Book Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.
Book Summary: It's 1941 and fifteen-year-old artist Lina Vilkas is on Stalin's extermination list. Deported to a prison camp in Siberia, Lina fights for her life, fearless, risking everything to save her family. It's a long and harrowing journey and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

Liana's Summary: Lina Vilkas is writing a letter to her cousin Joana when the NKVD breaks into her house and demand that they pack and go with them. She, with her younger brother, Jonas, and her mother are separated from Lina's father to find themselves in a labor camp in Siberia. Lina constantly attempts to send signs to her father, trying to get saved. Lina knows there is still hope. She must be strong. But will she survive?

Rate(1-10): 9

This was actually a very good book. It's been a while since I've read a historical fiction story, and I have to say that after reading this, I really miss the genre. This was a high recommendation, and now I know why!

The story just basically revolves around the life of Lina Vilkas and the horrific ugliness of a prison camp. (I seriously can't believe they did that to the Lithuanians..) Lina holds on to her hope, her love, and tries to stay strong. (What's even better, I think, learning about this whole thing with Stalin might help me with AP World History this fall.)

As Maggie Stiefvater said in her review, this is not a pretty book. Although it's actually very well-written, I couldn't help but grimace at some points of this novel. But then again, there's nothing pretty about a prison camp.. with starving and dying people.. who have diseases..

The beauty of historical fiction is that readers are given a chance to learn. And it's fiction, too. And the author can add romance whenever he/she wants. So, in other words. Yes, there was romance. It was just too cute. Even more cute, Lina was able to find romance in the midst of sadness and grief. It proves that she still had hope!

The ending was quite powerful. (Not to mention cute.) It was a wonderful 300-something page read.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone. Yep, anyone! Give it a try! If you don't like history, this book might let you view history in a different way. And if you do, hurrah!

Quotes

"Andrius stood above.."



Hmm is this where the romance starts



"Are you okay?"



YES YES YES



"Thanks,"



YOU'RE WELCOME JAL;DFJA



"Mrs. Book Lady? Will you tell us a story?"



MRS BOOK LADY AAHAHAHAHAH I WISH PEOPLE WOULD CALL ME THAT



"He was handsome when he smiled."



OMG OMG FANGIRLING



"No, you keep it,"



;LJFA;KLDJ THIS IS SO CUTE



"Boys, carry me," the bald man said to Andrius and Jonas. "You have to bathe me."



oh god



"Hey, there was blond hair under all that dirt,"



HAHAHA IS THAT FLIRTING I SMELL



"...took out a pocketknife and began scraping underneath his fingernails."




Why do they always do that




"I put my mittens on his cheeks. I pulled his face to mine and kissed him."



;KLFAJLDFKAJ FINALLY OMFG FINALLY



"He caught her by the waist."



oh



"Nikolai Kretzsky."



omg this is such a serverus snape story



"My husband,"



OMFG FAKJDAFDJAKLJ YES
THIS IS A HAPPY ENDING AFTER ALL
----------------
That's it! What do you think of this review?(:

Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Book Summary: William Golding's compelling story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. At first it seems as though it is all going to be great fun; but the fun before long becomes furious and life on the island turns into a nightmare of panic and death. As ordinary standards of behaviour collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them—the world of cricket and homework and adventure stories—and another world is revealed beneath, primitive and terrible. Lord of the Flies remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, igniting passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. Though critically acclaimed, it was largely ignored upon its initial publication. Yet soon it became a cult favorite among both students and literary critics who compared it to J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in its influence on modern thought and literature.

Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies has established itself as a true classic.

Liana's Summary: When their plane crashes, a group of boys are stranded on an island, with no surviving adults. So the only thing to do is take care of themselves-- but first, who must be elected as leader? Ralph is beautiful, with an air of leadership, too. Plus, he gathered the very first meeting. Why not him? When the boys hear about a so-called 'beast,' everything goes downhill. Unnecessary worry is caused. Jack just wants to hunt, while Ralph is trying a bit too hard. The boys argue-- and that leads to further disaster..

