29 April 2011

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday

If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?
Ten? *Whimpers* 
- The HP Series
- The VA Series (obviously, series count as one book!)
- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
- The Iliad by Homer (Just to say that I've read it!)
- Angelfire by Courtney Moulton
- Goodnight Mister Tom
- Black Beauty
- The Secret Garden
Then I'd leave space for two of the longer books that are on my TBR shelf at the time.

Book Blogger Hop
Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer release are you are most looking forward to?
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. (And the VA graphic novel!) I'm so excited and nervous about this one book! Is it August yet?

What about you? What's your most anticipated summer release? Could you pick 10 books to take to the bomb shelter? Leave your links to this week's hop below!

27 April 2011

300 Follower Giveaway!

I'm almost at 300 followers! Thank you all so, so much - I really appreciate it. I never thought I would get this many when I started blogging. I was expecting fifty or so faithful followers, but instead I got all of you. I love it! Thank you, again. It means the world to me. 
As a gift to you all, I'm going to be holding another giveaway for my followers. I'm going to be giving away a finished copy of Divergent by Veronica Roth to one lucky winner. Are you excited yet? You should be, because this book is FRIKKIN' amazing - one of my favourite reads this year. It's been said that it rivals The Hunger Games, and I totally agree! 


So, to enter this giveaway, all you have to do is fill in THIS FORM, and then wait to see if you've won. I'm also thinking about adding in another book if I reach 350 followers before this ends, but I'm not sure yet, so don't hold me to that!


Rules
- You MUST be 13 years old or older to enter
- ONE entry per person
- International
- You MUST be a follower of Books of Amber
- Giveaway ends on May 14, 2011

Good luck everyone! 

25 April 2011

Book Review: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Release Date: April 27th, 2010
Publisher: Walker & Company
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Recommended? Yes.
Buy the Book: Amazon US


When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now. – Goodreads page

Warning: This review is likely to contain slight spoilers from Perfect Chemistry, so I don’t suggest reading this review unless you’ve read the first book or unless you love spoilers!

As a lot of you may know, I wrote a very positive – and gushing – review of the first book in this fantastic trilogy, Perfect Chemistry. I loved the book so much, but I was hesitant to pick up Rules of Attraction as the storyline sounded *very* similar to that of the first book. After many recommendations, I finally decided to give this book a try.

Rules of Attraction picks up some time after the events of Perfect Chemistry, but instead of focussing on the wonderful Alex and Brittany, this book focuses on the middle Fuentes brother.

Carlos is just as sexy as Alex was, and he does seem even more badass. That’s not to say that I prefer Carlos, as I don’t. I definitely still love Alex the most, as I found Carlos to be quite annoying at times. He was still great though. It must be his brilliant genes.

Kiara is signed to show Carlos around school, as he’s new, and to walk him to his lessons. This is when you can just tell that there’s going to be some sort of relationship forming between the two of them. When Carlos gets into trouble and moves into Kiara’s house (long story), that is when things really start to pick up – for better and for worse.

Overall, I did love this story but it just didn’t have the same feel to it as Perfect Chemistry did. It seemed to recycle a lot of the original story, whilst altering things slightly for the new male protagonist. I will, of course, be reading the third book in the trilogy – because this series is just too good not to read! 

23 April 2011

Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Release Date: May 9th, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommended? Yes!
Buy the Book: Amazon US


Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. - Goodreads page

I know, I know. I’m late to hop onto yet *another* band wagon. My bad. But, I read this book – finally – and I *loved* it! I totally understand what all the hype is about.

This book is written to show Belly’s point of view during the present day, and through a series of flashbacks over previous summers spent at the beach house. It is honestly an emotional rollercoaster, and everything mentioned in the flashbacks somehow intertwines with the present day. It’s very clever!

The title did, at first, sound rather superficial to me, but after reading I realise that I was completely wrong! Please don't be put off by the title, as this book is so much more than a story about being pretty.

I felt such a strong connection to all of the characters in this book – you must know how unusual this is for me! – and I loved it. Everything that they felt, I felt too. I cried my eyes out toward the end of the book, which was extremely surprising as I knew exactly what was coming. Obviously the connection I felt to the characters was stronger than I initially thought.

Another unusual trait to this novel was that I didn’t find any of the male characters attractive. Again, this is very strange for me, as I usually fall in love with at least one or two of them! Alas, I loved them, but not in a Dimitri Belikov kind of way.

It’s a wonderful summer read, and I highly recommend picking up this book and taking it on holiday with you! Reading it on the beach or by the pool is likely to enhance the experience ;)

22 April 2011

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday

Book Blogger Hop
Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. 

This week's question is:

If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?

Yes, of course! For all the authors that I love, I plan to buy their whole collection. Doesn't everyone does this?

Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.


What is on your current playlist right now?


I'm actually in the process of making a playlist for summer. I'm in a very summery mood, as the weather has been excellent this week. A few of the songs I have at the moment are:
- Stereo Love (Edward Maya)
- California Girls (Katy Perry)
- A Party Song (All Time Low)
- Skyway Avenue (We The Kings)
- Smooth (Santana & Rob Thomas)

What about you? Leave your links below!

19 April 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Rewind!

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a chance for everyone to go back and choose a past topic to do!

I chose to talk about
My Fictional Crushes

Of course! What else would I want to talk about? These are in no particular order, after #1. Enjoy!

1. Dimitri Belikov (Vampire Academy). Why? Dimitri gives a whole new definition to tall, dark and handsome. He's a fantastic fighter, he's super professional and he's always caring. He's also a one woman  kind of guy. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why I love this beast man so much, but I do. Accept it.

2. Fred Weasley (HP) Why? he's hilarious, he's freckly, he's handsome (in my head, anyway!) and he's a Weasley! Why Fred and not George, I hear you cry? No idea. I've just always loved Fred!

3. Jace Wayland (TMI). Why? Let me be clear - I mean Jace from the first half of the series. I've deleted the other, newer Jace from my mind. Jace is arrogant to cover up his true feelings, he's bloody attractive and he's a Shadowhunter! That's all I need to say.

4. Archer Cross (Hex Hall). Why? He's badass, plain and simple. Working for the enemy is hot nowadays, I'll have you know.

5. Will (Angelfire). Why? Another warrior. I seem to have a certain type, don't I? Super strong men or hilariously funny ones. Will is protective, brooding and swoon-worthy.

6.Tod (Soul Screamers). Why? Yes, I know he's dead. And yes, I know he's a Reaper. But Tod is one funny SOB. and from the descriptions I read in My Soul to Keep, he's not been hit with the ugly stick either.

7. Alex Fuentes (Perfect Chemistry). Why? You didn't think I'd forget the hot Mexican gang member, did you? Did I mention he speaks fluent Spanish? Did I mention he often mixes Spanish in with his sentences? *swoon*

8. Patch (Hush, Hush). Why? I know a lot of people find him horrible and annoying, but I love him to pieces. Fallen angels are also included in my list of "types". 

9. Jacy (Inside Out). Why? I found him sexy, and he runs a badass group of people. I also ship him and Trella. That is all. 

10. Cadan (Angelfire). Why? Yes, I am aware that he's only in two scenes in the book. I don't care. He seems badass, and he has this macho, competitive, soon-to-be bromance *wink* going on with Will. 

Leave your links below, and I'll come and read about your top ten lists!

18 April 2011

Book Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready



Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Release Date: May 4th, 2010 (US)
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommended? Yes.
Buy the Book: Amazon US

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.
Well, sort of.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift. – Goodreads page
 I mentioned in my review of Past Midnight that I’ve not read many books about ghosts, and so when I heard about Shade I had to pick it up!

In Aura’s world, there was an event called the Shift. Everyone who was born after this was able to see and communicate with ghosts. Aura is one of these people, and she spends much of the novel talking to various ghosts, the most important one being that of her boyfriend, Logan, who tragically died.

The world in which this is set is not too far from ours, and yet this book somehow had a very prominent dystopian feel to it. Did anyone else think that, or was it just me? I loved reading about how the society had changed to accommodate for the new inhabitants, and I loved reading all the different ‘rules’ that came with communicating with the dead.

I especially loved the fact that not everything was as it seemed – which you will find out once you’ve read this book – and that the people who worked for the government were rather scary! It’s always good to have scary villains, isn’t it?

Aura wasn’t the most intriguing character due to her bland personality, however with her background; she was very fun to read about. There is so much mystery there, and a lot for Jeri Smith-Ready to expand upon in the upcoming sequel(s).

Logan, Aura’s newly dead boyfriend, was a bit of an ass. I didn’t like him at all, and honestly didn’t understand the attraction that Aura maintained for him throughout most of the book. I guess she had known him for a lot longer than I had, but still. He wasn’t very nice, let’s put it that way.


Zachary, the new, hot Scottish guy at school, was interesting. As with Aura, there was so much mystery surrounding dear old Zach, I kept waiting for him to be in the scenes so that I could find out who the hell he was! I loved him.

Overall, I absolutely loved Shift. I think Jeri Smith-Ready did a fantastic job with it, however I do have one criticism – the Briticisms used in this novel. As a native English lady (haha, lady!), I did find a couple of misuses of certain phrases. Nothing too important, but the word “bloody” was often out of place in a sentence. I would have to swap the words in the sentence around for it to ‘make sense’. Alas, that is just me being VERY picky! And maybe the people where I come from use bloody in a completely different manner to those in Scotland. 

Oh and also, although I am from England, I have never ever seen anyone eat a pizza using a knife and fork unless they were in a posh restaurant. We Brits aren’t as posh as you guys across the pond seem to think!

And with that I leave you to go and buy the book, because it is a truly fantastic read!

16 April 2011

In My Mailbox - (21)


Books:

Wow! It's been a slow fortnight. Thank goodness, as I was going crazy. My book buying ban is working! 

There's no weekly roundup this week, ladies and gents. Apologies. I'll catch up next week!

15 April 2011

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday

Book Blogger Hop
 "Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her."


*Spoilers from The Dead-Tossed Waves*
Currently reading: The Dark and Hollow Places
Catcher's gone through a lot. In TDTW he was bitten by a zombie, and was thought to have been turned. He lost everything. All his friends, his family.. even his life. Thankfully, it turned out that Catcher is actually immune. He carries the virus, yet he does not succumb to it, meaning he can walk among the undead and not have them tear him to pieces. He doesn't feel as though he can get close to anyone, in case he accidentally passes the virus along. He's really struggling, and yet he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect Gabry, Annah and Elias. 
In short: I love him.




"Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her."

Well... Not really! I often tell my best friend, my mum or my little brother about a book that I'm reading, but as they don't really like to read there is only so much I can say! My best friend reads more adult books than I do (I think she thinks she's a tad superior, haha) and so we don't really have any tastes in common. Although I have convinced her to download Vampire Academy on her Kindle... now she just has to read it!


Leave your comments and links below! What are your answers? Have a great weekend everyone!

14 April 2011

Book Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare



City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Release Date:
Publisher:
Rating: 1 out of 5
Recommended? If you're a die-hard fan of the series. Otherwise, I'd give it a miss.
Buy the Book: Amazon US


City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. 


Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels. - Goodreads page
*Warning – this review contains spoilers from the previous books in the series. I don’t suggest reading this review unless you’ve read the other books. Of course, if you enjoy spoilers then go right ahead! This review is also kind of a rant. I apologise in advance.*

Like what seems like everyone else in the YA blogoverse, I was so frikkin’ excited to read this book. I thought the TMI series was over with City of Glass, and yet I was craving more Jace and Clary, and Magnus Bane!

City of Fallen Angels picks up a short six weeks after City of Glass ended. The first chapter – which you may well have read online – is told from Simon’s point of view. That’s right, a whole chapter dedicated to one POV! Unheard of in this series, right? Until now at least.

During the first few chapters, the reader really gets a feel for how much the world – and the characters - has changed. First off, Simon is now dating both Isabelle and Maia. Yeah, I felt the same way. What the hell, Simon? I lost a bit of respect for him there, to be honest.

The main plot is that a series of Shadowhunters have been killed, and this in itself sounded very similar to the plot of City of Ashes. I did enjoy the storyline, but it wasn’t until the last few chapters of the book that it picked up and I started loving it.

SLIGHT SPOILER
One plot point, however, was one that I hated and that I wish had never been included. I won’t say when or why, but Isabelle and Alec end up killing humans. This is so out of character for them, and for all Shadowhunters, because they’re meant to protect humans. And worst of all, Isabelle and Alec DIDN’T CARE?! It didn’t affect them at all.
SPOILERS OVER

Also, I must point out something about Izzy and Alec. As you know, their brother was killed in City of Glass – a mere six weeks ago – and yet the only person who seems to be showing any emotion about this is Maryse. I can’t remember one instance in which Izzy or Alec think about Max, let alone grieve him. This part almost killed me, because I know for a fact that if my brother or sister had died, I would NOT have dealt their death in six weeks. Probably not even in six months.

Jace is also having a few problems that I will not go into, but I’ll just say that it was very frustrating to say the least. His relationship with Clary is still as complicated as ever, and that got on my nerves. Why can’t they just be happy? Must the woes of their relationship be dragged through another three books? It’s not necessary. I’d rather see them as a happy couple – which you don’t see very often in YA!

Clary, who was once a brilliant protagonist, didn’t have much to do in this book. And it wasn’t until the ending that she actually reminded me of the old Clary from the first half of the series.


I loved that there were some references and mentions from Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices series)! I got so excited, I almost jumped around and happy danced whenever Will was mentioned!

Like I said, the ending is probably one of the only parts of this book that reminded me of the first half of the series. And yet, even this was lacking somewhat. There is a HUGE cliffhanger ending, so if you don’t like cliffhangers then I don’t suggest reading this book until the next book is out. But then again, you’d have to wait a whole year.

Overall, whilst I did enjoy City of Fallen Angels, it didn’t feel like The Mortal Instruments to me. So many things had changed, and the characters seemed to have completely lost their personality traits. Even the writing seemed very rushed, with lots of commas thrown in everywhere. I did enjoy this book, but nowhere near as much as the others. I kind of wish that Cassandra Clare had just left the trilogy as it was – a trilogy. 

13 April 2011

Book Discussion: Genre Specific Blogs

Hello my wonderful readers. This is the first post in a series of discussions, and this week we'll be focussing on GENRE SPECIFIC BLOGGING. I need to come up with a picture of some kind, but unfortunately my Photoshop skills are lacking, so it may take a while.


I'd like to start the discussion by asking all you book bloggers a question - Is your blog centred around a specific genre?


Books of Amber is a blog that focusses primarily on Young Adult novels. I chose this because this is the genre that I like to read the most, and I honestly find it easier to review YA books than adult novels. That said, I would like to review some of my favourite adult books in the future. 


Other than the fact that the books that I review are YA, they can be of any sub-genre. From dystopia to fantasy, angels to unicorns, I will review it. I have, however, seen plenty of blogs that focus on one specific genre such as paranormal, or urban fantasy. To those who do that, did you know in advance that this is what you wanted for your blog, or did it just come about?


I have also seen a couple of book blogs that review makeup products or household items. I'm unsure what to think about those. I mean, it's your blog to do with what you wish, but it does not make me want to read or follow you when your supposed book blog is full of reviews on lipstick.


I also have a question for readers. Do you follow any genre specific book blogs, or do you prefer good all-rounders. I personally follow a whole range of book blogs, however the majority of these seem to be eclectic. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because there seem to be more of those around .


I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please leave comments below! I've also attached a form for you to fill in if you have any suggestions for future discussion posts. I have a good few already lined up, but I'm totally open to new suggestions!


12 April 2011

Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman



If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Release Date: April 9, 2009
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Recommended? Give it a try
Buy the Book: Amazon US 


In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands. - Goodreads page
 The story kicks off with our main character, , driving with her parents and younger brother to see her grandparents. All of a sudden they’re in a terrifying car crash when a truck hits their car and knocks them off the road. The next part of the scene describes the crash, and the victims. It’s quite hard to read, very disturbing and rather gross.

Through the rest of the books, Mia is left disconnected from her body. She watches her family and friends visit her in the hospital, and the reader is treated to a series of flashbacks as Mia looks back upon her short life.

The main focus of this book is Mia, and whether or not she should pass on. Her love story with Adam is also intertwined in this novel, and I felt that this came on a bit strong. I do understand that Mia didn’t have much else to live for, however she did have the rest of her extended family and friends. I think there may have been too much focus on this aspect of the novel.

Music also plays a huge part in this novel, as Mia is an outstanding cellist. Music is Mia’s universe.

Overall, this is an okay read, but I just didn’t find it as compelling as I thought I would. The story just wasn’t deep enough for me, mainly due to the fact that all Mia thought about was Adam. There wasn’t enough emotion there, and I honestly expected it to be a lot more intense.

The ending is a cliff hanger, which would have worked well as a stand-alone book and yet, it set things up nicely for the sequel. 

11 April 2011

A Quick Apology

Hello my wonderful followers. As you can see by the title, this post consists of me making a quick apology to you guys for being away for much of last week. Some of you may know that it was my last week of school before Easter break, and I had a tough time getting everything ready to bring home to start revising, coursework improvements etc. That's why I hadn't been posting much during the week. I actually ran out of scheduled posts, because I'm stupid like that!

I was also absent this weekend because it's been sunny. *blushes* Wait! Wait. Let me explain. Saturday, I was out in the garden for a bit and fully intended to go inside and get some reviews/posts written, but then my stepbrother needed a lift to Northampton. Which is about two hours away if you include time for the tremendous amount of roadworks. So I went with him to drop him off there. 

Then on Sunday, I again fully meant to stop being lazy and write some posts but then my dad woke me up at 8am and told me that we're going to the seaside. He's spontaneous like that *rolls eyes*. 

I hope you all aren't too ashamed of me - because I'm pretty ashamed of myself! This week, though, I fully intend to make up for it by posting lots of reviews. Woo!

And here, I award you with a stunning picture of the wonderful Jensen Ackles ;) 

09 April 2011

Book Review: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Release Date: March 24, 2009
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Rating: 3 out of 5
Recommended? Yes!
Buy the Book: Amazon US |Amazon UK


To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight. 
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost? - Goodreads page

This review contains some spoilers from the previous two books in the series. I don't suggest reading this review until you've read the other books!


City of Glass is the third book in the Mortal Instruments series, however it was meant to be the final book in a trilogy, before Cassandra Clare decided to write three more books. This is very apparent in the novel, as this book holds all of the necessities of a finale! There is non-stop action, along with heart breaking scenes and moments.

I shan’t say much about the plot, because whereas I am usually great at being spoiler-free, I don’t think I’d be able to manage it for this book! Just remember that the plot is fantastic, as are the characters. If you’re familiar with this series then I don’t need to tell you that Clare is a brilliant writer. She has an amazing ability to capture the reader and drag them into her world.

I loved Clary’s part in this book. She has always been very mature for her age, and yet she seems to become even more so as this book comes to a close. And it’s completely understandable considering how much she goes through! Her storyline intertwines with a lot of others, and whilst it's complicated, it's very compelling!

Jace and Clary discuss their relationship as siblings with feelings for each other a lot in this book. The struggles that these two go through is insane – but in a good way! I’m extremely happy with how their relationship turned out but, again, I won’t ruin it for you!

Simon also had a superb role in CoG. I know he was a big part of CoA (book 2) but in this book he seemed to be a lot more active, if that makes sense. There was so much going on with Simon, and his development was so, so intriguing as certain things were done to him, and I loved reading about how he was coping with being a vampire!

Overall, like Clare’s other books, City of Glass is a fantastic read. Like I said, it did wrap up very nicely and left few loose threads. However, there is still a lot more to be explored!

05 April 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers I Wish I Could Redesign

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme which entails making lists. Yes, I am in my element here. TTT is hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week’s theme is the one that I have been waiting for FOREVER: Book Covers I Wish I Could Redesign

I’m so unbelieveably happy about this list. As a cover whore, I know that there are many, many book covers out there that I wish I could redesign. I actually had a hard time picking just ten, so I may do a monthly or bi-monthly post to share with you guys. I’m a horrible person, I know. There’s no need to tell me.

1. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. Love the book, despise the cheap and cheesy cover.












2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. The US covers put so many people off this series. Many people I've suggested the book have have said that they hate the covers, so they're a bit hesitant. (The red UK covers are pretty, though!)












3. My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent. Okay, I don't hate these covers. But after seeing the stunning UK covers, it's hard not to wish that the US ones were the same.












4. Maximum Ride by James Patterson. It's just... boring. I'd prefer to see a cover with wings. And prettiness. 












5. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanov. The US cover for this is beautiful and eerie, and the UK designers tried to go for the same effect. Instead, we got this:












6. As You Wish by Jackson Pearce. I generally tend to hate covers that show people's faces, but this one just takes the cake. It looks very cheap, imo.












7. Wings by Aprilynne Pike. I love the US covers, the the UK covers just look childish. I know lots of people do find them pretty, though.












8. Evermore by Alyson Noel. I don't even know why. I just don't like it. It's too dark, I think, and I don't like the model.












9. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Grey, and dull. And again with the faces!












10. Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the cover. But to go with the awesome deep shade of purple cover for Bleeding Violet? I don't think it fits, sadly.












So, that was my list! I hope you enjoyed it, and I do hope that none of you took it to heart. This is just for fun, after all! Feel free to link your lists below, I'd love to see them.