count for other challenges.
The goal is to read at least one book featuring each of the following paranormal creatures:

January - Vampires
February - Angels/Nephilim
March - Fey
April - Demons
May - Aliens
June - Zombies
July - Witches and Wizards
August - Mermaids
September - Dragons
October - Ghosts
November - Werewolves/Shape-shifters
December - Other

My Schedule:
      *=Read    **=Read & Reviewed
January-   Blood-Kissed Sky by J.A. London** Review
    Rise by Andrea Cremer** Review
February- Shadows In The Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton** Review
The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin** Review
Prophecy by Ellen Oh** Review
Splintered by A. G. Howard** Review
Mind Games by Kiersten White** Review
March- Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black** Review
Shooting Stars by H.D. Gordon** Review
April- A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest** Review
Prophecy Girl by Cecily White** Review
May- Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein** Review
Hidden by Marianne Curley** Review
Flicker & Burn by T.M. Goeglein** Review
June- Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo** Review
Reboot by Amy Tintera** Review
A Castle of Sand by Bella Forrest** Review
The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar** Review
July- Rush by Eve Silver** Review
The Children and The Blood by Megan Peterson** Review
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas** Review
August-
September-
October-
November-
December-

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday (15)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!
 
Waiting On Wednesday
 
This week's WoW is.............. Apollyon by Jennifer Armentrout!
 
Apollyon by Jennifer Armentrout
 
Goodreads Summary:
 
Alex is now 18... and nothing will ever be the same again. War is coming, and when the gods are involved, no one is safe.
 
My Thoughts:
 
I really wished that summary was longer! But from what I did read, this novel is undoubtedly going to be epic. I love the flower they used as well! Is it just me, or are alot of upcoming novels doing a sort of fire/reddish orange theme with their covers?
 
If you haven't already read the teasers, you can check them out Here.
 
Extra Information:
 
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Paperback: 360 Pages
Genre: Mythology
 
Covenant Series:
Book One: Half-Blood
Book Two: Pure
Book Three: Deity
Book Four: Apollyon (2013)
Book Five: Sentinel (2014) 
How about you? What book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesdays (14)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading.

To participate all you have to do is:
  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.
  • Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give to much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!


Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep
 
 
"I snorted. Oh, I knew I was in trouble. I was almost always in trouble these days. The only questions was how bad it would be this time-and if I could somehow manage to get out of it alive once again."
Kindle- Location 137
 
"Okay, so maybe it was going to be that bad after all. Still, I couldn't keep myself from asking the inevitable question. And what about the very worst? What's the punishment if I'm found guilty? Linus looked at me, his eyes cold in his face. Death. "
Kindle- Location 473
 

Monday, November 26, 2012

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke ReviewReading Level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 320 Pages
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Genre: Fantasy/Pirates

The Assassin's Curse Series
Book One: The Assassin's Curse
Book Two: The Pirate's Wish (6/4/13)

Order On Amazon: Paperback
                                Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Paperback and Nook

Author's
( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter )

Amazon Summary:

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.


My Review:

I was a little skeptical as to whether I would like this book or not, because A. I've never read a book about pirates before and B. I'm really picky about accents. But since The Assassin's Curse was in the, "Customers who bought this item also bought" box for one of my favorite books of all time, Throne of Glass, I thought that I would give it a chance.

The Assassin's Curse was a mediocre read for me. Since, I've never read any other book that was based on on a pirate storyline before, I didn't have many expectations. It was a test trial of sorts to see if I would enjoy this theme as much as I've enjoyed stories about vampires and werewolves. Sadly, it was more of a mehhh read. Here's why.

