Waiting On Wednesday: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to read.



I know a lot of you have probably seen this book mentioned hundreds of times already but I couldn't resist!

 From Goodreads

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.  

What books are you eagerly anticipating the release of? Let me know!  

Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Recieved ARE from GoodReads
Series: Soul Seekers #1
Author Info: Website
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 368
Age Group: Young Adult
Format I Own: Paperback
Pre-order: Amazon

First I'll mention that I really love this cover. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover but I will admit that was what originally drew me to this book. The next thing that drew me to the book was reading the premise, where it states the main character Daire, is being haunted by disturbing visions. Woohoo! I can never turn down a book with insane characters in it.

And that's pretty much how the book starts out, with a little bit of insanity, and it was a perfect way to get me instantly sucked into this book. However I'd say the beginning was probably the best of the book in my opinion, but I'm very confident the majority of readers will not feel the same way. Don't get me wrong though, I still found the entire book to be quite enjoyable.

I liked that this book incorporated hispanic origins and cultures into it, that was a unique change of pace which I think is almost necessary in a good paranormal romance, considering just how many YA books are popular in this genre these days.

I did find Daire to be a little annoying and childish at times, but on the other hand when I think about it, if I was in her situation I probably would have reacted in a similar manner. Also, I felt like it took forever to get to the point of just what the plot was supposed to be. I found myself asking 'what's really going on?' for quite a large part of reading this.

The ending didn't leave me with that feeling of NEEDING the next book right now because I have to find out what happens, even though there was one specific thing mentioned towards the end that had me asking questions, and wanting to figure out what it means. Because of that and my overall liking of this book, I do plan on reading the next one in the series once it comes out.

Waiting on Wednesday: Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to read.

From Goodreads

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

What books are you eagerly anticipating the release of? Let me know!

Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Series: Vampire Academy #1
Author Info: Website
Published: August 16, 2007
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 332
Age Group: Young Adult
Format I Own: Kindle e-book
Purchase: Amazon

When I first heard of the book, I was constantly seeing it being compared to Twilight, and considering I did enjoy Twilight, I thought I should probably read this too, even though I'm not a huge vampire lover or anything.

I didn't really enjoy this book much at all, and usually when I'm not enjoying a book, I don't focus all my attention on it, and let it consume me, so I probably miss a lot of important factors, keep that in mind when reading what I'm about to write.

I found this book to be... a little too young for me. I'm only in my early 20's, but when reading this, I felt like I was in high school again with all the catty girls, gossip, and sex references galore. If this hadn't been a vampire-themed book and it just focused on a bunch of normal teenagers, I would have felt like I was just reading some 15 year-old girls diary.

I also felt like there was a lack on any real plot. Usually when I read a book I notice the main focus of the story pretty early on, but not with this. It wasn't until I got to the end that I got a better understanding for what the plot was, and perhaps found it a bit more interesting as well, but at that point I was more focused on finishing the book, rather than what was going on.

Rose just seemed like your stereo typical high-school girl to me. She was boy crazy, kind of slutty, wanting to drink even though she's underage, and had a foul temper. However the foul-tempered thing didn't bother me too much, because with that I also felt that she was quite badass, but that's about the only thing I liked about her.

The last thing I want to point out, is that I felt this book was ridiculously inappropriate for being YA, mostly because of the language, but also again, sex references and underage drinking. I'm pretty sure that if this was 8-10 years ago and I had asked my parents if I could read this book, they would surely say no if they knew what was in it. So I wouldn't have been allowed to read it as a teenager, and found it to be too juvenile as an adult.

Overall, I know these are very popular books and tons of people like them, but I had high expectations for this book, and they were not met at all.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to read.

From Goodreads

Enter a world where everything, even our classic fairy tales, is not at all what it seems.

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never head of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as "Prince Charming." But all of this is about to change...

Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Guztav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other associated terrors to becom the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

This title is the first in a series about the adventures of Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav. The second title is due out in 2013.

 What books are you eagerly anticipating the release of? Let me know!

Friday Finds 3/23

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS! 
Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

 Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

 Awakening by Karice Bolton

Alone in snowy, remote Whistler village, Ana tries to build a new life since losing her parents. With a cozy condo, a sweet-faced bulldog and an evening job to leave the days free for the slopes, life slips into a great routine. If only she could shake the guilt for not remembering anything about her parents and banish the night terrors that haunt her every dream.
On a whim, Ana goes out with Athen, a guy she's just met in the Grizzly Pub... The only problem is that she feels like she already knows him.

Within 48 hours of meeting Athen and his family, Ana's world implodes. She falls for Athen quickly and before she knows it, a past life begins to resurface. As thrilling as the revelations appear at first, she fights against the chilling information that Athen is from the underworld. Soon she begins to struggle as her own supernatural gifts are slowly unveiled, and she realizes that the nightmares she's been having might be premonitions and not dreams at all.
It is up to Ana to decipher between fact and fiction before it is too late, and her new love, Athen, follows in her same fate - one that is lost between two worlds. 

 Heiress Without A Cause by Sara Ramsey

 A disgraced son with a dark reputation, William “Ferguson” Avenel is content to live in exile – until his father dies in the scandal of the Season. With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England – and he won’t ruin her, even if he secretly desires the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.

One chance to break the rules...

Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity – even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.

One season to fall in love...

Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?

 Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel

 When Lily Wellstone heads to the Bitterward Estate to comfort her widowed friend Eugenia, she certainly does not have romance in mind. In fact, the playful but level-headed Lily is amused to no end when, en route, a Gypsy gifts her with a beautiful medallion, claiming it will ensnare the romantic desires of a stranger.

But fate has other plans in the form of Eugenia’s ruggedly handsome brother, the Duke of Mountjoy. One day at Bitterward and Lily can’t deny the sizzling attraction between her and the roguish duke. Nothing can come of it, of course. She’s not looking for entanglements and he’s practically engaged. But whether it’s her outgoing nature and the duke’s outlandish ways sparking off one another; or the mysterious gypsy medallion working “magic,”—hearts are stirring in the most unexpected and wicked ways. . .

 

Have you read any of these books? Let me know your thoughts, or show me your review!

Review - A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Author Info: Website
Published: August 6, 1996
Publisher: Bantam Spectra (US) | Voyager Books (UK)
Pages: 694 (US Hardback)
Age Group: Adult
Format I Own: Kindle e-book
Purchase: Amazon

When I first started getting more heavy into reading, this was one of the books that I was hearing the most about, and mostly good things, so naturally I looked it up to see what it was about and was immediately drawn to it based on that it was an adult novel (sometimes I like to step away from YA) and that it was in a medieval setting. Awesome, sword fights! I love books that take place in medieval times. Unfortunately, my excitement over this book stops there.

I never actually finished this book, so this review will be short. I also never posted this on GoodReads, but wanted to share on my blog, my reasoning for not finishing this book. In a nutshell, I just felt like there was way too much going on for me to keep track of everything that was happening. Once I'm finally starting to understand what one group of characters is doing, then a new chapter starts and we switch over to a new group and what they're off doing. I'm not sure if there were too many characters or not, but I also found that I wasn't able to distinguish them all individually while reading, none of them stood out to me.

I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book, I had EXTREMELY high hopes for it when I started it and was expecting to love it. Perhaps I just over hyped it and that's what made the book bland for me.