Book Review: Legacy

Legacy - Cayla Kluver (Legacy #1)
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 496

Buy the Book: Amazon
Goodsreads

I noticed his eyes. They were blue, sharp and intense. Despite the youthful glows of his suntanned face, his eyes were cold and unfriendly, suggesting he had great experience in the world and was now expecting the worst.In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.
When the palace guard captures and intruder—a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy—Alera is alarmed…and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.
In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom.

My Review: 
It has been seventeen years since the abrupt end of the bloody war between the Kingdoms of Hytanica and Cokyri. But the war did not end in an agreement of peace. Instead, in the dark of night forty-nine newborn baby boys were stolen from Hytanican homes and forty-eight were found dead. But the last boy was never found, he was simply gone. Taken by the Cokyrians across the river. For year there was no sign of either the boy or the Cokyrians and the inevitable continuation of the war that was left unfinished, until now.


Seventeen year old, Princess Alera of Hytanica was born at the end of the war and has lived a life of peace. But her father the King has become weary of the strain that being a king brings on one. So Alera is charged with the duty of finding herself a worthy man who is capable of becoming the next king.  As the firstborn princess, the man that Alera marries is to become the next king due to their extremely male oriented society. But despite Alera's efforts her father seems to be dead set on Lord Steldor, the son of the Captain of the Guard and the heartthrob of the kingdom. Well, everyone's heartthrob except for Alera's.


Through a series of events and the appearance of a young Cokyrian warrior called Narian. Alera's world is turned upside down. Now, it is not only her Kingdom at stake but her heart as well.


Being a total cover freak, it was the cover of this book that initially caught my attention but soon in enough I was totally infatuated with this book. The concept sounded amazing to me, I love stories about princesses and and kingdoms and all that awesomeness! But what truly hooked me to this book was the prologue. Oh man, it's just amazingly written. As I read, I felt chills going down my spine. So of course I had to read this book and am I glad I did or what! It was amazing! 


Cayla Kluver did such a wonderful job with everything in this book. The character are all great. They are interesting and the plot is gripping, and best of all is the world Kluver created in this book. I was amazed at the history between Hytanica and Cokyri, it was really interesting to read about!


I found Alera to be a great character she was strong, intelligent and a good leader. She fought against the gender roles that her society placed on women and tried to get involved in really ruling her country instead of sitting aside and have the men do it for her. So, I really enjoyed reading about her.


As for the romantic male intrigues, I was torn between the perfectly egotistical Lord Steldor and the mysterious Narian. I can't wait to see more of both of these character in the next books!


Overall, Legacy was an amazing introduction to a new trilogy! I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed Cayla Kluver's writing and I recommend this book to all lovers of romantic fantasy novels! 


More on the sequel, Allegiance:

Allegiance - Cayla Kluver (Legacy #2)

Release Date: February 28, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Goodreads

Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn't help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive. 
An eighteen-year-old queen in love with the enemy as their countries pass the point of no return... 
Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica-until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge. 
Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn....

Teaser Tuesday (14)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

What do you mean she loved him? What is that?' he asked. 
Kevin, the boy with the cracked glasses, let out a annoyed sigh. "It means he wants to kiss a girls. It's what happened before the plague."

Page 132

Eve - Anna Carey

In My Mailbox (15)

Welcome to this weeks IMM!
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

This week I got:
Eve - Anna Carey (Goodreads/Amazon)

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.
In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying. Readers will revel in Eve’s timeless story of forbidden love and extraordinary adventure.

If I Tell - Janet Gurtler (Goodreads/Amazon)

Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you are all having an amazing weekend! As always I am super excited for my new books. I actually finished Eve earlier today and absolutely loved it. So hopefully I could get the review up soon! Also, I'm really excited for If I Tell. I've been getting into realistic fiction a lot lately so can't wait to check this one out!!

That's all from me this week.

What Did You Get In You Mailbox?

Waiting On Wednesday (14)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

A Million Suns

Beth Revis

Release Date: January 10, 2012

 

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship. 

Summary taken from Goodreads.

I thought the first cover was gorgeous. But I think this one just topped it, if that is even possible! Definitely cannot wait for this one to come out, it is among my top sequels to looks out for in the coming year. Across the Universe was amazing! I loved the plot, the mystery and the intrigue. Beth Revis is a fantastic writer and I can't wait to read more by her!!!

So, What Are You Waiting For?

In My Mailbox (14)

Welcome to this weeks IMM!
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

This week I got:
The Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin (Amazon/Goodreads)

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Love Story - Jennifer Echols (Amazon/Goodreads)

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.. 
For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment? 
Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

Yay!!! I'm so happy to be able to read both of these books. I've been looking forward to them all year! I've heard nothing but great things about The Game of Thrones. I have watched a few episodes of the HBO series and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I can't wait to continue with the series! I also, already read the prologue of the book and it is amazing! I love the writing already! But to be completely truthful, the only thing holding me back is the mere size of this books. It is ginormous!!! But still can't wait to dive into it! As for Love Story, well you probably don't know this but I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Echols' books and I'm actually already half way through this one and in LOVE!!

That's all from me this week.

What Did You Get In You Mailbox?

Cover Reveal - The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa

(Blood of Eden #1)

Date of Publication: April 24th, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

(Goodreads/Amazon)

You will kill. The only question is when. 

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive. 

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire. 

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

 Oh man does that sound phenomenal or what! I'm not the biggest fan of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy her writing. Also, this book just looks way to good to pass up! This cover is not like that of her previous series' but it 's really nice. A little haunting even, and really eye catching. It caught my interest almost instantly! Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Happy Reading ^_^

Waiting On Wednesday (13)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: January 2, 2012

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

Summary taken from Goodreads.

I feel in love with this one the minute I first saw it. And I believe that I first saw it on another bloggers WoW! I am so excited for this one to come out. It looks like a great little read. I love the title, the cover is really cute!! And the synopsis!!! 

January the 2nd can not come fast enough :)

So, What Are You Waiting For?

In My Mailbox (14)

Welcome to this weeks IMM!
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

This week I got:
I, Robot - Isaac Asimov (Amazon/Goodreads)

The three laws of Robotics:1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm2) A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
With this, Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.
Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact & science fiction that became Asmiov's trademark.

It has been a slow week for me, but I'm always happy to get a new book! This one I got for my schools book club. It's pretty interesting so far and I can't wait to see the movie and compare them!!!

That's all from me this week.

What Did You Get In You Mailbox? 

Teaser Tuesday (13)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

I lean close to the stallion's ear and trace a counterclockwise circle above his eyes as I whisper into his soft ear. 

 "Sean!" my father snaps, and the cappall's head jerks up quickly enough that his skull nearly strike mine. "What are you doing with your face next to his today? Does he not look hungry to you? Do you think you'd look fine with half a face?" 

But I just look at the stallion's square pupil, and he looks back, his head turns slightly away from me. I hope he's remembering what I told him: Do not eat my father. 

Page 3

The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater 

A bit long this week, but I felt that you need all of it to get a good feel of the story. Really enjoying this one make sure you guys pick it up and give it a go if you can!

In My Mailbox (13)

Welcome to this weeks IMM!
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

This week I got:
Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater (Amazon/Goodreads)

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 has 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 ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Squeal!!! 

I've been pining for this one all month and I finally got my hands on it.  I'm so happy! It sounds absolutely incredible! And I just know that it's going to be an awesome read! After all it's by Maggie Stiefvater ^_^

That's all from me this week.

What Did You Get In You Mailbox? 

The World of Richelle Mead

Calling all fans of Richelle Mead and her Young Adult Series' Vampire Academy and Bloodlines!

In December a new Apple app will be released called the World of Richelle Mead! 
Watch the video below to learn more!

This looks like a really cool app. Vampire Academy is one of my favourite book series' so I can't wait to get this app and see what else I could learn about the series and its characters!!!
What Do You Think?!

Waiting On Wednesday (12)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Touch Of Power

Maria V. Snyder

Release Date: December 20, 2011

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life. 

Summary taken from Goodreads.

Ah!!! I am soo excited for this one! That cover is gorgeous and the synopsis looks really cool. But most of all I'm excited about the fact that it is written by Maria V. Snyder! I've read her Inside Out and Outside In books and I love them immensely. So excited to read more by her!

So, What Are You Waiting For?

Teaser Tuesday (12)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

From hell.Mr. Goode, I send you half the Kidne I took from one man prasarved it for you tother piece I fried and ate it was very nise. I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wate whil longer.

Page 137

The Name Of The Star - Maureen Johnson

P.S. The bad spelling is courtesy of Jack the Ripper!

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Publisher: Dutton
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 338
Buy the Book: Amazon

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Summary taken from Goodreads.  

My Review: 
Holy freaking wow! What can I possibly say about this book. It was absolutely magnificent! There is not one thing in this book that I didn't like. This is the magic of Stephanie Perkins at work. She pulls you in and makes you fall completely in love, not just with the book but with the story, the characters and everything else in between.

I read Anna and the French Kiss early this year after hearing countless reviews about just how amazing the book was and I wasn't disappointed. I fell madly in love with Anna and St. Clair within mere minutes of picking up the book. I couldn't put it down and spent my whole day sitting in bed and finishing that book.

That was probably the fastest I had ever read a book. Ever since then I've been waiting for Lola to come out. And when I heard that Anna and St.Clair were also in the book, I couldn't wait anymore! So I was as you could imagine, ecstatic to finally get it last week and I just inhaled it. Literally!

Lola and the Boy Next Door is an absolutely phenomenal novel. It is a story of first love, friendship, family, growing up and making mistakes. It is sweet and heart-wrenching as well as realistic like only Stephanie Perkins books can be.

For the second time this year, Stephanie Perkins has rendered to hold me speechless with the simple realism of her characters. I felt like they were real people living real lives. I wanted to be friends with some and marry the others (i.e. St.Clair & Cricket)!

I found Lola to be a very fun and colourful character. I thought her belief in 'everyday should be a costume party' awesome and I totally agree! Like all of Perkins characters, Lola was so realistic that you can't help but feel for her and relate to her. It is truly amazing! As for Cricket, he was magnificent! I loved everything about him. From his really tall height, to his habit of writing on his hands. He was just an amazing character and one of the sweetest guys in YA!

But that is not all! As I mentioned before Anna and St.Clair are in this book. Although they weren't as present as I wish they were. Like I want Anna and the French Kiss Part Two. But in the scenes that they were in, they were just magical! I loved seeing them together and getting to see how their relationship was going. It was like a cherry on top of the cake!

Overall, Lola and the Boy Next door is a fantastic novel that everyone must read. My only request would be for readers to read Anna and the French Kiss first. Other wise this is one of those books that anyone can enjoy. No matter your age and interests! I greatly recommend it!!!