The protagonist, Ananna, was everything you would expect a daughter of a feared and well known pirate to be. She was headstrong, skilled with knives, and knew how to pilfer without raising the slightest suspicion. However, as I said in the intro paragraph I have a huge problem with accents. I mean, I don't mind a unique phrasing of words or some slang, but Ananna's pirate accent took away from my overall enjoyment of the novel. In the beginning, it was very noticeable and I had to reread things over, because I was paying way too much attention to the phrasing of words, rather then the actual content. But as the story progressed, it became less noticeable and I could barely tell the difference in the end! However, if you have a major problem with accents, this book might not be suited for you. Anyways back to the protagonist, I liked her for most of the time. She was reckless and was more of a make do and winging it type of person, then a think things through kind of gal. There were a couple times throughout the novel, that she made some stupid decisions. Like when Naji specifically told her not to do something, she would do it anyways. Overall, she was an alright character. Not amazing, but not facepalm worthy either.

Naji wasn't exactly what I was expecting him to be. I presumed that he was some sort of dark, broody, bad boy who didn't care about the rules. In the beginning, he fit all my expectations. He made quite an entrance when he first appeared in the book, and I immediately wanted to know more about the world of Assassins and who they really were. However, as the novel progressed, I made him out to be more self conscious than I originally thought he was. If you've read the book you would know that he has a disfigurement, and throughout the whole book he constantly tries to hide it. Alot of times he's just some lovesick boy, and even more of the time he's the one that needs Ananna's protection. Not the other way around.

Now that I just rambled a boatload about the main characters, let's move onto the romance. If your a romance lover who thinks this is some sort of star crossed lovers story, your wrong. There's almost no romance at all in this book, barely even the beginnings of a friendship really. And the romance that was there felt one sided, like the other person didn't reciprocate his/her feelings. I didn't believe the connection that they supposedly had either. One character in particular made it very clear at times, that all they wanted to do was break the curse and get rid of the other.

The main part I was most excited for in The Assassin's Curse, was the worldbuilding and the legends behind the Assassins and the Curse. The worldbuilding was fairly decent. It didn't give too much information, but I still knew what the scene looked like. I enjoyed learning about the desert, and the setting reminded me alot of Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst. However, even though I liked the worldbuilding, the stories behind the Assassins and the Curse itself, didn't satisfy me. She left alot of questions unanswered, and we never even found out where the Curse originated from, until the last 20% of the novel.

The action was pretty well paced. Every time I started to get bored, something new and exciting drew my attention. I mean, the beginning scene starts off with Ananna making a quick getaway on a camel. Can't get much better then that. xD

Overall, if you enjoy good worldbuilding and don't mind accents much, then I encourage you to pick up this novel today! :)

Heroine- 3/5
Comedy- 2/5
Action- 4/5
Overall- 3/5

Teasers: Apollyon, Opal, and Obsession Teasers by Jennifer Armentrout

Apollyon Teasers
Here are five epic teasers from the next awesome book in the Covenant Series!

Teaser One:
My feet touched the ground and I took a step forward—one, and then another. And Aiden didn’t move. He waited. It was in those eyes of his, the finality of this. He wouldn’t win, he couldn’t and he knew it. Aiden accepted it. As I reached him, the rain stopped and the clouds parted. The sun followed my footsteps. “Alex.” Aiden’s voice was broken. Like a cobra striking, I took Aiden’s legs out from under him and he was on his back before another breath could be taken. Straddling him, I placed my hands on his shoulders. The marks of the Apollyon glowed a vibrant blue and raced over my skin. I leaned in, placing my lips above his and the words that came out of my mouth were mine… but weren’t. “All moments end, Saint Delphi. And now yours has.” I pressed my lips to the corner of his and he flinched. “You are weak because you love.” Aiden stared up at me, unblinking.
“To love is not weak. Love is the strongest thing there is.” My lips curved into a smile. Idiot.

Teaser Two:
His all-white eyes gleamed. “I’ve seen it all in battle. There is the way the body curls into itself when it wants death. There is the silent scream for release. There are the eyes, and they speak even when the tongue no longer works. And then there is the soul that rots so poorly when death is wanted but withheld that it carries a certain stench.” Ice shot through my veins, turning my blood to slush. At that moment I knew no matter how much I fought, this… this was going to suck.

