In My Mailbox - May 29th

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren, in which you show the books you got that week.  They can be borrowed from friends, bought, or been taken out from the library.  This week, I got four books.

As a gift:

1.  What Happened to Goodbye - Sarah Dessen *Review to be up soon*
2.  The Gathering - Kelley Armstrong

From library:

Anastasia's Secret - Susanne Dunlap

For review:

Solid - Shelley Workinger


What did you get in your mailbox?  Leave a link in the comments!

A Touch Mortal

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 432
Release date: February 22 2011
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads): Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.


My review: Okay, before I start my review, I'll just let everyone know that I never actually finished A Touch Mortal.  I got about halfway through, maybe a bit more, before I put it down.

There were quite a few things that I didn't like about this book, starting with the plot.  I found that it jumped a lot, and there were quite a few points where I had no idea what was happening. There were many things that weren't explained throughout the book, and while I understand that I didn't read the whole thing, if some things mentioned in the very beginning that are really quite simple and don't need to be mystery aren't explained by midway through the book, I think that there may be a problem.

I also found the characters to be not only unlikeable, but also difficult to connect to.  Eden understood what was going on as you got through the book, but she wasn't in any hurry to explain.  She wasn't a very strong main character, and seemed very spoiled.  I think that there could have been a better fake death for Az, something that happens more often, like a car crash,  that would be easier to relate to.  How many people do you know have fallen off a balcony, and how many have been in a car crash?  Probably more people have been in the latter.  I didn't find the book very realistic, in that way and others.  I didn't think that the character's emotions felt real to me.

The plot was not very enjoyable.  It was jumpy and seemed to skip parts that were important to the book.  I think that this was probably the main reason that I didn't like A Touch Mortal.

I had high hopes for A Touch Mortal.  I really did.  But I have to say that I got it from the library and didn't buy it.  If you like paranormal books, you should read it, though.  I just found that I didn't like it, but I've seen many glowing reviews on Goodreads that you might want to read!

My rating:

Characters: 3.5/5
Writing: 2/5
Plot: 2/5
Originality: 4/5

Overall,

WoW - May25th

WoW is a weekly meme I participate in, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  It stands for Waiting on Wednesday, and the point is to share to the Blogging world what book you're most looking forward to that week!  This week, I can't wait to read Supernaturally by Kiersten White!

Summary (from Goodreads): A lot has changed in the six months since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shape-shifter boyfriend, Lend. She finally has the blissfully normal life she’s always dreamed of, including:
1) A real live high school
2) A perfectly ordinary after-school job
3) Her very own locker (and by the way, rusted metal is every bit as awesome as she imagined)

But Evie’s not-so-normal past keeps creeping up on her...and things get pretty complicated when you factor in:
1) A centuries-old, seriously decaying vampire stalker
2) A crazy faerie ex-boyfriend who is the perpetual bearer of really bad news
3) A major battle brewing between the faerie courts where the prize in question happens to be...Evie herself.

So much for normal.

Why I want to read it:  I love Kiersten White's writing and Paranormalcy, and the summary sounds really good!
And have you seen the cover for Clockwork Prince??

I don't think it's as good as Clockwork Angel, but I still love it!

100 followers giveaway -- signed book!

While Cassandra Clare was touring, I went to one of her signings and since I had two copies of the same book, I got them both signed.  Now, in celebration of reaching 100 followers, I'll be doing a giveaway for one of the copies of the book!  The book is City of Glass, and is in excellent condition.  Here are some pictures:

1.   The contest is only open to people in the United States

2.  You don't have to follow the blog to enter, but if you do you'll get an extra entry

3.  You don't have to blog about this contest, but if you do you'll get 2 extra entries

4.  I will email you if you win the prize, but if you don't respond within 72 hours (3 days), I will draw another winner

5.  The contest will be open from May 23rd to June 6th

*This contest is now closed*

100 followers!

Hooray! I hit 100 followers today! I want to thank all of you for following my blog and helping me with my goal. I have a special giveaway in celebration; I would post it now but I still need to make the entry form. :) Check back soon for the giveaway and thanks to all of you!

In My Mailbox - May 22nd

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren, in which you show the books you got that week.  They can be borrowed from friends, bought, or been taken out from the library.  This week, I only got one book, from the library:

Swoon - Nina Malkin

What did you get in your mailbox?  Leave a link in the comments!
*Sorry I haven't had many reviews up lately; I'm working on some to be up this week, though!*

WoW - May 18th

WoW is a weekly meme I participate in, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  It stands for Waiting on Wednesday, and the point is to share to the Blogging world what book you're most looking forward to that week!  This week, I can't wait to read Falling Under by Gwen Hayes!

