In My Mailbox (2)

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

This week I got:
Moonglass - Jessi Kirby

From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead. 
I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both. 
Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface. 
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

Summary taken from the Moonglass, Goodreads page. 

 The Demon King - Cinda Williams Chima

This novel marks the first giant step in a momentous fantasy journey orchestrated by Cinda Williams Chima, the author of the popular Warrior Heir series. Its two chief protagonists are ex-thief Han Alister, an impoverished commoner, and Raisa ana'Marianna, the headstrong Princess Heir of the Fells. The Demon King brings them together, creating part of a volatile mix of action, magic, and danger. Empathetic characters; wizardly attacks

Summary taken from The Demon King, Goodreads page. 

Book Trailer

Blood Red Road - Moira Young

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

Summary taken from the Blood Red Road, Goodreads page. 

Book Trailer

THAT'S ALL FROM ME!

WHAT DID YOU GET IN YOUR MAILBOX THIS WEEK? 

Book Review: Where She Went

Where She Went - Gayle Forman
Sequel to If I Stay

Release Date: April 6, 2011

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 264

Buy the Book: Amazon

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

 Summary taken from the Where She Went, Goodreads page.

My Review:

If I Stay is easily one of the best books I've read not just in 2011 but ever. That is because never before have I read such a beautiful story. It truly was beautiful in every aspect, especially the writing. Gayle Forman's writing has this sort of majestic quality to it that I just devoured. So I was obviously super excited to read this one. And to make things even better this one is written in Adams point of view.

Let's talk about Adam for a second. In If I Stay, I loved Adam. I found him to be one of the nicest and sincerest male characters in young adult books period. No competition. Teenager's are known for being fickle, primarily when it comes relationships. So I was very happy to find Adam love for Mia and their relationship as something so real.  

In this book I was instantly hooked by Adam. It was like his grief was my grief. I truly felt for him and understood him. After seeing the story through his eyes, Adam has become and even more special character to me. 

Also, In Where She Went, you really get to see the extent of Adam's love for Mia. I actually have a favourite quote from the book that I think shows this:

"But I'd do it again. I know that now. I'd make that promise a thousand times over and lose her a thousand times over to have heard her play last night or to see her in the morning sunlight. Or even without that. Just to know that she's somewhere out there. Alive." 

I know that it can't possibly be easy to let go of the one person that you love over everything else. And the fact that Adam loved Mia enough to let her go if it meant that she would live is truly remarkable.

Although this book is fiction, it felt real. Gayle Forman captured real human feeling. And that is not an easy thing to do. But it shows how talented Gayle Forman really is.

What else can I say. I'm afraid that Where She Went is one of those books that no matter how hard you try to explain its magnificence, it just can't be done. In order to truly understand how completely wonderful this book is. You much read it and know for yourself, there is no other option.

Book Trailer:

Book Review: XVI

XVI- Julia Karr

Release Date: January 6, 2011

Publisher: Speak

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 325

Buy the Book: Amazon

Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world-even the most predatory of men-that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past-one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

Summary is taken from the XVI, Goodreads page.

My Review:

To begin, I have to say that I was a little bit hesitant on reading XVI and I don't see why because the book was just wonderful! Julia Karr is a great writer. In XVI, she created a whole knew dystopian world filled with gadgets and uber vocabulary!

XVI is set in Chicago, in the year 2150. In this futuristic world, the government as we know it has been brought down and know the society is run by a Governing Counsel. The GC is pretty much your typical dystopian government. They are very secretive and manipulative. In this case their main way of manipulating the citizens is through media. In the novel when a girl turns sixteen she get the XVI tattoo indicating that she is legal to have sex.

I really liked the world Julia Karr created. The book had a very interesting and intriguing plot. The characters were well developed and realistic. Our main character Nina I thought was very strong-willed and respectable. I liked that in a society where teenage girls were all considered as sex crazed she stood on the contrary because she knew herself and understood that she wasn't ready yet.