Rate(1-10): 8

I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while. It's rare that I'd actually like to read a classic, but this one just appealed to me more than other classics. Plus, there were many positive reviews, and I think the thing I saw most often was 'I enjoyed reading this book in high school.' And that just leads me to the topic of assigned reading. Some people didn't, don't, and will/would not like this book if it was assigned to them in school. (It's ok. I hate it when the teacher stops on every single frickin' page just to analyze something and take note of something, too. It's darned annoying.) I'll just say that I'm glad this was a summer assignment, so I got to read at my own pace.

I'll admit that I used SparkNotes. It's not that I couldn't understand it (well maybe it is), but because the words were so small and I was so tired and there were so many things to take note of and so many questions to answer-- so yes, I used SparkNotes. But I actually did read the whole thing. I kind of gave up not using SparkNotes because someone spoiled for me one of the deaths-- and for your sake, if you haven't read it, I won't say who died. But someone died.. I'll just say that I wouldn't have understood much of the book if it weren't for the internet..

What I heard about this book before I read it was that it was about a bunch of boys on an island trying to survive. The first thought that came to my head was.. you guessed it (or maybe not) The Hunger Games. LOL. It's like the word survival is just linked to THG. That's what appealed to me. I just distinctly remember my SAT Essay teacher talking about using book references, and he used Lord of the Flies.. and I was just, Lord of the Flies? Da haaaaail. (Exactly what my dad said when he saw what I was reading..) I think that's part of what appealed to me, actually, despite my incredulity at the title. Classics usually have boring titles, like, well.. Pride and Prejudice. What I found even more interesting was that the title Lord of the Flies had a deeper meaning to it despite the actual, physical.. flies. And I'll leave that to you, reader who hasn't read this book yet, to decipher the meaning when you read it. For those who have read it, you know what I mean.

One day I'll probably look back at this and say, "I enjoyed reading that book in high school." Maybe. We shall see..

There was a study guide (since we'll have a test on this the first day of school, apparently), and it really helped. When I read To Kill a Mockingbird last summer, I was surprised that I actually knew what happened in the book, because, well, like I said, it's a classic. It was actually the study guide questions that helped me understand it.

Lord of the Flies isn't that hard to understand, really, and I think that I learned I really need to expand my vocabulary. All I remember from this book is ululation, which, just for the record, means screaming/tongue trilling/high-pitched weird noises/Tarzan scream.. sorta..

What I found most amazing in this book was how William Golding managed to show the deterioration of the boys' innocence. In the very beginning, the boys were still civilized and like, well, boys. But then they slowly turned into animals and Tarzans. I think Tarzan is even more civilized than they are. And he's a gorilla. Sort of.. There was a huge fight scene at the end, (I won't say between who) and I just thought back to the very beginning where everything was civilized and I was just like, whoa. This book really portrays Golding's views about the parliamentary system. He believed, apparently, that anarchism is terrible and there always needs to be democratic rule or a society will descend into chaos. He portrayed it really well..

Okay, I really don't like any of the characters. At all. They're all obnoxious little turds. Except for Simon... -chokes- um, at first, I thought that I only liked Simon because of his name and Simon Lewis from TMI but.. really, I actually liked Simon a lot. I felt like his role was all the boys' root to civilization, but then that all fell apart..

If I sound really educated and smart it's the SparkNotes and the study guide--which ended up being 6 pages front and back omg there were so many questions gah I really hate reading books with the class because we go too slow and the teacher stops too much like ok we get it

But yeah, I'd recommend this to whoever's interested.. Who hasn't read Lord of the Flies? (Says me, who'd just finished it yesterday.)

Book Review: The Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines.

A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines.
Book Summary: Set on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation in the 1970s, A Gathering of Old Men is a powerful depiction of racial tensions arising over the death of a Cajun farmer at the hands of a black man. 

