Origin by Jessica Khoury Review

Name: Origin

Author: Jessica Khoury
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: September 4th, 2012
Format: ARC copy
Buy the book on Amazon
372 pages

Summary:
Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home—and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia’s origin—a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is a supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance of Matched with the mystery and jungle conspiracy of Lost.

Goodreads

My Review:

This book definitely exceeded my expectations and was much more interesting than I had originally thought it would be! Pia, a young immortal girl created by scientists, was born and raised in “Little Cam” (a small, hidden laboratory in the Amazon rainforest), brought up believing that she was perfect in every single way.  She calls everybody who works in Little Cam either “aunt” or “uncle” and does exactly what they say.  She is not allowed to know anything about what happens in the outside world and she is perfectly okay with that.  Until one day, she isn’t.

Angry at her controlling aunts and uncles, her aloof father, and her cold mother, Pia embraces her curious nature and sneaks beyond the fence enclosing her home.  It is there that she meets the first real boy her age she has ever laid eyes on; Eio is a cute jungle boy who shows her what she is missing in the real world.  Pia then begins to sneak out on a regular basis to meet Eio.  She begins to split herself into two people, thinking of her personality with Eio in the jungle as “Wild Pia”, whereas the Pia in Little Cam is much more reserved and submissive.  However, she soon begins to discover that Little Cam is not the perfect place she has always imagined it was, and Eio helps her uncover the dangerous secrets regarding her home.

One thing I loved about this book was, even though it was about an immortal girl, it was still realistically crafted.  The story accurately portrayed the slow process of undoing years and years of teaching.  Pia was brought up loving her aunts and uncles in Little Cam and believing that everything done in the name of science was acceptable; no matter how despicable it might seem in the beginning, the results always justified the means.  Instead of making Pia quickly understand the dangerous side to Little Cam and running away as soon as possible, Jessica Khoury did a great job of making Pia slowly put together little details that revealed her home’s true malevolent nature, not realizing its dangers until it was too late.  Pia is reluctant to do anything drastic, like run away from home, without viewing sufficient evidence using her own eyes; it is difficult for her to undo years of upbringing in a matter of weeks.  The fact that Pia’s distrust of Little Cam was slowly and delicately built made this book a much more realistic and enjoyable read!

I also liked how Jessica Khoury made this book a single novel instead of a series.  Don’t get me wrong, I love series, but there are some series that are just too long.  However, instead of dragging this book out into another classic YA series, the author found a great way – though the ending was somewhat predictable and I felt that it may have fallen together a bit too perfectly and easily – of making what could have been a drawn out series into one great book!  You should definitely check out Origin if you’re interested in science fiction and want a great, non-series book to read!

My Rating:
 

Waiting on Wednesday 60: Gravity

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: Gravity (The Taking # 1)

Author: Melissa West

Publisher: Entangled Publishing   

Release Date: October 16th, 2012

400 pages

Add the book on Goodreads

Summary:
In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I am really excited to read Gravity! It sounds very original and different than other books I have read! The plot sounds really intriguing and I am interested to see what happens! I also LOVE the cover..it really stands out from other covers!

What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments!

YA Releases August 28th

Hi everyone! This is a new feature I will be starting on every Tuesday where I (Sarah) highlight four YA releases that are coming out this week!

The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa-Harlequin

Summary:
Summer, Winter, Iron.
Together at last.

Dangerous faeries. Heartbreaking romance. Thrilling action and limitless adventure. The world of the fey has never been so powerful. This collection includes three novellas set in the world of The Iron Fey plus the expanded Guide to the Nevernever and exclusive information about Julie Kagawa's unforgettable world of Faery.


Winter's Passage

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....


Summer's Crossing

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.


Iron's Prophecy

Meghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

But when they travel to the Summer and Winter courts’ gathering for Elysium, the oracle from Meghan’s past returns with a dire prophecy: “What you carry will either unite the courts, or it will destroy them.” Now Meghan faces a devastating choice that may determine the future of all fey—and her and Ash’s unborn child…

Goodreads

Defiance by C.J. Redwine-Harper Teen

Summary:
Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Goodreads

Starling by Lesley Livingston-Harper Teen

Summary:
Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling.

Goodreads

Inbetween by Tara Fuller-Entangled Teen

Summary:
Since the car crash that took her father’s life two years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left...his soul.

Goodreads

Thoughts anyone? Who is planning on checking out these books?