The other characters such as Sal, Wei, Mike, Sandy and Derek were also great characters. I sympathized for Sandy because I believe that although she acted like what Julia Karr referred to as a "sex-teen". She didn't really know better as her mother was encouraging her to be that way and pretty much her whole society agreed with what the media was saying. I mean they even taught it at school. Sal on the other hand I thought was a pretty likable character. I found him to be more of the typical love interest but still pretty fun to read about. As for the rest of the characters I really liked them too. I enjoyed reading about their different backgrounds and I wish we got more of that. Also, the main antagonist in this story is Ed. Who is Nina's mothers boyfriend and her little sisters biological father. Ed I thought was also a very typical type character. In this case he was the typical evil bad guy. But still I think it worked for the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, the plot was great and very engaging. One thing I wish there was more of was a more thorough back story as to how this dystopian society came to be. And what was the reason to cause the government to treat young girls this way. But there is a second book to this one so hopefully the questions that are left unanswered here may be answered in the next book. Anyways, as I said before XVI is a great book and I recommend it to those who enjoy dystopian literature.

Here is more on the sequel, Truth:

Truth- Julia Karr

Release Date: January 19, 2012

Publisher: Speak

Age Group: Young Adult

Nina Oberon’s life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council–ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won’t be anyone’s stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out...and the consequences can be deadly.

Summary taken from the Truth, Goodreads page.

The Time Will Come

The Time Will Come is a weekly meme hosted at Books for Company, which showcases books we have meant to read for a while but never actually got around to doing so.

To join:

- Pick a book you have been meaning to read

- Do a post telling us about the book 

- Link the post up in the linky

- Visit the other blogs!

The Alchemyst

Michael Scott

Release Date: May 22, 2007

The tomb of Nicholas Flamel is empty. The greatest alchemist of his day supposedly died in 1418, but rumors continue to swirl that he continues to walk among us. Could it be true that this magician/chemist has access to the secret of eternal life? Could the Book of Abraham, which he purportedly owns, hold the key to this elixir? If it does, the theft of this single ancient volume could destroy the world as we know it. An exciting tale.

Summary taken from The Alchemyst, Goodreads page.

I bought this one all the way in February and till this day it has been sitting on my bookshelf, unread. Its no that it doesn't sound interesting, far from it actually. But I just never came around to reading it. The first time I heard of Nicholas Flamel was actually during Harry Potter and the Philosophor's Stone. Ever since than I've had an interest in him and I read a few articles on him but not much. So that was what first caught my attention and lead me to buy this book in the first place. Till this day I have read numerous reviews and many people have recommended the book to me so I think it is finally time to read this one! If you have read the book. Leave a comment and tell me what you thought of it!

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

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

The Name Of The Star

Maureen Johnson

Release Date: September 29, 2011

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Summary taken from The Name Of The Star, Amazon page.

The Name Of The Star Book Trailer

I actually heard of this one a while back but I just saw the book trailer today and it reminded me of how excited I am for this book! I mean a Jack the Ripper story and by non other than the wonderful Maureen Johnson. Its bound to be fantastic! Oh and the cover is AMAZING!

Teaser Tuesdays (2)

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:

"This moment of silence has been brought to you by the Resistance. In quietness, people can think for themselves"

 Page 8. XVI- Julia Karr

Book Review: Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane - Andrea Cremer
Sequel to Nightshade

Release Date: July 16, 2011

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 390

Buy the Book: Amazon

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Summary taken from the Wolfsbane, Goodreads page.

My Review:

Just when you think that things can't get any better than they did in Nightshade. Andrea Cremer comes up with an amazing sequel that answers all the questions that were raised by the end of Nightshade. In the same time she introduces the readers to a whole new world of characters who are all very diverse and interesting to read about.

Wolfsbane picks up right after what happened in the end of Nightshade. Calla wakes up to an unknown surrounding with people she had been raised to know as her enemy. Through out the novel Calla struggles with guilt for the ones she left behind and the consequences that her actions brought on her loved ones. And Ren's sacrifice doesn't makes things any easier, especially where Shay is concerned.

In this novel you really get to see more of Calla and Shay. After reading this book I'm an even bigger fan of Calla's. She such a kind and loyal character. Her loyalty towards her friends, family and even ex-enemies is truly remarkable. As for Shay, I have to admit he's just not working out for me. Through out the book, if anything I started to dislike him. I found him to be very selfish and careless mainly towards Ren and the pack.

Andrea Cremer introduces many new characters in this book that I really loved reading about. Especially the searchers like Ethan and Conner. I found both Ethan and Conner to be great, bad-ass characters. I loved their attitude and sense of humor. I found myself rooting for them during fights and wanting to jump into the book and give them a high-five in various parts of the novel.

Overall, Wolfsbane is an incredible, interesting, fast paced and well written book. I have to say, it is probably my favourite book of the series so far. It just pulls you in and takes you on a crazy emotional roller coaster that leaves you panting and wanting more!

I can not wait for Bloodrose to come out early next year. It is definitely among my top 2012 books to look out for. The summary sounds fantastic and do I even have to mention the cover!!

Here is more on Bloodrose:

Bloodrose - Andrea Cremer

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Publisher: Philomel

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 416

The Ultimate Sacrifice. 

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. 
In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

Summary taken from the Bloodrose, Goodreads page.    

In My Mailbox

Welcome to my very first IMM!
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

This week I got:
XVI- Julia Karr
Where She Went- Gayle Forman
Chain Reaction- Simone Elkeles


Super excited to finally read these books! Watch out for next weeks IMM :)

SO, WHAT DID YOU GET IN YOUR MAILBOX THIS WEEK?

Waiting On Wednesday

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

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer  

Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: September 27, 2011

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

 I remember watching all those BEA hauls back in the spring and all of them contained excited bloggers/vloggers who had received this book. Ever since then, I've had an eye out for this one! The synopsis sounds really good and mysterious. The cover is gorgeous and there is even a little blurb from Cassandra Clare! Do I really have to say anything more?!

Book Review: Nightshade

 

Nightshade - Andrea Cremer 
Release Date: October 19, 2010
Publisher: Philomel
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 452
Buy the Book: Amazon

  Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate  sacrifice?

Summary taken from the Nightshade, Goodreads page.

My Review:

To start with lets talk about the cover. I love this cover! It is so creative, artsy and overall beautiful. There is so much detail in the cover which shows all the hard work that went into creating it. I have to admit it was the cover that first caught my attention and I'm so happy it did as I really enjoyed this book! Now that you all know my love for this cover. You have probably guess that I was very sad when they decided to change the cover. Why oh why!!

Moving on to the book itself. Nightshade is a great, fast paced book with many twists and turns that keeps you guessing and excited for what will come next! The plot was amazing! There was a lot of back story about the packs and the world Andrea Cremer created, which I really enjoyed reading about. Another thing that I really liked about this book was the writing. Andrea Cremer has a very likable type of writing which is very easy to get into.

As for the character, I liked Calla. She was strong and overall a likable character. She stood up for what she believe in even as everything she ever knew was falling around her. As the story goes on and the plot start unraveling you get to know and relate to Calla better and you start to understand her actions. The two love interests in this book were Ren and Shay. Ren being the sexy Alpha wolf to whom Calla is supposed to be mated to. While Shay is a human boy who is also entangled in Calla's world and who's unexpected friendship helps Calla reveal all the lies and desceats that is so carefully woven around the wolfs of Vail. From the two I have to say I am more on Ren's side. I think he is a very deep character and I hope that we get to know him better as the series goes on. The other characters such as Calla and Ren's pack mates were also great. But we didn't get to know them as well as I would've liked to.

In conclusion, Nightshade is a wonderful debut novel that holds many of the important aspects needed to be a good book. It has great characters, an interesting plot, romance, action. I could go on.. I recommend Nightshade to all who are looking for a great and easy to read novel with werewolfs!

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould 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:

      "And I just just realized that-"  
       The howl swallowed my words. 
The second and third howls raised the 
hair on the back of my neck.
      "That's not my pack," I whispered.
      "They know we're here," Ethan said. "Let's move"

Page 96. Wolfsbane - Andrea Cremer

Welcome To The Book Faerie

Hello and Welcome to my blog!
This blog will be solely dedicated to book. I will mostly be focusing on Young Adult books in all genres. Here you will find book news, reviews and more!
This is my first official blog and I am very excited to be able to share my thoughts and opinions with you guys!
Thank you for visiting my blog and hope you like the things you find here!

Cheers,
The Book Faerie