Review: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
The Violet Eden Chapters #1
Release Date: March 6th, 2012 by Sourcebooks Fire (U.S. Edition)
October 1st, 2010 by Hachette Austrailia 
Details: 369 pages, hardcover
Genre: Young Adult > Paranormal > Angels
Source: Amazon Vine
Summary (Goodreads):

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. 

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Amazon* || Goodreads || BookDepo*

Embrace is a title I've been looking forward to since I heard of it's release in Australia in 2010. So imagine my excitement when I heard it was being released in the U.S (two years later, but still)! Of course I could had gone to BookDepo but it was never in stock :(

Embrace starts off with Violet. She lost her mother at birth, her father is hardly ever around (surprise surprise) and she has a personal friend/trainer named Lincoln. Something traumatizing happened to her years ago and Lincoln has been teaching her self defense the last few years (or year? I don't remember). Her 17th birthday is coming up and her best friend is making this huge big deal about her dressing up (to catch Lincoln's eye? Maybeee). Her dad makes reservations at a place called Hades (nice, I see what you did there Jessica lol) and that's where she meets Phoenix and her life is pretty much turned upside down.

Violet seriously annoyed me the majority of the beginning of the book. I felt awful for the way she treated Lincoln for something he was sworn to secrecy with. Like honestly, how could you be mad at someone for that?! But with that aside, Violet was a very stubborn but assertive character. She always made it a point to know exactly what was going on. To understand everything she could about her kind before she made any choices. I admired that, not completely jumping head first into something... most of the time.

Honestly, I kind of like Phoenix. You could tell he was at war with himself sometimes and he's very mysterious but very open. I'm convinced he cared about Violet and for that, I admire him. 

Lincoln... ohh Lincoln. I loved him from the beginning! He was an amazing friend to Violet and he gave her space while making sure she knew he was there for her at the same time. He's a very balanced guy and my heart seriously broke for him when he described what he wanted their first time to be like. Seriously. Shattered.

Embrace was fast paced, full of action and excitement and was a very addicting read. The twist at the end gave a lot of reason to why I hated Violet in the beginning and I just shattered. I didn't see that coming really. Angel books aren't really my thing, but this one was like a breath of fresh air. There was action, there was romance, there was suspense and there was a bit of mythology. 

Read More

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Selection #1
Release Date: April 24th, 2012 by HarperTeen
Details: 327 pages, hardcover
Genre: Young Adult > Dystopia
Source: Amazon Vine
Summary:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Amazon* || Goodreads || BookDepo*

The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor. Can't say I thought I'd like this book but since it was picked up optioned  by the CW, I was curious.

For the record, I LOVE Kiera. I've been following her since I discovered her videos with a friend (who's name has escaped me) as TwiCurls, parody videos to what life as a Volturi wife would be like. Before Twilight was a movie by the way.

The Selection starts off with America, she's shuffled into one of the lower ranks but her and her family get by. She's in love with Aspen, a boy she's technically not allowed to be with and they're sweet together... Aspen seemed like a gentleman... then he turned into a jerk. America wants nothing to do with The Selection but when she's talked into signing up and her name is called... well what else can she really do at that point.

I loved America. She was strong, she has a big heart, she's honest and she never pretended to be anyone or anything else but herself. From the beginning she knew what she wanted and she stuck by it. I loved the relationship between her and her maids and the relationship between her and her younger sister. She's incredibly patient with her! The friendship that developed between her and Maxon was sweet. He's such a gentleman! And his lack of experience makes him so much more adorable. He's not this super confident prince all the time and it was nice to see those walls broken down when he was around America.

I wasn't a fan of America's mom, she was bossy and moody and really the lady just needs to get a life. Speaking of people who need lives? We can throw Aspen in the pile as well. The boy really needs to make up his mind and get. a. clue. Celeste can also jump in as well. I know a competition isn't a competition with at least one girl who's out to sabotage everyone and play victim but goodness this girl!!

While I enjoyed this read a lot more than I thought I would, something was missing. That extra "oomph". I did get invested in the main characters and I can't wait to see what happens next. 

For a dystopia, the world building wasn't really all there. It was a little hard to imagine the palace grounds and I had a vague understanding of the world outside of it but what I did find interesting was their history. One of the interesting things about all the different dystopia's and paranormal books are the history and the mythology behind them and this one had a pretty interesting one. Another thing I didn't really like was the abrupt ending, I felt a little cheated, there was no real conclusion.

Overall I didn't love the book, but I enjoyed more than I thought I would!

Read More

Review: Winterling by Sarah Prineas

Winterling by Sarah Prineas
Release Date: Jan 3rd, 2012 by HarperChildrens
Details: 256 pages, hardcover
Genre: Middle Grade
Series: Book #1 in the Winterling series
Source: Amazon Vine (thank you Amazon Vine!)
Summary (Goodreads):

With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature—he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land. 

Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter. 

Amazon* || Goodreads || BookDepository*

Winterling is about a girl named Fer (short for Jennifer) who lives with her grandmother (who happens to be a healer), doesn't know anything about what happened to her parents and is convinced she doesn't belong here.

And like all her young girls her age who just want answers and want to know where she belongs, she's incredibly incredibly stubborn.

So stubborn that she happens to find a mysterious pond of water and out of curiosity touches it, resulting in her opening "The Way". And she was on to something, she doesn't belong here.

I can see why a lot of people consider Winterling to be a fantasy novel, but I didn't really think of it like that. I considered it more to be a paranormal one. The story starts in our world but ends in another. And in that other world is magic, secrets, creatures and power hunger fakers. I really liked Fer, I admired her dedication to staying true to who she was. Someone who didn't want to kill, someone who knew right from wrong and even if the Lady tried to corrupt her, she stopped it. I liked Rook, he seemed conflicted with himself. And I mean, he's a Puck, why wouldn't he be even if this girl he stumbled on saved his life, he still has good reason to guard himself. But I still enjoyed his company.

The only thing I didn't really like about the book was that the point of view switches from Fer to Rook without much of a warning and sometimes it's a little hard to know who's head you're in. But other than that, I enjoyed Winterling and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

*Links bring you to my affiliate page, support giveaways on this blog!

Read More

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: Nov 15th, 2011 by HarperCollins
Details: 352 pages, hardcover
Genre: YA
Series: Book #1 in the Shatter Me series
Source: Amazon Vine (Thank you Amazon Vine!)
Summary (Goodreads):

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. 

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 

Amazon* || Goodreads || BookDepository*

I don't go completely fan girl over a lot of books, in fact I can only think of about 4 that I have and now Shatter Me is added to that list.

Shatter Me was not what I was expecting. It was nowhere near what I expecting. This book took me by complete surprise, grabbed me, threw me around and would not let me go. Seriously. Every time I would set this book down to try to get something else done I would end up just picking it right back up. It was insane. 

Shatter Me is about a girl named Juliette who was sent away by her powers because she's different. The world around her is crumbling and one day a boy she vaguely remembers is thrown into her cell, everything changes after that.

Juliette was a fantastic protagonist! She was witty, brave and no matter what Warner offered her she never lost sight of the fact that she didn't want to be a monster. She still had faith in humanity after everything others put her through. She has a good heart and a gentle soul and that's what I really liked about her. That even though life beat her down, she still saw the good in things and in people. Adam was completely swoon-worthy. He wasn't one of those I just like you because guys. You could tell Adam really really cared about Juliette and why he did and how fiercely he does care. Not to mention Adam and Juliette have some rather steamy oh-it's-gettin-hot-in-here scenes. Rawr! While I'm not a huge fan of villains in YA novels, I felt bad for Warner. I honestly think that he's a bit misunderstood, a bit power hungry and maybe a bit on the not-all-there side. But maybe if he just sat down and chilled for a minute and thought this through, he could be an alright person lol. Kenji was an interesting character that I would like to know more about and he was the perfect amount of comic relief in the novel.

I think the novel was paced perfectly. We spent a lot of time with Juliette while she was in solitude reflecting on her own thoughts and got a feel for how she was feeling about herself, about her situation and about her past. We spent a good amount of time with her with Warner and saw what she was capable of and how that made her feel. Everything blended together, helps in the wild ride you take with Juliette and even though the book left me wanting to know more, I felt incredibly satisfied when I turned that last page.

Shatter Me is an addicting read filled with action, suspense, secrets and a super steamy love. Yes it does have a slight X-Men feel to it, but honestly, I enjoyed it. I haven't read anything like this in YA yet!

"Go to hell."
He works his jaw. Walks to the door. "I'm working on it."

"You can make yourself invisible?" Adam looks more irritated than interested.
"Just blew your mind, didn't I?"

(Hey! That's my line lol!)

Read More

Review: A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler

A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler
Relase Date: October 11th, 2011 by Candlewick Press
Details: 304 pages, hardcover
Series: No
Source: Vine ARC (thanks Amazon Vine!)
Summary (Goodreads):

Jenni Green’s family vacation has finally arrived! Even though she has to deal with her annoying little brother, her slightly overbearing dad, and her very pregnant mom, she gets to spend a week with her bestest friend in the world, Autumn. But twelve-year-old Jenni’s world turns upside down when she takes an old elevator to visit Autumn and discovers that everything has changed: not only is her friend in a different condo, but tragedy has struck Autumn’s family, Jenni’s mother has had her baby, and everyone is a year older. When Jenni realizes that the elevator caused her to skip a whole year, she tries to go back, but soon finds that fixing things won’t be as easy as pressing a button. How can she alter the past and keep her family and Autumn’s from falling apart? With honesty and insight, Liz Kessler explores how the bonds of family and friendship can endure through time.

Amazon || Goodreads || BookDepository*

I saw this at B&N awhile back and kept passing by it. So I was pretty excited when it came up on Vine.

Jenni lives a pretty normal life. Well normal compared to her friend Autumn who's parents are artists and a tad bit out there. But Jenni has always been quiet and safe, while Autumn was the opposite. When Jenni takes an elevator that has never worked til today, her whole world is flipped upside down and she has no idea what's going on. It takes her awhile to figure it out, and once she does, you're in for a ride.

It was interesting to see where the author would take us with every floor that Jenni took. How much of her world would change and how one accident can make that much more of a difference. 

I found the concept of the mystery elevator to be kind of creepy (I'm not a fan of elevators). The idea of time travel and an alternate universe is always interesting to read about and this is no exception. 

Jenni learns what it is to be a friend and to stand up and speak out.

Read More

Review: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Release Date: September 27th, 2011 by HarperCollins
Details: 313 pages, hardcover
Series: No
Source: Amazon Vine (Thank you Amazon Vine!)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary (goodreads):

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else. 

And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

Amazon || Goodreads || BookDepository

o0.| My Thoughts |.0o

I was expecting a pretty light and fluffy read since this was more a children's book than anything but, that is not what I got. Hazel frequently lets her imagination run wild and as a child, she shouldn't feel so out of place because of it. But she does. The only person who could ever understand is her best friend Jack, who's imagination also runs just as wild. I felt bad for the things Hazel had to go through and I felt frustrated when her mother wouldn't understand and I panicked right along with her when Jack disappeared.

The book has a bit of a slow start, but you do get the background stories for everyone involved. But once Hazel ventured out into the unknown in search of Jack, that's when things got really good. Stepping into a fairy tale forest should be enchanting, shouldn't it? For Hazel, it wasn't. It was horrible and confusing and scary. And nothing seemed to make sense! I admired her determination to find Jack and how hard she pushed herself even after knowing Jack might not want to come back.

I loved the references to many other fairy tales in this book and I loved the scary parts that made you think of the button eyed mom in Caroline.

And this might be a bit spoilery, but I also loved how the queen asked Jack if he'd like a Turkish Delight before whisking him away lol.

I've never read The Snow Queen and the only thing close to it I can imagine is Narnia but either way, I absolutely enjoyed this read and I enjoyed joining Hazel on her epic adventure!

Read More

Review: Tackling Tumblr by Thord Daniel Hedengren

Tackling Tumblr by Thord Daniel Hedengren
Release Date: September 13th, 2011 by Wiley, John & Sons inc
Details: 288 pages, paperback
Source: Amazon Vine (Thank you Amazon Vine!)
Summary (goodreads):

You'll learn how to maximize the full potential of this amazing blogging and lifestreaming platform as you create your first post, make your Tumblr blog unique, create your own custom themes, and more.

• Introduces you to the exciting world of Tumblr, the popular web publishing platform
• Walks you through posting quotes, links, photos, audio, and more
• Addresses finding and installing themes, using a comment system on your Tumblr site, and integrating third-party content
• Demonstrates how to create your own custom theme, network in the Tumblr community, and modify your Tumblr themes with HTML and CSS
• Explains ways to integrate Tumblr with other services, including Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Amazon || Goodreads
  
  
  o0.| My Thoughts |.0o
  
  
  Tackling Tumbler does a good job of explaining every step of starting your own Tumblr account. It also spends a chapter explaining all the different theme's available, which is exactly what I was hoping for! But for someone like me who is familiar with setting up a Tumblr account, the beginning chapters weren't things that were new information.
  
  
  What I really liked about this book was that the last few chapters were dedicated to explaining step by step how to build your own theme. Tackling Tumblr does a good job of explaining CSS, even for CSS beginners like me!
  
  
  If you're looking for a good resource book about starting your own Tumblr, I would definitely give this one a try.

Read More