Summary (from Goodreads):  Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Why I want to read it:  The summary sounds like something that I would like, and the cover is gorgeous!

In My Mailbox - May 15th

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren, in which you show the books you got that week.  They can be borrowed from friends, bought, or been taken out from the library.  This week, I only got one book, from the library:

It's Not Summer Without You - Jenny Han

What did you get in you mailbox?  Leave a link in the comments!

WoW - May 11th

WoW is a weekly meme I participate in, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  It stands for Waiting on Wednesday, and the point is to share to the Blogging world what book you're most looking forward to that week!  This week, I can't wait to read Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston!

Summary (from Goodreads):  Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.

This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.

Why I want to read it:  It sounds like a really good book from the summary, I love the name, and I've read a book by this author before and enjoyed it.

Author Interview: Lara Chapman

Big thanks to Lara Chapman, author of Flawless, for letting me host an interview with her!  You can see my review here!  Here it is:

What was the hardest thing for you to write?  Was it the characters?  The plot?  Something else, maybe?

Plot is normally the most difficult piece for me, despite the fact I spend a crazy amount of time plotting the story before putting a single word on the page.  The easiest thing for me to write in FLAWLESS was the characters.  I know Sarah… and I have some tremendously strong women in my life that were easy reference for Sarah’s fortitude.  I also have two of the best best friends ever, so it was easy for me to know how Sarah would respond to Kristen’s cry for help even if it meant passing up the guy of her dreams. 

What was your inspiration for writing FLAWLESS?

Friendship!  True friends have such a tremendous impact on our lives.  Those lifelong friendships will survive all the other drama in your life – parents, school, boyfriends.  I’ve had the same best friends for thirty years and they’ve pulled me through the highest highs and the lowest lows... from the birth of my children to the death of my mother.  I can’t – for one single second – imagine my life without them. 

Did you have a favourite character to write about?

Anything with Kristin was a blast for me!  I love that, even though she appears perfect in so many ways, she’s insecure about herself just like the rest of us. 

Did you expect FLAWLESS to end the way it did, or did it change as you went along?

Great question…. because I plot so thoroughly, I definitely knew how the story would end.  What I didn't realize was how much Sarah really needed to grow and accept about herself before she could tell Kristen and Rock how she really felt. 

Describe your writing in three words.

Witty, realistic, and relatable… (I hope!) 

Are there any books that you are excited to read this year? 

Way too many to list them all!  I’m touring Texas in May for a series of seven booksignings, so at the top of my list are my tour partners’ books!  Check them out at www.chillsandthrillsteenbooktour.wordpress.com.  I also look forward to reading UNFORSAKEN by Sophie Littlefield.  She’s one of my favorites!  I keep a list of books I’ve read on my webpage – I hope you’ll check it out!  www.larachapman.com


If you haven't read Flawless, then I suggest you read it now! 

Flawless

Flawless by Lara Chapman

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 272
Release date: May 10th
Summary (from Goodreads):  Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking? 


 My review:  


I thought that Flawless was a great read that shows us that we should embrace our flaws rather than try to change them.  While it focused on a fairly serious subject, I was really happy about the fact that it was quite funny!


I found that Sarah was a good main character, mostly because of how easy she was to relate to, especially for those in high school who may be experiencing the same thing.  There's a part of you that will always want to be loyal to your best friend, no matter what it means.  In Sarah's case, it was giving up the boy she loved in order to make her friend happy.  I admired her for her loyalty, but at the same time I sometimes wanted to yell at her to be a little bit more open.  I really liked this about her.


The reminder about embracing out flaws was placed in the book very well.  Her nose was not the main thing, but more of a part to the side that showed that it was still there even when it wasn't particularly important.  By the end of the book, Sarah had excepted that her nose was a part of who she was.


The ending satisfied me, and I found myself happy that it had ended there.  I have come across many books where there are a couple of extra chapters that aren't necessary.  The conclusion wrapped up the story well, while not making you want to just read the last pages in three seconds because they are so boring.


Rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

              Bubbles!

Overall, 

 *Look out for my post tomorrow for my author interview with Lara Chapman, author of Flawless!*

In My Mailbox - May 8th

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren, in which you show the books you got that week.  They can be borrowed from friends, bought, or been taken out from the library.  This week, I only got one book, from the library:

This Lullaby - Sarah Dessen

What did you get in your mailbox?  Leave a link in the comments!

Aurelia

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 288
Release date: April 17th 2008
Source: Library
Summary (from Goodreads):  Princess Aurelia is next in line to rule the kingdom of Tyralt, but she would rather be one of the common folk, free to learn and roam and . . . not marry the next tyrannical prince that comes courting. Naturally, the king wants Aurelia to marry for political power. Aurelia wants to marry for love. And someone in the kingdom wants her dead.

Assigned to investigate and protect Aurelia is Robert, the son of the king’s former royal spy and one of Aurelia’s oldest friends. As Aurelia and Robert slowly uncover clues as to who is threatening her, their friendship turns to romance. With everything possible on the line—her life, her kingdom, her heart—Aurelia is forced to take matters into her own hands, no matter the cost.

My review:

I thought that Aurelia was a really good book; the characters were well-developed and I never came close to guessing who was trying to kill Aurelia.


Aurelia was a very interesting character, because she even though she had all the money she could ever want, she would rather be a town commoner.  She spent most of her time in the village, talking with the local folk.  I found this very easy to relate to, because I would probably be just the same.  While I didn't love Robert (he seemed really old compared to his actual age), I did enjoy reading about him because of his growing love for Aurelia.


As for who the killer was, I had no idea until it was actually revealed.  None of the clues pointed to him/her (I'm trying not to give spoilers!) as the culprit, so I think that surprised everyone who read the book.  I had many ideas on who it might have been, but none of my guesses were correct.


There was only one thing that I didn't really like about the book, and that was the setting.  I was a little bit confused about what it would look like, what sort of people lived in the place, or even when this was happening.  The descriptions of the area weren't very helpful to me.


Aurelia is a book that I would recommend to those who like fantasy mysteries!


Rating:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5

                             bubbles!

Overall,

WoW - May 4th

WoW is a weekly meme I participate in, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  It stands for Waiting on Wednesday, and the point is to share to the Blogging world what book you're most looking forward to that week!  This week, I can't wait to read Moonglass by Jessi Kirby!

Summary (from Goodreads):  I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

Why I want to read it:  I've recently started getting into contemporary books as well as paranormal, and this sounds like a really good one!

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth  (May 3, 2011)

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 496
Release date: May 3rd
Source: ARC
Summary (from Goodreads):  In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

 My review:  

I admit that I love dystopian worlds.  Many of my favourite books are post-apocalyptic; so it's not a huge surprise that I liked Divergent.

The book started with Beatrice being in the Abnegation faction: the selfless.  Even though she had been raised in this faction, she was not as selfless as everyone else there.  When her test came to see what faction she should choose, her results were inconclusive.  When she was at the choosing ceremony, she finally decided to choose Dauntless.  When she gets there, she finds out that only seven of the twenty there will make it into Dauntless; the others will become factionless.  There are three stages that will earn them their ranks.

Dauntless was a scary, but great setting.  I really got a feel for what it was like there: dark, twisting halls, a sort of spooky feeling hanging over your shoulder.  And then there was the fact that they had to fight each other until one was unconscious to gain themselves ranks.  I really felt what Beatrice (now Tris) felt.  She was horrified and scared, but also very determined.  I thought that she was a great character to read about.

Four (the instructor) was also a very interesting character.  He had many mixed emotions, so I wasn't sure how he felt about Tris.  Sometimes he would act like he loved her, other times he would be yelling at her for being pathetic and weak.  It wasn't until later in the book that I realized who he was and what exactly he was doing when he shouted at her.

The plot kept me eager to keep reading, always making me feel like I needed to know more about what was going on.  There was never really a dull moment, especially with the other Dauntless trainees around, plus there were some exciting twists.  I had quite a few surprises as I read towards the end of the book!

In all, Divergent was a book with vivid descriptions, a twisting plot, a gorgeous setting, and fresh characters!  I loved every page of it!

Rating:
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing: 5/5

               bubbles!

Overall,

Cover Crazy (3)

Cover Crazy is a meme hosted at The Book Worms in which you share what cover you're crazy for!  Right now, I really love the cover for Crossed!

Why I like it:
-I love the colour.  That shade of blue is my absolute favourite, and it matches the green on Matched.
-I really like how the R is backwards.
-In Matched, it showed that she was trapped in the bubble, but in this you can see she's breaking out of it.
-I just love how the two covers match!!!!

Here's a picture of Matched, since I'm kinda comparing them without meaning to:

What cover are you going crazy for?  Leave a link in the comments!

In My Mailbox - May 1st

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren, in which you show the books you got that week.  They can be borrowed from friends, bought, or been taken out from the library.   This week, I got three books:

Bought:

From the library:

1. Flawless - Lara Chapman
2. Just Listen - Sarah Dessen
3. Heist Society - Ally Carter

**Look out for an author interview with the author of Flawless, Lara Chapman on May 10th!**