Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath
by Brodi Ashton
Release Date: January 24, 2012
by HarperCollins
Series: Everneath, #1
Num Pages: 370
Links: Goodreads/Purchase

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath.  Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
    Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
   As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.
   Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

*synopsis taken from Goodreads.

My Review:


   Oh my god. I love this book. Not being familiar with the Persephone myth and Greek mythology in general I wasn't sure what to expect of this book. Coming into it I was a bit skeptical. But I was blown away. This book is absolutely amazing.
         So like a lot of other books this book has a love triangle but it's a lot different from any other love triangle I've read about. There's Jack, Nikki's boyfriend before Everneath, who genuinely seems like a sweet guy, and then there's Cole, the Everliving who seems to be the villain but the reader has this weird connection with Cole. I didn't like him very much; even if he cared about Nikki I didn't like the way he spoke, or the way he acted. So I am definitely on Team Jack, because I loved Jack. You could tell he really loved Nikki and cared about her even in the darkest moments. Hearing how sad he was about Nikki's disappearance made ME said, actually a few tears slipped down my face, and I almost NEVER cry in books. All along I was really wishing that Cole would disappear so that's why I like Jack MUCH better. No question. Another thing I'm really glad about is that I read this book just in time for the second book's release. No more eager waiting for its release, 'cause I can get it in a few weeks!
Another thing I really liked about this book was that it was so captivating, through and through. I started this book last night and didn't stop until I was exhausted. Then the next morning (today) I just read until I finished the book. It was positively mind-blowing.
      This book gave me a stomachache not to mention a headache. I know that sounds bad but it was kind of in a good way. Every time Nikki would mention her fate or her past I'd start to feel sick. I don't know if this is just a coincidence or if it really did have to do with the book, but I think you know that when you start to feel sick (in a good way!) when you're reading a book that the author has done her job well.
     The one thing I had problems with in this book was Nikki. I liked her and all, but she was sort of... I don't know, boring. No. That's not the right word. She definitely wasn't boring, but I feel like I didn't get enough info about what she was like before the Feed. Like, what kind of girl was she? I know she was a girl with a hopeless crush on Jack, that one was pretty clear, but I didn't know anything about her. She's basically a mystery to me, even though she tells the story in a first person narrative.
All in all this book was absolutely mind-boggling. And a plus-- It has a gorgeous cover ;)

4/5 stars

Review: Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Dairy Queen
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Release Date: May 22, 2006
Series: Dairy Queen, #1
Num Pages: 275
Links: Goodreads/Purchase

When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. 
Harsh words, indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D.J. can't help admitting, maybe he's right.
When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. 
Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn't so friendly anymore.  Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won't even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.
When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. 
Welcome to the summer that fifteen year old DJ Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and having an awful lot of stuff to say.

My Review:


Sixteen year old DJ Schwenk's life is far from perfect. Her college football-star brothers haven't talked to her in months, her younger brother never talks, her dad has hip problems, her mom works a lot, she flunked Sophomore English, and she's stuck doing ten thousand daily chores on her family's farm. Sounds fun, right? Well, everything changes when Brian Nelson, comes to work at the farm. DJ has never been the type of girl that guys swoon over, nor has she been the type to swoon over guys. But this terrible, long, wonderful summer, she falls in Love.
       I really liked this book. I came away feeling happy. First of all let me make one thing clear: My favorite character was the dog. Smut, her name is. I have no idea why but she was just my favorite character even though she was barely mentioned. I just thought I'd mention that. :p Anyway, now that's out of the way. I really liked DJ too. She wasn't beautiful or perfect or boy-obsessed (Well, not really...) like all the other book heroines I read about. She was so much different, and I liked her for that. She worked really hard and made me realize that I was probably the most spoiled person ever when I loudly complained to my mom that I really, really didn't want to empty the dishwasher, thank you very much. And she changed SO MUCH throughout the novel, it was fantastic. At the end she started to get kind of arrogant, which bothered me a teensy bit, but no characters in books can be 100% perfect right? So I managed to overlook this and I ended up really liking her as a character.
     I've never been a fan of football. Like, my brothers would get really excited about a football game, and I'd just kind of sit there not really interested in it. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of watching and playing sports. But something about football has always seemed kind of boring to me. But now that I've read this book, I have whole different views on football. Instead of impatiently waiting for all the football talk to be finished, I clued in and I found that the parts where DJ talked about football were my favorite parts. So now I must declare that I will go watch football, or heck even PLAY football when my brothers do. (I say proudly.)
    This book gave me a lot to think about. It wasn't fantasy; It was definitely something that could happen in real life. Since I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction these days, it was nice to be able to actually compare your life to someone else and reflect on what the character learned and if you too could learn from this. Which sounds totally weird, I know. But I'm holding strong to that point because it really is more important. Anyway, I learned a LOT from this book. Even though it was more of a light read and I pretty much finished it in a day, it taught some lessons that you'll have to find out about by reading the book.
   So should you buy Dairy Queen, or borrow it from the library? Yes! Go now!