Liana's Summary: It all started with the death of a Cajun farmer-- killed by a black man. Unheard of, and completely just wrong in the 1970s. But who exactly killed him? With everyone trying to take the blame, how can the sheriff be sure who exactly killed him? Gaines writes with a grace that powerfully displays the racism back then.

Rate(1-10): 8.5

I'll just say it now: If it wasn't an assignment, I wouldn't have picked up this book at all. But, oh, my gawd. Aren't I glad that I picked it up. It's actually a really good book-- probably the second best classic novel I've read, which really isn't much.. Usually, when I read classics, I find myself looking at SparkNotes for help. Like, every sentence. Or, like when I read Pride and Prejudice for the sake of reading it and skimmed everything and didn't really care or know what was happening.. maybe i'll have to reread that with SparkNotes

Before reading this book, I knew that there was a lot of racism back then. Before reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I was really clueless about the racial tensions. After reading A Gathering of Old Men, I think I've broadened my views.

Gaines wrote with modern, clear language that wasn't hard to keep up with. (Didn't even use SparkNotes bwahaha) I would definitely recommend this to anyone, even those who despise classics-- let's see if this changes their mind.

Cover Reveal: Immortals by Ednah Walters.

Nothing can stop Raine Cooper when she wants something.

Raine finally knows that her gorgeous neighbor, Torin St. James, is a legend straight out of Norse mythology but that doesn*t stop her from falling hard for him. Torin is crazy about Raine too, breaking the one rule he lives by: Never fall for a mortal. The problem is he no longer remembers her or that she saved him by making a deal with Norns*Norse destiny deities*the same Norns who have now erased his memories of their past together to punish her.

So Raine comes up with a plan...

She will make Torin forget his one rule a second time and fall in love with her all over again. But before Raine can put her plan into action, the Norns return. This time, they demand she protects Eirik Seville, her best friend since childhood, from an evil so dark even the Norns are scared.

But you know what they say about well-laid plans*

Caught between protecting Eirik and convincing the stubborn, cocky Torin St. James that the two of them are meant to be together, Raine's life slowly unravels. Friendships are tested. Enemies become allies. Desperate, Raine makes choices that could not only tear her and Torin further apart, but lead to the destruction of everything and everyone she loves.

Release Date:
August 5th 2013 by Firetrail Publishing

About the author:

EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she's at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She's working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN.

Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. You can visit her online at www.ednahwalters.com or www.ebwalters.com.

Connect with Ednah:

Website: http://www.ednahwalters.com/index.html
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188120.Ednah_Walters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdnahWalters
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ednahwalters

Vote For Torin St.  James at The YA SISTERHOOD Crush Tourney on June 17th.

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence.

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence.
Book Summary: Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself. 

Liana's Summary: Aria Rose has been told that she overdosed on Stic, causing herself to lose her memories. She's been told that she loves Thomas Foster, so why doesn't she feel any spark of recognition? When she meets Hunter, her memories start to resurface.. just a bit. 

Rate(1-10): 8

Well, when I read the very first page, I wanted so bad to dislike this book because I just couldn't stand the cliche characters. I felt like it was going to be a cliche story and plot, too, but oh boy, was I wrong. At first, I didn't like the way that Theo Lawrence wrote this, at first, I thought that he was just using a stereotypical 'girl' as his main character. That made me uncomfortable. But hell yeah, does Aria (our main character, btw) have some depth! I still don't really like her though.. 

The plot is well-organized. Those twists, I just can't.. They were all really creatively planned, I have to say.

I liked:
-The plot
-The cover (So gorg)
-The whole general idea with the mystics and everything
-The romance..? It was pretty cute.

I didn't like:
-How easy it was to guess things. I mean, come on, Theo! Let us be shocked and don't go so easy on our foreshadowing skills! So obvious..
-How clueless Aria was. Well, maybe that's just me. I don't like her. Then again, I dislike many characters.

That ending was such a cliffhanger. I think I want to read the next book. Really bad now.

Quotes


"I like him."


Oh ok


"Step on up, sweetheart."


Hey that's hot LOL


"I don't love him."


Yes you do!


"I think I hear Hunter say You're gorgeous under his breath, but his eyes are.."


Not sure what to think about this but for now I'll just AWWW it


"I'm not sure I can keep a secret this big from them."


Oh my goodness why is she so naive and vain


"Have a little faith."


OH MY GOD THAT WAS IN THE CITY OF BONES TRAILER I'M FANGIRLING SO HARD


"Just kiss me."


OH OK


"Aria! It's not what it looks like,"


HELL YEAH IT IS


"Until I decide, best to keep it to myself."


WHy is she so NAivE
she's so facepalm worthy

"I don't love you,"


Good


"Or were the letters just another part of.."


NO WHY IS SHE SO NAIVE SOMEONE KILL HER NOW DANGIT


"..but awfully embarrassing."


She's worried about being embarrassed? Aria makes me angry..


"I loved you that first time I saw you."


Aw, that's cute..


"And then I notice the gun in her hand."


OH MY G--


"It seems to happen in slow motion:.."


THAT STARTER IS NEVER GOOD
-------------------------------
All I have to say is, I think this would be an awesome movie.

That's it! What do you think of this review?(:

Movie Review: The Host

The Host by Stephenie Meyer.
Click here to read my book review.

Well, okay. Let's try this. This is my first book to movie comparison post, so let's see how this works. I just watched The Host, after reading it, and I couldn't help but make a blog post.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic movie.

Rate(1-10): 8.5!

Likes:
-Saoirse Ronan was a really good actress. We could tell the difference between Melanie and Wanderer very easily.
-Jake Abel. Can we just take a moment to appreciate his perf-ness. Oh my goodness his jawline I can't.
-The movie plot was well-explained, and I think people who haven't read the book would understand what in the world was happening.
-They didn't change too much from the book!

Dislikes/discomforts:
-Saoirse, no matter how good of an actress she is, doesn't fit the role of Melanie physically. I don't think the Seeker was legit either. And their eyes were supposed to be green. So, basically, the minor differences bothered me lots.
-Left out details. In the healing scene, where they healed Jamie, there was so much more than just one spray! There was more, but that was just one of them. But, oh well. A movie can only be so long.

It was a really good movie. I bawled, even if I knew there was a happy ending. (Must be the sad music! Dang!) Compared with the book, the book was much better, I have to say. Isn't the book always better, though? But I felt like I needed to watch the movie because I needed clarification on some things, which the movie helped explain.

But yes. You guys should totes read the book first if you haven't already and watch this movie!

Blog Tour & Interview: Uprising by Jessica Therrien (Children of the Gods #2)

Uprising by Jessica Therrien, blog tour!

Click to read my review for Oppresion, Children of the Gods #1! 

Title: Uprising (Children of the Gods #2)
Publisher: ZOVA Books
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 384
Synopsis:
Jessica Therrien follows up her bestselling novel OPPRESSION with UPRISING, the second book in the Children of the Gods series. OPPRESSION, translated and sold around the world, was one of the best selling YA novels of 2012. UPRISING continues the story of Elyse, William and the Descendants.
Elyse has been in hiding for most of her life. Only now she’s hiding with William, and she knows who she’s hiding from. The Council wants a child Elyse and William have yet to conceive, a child who will be the next oracle, and who will provide the final piece to a plan Christoph has been organizing for years. Charged with leading the rebellion against Christoph and his Council, Elyse feels well out of her depth. But she has good friends and strong allies who are willing to fight with her to the end, regardless of how far they have to go, and how many lives will be lost in the process. They have one goal: to live freely and openly with the rest of humanity, out from under The Council’s oppressive rule. The stakes could not be higher for Elyse and the Descendants longing for freedom. They'll have to learn to fight if they want to stand up against The Council, and to find allies in a world ruled by their enemies. The hardest part of waging a war is knowing who to trust. Elyse knows their uprising will change the world. She doesn’t realize it will change her, too.