Teaser Three:
“One down,” I said, turning around. “Who’s ne—?”
Thanatos tossed Marcus to the ground, deflected Solos’ attack, and turned on me in a nanosecond. It was pretty epic.
A bolt of white light flew from Thanatos’ hand and there wasn’t a single thing in this world that could move fast enough. Not even Seth, I was betting.
It hit me just below the chest and my legs collapsed from underneath me. Red-hot, searing pain sliced through my skin and my face smacked off the ground. I didn’t even feel it. There was nothing but the razing pain locking up my muscles.
God bolts sucked.
Aiden yelled my name, and then I thought I heard my name called again, but it was inside my head, loud, and so very angry… and it sounded like Seth.
Without any warning, the ground trembled under my twitching body. A flash of golden light cascaded through the clearing. Warmth stole over my body. Weakly, I lifted my head.
Two leather-clad legs stood before me.
“That is enough, Thanatos.” Apollo’s voice was calm, but it was that creepy, deadly calm I never wanted to be on the receiving end of.
“N-n-nice of y-you to s-show up,” I gasped.
“Shut up, Alex.” Apollo strode forward. A ray of light followed his steps.


Teaser Four:
“They do.” Apollo’s eyes narrowed on me. “But I was hoping there was something knocking around in her brain that held the answer to that little problem. But—” Apollo smacked a hand down on my leg. “Must you always be moving some part of your body?”
I glared at him as I not-so-gently removed his hand. The contact of his flesh on mine brought the marks of Apollyon out like nothing else. And I knew he saw them by the way his eyes darted over my face. “It’s not hurting you,” I said.
“It’s annoying.”
“You’re annoying,” I shot back.


Teaser Five:
Absolute power—unforgiving and hard, pure as it was deadly— coursed over my skin. I reared back, summoning the fifth and final element. Intense blue light erupted from my palm. Akasha ripped from me, arcing through the air like cloud-to-cloud lightning, homing in on its target and striking true. The sky crackled and heated. One second, the automaton was on his knee, and the next he was nothing but a pile of shimmery dust. “Good gods,” came Olivia’s hoarse whisper. Another automaton took the fallen one’s place, swinging out with a metal hand that clinked and clicked. Fire sparked from its open mouth. I spun, catching the broad side of his arm and twisting. The hoarse shout of pain was lost in the clash of metal, the thunder of bullets finding another automaton. It raised its bull face and snapped at me with massive jaws. “Please.” I placed my hand on the massive forehead. Blue light coursed over the head and down the body, lightening up the metallic skull and bone structure. For a moment, it was like a pretty x-ray or a jellyfish—a really disturbing jellyfish—and then cobalt light radiated from its eyes and open mouth. It imploded—caved in on itself, turning to nothing but dust. And then the crap really hit the fan. The automatons—every last one of the freaky bull things—turned on me. They moved quickly, metal legs rattling and clinking. Fire spewed from their mouths like the poor man’s version of a dragon. They came from all directions, Apollyon-seeking missiles with “Kill Alex” stamped all over them. Fire came from them, blinding and intense. Nothing existed outside the flames. No sound. No sight. My world was red and orange... And my world was tinted in amber. Alex? His voice came through the thrumming connection. I ignored him and the way his consciousness slid in alongside mine. What are you up to?


Opal Teasers
Here are three teasers from Jennifer's next release, Opal, coming out soon!

Teaser One:
Dawson raised his arm and two DVDs shot into his hand. “Uh, we have Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead.” “Great,” Daemon muttered. I rolled my eyes. “Wussy.” “Whatever.” He elbowed me, knocking a kernel of popcorn between my chest and notebook. I sighed. “Want me to get that for you?” he asked. Shooting him a look, I dug it out and then tossed it in his face. “You’re going to be grateful when the zombie apocalypse occurs and I know what to do because of my zombie fetish.” He looked doubtful. “There are better fetishes out there, Kitten. I could show you a few.” “Uh, no, thank you.” But I did flush. And there were a lot of images that suddenly polluted my brain. “Aren’t you supposed to go to the nearest Costco or something?” Dawson asked, letting the DVDs float back to the coffee table. Daemon turned to his twin slowly, face incredulous. “And how would you know that?” He shrugged. “It’s in the Zombie Survival Guide.” “It is.” I nodded eagerly. “Costco has everything—thick walls, food, and supplies. They even sell guns and ammunition. You could hole up there for years while the zombies are getting their nom nom on.” Daemon’s mouth dropped open. “What?” I grinned.
“Zombies got to eat, too, you know.”
 
Teaser Two:
Daemon pulled back, brows raised. “Kitten…” “Okay.” I scooted back and he followed, climbing over me, his arms huge and powerful. God, I was in way over my head with him sometimes. “You might be right, but you’re wasting time.” “I’m always right.” I opened my mouth to disagree, but his lips took control of mine, and his kiss reached deep down inside me, melted muscle and bone. His tongue swept over mine, and at that moment, he could have been right all he wanted as long as he kept kissing me like that.
 
Teaser Three:
I pulled back, drawing in a sharp breath. Our eyes locked. A wealth of emotion shone in his brilliant green eyes. He cupped my cheek with one hand tenderly, and he spoke in his lovely language. It sounded like three lyrical words—a short, beautiful verse. “What did you say?” I asked, my fingers loosening around the cover. His smile was secretive and then his lips were on mine again and my eyes drifted shut. I let go of the blanket, felt it slip away, pool around my hips, and I felt Daemon stop breathing for a moment.
 
Obsession Teasers
*Although Obsession still takes place in the Luxen world, it is targeted toward the older audience. Not sure if I'm going to read this one after all. xD
 
Teaser One:
"You don’t look very apologetic.”
I frowned. “Well, I am. Things are kind of… messed up. And you knocked me out. And you’re half naked—”
“Have you looked in the mirror?” he cut in. “You’re just as naked as I am. And I didn’t throw anything at your head.”
Glancing down at myself, I cringed. Somehow I’d forgotten that I was in my shirt and undies. Flushing all over again, I wanted to dart behind something, but I folded my arms. “I didn’t throw anything at your head. I was—”
“Do you always overreact like this?”
Oh my God, if he interrupted me one more time I was going to throw something at his head. “I woke up in a strange place, kidnapped by an alien. I can’t even believe I’m explaining why I overreacted. What were you doing in my room anyway?”
He mimicked my stance. “Correction: this is my house and therefore this is my room. Not that I need to explain myself, I was checking to make sure everything was secure outside.”
“But you did kidnap me.”
“I did not.”
I threw up my hands. “What’s all this? Where am I?”
“West Virginia.”
My mouth dropped open. Oh, my God, this couldn’t be happening. “I’m in a different time zone? Are you fuc—”
Hunter threw up his hand, silencing me. The tip of my tongue literally burned to lay into him. “What the hell is that noise?”
Before I could respond, he stalked past the bed and entered the bathroom.
“Jesus! What are you trying to do in here?” His voice carried from the bathroom. “Giving the floor a bath?” he demanded.
I searched desperately for my jeans, but came up empty.
Hunter returned, hands on his hips. Too late. “Seriously?”
“I forgot I turned the faucet on. Geez, you’re grumpy.”
“And you’re already turning out to be a huge pain in my thigh.”
“Look, I’m really sorry about that. Okay? I’ve been through some really traumatic events here recently and yes, I might have overreacted.” I struggled with my patience. “And I really would just like to know where my pants are.”
“Your pants were folded on the corner of the bed. You probably knocked them on the floor.”
What? I wanted to check, but I so wasn’t bending down in my panties in front of him. “And how did they get off me and folded on the bed?”
“I did it. Thought you’d be more comfortable.”
Oh geez, I had no idea what to think about that. A thank you so wasn’t in order though. He did undress me while I was unconsciousness for crying out loud. My entire body felt red-hot. “I’m not going to say thank you for that.”
“Not like I’d expect that common courtesy from you,” he replied, his pale eyes dancing… with what? Anger? Amusement? “After all you never thanked me for saving your ass—a pretty ass at that. So I can add inconsiderate to your glowing list of attributes. Put that right next to: overreacts, acts first and then thinks, drama—”
“Oh, go fuc–”
“You do not want to finish that sentence,” Hunter warned. His voice low enough to send warning shivers down my spine.
 
 
My Thoughts:
I. Literally. Ceased. Breathing. That first teaser for Apollyon!? It had me jumping up and down and running around like a mad woman! Jennifer, why must you tease us?? I need these books more than I need air to breathe!
 
How about you? Did you enjoy these teasers as much as I did? Are these books to die for or what?!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Movie News: The Host/ Beautiful Creatures/ Catching Fire

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Official Movie Poster
 
Movie Trailer
 
  
 
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
 
Movie Poster
 
Movie Trailer
 
 
Catching Fire Logo
 

 
 
 
 
 
What do you think about the new trailers and posters? Love them? Hate them? Leave your comments below. :D

Giveaway: Opal by Jennifer Armentrout

 
I literally had a mini fangirling/squealing moment when I saw this pile of epicness! Wanna get your hands on the fabulous finale to the Lux series? Then what are you waiting for!? Click Here To Enter!
 

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Feature and Follow (14)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee.
 
Question: What blog are you thankful for?
 
Answer: Gahh, I'm thankful for so many blogs! The first person that got me interested in creating a blog of my own was Kristi over at The Story Siren! I loved watching her IMMs and finally decided that it was time for me to get into reviewing as well. Other blogs I'm thankful for are Deity Island, Jennifer Armentrout's fan site, because I can read the latest Apollyon and Opal teasers! Lastly I'm thankful for Alison Can Read and Parajunkee for hosting this meme, because without it, I wouldn't have been able to get as many followers as I have today!
Book Blogging at it's finest!
 
Alison Can Read

 
How about you? What blog(s) are you thankful for?
 

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Elemental by Antony John

Elemental by Antony John ReviewReading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 320 Pages
Release Date: November 21, 2012
Publisher: Dial
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Library
Series: Unknown

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                                Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
( Goodreads ! Website )



Amazon Summary:

A mysterious and powerful fantasy adventure from a Schneider Award winner

In the near future, most of the population of the United States has been destroyed by the plague. The few remaining survivors live in colonies on the barrier islands off the East Coast. In one colony near Cape Hatteras, almost all the members have elemental powers and can control wind, water, earth, and fire. All but sixteen-year-old Thomas. When the Guardians, the powerful adult leaders, are kidnapped by pirates seeking to take over their colony, it is up to Thomas and a small group of teens to save them and preserve the mysteries of the island.

Fast action, strategy, and mystery churn together into a bold and fresh fantasy from an award-winning author.
 
My Review:

I started reading Elemental with super high expectations, because any book that involves people controlling the Elements (Water, Fire, Earth, Wind) always intrigues me. There is a huge shortage of books out there that have this awesome theme! In fact, the only novel I can think of with this theme is Storm by Bridgit Kemmerer. If you asked any one of my friends, they would tell you without hesitation, that I have quite an obsession for it! Even my favorite anime/cartoon, whatever you want to call it, is Avatar: The Last Airbender. Lovee that show! xD Sadly, Elemental kind of fell flat for me.

Elemental, is told in the point of view of a boy named Thomas. Thomas was the only boy ever born without the ability to control a specific element. Because of this, he was ridiculed, pitied, and looked down upon by the majority of his clan. The only person who would ever touch him was his dad, and that left Thomas feeling alone and abandoned. One day, when an unforeseen hurricane hits the island that they inhabit, the Guardians send the kids to safety on Hatteras Island, a land that still held the remains of a former civilization. On the run from pirates who wish to overtake their island, the five children, each who harness a separate element, and Thomas who controls the rarest of them all, unearth unbelievable and unthinkable secrets that the Guardians have spent decades hiding.

This novel wasn't exactly bad.....it was just boring. The protagonist, Thomas, had spent years being made fun of and treated horribly because he had no element, and yet he never let anger take control of him. He fought back when someone he cared about was being unfairly judged, and I admired him for that. However, apart from that, Thomas just seemed bland and uninteresting to me. At first I thought it was because Elemental was one of those rare books told in a guy's perspective, but then I thought that that couldn't be right because the Percy Jackson series is one of my fave series of all time. Ahh Percy *Swoons*. Anyways....back to the subject at hand, Thomas wasn't a character that I despised.....but I never connected with him either.

The romance.....was just no. For all of you people who hate love triangles...you have been warned. In my opinion, I have nothing against love triangles. I might even go as far as saying, I look forward to them. However, there is a distinct difference between a well written love triangle and one that was unnecessary and just jammed into the story. For example, The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. That was a successful love triangle because there was no obvious answer. If I was in the Meghan's (Protagonist) position, I wouldn't be able to choose, because both love interests were amazing in their own way. Every time that Thomas accidentally brushed his hand against Alice or fingered a bracelet around Rose's hand, I literally facepalmed and had to set the book down before picking it up again. The romance between all of them was just so cheesy.....and awkward.

The pacing was okay I guess. There was usually something happening and I was never skipping pages just to get to the good part. However, I wasn't too crazy about the sentence structure. I felt that the words were too choppy and stilted. Because of that, I had a hard time getting engrossed into the story or picturing myself in the protagonist's shoes.

Overall, Elemental was just a mehh book for me. Don't get me wrong, the idea was great and I really do think that there should be more novels out there that focus on people who have control over the Elements. But the characters fell flat and I never connected with them or understood why they took the actions that they did. I have no doubt in my mind that many people will obsess over this novel, but I just wasn't one of them.

Cover- 5/5
Hero- 3/5
Romance- 1/5
Action- 3.5/5
Comedy- 1/5
Overall- 3/5

Waiting On Wednesday (14)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights books that we can't wait to read!

 
This week's WoW is......Falling Kingdoms!
 
Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
 
Goodreads Summary:
 
In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
 
My Thoughts:
 
This one sounds like a keeper! I'm a sucker for stories with magical plots and fierce battles. And I can't wait to read about the world where this book takes place. I'm always up for some good worldbuilding! Hopefully I'm not disappointed. xD The cover looks ominous and mysterious as well. A cloak. A dagger. Who is he?!
 
Extra Information:
Release Date: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Hardcover: 412 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book One in the Falling Kingdoms Series
 
How about you? What book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Trailer Reveal: Opal by Jennifer Armentrout



Opal by Jennifer Armentrout Trailer Reveal

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

  
Together we’re stronger... and they know it.



Jennifer Armentrout
USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find Jennifer on:
 Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog

 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge hosted by The Book Vixen
 
Just decided to join the 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge hosted by the very awesome people over at The Book Vixen! I can't wait to start! There are so many amazing books I want to read in 2013. xD Wanna outdo the amount of books you read last year? Then this challenge is perfect for you! Click the picture located at the top of this post to join today. :D
 

Reading Challenge Details:
  • Runs January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013 (books read prior to 1/1/2013 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
  • The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2013 than you did in 2012. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. You can move up a level as often as you’d like but no moving down.
  • Books can be any format (bound, ebook, audio).
  • Novellas that are at least 100 pages in length, as well as full-length novels, will count for this reading challenge.
  • Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
  • Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.
 
Levels: Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books


Level I'm aiming for: Out of breath (6-10 more books)