4/5 stars

Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners
by Libba Bray
Release Date: September 18, 2012
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: The Diviners, #1
Num Pages: 592
Links: Goodreads/Purchase


It's 1920s New York City. It's flappers and Follies, jazz and gin. It's after the war but before the depression. And for certain group of bright young things it's the opportunity to party like never before.

For Evie O'Neill, it's escape. She's never fit in in small town Ohio and when she causes yet another scandal, she's shipped off to stay with an uncle in the big city. But far from being exile, this is exactly what she's always wanted: the chance to show how thoroughly modern and incredibly daring she can be.

But New York City isn't about just jazz babies and follies girls. It has a darker side. Young women are being murdered across the city. And these aren't crimes of passion. They're gruesome. They're planned. They bear a strange resemblance to an obscure group of tarot cards. And the New York City police can't solve them alone.

Evie wasn't just escaping the stifling life of Ohio, she was running from the knowledge of what she could do. She has a secret. A mysterious power that could help catch the killer - if he doesn't catch her first.

*synopsis taken from Goodreads

*this review contains spoilers! Do NOT read unless you have read the book!!!!

My Review:



"The sun cleared the horizon. The light stung her eyes. 'Kiss me,' Evie said. He took her face in his hands and his kiss blotted out the sky."

Powerful. Sexy. Thrilling. Absolutely divine. (See what I did there...? ^^)

I expected this book to be epic. I expected tears, love, and Libba Bray at her full amazing-ness. After being the #1 fan of her Gemma Doyle trilogy, I know what Libba Bray can do when she sets pen to paper. So I was expecting something amazing, better than amazing.

Libba, You have not disappointed me.

I LOVE THIS BOOK ♥. I really don't think it could have been any better. How did Libba Bray manage to make me so involved with the storyline, yet LOVE the characters, yet FALL IN LOVE with two guy characters... I don't know how she did it. As I closed the book when I finished it, all I could think was, "Only Libba Bray could have done it."

This book is set in a similar time period to the Gemma Doyle series, ten years give or take. Yet it was so DIFFERENT. The Gemma Doyle books were set in England at the turn of the century, this book is set in New York City in the 1920's. Not a big difference, right? Well, there is a difference. A HUGE difference. Americans were so more... modernized than the British were back then. I'm not saying that what the British were at was a bad thing, I'm just saying it's completely different. Which I found really intriguing. I'm not sure which books I like better, though-- I don't think I even CAN choose, to be honest.

The characters in this book are easily my favorite part. John Hobbes, better known as Naughty John, scared me half to death! [[[The first murder, Ruda Badowski, had me nearly screaming. There's something so weird about having one's eyes cut out... ughhh!!!! ]]] Evie, while she is very flawed, was extremely entertaining and sometimes I laughed out loud at her ridiculous humor. For example, I'm giving a few here.

"Was your trip comfortable?" [asked Uncle Will]
"Swell, although I was pickpocketed at Penn Station," Evie said.
Uncle Will raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"A hideous young man named Sam Lloyd. Well, that was the name he gave me before he kissed me and stole my twenty dollars."
Will squinted. "He what?" (pg. 46)

"Okay. I'll bite. How did Unc--" [Evie said]
"Must you call me that?"
Evie considered it. "Yes, I believe I must."

Even though I liked Evie, I LOVED Jericho ♥. That boy stole my heart, big-time. He was such a gentleman. At the end of the book I was practically wailing for him. O_O [[[ I was just about losing it. Hearing what happened to him and then him kissing Evie at the end was just... magical. And heartbreaking, because he's kissing Evie, not me :'( From the beginning I knew he was my boy ]]] So it would definitely be a blatant lie to say that Jericho wasn't my favorite character. I feel the need to quote him, but I would not recommend reading this if you have not read the book.

[[[

"All this time, I thought I was alone. Different. But you're different, too." He was looking at her in a new way. "For the longest time, I wanted to die. I figured that I was dead inside already, that they'd killed me when they turned me into a machine. but I don't feel dead anymore." His face was so close to hers. His hand was on her back. "I know what I want now."

"What's that?" Evie whispered.

There was nothing awkward or tentative about Jericho's kiss. He pressed his mouth against hers with a ferocious insistence. Every part of her felt awake and alive." ]]] (page 577)

*squee*
*fangirl*
*faints*

[[[

"Evie needed something to keep her mind occupied, and so she watched Jericho's forearms working the shovel, paying attention to the pull of the muscle, the strength of his grip. He remembered the feel of his hand over hers, like a shield. He was a mystery to her in many ways, and she found that she wanted to know his secrets--not ripped from him via a wallet or favorite pen, but given to her as a gift... She watched Jericho's large hands work and imagined those hands caressing her bare skin, imagined the taste of his mouth, the press of his body against hers." (page 487) ]]] ♥♥

Anyway, I think you get the idea. ^^ I also loved Sam, he was funny and totally in love with Evie. I wasn't sure about him at first, but I grew to love him a lot. He is probably my 2nd favorite character, after Jericho. :))

I was expecting this book to take me forever to read. Like, seriously forever. O.o I guess I'm a fast reader when I'm really interested in the book, and this was the case while I was reading this book. Once I got 50 or so pages in, I couldn't stop reading. I finished it in a day and a half! And seeing that it is 578 pages long, I am pretty proud of this accomplishment. ^.^ *brags* But anyway, this book was a surprisingly quick read for me. Definitely not a light book, actually considerably heavy, but I finished it quick even though it weighs more than I do. (figuratively)


This book is a-maaaa-zing. If you want to read this book, do not look at its size, look at its content. I was intimidated at first about how long it was, but Oh. My. God. I fell in love ♥ I cannot wait for the next book!!!

5/5 stars (♥Perfection)

Waiting on Wednesday #4

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight upcoming releases that we're highly anticipating. 

This week's pre-publication "can't wait to read" is:

Nobody But Us
by Kristin Halbrook
Release Date: January 29, 2012
Links: Goodreads/Pre-Order

Bonnie and Clyde meets If I Stay in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts.

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

Zoe wants Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together.  But they never imagined their escape to be so fraught with danger... When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can't run fast enough.

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

What are you guys waiting on this week? Link me up!! :)

Review: Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Cloaked
by Alex Flinn
Release Date: February 8, 2011
by HarperCollins

I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all. It all started with a curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.  There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that.  And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knoew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!), to a fox named Todd, and nearly tramped by giants in the Keys. 

Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either.  But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED. 

*synopsis taken from Goodreads. 

*This review contains spoilers, but I have marked them off with brackets like [[[this]]]. 

My Thoughts:


   I wasn't really expecting much from this book (don't really know why), so at least it wasn't a complete disappointment. No doubt I was still unimpressed. I haven't read  Beastly , which is also by Alex Flinn, but I don't think I'll be reading it since this one was just plain annoying.

This book started out ok. About halfway through I was thinking it would be a 3-star rating. But 60% of the way through, this book fell apart. I ended up skimming through the second half and wishing that it would be over already. I was extremely bored. I liked Johnny I guess, although to me he was a bit boring, as was Meg. The characters needed a little more personality, I thought. [[[I guess their romance was sweet but it was more like, "Oh that's cute. But whatever. Let's get back to the story," even though there wasn't much of a story in my opinion. ]]] It was sort of annoying having to read the stuff spoken by the princess or people from her country, as all the W's were pronounced as V's and it was just obnoxious.

One thing I did like about the book was that Johnny's mother was aware of what he was doing. There are so many books (in fact, ALL Of the books I've read) in which the parent is clueless to their son's or daughter's whereabouts. I guess it's fine, independence and all that, but I seriously doubt that parents would just be like, "Oh, whatev, my son is talking to foxes and there's this serial killer dude chasing after him." Well Johnny's mom wasn't like that. SO I think that is the one thing I liked about the book. All in all I didn't really like this book. Not really for specific reasons. I just didn't enjoy it, the plot went too fast and I ended up skipping most of the second half of it. I wouldn't recommend this book but try it if you like. The premise was interesting I guess but this wasn't one I'll be saying I liked or anything. :/ 

1.5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday #4

Hi, everyone! ♥ Time for another amazing Tuesday! (Last week was a freebie because it was Christmas Day :p) I hope you are all having a very happy New Year and 2013 so far ♥♥

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more information about this meme, click here.

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books I Resolve To Read in 2013

Clockwork Princess 
by Cassandra Clare

This is no doubt my most anticipated 2013 release. What will happen to Will, Tessa, and Jem? I'm getting this the day it comes out-- March 19-- and there will be no stopping me when I'm reading this! I have a feeling that this book isn't going to end the way I want it to, and I know there will be tears shed. Nonetheless, this is one that cannot be overlooked. I'm so excited for it!!

The Elite 
by Kiera Cass

Wow. I almost can't believe how excited I am for this book, despite some annoyances that came along with the first book. Every time I reread the Selection, it just gets better. So that's why this earns a spot at number 2. The cover is absolutely gorgeous (not that it matters... :p) and I just can't wait to see what happens in this book. AHHHhh! I'm so excited ♥. Even though I'm not America's biggest fan, I am so looking forward to finding out her fate. :) I have a feeling I'll like this book, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Maxon's sake.

Scarlet 
by Marissa Meyer

I fell in love with the first book in this series. With Cinder, with Kai, with everything in it. So that's why I cannot wait for the second installment to this lovely series.  I hear that Cinder isn't going to be in this book, which is a disappointment, but I expect nothing but the best from Marissa since she showed me her amazingness by writing the first book. (Don't know if amazingness is a word, but...whatev.)

Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas

This book's already been released, but nonetheless I resolve to read it in 2013, because it looks fantastic, although I have heard mixed reviews on it.  I hear there's a kick-ass heroine which is exactly what I like in a book. So I'll definitely be buying this one very soon! Expect a review from me shortly. :)

Such A Rush
by Jennifer Echols

Let's face it, why do I want to read this book? Because of the cover. Also I won't lie- The synopsis does sound pretty interesting. I will be looking for this one the next time I am at a bookstore and will most likely be coming home with it. :)

Going Too Far
by Jennifer Echols

Haha, I actually just noticed that this book's by the same author as Such A Rush, which I didn't realize till now. Funny. Anyway, I've heard amazing things about this book and yeah, let's face it, it has a gorgy cover. :p

Everneath
by Brodi Ashton

This book's cover is just...breathtaking (that's the only word that's coming to mind here). But no, no! That's NOT why I want to read it! It seems so interesting and fascinating and from reading the synopsis, a great love triangle even though I am not the biggest fan of love triangles. Anyway, that's why I want to read it and will definitely be looking for this the next time I'm at the bookstore!!

Pushing the Limits
by Katie McGarry

Alright I'll be honest. I don't like this cover. In fact, I would never have considered putting this on my top 10 list were it not for amazing reviews. So let's just say I'm not all about the covers here.

Untitled (Divergent #3)
by Veronica Roth

Calm down. Calm down. This cover is just a joke. This isn't going to be the name or cover of the third Divergent book. Haha. :)

Anyway this would have made the top 3, but Insurgent really, really disappointed me. I will definitely be reading this book, but I didn't like Insurgent as much as I thought I would, so that's why this one's #9, not #2.

Just One Day
by Gayle Forman

After falling head over heels in love with her If I Stay series, I am so looking forward to Just One Day because I have heard amazing things about it even though it's not out (yet). I have read some ARC reviews and let me tell you, they are all raving and amazing. So I will definitely be getting this book!











That's all for today! ♥ See you soon! 

In My Mailbox #2, US vs UK #6, Best of the Bunch #1

Hi guys! I'm really sorry that there have been no posts the past couple of days; we were visiting cousins and I just didn't have time to get on my blog ;) But now I'm feeling as if I need to fit a few more posts in 2012 since this is the last day of it. So today I'm doing an In My Mailbox AND US vs UK.  Sorry for the scrambled post! I'm starting off with In My Mailbox.

In My Maibox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we spotlight the books that we've received for review, swapped, or purchased that week.

*Since I don't get books sent to me by authors, I will feature only books that I have purchased ore received as a gift.

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.  Some riders live.  Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion.  He is a young man of few words, and if he as any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races.  But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition--the first girl to ever do so.  She is no on way prepared for what is going to happen. 

The Love of A Good Woman
by Alice Munro

In the world of Alice Munro, the best route is not necessarily the shortest distance between two points.  In her ninth superlative collection of short fiction, The Love of a Good Woman, the setting is once again western Canada, and the subject matter is classic Munro: secrets, love, betrayal, and the stuff of ordinary lives.  But as usual for this master of the short form, the path she takes is anything but ordinary.  The stunning title story is a case in point.  A narrative in four parts, it begins with the drowning of a small town optometrist and ripples outward, touching first the boys who find the body, then a spiteful dying woman and her young practical nurse.  Whose tale is this, anyway? Not the optometrist's, surely, thought his death holds it together.  The effect is not exactly Rashomon-like either, though each of the sections views him through a different eye. Instead, The Love of a Good woman is as thorough and inclusive a portrait of small town life as can be imagined...

A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens

After 18 years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the a the aging Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England.  There the lives of two very different men, Charles Darnay, and exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette.  From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of La guillotine.









What did you guys get this week? Link me up!! :)


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US vs UK #6

US vs UK is a meme hosted by Book Passion for Life. In this meme, I will post a US cover and a UK cover of the same book, and you guys will vote on which one you like best. I'll keep track of the score, and it will be a running competition!

*This week I'm doing something a little different. I'm comparing a US series to a UK series, instead of just an individual book.

My Pick: I'm picking the US version, actually! Even though the UK covers are prettier, I just feel like the US covers speak more to what the book is about.  I definitely wouldn't use the color purple on the cover of Catching Fire. :p Even though I like the UK covers, the US ones fit the book better. 

______________________________________________________________________________

Best of the Bunch is a monthly meme hosted by Always Lost in Stories on the last day of every month. The aim of this meme is to share the best book that we have read or reviewed that month and give it the Best of the Bunch award.

This month I read:
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (5/5 stars)
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (3/5 stars)
Where She Went by Gayle Forman (5/5 stars)
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen (5/5 stars)
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (5/5 stars)

I have read so many incredible books this month! But I think if I had to choose, my favorite would be:

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.  Some riders live.  Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion.  He is a young man of few words, and if he as any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races.  But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition--the first girl to ever do so.  She is no on way prepared for what is going to happen. 






Whew! All right, that's it for today. That post took forever to complete, but it was worth it. Happy New Year everyone, and the next time I see you, it'll be 2013!! ;)

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: October 18, 2011
by Scholastic Press

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.  Some riders live.  Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion.  He is a young man of few words, and if he as any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races.  But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition--the first girl to ever do so.  She is no on way prepared for what is going to happen. 

My Review:


Maggie Stiefvater you have done it again. You haven't failed to amaze me yet. First your Wolves of Mercy Falls books, then The Raven Boys, and now this beauty. Well let's just put it this way: you are amazing.

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. AHHHHHHhhhh!!!! I didn't write this review until now because I was still gathering all my thoughts about this amazing book!

So first off I have always loved horses even though I've never took riding lessons. Something about them was always beautiful to me, and I love horse books. So imagine my excitement when I figured out that this book was a) by Maggie Stiefvater, b) about horses, and c) about killer horses. Now that is some real excitement. And it didn't fail me! I LOVED IT.

So the characters were probably my favorite part but I seriously loved everything. I loved Puck, mostly because she was fierce and seriously kick-butt. Even though she underwent some huge obstacles, she kept her mind focused on what she really wanted to do-- win the Scorpio Races, despite having a mere island horse while the others had beastly capaill uisce . I also loved the horses. Each one had a different personality. Some were vicious and savage, and others were quiet and calculating. And Dove was probably my favorite horse of all of them. Talk about a kick-ass horse! :p

I also loved Corr even though he was a capall uisce and he'd killed Sean's father. You could tell that Sean and him had a really deep connection. Some people say that animals and people can't communicate, but these two shared a special bond that I'm almost jealous of. I'd love to have that kind of connection with an animal. And Sean, of course I loved Sean. He was so mysterious for the first part of the book. I loved that part about him! When he became less mysterious I still loved his whole "man of few words" persona.

I LOVED the idea of the Scorpio Races, even though it is taking a myth and twisting it into another myth. I guess Maggie Stiefvater enjoys doing this since her Wolves of Mercy Falls books were about werewolves, but a different kind of werewolves. I would suggest reading the Author's Note BEFORE reading the book instead of after.

So anyway, this book was amazing and definitely the best Maggie Stiefvater book I have read so far. There were mixed reviews so I wasn't too sure if I was going to like it but I did! So definitely 5 stars for this one, definitely be putting this on your book repertoire soon!

5/5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight upcoming releases that we're highly anticipating. 

This week's pre-publication "can't wait to read" is: 

Mind Games
by Kiersten White
Series: Mind Games #1
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Links: Goodreads/Pre-Order

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her--except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.  Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways... or risking each other's lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other--no matter the cost.




What are you guys waiting on this week? Link me up!! :)

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! I hope you are all having fun celebrating with your friends and family. I know that I have had a great Christmas so far-- Listening to Christmas carols, hanging out with my family, buying and receiving presents, going to church at midnight, and I hope you're having fun as well!

Anyway, just a quick little post. :) Merry Christmas guys!

Review: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

The Luxe
by Anna Godbersen
Series: The Luxe #1
Release Date: November 20, 2007
by HarperCollins


Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899. Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone--from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud--threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars (♥♥♥!!!)
Who Recommended it to Me: NA
Who I'd Recommend it to: Drama-loving girls who are always in the mood for some scandalous activity. :)

My Review:


*This review contains spoilers*

Wow. What a book. I'm seriously impressed. ♥♥ed it so much.

I actually didn't expect to like this book in the least bit.  I had heard a few bad reviews and the synopsis and cover looked really cheesy. So I started this book really skeptical.  But, despite my pre-reading suspicions, I was blown away.

The characters are so hard to figure out! Even though that might have been frustrating for some readers, I like that kind of book. I'm not saying that this book deserves a place next to the fancy classics with really, really complex characters, but I enjoyed the way that I had a hard time figuring out which characters I liked. At first, I disliked Elizabeth. I disliked her proper manner and her stiff air, and I pitied Lina-- the plain servant girl who is hopelessly in love with the man she discovers her mistress is secretly in love with, too.  As the book went on, though, I swapped my dislikes.  Soon, I liked Elizabeth a lot, and disliked Lina.  Lina's decisions were extremely poor. First, teaming up with Penelope was not a good move.  I suspected that Penelope had actually killed Elizabeth, but then at the end when I figured out that she didn't, I was really surprised.

I loved Will from the start. I started the book firmly believing that Lina should end up with Will.  When I thought of Elizabeth in her perfect ballgowns and flawlessness, I was overcome with disgust.  And then there was Lina, the quiet servant girl who secretly fantasized about marrying Will.  But then as the story shifted, I wanted Elizabeth to run away with Will, and I guess that's what happened at the end. But I have a suspicion that this isn't a happy ending. So that's why I'll definitely be looking for the next book as soon as possible!!

The story was easy to follow. I liked the way that it was told in third-person, but at the same time you could really see into the character's minds. Lina, for example, was so overcome with love that she made some seriously stupid, foolish decisions that, um, I don't think would have made Will love her.  I despised Penelope from the moment she walked in-- Penelope's obnoxiousness was apparent throughout the whole book. And I loved Diana, even though I thought her decision to meet in secret with her sister's fiance was questionable.  Hmm... What else? Well, I liked Henry, even though he was an idiot. I loved the way Diana made him feel like crap before she started loving him.  He really learned from his mistakes, I feel like.

Well, all in all, I loved this book! It was exactly the kind of book that I love. I'm really interested in this time period, and it sort of reminded me of the TV show Downton Abbey! So I would definitely recommend this book, but I think that only a certain kind of reader would enjoy it, so if you don't enjoy it, it probably just isn't your type of book. I was expecting not to like this book, but it turns out that it is JUST my type of book, and I loved it! So definitely check it out! :) ♥

4.5/5 stars 

US vs UK #5

US vs UK is a meme hosted by Book Passion for Life. In this meme, I will post a US and a UK cover from the same book, and you guys will vote on which one you like best. I'll keep track of the score, and it will be a running competition!

US left, UK right

 (Sorry for the quality of these pictures...)

Links:
Goodreads/Purchase

My Pick:
I'm partial to the UK cover, because it is very mysterious and I like the colors in it. I like both of these covers, though, but if I were faced with which one to buy at a bookstore, I think I would choose the UK cover.

What about you? 

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. where we spotlight the books that we've received for review, swapped, or purchased that week.

*Note: Since I don't get books sent to me by authors or anything, I will only feature books that I have purchased or received as a gift. 

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899. Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone--from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud--threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

What did you guys get this week? Link me up!! :)

SS#7: Boys Who Read

Introducing the Saturday Scoop:
The Saturday Scoop is a weekly post hosted here on Girl of the Books.  Each week, I pick a new topic to write about and just rant and rave about that particular topic. Enjoy. :)

This Week's Topic: Boys Who Read

Boys Who Read. To me, at least, it's becoming less and less of a true statement, at least at my school. At my old school, there were guys everywhere with their noses stuck in some sort of book. But this year I've realized that my old school was quite different, more on the quirky side, while at my new school, all the boys do is text and...text. It makes me sad.  The girls, too, don't read often either. It seems like I am the only one in a grade of nearly 60 students that appreciates a good book.

So I kind of borrowed this off of Book Adoration, (I hope that's ok), but it was too beautiful and awesome to not share with you guys. ^^ If posting this isn't ok with Lottie then I will take it down.

I mean, how amazing is that?

That made me realize that boys who read are valuable.  I will always date a guy who reads, will definitely MARRY a guy who reads.  I've realized that guys who read have this really sweet, valuable sense to them that guys who don't read just don't have (in the same way). I'm not trying to be mean to guys who don't read, I'm just saying that guys who read are incredibly special.

I hope you take this message to heart and see what I am saying. :)

Happy Saturday and Merry Early Christmas!

Top Ten Tuesday #3

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more information, click on the link. 

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books I Read in 2012

Ooh, goodness! This is going to be a tough one. At least I won't have trouble getting to ten. It's more about having trouble narrowing it down to ten. :p

1. Shine by Lauren Myracle

2. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

3. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

5. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

6. Looking For Alaska by John Green

7. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

9. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

10. The Selection by Kiera Cass

:)

Have a nice week! 

P.S. - This is my 100th Post. :D

US vs UK #4

US vs UK is a meme hosted by Book Passion for Life. In this meme, I will post a US cover and a UK cover of the same book. Then, all of us pick which one we like better. I'll keep track of the score, and it will be a running competition!

Left: US
Right: UK

This week's pick: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Which one do you like better? Why? 

My Pick: I have to pick the UK version! I hate to be disloyal to my country, but I LOOOVE the UK cover so much more than I Love the US one! I just...It's just so pretty! And you will know that I am obsessed with pretty things. x) 

End Of Year Book Survey!

Hosted by The Perpetual Page Turner. 

1. Best book you read in 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)

That's like getting a mother to choose her favorite child! I guess I would have to pick Shine by Lauren Myracle. It was life-changing. But I can't just say one book, so I'm breaking it down by genre.

Adult fiction: Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Marley & Me by John Grogan, or Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
Contemporary YA: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, Looking For Alaska by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green,
Dystopian YA: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Sci-fi/supernatural/paranormal-ish: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Fantasy: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn't?
A Song For Summer by Eva Ibbotson, or Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012?
Anna Dressed in Blood! I don't usually go for that kind of book, and I wasn't expecting to love it at all, but when I picked it up, it was great!

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
Divergent by Veronica Roth. It's one of those books you just have to love.

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, or Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
Becca Fitzpatrick (I still haven't finished her series yet, but she's fabulous), Sarah Dessen (every time I read a book by her I am stunned at her ability to write) and John Green (if you've read a book by him, you know why he's one of my favorite new authors).

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Hm, well, that's kind of hard since I'll read just about everything. But I'd have to say Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Normally I would never go so far to even touch a book involving a suicidal high-schooler, but it amazed me. One of my faves of 2012, in fact.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2012?
I seriously couldn't put down The Selection by Kiera Cass. Other than that, probably one of Sarah Dessen's books, or The Hunger Games series.

9. Book you read in 2012 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
The Selection by Kiera Cass, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, or Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012? 

11. Most memorable character in 2012? 
Isabelle Lightwood from the Mortal Instruments. She's kick-ass, sexy, and totally full of girl-power.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012? 
Where She Went by Gayle Forman. It was beautiful.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?
Shine by Lauren Myracle and Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. Shine changed my life. Tiger Lily made me sob.

14. Book you can't believe you wanted UNTIL 2012 to finally read?
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick definitely! I seriously was freaked out by the cover, but after much persuading from some of my online buddies, I picked it up and couldn't believe that I hadn't read it before!

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2012?

“Oh shit did you just diss the feminine gender
I'll pummel your ass then stick you in a blender
You think I like Tori and Ani so I can't rhyme
But I got flow like Ghostbusters got slime
Objectify women and it's fuckin' on
You'll be dead and gone like ancient Babylon.” - Looking For Alaska by John Green

16. Shortest and Longest book you read in 2012?

Longest: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (563 pages)

Shortest: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (180 pages)

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc etc.)

*SPOILERS* When Maxon kisses America for the first time in The Selection, and the moment in The Fault in Our Stars when Hazel first sees Augustus... *sigh*

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc.)

I loved the relationship between Hazel and Augustus in The Fault in Our Stars, and Tiger Lily and Peter Pan in Tiger Lily. 

19. Favorite book you read in 2012 from an author you read previously?

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater <3

20. Best book that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?

Tiger Lily or Hush, Hush. Tiger Lily was recommended to me by Erika and Hush, Hush was recommended to me by Fari, my Goodreads friend. 

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2012 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2012?

There are so many! Since I only started blogging this year. Maybe Emily's Crammed Bookshelf? I don't know, I love all of you! 

2. Favorite review you wrote in 2012?

Definitely my review of Where She Went by Gayle Forman. You can find my review on my Goodreads group's blog, Addicted to YA, by clicking here.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

I had a lengthy discussion about the Hunger Games with my sister. 

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?

I honestly couldn't choose, I have read so many amazing reviews this year.

5. Best event you participated in?

I didn't participate in any events. 

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2012?

Wow. Well, all of the comments and support I have received from fellow bloggers. Also, figuring out how to make my blog look pretty like all the other ones was good, too!

7. Most popular post this year on your blog?

Well, if you look at statistics (in terms of page views), my book review of Anna Dressed in Blood has 53 pageviews which is the most of all time. 

8. Post you wished got a little more love?

I worked EXTREMELY hard on this post: http://leopardkittybooks.blogspot.ca/2012/12/all-fan-girl-book-series-first.html, and I thought people would love it, but only one person commented! :( Hopefully that is just because they didn't see the post. 

9. Best bookish discover?

Um, Blogger of course!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges of goals that you had set yourself in the beginning of the year?

I am ALMOST finished with my 2012 reading challenge on Goodreads of 100 books. I've read 97. So, yay!

Looking Ahead...

1. One book you didn't get to in 2012 but will you your number 1 priority in 2013?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. 

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2013?

There are soo many! But if I had to choose I'd say Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare, The Elite by Kiera Cass, or Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. 

3. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2013?

First, READ more!! And second, get 100 followers!

Happy End of 2012!