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green Review

Name: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green
Publisher: Speak Penguin Group
Release Date: September 21st, 2006
Format: Paperback
Buy the book on Amazon
272 pages

Summary:
When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun - but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself by Printz medalist John Green, acclaimed author of Looking for Alaska.

Goodreads

My Review:

This cute, amusing book about a child prodigy named Colin who wishes to become a genius was a great read!  After getting dumped by 19 different girls named Katherine, the anagram-loving Colin decides that his road to becoming a genius lies in his mathematical theorem that can predict the outcome of all relationships.  Have no fear: for all the readers out there who abhor math, while the exact reasoning behind the theorem is explained, that part is mostly in the appendix and reading it is strictly optional!

When Katherine XIX, whom Colin still loves, dumps him before heading off to college, his best friend Hasan drags him on a road trip to help him get over her.  It is in Gunshot, Tennessee – while staying with a girl they met, Lindsey, and her mother Hollis in exchange for working to compile an oral history of their small town – where Colin finally develops The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability and tries to prove its validity.

One of the best parts of this book was the abundance of quirky dialogues between the nerdy Colin and the comical Hasan.  The two continually traded insults and quips, even creating a safe word, “dingleberries”, which meant that their insults had crossed a line and the offending friend needed to stop.  There was also a great deal of footnotes scattered throughout the book that often explained little unknown facts relating to the story, giving insights into the depth of Colin’s knowledge.  I loved Green’s writing style; his witty dialogues and Colin’s internal monologues kept me laughing the whole book.

Colin and Lindsey’s relationship, while it progressed a little quickly, was also fun to read about.  While Lindsey originally appears to be a pretty, cliquey girl who only cares about dating the most popular boy in school, it is revealed that beneath that pretense she has been hiding a smart young woman who cares deeply about those around her.  Similarly, Colin’s obsession with becoming a genius stems from his insecurities about amounting to nothing and just being another failed prodigy.  Lindsey and Colin balance each other out perfectly, and it was enjoyable to see their relationship develop.

One of the many reasons why I loved Green’s writing was because of the little details he added in the book that made it that much more interesting to read; for instance, while Colin only dates girls named Katherine, for most of the book Lindsey was dating a boy named Colin (whom Colin and Hasan call TOC, The Other Colin).  Definitely check this book out if you are interested in a short, fun read!

My Rating:

Stacking the Shelves and Weekly Update (18)

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week and Happy Saturday/Sunday!! Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is a great way for fellow bloggers to share the books that they have received over the week.

How has everybody's week been? Here is what the Catching Books team reviewed this week!

 

Torn (Trylle Trilogy # 2) by Amanda Hocking

Inbetween (Kissed by Death # 1) by Tara Fuller

The Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Sorry for the lack of comments on posts this week..I'm starting my first week of college so things are very busy right now! 

Anyways..here's what I got this week!

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate (thank you Netgalley and Macmillian!)

What did you get this week? Let me know in the comments!!

Torn (Trylle Trilogy # 2) by Amanda Hocking Review

Name: Torn (Trylle Trilogy #2)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin 
Release Date:  February 28th, 2012 
Format: Paperback
Buy the Book on Amazon 
324 pages 

Summary: 
When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. 

Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…
She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.


Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.

As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “One Day, Three Ways,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.                                                       

 Goodreads

My Review:

Torn is certainly much better than Switched, but unfortunately I dind't love it like I hoped.

The characters were all stupid and annoying, specially Wendy, who is one of the worst protagonists ever, the writing was too weak and the plot was just ... silly. Not to mention the love triangle, that was the worst thing of the book.

In Torn, Wendy, returned to her home with Rhys, finally sees her "brother" Matt, who became more protective with her than ever. But the night they arrived, the Vittra capture the three of them. Then she discovers that Vittra's king is her father, and that she has to choose between these two kingdoms (Vittra's and Trylle's). Like this is not enough, her mother is falling ill so Wendy has to be married as soon as possible, and obviously she cannot marry neither Finn, the guy she love since the first book, neither Loki, a new guy (a Vittra), who is falling in love with her.

Like I said early, Wendy is the worst character of the book. I just cannot understand her. She complains constantly, she wants to do everything by her way, and when others don't agree with her, she uses her powers to make them do what she wants. And then there's her relationship with the two boys, Finn and Loki. 

She doesn't explain even once why she loves Finn, she only says how beautiful he is. At one point she even says she doesn't like Duncan because he is "just nice." Seriously? She doesn't even consider guys who aren't beautiful like her?

And then there is Loki. How can Wendy, who says in almost every sentence how much she loves Finn, kiss Loki without a second thought? This isn't love!

However, there are a few aspects of the book I liked. There are Tove and Willa, who have a bit of depth and who aren't as bad as Wendy and the other characters. Willa specially has a really strong personality. She always knows what, and who, she wants. This kind of characterization should be applied to Wendy, who is as deep as a puddle.

My rating is 3 stars! Yes, I didn't love Torn like I expected, but it also was so much better than Switched! I hope I will love the third book of the series!

Inbetween (Kissed by Death # 1) by Tara Fuller Review

Name: Inbetween (Kissed by Death # 1)
Author: Tara Fuller
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: August 28th, 2012
Format: E-Book ARC
Buy the book on Amazon
400 pages
Thank you netgalley and entangled teen for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Summary:
Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky — and unending — lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

Goodreads

My Review:
I'm not going to lie..this book was really hard to get through at first, but by the end of Inbetween I found myself liking this book a lot more then I did at first!

One of the main problems I had with Inbetween was some aspects of the plot were so confusing!! I'm the type of reader that needs a little bit of background on some of the characters and I really felt that there wasn't enough information to start the reader off with. Yes, we learn lots about the characters and the reaper world later on in the book, but I think I would have liked this book more if I had more info from the start. That being said, I thought the overall concept of this book really interesting! I haven't read any books about reapers before so it was really cool to learn about the mythology behind it all and how Tara Fuller used it in her story! I do wish that some of the reaper business was explained a little bit better especially during certain scenes. The first half of the book was really slow..but once the action started building up I began to really get into this book and like it a lot more.

Now onto the characters..I wasn't sure what to make of Emma or Finn when I first started reading this book. I think because I was a little bit confused plot wise at first that I couldn't really get myself to love the characters as much. I did find the relationship between Emma and Finn interesting..but Finn was a little bit stalkerish at certain times in the book (lol) but he does it because he cares! I thought that Emma and Finn were really cute at times and I liked seeing their relationship grow throughout the novel.

Overall, I didn't love Inbetween, but their definitely were some aspects that I loved! I think this series really does have great potential and I'm looking forward to book two! If your interested in reading about reapers please check this book out :)

My Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday 59: Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy # 4)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy # 4)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington   

Release Date: December 24th, 2012

384 pages

Add the book on Goodreads

Summary:
For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes — the most hideous face I’d ever seen. No matter how hard I tried to forget what had happened, I saw him everywhere I went. It was Loki — the evil god that I’d helped set free against my will.

I should have known that my first official date with Logan Quinn was destined to end in disaster. If we’d gotten into a swordfight, or been ambushed by Reapers, I’d have been more prepared. But getting arrested mid-sip at the local coffee hangout? I didn’t see that one coming. I’ve been accused of purposely helping the Reapers free Loki from his prison — and the person leading the charge against me is Linus Quinn, Logan’s dad. The worst part is that pretty much everyone at Mythos Academy thinks I’m guilty. If I’m going to get out of this mess alive, I’ll have to do it myself..

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

After the epic cliffhanger at the end of the last book, I CAN'T WAIT to read Crimson Frost! I've been a huge fan of this series from the very beginning..and I'm interested to see what will happen in this fourth installment! Also, I love the cover of this book..the colors are gorgeous!

What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments!

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century Blog Tour!!

Hi everyone! Today kicks off the first day of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century blog tour! I am lucky to have Rachel Harris, the author of this AWESOME novel, here on the blog today for an interview! Before we get to the interview here's a quick blurb about the book and Rachel!

Blurb

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze. 

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. 

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Release: Sept. 11, 2012 | Publisher: Entangled Publishing | Purchase: Amazon | BookDepository

Author Bio (Spotlight)

As a teen, Rachel Harris threw raging parties that shook her parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels.

As an adult, she reads and writes obsessively, rehashes said embarrassing fodder, and dreams up characters who become her own grown up version of imaginary friends.

When she's not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, you can find her homeschooling her two beautiful princesses, hanging out with her amazing husband, or taking a hot bubble bath…next to a pile of chocolate.

MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY is her debut novel.  She did have her own fantabulous Sweet Sixteen in high school. Sadly, it wasn't televised.

http://www.rachelharriswrites.com | @RachelHarrisYA | facebook.com/RachelHarrisYA

Can you tell us a little about your novel, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century?

I’d love to! My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century is about a modern-day girl who grew up with famous parents, finds herself constantly thrust in the spotlight, and absolutely hates attention. Her dad and stepmother-to-be want to throw her an extravagant, televised Sweet 16 party, which is so not Cat’s thing, like at all, but her smart dad bribes her with a trip to Florence, a place she’s always been fascinated with. When she’s there, she does something very un-Cat-like and steps into a mysterious gypsy tent…and ends up in Renaissance Italy, carting her main accessory, her backpack, stuffed with future items. It’s fun seeing this girl who strives to always be perfect and exude a certain level of confidence in public because of her upbringing be thrust into a situation where she can’t be perfect, she doesn’t know the rules, and makes mistakes left and right. And just when she thinks she’s getting the hang of things….well, let’s just say things gets interesting.


Where did you get the idea for this novel?

I’ve always imagined myself going to the past (I’m kind of a history buff), but whenever I do, I always picture myself as I am now, knowing what I know, going there. So I had just finished my first ever book (which is in submission now, fingers crossed), and was ready to start another novel, and had just finished reading The Season by Sarah MacLean. I absolutely loved it. Then I read an adult historical book by Vicky Dreiling (a local Houston RWA member who is my girl!) and totally fell in love with the idea of writing some kind of a historical…..but I wanted it to be how I always pictured it, seeing it through the eyes of a modern-day girl. Both those books that I loved were set in the Regency period, which I adore as well, but I wanted to be different so I started thinking about my favorite times in history, and I went to my long standing love affair with the Renaissance. Once I got the time, and I got the title kinda quickly after that, the rest just came together and the idea was born.


If you could be any character in My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, who would you be and why?

Well, I just finished the sequel, A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES, told via Cat’s cousin Alessandra (this time a sixteenth-century girl comes to modern-day America), so I’ve gotten to live in both of their heads and had a blast. But to be honest, my favorite character in the series is Reyna, the gypsy. She is strong and smart and funny in her own way. And you never know where she’s coming from totally. I have a story for her brewing in the back of my mind, so I’m hopeful to one day get to explore her world, but yeah if I could actually BE any of them, I’d have to go with her. I mean, she’s magic. How cool is that?


What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I love love love love love love plotting. I interview my characters, I research settings and history, I choose my story soundtrack, I make my story collages with pictures to inspire me, I argue with myself. I love just creating this world and making sure all the little pieces are there and that I know it and the characters inside and out so when I sit down to write, I know where I’m going and who they are.


Do you plan on writing any other books in different genres?

My first book out on submission is a YA Contemporary Romance told via dual character POV, and my current work in progress is REARVIEW MIRROR, a YA Thriller coming out December 2013. That is definitely a challenge going from a more humorous series like Super Sweet (though both books are filed with emotion and character growth, too), to a more dark, angsty book. And next year, along with the three other YA titles I have brewing, I plan to write an adult contemporary romance, too.


What was your favorite book growing up and why?

Oh I loved series like Babysitters Club, Freshman Dorm, and Sweet Valley High, but as a kid my favorite was Little Women and I loved watching all the movie versions of it. Christian Bale being in the most recent obviously made it my favorite. But I loved all the different girls and I found myself identifying with all of them in different ways. That book makes me laugh, makes me cry, and makes me happy, filled with warm fuzzies. Any book that can do all those things instantly propels it to my all-time favorites list.


Are there any books you would recommend to fellow bloggers and readers out there?

WOW. I am a book lover. I read several books a week while I’m drafting, and when I have down time (not often), I read even more. I read YA and adult, and across the genres. And choosing a book or even a few to mention is like trying to pick a favorite child. Well, there are three books coming out soon that are must reads. My girl Tara Fuller’s book INBETWEEN is coming out in August and is beyond amazing, and there is Melissa West’s GRAVITY, which is not only awesome but just straight out cool, and Chloe Jacobs’s GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING, which is dark and beautiful and just delicious.


Last question..if you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

In this time period? I love Italy and Greece and London, so I’ll go there any chance I get. But one place I haven’t been yet and really want to go is Romania. Oh, and Ireland. Both are settings for future books I have planned, and half the point in setting them there is so I can try and convince my husband we need a research trip LOL!
 

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below to win an awesome prize!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles # 1) by Kresley Cole Review

Name: Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles # 1)

Author: Kresley Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: ARC copy
Buy the book on Amazon
384 pages

Summary:
Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side....

Goodreads

My Review:

I was very, very surprised by how much I loved this book!  After looking at the cover and reading the description on the back, I was reluctant to read this; I only picked it up in the first place because I wanted a quick book to read, and The Poison Princess had received a great review on Goodreads.  However, it only took about ten pages for me to realize that I was going to absolutely love this book.

Let me just start off by saying that I wholeheartedly love Jackson Deveaux!  He is a classic hot bad boy with a history of being a player and a horrible (oftentimes flat out mean) attitude, though he always has a reason for the way he acts.  Jack is a Cajun player who comes from the wrong side of the tracks and shows up to the first day of school with a flask of alcohol that he openly drinks, whereas Evie, his beautifully naïve counterpart and the protagonist, is an overly friendly popular girl who dates the football star and waves to every single person in the hallway at school.  However, it quickly becomes clear that they both harbor intense secrets and each have painful backgrounds.

Jackson, whom Evie describes as a criminal hardened by life, comes from a very difficult lifestyle: one that is very different from Evie’s.  He was sent to jail at a young age for killing a man, who had been trying to hurt his mother, with his bare hands.  He fends for himself in every way possible and lives his own life.  Evie, on the other hand, was born into a wealthy family and is given everything she wants.  However, the Evie that shows up to school every day as a popular girl is much different than the real Evie.  The real Evie has been classified by her mother as mentally insane, and even sent to an insane asylum for an entire summer because of the apocalyptic hallucinations she has been seeing and the voices that populate her head.  Yet when Evie’s apocalyptic visions prove to be true and most of the world (though, of course, not Jack) is killed, she must team up with the handy Cajun bad boy who has plenty of real life experience if she hopes to survive.

Not only do I love Jackson, but I also love his relationship with Evie.  The two miscommunicate all the time – Jackson believes that Evie only sees him as “the help” and Evie is under the impression that Jackson thinks she is a useless, pampered doll – but that, and their constant bickering, is what makes them such a great couple.  Jackson, who feels very overprotective of Evie from the start, has an odd way of showing his caring nature.  For instance, when Evie’s stomach growls, although she never complains, Jack openly yells at her, saying that the little princess can’t always have five star meals when they are on the run, when he is really upset with himself for not providing enough food for Evie.  Even though he does not always act like it, Jackson loves Evie and would do anything to protect her.  Without giving too much away, I will only say that I definitely enjoyed the way that their relationship, arguments and all, progressed throughout the book.

Although Jackson sees Evie as a useless, pretty girl, she actually has a great deal of power that she is too afraid to confront, for fear of becoming like the “red witch” in her visions, who murders people for the fun of it.  However, when she and Jackson meets other kids like her, each of whom has their own supernatural powers, and they run into trouble on the way, Evie has no choice but to use her powers if she wants to save her life and the lives of those she loves.

I feel as if I could continue writing about this book for another ten minutes – I hardly even breached the topic of Evie’s surprisingly powerful abilities as the Empress, one of the Major Arcana cards of a Tarot deck – but for fear of this review becoming way too long, all I can say is that I completely loved this book and I cannot wait for the sequel! Everyone should definitely read Poison Princess when it goes on sale in October!!

My Rating:

Stacking The Shelves and Weekly Update (17)

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week and Happy Saturday/Sunday!! Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is a great way for fellow bloggers to share the books that they have received over the week.

How has everybody's week been? Here is what the Catching Books team reviewed this week!

This Week's Reviews:

The Kill Order (The Maze Runner Prequel) by James Dashner

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

Demonglass (Hex Hall # 2) by Rachel Hawkins

So no books this week for the Catching Books team! Like I posted earlier..I am heading to college this week (as well as my other co-blogger!) so book reviews might be a little slow the next few weeks! Comment reply's might be low or non-existent but no worries we will still be reading everyone's comments and doing our best to reply! Bear with us as we both transition to college! Once we get settled in posts should get back to normal.

Anyways..leave us some links and let us know what you got this week!!

Demonglass (Hex Hall # 2) by Rachel Hawkins Review

Name: Demonglass (Hex Hall # 2)
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion  
Release Date: March 22nd, 2011 
Format: Hardcover
Buy the Book on Amazon
354 pages

Summary:
Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Goodreads

My Review:
I liked Hex Hall, but I absolutely loved Demonglass! I originally thought it would be a light, fresh, and fun read like the first book of the series, but I didn't expected I to like it so much! In the previous book, Sophie finds out that she isn't a witch like she always thought, but that she's a demon, one of the two (her father is a demon also) in the whole world.

In Demonglass, Sophie sees herself as a monster and decides to go through the Removal, a process that will remove all her powers, despite the fact that it could kill her. So, along with her father, Jenna (her vampire best friend), and Cal (who happens to be her betrothed), she goes to England to the place where Archer is apparently hiding. Her father tries to convince her that the Removal is not her only option and so he teachers her how to control her powers. It is then that Sophie meets two others demons, Nick and Daisy, who were transformed when they were just kids. When the members of The Eye discover that someone is raising demons again, they become more aggressively determined than ever to kill Sophie and her father.

Sophie is such a great character! She's so funny and smart and she made me laugh out loud several times; I loved her sarcasm! Then there's the love triangle. Lately I have started to hate them, not because they are in every single book I read, but because they are, mostly, completely useless! This book's triangle doesn't make a difference. It was pointless, but I still really liked it and I appreciated the fact that Sophie doesn't think of these two guys all the time and that she focuses on very important things like surviving and saving her friends and her family from The Eye.

The end left me a little stunned. I didn't expected another cliffhanger! Luckily I already have the sequel, Spell Bound, and I will read it as soon as possible! My rating is five stars! Yes, Demonglass isn't certainly the best book of the year, but it made me laugh for hours, and after the first few pages I literally started to devour it! If you liked Hex Hall, you definitely should read this book!
My Rating:

Follow Friday # 44

Hi everyone..Happy Friday!! Follow and Feature Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee.

Hi everyone! I hope you are all having an awesome week! This week has been a little bit crazy for me..especially since I'm going to school soon! That being said, the Catching Books team will be doing our best to reply to comments but the next few weeks will be hectic! We will still be posting no worries..but we will try are hardest to reply to everyone's comments :)

Q: What blogger inspires you? It can be any kind, it doesn't have to be a book blog.

A: SO many bloggers inspire me! So I'm going to have to pick my top four....My first pick is going to be Alison at Alison Can Read! Her blog really inspired me to become a book blogger and I love reading her reviews! My second pick has to be Bakerella! While this isn't a book blog, I LOVE looking at her recipes and see all of the amazing food she makes! My third pick has to be Lalaine at FicBookReviews! I love reading all of her reviews and she is so helpful! My final pick would be Ella from Coco's Tea Party, which is a fashion blog! She always post really great clothing ideas that inspire me to figure out what I want my wardrobe to look like :)

What blogger(s) inspire you? Let me know in the comments :)

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris Review

Name: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century
Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: September 11th, 2012
Format: ARC Copy
Pre-Order the book on Amazon
304 pages

Thank you Entangled Publishing and Heather for sending me an ARC of this book for review!!

Summary:
On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Goodreads

My Review:
So blown away by this awesome book..it simply was so enchanting! I've always been interested in ya time travel books..especially ones that go back to the past. When I heard that this book takes place in one of my favorite cities I have visited (the lovely Firenze!!), I knew that this would be a book I would so enjoy...and it definitely didn't disappoint!

One of my favorite parts about this book was the plot! Once I started this book it was physically impossible to put it down..I was reading it on my iphone, my kindle, my computer, and any other device that I could read this book on! Rachel Harris uses such fantastic details, that I really felt I was in Florence with Cat, and I could so picture the gowns she was wearing, and the gorgeous places she was seeing! What I really liked the most about the plot was that it was so original and unique..very different than other books I have read before! I also loved how Rachel was able to incorporate different pieces of art into this book! Cat is a HUGE fan of paintings, sculptures, etc. (just like me!) so it was really great to see her seeing some of her favorite pieces (especially ones in the sixteenth century!). It was also fun to see how Cat adjusted to her new life in the sixteenth century. Not only is she adjusting to being without her family and technology, but she also is pretending to be someone else! 

Now onto the romance...oh man! I can so see why Cat fell for Lorenzo..he's soso swoon worthy! He is so gorgeous (and I can really picture him in my head because of Rachel's amazing details!), sweet, and he's an artist! He's such a gentleman too! At first, Cat thinks Lorenzo is such a player but as she gets to know him better (and he soon learns her secret!) they start to fall in love. Rachel Harris definitely keeps the plot exciting by adding in a few twists that keep the reader hanging (which includes an arranged marriage!). What I liked the most is that when Cat goes back to her time, she realizes how much she cherishes her father and her soon-to be stepmother, even though they can sometimes get on her nerve. Going to the past helped Cat find out more about herself and open up to others instead of shutting them out. 

Now the ending...SUCH A CLIFFHANGER!! I seriously can't wait for the next book and I am hoping we will see more of Lorenzo! I highly recommend that you read this book when it comes out next month. My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century captivated me from page one, and it definitely is one of my favorite books that I have read in awhile!

My Rating: