So Random Post: Manga and Anime (1)

So you guys have reassured me that you like it when I do random posts that have nothing to do with YA (or maybe at least SOMETHING to do with it) and...i'm taking one of those random posts and doing it right now!

Now, many people might not know this but I love anime. It's something that I've loved since I was a child and have recently been getting into again and now..I crave it like there's no tomorrow.

Now, a lot of people may be super reluctant to watch/read these. I know I was super reluctant to read manga because comics have never drawn my attention to most of the time, I do it out of necessity. Why? Because usually when animes end, mangas are still going on and I must continue to feed my obsession. ANYWAY, I call upon you, my faithful readers, to recommend to me some mangas/anime and in return, I shall recommend three to you!

(these are of course not all the animes I've seen in my lifetime, I watched a lot of things when I was young, haha. But these are the recent ones!)

Soul Eater 
(IMPORTANT! The manga is only currently out in the US up to Chapter 35 but it is being translated on MangaReader considering the Japanese version is already on Chapter 100. It updates every month with the new chapter!)

Set in the Shinigami (The Grim Reaper/Death) technical school for weapon meisters, the series revolves around 3 groups of each a weapon meister and a human weapon. Trying to make the latter a "Death Scythe" and thus fit for use by the Shinigami, they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch.

                     

Now, this is the reason why my anime obsession came back, to be totally honest. I was browsing Netflix one day and this popped up in my "recommendations". I read the description and guys, can't you agree that it sounds amazing? And so, I started watching! The first three episodes are the "prologue", which means they're introducing the characters, but after that: Shit. Gets. Real. I absolutely love this anime because it's funny, the characters are amazing, and the plot is consistent and it's SUCH A GOOD CONCEPT.

Now, I've watched and read this series so I'm going to let you know: if you watch the anime first, like I did, start the manga on The Battle For Brew. The anime follows the manga to a T but once you hit that episode, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT. On the bright side, the manga is still ongoing even if the anime is over!

I actually caught up to the manga this morning and let me tell you...it's amazing. I absolutely love this series.

Fruits Basket
(this one is COMPLETELY out in the USA in English so you won't have a problem.)

Tohru Honda is 16 year old orphaned girl who gets invited to live in the house of her classmate, the handsome boy Sohma Yuki, and his cousins, 16 year old Kyo and 27 year old Shigure. However, these young men and parts of the rest of their family (both close and distant) hold a curse; if they are hugged by the opposite gender, they transform into animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Everyday is an adventure for sweet Tohru, as she gets to know everyone in the large family better (especially Yuki and Kyo), in both common and bizarre situations. But, the Sohma Family curse is certainly no laughing matter... it also holds horrible cruelity and heartbreak.

Here we have the calmest anime of the bunch, haha. Fruits Basket is about a girl who stumbles upon a family and ends up learning about a curse that was placed upon them that makes them turn into the twelve members of the Chinese zodiac when touched by the opposite sex. But, gah, it's pretty freaking amazing. Each character is layered and fantastic and tortured in their own way, especially the main zodiac members of the novel, the rat and the cat (yes, the cat is not a zodiac member, it's explained early in the series that happened with him)

The manga, by the way, is a lot darker than the anime but seriously, the anime is dark in it's own way. I really commend watching it, it's only 26 episodes and the manga is about 136 chapters.

Hetalia: Axis Powers
(this is not a manga, only an anime.)

Italy, once home of the strongest empire in the world, has changed. This is the story of Italy, now a cowardly pasta-loving fool, and his friends (other personified countries of the world) as they live through strange moments in world history.

Honestly, probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen. EVER. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER. Hetalia: Axis Powers is what happens when every country in the world is TURNED INTO A PERSON. Now, just a warning, this show plays on every simple racial stereotype that exists on this Earth.

And it's hilarious because of it.

Each episode is only five minutes long so it's very fast-paced but each character manages to stand out in their own way. Season One is basically World War I and World War II and you can tell because of the "groups" that form among the countries. You also...learn, kind of, haha! At least it teaches you a bit along the way with it's crude humor and amazing portrayal of different countries (America...you'll see. You'll just see).

And now, recommend some to me! If you don't watch anime, why don't you go ahead and explain why in the comments? Anything is awesome!
Happy Reading!

p.s I watch all of us in Dub. If you don't know what that means, it means I watch it in English instead of in Japanese with subtitles. Soul Eater's dub is REALLY well done as well as Fruit's Basket (funny enough, Maka and Tohru, the main characters in both, are voiced by the same person) and Hetalia's dub is the best of the bunch because the jokes are so much funnier.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor, take warning."

Title: Underworld (Abandon #2)

Author: Meg Cabot

Release Date: May 8th, 2012

Publisher: Point (Scholastic)

Pages: 318

Edition: Hardcover

Cover Judge: I like the blue but I still like the first cover more!

Quote Choice: I enjoy creepy prophecy-ish things.
Source: For Review

Goodreads: Link

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.
Not this time.
But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.
Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.
But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.
And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

DESCRIBE THIS BOOK IN SIX WORDS: UNDERWORLD PEOPLE NEEDING TO COMMUNICATE MORE.

Now, I'll be honest: I wasn't really excited to read Underworld. I liked Abandon well enough but if Underworld hadn't showed up on my doorstep unexpectedly, I wouldn't have picked it up myself. BUT for some reason, when it did arrive, I put everything down and immediately dived into it. The power of Meg Cabot? I think so too.

First of all, can we talk about John like...lost his brain or something in this book? One of my big complaints with Abandon was that we hardly got to see John and dude: he's Hades. I want to see him! And we did see him! But he and Pierce have so many misunderstandings and he'd be like: "don't do this!" and "oh? you didn't know? thought you knew!" and I wanted to just sit them down in a closet, lock the door, and have them talk things out. I mean, there were SO MANY things that Pierce did that could have been avoided if John would stop being so vague and elusive with her! Sure, he's charming, but I grew quite sick of him just not being upfront with Pierce.

For the first half of the novel, I was quite confused by Pierce. Considering Underworld starts out TWELVE HOURS after Abandon, she felt like a totally different person. She felt...I don't want to say comfortable but i'm going to use the word, in the Underworld when she should've been...I don't know, freaking out? But she picked up her act around the middle of the book and I do have to admire her determination to get herself into bad situations for the people she loves.

But if it's one thing I loved about book: the plot! And the side-characters! As with Abandon, the plot is spot-on in terms of keeping me gripped enough to read this in one sitting. The Furies are some crazy individuals but I don't want to reveal too much about the plot but just know: Underworld is way more action-friendly than Abandon is! As for side-characters, loved them (with the exception of Alex who I wanted to punch in the face. "You don't know what i'm going through!" Shut up Alex, she's in the UNDERWORLD.) All of John's...mates in the Underworld were charming and funny and Kayla! I was really happy to see Kayla!

In the end? I enjoy reading the books but I don't love the series. But it seems that as usual, I'll be reading the third book the minute I get my hands on it.

Happy Reading!

Advice To Love Interests: Get Your Shit Together

Hey guys! So if you remember a while back, I did an Advice To Heroines post and you guys really liked it! And so a lot of you told me you wanted more things like this and so...THIS WAS BORN.

1. Calm the hell down.

 It's okay to be protective; but your girlfriend/would-be girlfriend is probably some crazy badass fairy/vampire/werewolf/unique sparkle pony or something. I'm PRETTY sure she can take care of herself most of the time. When she needs your help, step up to the plate. But don't try to do everything for her.

source

2. Windows are for curtains, not for you.

If it's an option, come in through the front door. Seriously, it's not that difficult to just knock like a normal person.

3. Make badassery contagious.

If your girl doesn't know how to fight and you're in some dangerous world, teach her. Don't have her depend on you because chances are, you're not always going to be around!

4. Be honest about your evil.

If you're an enemy in disguise, please don't keep it a secret to announce AFTER you begin your torrid love affair with the heroine and then EXPECT HER NOT TO BE ANGRY. That's nice that you had a change of heart and came to the good side but seriously, never a good idea.

5. A mask doesn't make a whole new person, stupid.

Start recognizing people. You see a person every day of your life and suddenly they put on a mask and you're like: oh ma god, who could this be? I don't know!

source

6. Don't be an annoying douchebag.

You might think being a douchebag is cute, but it's not. Other things that aren't cute: bad attitudes, controlling personalities, trying to shank your future girlfriend, and stalking.

7. Being taken doesn't usually mean you're waiting for someone better to come along.

If you already have a girlfriend, JUST WALK AWAY. Or dump her right now. Those are the only two options I don't care what you say.

8. Stop being boring.

BE YOUR OWN PERSON. When I can tell you're just a cheap plot device to pretend that the heroine actually has some decent character development, I want to kick myself in the shin. I want to know if you have hobbies, family! (An opinion of your own would be nice too but I don't want to ask too much of you)

9. There's already one Edward Cullen; we don't need more.

I get it, you're tortured; it sucks. But if you're going to spend the whole novel acting like a pissy little boy, I'm not going to like you. And that other guy with the abs is totally going to steal her from under your nose (JUST SAYING.)

10. GOD JUST STOP IT I CANNOT DEAL WITH THIS.

Stop dying. Or pretending to be dead. JUST STOP.

Happy Reading!

Jane By Design 1x17 The Sleepover? Let's talk about it!

I know, oh my god, i'm gonna start recapping Jane By Design so cray. BUT LET'S DO THIS.

• So apparently this episode is going to be Billy girlfriend's being jealous of Jane. What else is new? Everyone knows their endgame girl, don't hate. Also: I miss Jeremy. A lot. Eli mostly makes up for it but he doesn't have the posh attitude so boo.
• LOL, I love that Jane is such a normal teenage girl. Home alone? Watch a horror movie; that's exactly what I would do. Dude, her phone rings for a really long time. HA, Billy. Billy is adorable again, which is good. I was getting tired of his douchey-ness. 
• HA, you guys totally do have to throw a party. If there was a Teen Home Alone handbook, it'd be THE FIRST THING. This will end badly but it is super realistic (this is why I don't get left home alone for more than a day, lol)
• So I have this thing where I really when people add unnessesary Ys to people's names. Coley from my Mothership review, now Janey. WHY? THE NAME IS ALREADY SHORT. 
• Pizza for breakfast? Ice cream for dinner? These two are gonna get sick. 
• HAHA, that is a great plan. I really do want to see how long Jane can keep this up considering Miss Shaw is gonna be all up on her like butter on toast
• Oh my god, Zoey, get over it. Don't you see he was worried because that guy took Lulu away? Calm down. I understand being mad but he's totally groveling and it was a reasonable worry. 
• Oh my god, I love Harper; she's my favorite character i'm so serious. She's so obnoxious and rude and doesn't even realize it and I think she's hilarious. Oo, this is going to turn into one of those movies where the unpopular girl has a party and so does the popular girl and she has like a band and the beat pumping and whatever but everyone still goes to the other girl's party? 
• Damn, does this mean Jeremy is coming back?! They are going to have to find him and bring him back somehow if they want this deal with Harrods! 
• Aw, Nick is a nice guy, man. Quitting the play so his bro wouldn't get angry at him. That's nice. 
• OKAY, I can see where Zoey would be annoyed with this. Billy got all up in arms about her kissing Nick for a SCHOOL play but he's sleeping over every single night at Jane's. BILLY. DUDE. BE SMART. Learn from your experiences with Lulu.
• LOL, Billy is freaking out and it's really amusing with his term "special set of rules" but this is all true, Billy. You can't be all pissy when you're always with Jane. 
• Aww, I love India. She really does care about this place and she really DOES hide it under an icy exterior and she is awesome. 
• Oh wow, Zoey, when did you turn into a huge bitch? Seriously show, don't do this. Don't make Zoey a bitch who tries to separate Jane and Billy and that's why Billy dumps her or something like that. 
• If Billy is really unpopular, how does he have everyone's number? That doesn't make much sense to me but whatever. 
• Awwwww, I love Harper LOL. "I love my parents". 
• HAHA, India is fantastic. "This loop? You are not in it." Aw, I feel so bad for Eli because he is feeling all lonely and such because Jane is not letting him into her life AND I LOVE ELI. 
• Is Billy wearing suspenders? That is adorable. Man, that is going to be the coolest part of their party lives. 
• Man, I love India's outfit and have I mentioned I like Eli? 
• OH MY GOD. IS THAT CALL ME MAYBE PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND? Love that sound; also that party looks awesome. 
• Oh my god, Zoey is so annoying now. 
• Dude, why didn't they lock Jane's door? That is so dumb. 
• I feel like Zoey is...acting? Like not like the actor is acting but like ZOEY is acting. And it's annoying the hell out of me because she's going to manipulate him with sex or something and just...she was so nice. You can't just suddenly turn her into a mega-bitch. 
• HOLY SHIT. WAS THAT HOLY SHIT NO GOD DAMMIT NO. India and Eli? SERIOUSLY? JFJNRHJNWKg, URGH NO. 
• HA, Billy is so bad at lying this is awful. HAHA, Zoey is even worse. She's cool now but...I felt like last night was really out of character for her. OH THE BRIGHT SIDE, the preview tricked us! They didn't have sex!
• URGH, man, can't believe Eli and India had sex. Blah, 
• AHHHH JEREMY YAY. I love Jeremy he is so adorable, I love him. I forgot how much I shipped them when he was gone. Oh guys, I really just love Jane with everyone. 
• OH MY GOD DID JEREMY JUST REFERENCE DOWNTON ABBEY?! Jeremy, you get so many points. 
• Jeremy, don't be such a freaking wuss. No one forced you to work with Beau. HE IS SERIOUSLY GONNA WALK AWAY? She flew to LONDON to get you back! WUT. END OF EPISODE? Unacceptable. 
• WAIT, next week is the summer finale? Wut, wut, nooooo. This is like my only fun, casual show, guys. 

And that's it for this week! What will happen next week? Will Billy stay with Zoey? Will he go back to Jane like always? WHO KNOWS (I totes know). Leave your thoughts on the episode down below!

Happy Watching! 

Pretty Little Liars 3x07 Crazy? Let's Talk About It!

Hey guys! Ready for a post discussing the follies of a murder mystery that is both not a mystery but a mystery? Did that make any sense? ANYWAY, it's time for Pretty Little Liars!

• Okay! So we open the episode with Hanna talking to her mom because apparently she's gone off to some conference and left Hanna completely alone in her house. Yeah, that's always a good idea. Evil Cop comes over to tell Hanna he wants to get a blood sample so naturally, she's like WTF. And i'm like WTF because why does this guy still exist? 
• Hanna is freaking out because apparently A is like a really good nurse that knocked her out then took some blood and then carefully put it on the bracelet and then put the bracelet where they knew Spencer could find it. Because you know, A can do anything. Ever. Fly to the moon, make out with movie stars, defeat Godzilla. 
• How do these girls have time to go to the coffee shop before school and SIT DOWN? 
• Wait so you didn't recognize them but just because they know Ali you immediately know Ali talked about them a lot? CeCe, you logic is flawed.
• Oh wow, so CeCe really did tell her everything? Now i'm thinking this CeCe girl is Ali's role model or something; that's freaky. 
• AW, Ms.Aria has a date! That's so cute!I look at Ms.Aria and i'm like PIPER YOU HAVE A HUSBAND (for people who don't understand, she's Piper on Charmed. Although I don't know how you wouldn't understand because hello? It's Charmed). Also: "YOU WEAR FORKS FOR EARRINGS". You internet feels you, Ms.Aria. Fashion Advice From Aria, that's rich.
• Oop, Spencer and Toby time. Yeah, Toby has a point, man. No evidence is sound in Rosewood. 
• Shiiiiiiiiiit. A is so creepy, man. WHY THE BOARD A. WHY SO CREEPY. 
• So Hanna, you buried a ouiji board hand thingy in your friend's grave? That's...something. At least this is a flashback, I thought they were actually going to be dumb enough to do this in the real life. Also: of course it's thundering. Of course. 
• Ahh, the old days when Hanna was dating Sean. Whoa, what in the world is going on? That's weird. 
• Oooo, Jason. I don't know what to do about you...I'm going to spend this entire season trying to figure out why his face is not attractive to me. Oh my god, Jason, stop being so cryptic. Just say that happened with CeCe.
• Ali told CeCe Emily had a huge crush on her? Wow, Ali, got a secret can you keep it? NO. 
• DUDE MALE MAYA YOU ARE SO SUSPICIOUS; EMILY WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT. 
• WHOA. Whoa, her secret date is TED? NO ARIAMOM. HE BELONGS TO HANNAMOM. 
• So now Aria is visiting Crazy Mona which means CRAZY MONA YAY. 
• I'm amused by Hanna saying there is no reason to panic but dude. You are totally panicking. 
• Awkwardest Date Ever; that's all I have to say. 
• Whoa, what did Hanna do? WHAT IS GOING ON? I want to know what Hanna did to Ali! Urgh, this is gonna take five episodes to explain.
• Whoa, Crazy Mona can change her personality so quickly she is the best. Not best enough to win best villain over JOSEPH FREAKING MORGAN, but I'm not bitter or anything. Really. 
• I may say a lot of stuff about Aria but she's mega-loyal, guys. Good on her for going in with Hanna even though this is a stupid idea and dude, asylums are scary. 
• I actually kind of...like CeCe. She's evil and bitchy but...it's refreshing to have a bitchy character with all these nice people everywhere. "We're not killing a unicorn", hehe. 
• Zack is nice; go out with Zach, AriaMom. 
• Hmmm...so what I understand from this flashback is that Hanna told AliMom about the ouiji board incident? That was not a cool move Hanna; that's actually ridiculous. 
• WAIT WAIT, let me process this for a minute. How the BLOODY HELL did Mona take the keys away from Aria. Seriously, i'm dying to hear this. Were in some sort of dream state while Hanna was having the flashback? Were they frozen in time long enough for Mona to move, take the keys out of her purse/pocket/whatever without then noticing, and LEAVE. That is so stupid. 
• These girls are seriously going after Mona in the middle of an occupied mental asylum AND THEN GOING INTO THE CHILDREN PART THAT'S ALWAYS THE SCARIEST. 
• Seriously, EvilCop is so freaking annoying I can't stand him. Like, even when he's not on their case, he's on their case. Calm down; you're the detective for Rosewood, not freaking Miami Vice. 
• HAHA, I love Toby. I love that he doesn't know what's going on but he's determined to protect Spencer so he's lying to be police while being adorable about it. "I told you to lock your doors, this isn't the 1950s."
• I get their "pretty little liars" but seriously, can anyone believe them just ONCE? 
• YES FREAKY MONA TIME. So umm...I'm pretty sure babies can't have mental disorders. Like i'm not 1000 percent sure but most psychological disorders manifest in early childhood or early adulthood. 
• WHOA, freaky Mona is spouting off weird shit and I love it. She's like brushing a doll's hair and being creepy but nothing she is saying makes sense to me so let's just keep going. 
• WHAT WHAT WHAT IS THAT IN ARIA'S BED. IS THAT A DOLL? DOES SHE SLEEP WITH THAT SCARY ASS THING WHAT IS GOING ON? OH IT'S HANNA. Whew.
• A note: I think there are so many instances where they mention Aria's house today because we all thought she was living with Ezra. Another note: YAY NO EZRA TODAY. 
• WHOA, a website? That's actually pretty cray. So now eight episodes to find out what the password is (kidding, kidding). 
• Dude, A is freaky, hiding 
• Oh great, next week is a Ezra week. BUT OH MY GOD WAS THAT KALEB OF COURSE they need someone who is good with computers BUT AH YAY.

Contest: Mothership by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal

As you guys can probably see down below, I reviewed this book right now! And thanks to Simon & Schuster, I have two copies to give away to you guys!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay! Happy Entering!

"Remember, the trick isn't to hold your breath. it's just to not breathe."

Title: Mothership (Ever-Expanding Universe #1)

Author: Martin Leicht & Isla Neal

Release Date: July 10th, 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 320

Edition: Hardcover

Cover Judge: Pink, purple, girly, and I like it. 

Quote Choice: Oh Cole, you're not very bright. We'll get into that later.
Source: For Review

Goodreads: Link

Pregnant. In space. Yeah, things are really looking up.

It’s 2074 and Elvie’s unplanned pregnancy (with Cole Archer, who bolted out of town half a millisecond after hearing the news, not that Elvie’s bitter about it or anything) forces her to leave her best bud back on Earth and spend her junior year aboard a corny old space cruiser with forty-five other hormonal teen girls (one of whom just happens to be her arch-nemesis). Getting shipped off to the Hanover School for Expecting Teen Mothers was not how Elvie imagined spending her junior year, but she can go with the flow. That is, until a team of hot commandos hijacks the ship—and one of them turns out to be Cole.

Mothership is the first installment in a new trilogy from Martin Leicht and Isla Neal that has been described as Juno meets Pretty In Pink…but in space.

 

EXPLAIN THIS BOOK IN SIX WORDS: PREGNANT GIRLS IN SPACE WITH GUNS.

Mothership is a weird book, guys. It's about a girl called Elvie who gets knocked up by a boy called Cole who then proceeds to well, ditch her and disappear of the face of the Earth. So then Elvie ends up getting sent to this school for expecting mothers BUT IT'S IN SPACE. So she's in space you know, chilling, when her school gets hijacked by a group of space highwaymen and one of those highwaymen....is Cole! That's basically the jacket flap summary and I went in expecting some crazy stuff.

The book is fun, plain and simple. It's a fast read (I read it in one sitting) with a witty heroine and a very tongue-in-cheek kind of humor. It's outrageous and it's a book that doesn't take itself too seriously, which is a refreshing change! The futurstic lingo takes a while to get into and fully understand considering Elvie is a grade-A badass but it's nothing you can't handle after getting into the story!

Speaking of Elvie, I want her to be my friend. She's resourceful, smart, witty, sarcastic, and super awesome. But also, she made a mistake. And watching her struggle with that mistake isn't completely overshadowed by the humor because dude, she's faced with some hard decisions throughout the whole thing. The other teenage moms aren't really that well developed: I liked Ramona a lot, Gnat was...spacey? I know she was an artist but she was like off in her own world most of the time so I didn't know what was up with her and now we can talk about Britta oh my god. Guys, she was so annoying. There was no redeeming quality about Britta so I cannot even. She's the "mean girl" so basically, you're not supposed to like her, I get it. But she was seriously SO OBNOXIOUS, I couldn't even handle it. If she's in the sequel showing up all obnoxious and calling Cole "Coley", I might puke.

The world-building isn't really a main thing in this book, so I'm exciting to see them expand on this whole outer space aliens crazy shit that's going down throughout the book. Since the whole thing takes place over the course of one day, I feel we got just enough information to avoid info-dump territory but not enough for me to feel like I know what's going on.

And finally, we have Cole. I think it's best to describe Cole with a quote from the book that's actually about him: "Sweetie, you are very pretty. But you're dumb as a brick." Yup, that's basically it. Cole resembles a puppy in which he's adorable but dude, soooo dumb. Yet the authors somehow manage to make it...endearing? It makes him a realistic teenage boy and his loyalty to Elvie was sweet.

Happy Reading!

MY THOUGHTS ON AN E-CARD:

State of the Union: Week of 7/15

Woo, new feature! You guys know that I have talking about things I'm currently doing and that doesn't doesn't just include reading! So here I'm going to show you what I've watched, read, blogged about, and anything else I find interesting! And FINALLY, my book hauls are going to be on this post as well. I'm starting to get a new schedule around here as my move to wordpress is nearing so I'm not posting anymore on Sundays! Those shall be my relax days.

WHAT AM I WATCHING?

I KNOW. I'm crazy; I haven't watched this show yet. I just started season two and I'm really liking it! Everyone has told me things start getting good after the first season so I'm looking forward to figuring out what this cult following is about.

Right now, I mostly want to hit Xander and hug Willow. Buffy is one badass chick with a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, that's for sure! Angel is really mysterious and quiet but I have a natural weakness for him because DUDE, his actor is Booth! On Bones!

WHAT AM I READING?



This week, I only read one book! I know, the shame. That book was Insignia, which I reviewed this week!

Tonight, I'm reading Mothership, which is exciting! It sounds crazy because I mean, pregnant teens in space, but I've heard a LOT of good things about it! Hopefully I can also finish School's Out Forever by James Patterson tonight and review it on Tuesday.



WHAT I POSTED:

Monday: Rereading: time-consuming but awesome.
Tuesday: Insignia by S.J Kincaid
Wednesday: Pretty Little Liars Recap 3x06
Thursday: Food For Thought: Curiosity Killed The Retelling

BOOK HAULING IT UP:

Happy Reading!

Food For Thought: Curiosity Killed The Retelling (9)

So today I have a question for the peeps that read classics AND retellings.

QUESTION: does reading a retelling of a book when you already know the whole thing hinder your enjoyment of the book?

this is me swooning at For Darkness Shows The Stars, BTW.

Now, I'm not one of those types of people. This is inspired by Julie (I don't feel the need to introduce her because come on guys, really?) and I talking about how I was OBSESSED with the romance in For Darkness Shows The Stars while she was a lot more invested in the world-building because she already knew how the romance went. And then I got to thinking: If I had known how Persuasion ended (guys, I knew nothing about Persuasion going into that book, except that it was written by Jane Austen), would I have been less invested?

Most books I read that are based on classics I come into fresh and not expecting anything. I went into Pride and Prejudice retellings such as Epic Fail knowing the basic plot idea but since I hadn't seen any movies or read the book, I didn't know about any of the little things. I go into Shakespeare retellings knowing the end result but not the journey.

But then I think about how I know the ending to all fairy tale retellings and I still enjoy them. I went through Fateful, a book about werewolves and love and amazingness on the TITANIC, and I still loved every second of it.

So now I turn to you guys to answer my question and sate my curiosity!
Happy Reading!

Pretty Little Liars 3x06 The Remains of the A: Let's Talk About It!

Everybody ready for some Pretty Little Liars? Yeah, me neither!

• Yay, this seems like it's going to be a Hanna and Spencer episode! Considering they are the two I like, this is good. 
• So basically, they're going to lead A to an abandoned church (seriously? probably gonna be secluded as well) I'm also amused that hanna knows how to forge so well; that definitely seems like something she would know. 
• God Ezra, why you question her so much? Wow, Aria, you're going to get job advice from him? That's a good idea. I know people think they are cute and quirky but I am now talking to Julie instead of watching them and their quirky background music. 
• YAY TOBY. LOL, Toby "I'll just be very quiet and watch you type". Everyone knows that's code for making out, Spencer. 
• Dude, Spencer, your mom is a good lawyer. An awful mom but a good lawyer. 
• LOLOLOL, Hanna is "scared of old people". That is hilarious. And Emily kept her job? Aw, Sassy Boss has a heart of gold. 
• Dude, I don't think Jason is good-looking. I don't know why, it's just...something about his face. Now Spencer and Jason are discussing April Rose, who I honestly don't care about if she's a person. WHAT USE DO YOU HAVE TO BE WOMAN. 
• Guys, where do I recognize this Pastor? I recognize him from somewhere...he seems nice. I hope he gets with Mrs.Hanna. Wait...is this a protestant pastor? I mean, I assume so since they're trying to get him with someone. 
• Oh wow, I had totally forgotten at the creepy videos that the N.A.T.Douchebags club made. Nice to know it was Jason's idea, urgh. 
• Guys, is Aria like living in his apartment now or something? Is this why we're seeing so much Ezra? She's never home and he's talking about them "being out of resources." ALSO GOD ARIA SO NOSY. Dude, where did he get that cash? Is Ezra selling drugs? 
• The girls are now debating whether or not to share cheese fries. I love moments like these because it shows that regardless of the crazy, they're still teenage best friends. And then they start talking about how Hanna should wear sensible shoes and she says she wears three inches or nothing. Heh, that's going to be a thing on tumblr soon.
• HA, Spencer just told Aria she looks like a pod person. And dude, now I think it's sort of obvious. Maybe he knew something about Ali or something? 
• Oooo, father-son confrontation. And of course, it's very cyptic and talks about "not getting Spencer involved" even though she's more involved than any of them know.
• LOL, Hanna just said Toby is taking her to the dance. Mrs.Hanna is confused as to why Spencer's boyfriend is taking Hanna to the dance, as everyone would be. Why didn't she just say Emily was taking her? Since that's...true. 
• HA, Spencer's reaction to Hanna's awful lie. Awww, this is really sweet friendship moment between Spencer and Hanna, I love them.
• WTF? Emily is having a flashback that makes no sense and there is a freaky tattoo on someone's arm and just...okay. That was strange. 
• LOL, Toby looks so awkward and this "party" looks so bad. Also: what is EvilCop doing here? Urgh, I hate him. 
• WHOA ALISON FLASHBACK! That's been a while since we got one of those! Also: dude, how did Spencer get that bracelet off while also holding a scarf? I can't do those with my bare fingers!
• WHERE DOES JASON GET HIS CASH? 
• Ah, Toby and Hanna dancing is awkward. Also Toby is very smart and knows that this isn't some plot to keep a nerdy kid at bay. Dude, Spencer and Toby better not break up. 
• UM HOLD UP. What is Holden even doing at this party? Why doesn't this show explain things? I love Holden and everything BUT OH MY GOD HOLY SHIT WHAT NO A CAN'T BE HOLDEN. I WILL FREAK OUT BECAUSE I LIKED HIM. 
• Awkward moment between Mrs.Hanna, EvilCop, and Pastor. Super awkward.
• OH MY GOD CREEPIEST CHURCH EVER. Seriously, what is going on here. God, this was the worst plan ever, Hanna. 
• DUDE THIS IS THE WORST COP EVER. Also I hate him. A lot. Is he part of Team A? That'd be weird. 
• Ezra got the money by selling his grandpa's jaguar but the way he keeps looking at it MAKES ME SUSPICIOUS. 
• Man, I love Spencer's top. Oh man, Garrett is off the case because the bracelet Spencer and Jason found doesn't have his blood. Poor Spencer man. 
• WAIT WAIT, in the preview, why the HELL are those two using a ghost board? Seriously? As if you guys don't have enough problems. Also: Wow A, thanks for the message. As if we didn't already know that. 

And there we go! Let me know in the comments what you thought of this episode!

Happy Watching!

"Look, I'm sorry I beheaded you, okay?"

Title: Insignia (Insignia #1)

Author: S.J Kincaid 

Release Date: July 10th, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins (Katherine Tegan Books)

Pages: 444

Edition: Hardcover

Cover Judge: Cool, gender-neutral, and epic. 

Quote Choice: He. Hehehehehehe.
Source: For Review

Goodreads: Link

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.
Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

So let's name all the things in this book that Harmony usually doesn't read about: boy narrators, military tactics, gaming, BOY NARRATOR, sci-fi. And as you expected, all these things were in Insignia AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH. Seriously, I have major love for this book.

Insignia is about a boy named Tom who lives by the day with his alcoholic father by conning people out of their money playing video games. When his bad ass skills catch the military's eye, he ends up getting shipped off to the Spire, a training ground for teens that are going to fighting in World War Three. The thing is? The fight is completely machine operated. AND IT'S IN SPACE. The war is because of territorial disputes in the SOLAR SYSTEM. The entire book itself takes place on Earth but that concept alone got me pretty excited.

Tom is an amazing hero. Snarky, rebellious, WAY too arrogant for his own good (but enough that I still found him believable and not irritating), and well, ruthless. He made some decisions that I didn't particularly agree with but his loyalty and unwillingness to conform managed to endear me to him quickly enough.

Can we talk about how I know absolutely nothing about gaming or military strategy or anything and I still understood this book? Because that's awesome! My gaming skills go to Mario Kart and Pokemon and they end there, guys. I think I played Kingdom Hearts once and quit half-way through. But the way gaming and tactics blend together in this crazy technology-filled sci-fi was something that I could definitely see coming in the future. One of the biggest things in the book is that war thirty three years in the future is not how war is now: there are no civilian deaths, no people deaths, and finally, LIGHT YEARS away from actually affecting anyone on Earth. That doesn't seem like something that'll never happen to me. And besides the HUGE infodump about the history of the war (which I actually didn't mind because i'm even a sucker for fictional history), the writing is super BOY and fast-paced.

Kinkaid manages to write a book about messing with people's brains and war but still manage to capture the humor that comes with reading a book full of fourteen and fifteen year olds.

I want to hug everyone in this book, by the way. I loved ALL THE CHARACTERS. Vik was probably my favorite with his wit and the amazing friendship that he forms with Tom; Beamer, who I hope to see more of in future installments; Yuri, who OH MY GOD ALL THE HUGS he was so sweet and nice and to finish it off quickly, Wyatt, who is way too blunt, sarcastic, intelligent, and amazing for her own good.

All in all, a fantastic book so don't hesitate because you're afraid it's "not your type".
Happy Reading!

Rereading: time-consuming but amazing.

Hallo everyone! So I think it was yesterday that I was talking with Julie (I can't keep track of our conversations) and we were talking about how we wanted to reread things but felt like we didn't have the time. 

It's always a thin line in blogging: do I read things I can review or should I disregard it and do what I want? I'm not someone who feels like I'm a slave to ARCs because when I want to read a book that's mine, I do it. I have no problem reviewing books that are old (as evident by the fact the review below is from 2010) BUT I can't review a reread, for obvious reasons. So I feel a lot more hesitant to do so because what if because of this, I have nothing to review?

Summer has brought on a problem for me and it's the fact that I never read at home. It's hard for me and I don't know why. I can if I put myself to it and I enjoy myself while doing it, don't get me wrong. But there's SO many other things I could be doing, that I always get my attention pulled away at one point. It's come to the point that the books I review are books I read the day before instead of the book I read a week ago.

But enough of that, the main point of this post is to show some books I really, really want to reread and also get your stance on rereading books! Do you love it? Hate it? I know a lot of people don't see the point but when I reread, it kind of feels like I'm visiting old friends. I know their personalities and their styles but that still doesn't make the experience any less enjoyable.

(for the record, I've already reread: Shatter Me, Divergent, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Incarnate, and obviously Graceling)

BOOKS I WANT TO REREAD:

 Shadow and Bone | Leigh Bardugo | Henry Holt & Co

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

 Brightly Woven | Alexandra Bracken |  Egmont

The day the rains came was like any other, blistering air coating the canyon in a heavy stillness....
Just as the rains come after ten long, dry years, a young wizard, Wayland North, appears, to whisk Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert village. North needs an assistant, and Sydelle is eager to see the country - and to join him on his quest to stop the war that surely will destroy her home. But North has secrets - about himself, about why he chose Sydelle, about his real reasons for the journey. What does he want from her? And why does North's sworn enemy seem fascinated by Sydelle himself?

 Anna and the French Kiss | Stephanie Perkins | Dutton

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Epic Fail | Clarie LeZebnik | HarperTeen

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Cast in point:
- As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school - not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.- As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn't exactly on everyone's must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise's beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince's best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

And that's my basic list! I want to do before the month is over so let's see if I accomplish my goal! What about you? What books do you want to reread? Do we have anything in common?
Happy Reading!

“It was like there was an elephant in the room. An elephant that expected us to have sex.”

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Release Date: May 4th, 2010 (Reviewing an oldie today!)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 

Pages: 344

Edition: Hardcover

Cover Judge: It's cute! And does a good job of telling you what the story could be about.

Quote Choice: So much love for this whole part of the trip and this line is HILARIOUS.
Source: Bought

Goodreads: Link

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident.

So the book starts out with Amy whose mother is moving from California to Connecticut and wants Amy to drive across the country to get to her. The problem? Girl ain't gonna be driving alone! Her mother enlists the help of a friend's son, Roger, who is also going that way and together, these two road trip it up. I really love the name of the book because the entire story stems from Amy branching out from her mother's itinerary and finding their own way. 

ALSO, can we take a moment to appreciate the amazing extras in this book? Things from pages with pictures of the places they were going through, pictures of FOOD (dude, I got hungry reading this book for a minute there), PLAYLISTS (which, by the way, Roger, you have good taste) of music they listened to while on the road. I love little extras inside books and this was no exception!

I loved Amy. She was likable, sweet, and just flawed enough that she's not any sort of mary-sue. She's reeling from a loss and learning to grow herself a spine in spite of her mother being a super bossy-pants, which is something I think everyone can relate to. And then you have Roger, someone who doesn't like saying goodbye because it feels too permanent and someone who is trying to get over a girl. I think this is the only part where the book lagged for me, Roger took so long to get over this girl, guys. And maybe it's because I haven't experienced a heart-wrenching break-up before, but I just wanted to go into the book and shake him and be like: Go! Amy! Right there! 

And of course, the book has amazing side-characters. All of Roger's friends are awesome, Lucien is the best and you are wrong if you don't think so. And if you think this book isn't going to have any emotional weight, wrong! I went in thinking I was going to be reading a fluffy romance but nope, Matson is not afraid to bring emotional, heart-breaking moments along with her funny ones. 

And then that ending. GAH, so satisfying but so not-satisfying at the same time. It's a wonderfully realistic ending but even I, who got a little annoyed at the sheer length of this book, was complaining about seeing it end.

-Happy Reading!

Food For Thought: The Fading Want (8)

Yeah, weird title but! Today I want to talk about and get your opinions on something that happens to me often. Here's the scenario:

I read a book and I"m like: OH MY GOD SO GOOD CAN"T WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL.
And then six month or a year passes, and the sequel is out.
One of three things happen:
1. AHHH! You go buy it and read it and it's awesome
OR
2. You buy it and ahhh, but you never read it.
3. You never end up buying it.

Sadly, two and three happen to me often. I don't know why, it's just this thing that when I have to wait for something for a long time, I lose interest in it.

Now, i'm just curious. Does this happen to you guys? Do you pay attention to news and snippets about the sequel to keep yourself interested?
OR
do you think this is just because you start not to like the first book as much after spending a year reading other awesome sutff? Let me know!

Happy Reading!

Pretty Little Liars 3x05 That Girl Is Poison: Let's Talk About It!

Hey guys and welcome to a new recap of Pretty Little Liars! Let's get down to business: 

• Yeah no big deal, three girls just chilling outside in the dark. Totally not suspicious. 
• Why would A want the lady to be in the hospital? To get Garrett out for a bit? I don't know, that doesn't sound logical. 
• Oh YAY, Ezra/Aria time. MY FAVORITE TIME. (if you're new here, that was sarcasm)
• Oh is Ezra one of those guys that gets all defensive when the girl wants to get him so food? Didn't like him with Aspen, don't like it with you. 
• Lucas? Why are you yelling, bby? 
• Oh my god LULZ, Emily got tickets to the new Katy Perry movie. Subtle little product placement there, guys. Emily does not seem like the type--ah, it was supposed to be for Hanna. Ha, that sounds more plausible. 
• Okay, my problem with Emily right now is that she is so hot and cold all the time! (Haha, get it? Katy Perry? Hot & Cold?) She'll ignore this girl and then invite her to the movies and then probably start ignoring her again! Make a decision! 
• OOOOOOOOOO, Jenna is not wearing her blind glasses! Whoa! She looks older with them off, is it just me that thinks so? 
• Awwww, Hanna is sad about Caleb. HA, she's such a realistic teenage girl going through a break-up: "I'm going to listen to all the sad songs on my ipod, on repeat". Love her.
• Jenna is walking around flaunting her ability to see people and Emily is really pissed off about it. She's so volatile these days. Oh my god Emily, calm down. There's no proof he killed Ali and Maya and his mom is IN THE HOSPITAL. I know you think he killed Maya and that's why you're mad but I'm honestly getting sick of her "tough bad girl" attitude all the time. 
• HEHEHEHE, anthrax shouldn't be funny but I love Spencer's wit. 
• Jenna is throwing a...."yay, I can see" party? Good for her, NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE SUCKS. So she should flaunt it a little. 
• OH MY GOD YES EMILY'S BOSS. I'm so happy he's here; I love him. 
• WHOA, Jenna is hispanic? Said something about putting quincenera photos somwhere and that's a hispanic coming-of-age tradition (like a sweet sixteen, but at fifteen)
• Oh HI NATE. Thanks for barging in to my WORK PLACE ranting about personal things. <--- Me if I was Emily. Instead she calmly tries to tell him to be quiet while he shouts (understandly) I still think he's fishy. DID JENNA JUST SMILE AT HIM?
• HAHA, Spencer. "When you baby-squirrel Ezra, you take away his nuts". Also Spencer, where is your boyfriend? Ah so as usual, Spencer is the only one coming up with an actual plan. 
• Oh, are they having a moment? I feel like Emily has a moment with everyone, I can't even tell. 
• Whoa, Jenna, laying on the moves to a stranger! 
• Gah, Hanna's sorting clothes. I'd be dying of boredom too. 
• AHHHHH, a potential love interest for Mamma Marin? That's nice; where do I know him from?
• Oh god, more Ezra/Aria time. Seriously, why are they always the focus couple? Jesus. He got her a really old looking camera and for people who like them, i'm sure this is a super tender moment of love and sacrifice or something. 
• BAHA, I love Spencer's attempt at hiding. That was a fail. Also: he could have written the note for when his mother would wake up. That's logical but yeah sure, let's jump to conclusions. 
• Aw, Jenna looks so happy. Sometimes I forget that she raped Toby and I'm like: she's nice and then I remember and i'm like: I hate you, you're disgusting. 
• Whose jacket is it? Caleb's? Ah, just one of their pieces of clothing from the night of the grave-digging. 
• HA, is Maya Male crushing on Jenna? Wait, why does she have to spike her drink? Is there alcohol at this party? "Oh my god, Harmony, that's illegal!" Yeah, so is dating someone over 18. Doesn't stop these people.
• WAIT, why are Aria and Fitz walking around? They....they do know just because your parents know about it, it doesn't make it less illegal? Or wait, does it? I don't even know but this doesn't seem right. Also: Aria, stop making Fitz Budgets. 
• Man, Emily has nice skin. Also: HA, told you. Back to ignoring Swim Girl. 
• TOBY. FINALLY. FINALLY. The thing I actually look forward to on this show anymore (that and Crazy Mona. Also when they finally actually do crazy stuff anymore) They are so cute. SO CUTE. So they kiss and talk about how much Jenna sucks and then more kissing. Yay. 
• Oh my god, can we please just start expanding on this "A agenda". I feel like we keep getting little child's play: invitations, texts, leaving clothing behind, photos. I want MORE. I want season 2 when people were being chased and trapped in clown rides and stuff. 
• Ha, people are so trusting in small towns. Never give your key to a teenager, even one you caught. Seriously. 
• Did Aria forget she was supposed to get something for that lady? Poor lady. 
• Oh my god wow, Male Maya, none of your business whether or not Emily went out with Paige. 
• OH WOW, there was sleeping pill residue in her flask. Oh my god guys, what if Garrett's mom is A? Best twist of the whole show.
• "April Rose Has The Proof". What does that even mean? This reminds me of National Treasure (yeah, the movie with Nicolas Cage) where the guy tells him: there will always be clues and more clues that'll never lead up to anything. And that's how I feel we are now. 
• MAYBE LUCAS HAS A SLEEPING DISORDER. PFFT. 
• OH MY GOD WHY IS SPENCER CRYING IN THE PREVIEW THEY BETTER NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO TOBY. More likely it has to do with her shit family. 

And that's it for this episode of Pretty Little Liars! What did you guys think?

Happy Reading!

"Try me, and you'll be singing a different tune. If I let you keep your lungs."

Title: Defiance

Author: C.J Redwine

Release Date: August 28th, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins (Balzar + Bray)

Pages: 416

Edition: Hardcover

Cover Judge: I love it! Badass redhead in a badass outfit and the outline of the city near the title is awesome

Quote Choice: Heh, I loved this scene.
Source: For Review

Goodreads: Link

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.

* BADASS HIGH FANTASY ALERT *

I've talked a lot before about what I think makes a fantastic book: fascinating world-building, high-stakes plot, interesting and ever-changing characters, and finally: sacrifice. I feel like in the course of a journey, the main character has to lose something, has to give something up (whether it's her sanity or her family or her sense of security) to make a novel truly compelling. Defiance, as promised, has all of it!

Defiance is about a girl called Rachel whose father Jared is declared dead by their "Commander (aka Bully Dictator)" because he fails to show up in the 60 day time slot from a mission. Because of this, Rachel gets put under the protection of Logan, her father's apprentice and the boy she declared her love to two years ago and was awkwardly snubbed for (so now, she really doesn't like him. Who can blame her? That sucks). But they both have one thing in common: they don't think Jared is dead and they want to go after him. 

That is the set-up for the world and I'm very interested to see what's going to happen in the next installment because the pacing is set really well in that you get a glimpse of this universe and how it's changing but she doesn't reveal too much about the rest of the city-states. There's still so much more to be explored which I definitely appreciate. Also: the first-half of the story is actually all set in Baalboden because you'd think it'd be a journey story straight off the bat. BUT Redwine is actually realistic and makes it really difficult for Rachel to escape to find her father. There are consequences for her actions, failed plans, heart-break, all before she finally manages to make it outside. And I loved it. It didn't feel slow or dragged on, it felt like a natural thing because dude: it should not be so easy to get out of a city that is under a tyrannical government.

As for the characters, I was a little reluctant of Rachel going in. I liked her but I didn't love her and so, I was naturally worried. But man, was I wrong. Rachel throughout the novel is hardened by loss, sacrifice, and heart-break and she is not the loud-mouthed girl you are presented to in the beginning. She goes through...some really hard things and naturally, that makes any person become someone else. She introspects a lot about how she doesn't feel like the same person and I have to agree to some extent: she is not the same girl who walked recklessly through the marketplace. She matures but she is not a different person. She was still the Rachel I started the book with just...a badass, frankly.

And finally, the roooomance, guys. The chapters alternate between Logan and Rachel because a part of their journey is set separated from each other, going for different things. This leads to two different points of view that intertwine incredibly well. Logan was protective, determined, slightly neurotic and because of that, highly intelligent. I enjoyed this because you really get to see both sides of the coin in their initially failed romance and watch them both grow as friends and then ultimately as more as the novel goes by. I think the only thing I found strange was that sometimes, their thought patterns were organized the same way (like Logan will be thinking something in a certain format and then Rachel will think of something similar in the same format, if that makes sense) but it did form a sort of cohesiveness throughout the book.

Fantastic, I definitely recommend it!
-Happy Reading!

Book Hauling It Up { 70 }

For Review:
Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Gifted:
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Happy Reading!

Survey: you know you want to!

Now it's been almost a year since I did a survey with you guys so it's time for another one! This is mostly just for me to see what you guys think of the site, what you love, what you hate, all that good stuff. So it would mean a lot to me if you filled it out! It's not too long, I don't think it should take more than five minutes of your time :)

I'll have a vlog for you tomorrow so see you then!
Happy Reading!

Advice to Heroines: Seriously, Take Notes.

This post is actually what I sounds like! Some basic advice that heroines should really take into consideration if they want to survive past the first 100 pages! (Haha, totally kidding, they have to live even though they're doing anything wrong because the book you're reading is probably in first person)

1. Let people finish their sentences.

Seriously, so many misunderstanding could be fixed if heroines could simply hold their horses and wait for other people to finish!

2. Leaving to fight The Big Bad alone doesn't make you brave, it makes you dumb.

Seriously, if you can't fight the thing on your own, "sacrificing" yourself doesn't make you brave. If it's something you CAN do on your own, go for it, but really: the Beatles said you need a little help from your friends. If they're willing to fight, don't take that right from them!

please, we all remember this. RIDICULOUSNESS

3. Leave the romance for later

Seriously, don't have a sudden epiphany of love when you're in the middle of something bad happening! Wait for that kiss to be a victory kiss!

4. Stalkers that are hot are still stalkers.
Just...just some friendly advice.

5. Suck it up

You think everyone else wants to be in a post-apocalyptic world/totalitarian society/the moon/whatever? No! But you're probably the savior so I need you to have your crazy freak-out because you deserve it and then get down to business (to defeat the huns. I'm sorry; I had to)!

6. If something is coming at you, KILL IT. 

Seriously, so many injuries could be avoided if there was no hesitation! If this crazy wild monster is about to kill you, kill it first!

7. Stop having internal spiritual enlightenment or introspective shit during a fight scene. 

Seriously, I do not understand when a book is in first person and the girl's in the middle of a fight and then she starts...thinking. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THINKING. The only thing you should be thinking about is staying alive, not about your life or your choices! This is really similar to when I used to watch Sailor Moon and could never understand why the fight just...paused when they had to change into costume.

this was like the first thing that came up for "spirit journey"

8. Learn how to defend yourself.

I don't care if it's basic self defense or magic or a sword, learn how to do something if you don't know how to do anything. You're not any help just standing in the corner!

9. Please verify there is no blood relation between you and your romantic interest before proceeding. Seriously: ancestry.com or something.

Just...please. That's all I ask. (Kiidding, I doubt ancestry.com will tell you the SPECIES of your parents. Although that would make a lot of heroine's lives a lot easier)

10. Whatever illegal thing you're doing, either stop it or prepare for a rebellion/war/revelation.

Seriously, you think you're going to get away with it but you're not. Whether it's making genetically engineered plants or sneaking away past the gate or walking with boys at night when it's not allowed. Stop it and keep living your normal life or be ready to face the consequences!

Happy Reading!

"I don't want people having prophecies about me, or giving me tarot cards, or trying to recruit me for Team Apocalypse."

Title: Struck

Author: Jennifer Bosworth

Release Date: May 8th, 2012

Publisher: Macmillan (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR) 

Pages: 373

Edition: Hardcover

Cover Judge: Eh, it's alright. Nothing special

Quote Choice: Hehe, I found this line hilarious
Source: For Review

Goodreads: Link

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

So I was actually really surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. While I didn't fall for it completely, it's addicting!

So basically, Mia's been struck by lightening a lot. It doesn't say exactly how much, but the blurb on the front says "hundreds of times". This, I find a little suspicious. Hundreds of times? Is that even possible? But anyway, there's this huge storm and earthquake that destroys Los Angeles and everyone is freaking out. People are stealing food, fighting for rations, going to mysterious rave parties (always a priority), and best of all: there's a crazy guy who claims God is talking to him. So "Prophet", as he likes to be called, says that the end is coming so you better be on his side or you will like, rot in hell and fire and burn for all eternity. Now, surprisingly, he didn't annoy the crap out of me. He was a crazy villain! He had evil plans, awesome powers, and the way he went about his evil plan even managed to surprise me! The plot wasn't anything outstanding but the book is written in a way that is engaging and paced fast enough that I didn't find myself getting bored halfway through (I'm writing this review at 3:30 in the morning and I started it around 12:30 so yeah)

I really enjoyed Mia as a heroine so round of applause for her! In this crazy world, I liked that she was all about survival and doing what was best for the people she cared about. I'm all for caring about other people but I want my characters to be realistic and if you're in a post-apocalyptic world, your family is who you're going to protect above all others. Which is maybe why I found Parker's antics super annoying instead of endearing because dude: are you trying to get yourself killed? One thing I wish we would've gotten more of was Mia's history with lightening strikes. She calls herself an addict in the beginning and I loved all the moments that featured her and storms because you really get to see how her body just craves it. I thought everything that featured her powers was awesome.

As for side characters, I don't really feel anything for any of them. None of them were developed enough for me to actually care about them since the story was so focused on Mia. Katrina was the most developed side character outside of her family and she was pretty cool but I just had to look her name up in the book after just reading it, so that isn't usually a good sign.

I have mixed feelings about Jeremy even though I was really, really happy with their ending. It's one of those moments where you don't realize you want two people together until it happens and then you're happy about it. But Jeremy is kind of crazy stalker at first, or at least he seems to be to Mia. But I thought that was super weird but after the explanation of his powers and all the plots twists unraveling, I started to like him well enough. I feel like anyone with his power would be a little unstable so I thought his paranoia in the beginning of the book was justified. But at the same time....I didn't know him. I felt like he was just a plot device because you know, YA romance is an awesome thing to have and all that.

Happy Reading!

THOUGHTS ON AN ECARD:

Waiting On Wednesday: Harper Edition

As always, I must do a Waiting On Wednesday when HarperCollin's catalogs come out! (Note: I'm not including sequels because duh I'm dying for: Asunder, Fragments, Shadows Of The Silence, Through The Ever Night!)
This is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine.

Title: Pulse

Author: Patrick Carman

Release Date: February 26th, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins (Katherine Tegan)

Notes: Dude, "pulse"-pounding fantasy with a love story? Yes please!

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.

Title: Mila 2.0

Author: Debra Driza

Release Date: March 12th, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins (Katherine Tegan)

Notes:  This sounds kind of like it'll appeal to Dollhouse fans and since I'm watching that right now, this interests me greatly!

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity–style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

Title: Prophecy

Author: Ellen Oh

Release Date: January 2nd, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins (HarperTeen)

Notes:  High Fantasy? Yes. Anything I see "for fans of Tamora Pierce", i'm instantly intrigued. 

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and she's the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And she’s their only hope....
When murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, Kira takes to the road with the young prince. With only the guidance of the Dragon King’s cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shamans, and the Demon Lord himself to find the ruby treasure that was once lost and to raise a prince into a king.
Intrigue and mystery, ancient legend and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

  Title: Pivot Point

Author:  Kasie West

Release Date: February 12th, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins (HarperTeen)

Notes:  This might be the one I'm most psyched for! Two difference stories featuring the same girl who is seeing two different futures?

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, a special type of clairvoyant, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. When Addie’s parents tell her they are getting a divorce and she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known—the answer should be easy. One six-week Search proves it’s not. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through...and who she can’t live without.
Reminiscent of the movie Sliding Doors, the chapters alternate between Addie’s two possible futures. With sweet romance, surprising twists, and brilliant storytelling, readers will have no choice but to fall in love with Pivot Point.

Title: City of a Thousand Dolls

Author: Miriam Forster

Release Date: February 5th, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins (HarperTeen)

Notes:  "perfect for fans of The Girl Of Fire and Thorns and Graceling". Um, yeah. I'm sold. 

The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives.
Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the remote estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.
Readers who flock to lush fantasies like the Graceling series and Tamora Pierce’s Bloodhound books will be won over by Nisha and the captivating world ofCity of a Thousand Dolls.

Which one are YOU most excited for? Happy Reading!