Here's my Uprising review:

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, Opression, and I liked Uprising so much more-- mainly because there's more action, and the plot seems to be faster paced. The romance is the same though, and I can't and won't say that's a bad thing. 

I kind of forgot a lot of things from the first book, since I read it a long time ago. But with Jessica Therrien's writing, it's not hard to remember all the characters. 

At first, I thought the romance was a bit spontaneous, but as William and Elyse got to interact more I felt like their love for each other developed.

If you haven't read Oppression, probably none of that made sense. LOL. Check out my review for it.

Author Interview:

-Are you and Elyse, the protagonist of the story, alike in any way?

Yes! When I started writing, I was doing it for my own entertainment, so I used myself as the basis for the character. Aside from looking like me, we are both shy, naïve, and we both love the ones we care about very deeply.

 -What inspired you to write Oppression?

 After reading Twilight I was eager for that next YA fix. When I couldn’t find something I liked as much, I decided to write it myself. 

-What do you, personally, think is the hardest thing about writing? 

Deadlines. With Oppression, I wrote at my own pace. If I didn’t feel like writing, I didn’t. With Uprising, I had to finish by a certain date. It was a very different experience. Luckily I work well under pressure ;)

 -Is Oppression going to become a movie?

 I HOPE SO! Wouldn’t that be awesome? There has been a lot of interest, but things in the movie world work very slowly. I’m trying not to chew my nails down to the bed, haha! 

-What is the best thing about being an author? 

Sometimes it’s that I can stay in my pajamas all day if I want. Other times it’s when a reader emails me about how much they loved my book. There are a lot of great things about being an author. I love it.

 -How long does it take for you to write one book? 

That depends on the book. If I don’t have a deadline, it takes me about 2 years. I write and read slowly. Deadlines are a different story. Uprising took me about a year.

-Do you usually write an outline before writing a book?

 A very rough one that is scribbled on paper. Later that gets thrown away J I like to wing it. I basically know how the story ends and the main plot points along the way. The rest is up to Elyse. 

-Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Enjoy the freedom you have without deadlines. Have fun taking your time with the process, and don’t obsess about being published right away. Sometimes it’s better for your work to be revised several times before it’s ready anyway. It will happen when it’s meant to.
----------------
Thanks to Jessica for taking the time to answer these questions, and...

Bio/Author Links:

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Links to Oppression (Children of the Gods #1):

Amazon | B&N | GoodReads

Links to Uprising (Children of the Gods #2):

Amazon | B&N | GoodReads

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book one in the series, Oppression, was published by ZOVA Books in February of 2012 and became a Barnes & Noble bestseller shortly after its release. The second book in the series, Uprising, will be available in May of 2013. Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011. Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Saved, is also available as part of the anthology. Jessica currently lives in Chula Vista with her husband and is working on book three in her Children of the Gods series.

Book Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer.
Book Summary: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

Liana's Summary: Melanie doesn't want to leave her body. But of course. Why would she? Wanderer, a soul, has been placed in Mel's body-- and Wanderer is struggling. Melanie constantly throws memories at Wanderer, filling their heads with the images of Jared and Jamie--her loved ones. So when they stumble upon a group of people and reunite with the people that Mel has ever cared for, they find love and friendship. Sort of.

Rate(1-10): 8.5

Since I haven't read a 600 page+ book in a while, let's take a moment to congratulate me. LOL.

Interesting. I've been wanting to read this one for a while, mainly because it was by Stephenie Meyer and I wanted to see what else she could write about besides vampires. (I'm sick of vampires. Unless we're talking Vampire Diaries. I will never get sick of Vampire Diaries.) There were a lot of mixed reviews to this one. The majority of people thought it was alright. Some thought it sucked and some thought it was fab. Me? I think it's between okay and fab. In other words, yes, it was worth my 10 ish dollars.

I think Stephenie Meyer is a really great writer, actually. I just didn't like the Twilight series as much as I hoped to, probably because of the content-- but reading The Host has helped me realize that she is a very descriptive writer. It's just, every page is full of description and it's so visual that I don't know what the movie people were thinking when they did the cast.

Speaking of the movie.. well, I'm still looking forward to watching the movie. (Jake Abel! I can't!!) I think I'm fine with everyone BUT Melanie. Saoirse Ronan is a really great actress. I can see that already in the trailer, but she just doesn't look like Melanie. And they got the whole soul color thing wrong.

The plot was well-organized. However, there weren't any, I think, plot twists. I don't know. Isn't that what gives a reader the pleasure of reading it? Plot twists? But yeah. It was still finely organized.

Character discussions.

Melanie- She wasn't our primary narrator, and I don't think she was the protagonist either. But we've gotten to know her pretty well, through Wanderer. She's a very violent and aggressive girl that cares for her loved ones and would rather die than see them hurt. Yaknow, that kinda person.

Wanderer- Ah, our protagonist and narrator. I liked her a lot, although she did seem a bit fobby at first about how to live like a human. She felt like a parasite the whole time, except it wasn't even her fault. But yes, she's very brave. And it's kinda tragic how she and Melanie shared the same body-- it made the romance complicated..(The romance was just weird. But good. Sorta. I liked the development with Ian the most. Gee, I wish I could write romance like that.)

Ian-I just knew it LOL. (Why did I imagine Jared hotter than Ian like what was I even thinking geez now when I watch the movie--) Ian's a great guy.. period.

Jared- At first, he was just being really bitter and defiant and just plain mean but then I think he loosened up. He was in love with Mel the whole time and he just sort of accepted/befriended Wanderer? I guess.

There are much more characters that you should definitely meet, but I won't discuss them now.

The Host has been such a page turner. I can't wait for the next.

Quotes:

"Welcome to Earth, Wanderer,"

Is this where the story starts

"..his lips came down hard on mine.."

Oh okay

"My name is Jared Howe."

Ahh so this is Jared..

"He kisses me again,.."

Oh okay

"He really is beautiful."

Okay then

"I could share a bed with...you."

Whoa there

"But you're seventeen, Melanie. And I'm twenty-six."

WHAT?!

"So beautiful that you must be fictional."

This is probably a really good pickup line but ok

"I lifted my eyes to the man's face."

Gasp.

"..his mouth pressed against mine."

Okay

"I think Ian likes you too much."

Hell yah he does

"I like you very much, Wanda."

And there it is

"No!"

YES

"I need you to kiss me, Ian. Now. Please."

Okay..

"I hardly needed the romance, but maybe he did."

That's mean!

"My cantaloupes are dying. Somebody do something about that, hear?"

This is why I love Jeb I swear

"I was mean."

Hell to the yah you were

------------

That's that. What do you think of this review?(:

Book Review: Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood. (Born Wicked #2)

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood.

(Born Wicked #2)

Book Summary: With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

Liana's Summary: Cate is still guilty for leaving Finn, but she had to do what she had to do. With the whole who-will-become-the-witch-of-the-prophecy thing going on, Cate is as busy as ever. Cate cares about everyone that she loves, of course, and she'd do anything to herself to keep them safe. With everything being  a gigantic mess, it pulls Cate and her loved ones further apart-- whether she likes it or not.

Rate(1-10): 8.5

I received an ARC copy from Penguin Teen in return for an honest review. (This book comes out in 10 days!)

I was never a big fan of witches.

Even after reading Witches by Roald Dahl. Even after reading all of Alex Flinn's witchy books. Ermahgerd. I just can't.

BUT. Jessica Spotswood. Oh, my, God. She writes with real magic!

I think I only bothered to read Born Wicked because of Andrea Cremer. LOL. This one time, I went to her book signing, and up came the question of fictional hot guys. And then she started raving about Finn Belastra. Gardener, freckled, red headed, wears glasses, reads books. (That's hot. Sorta. LOL.)

After reading Born Wicked, to be honest, I wasn't really sure if I wanted to read Star Cursed much less finish the whole series. But, an opportunity to get an ARC came by, so I was just like, hey! Why not?!

That was a really good decision to get an ARC.

I fell head over heels in love with this book. I loved it. (This was the first book that I've ever bothered to annotate. (Annotating is fun. You guys should give it a try.)

Okay, so, a review is a review and I think I should talk about Cate. And Finn. And Maura. And Tess. And you know.

Cate was normal ol' Cate. Finn was normal ol' Finn. Maura was annoying ol' Maura and Tess was nice lil' Tess. One thing, out of everything, that annoyed me the most was the arguments that Cate and Maura had. I'll just say it, I dislike Maura with a burning passion. I mean, if she were in Cate's position as the narrator and main character, I would probably hate Cate (that rhymes) with a burning passion. Either way, I hate the arguments they have. But of course, I sympathize with Cate more since she's the main character. The thing is, they don't do well with each other mainly because Maura has a very rushy personality and Cate has a let's-slow-down-and-think-it-through personality. And plus, they're plenty jealous of each other.

This plot was completely ERMAHGERD. I can totes say that again. (ERMAHGERD.) That ending, though. I don't do well with books that make me angry..

I want the next book, now! That cliffhanger.. ugh..

Quotes

Note: This is an ARC copy. All quotes may not match those of the final print's.


"I hate the Sisterhood for separating us."


Well there's really no one to blame BUT THYSELF


"..forbids women from working outside the home."


WHAT?!


"..forbids that girls should be taught to read."


WHAT?!!!


"And the handwriting is Finn's."


And now the story starts


"Where we can look after each other,"


Awww.


"His lips work their way from my temple to my cheekbone."


This is too cute I can't


"Put your faith in me, and I'll see to it that we both get what we want."


I'm scared should I be scared


"He likes the pretty ones.."


Oh.. OH...


"I wonder what he looks like with nothing on at all."


Naked? Eheh.


"If I'd stayed in Chatham, refused the Sisters, would we be married by now and sharing a bed every night?"


YES DAMMIT


"Then the door slams open, and we spring apart."

WHAT A KILLJOY UGH


"It's not fair."


HELL YEAH IT IS


"..don't you know me at all?"


WELL DO YOU KNOW HER AT ALL


"I want to be your husband, Cate."


I can't omg omg


"I'm the strongest witch in this room, that's who."


That's right. You go, Cate!


"You just can't stand that I'm more popular than you!"


No. She just can't stand that you're so annoying. omg.


"I'm done playing nice."


That was playing nice?


"I believe in you, Cate Cahill, and in us together."


AWWW


"I love you, Cate Cahill. You are beautiful and brave and strong."


I'm crying LOL
----------------
That's it. What do you think of this review?(:

Book Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Hush, Hush #2)

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick.
Book Summary: Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it. A mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever (if that's possible) and what's worse, he seems to be spending time with Nora's archenemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn't been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude, Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feelings that he is hiding something.

If that weren't enough, Nora is haunted by images of her murdered father, and comes to question whether her Nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death. Desperate to figure out what happened, she puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations to get the answer. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

Liana's Summary: Patch has been acting quite mysterious lately, and Nora senses that something's up. So when Marcie Millar tells her that she saw Nora's boyfriend (mysteriously) standing outside her house, Nora confronts Patch about it, only to be faced with a wall of ice that causes her to break their relationship. So what can she do? As she discovers more and more, she realizes how dangerous this can be..

Rate(1-10): 9

At first, I thought this was too mainstream to read. 

But I was wrong.

Mainstream is good. LOL. Sometimes.

I have to give Becca Fitzpatrick credit on this one. Hush, Hush was absolutely fabulous. It compelled me to want to read more of the series, so I continue on to Crescendo. Am I satisfied? MORE THAN EVER. This was a wonderfully written book!

At first, I didn't like the book much because all the characters annoyed me. I absolutely despise annoying characters. (I mean, who doesn't?) I'm starting to realize that all the characters aren't as annoying as Nora or Marcie.. But still, I guess it's author talent that makes a character that needs to be annoying, well.. annoying. But in the end, I didn't mind that all the characters were that annoying because of the completely beguiling storyline. That storyline was completely AMAZING. I can't believe Becca Fitzpatrick managed to string everything together because this plot just connects so well with itself I can't--

Nora, our protagonist, (our oh-so-annoying protagonist) is a very.. annoying..(obviously), oblivious, and indecisive girl. She'll just get on your nerves. Apparently, she was really angry at Patch, her.. guardian angel ahem ahem.. But the thing is, she's very indecisive about what to do. And oblivious. And really stupid. But you know..

Vee, her best friend, is absolutely amazing. (You can't he;p but imagine her as Rebel Wilson. She looks like her, and her humor and attitude are almost the exact same..) I know I said I disliked all the characters, but Vee might be just an exception....

Patch. Yeah, he's pretty hot. LOL. Um, I still kind of dislike him though. Because he's just really mysterious. Many people may find that hot, but I think it's just.. annoying. I know there's a deeper side to him that I didn't see YET. Hopefully I'll see that in the rest of the series.

Which means, yes, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Hush, Hush Saga which has become all the rage.

And, for those who've only read the first book, and are unsure about reading the rest of the series, (you, Dalena, LOL) GO AND READ IT BECAUSE CRESCENDO WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE FIRST BOOK OH MY GOD AND THE FIRST BOOK WAS ALREADY VERY GOOD. Okay. That's it!

Quotes:
Note: This is an ARC copy. Quotes may not completely match those of the final print's.


"..and accepted a hideous-looking teddy bear with matted purple fur."


I think I laughed harder than necessary


"His name is Rixon..."


gasp


"How could he think this didn't have anything to do with us?"


Just shut up already omg


"..and I knew I was upset.."


Why..


"I'm trying to feel bad," I said, "but it sounds like you're concerned enough for the both of us."


Just stop it


"I have a right to be angry."


No you don't


"I trust you."


Fabulous


"..I smacked the heels of my hands against his chest, knocking him back a step."


I laughed even if it isn't funny..


"When I kiss my boyfriend, I want to know he feels it!"


Ou, snap.. that's cold..


"As soon as I said it, I regretted it."


That's what I thought


"Had I really broken up with him?"


The only one to blame.. IS THYSELF


"..nothing I said or did could realign the stars."


CHEESY MUCH


"..but Patch caught my hand, trapping it against his body."


HA


"..definitely a man's ring."


How do you know a woman can't have fat fingers?


"He kissed me, and I answered so hungrily I thought my lips would bruise."


Her indecision irritates the hell out of me


"..three-paragraph essay on amino acids.."


Since when do you have to write essays for Chem..


"Yeah, about that. I'm sort of having a change of heart."


NOOO


"But it's wrong."


NO IT'S NOT


"I'm not taking the diary."


YES YOU ARE


"No," I said firmly.


YES LIANA REPLIED FIRMLY


"The wall of ice between us fell away."


uGH


"I wanted Patch."


Hell yeah you do



"I want to stay out here, with you."


That's perverted


"I'm not going to read the diary. I'm going to give it back."


NOOO


"But I was scared to confront him."


Hell yeah you are


"I was reassigned to Marcie,"


WHAT TO THE ACTUAL HELL


"..he yanked the knife up and sliced blindly."


NO I'M SCARED


"Don't get too excited, but I bought you a little something.."


AWWW THAT'S SO CUTE


"Are you crazy?" I said.
"Crazy about you."


BEST PICKUP LINE EVER I SWEAR


"Jev?"


JEV OH MY GOD I CAN'T. That's hot.
---------
That's that. What do you think of this review?(: