31 August 2013

August Wrap Up and September TBR



I had a great month in July, but August was even better! I have had a fantastic month this month, both with reading and with my real life stuff. I surpassed my reading goal for the month, I took part in Bout of Books and met some great people, and I introduced Tatum to One Tree Hill. She's currently dying from Naley feels, or she would be here with me.

30 August 2013

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Unearthly #1
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 out of 5

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny? - Goodreads

I read this a while ago on a whim and ended up really enjoying it, although I've yet to read the sequel >.< I'll get round to it eventually.

Unearthly tells the story of Clara Gardner, a teenage girl with some very unusual lineage; she's part angel. This first novel deals with one of the most important duties of angels - their 'purpose'. Having a purpose, for an angel, is basically like having something they have to do; they discover their purpose, like Clara, through dreams and visions. Clara dreams of a boy standing in a burning forest and knows she must save him. This mission leads her and her family to a new town where she finds the boy from her dreams. And then shit gets somewhat real.

29 August 2013

Here Without You by Tammara Webber

Here Without You by Tammara Webber
Between the Lines #4
Release Date: August 29, 2013 (UK)
Publisher: Razorbill (UK)
Source: Publisher
Goodreads Stars: 5
Rating: All Time Favourite
Buy it: Amazon UK


Reid Alexander, Hollywood’s hottest young actor, is completely distracted. And this time it isn’t his latest co-star or a major new film role that’s demanding his attention but something far more life-changing... - Goodreads

My girlfriend hasn't told her parents about me.
---
After reading Good For You, the third book in this contemporary series, I was dying to get my hands on Here Without You so I could learn more about Reid. The summary on the back of the book is frustratingly vague, so I had no idea what to expect from this one. I certainly didn't expect it to affect me as much as it did, and I wasn't expecting to cry non-stop from page 20 onwards.

28 August 2013

Good For You by Tammara Webber

Good For You by Tammara Webber
Between the Lines #3
Release Date: June 6, 2013 (UK)
Publisher: Razorbill (UK)
Source: Bought
Goodreads Stars: 3
Rating: Enjoyable
Buy it: Amazon UK

The third part of the Between the Lines story by the bestselling author of Easy sees hot teen screen idol Reid in deep trouble. When Dori, the community service supervisor who is determined to set him a good example, comes on the scene romance is the furthest thing from her mind. Or his. But there's something irresistible about Reid that not even good girl Dori can ignore . . . - Goodreads
My thoughts upon becoming fully conscious: first, shit, I'm in the hospital again, and second, how bad is the damage to my one-week-old Porsche?
---
Good For You is a book that I had both been dying to read, and very hesitant about. You see, I have a tendency to grow attached to characters, and I knew that Emma (the main protagonist from the first two books in this series) wasn't going to be the MC in this book. Instead, the focus is on Reid and his love interest, Dori.

27 August 2013

Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters


Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters

I have to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of secondary characters in literature, TV, or film for the most part. Most of the time I am so invested in the main characters' storylines that I end up completely ignoring and forgetting about the other people. But, occasionally, there are less major characters that touch my heart. Here is my list of favourites, in no particular order.

26 August 2013

New Releases: August 27 - September 2, 2013

Okay, so this week is crazy awesome. LOOK AT ALL THE PRETTIES! There has to be at least a couple that you're looking forward to, so let me know in the comments below. As for me, I'm looking forward to (ALL OF THEM) Deception (even though I haven't read the first book yet, oops), Bait, Just Like Fate (even though Debby didn't enjoy it all that much), The Dark Between, Love in the Time of Global Warming, and To Be Perfectly Honest. And the rest. I've had to hide my debit card this week!

25 August 2013

A to Z Book Survey

Surveys complete me. And so when I saw this A-Z Survey going around on Twitter, I decided that it must be done. I pressured Amber into doing it with me, because I know how much she enjoys surveys, and I know how much I love reading her answers. I didn't know this was a regular thing, created by Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner, until I discussed it with Amber a bit more. Who knows, I may do some of the other surveys that Jamie comes up with too! This is going to be a super long post, since Amber's here too, so prepare yourselves.

24 August 2013

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Release Date: October 28, 1998
Publisher: Headline Review (This edition)
Source: Bought
Goodreads Stars: 4/5
Rating: Essential

Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. - Goodreads

“A wise man once said: "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at the stars because we are human?" Pointless, really. Now, do the stars gaze back? That is a question.”

Okay, so I'm not really what you'd call a Neil Gaiman fan, and really only picked up the first book I'd ever read, Coraline, because I'd watched the movie and absolutely loved it. Even if it did creep me the fuck out. But after reading Stardust, I'm starting to understand the hype.

22 August 2013

The End Games by T. Michael Martin.

The End Games by T. Michael Martin
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Goodreads Stars: 1
Rating: Troll

Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.

But The Game is changing.

The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.

And the brothers will never be the same. - Goodreads

Michael awoke in the dark to the screams again.
---
I have absolutely nothing good to say about The End Games, so if you're a fan of this novel then I suggest you turn back now if you think you're going to be offended. I went into this novel expected to adore these two brothers while they helped each other survive the zombie apocalypse. You all know how I love my sibling relationships. But after finishing this book, I just feel underwhelmed and rather empty.

21 August 2013

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
The Grisha #2
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Source: Bought
Recommended by: Judith, for Epic Recs
Goodreads Stars: 4
Rating: Essential
Buy it: Amazon UK

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm. - Goodreads

The boy and the girl had once dreamed of ships, long ago, before they'd ever seen the True Sea.
---

20 August 2013

Top Ten Things That Make My Life As A Reader/Blogger Easier


Top Ten Things That Make My Life As A Reader/Blogger Easier

Blogging isn't always easy, but there are several things that keep it fun and enjoyable. Since I currently run three blogs, a Youtube channel, work full time, and babysit my younger sister frequently, I have to manage my time carefully. As a fan of scheduling, I especially like the websites that help me stay organised. Even if I am falling a little behind right now. And then, of course, there's the people that I have met during this three-year journey. They definitely make things better.

19 August 2013

New Releases: August 20 - August 26, 2013

I just had to include Kelley Armstrong's new book, or Tatum and Lauren might have smothered me in my sleep. Anyway, the only one that really stands out to me this week (mostly because a lot of these are sequels) is Lake Thirteen. A horror/thriller for teens? Count me in! I hope it's as scary as some of the reviews are saying.

16 August 2013

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Howl's Moving Castle #1
Release Date: April 1986
Publisher: HarperCollins (This edition)
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 out of 5

"How about making a bargain with me?" said the demon. "I'll break your spell if you agree to break this contact I'm under."

In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility do exist, Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help - the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.

But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls... - Goodreads

Trying to write a decent review of this book without fizzing over with all the happiness it fills me with is basically impossible, jsyk. This book is a delight; the kind of book that can be read again and again without losing any of its magic. It's just so wonderful ;______; This is literally the perfect book for when you're feeling down, or when you just want to chill out or even if you're feeling good and want a book that's light and fun. Howl's Moving Castle is all of those things! Note the enthusiasm here, people, I used an exclamation mark. SERIOUS BUSINESS.

15 August 2013

Wool by Hugh Howey

Wool by Hugh Howey
Silo #1
Release Date: January 17, 2013 (This edition)
Publisher: Century
Source: Publisher
Goodreads Stars: 4
Rating: Essential
Buy it: Amazon UK

In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo.

Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies.

To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism.

Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside.

Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last. - Goodreads

The children were playing while Holston climbed to his death; he could hear them squealing as only happy children do.
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Is that, or is that not, the perfect opening line for me? Bring on the death and depressing topics, I say!

Wool was originally published as several shorter novellas, but then a publisher got hold of the awesome and came up with the genius plan to combine the short stories to make a bigger book. Since I don't read short stories, I would 99.9% never have picked up this series if it wasn't for that very wise publishing house. But, I did, and I'm very happy to announce that Wool is fabulous.

14 August 2013

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
PERSEF0NE #1
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Bought
Goodreads Stars: 3
Rating: Enjoyable
Buy it: Amazon UK

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her hacking skills to stay anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in a warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life in no uncertain terms. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good. - Goodreads

When Noa Torson woke up, the first thing she noticed was that her feet were cold.
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I've had Don't Turn Around for just under a year now, and I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I wasn't writing a recap for Recaptains. I don't know, it just never really appealed to me to the extent of having to pick it up RIGHT NOW. Some books do that to me, you know? It turns out that my intuition (that I never knew I had, mind you) was completely on target with this book. It's okay, it's good, it's average. Nothing in particular stands out to me, but I did enjoy it.

13 August 2013

Top Ten Favourite Books Set in Boarding Schools


Top Ten Books Set in Boarding Schools

I'm a huge fan of books set in boarding schools, so that is my pick for the 'X Setting'. I just love the drama that happens when there are no parents around. The secret parties, the midnight feasts, the sneaking around after dark, the teachers that turn into werewolves... Everything.

12 August 2013

New Releases: August 13 - August 19, 2013

I'm pretty sure everyone and their goldfish is excited for Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, amirite? Unless you've read Christina's review, of course, then you might be a little put off. I'm still going to be reading it, but I'm a bit more wary now!

11 August 2013

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Release Date: 1905
Publisher: Puffin (This edition)
Source: Free (Public Domain FTW)
Rating: 4 out of 5

Alone in a new country, wealthy Sara Crewe tries to make friends at boarding school and settle in. But when she learns that she'll never see her beloved father again, her life is turned upside down. Transformed from princess to pauper, she must swap dancing lessons and luxury for drudgery and a room in the attic. - Goodreads


A Little Princess tells the tale of Sara Crewe, a young girl who is entered into a formal boarding school for girls. The rich and privileged daughter of a Captain, Sara travels from India, where she was raised for most of her early life, to London where her new boarding school awaits. Separated from the father she loves, Sara nevertheless promises to make the best of her situation; she proves to be an excellent student, is kind to the other girls and becomes the most interesting person in the school because of her talent for telling vivid stories. But then TERRIBLE THINGS happen that made me cry into my pillow for a good ten minutes fuuuuuu Frances Hodgson Burnett  and Sara's life is changed completely. She loses her status, becoming a servant in the same boarding school, is forced to live in the attic and is treated awfully by just about everyone around her. The story follows Sara as she deals with all the changes in her life, learning to be kind and brave in the face of adversity.

09 August 2013

Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Burn for Burn #2
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Goodreads Stars: 4.5
Rating: Essential
Buy it: Amazon UK

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn... - Goodreads

I couldn't decide what to wear.
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My Twitter followers are aware that this book gave me many feels, but in the interest of preserving what little dignity I have left, I shall try to make this review as serious and professional as possible... Okay, that was an outright lie. Who did you think you were talking to? 

08 August 2013

1984 by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell
Release Date: June 8, 1949
Publisher: Signet Classics (This edition)
Source: Gift
Goodreads Stars: 3
Rating: Hodgepodge
Buy it: Amazon UK

Written in 1948, 1984 was George Orwell's chilling prophecy about the future. And while the year 1984 has come and gone, Orwell's narrative is timelier than ever. 1984 presents a startling and haunting vision of the world, so powerful that it is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the power of this novel, its hold on the imaginations of multiple generations of readers, or the resiliency of its admonitions. A legacy that seems only to grow with the passage of time. - Goodreads

1984 is another of those annoying mixed-feelings books. Don't you just hate those? I sure do, because I never know if I'm going to change my mind later on, or if I did actually enjoy the book. For that reason, I am rating this as Hodgepodge, because I don't even know what my thoughts are. Also, this is the first time I'm reviewing a classic on this blog. It's not even really a review, just my thoughts. But isn't that what reviews are?

07 August 2013

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Bought
Goodreads Stars: 4
Rating: Essential
Buy it: Amazon UK

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about. - Goodreads

My eyes burn a hole in the page.
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Once again, Kasie West has captivated me. I read Pivot Point back in January, and went on to push it towards everyone I came into contact with. I've been waiting a good six months for The Distance Between Us to be released, eagerly anticipating West's first contemporary novel, and I can gladly announce that it was well worth the wait!

06 August 2013

Top Ten Books I Wish Could Have Had Sequels


Top Ten Books I Wish Could Have Sequels

This was tough for me, since most of the books that I read are part of a series. It took me a while to think up ten whole books, but I pulled it off in the end. Go me!

05 August 2013

New Releases: August 6 - August 12, 2013

This includes a bunch of sequels to series that I have yet to start. I feel like I'm so behind. However, THE UPRISING IS OUT TOMORROW!!!! I adored The Forsaken, so I'm very close to happy-crying right about now. Speaking of crying, Second Impact sounds like a book that would make me sob.

04 August 2013

2013 Debut Showcase: August

The purpose of this feature is to show you guys which YA debuts I'm most looking forward to, and which ones I've enjoyed. Hopefully it'll also help build some buzz around some of these debuts. There will be one post at the beginning of each month showing the top three upcoming debuts I'm most looking forward to and excited for, and it will also wrap up the previous month by showing which debuts I read and enjoyed.

03 August 2013

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Lunar Chronicles #1
Release Date: January 5, 2012 (UK)
Publisher: Puffin
Source: Bought
Rating: 3 out of 5

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.. - Goodreads

This is another book that was recommended to me by Amber, although it took me like a year to get around to reading it XD True story, for ages I thought the author was the same person who wrote Wicked Lovely and it may have contributed to my unwillingness to read Cinder *coughs*

02 August 2013

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
The Morganville Vampires #1
Release Date: May 26, 2008
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Source: Bought
Goodreads Stars: 4
Rating: Enjoyable
Buy it: Amazon UK

It’s a small college town filled with quirky characters. But when the sun goes down, the bad comes out. Because in Morganville, there is an evil that lurks in the darkest shadows—one that will spill out into the bright light of day.

Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. The popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks on the school’s social scene: somewhere less than zero. And Claire really doesn’t have the right connections—to the undead who run the town.

When Claire heads off campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Hew new roommates don’t show many signs of life. But they’ll have Claire’s back when the town’s deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood... - Goodreads
On the day Claire became a member of the Glass House, somebody stole her laundry.
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I first read Glass Houses about three years ago, when I was coming down from the dreaded Twilight phase and wanting more vampires. Or maybe I wanted real vampires, not the sparkly fairy kind. I had been meaning to re-read the first three books in this series for a while, since I have another six of the books on my TBR shelf, but I never found the time. If you're a book blogger, you know how it is. Then the Booktube-a-thon came around, and one of the challenges was to re-read a book, and this one seemed like the best choice!

01 August 2013

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Release Date: August 1, 2013 (UK)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens (UK)
Source: Publisher
Recommended by: Debby and Bloomsbury
Goodreads Stars: 5
Rating: All Time Favourite
Buy it: Amazon UK

Em is locked in a bare, cold cell with no comforts. Finn is in the cell next door. The Doctor is keeping them there until they tell him what he wants to know. Trouble is, what he wants to know hasn't happened yet.


Em and Finn have a shared past, but no future unless they can find a way out. The present is torture - being kept apart, overhearing each other's anguish as the Doctor relentlessly seeks answers. There's no way back from here, to what they used to be, the world they used to know. Then Em finds a note in her cell which changes everything. It's from her future self and contains some simple but very clear instructions. Em must travel back in time to avert a tragedy that's about to unfold. Worse, she has to pursue and kill the boy she loves to change the future. - Goodreads
I stare at the drain in the center of the concrete floor.
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I don't know where to start with this review. I have a problem with words when it comes to All Our Yesterdays, because it was so bloody awesome that it left me speechless. I fucking love time travel. I cannot express my love, even with swear words. There are no words.

Introducing Epic Recs!

Judith and I have a problem. Actually, it's less of a problem, and more of a slight over-the-top addiction that we just can't get a grip on. We keep recommending books (and TV shows) to each other! Why is this a problem, you ask? Sure, it all sounds like sunshine and rainbows, until I remind you that my to-be-read pile is already 600+ books high, and Judith's very behind on the television side of things.

So we were chatting the other day, and Judith was trying to get me to read The Selection, which I really, really don't want to read. Then we decided to make a deal: I'd read one of Judith's recommendations each month, and she'd read one of mine. This seemed perfectly fair to me, especially since Judith will also have to watch a bunch of shows as well. Mwahahaha. Anyway, out of this conversation came an epic plan: EPIC RECS!