December 31, 2011

Top 5 of 2011

Happy New Years Eve Everyone!
Because we're starting a new year of reading, I thought I'd share my Top 5 Favorite Books I've read this year of 2011!

None of these books are in any particular order. It was already hard to pick out 5 (with 2 honorable mentions) I didn't find the need to put the 5 in numerical order.

Without further ado-

My Top 5:

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
- Need I say more? CoFA is a lot more darker and sexier than the pervious 3 books, but I can never have enough Clary and Jace! Besides, anything Cassie writes is pure brilliance.








Delirium by Lauren Oliver
- This book was so so good. It brought me to tears. So freakin' heartbreaking.
Lena and Alex forever <3









Where She Went by Gayle Forman
- Gayle Forman does it again. Two words: Adam. Wilde.
Nothing gets better than him! She amazed me with If I Stay, but she took my breath away in Where She Went.








Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
- I fell in love with her take on Angels. Clara is one of my favorite MCs ever. Then there was Tucker Avery. *sigh* There's not enough words to tell you how much I adored Tucker. This book was epic awesome!








Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
- Very different and very tragic. This book changed me in so many ways. This book broke my whole being. Tabitha Suzuma shattered my heart with this amazing book. It's the one book I will never ever forget.








Honorable Mentions:
Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Bound by C.K. Bryant


Have a Happy New Year! 
There's new books to be read and I cannot wait to discover them!
Until 2012 <3 Take Care!

REVIEW: The Death Cure by James Dashner

*WARNING- This Review may contain spoilers to previous books in the Maze Runner Trilogy*

Title: The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3)
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 11 October 2011
Format: 1st; Hardcover: 325 pages
Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test. 

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?


My Review:
Wow! James Dashner really knows how to write a book to end a trilogy. The Death Cure is probably my favorite of the three which is unusual for me because I tend to like the first book the best. 



The Death Cure starts a few weeks later from the end of The Scorch Trials. And in this final book, we see Thomas finally fight back against WICKED. Thomas and his friends decide to longer become the pawns that they were during the Trials. This time they want out. 



I have to say the summary/synopsis of this book does it no justice. This books is more than Thomas getting his memories back or the stupid cure for the Flare. It’s about survival and finally fighting back to get the freedom Thomas and his friends more than deserves. This is a book about rebellion and redemption and believing in something so strongly you have to act. 



When I decided to start this, I was ready to just dive into this book and just get it over with. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the first two books, but The Death Cure made this trilogy way better. There was no stopping me from devouring this book until the very end. It was certainly a big improvement from The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials. This book was everything I hoped for and more. Dashner completely redeemed this trilogy in my eyes and blew me away. I thought The Death Cure contained the perfect amount of action and adventure that kept me more than riveted page after page. The book was so fast-paced I didn’t think I could read it fast enough. It’s the type of book you just had to keep reading because you had to know what happens next. Each chapter just got better and better. Before you know it you’re down to the last chapter, wondering what the heck happened! 



The Death Cure has twice the excitement and thrill of the first two books combined. There is more danger, more threats and more Cranks for one person to handle. This book will definitely have you squirming in your seat! There’s so much more to this book that one can hope for!

 

What I thought made this book the best was because I finally got to find out what was really going on with the Gladers, Group B and WICKED. This book is the gold mine of information for the whole trilogy. While reading this book, light bulb after light bulb goes on. I just finally get it! The truth to it all is finally revealed in these 324 pages.

 

I loved how this book evoked different emotions from me. At one point I would find myself mad at WICKED, then I would be laughing at character interactions and then suddenly scared half my wits that something terrible is about to happen. I also found myself sadden and heart-broken at the certain turn of events and at the death of certain people. For sure, this book was unpredictably good. I never expected such things to happen at certain points and I was shocked many many times. I probably looked like a freak show with the amount of times my eyes bulged from the shock of what was going on. Dashner really knows how to write an attack scene. 



I can’t say that I connected to any of the characters in this book. But I did like Thomas more in this one. I was on his side all the way. I couldn’t have related to him more than in this book. I found him to be a great leader, a strong person, very determined and so driven. He really thought things through. Although times were tough, I believed he made the right choices in the end. Choices that were best for himself and his friends. He really took initiative in this one. He stepped up to a whole different level. What I like most about Thomas is his unwavering loyalty. Thats why I thought this book was probably much more heart-wrenching than the other two. You really feel Thomas’s pain; physically and emotionally. He cares so much, so in turn it hurts twice as much. 



In my opinion, this book is driven by plot more than character development. Although this is the case, I still loved it. I believed Dashner put a well thought out book to end the trilogy. I still don’t know how I feel about the ending, but I thought it was a perfect resolution, if any with a type of story like this. There was a part that left me very very sad but I had a feeling that something like that would go down. I just denied it throughout the whole book. 

I had some questions still left unanswered and of course I wished that things were a little bit different, but I have to say this book does more than satisfy the trilogy as a whole. Dashner does not disappoint and he has surpassed my expectations of this book  far more than I could ever comprehend. I had a heck of a good time reading this one.



My Rating: 5 of 5 stars!

December 30, 2011

VOTE FOR ALEX in the Heroine Tourney!


Jennifer L. Armentrout's Alexandria Andros from the Covenant series is up against the one and only Mockingjay: Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Trilogy. I love Katniss as much as the next Hunger Games fanatic, but this time around I'm showing my undying love and support to Alex.

Jennifer L. Armentrout, Momo from @ Books Over Boys (Alex's Advocate) and #HalfBloodLegion is giving their all and more in this round and we cannot do it without the support of others, meaning YOU! 

I'm here to ask you to..




Why should you vote for Alex? Why is Alex a true heroine?

Momo says

Alex is irrational, unstable, out of control, wild, crazy, rash, and stubborn but that makes her everything that she is, which is a fighter. She is unpredictable and very quick to act but she believes strongly in what is right versus what is wrong. [...]

In my opinion, a true heroine is someone who isn't afraid to be heard, someone who speaks up and fights back when they see something that is unjust; someone who isn't afraid to dive head first into a difficult situation. Also, a true heroine is courageous and brave and strong; someone who will step up when needed. And according to that, Alex is all of the above. Alex is a fighter, she's resilient and always bounces back after a horrible tragedy occurs. 

Not only that, but Alex faces trouble head on and jumps right into the action. Basically, Alex just rocks this world and more!

JLA, Momo, the #HalfBloodLegion, Aiden and even Seth want you to VOTE FOR ALEX.
She'll need every vote to beat Katniss! I mean it when I say every single vote counts! I honestly, truly believe we can win this round and take our underdog to the top of the tourney!

To really get you voting for Alex, JLA has given us some epic and I mean EPIC AWESOME Incentives!

*THE INCENTIVES:

250 votes: a teaser from Pure
500 votes: a teaser from Onyx
750 votes: a teaser from Pure and Onyx
1,000 votes: a POV from Daemon (Obsidian)


That's not all.

1250 votes: a teaser from Seth's POV in Pure
1500 votes: a teaser from Shadows.
WINNING votes: a teaser from Pure, Shadows, Onyx, and Cursed

AND

And for every 1000 votes, JLA will give away an ARC of Pure, up to 6000 votes
ARC will be given away on Twitter

*incentives info provided by Momo given by JLA

Those incentives are amazing, right? JLA is full of epic awesomeness, we must make her proud! How can you not vote for Alex with all that awesomesauce prizes?!
All it takes is just to click the bubble next to Alex's name and press vote on the YA Sisterhood post here: 

So if you want those incentives, Get EVERYONE you know to vote for Alex: Family, Friends, Relatives, Enemies, Frenemies, it doesn't matter who. Just get them to vote for Alex

Giveaway Alert:
Momo is giving away a copy of Daimon, Half-Blood and Pure! Her giveaway runs until January 6th. Don't waste time and enter her giveaway here: 
It's not required to vote for Alex to enter, but of course we hope you do!

If you want to follow along on Twitter, use the #HalfBloodLegion hashtag. I'll be tweeting like crazy and so will other's from the Legion and Momo of course!
Follow Me                                 Follow Momo

Spread the word, love and support for Alex!
Get your Alex buttons from Momo HERE

VOTE ALEX! VOTE ALEX! ALEX FOR THE WIN!

December 29, 2011

REVIEW: Bound by C.K. Bryant

Title: Bound (The Crystor #1)
Author: C.K. Bryant
Publisher: Dragonfly Press
Published: 17 October 2011
Format: E-book (Kindle)

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

My Review:
In the beginning of Bound, we meet average teenager Kira. Everything seems pretty normal in her life. She’s trying to survive high school and trying to live with a mother who constantly reminds her how weak she is. Then one day, Kira and her best friend, Lydia, go on a photo shoot for a school project. As innocent as this sounds, this is the mere moment where everything in Kira’s like is turned upside down. Everything thing she thought she knew and believed in the world is turned inside out. On that fateful day, Kira finds out the truth about Lydia: she is not from this world and she may not be entirely human. Kira must accept Lydia’s secrets and join her and her brother, Octavion, in fighting for their lives from the evil Shandira. As Kira is thrusted into Lydia and Octavion’s world, she must face the reality of the sacrifices she must make. Even if this means losing her best friend, losing the one she loves or possibly her own life.



This book was most appealing because of C.K. Bryant’s unique writing and the story she brought to life within Bound. I’ve read many books that deal with vampires, werewolves, angels and demons, but Bound is different. The whole paranormal aspect of this book cannot be found in many books. The originality of this was very refreshing. She builds a world that is literally not of this Earth. It is magically mysterious with complexity, but not hard to understand. It’s a beautiful world filled with unknown enemies, kingdoms far and wide and curses that can never be lifted. It is a place even I would love to go. Some aspects of the story are reminiscent to vampires and werewolves, such as the cravings for raw flesh and the shape-shifting, but in no way are they related. The powers of some of the characters in the book will have you amazed! I most enjoyed the fact that Kira is not the one with super natural powers, but her best friend. She is given normalcy from the start and then suddenly this gets ripped right out. She learns of Lydia’s and Octavion’s world throughout the book, as much as they are willing to share with Kira. C.K. Bryant does a great job of bringing Lydia and Octavion’s world to life and bringing their identities to full circle, gradually trickling information within the story. I found this most intriguing because each trickle of information is another added layer of the world. I never found one single boring moment in the book. Each page mentioned about Lydia and Octavion’s world captivated me, especially Lydia’s kindred spirit and Octavion’s shape-shifting curse. All that and more took my interest from the very start. C.K. Bryant wrote such an exciting paranormal, that I couldn’t help be invested in the lives of Kira, Lydia and Octavion. I got sucked in so easily with the perfect pacing of the story and the smooth writing. I had no trouble breezing through this book without hesitation. I must say that I just fell in love with this book. I enjoyed this book so much, I didn’t want it to end. Bound had me gripped from start to finish.



My favorite character is Kira. At first, I had my doubts about her. I thought of her to be weak too, not because of the way she acted. It was the way she talked about herself. Kira believed her mother when she said she was a mouse, an underfoot, and I believed her as well. Kira couldn’t help think of herself this way and it made me want to take her by the shoulders and shake her from this way of thinking. Kira had almost convinced herself that she was a weakling and if she continued on this path, I would have been convinced too. What made me change my mind that Kira was the polar opposite of weak and what made her my favorite character was the courage she showed when Lydia needed her. The more she spent time with Lydia and Octavion, her strength shined through. Kira is brave and selfless, sacrificing herself over and over throughout the book. Kira’s tolerance of pain made be bow down to her. I have never seen someone so willing to do everything to save the people she cared about. Her strength and courage had me rooting for her page after page. Kira had changed from the beginning and her transformation from the first page to the last took my breath away. By the end of book, I had tears in my eyes. I kept questioning myself, how much can one person take? I was so deathly afraid that Kira’s fire would burn out and her life would falter. 


I loved Kira and Lydia’s friendship. Their bond was unbelievably amazing physically, mentally and emotionally. Their friendship literally knew no bounds. Both were ready to sacrifice their lives for one another. Both were ready and willing to fight through the end. I found their friendship touching and heartbreaking too. The strength of their bond is something I have never ever read before.

Then there was Octavion. I will admit that sometimes he is overbearing, over protective, rough and has the worst temper known to man. But honestly, this makes him much more appealing and that much sexier and down right yummy. He doesn’t choose to be this way, he just is and he cannot help how he is. He cares so much about Lydia and Kira, he had me awed at his fight for them. Although he is those things I mentioned, Octavion is completely selfless, loving and tough to the bones. Although I did find Octavion and Kira’s love to be quite fast forward than I would like, I still enjoyed them together. They’re not your normal couple. They are funny, quirky and sweet with each other. Each is stubborn and set on keep one another safe. I think they are both perfect for each other in that Kira brings out the best in Octavion and he brings out the strength and courage Kira thought she never had. Octavion has my heart in his clutches (or should I say claws) and I’d be glad for my heart to happily stay there right where Octavion is. :]



Overall, this book was mesmerizing and thrilling. It’s filled with newfound identities, discovery, up-roaring excitement, unwavering friendship and love that is beyond this world. C.K. Bryant will have you right where she wants you the minute you finish reading the last page.



I cannot wait for book two. I’ll be ready to dive back into this world any day. I say pick this one up! It’s a must read <3



I have to warn you, the ending of the book really has you pulling your hair for more, more, more!

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars



*Many thanks to C.K. Bryant for sending me an ebook copy of Bound. 
She has no influence over my opinion/review of this book. It is solely my own.

December 28, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #3


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where you share an upcoming release that you're anticipating on reading.


Because we're so so close to the release of this book, I decided to make it my WoW. I know many are anticipating the release of this one!


Release Date: 3 January 2012

Goodreads summary (Read with caution if you have not read the previous books!)

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. 
In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

Andrea Cremer will have a signing in my hometown of San Diego on January 12th (7pm) at Mysterious Galaxy. I will be attending for sure. Check to see if she's coming to a city near you on her blog HERE.

December 27, 2011

REVIEW: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

WARNING- This Review may contain SPOILERS to Book One: The Maze Runner. Read with caution!
My review of The Maze Runner

Title: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2)
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 12 October 2010
Edition: 1st; Hardcover: 360 pages
Series: Maze Runner Trilogy; Book 2

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.
In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?*

My Review:

The Scorch Trials picks up immediately from the end of The Maze Runner. There is no gaps nor is there a time lapse. James Dashner just sucks you back into The Gladers’s world without hesitation. 

In this book, Thomas and his remaining (surviving) Glader friends are back. They go into thinking that what they went through in the Maze is over and that they are safe. However, they are hit with terrible news that they must face a new trial: The Scorch Trials. The Gladers are a little more informed why they must enter this second phase of trails, but a  lot of information is still left in the dark. The Gladers are forced to fight for survival, running into Cranks, old friends, new friends and possible enemies.

 

I have to say the pace of this one is a bit better than the first book. It’s a little faster and a lot more exciting. What I like about this one is the introduction of different characters and villains. Because of the new characters it’s hard to tell which characters are supposedly good and bad. Also, we get to see some of Thomas’s memories surfacing that make the story even more interesting.

 I also enjoyed knowing more information about WICKED. This book doesn’t give you much to go on, so at times it’s a little confusing. However, the information presented about WICKED and all these Variables the Gladers have to go through make the book enticing. It makes the reader turn page after page, wanting to find out more and more about what is really going on. Why certain Variables are chosen for certain characters, especially Thomas is something I don’t understand even until now. It gets frustrating not knowing much like the characters, but this makes the book appealing. This air of mystery that was apparent in book one keeps the reader going and going even if you think you’ve had enough. Some of the Variables the characters go through are pretty freaky and some are just too unbelievable. They go through much more this time around so of course this means several more causalities. I didn’t mind this at all, if anything I was expecting this.

The downside of this book is the fact that Dashner seems to tell the reader how Thomas feels and acts, rather than letting Thomas “show” the story. It gets tiring when you read Thomas feels this and Thomas does that. Also, this time around his writing doesn’t flow as it did in the first book. It took me awhile to grasp some of the descriptions. Sometimes I felt I had to go back and reread a paragraph to remember what I was reading about.



Other than that, The Scorch Trials is still very enjoyable, just as the first. I’m ready to start book three and find out what WICKED is really up to and most of all, hope there is some kind of resolution for Thomas and his friends. 



My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*Summary taken from Goodreads

December 26, 2011

Twitter Giveaway: Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Late last night, I announced that I had an extra copy of Possess by Gretchen McNeil that I could give away. A few people jumped up and wanted to me follow through (including Gretchen) so I decided to do a Twitter Giveaway! Because of my horrible timing, I'll post up the details here on my blog that way more people can enter and stay in the loop. But first, some info about the book.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil
Summary from Goodreads:
Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from. 
Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.
Read my review of Possess here.
Check out Gretchen McNeil's blog here.

Here are the deets to the Twitter Giveaway:
Tweet with #IWantPossess hashtag why you want to win Possess by Gretchen McNeil.
- You don't need to follow me on twitter, but it's appreciated and you don't need to @reply me to be entered. But just in case you do, my twitter username is @xjessirae
- I don't need a complicated answer. Just use the hashtag so I can keep track of the tweets.
US/Canada only. (Sorry International folks. I'm so broke, it's insane!)
Ends January 1, 2012; 2pm PST & GO.

Note:
Winner will win ONE Hardback copy of Possess
Winner will be chosen by Random.org and has 48 hours to respond to my DM to email me their mailing address or I will be forced to choose another winner.
I have the right to end the giveaway before deadline and/or extend the giveaway prior to any notification.
Once I give it to  the PO, I'm not responsible for the book if it is lost or damaged.

Monday Current Read #3

UPDATE 12/26 3:54am
I just finished this book, so technically it is no longer a current read. Review to come soon!



My current read is

I'm more than half way finished with the book and I'm enjoying it very much. I'll share more thoughts on the book when I post up my review once I finish. 

What are you currently reading?

December 25, 2011

Book Haul #3 (Christmas Special)


A book haul feature that shares items, such as books and swag, that I received within the week. 

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone is having an awesome Christmas! 
Today's book haul post is a special one because it's a Book Haul: Christmas Style! lol :D

 

Picture 1: 
- with The Body Finder rubber bracelet, A Touch Mortal sticker (signed) and Half-Blood guitar pick won from Alexa @ Collections. Thanks Alexa! 

- gifted for Christmas from my wonderful boyfriend! Thanks luvvie <3

Picture 2:
Existence Postcard (signed)
- given, signed and sent my Abbi Glines herself. Thanks so much! 
Make sure to check out Existence everyone.

Various B&N Giftcards
- gifted for Christmas from various loved ones.

Ebooks (not pictured)
- won during the Hunted party/giveaway on Twitter. Sent by Cheryl Rainfield (part of my prize)

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
- won from Janina @ Synchronized Reading during her 1000 follower giveaway (Part 1 of my prize)

*Click on the title of the books to be redirected to the GR page (links are in black) and please check out bloggers: Alexa and Janina. (click links above). Follow them because they are awesome!

What did you get in your book haul? What did you get for Christmas (book related)?

December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope you guys get all the things you want and more. I hope everyone fills up on awesome Christmas dinner or breakfast depending on how you look at it. Most of all, I hope everyone is surrounded by people they love and care about the most!

I wish everyone the best, always! Take care.

See you tomorrow with my IMM post, Christmas style lol.

December 23, 2011

Friday Finds #2

It's another Friday, everyone! We're so close to Christmas, I can smell my grandmother's famous Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate!

Since it's Friday, it's time for a Friday Finds post!

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading where you share books you have discovered or heard about during the past week or so.
I present you my FF for this week:

Reveal by Brina Courtney
Published: 16 December 2011

I discovered this book when my good blogger friend Ren from @ Ren's Rambles posted her Review for Reveal. I'm always looking for something new to read all the time, although my TBR pile/list is seemingly endless. So of course, I had to check this book out further on Goodreads (click title and author of book above to be redirected there). After the reading the summary, I already knew that someway, somehow I was going to read this book. Besides, I trust Ren's opinion about Reveal, therefore I know I'm going to get this book eventually. What also drew me to this book was the creepiness of the cover. Those yellow eyes on the girl just mesmerized me. I'm not a big fan of purple, but the contrast with the eyes is amazing.

Before you scurry off (hopefully to add this book to your to-read list), Ren is holding a giveaway of an ecopy of this book. If you're interested in entering her giveaway please click this: Ren's ecopy Giveaway of Reveal. Please read and follow all rules/policies for Ren's giveaway. The Rafflecopter makes it easy to enter, so there is no need to cheat on entries. Ren checks each and every entry and all entries not following rules will be disqualified.


What did you find this week?

December 21, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #2


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where you share an upcoming release that you're anticipating on reading.


This week's WoW is
Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (The Goddess Test #2)
Expected release date: 27 March 2012

WARNING- Summary below may contain spoilers to book one: The Goddess Test. Read with caution or just skip it..


From Goodreads:

Kate Winters has won immortality.  
But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. 
Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 
As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 
Henry’s first wife, Persephone.


I've been dying to read this book since I finished The Goddess Test. If you haven't read book one, I think you should run to the bookstore and purchase it...NOW! You will love it because I sure did. I'm a big sucker for Greek Mythology. Her books have a different take on the mythology with a modern twist that I completely fell in love with and enjoyed so much. Aimee's writing flows with grace and is so easily read. The book is fun and quirky and just plain awesome. Besides, Henry is deliciously delicious and to-die-for. If you are not convinced by Henry, well my god I don't know what will!

December 20, 2011

Teaser Tuesday #3

Before I present you my teaser for today, I have to confess that I completely forgot that yesterday was Monday. I've only been out of school for a week and I already can't keep track of things. Plus, I went Christmas shopping all day yesterday and just forgot about Monday Current Read.

Anyway, Happy Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading.

This week's teaser is from Bound by C.K. Bryant.

He ran his hand up the small of her back and pulled her even closer. Slowly, he brought his other hand up and brushed a strand of wet hair from her face. “What are you . . . doing?” Is he going to kiss me? The thought no sooner entered her mind when he brought his face closer, a lock of wet hair releasing one large drop of cold pond water that landed just below her collar bone. It tickled her skin as it made a slow path down her cleavage. 
I should pull away, shouldn’t I? She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, anticipating the feel of his lips on hers. (Chapter 17).

C.K. Bryant. Bound (Kindle Locations 1935-1940). C.K. Bryant.

December 17, 2011

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Aeicha @ Word Spelunking is celebrating her blog milestone of 500 Followers with a giveaway! Congratulations Aeicha! You heard right! An epic awesome, to die-for giveaway! Make sure to greet her a happy congratulations



Word Spelunking


(click on giveaway button to be redirected to the giveaway post)

Some information about Aeicha's giveaway:
There will be 5 winners!

Winner #1
- Choice of any book $13 or less from BookDepository.com!

Winner#2
- Will choose one hardback copy from these choices:

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
The Radleys by Matt Haig

OR

- A Paperback set (You get ALL books from that set).


 PB set 1:
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
As You Wish by Jackson Pearce
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

PB set 2:

The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

PB set 3:

By Tera Lynn Childs
Forgive My Fins
Sweet Venom (ARC)

PB set 4: 

The Radleys by Matt Haig
Jane Slayre by Sherri Browning Erwin

Winner #3 #4 & #5

One signed The Faerie Ring bookmark
One The Way We Fall (coming in Jan) promotional bookmark

 Don't wait and enter her giveaway! Just click on the giveaway button and you'll be redirected to the giveaway post! Rules and more information is on Aeicha's ORIGINAL POST (click on giveaway button). Make sure to read Aeicha's post throughly. Follow all rules.

Or go through this link directly:
 http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/2011/12/500-follower-giveaway.html

My post here is not a way to enter Aeicha's 500 Follower Giveaway. This post does not contain full detailed information on the giveaway. You must enter the giveaway through by clicking the button above and following all of Aeicha's rule and policies.

December 16, 2011

The Liebster Blog Award

I never knew that "Liebster" meant dearest in German! Thanks to my good twitter and blogger friend, Bailey @ Novel Nerd, not only did I find out what Liebster means, but she also awarded my blog with the Liebster Blog Award! I have never even heard of such an award, let alone thought about receiving one. But nonetheless, I am very honored. :] Thanks so much Bailey! You are so freakin' awesome! I keep telling her she rocks!

This award goes to bloggers who have less than 200 followers. (Which I am no where near!) According to Bailey's post, it's my time to award 5 other blogs with the Liebster Blog Award!


1. Thank the blogger who gave them this award and link back to that person's blog.
2. Copy and paste the award to their blog.
3. Reveal the 5 blogs they have chosen to award, commenting on their blogs to share the news.

1. Ren @ Ren's Rambles
2. Janina @ Synchronized Reading
3. Melina @ Pretty Nifty (YA) Reader
4. Nicole @ Epic Book Adventures
5. Kat @ The Aussie Zombie

Friday Finds #1

Happy Friday everyone! I would like to share with you my very first post of my Friday Finds this week.

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading where you share books you have discovered or heard about during the past week or so.

My Friday Finds for this week is..
Here by Denise Grover Swank
Published: 7 November 2011

I discovered this book while browsing some blogs. I wish I wrote down the name of the blog to thank them. But in this blog, they reviewed this book and I just knew I had to put it on my to-read list. The summary of this book just hooked me along with the blogger's review. Click on the link above so you can be redirected to the Goodreads page. Check this book out! Maybe you'll add it to you to-read list too! Hopefully I can purchase this book and be able to read it!

What is your Friday Finds?

December 15, 2011

New: The Hunger Games Movie Poster

Lionsgate released a new The Hunger Games Movie Poster and I am just loving it! It's so epic. I wish the movie was coming out sooner! Check it out!

What do you think? Is it what you expected or more? Or is it a big disappointment?

For me, this poster rocks. I love every single thing about it. It's perfect.

December 14, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #1

Happy Wednesday everyone! I promised I would come back with a WoW post today and here I am coming through. First, I want to say thanks for all my old and new followers! I now have 13 followers! :] Thank you so much for following. I never expected to even get that many!

On to my first WoW post. Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where you share an upcoming release that you're anticipating on reading.

My WoW pick for this week is..

Release date: March 12, 2012

WARNING- Summary below may contain spoilers from previous books in the trilogy. 


From Goodreads:
A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle. 
Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.
With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.
The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

I'm so excited for this book! It makes me a little sad knowing it will be the last book in the trilogy, but I have to know what happens with Grace and Daniel. I love them together. I want to know how Bree Despain will wrap their story. I really hope she ties the loose ends of the of previous book, especially with Jude. March cannot come fast enough!

If you haven't read the first two books (The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint) I highly recommend it. It's one of many trilogies that I love so much. I will definitely be picking up a copy right when it comes out and I suggest you do too!

What are you waiting on?

December 11, 2011

Book Haul #2


A book haul feature that shares items, such as books and swag, that I received within the week. 

This week's book haul was a good one:

Books I bought:
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
  - Yes, I bought two copies. One pre-ordered from B&N (left) and one I bought one day after the release from Walmart (right). I couldn't help myself. I needed both for the bonus content.

Books I received:
Dark Eden by Patrick Carman (ARC)
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young (ARC)
   - I received both ARCs from Susan @ Wastepaper Prose. Many thanks goes to her.
Too Far by Rich Shapero (Not Pictured)
  - This was a book given to me from my school for free. It was being passed around and I happened to be passing by when they gave this to me. My copy comes with a CD, possibly a soundtrack to go along with the book? To be honest, I have no idea what this book is about. If you've heard about this book, let me know. I saw some reviews, but not good ones :(

Books I won:
Firelight by Sophie Jordan (Paperback)
 - I won this from Sash and Em during their 1000 Follower Giveaway. Thanks so much to them <3

Ebooks I won (Not Pictured):
1. Bound by C.K Bryant
   - I'm currently reading this too. I'm loving it so far!
Thanks to C.K Bryant for sending me an ebook copy of her book. I won this during the Winter YA Scavenger Hunt
2. Running Wide Open by Lisa Nowak
3. Getting Sideways by Lisa Nowak  (Releases December 11, 2011)
4. Scattered Pieces by Alice Lynn
I won all three ebooks from Lisa Nowak during the Winter YA Scavenger Hunt as well. Thanks so much!

Now it's your turn: What's in your book haul?

December 10, 2011

The Pledge Swag Giveaway WINNER

It's time to announce the winner to my The Pledge Swag Giveaway!


Jen @ Midnight Book Thief 


The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or I will be forced to choose another winner.

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. I hope to have more giveaways in the future. :]


December 7, 2011

Going Dark (sort of)

Picture from google.com: I do not own this picture.
Rightfully belongs to who created it.

I was supposed to post up my Waiting on Wednesday today, but unfortunately finals have officially begun. I'll be studying like there is no tomorrow until my last final next week, Tuesday. I'll come back with my WoW since I'll need that Tuesday night to recover one hell of a week. I also apologize for the lack of posts last week as I haven't decided what to post what on certain days. I'm just posting as I go. As a note, I won't have a review this weekend. Possibly not even next week either depending on how much I'm able to read and finish by then. I'm compensating by reading two books at once! I've never done that before. Hopefully all will work out. Also, I will post my IMM this week, but other than that I will be MIA. I've already had my post planned out so I might as well just schedule for it to go up! I wanted to schedule my posts for the rest of this week that way I don't have to worry about 'Going Dark.' However, my planning skills totally failed me and my professors moved up finals, screwing up everything. For now, I must tend to my education and try to pass these exams. I won't be completely dark. I'll be on Twitter, but my tweets have been (and will be) lacking because of said finals. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your week and take care always. Until next Wednesday everyone!

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I will announce the winner of my The Pledge Swag Giveaway on the 10th. I'll mail it right after finals (hopefully).

Wish me luck on my finals! I'll need it for sure.

December 6, 2011

Teaser Tuesday #2

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading.


This week's teaser will come from my Monday Current Read! I know, lame right? But don't worry. Because this teaser is freaky. It'll keep you up at night. Besides, it's one of my favorite descriptions from the book. 

Throughout the large room, people hung from the ceiling- at least a dozen. They'd all been strung up by the neck, the ropes twisted and trenched into purple, bloated skin. The stiff bodies swung to and fro ever so slightly, pale pink tongues lolling out of their white-lipped mouths. All of them had eyes open, though glazed over with certain death. By the looks of it, they'd been that way for hours. Their clothes and some of their faces looked familiar. page 13

I'll promise to have an even better teaser next Tuesday! Like maybe a *coughCPcough* teaser. lol

December 5, 2011

Monday Current Read #2

My Monday current read is......... *drum roll*
Cover taken form Goodreads
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. It's the second book in The Maze Runner trilogy. This will also be the second time I'll be reading this book. Only this time, I will have a written review after I finish it. I'm only a little over 30 pages in. I remember much more about the first book than this one, although I both read them back to back a year ago. The pacing is a little different with this book, but the beginning is much more exciting. 

I don't want to say much about this book because it'll be too spoilery for readers who have not read The Maze Runner. However, my review will contain spoilers from the first book as it is unavoidable. No worries though because I'll warn you beforehand.

Now for an awesome line from the book:

"What's going on?" xxx asked, looking back and forth between xxx and xxx. "Why're you guys looking at each other like you just fell in love?" 

The x's stand for 3 different people that I decided not to mention as it is too spoilery!

Hope you are having a Happy Monday!

But before you go, what is your current read?

December 3, 2011

REVIEW: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

*Cover and Summary from Goodreads

Title: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 6 October 2009
Edition: First Trade Paperback: 375 pages

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.*

My Review:

James Dashner does a perfect job at engaging a reader. He really sucks you into the story of The Maze Runner. Although this is my second time reading this book, Dasher's story hasn't failed at making me want to read it in one sitting. The pacing of the book is wonderful. There is never a boring moment and I never felt like things were going too slow. Each chapter is something different, something exciting happens that makes you want to keep turning the pages. Dashner's writing flows fairly well.

The plot of the story is very intriguing. The book keeps the reader and the characters in the dark about their true identity and why the characters are stuck in the predicament that they are in. With each chapter, lit bits of parts become clear and I thank Dashner for doing this. You are not bombarded with all the information at the end of the book nor are you given information that takes too long to be revealed. The plot of the story eases you into the ways of Gladers. You get to know them fairly well and you just end up loving them like I did. Sometimes, you want to smack some characters, but I think that's normal. You learn the mystery of the Glade and the Maze along with the characters. Every chapter builds up to the exciting ending of the book, keeping you at the edge of your seat rooting for the Gladers.

I found that the characters in the book are really unique. I love how Dashner gives them their own Glader slang. Many of the characters interactions will make you smile and laugh. My favorite character is Minho. I'm not quite sure why, I just find him the most likable among them all. I enjoyed being in the MC's head (Thomas), but I couldn't quite connect to him as much as I would like to. I love how each character has their own personality and it really shows in their interactions. They really have this bond that I thought worked well into the story. What would of really made this book is if we got to know a little bit more about some of the minor characters, not just the 4-5 of them.

"Leader?" Minho barked a grunt that was probably supposed to be a laugh. "Yeah, call him leader all you want. Maybe you should call him El Presidente. Nah, nah- Admiral Alby. There you go." He rubbed his eyes, snickering as he did so. [...]


"Greenie, just shut it before you confuse yourself more." Minho sighed as if bored, then muttered to himself, "Why do you shanks always come in here asking stupid questions? It's annoying?"

Like I said, Dashner does a great job of building up the story. In the end, you really start to understand what is going on and you just can't help wanting more. Not everything is revealed, therefore you are left with wanting to read the next book: The Scorch Trials. I also think the Epilogue of this book is a nice touch. I really love how that's added into the book as well.

What I probably had most trouble with was visualizing the Maze. I had no trouble seeing the Glade. I could see that in my mind as clear as day. No matter how many times Thomas described the Maze, I just couldn't get that visual I needed. This made it difficult for me to see the last few chapters of the story.

Even so, I still loved this book a second time around. It's definitely worth the read especially if you like dystopian (sci-fi?) novels.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars