Waiting on Wednesday 82: The Summer Prince

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: The Summer Prince

Author: Alaya Dawn Johnson

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine

Release Date: March 1st, 2013

304 pages

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A heart-stopping story of love, death, technology, and art set amid the tropics of a futuristic Brazil.

The lush city of Palmares Tres shimmers with tech and tradition, with screaming gossip casters and practiced politicians. In the midst of this vibrant metropolis, June Costa creates art that’s sure to make her legendary. But her dreams of fame become something more when she meets Enki, the bold new Summer King. The whole city falls in love with him (including June’s best friend, Gil). But June sees more to Enki than amber eyes and a lethal samba. She sees a fellow artist.

Together, June and Enki will stage explosive, dramatic projects that Palmares Tres will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government’s strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, unfortunately in love with Enki. Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.

Pulsing with the beat of futuristic Brazil, burning with the passions of its characters, and overflowing with ideas, this fiery novel will leave you eager for more from Alaya Dawn Johnson.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Not normally the type of book I read, however, I definitely want to give this one a try. It sounds really interesting and I can't wait to see how this dystopia works out!


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

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling Review

Name: The Casual Vacancy

Author: J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: September 27th, 2012

Format: Little, Brown and Company
Buy the book on Amazon

512 pages

Summary:
A BIG NOVEL ABOUT A SMALL TOWN ...When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Goodreads

My Review:

I was very disappointed with this book.  I knew before I even began reading that it was not going to be another Harry Potter book and that it was not going to be a murder mystery, but it was still quite bad even when my expectations were lowered.  The book was very dry and difficult to get through; it took me almost a week to read the first 300 pages, which is a very slow reading pace for me.  However, the hardest part of reading this book wasn't even my lack of desire to pick it up and read it; it was actually that once I opened up the book I had a hard time paying enough attention to the dry writing to even get through one page without getting distracted (another thing that does not happen often with me).

Not only was the writing difficult to get through, but I was also very bothered by the fact that there really was no plot in this book.  At first, I began to think that the plot would be about the casual vacancy - the empty seat on the parish council that is opened up after Barry dies.  However, it soon became clear that that was not the case, especially after the first 200 pages were solely about reactions to Barry's death, and the council had not even been mentioned then.  I later realized that there would be no actual plot to this book; it really is just about a bunch of different messed up families all living in the same town.

The reason that I gave this book three stars, however, instead of two or even one, was because of Rowling's creation of very believable and well-rounded characters.  Every character had a reason for acting like they did, and while they mostly seemed like despicably mean people, they were going through very real life events and issues that made their personalities horrible for a reason.  I could very clearly picture this town and these people as real.  The only other redeeming quality in this book was that it got better at the end.  By the last hundred pages or so, some events seemed to actually occur in the book, and the characters became more likable - or rather, I loved to hate them even more.

I can't say that I would recommend this book to anyone.  However, if you choose to pick up this book anyway and give it a shot like I did, simply because it was written by J.K. Rowling, I would just like to give you two quick warnings: lower your expectations, and be prepared to skim through a lot of pages.

My Rating:

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook Blog Tour (review)

Name: Nobody But Us
Author: Kristin Halbrook
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: January 29th, 2013
Format: E-Book ARC
Buy the book on Amazon
272 pages

Thank you Harper Teen and Edelweiss for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Summary:
Bonnie and Clyde meets IF I STAY in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts.

They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run.

Zoe wants to save Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together. But they never expected their escape to be so fraught with danger....

When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough.

Nobody But Us, told in alternating perspectives from Will and Zoe, is an unflinching novel, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, about survival, choices, and love...and how having love doesn’t always mean that you get a happy ending. Described as “beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating” by Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF, Nobody But Us will prove irresistible to fans of Nina Lacour, Jenny Han, and Sara Zarr.

Goodreads

My Review:

I wasn't really sure what to expect with Nobody But Us when I first started it. Happily, I really liked Nobody But Us, it was a really great contemporary read and I'm really glad I liked it!

I definitely loved the plot of Nobody But Us, definitely different then other contemporary novels I have read but I really enjoyed this one! I liked how the story was told from both characters perspective so we really got to see what both Will and Zoe were thinking. I also liked seeing how both characters grow throughout the novel. I also really liked Kristin Halbrook's writing style! Very different then what I usually read but it was really well written.

The only thing I didn't love was the ending! Oh man..definitely not what I expected at ALL. I was very shocked by what happens at the end. I'm not giving away any spoilers but the ending was really shocking. I guess sometimes shocking endings are better than predictable ones...and I really didn't see this one coming at all.

Overall, Nobody But Us was a really enjoyable reading! I didn't love the ending but other than that I really liked it! If your looking for a fastpaced contemporary read check this one out!



My Rating:

Follow Friday #50

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

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week! Well it's back to school for me! Comments might be a little off the next few weeks because I'm getting settled into school but I will do my best to comment!!

Anyways..here's this week's question!

Q: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it? 

A: This one's easy! Anna and The French Kiss! I stayed up till three am to finish this one, and every time I re-read it I end up staying up late again :)

What's your answer? Let us know in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday 81: The Art of Wishing

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: The Art of Wishing

Author: Lindsay Ribar

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Release Date: March 21st, 2013

314 pages

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He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan of attack for everything, from landing the lead in her high school musical to dealing with her increasingly absent parents. But when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the opportunity to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Especially since Oliver--not blue-skinned, not bottle-dwelling, but a genie nonetheless--can see more than what she's willing to show him. With one peek into her mind, he can see the wishes that even Margo herself doesn't know she wants.

But Oliver comes with more than just mind-reading abilities, a flair for magic, and the prettiest eyes Margo's ever seen. Someone from his past is hunting him--someone bent on killing him, along with all the other genies in the world, for the sake of honor. And as Margo soon discovers, it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Art of Wishing sounds very intriguing. I am interested to see how the plot works out with Margo and Oliver. I definitely will be picking up this book in March!

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

The Goddess Inheritance (Goddess Test # 3) by Aimee Carter Review

Name: The Goddess Inheritance (The Goddess Test # 3)

Author: Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: February 26th, 2013

Format: E-book

Buy the book on Amazon

384 pages

Summary:
Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.
In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.
With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.
Even if it costs her eternity.

Goodreads

My Review:

Picking up nine months after the conclusion of the second novel, this final book in the series was action-packed and kept me flipping pages like a mad-woman until I finished!  There were some really great emotions throughout this book; both extremes of happiness and sadness were present in abundance, making me enjoy this roller coaster ride of emotions.  There was even a little bit of death in this book.  While quite sad, especially because it was one of the more major characters and someone whom you would not expect to die, I thought it was very realistic: after all, there can't be a book about war without at least one person dying who isn't a nameless, faceless person.

I also really enjoyed watching Kate and Henry's relationship.  After the rough patches that they faced in the previous book, the two successfully worked everything out and it was wonderful to see them together.  They definitely built off of and made each other stronger throughout the book, especially when they were fighting other enemies.  I also enjoyed seeing them with their new baby son, Milo; they each made great parents and together the three were a fantastic, loving family.  In addition to the growth that occurs in Henry and Kate's relationship, many of the minor characters grew throughout the course of the final novel, particularly in comparison with the first book: Walter begins to realize that even as the head of the family he is not always right, Ava takes responsibility for her actions which have not always been the most righteous, and James discovers that it may be time for him to settle down, though he does not lose his charming attitude and witty humor.

I found it a little anticlimactic that the war just kind of stopped at the end of the novel.  After the death of a loved one, the end of the war did not seem like something to celebrate, and so it kind of just went away.  The ending of the book, however, was generally happy and most of the characters resolved their issues. Yet at the same time, it was still a sad ending both because the trilogy was finished and because of all the casualties and other horrible things that had occurred during the war.

Overall, this was a great book and a great series!  I am sad to see the end of this trilogy, especially because I feel as if Carter could write more about these interesting and complex characters, but I still loved the book. For those of you who have not yet read this series, you should definitely check it out if you like Greek Mythology, romance, and action!

My Rating:

Follow Friday #49

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

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week! Well it's back to school for me! Comments might be a little off the next few weeks because I'm getting settled into school but I will do my best to comment!!

Anyways..here's this week's question!

Q: Who is your favorite villain from a book?

A: Hmmm..I'm never really thought of this one before but I think I'm going to have to pick Warner from Shatter Me. At first, I really really didn't like him..especially after seeing all of the horrible things that he has done (keep in mind we are just seeing things from Juliette's perspective). However, after reading Destroy Me and and seeing Warner's perspective, I definitely have come to like Warner. We really get to see how he became the character he is in the series and I think deep down he isn't all that bad. I hear things definitely change for Warner in Unravel Me so we shall see when the book comes out soon!!

Anyways..what are your thoughts? Who is your favorite villain?

Let us know in the comments :)  

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson Review

Name: Strands of Bronze and Gold

Author: Jane Nickerson
Publisher:  Random House
Release Date: March 12th, 2013
Format: E-Book ARC
Buy the book on Amazon
352 pages

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Summary:
The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

Goodreads

My Review:
What a really great book! When I started Strands of Bronze and Gold I had no idea it was a story retelling..but it definitely isn't necessary to know anything about the "Bluebeard" fairy tale myth before read this book! I had no idea what it was about and I still really enjoyed this book.

The plot of this book was really really interesting. Jane Nickerson is so descriptive in her writing that I could really picture all of the characters and settings in my head. The plot wasn't too fast paced, but it still kept me on the balls of my toes and I really didn't know what to expect next. I also liked how Jane Nickerson was able to weave together all of these different plot lines with different characters and made them all come together at the end which was really great.

The growth of Sophie throughout the book is really great to see. At the start, she is a naive, innocent girl. Once she gets settled into Wyndriven Abbey, she starts to shed that innocence and becomes a very strong character. I really liked seeing her growth throughout the book and it was great to see a strong female lead.

Overall, I really enjoyed Stands of Bronze and Gold! It was a great myth retelling but you definitely don't need to know anything about the "Bluebeard" myth to enjoy this book (I had no idea what it was until I started this book!). If your looking for a Gothic mystery look no further!! I look forward to reading the next book in this series!

My Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday 80: If I Should Die

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: If I Should Die

Author: Amy Plum

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Add the book on Goodreads

416 pages

 

I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.

After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I can't believe this series is ending! I've really loved reading this series and I am excited to see what happens after the cliffhanger of the second book. The cover of this one is so pretty as well!

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

Book Trailers: Round Five!!

Hi everyone! My monthly post on awesome book trailers is back!! I know it's been awhile but I plan on doing this once a month! In April, June, July and August I did a post on book trailers (see posts here and here and here and here) and I wanted to see your thoughts on them. Without further ado, here are this month's trailers!

I have to say that my favorite book trailer out of all of these has to be destroy me....it is so well done!

What are your thoughts? Do you like book trailers? Which one do you like the most? 

Let me know in the comments :)

Partials (Partials Sequence # 1) by Dan Wells Review

Name: Partials (Partials Sequence # 1)

Author: Dan Wells

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: February 28th, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Buy the book on Amazon

480 pages

Summary:
The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.
Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question--one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

Goodreads

My Review:

What a really, really great book!!  In this dystopian novel, Kira carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, giving herself the responsibility of saving the future of the human race after she realizes that the government is too blindsided by power to make the necessary decisions.  Although there were a few nit-picky parts of the book that I did not love, I thought that the world and the characters Wells built were truly brilliant.

The book started off a little slowly, but quickly sped up, even making me feel as though it was a bit rushed by the end.  Kira and her group of very loyal friends (her boyfriend Marcus, her friend's brother Jayden, her friend's husband Haru, and her other friend Xochi) make several courageous decisions to leave their society several times in order to venture out into the wild to find the cure to the RM virus that is plaguing all humans.  This results in Kira and her friends moving back and forth from society in a fashion that was a little bit unbelievably fast.  However, their adventures both in society and most especially on the road were quite thrilling; at the end I was practically on the edge of my seat, both anxious to see what would happen next and worried for the safety of the characters to the point where I was afraid to read any more.

I also wished that the book had a bit more romance in it; there were definitely plenty of opportunities to add more.  Kira has been with her boyfriend Marcus ever since she was 13, but constantly rejects him when he proposes to her and seems to push him away in general.  She never tries to delve deeper into the reasons behind her feelings, but instead kind of ignores them.  That being said, Kira is intrigued by the Partial she captures named Samm, seeming to believe him when he's done nothing to earn her trust and to feel an attachment towards him that she cannot explain.  Marcus makes one quick note of jealously, but that is about as far as the romance goes in this book, and I am hoping to see more if it in the next one, especially after what happened to her and Marcus's relationship by the end of the book.

I was really impressed with the plot twist that was thrown in towards the end of the book.  It seemed very difficult to predict unless you were reading the book very closely and picked up on every little hint.  It threw me by surprise and I am very excited to see where Wells takes Kira's secret in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed Partials very much and would definitely recommend it to YA fans, and also to fans of Stephenie Meyer's The Host.

My Rating:

Follow Friday #48

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

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week! It's nice being home on winter break..I have been catching up on a bunch of books that I haven't gotten the chance to read yet. Anyone do anything exciting this week? I registered for BEA this week and I am SO excited to be going again this year!

Anyways..here's this week's question!

Q: If you could choose one supernatural being/creature to really exists what would it be and why?

A: Hmm..this is a tough one! I think I would have to go with merpeople! Ever since I was little I loved reading stories about mermaids so I guess I would want my childhood fantasy to come true :)


What about you? What supernatural creature/being would you want to exist? Let us know in the comments!

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa Review

Name: The Lost Prince (The Call of the Forgotten # 1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher:  Harlequin Teen
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Format: E-Book ARC
Buy the book on Amazon
379 pages

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Summary:
Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Goodreads

My Review:
I wasn't really sure what to expect from The Lost Prince when I first started reading it. I LOVED The Iron Fey series so I was hoping this book would continue the magic that was in the series about Ethan's sister, Megan Chase. I am SO glad that The Lost Prince brought us right back in the land of Faery, and was a really strong book.

What I liked about the Lost Prince was that the plot wasn't predictable at all. It wasn't too fast and I never knew what to expect which was really great! It was definitely nice to see the character of Ethan grow, especially since we only knew a little bit about him from the Iron Fey series. It was great seeing him develop throughout the story, and I liked seeing his various encounters in the land of Faery. It was also so nice to see the return of some old characters; including Ash and Meghan!! I was a little bit sad that they weren't in this book more, but I have to move past the Iron Fey series ending and get use to the introduction of new characters.

I also love how Julie Kagawa was able to really use some awesome imagery in the describing Nevernever. I really could imagine all of Ethan's adventures in my head and I could really picture everything she was describing. Everything that Julie writes is so well written, and I found it hard to put this book down when I started it!

I know it's taken me awhile to review this book (with the craziness of school and such), but I am so glad I finally got around to read The Lost Prince! I can't wait for the next book in the series and find out more about the "forgotten."

My Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday 79: Spies and Prejudice

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: Spies and Prejudice

Author: Talia Vance

Publisher: Egmont

Release Date: June 11th, 2013

Add the book on Goodreads

 

Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She’s busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she’s sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her “nothing amazing,” it’s no loss for Berry. She’ll forget him in no time. She’s more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother’s death.

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can’t Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

This book sounds awesome!! I can't wait to see how the author combines the Jane Austen aspect into a spy thriller! This book definitely sounds like the perfect summer beach read!

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

Reached (Matched # 3) by Ally Condie Review

Name: Reached (Matched # 3)

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books

Release Date: November 14th, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Buy the book on Amazon

512 pages

Summary:
After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.
In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestsellingMatched trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

Goodreads

My Review:

What a great conclusion to a very interesting trilogy!  Reached was just as brilliantly written and crafted as the other two books in the series.  The best part about this book was definitely the writing style.  Ally Condie writes all of her books as though she is crafting a poem: each word is carefully chosen, as if the entire story needs to fit on one single page rather than 512.  There were a wealth of similes, metaphors, and extended metaphors throughout the book.  Not only did every word and every sentence read like a poem, but everything that was stated in the book had more than one meaning: oftentimes there was a literal meaning, a figurative meaning, and then a meaning that coincided with real life outside of the story.  It was just beautifully written.

I also enjoyed the switching point of views between Cassia, Ky, and Xander.  The first book in the trilogy was just in Cassia's point of view and the second was in both Cassia and Ky's.  However, I loved getting a look at Xander's mind as well, especially since the book concerned his future as much as Cassia and Ky's; also, throughout all three books his personality was so straightforward yet at the same time he harbored many secrets, and so I was always wondering what he was thinking.  There really was not much of a love triangle in this final book, since it was clear from the first two that Cassia had made her decision and she was sticking with it.  That being said, it was nice to see how each of the characters ended up and who they each truly loved.

There was a sort of somber feel to the book that I was not exactly thrilled with, but I suppose that is expected in a book where the characters have no control over their lives.  This book was also interesting because we learned more about the rebellion that was occurring and the logistics behind it.  While the ending did not exactly leave me feeling completely satisfied (it was open-ended and did not specifically explain what would happen to the future of their society), there was definitely a sense of closure that fit the final in a series.  Overall, this was a great book and a beautifully written series, and you should check it out if you are interested in dystopian love stories.

My Rating:

Princess of the Silver Woods By Jessica Day George Review

Name: Princess of the Silver Woods
Author: Jessica Day George
Publisher:  Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Release Date: December 11th, 2012
Format: E-Book ARC
Buy the book on Amazon
336 pages

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Summary:
When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.

Goodreads

My Review:
I had no idea that this book was a series until I started reading it, and at first I was a definitely a little bit confused. I wouldn't recommend starting this book unless you have read the first two..but you definitely can enjoy this book without reading them (though it would have been a little less confusing!). Princess of the Silver Woods is a really great fairy retelling, and I was surprised at how much I liked it.

I really liked how Jessica Day George was able to incorporate so many great aspects of different fairytale myths that we all love! It was really refreshing to read about a fairytale myth that I hadn't ever read about before. Overall, the plot of this book was light and fun..and just plain old cute! I liked seeing the different characters grow throughout this book and it was fun to see them grow. I also liked the setting descriptions as well! This book was beautifully written and I really felt like I was a character in the story! In the end, I really enjoyed Princess of the Silver Woods. If your looking for a lighthearted fantasy read make sure to check this one out!

My Rating:

Follow Friday #47

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

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week! It's nice being home on winter break..I have been catching up on a bunch of books that I haven't gotten the chance to read yet. I hope everyone had a happy new year as well!

Anyways..here's this week's question!

Q: What New Years Blogging or Writing resolution have you placed on yourself?

A: Well last week I did a post on my blogging resolutions but if I had to pick just one resolution it would be to keep a schedule! Over the next few days, I will begin to put together a schedule of my classes, activities, and book reviews so I can be more organized this semester! 

What are your New Years Blogging or Writing Resolutions? Let me know in the comments :)

 

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo Review

Name: Love and Other Perishable Items
Author: Laura Buzo
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: December 11, 2012
Format: E-Book ARC
Buy the book on Amazon
256 pages
Thank you netgalley and knopf books for young readers for sending me this book for review!

Summary:
Love is awkward, Amelia should know. From the moment she sets eyes on Chris, she is a goner. Lost. Sunk. Head over heels infatuated with him. It's problematic, since Chris, 21, is a sophisticated university student, while Amelia, is 15.
Amelia isn't stupid. She knows it's not gonna happen. So she plays it cool around Chris—at least, as cool as she can. Working checkout together at the local supermarket, they strike up a friendship: swapping life stories, bantering about everything from classic books to B movies, and cataloging the many injustices of growing up. As time goes on, Amelia's crush doesn't seem so one-sided anymore. But if Chris likes her back, what then? Can two people in such different places in life really be together?

Through a year of befuddling firsts—first love, first job, first party, and first hangover—debut author Laura Buzo shows how the things that break your heart can still crack you up.

Goodreads

My Review:
I wasn't really sure what to expect with this book when I started it...but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, I enjoyed Love and Other Perishable Items, but their were a few aspects of this book that made it a little bit hard to get through.

First, one of the main aspects of this book that I didn't like was the multiple narratives. Usually I enjoy books with different perspectives because it gives the reader a different viewpoint which I like. However, in this book I thought the narratives were a little bit confusing because most of the book was told from Amelia's point of view, but then at sort of random times in the book we would hear from Chris-and I just thought this was a little bit confusing. Another thing that wasn't really working for me was the ending...it was just way too opened ended for me! If the author had written a flash forward to a couple years from now then I would have been much happier with this book. The ending was just too ambiguous and I really wasn't a big fan of it.

What I did like about this book was the overall message of the story! I thought it was really sweet to see Amelia go through all of these different firsts-falling in love, getting a job, etc, and the book just felt really realistic. I didn't seem like one of those fake high school stories, where there is so much bullying and there is a popular group versus everyone else. Instead, I felt that Amelia's experiences were a much more accurate portal of girls in high school; ones that are having friend issues, falling in love for the first time, arguing with their parents, and just trying to figure out who they are. Amelia just seems so real...and I loved the way that the author portrayed her.

In the end, I enjoyed Love and Other Perishable Items. A few aspects of this book I didn't love, but overall it was a cute story. If you are looking for a quick contemporary romance read, check this one out!
 
My Rating: