Official Hiatus Post: Rest of September

Hey guys!

So....I've sucked this past month. I know, you can tell me! I can take it.

I've posted nine posts in twenty days not to mention the fact I've hardly been able to read anything getting used to my new insane schedule. So...I'm taking the rest of September off. It's only ten days, not long, but it's long enough for me to get some books read, some ideas brewing, and everything set up.

You guys know I hate leaving. I love blogging and I'm not leaving it anytime soon so this is just me getting back into my element. Hopefully you all will be here once I'm back :)
So I'll be back in ten days and good as new!

See you soon,
-Happy Reading!

“Love sounded terrible if it made you so weak, you couldn't survive without it.”

Title: Outpost (Razorland #2)

Author: Ann Aguirre

Release Date: September 4th, 2012

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Pages: 336

Cover Judge: It's really badass, I like it. 

Quote Choice: An example of the exploration of emotions Deuce has to go through, love it.
Source: For Review 

Goodreads: Link

Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.
To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.
Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

Sadly, I didn't like Outpost as much as I loved Enclave! I think this might be because in Enclave, all of the things happen. You're taken from below to above, going from places to places, meeting new people, discovering new things. But in Outpost, you're in the SAME place the whole time. I mean there's some revelations but nothing that really made me gasp and no action that had me flipping pages faster and faster.

However, one thing that is always consistent? How much I enjoy Deuce. While I said before that I didn't like Outpost as much as Enclave, I tore through Outpost. I read it in one sitting and even though I would think to myself "nothing's even happened", I couldn't stop. Aguirre has that sort of writing style and she really hit the mark with Deuce. This is a girl who is smart and capable and trained to be a huntress going through the internal struggle of having to figure out...well, who she is. The "girl" part of Deuce, as she likes to call it. Now that she's not constantly struggling for her life and living with a set of foster parents that offer her comfort and warmth, she doesn't know what to do with herself. I loved reading about her exploration of feelings and being able to be around people again, especially when it came to her foster mother. I thought that relationship was the strongest out of everyone's and it was something that nearly brought me to tears at one point.

The Freaks were terrifying, as per usual. But it's not the fact that it was slightly gorey and freaky like in the first book. No instead, it was horrifying because of the moral questions that start to come into place half-way through the book. The idea that maybe these Freaks are people too and the only reason they're attacking is because they see humans as a threat. I was definitely impressed with this area of the novel.

Finally, we have Fade. Ah Fade, I really liked you in Enclave. You were strong and silent, brave and understanding while still managing to be broken and flawed. But in Outpost? I just...didn't like you. Especially in the beginning! He was horribly jealous all the time, pretty emo, and super possessive. I understood where he was coming from but dude needed to calm down. His temper exploded throughout the whole book and it didn't remind me of the Fade I remembered in the first book. Stalker of course is the other romantic option but I'm sorry, I can't love A RAPIST. Like, this is something that is forgiven and forgotten from the first book? Seriously? Deuce is like: Oh man why does Tegan not like Stalker? Well, because he was one of the gang leaders of the gang who TOOK HER. Just...no. Tegan herself was awesome, as per usual.

Overall, it's a good book and a really good series that can be addicting regardless of its other problems!
-Happy Reading!

State of the Union: Week of 9/9

Hey guys! How you doing this fine day?

WHAT AM I WATCHING?

these are the main characters! 

1. Fairy Tail

So the reason I started this one is so silly: Guy With Pink Hair (it always takes me a while to remember people's names) looked a lot like Black Star (I spent the first three episodes calling him Pink Star). BUT I had also heard a lot of good stuff about it and it's really popular so I thought: why not! Most of the episodes are on Hulu and I'm really enjoying it so far. It's fun, filled with magic and some occassional deeper meaning, and badass-ness.

2. Sword Art Online

So I have so many mixed feelings about this series at the moment. SPOILERS AHEAD FOR EPISODE 9 AND UP. I mean, they're already MARRIED. I know it's meant to just be a short series but everything is happening so quickly and..booo. But Kirito and Asuna are still adorable and all that; I was just expecting some epic fighting and plot. I think it's just because I'm used to it but who knows.

3. Bleach

I know. I know. I am insane for starting this because it's on like episode 1000 but I wanted to ask you guys: worth it? I read the first volume at Barnes and Nobles yesterday and I liked it! But I've heard as the story goes on, the quality goes down.

WHAT AM I READING?

I finished Ao No Exorcist / Blue Exorcist manga! I really, really enjoyed it and I can't wait for the next chapter to come out. Rin is amazing and once I got to the Impure King Arc, I was sold.

I got half-way through Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi but...it got stolen. I KNOW I KNOW, evil school people. I'm trying my best to track it down but I have a feeling it's lost forever. And I was at a good part so just...all the suck. As for my thoughts on the book sadly, it's not living up to the first one for me. More details once my review is up but that's my general thought.

Other than that, I'm almost done with Beause it is my Blood by Gabrielle Zevin, the sequel to All These Things I've Done and I'm loooving it. Seriously, she writes awesome books. 

WHAT I POSTED:

Monday: Sarah Beth Durst Interview
Tuesday: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Thursday: If You Like....Post-Apocalyptic Madness
Saturday: Food For Thought: Character Appearances

BOOK HAULING IT UP:

For Review:
Fathomless by Jackson Pearce (excited! Jackson's book are usually hit or miss for me so we'll see!
Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst (SO PSYCHED OH MY GOD)
In A Fix by Linda Grimes (Haven't heard of it and it showed up unexpectedly! But it looks cool so I'm gonna give it a shot)

Bought:
Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 1 by Hiromu Arakawa (I've read the entire manga but since she is brilliant, I want to support her and buy the entire series. Slowly but surely!)
Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 4-5-6 by Hiromu Arakawa

Gifted:
Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear (Ahh! Suzanne is so sweet and sent me one of her author copies signed!)

Happy Reading!

Food For Thought: Character Appearances (11)

Hey guys! So today's topic is a bit of a random subject but it's something I think about a lot: character descriptions.

I always see people getting annoyed when they have models on the cover that don't match their descriptions/models at all because it distorts the image in their head. The description of the character is the only thing that matters, you know?

But I don't pay attention to them. Like I could read a book where the main character's features aren't mentioned once and I'd likely not even notice.

I can't tell you the features of virtually away of my favorite characters (a few notable exceptions: I know Katsa's hair is brown, Meghan's hair is blonde, Four has a crooked nose)

I'm really curious if I'm the only one who does this? When I'm reading a book, the picture in my head are just like....blobs. I don't even know how to explain it coherently but it's just never something that comes to mind when I'm recalling a book I've read.

So let me know down in the comments and guys: if you want me to cover anything on Food For Thought (or if it's something lengthy, a discussion post) just leave it down in the comments below! You guys know I love writing discussion posts.
Happy Reading!

If You Like...Post-Apocalyptic Madness (2)

This week I have books for people who love post-apocalyptic novels! I think they're awesome because only dystopian which are usually about a uniformed society and breaking apart from it? THESE ARE ALL ABOUT CHAOS.

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth 

Definitely! An earthquake shatters Los Angeles and you have: crazy cults, religious fanatics, powers, all that good stuff. 

Ashes by Isla J. Bick:

My favorite on this list without a doubt. Dark, well-written, and just gory enough that you might wince once or twice, it's an awesome book with zombie-like mutants. 

Enclave by Ann Aguirre: 

Again with zombie-like mutants! But Enclave is about a girl who lives in this underground warrior tribe and once she's kicked her, her and her partner, Fade, are forced to travel Above. 

Partials by Dan Wells:

I loved this book! Smart, funny, and addicting, it's definitely a thick book but a good read! Plus the heroine is seriously just the best. Determined, spunky without being overly sarcastic, and just plain cool.

And that's all for me! See you tomorrow!

Happy Reading.

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Title: The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)

Author: Rae Carson

Release Date: September 18th, 2012

Publisher: Greenwillow (Harper)

Pages: 410

Cover Judge: It matches so I like it! Plus, it has a very high fantasy-esque feel to it.

Quote Choice: Gargh, I don't have my copy today so I can't find the quote I chose for this review!
Source: For Review 

Goodreads: Link

In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.
Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

- from Goodreads

Oh my god, guys. So when I read Girl of Fire And Thorns I was like: nothing can top this. AND THEN I READ CROWN OF EMBERS. So you know to expect some fangirling in this review.

Elisa is queen now and between Inviernos threats that they thought they had eradicated coming back to haunt her and this crazy spirit journey she has to take to save her kingdom, you're in for a wild ride. Elisa, as always, was a great heroine. She's a girl who's been thrust into a position of power that she feels too inexperienced to deal with while having to deal with the fact that there's hardly anyone living in the castle that has her best interests in mind. She's young and confused but Rae Carson knows how to write a damn good heroine which means that for every flaw that this girl has, she is gifted with a lovely persona and a brave nature. With Elisa, there is always room for improvement because she is a wonderfully flawed character.

The plot is damn crazy, guys. I loved reading about it because I liked that the story isn't set in one place like I thought it was going to be: the castle. While we do stay there for a while to set the scene and see where the kingdom is since Alejandro's stepping down from the throne, we are almost immediately thrust into a journey that is even more treacherous than the first. And then of course, we have the Godstone drama. I love that while religion and the religion of this High Fantasy world is an important part of the story, it's not being shoved in your face. I mean, Elisa gets power from praying but I don't feel like I'm having religious preaching forced on me.

Guys. You thought the romance was good in GoFaT? YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW MY HEART WAS LIKE ON FIRE. It looks a lot for me to full-on swoon and this book managed to make it happen multiple times. The sexual tension and the sadness at the idea that their love is so impossible while still holding a sliver of hope is just...lovely. Everything about it was lovely.

This book was just fantastic and it definitely lives up to the first book! Also can we just...mention that ending? Way to sever my heartstrings, gah. Can't wait for the final book.
Happy Reading

Author Interview: Sarah Beth Durst

Hey guys! So recently I've been on a bit of a semi-hiatus because I had to start getting used to...you know, life coming back. I'm in my third week of school and not only that, but I started my internship at Spencer Hill Press this week if you didn't see the news! But now I'm back and going to be posting regularly :)

And today! I have an interview with the lovely, awesome Sarah Beth Durst. Her next novel, Vessel, is coming out this month and I just love her other book, Drink Slay Love!

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love. Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.
Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.
The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

1) If you could live with three YA characters (not your own) in a house, who would they be?

Hermione Granger from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (because a talented witch friend could be useful)

Daine from Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce (because she can talk with animals)

Silk from the Belgariad by David Eddings (because he'd make me laugh)

2) Which character is most like you in any of your novels? Least?

Gillian (the best friend from INTO THE WILD) or Bethany (the friend from DRINK, SLAY, LOVE).  Like them, I tend to be relentlessly optimistic.  Faced with evidence of magic in the world, I think my reaction would be, "Wow!  Cool!"  Unlike them, I'd probably promptly be eaten by wolves or vampires.

Least like me... I think I'd have to choose Pearl from DRINK, SLAY, LOVE.  She's fearless.  She's evil.  And she drinks blood.

3) What’s your favorite Disney Movie?

Beauty and the Beast.  I love that library!  Plus, the dining room scene always makes me want to go to France and eat copious amounts of dessert.

4) You always invent these amazing worlds in your books -- from Enchanted Ivy's secret realm to Drink, Slay, Love's vampire lore and now a full-out high fantasy! How do you go about thinking up these worlds?

I like to start with the real world and then inject magic into it.  To create the desert land in VESSEL, I researched various deserts (the Sahara, the Gobi, a few deserts in the southwestern part of the United States), and then I set about dreaming up ways to make a desert as awesome as I could imagine it.  Seriously, that's the litmus test I ask myself as I write, "Is it awesome enough?"  I try hard to maximize awesomeness as I write.  :)

The world of VESSEL includes wolves made out of sand that hunt within storms, sky serpents made of unbreakable glass, monstrous worms, gods and goddess that inhabit human bodies, a young emperor, a trickster god, and a girl destined to sacrifice herself...  I had such a fantastic time writing this book!

And that's it! Thank you for coming to my blog Sarah and I'll see you guys tomorrow with a review!
Happy Reading!

"I've never been Action Girl. I've only ever been Kristen's supporting character.”

Title: Speechless

Author: Hannah Harrington

Release Date: August 28th, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 288

Edition: Paperback
Cover Judge: Bold, I like it.

Quote Choice: Perfectly describes her life pre-Speechless.
Source: For Review 

Goodreads: Link

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret.Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.
Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.
But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

Hannah Harrington has an amazing writing style that manages to be both filled with heavy meaning AND super easy and breezy to read. This is seriously one of my favorite things about her writing.

So I was a little apprehensive about diving into Speechless because I haven't been feeling the contemporary vibe lately but I'm so glad I decided to pick it up because looooove. It's about a girl called Chelsea who is tipsy and sees two boys making out at a party. As the sidekick of the head bitch of the school, she goes downstairs and tells everyone. Two of the popular boys get mad and chase after the gay boy, Noah, who is now leaving the party and the next day, he ends up in the hospital. She tells the truth about the two guys and in turn, her entire friend circle and school turns on her.

I loved Chelsea. She was just the right amount of superficial while still managing to be sincere and heartfelt and that made her a real teenager. It might be because I really connected with her (my middle school existence was spent almost entirely inside the "popular" crowd even though I didn't like many of them and I wasn't really being myself) but she was just a great character to me. Funny, resilient, and she didn't let things get  her down, even when it seemed the world was turning on her. Also: for a character who doesn't actually TALK (Chelsea takes a vow of silence and uses notes to communicate with people throughout the whole book), she was awesome.

The book does a really good job with addressing the consequences that come when you decide to take your own path in life even if it's not the one most taken. Chelsea is shunned by nearly everyone -- people write stuff on her locker, egg her car, bully her relentlessly. All because she turned in two boys who BEAT A KID INTO A COMA for being gay. While this book doesn't scream "issue book" (which I was glad for because I'm not into issue books much), the message was there and it was well-done.

SAM. SAM I LOVE YOU. Seriously guys I thought Sam was awesome. Definitely less angsty than Hannah's debut love interest in Saving June, Sam is sweet, funny, dorky, and can make a mean tuna melt. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it's really short so I felt that a lot of development could've been explored.

But mostly I was sad because it ended!
Happy Reading!

Contest: Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Hey guys! Thanks to the lovely people over at HarlequinTeen I have a giveaway!

Speechless by Hannah Harrington | Harlequin Teen | August 28th, 2012

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret. Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast – and nearly got someone killed. Chelsea has taken a vow of silence – to learn to keep her mouth shut and to stop hurting anyone else.
Speechless explores the real-life teen issues of bullying, mean girls, LGBT awareness and hate crimes. Compared to the many books already out about bullies, Harrington’s novel stands out for its authentic voice and unflinching portrayal of what it means to be part of the bullying. In October 2012, Harlequin TEEN will be releasing a brand new survey that has interviewed 1,500 girls between 13-18 years old on the subject of bullying.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Harlequin has also partnered up with Louder than Words to promote this book!

About Love is Louder:
Harlequin TEEN has partnered with the nonprofit Love is Louder, a movement that started when actress Brittany Snow, MTV and the Jed Foundation decided to do something to help those feeling mistreated. Hundreds of thousands of people just like you have come together to raise the volume around the message that love and support are louder than any internal or external voice that brings you down.

And that's all for me! My review of this book will be up tomorrow!
Happy Reading!

State of the Union 8/27

Hallo everyone! I'm still slowly getting into the routine of school which is why my posts have been slightly sporadic.

WHAT AM I WATCHING?

this is who I want to cosplay as!

So I started watching a LOT of different anime this week so let's do this!

1. Sword Art Online

I'm actually all caught up with this since it's an ongoing anime (first time I've seen one!) and there's only nine episodes currently out in sub. This series is just...fun and cool. It takes place in 2022 where virtual gaming is really popular and a new game called Sword Art Online comes out. Thousand of people go out to get it, put on their Nerve gear, and dive into the game. But once they realize they can't log out, the creator of the game lets them know that they're stuck in there until they beat all 100 levels of the game. Worst part? If you die in the game, you die in real life. If a family member tries taking off your gear in real life, you die. So your only option is to him. My thoughts? Kirito is seriously so adorable. And the plot is really cool. (Also: there's a con going on this coming summer and I'm determined to cosplay as Asuna)

2. Arcana Famiglia

Anime always have the best premises, I swear. This is about this "family" called the Arcana Famiglia that protects this small trading island from...well, everything. But when the head of the family decides to retire and has to leave his legacy to someone, the entire family is engaged in a succession war using their "arcanas", each of them having powers that are a part of the usual tarot deck. The dilemma is simple: the winner gets to marry Fel, his daughter, who refuses to be a prize to her friends. I'll admit: it's not the best thing I've ever seen. But...I honestly can't stop watching and the characters are fun! I'm only on episode four and Noda is definitely my favorite.

3. Ao No Exorcist (Blue Exorcist)

And this is actually a well-known anime! It's about a boy who was raised by an exorcist and then finds out he's the son of Satan (basically he's a demon in a human's bodies). When dire circumstances cause him to activate his demon form, he decides to go to an academy to learn how to become an exorcist. I'm really liking this one so far: the characters are cool, the demons are freaky looking, and it seems like it's going to get intense!

WHAT AM I READING?

I FINISHED FMA MANGA EJNGk. So good, seriously. I'm going to collect them since I read them on MangaReader and I want physical copies.

Bookwise...I haven't gotten any reading done, sadly. 

WHAT I POSTED:
Monday: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
Wednesday: Pretty Little Liars Recap
Thursday: If You Like...Slightly (or Very) Crazy Heroines

BOOK HAULING IT UP:

MY WEBCAM IS FIXED! VIDEOS STARTING AGAIN NEXT WEEK AND MONDAY ON TB!

For Review:
Defiance by C.J Redwine (unsolicited)
Reaper by K.D McEntire (unsolicited)

Happy Reading!