Review: Lightpoints by Peter Kassan

Lightpoints

Author: Peter Kassan

Publication Date: March 25th, 2013

Publisher: Melange Books

Genre: YA/Paranormal/Romance

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Synopsis:

When Amanda Lindner Nichols, a 24-year-old graphic artist living with her husband in Queens, New York, is revived from a near-death experience, she discovers she perceives everyone around her as points of light—but not with her eyes. She soon learns she can not only perceive the life energy of others, but she can give and take it. With the help of others like her, she brings her husband Chris to the brink of death and back to bestow on him the same remarkable faculty, and they’re the happiest they’ve been. But not for long. All over the world, people who’ve been revived from their own near-death experience at just the right moment discover themselves with these same unusual powers. They find ways to use them—some for good and some for evil. When Amanda and Chris encounter a ruthless group of gangsters with the same faculty, tragedy follows—and Amanda faces the greatest challenge of her life

My Thoughts:  Lightpoints was an interesting read for sure! I definitely enjoyed it, especially since it was so unique. I  liked the idea behind the story, this ability that I want to call super natural but it isn't really, I guess. But I don't think it's an ability  I would ever want to have myself, it sounds overwhelming and like it would take over your life.

Amanda faces death and lives to tell the tale, but she definitely does not come back the same woman. She comes back with the ability to sense all other people as these points of light in her head. Although it gets a little confusing there and it's kind of hard to imagine what the author is describing. They are always referred to as points of light but we are also told they aren't literally points of light and they don't actually see anything. I can understand it, but I can't really envision what it would be like and I wish that had of been a little clearer. But I definitely liked the idea behind it, it was something totally new and it kept me interested  and it made for a good read watching her adapt to her new life, how her new ability grew and changed and what she did to cope with her new life.

The other thing that I really liked about this book, was the little side stories. Amanda isn't the only person who finds themselves burdened with this new faculty. Every other chapter or so we get to read about these other people and what they are doing with their abilities. It was incredibly interesting and the diversity it added to the story was fantastic. We got to see how the exact same abilities could be used for good and bad, and how the exact same thing happening to lots of people can bring about so many different results. I think those little side stories made the book, I really do. I often found myself enjoying them more than Amanda's chapters. It got even better when the stories started to intertwine and Amanda finds herself dealing with someone who feels the need to make the most of their ability in a really bad way.

I would recommend this book, it was an light easy read that was very interesting and unique. I did find it a little repetitive at times and maybe sometimes it was a little slow getting to the point, but overall it was a very decent read and I think you should give it a go.

Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Fever

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publication Date: February 21st, 2012

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing

Genre: YA/Dystopia/Romance

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Synopsis:

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

My Thoughts: Although I did enjoy this book, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as I did the first book Wither, you can find my review for that here.

This book had pretty much the same pace and same amount of action and excitement which was good. I really liked the kind of slow but still very intriguing pace of the first book. Normally I would not be one to be a fan of a laid back pace in a book. But this series seems to pull it off really well. It's not action packed and exciting things aren't necessarily happening in every chapter. But there is always great character development and Rhine has an inner dialogue that is never boring and a personality that is entirely admirable.

The story starts off right where Wither left off. Rhine and Gabriel have escaped from the mansion and are heading to what they think will be a much better life. But oh, they were so wrong. Things are not all hunky dory outside those gates. Things are much more terrifying, corrupted, and down right filthy. They are almost immediately taken captive by a rather disgusting group of people and they spend the majority of the book trying to figure out how to escape yet again. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Rhine both are fighting a sickness that is definitely complicating the matter of escaping.

The one thing that made me like this book a little less than the previous one is definitely that it felt rather repetitive throughout the story. Rhine was constantly passing in and out of consciousness for different reasons. But it was always the same effect of her passing out and coming too and thinking about how badly she needs to change the current situation and to get away from her horrible nightmares. Lots of things changed around her during the course of the story, but her own predicament stayed about the same and it got a little monotonous to me.

But it was still a pretty great read and I will definitely continue on to the last book in the trilogy. Especially since things really started to get heated up and exciting towards the very end! Definitely a cliff hanger of an ending and I will be needing to get my hands on the next book in the series,  Sever.

I would still recommend this book and the series, especially to Dystopian fans. It is also a romance novel, but the romance in this book of the series was pretty limited.  I am definitely looking forward to what will happen romance wise in the final book!

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publication Date: February 5th, 2013

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Genre: YA/Romance/ReTelling/Dystopia

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Synopsis:

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Thoughts: Marissa Meyer has mastered the ReTelling genre! You will not find any others in the genre  that are nearly as unique, imaginative, adventurous, and creative as The Lunar Chronicles. Meyer has breathed the most fresh breath of air possible into stories that we all know so well. She has all but turned these stories on their heads and emptied their pockets and stripped down to their bare essentials. She then rebuilt them in a way only she can, with every page and character becoming something even better and more astounding than it previously was.

I'm sad that it took me so long to read this. I read Cinder last year and I absolutely loved it. You can read my review for Cindre here. It should not have taken me this long to get my hands on the sequel, and if it weren't for my great friend Jenn here passing me on  her copy I would probably still have it on my to read list. So big thanks to Jenn for being so generous and giving me the encouragement I needed to get this book read!

Scarlet is a female heroine we all can't help but love. She has a  fierce loyalty to her loved ones and a determination that never quits. I fell in love with  her just as easily as I fell for Cinder in the first book. Both are female leads you will be rooting for right from the start.

I was especially happy to find that Cinder was in this book. I had assumed that it would be a brand new re-telling with all new characters. This is because I have a habit of not reading the synopsis to sequel books because I just love being surprised too much and I don't want the slightest surprise to be given away. But yes, you can imagine my delight when Cinder was amongst the pages. This delight only intensified to the max as Cinder's and Scarlet's stories intertwined.

The way Meyer has weaved these two fairy tales together is nothing short of incredible. She obviously has a gift for this genre and I would say her books are the yardstick that all others in the genre are measured against. You don't want to miss out on these books. If you have not looked into the Lunar Chronicles yet you seriously need to hop on that train! Pick up these books and prepare to fall in love with the stories you've always known, only this time around, they are revved up, and totally kick ass!

Review: Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Extras

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Publication Date: October 2nd, 2007

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Genre: YA/Dystopia/Romance

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Synopsis:

It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of "American Idol." Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules. As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But Aya doesn't care; she just wants to lie low with her drone, Moggle. And maybe kick a good story for herself. Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for.

My Thoughts: So here I am with the fourth book in the Uglies series and I unfortunately have to say that I didn't like this one nearly as much as the others and found it to be a little disappointing. It wasn't a bad read, I did like it but it didn't have that same drive and fight that the other ones had. It was missing the umph I have come to expect from this series.

First of all it wasn't told from Tally's point of view this time. And while that's an understandably OK thing to do in a series, change the POV,  was upset about it. I have my reasons, one of them being that Tally was getting so kick ass and awesome and I was not ready to let her go yet. Not only did we have to leave Tally behind just as she was finally discovering her real self but we got a very mediocre replacement. Aya fuse was a lying, manipulative, petty girl. She would admit to herself that she would say what needed to be said so she could get what she wanted. Not the kind of hero I had grown accustomed to and definitely not making me feel better about losing out on Tally.

We didn't completely lose out on Tally, we do get to see her. But when we do everything about her and the old characters we had grown so attached to everything is so cryptic and a lot is left unknown about their present situations and what they've been up to. And that might be OK as well if I knew there was going to be a sequel for us to catch up with them later. But considering this book was released in 2007 I don't think that is going to  happen.

Which brings me to the next thing that bothered me. If this book is supposed to be the last in the series as it would seem to be, I'm really not positive, it didn't really have a nice final ending. We didn't get any closer or finality that we need to move on to a new series. It's like all those characters are just sitting there waiting behind the curtain for the next show to start and we're all waiting out here in our seats but nothing is happening.

I didn't overly enjoy the new city this story takes place in. A place where the main goal is to be as popular as you can no matter what you gotta do to get there. Not my cup of tea. Although it does give a kind of taste of what our own social media is coming to, I get enough of that in my real world, I don't need to re-experience it in a book.

All I seem to have done here is talk about why I didn't like this book. But it wasn't all bad, I did have an alright time reading it, I just felt it to be a poor addition to the series and not the best book for the ending of a series either. But it wasn't slow or boring, it had good surprising plot twists, and some decent suspense. But I guess this one just wasn't for me. I wish the series could have stopped off on a better note.

Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publication Date: March 22, 2011

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Books for Young Readers

Genre: YA/Dystopia/Romance

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Synopsis:

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

My Thoughts: This book sat on my shelf for far far too long! I think it was one of the first books I ever won in a blog hop and I have always wanted to read it, but I'm sure you understand how so many other books get in the way. But now that I have finally picked it up and given it a read I am so mad at myself for putting it off for so long. This book surprised me, in the greatest way a book can. I did not expect to love it as much as I did, and I love when a book unexpectedly yanks you right in.

As far as Dystopians go I tend to be quite a fan. This one is definitely keeping to that routine. I went into this book with no idea whatsoever what it was about. I like doing that every now and then. If you pick up a book that you have heard of but don't really know the synopsis of, do something fun and don't read the synopsis, it's fun! So that made the book even more interesting and fun for me because I had no idea what to expect and this book constantly surprised me and kept me on the edge of me seat.

Rhine is a young lady who was kidnapped and forced to be one of three brides to a rich young man named Linden. In this world Women only live until they are 20 and men live until they are 25. So men usually have many brides so they can reproduce lots while trying to work on a cure for this infection that is killing everyone off at such a young age. But being a bride and a baby maker to a cruel, kidnapping, controlling man is the very last thing Rhine wants to do. Luckily Rhine does make friends with the other two wives, each one of them completely different and unique in their own ways and individual back stories.

Even though Rhine is given a life of luxury and protection  to enjoy for the rest of her few years, it is not what she wanted. She is prepared to do what needs to be done to find a way out. The longer she is there the more dark and terrifying things she discovers. She thought things were already pretty darn terrible and devastating, but under the surface is much more darkness than she anticipated.

Will Rhine be able to find a way out? Or will she be forced to perpetuate the cure that Linden's family is looking for so desperately. With only a few short years left and some incredibly tough decisions ahead she has to move quickly. I adored Rhine's character. She was incredibly selfless and could see the good things in even the worst of people and always found a silver lining for the most terrible situations and that is definitely something to be admired.

I really enjoyed this book, I read through it fairly quickly and I immediately went online to order the next in the series :). I would absolutely recommend it to others, especially any dystopian fans !

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Publication Date: September 13th, 2011

Publisher: Doubleday

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance

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Synopsis:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

My Thoughts: Oh my goodness. I have literally just finished this book and I feel like I am in a state of shock. Finishing this book was one the hardest things to do ever. This is definitely the most spell binding, magical, enchanting book I have read in a long time. I will be recommending this book to everyone one I meet from this day forth, of that much I am positive.

This book plunges us into the mystery, beauty, and wonder of magic in a way that I have only encountered once before. That was in reading Harry Potter, not that these two stories are in any way alike aside from that. But they both completely encapsulate you in their world of awe inspiring magic and fantasy and gave me that same feeling of being hopelessly lost in a fantastical world that I so desperately wanted to be a part of.

I am at a loss for the words I need to give this book the credit it deserves. I feel speechless and awe struck. The romance weaved into this story was all consuming, desperate, and so real and contained so much depth. I literally felt warm and fuzzy whenever romance was involved. And that was more than you'd think. This story seems to carry a certain romance all throughout it. Something about each page is alluring and enchanting. Making you admire it and feel the need to have more. So even when there wasn't your literal romantic happenings, it was still there in the atmosphere, teasing you and constantly reeling you in.

This is definitely a book I could see myself re-reading. I could easily have closed the last page and started over again right then and there and probably would have loved it even more the second time around. This book is a masterpiece. And as much as it about magic, I feel like Morgenstern herself had to be a magician of sorts to write a story like this one. The way it made me feel was amazing and it's something readers constantly search for in books. And when they find it, they treasure it always. I know I will treasure this story and I will attempt to share it with whoever is willing to crack it open. I'm definitely placing this among my favorites. If Erin is to put out any other book, I know I will be snapping it up immediately. She obviously has incredible talent, and a writing style that literally does cast a spell on you.

Wake

Author: Amanda Hocking

Publication Date: August 7th, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group. Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different. Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

My Thoughts: I've been wanting to read this ever since I finished the Trylle Trilogy a while ago. Amanda Hocking has an addictive and persuasive writing style. She's really great at luring you in and making you crave for more.

So how suiting for her to write a book about girls who lure you in with their presence and voice. These girls show up in a small town and everyone is simultaneously attracted to them as well as terrified of them. They have a very commanding presence that makes you take notice and hang on their every word, especially those of the male variety. But at the same time, they are confusing everyone and freaking them out. But the former feeling definitely overwhelms the latter.

Introduce the main character Gemma. She's a really level headed, smart, determined and down to earth girl. Her biggest and only vice is water. She lives to swim, to be in the water, and just lives for all things aquatic. She's seriously addicted. She might as well be half fish, it's like she needs swimming to survive. She lives at home with her awkward but supportive dad, and her very controlling and protective older sister, Harper.  Harper is almost like a secondary main character in this story. She plays a really big roll in how everything unfolds, and there were quite a few chapters where we just got to learn about her own background and her own point of view. I really liked that and it was a fun added dynamic that kept the story fresh and the pace fast.

Everything seems pretty great with Gemma's swimming going swimmingly (hehe), and the boy she has a serious crush on just happens to like her back. But then the mysterious trio of girls, that used to be 4 girls, decide to focus in on Gemma. When they start hanging around and demanding her attention, everything gets messed up real fast.Those girls are bad news bears. It's a big old down hill slide from there on in, and it was great.

I guess that sounds weird. But I just really enjoy a book that never gets boring and keeps the energy and interest high. It's not easy to find fault in a book that keeps your turning the pages relentlessly. Amanda hocking and peaked my wonder yet again by taking on a brand new fantasy element. I think she pretty much mastered it and I really liked her take on these fantastical beings. I will definitely be reading more into the series!

Interview & Giveaway for You Are Mine by Janeal Falor

I recently read and reviewed this incredible debut novel by Janeal Falor. I personally loved it. It was very unique and explored a lot of interesting ideas, but with wonderful fantastical depth :). To hear more about what I thought of this book, you can read my review HERE.

This is definitely a very exciting time for Janeal, with the release of her first book. As well I was very excited to be one of the first to read it :). But what's even more exciting is that I got to ask her  a bunch questions and find out some great stuff about her as an author and how the process of putting her book out there for the first time has been. So continue on below to see how that interview went, and then we shall have giveaway time! I can't wait to share this book with one of you, you lucky ducks!

1. First off, we'd love to learn some more about you :) What things can you tell us so that we can know a bit more of who you are? And where can we go to learn more about your book?

    Hardest question! I'm shy so I find it tough to talk about myself. I'm a homeschooling mother of three and love every minute of it. And yes, as part of that I'm constantly getting my kids to read and write books. Thankfully they are just as crazy about books as I am.

You can learn more about my book on http://janealfalor.com/. Or you can purchase it an ecopy at Amazon, Kobo, and Smashwords, or the print version at Create Space.

Meghan- I am also a stay at home mom to 3 little ones. I try to encourage reading as much as possible, and they know how crazy mommy is about her books. I can only hope that at least one of them will develop the madness as well haha.


2. What has the experience of putting your very first book out there been like?

    It has been beyond amazing. I was expecting a lot of hiccups and not a lot of interest. But for a few tiny things, everything has gone very smoothly. More than that, people truly astound me with their interest and support. There has been a lot of shock, tears, and insane giggling going on at my house. But mostly it has left me feeling a lot of gratitude for so many incredible people.



3. When did you make the decision to become a writer? What helped you make that decision?

    I've been writing stories since I was a kid. I think I've always enjoyed being able to escape real life through my own imaginings. Sometimes you just need that escape to help ease the pressure of daily life. Plus it's down right fun!

Meghan- Writing has been something I've always wanted to try my hand at. But I always just worry that I don't have the creative juices neccesary to write something interesting enough. Perhaps someday something will happen to push me into that direction.


4. What things do you take pleasure in when you aren't writing?

    I love cooking and eating, the eating part probably a little too much. ;) Reading of course. Being outdoors. I especially enjoy  being with my family. My husband and children bring a lot of joy to my life.

Meghan- Ha! Can I ever relate with you on the eating too much part ;). I have a terrible weakness for foods that I know aren't good for me. But we can't be good all the time can we? Besides, it's too much fun to have ice cream with your kids on a sunny day, and sit down with some snacks and a movie in the evening :).

5. Now for some questions about You Are Mine, where did you find inspiration for this story?

    I was reading a lot of marriage of convenience/marrying for money type stories and I thought; What if these girls weren't sold off for money? What if they were sold off for something else that they couldn't control. Something of great value like...Magic.

And my life was consumed until...well, it's still consumed.

Meghan- I have to give props to a very unique and imaginative idea. It makes this read so much fun, and that much more interesting with the fantastical dynamic thrown in there.

6. Was women's rights something you always had interest in? Or was it just something that developed for the story?

    I've always cared about women's right, but I didn't go into the story knowing that was what I was going to write about. After I wrote the first draft I stepped back and went, 'Well look at that.How can I use that to make Serena grow?'

7. Did you find it difficult as a woman in today's age to put yourself into Serena's position?

   Yes and no. Serena has lived through horrors that I've never been through. But there's so many problems for women in this world that break my heart. It's only too easy to find stories about violence against women and ways we are still struggling to find equality with men. I hope that it is something we work at changing until the only places it exists is in history and fiction.

Meghan- Yes, and hopefully sooner rather than later!

8. Do you have a personal favorite amongst the characters you wrote?

    This answer always changes every time someone asks me. I just love them all so much. Right now I'm feeling in the mood for a good swoon so I'd have to go with Zade. *imagines Zade* *swoons*

Meghan- I definitely have to agree! I adored Zade, and I always got excited whenever he walked onto the scene. I had a perfect visualization of him and yes, he is definitely swoon-worthy.

9. Are any of your characters based off of people you have met or know in real life?

    Not any specific person, but I do think some of character traits have been based off of people I know in general. I know so many great people with strength and goodness and I'd like to think they've been a positive influence on my outlook.

10. Do you think if you lived in Serena's world  that you would have had the bravery she has when facing pure domination and slavery? Why or why not?

    I truly hope that I would, but honestly? I'm scared I wouldn't. It's really easy to say I would be brave enough, but the truth is I'm not always as brave as I would like to be. It's so hard to stand up for things. I can only try to work on being better and hope if ever faced with a similar situation I can do what needs to be done.

11. Why do you think people should read your book? Why would you recommend it?

    Because it's awesome!

Really though, one thing I love as a reader is character growth and Serena definitely has a lot of that. There's romance that takes time to build as the characters get to know one another. Plus, it will jerk your emotions all over, but leave them in a happy place.

Meghan- It definitely is awesome, among many other positive qualities it carries. Character development is something I love in a book. It definitely can make or break a book. But watching Serena grow, change and adapt was phenomenal. For those who haven't, you can read all about it in my review :).

12. I'd like to hear about your own reading preferences, have you always been a fan of fantasy? What other genres do you enjoy?

    I have always loved fantasy and YA. I also really enjoy reading Sweet Romances, especially historical ones, and books that make me laugh.

13. Who are some of your favorite Authors?

    Rae Carson, Beth Revis, Gail Carson Levine, and Victoria Hanley

Meghan- I am a little ashamed to admit that I have never heard of any of them or read their books. I shall try my best to change that!


14. Do you have any all time favorite books? Any books that you think everyone should read at some point?

    Pretty much all of the books written by the authors above. The Fire and Thorns series, Across the Universe series, Ella Enchanted, and the Seer and the Sword. All fantastic books/series.

15. Speaking as a new and emerging author, what advice would you give to aspiring writers out there who are thinking about putting out their stories?

    If you believe in your story, follow your heart, but be willing to work hard. Very little in the publishing business is easy, but it's very worth it.

16. I had one final question about your story. When I was listing the genre for my review, I was trying to decide if  I should list it as a Historical Fiction, or a Dystopian. In which genre would you place it, if either?

    I personally classify it as a High Fantasy. With romance if you'd like. And when I feel like making up a genre I call it a Realistic High Fantasy because it's relateable despite having magic and being in another world.

Meghan- Ah! Thank you for solving my dilemma. I think I will have to look into some more High Fantasy Novels :).

Before we carry onto the giveaway I would like to take this time to thank Janeal for taking the time to answer all my questions so thoroughly and for providing and e-copy so that I can share this great novel with one of you lucky readers :). 

Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

& don't forget to tell your friends :).

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Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: March 19th, 2013

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre: YA/Paranormal/Romance

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Synopsis:

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

My Thoughts: The day this book arrived in the mail for me was one of the most exciting days ever! I have fallen so deeply in love with this series since I discovered it about a year ago. Since then I have devoured these books as well as The Mortal Instrument Books and I have adored every single page within. Cassandra Clare is the author to one of my most favorite series' and I just can't ever get enough.

I feel like I had to wait forever for Clockwork Princess to get here and luckily when it did arrive it was a busy time for me so I wasn't able to plow right through it like I usually would. So I did get to savor it a little bit before the heartache of not having any more in the series to read set in. Of course, that's where I am now, and the next Mortal Instrument Book isn't due for about another year. That's a painful thought.

So I am usually prepared to be emotional whilst reading these books. I've come to expect the cracks in my heart and emotional blows, but this book knocked me right off my feet. I cried so many times while reading this book. I can't believe how attached I've become to these characters. There is just no way you can read these books and not become hopelessly lost within and completely immersed with no sign of surfacing any time soon. And you won't want it any other way either. You won't want to be pulled away from this book. You will love every minute spent within their world.

I just can't find a single reason for anyone not to like these books.  I don't have a single negative word to say. This book was a phenomenal addition to the series. Finally getting the answers to Tessa's history and watching her face her truths and battle them was nothing short of amazing. Everything was wrapped up so nicely but even still I would do unspeakable things to  read more into the series.

I don't believe I will ever find a love triangle to rival the one between Tessa, Will and Jem. Never before has my heart been so torn and confused. I am definitely team Will, but that doesn't mean I don't also love Jem immensely.  I hope everyone loves the ending as much as I did. I can see why some might have found it catered to the fans a bit much to please everyone. But what's so wrong about everyone  finding what they were hoping to find? I thought it was perfect and  I wouldn't have changed a single thing.

If you are still on the fence about this series, or you are sitting there thinking about how you've been meaning to read this series and you should soon. Please just do it now. Do yourself the biggest favor ever and pick up these books! Just don't forget to bring some tissues ;).

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures
(Caster Chronicles #1)

Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Publication Date: December 1st, 2009

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Genre: Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My Thoughts: I read Beautiful Creatures because I wanted to go see the movie, which I did, and I can't watch a movie without reading the book first. Well, I completely failed at finishing this before watching the movie. I didn't realize that it was going to take me so long. This is a long book, not that that's a bad thing. I like long books, as long as they are well written and keep me entertained, which this one did. However, because I ended up watching the movie before finishing the book, my reading completely slowed down. I have a hard time reading books if I've watched the movie/show first, because I then know how it's going to end. Well, I shouldn't have worried because the ending was different in the book than it was for the movie, well kind of.

Anyways, this books is from a guys point of view, which was a nice change. Ethan Wate is the protagonist and he completely falls for this girl he's been dreaming about. Lucky him when he walks into school one day and there she is. He knows it's her, even though he's never seen the dream girls face. Now the only thing about her, Lena Duchannes, is that she isn't from around town and everybody seems to hate her. For no reason at all. I guess it was a small southern town who was set in it's ways. But mostly they dislike her because of rumours about her family. Her uncle in particular, Macon Ravenwood. The town's own Boo Radley.

Beautiful Creatures is a well written story that I found to be fairly unpredictable. You might think something was going to happen, but it never did. But that's a good thing because I'm not a fan of reading books that are too predictable. There is a forbidden romance, who doesn't like a forbidden romance? Magic, good, evil, girl drama, and a swoon worthy protagonist with a sad past. I really enjoyed the book and the movie. I'm going to definitely have to continue on in this series. This is definitely a book that owl recommend ;)

Review & Giveaway: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: May 8th, 2012

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance

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Synopsis:

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

My Thoughts: My love for this series is off the charts and this installment has done nothing to change that. In fact, it's made me love it even more, it helped me see characters I thought I already knew in a new light and it had me falling even more helplessly in love with Jace, who would have thought that was even possible?!

The Mortal Instruments is definitely one of the best YA series' out there. If you haven't picked up one of these books yet, you seriously need to change that, like...pronto. This book was kind of long for a YA book, but oddly enough it still wasn't nearly long enough. I find myself having this problem with each one of these books, I never ever ever want them to end. I read and read and I realized the page count is going down and I convince myself there is still lots left. But when I'm getting down to the last pages I start getting really upset. I've got attachment issues here, seriously. And of course, just like every other time it was over way too soon, and I was left broken hearted, distraught and ready to do any dark deed necessary to get my hands on the next book, which isn't due to come out till 2014. What  a long and tortuous wait does lay ahead of me.

This book did  a good job of leaving us hanging, non-stop. The whole story was one giant cliff hanger. I was never sure what the characters were going to do next, or what might happen next. I was flat out blown away by things that were said and done by characters I thought I knew. I feel like in this book we get to see a different light shed on just about everyone, and it was awesome, shocking and incredible. Cassandra Clare has created the most mind blowing cast of characters in this story and at this point I feel like they are real people that I have crazy strong emotional attachments to.

I've said before that Jace is one of my all time favorite male characters. And that hasn't changed, but throughout the story my feelings towards him were all over the map because he is essentially two versions of himself at once. But the real Jace and the one we all love always shines through and I can't help but be in adoration of all things Jace. I've always loved Magnus as well, but in this thanks to this book, I love him even more. I can't even say definitively what it was that made him that much more awesome to me, but by the end I was like whoa, Magnus is ever more incredible than I thought!  And then there's Simon and Isabelle, who I loved of course but was never overly crazy over. But again, this book showed me new sides to them and I felt my attachments to them grow stronger.

I will never be able to justify these books with a proper review. They are amazing, incredible, wonderful, mind blowing , out of this world wicked. They stand in league of their own. I literally look at these books and just ooze love for them. Thank you Cassandra Clare for sharing this exceptional story with us. Everyone, everywhere, read this series. If you have already, I'm sure you understand what I am trying to get at when I describe this books marvelous-ness, and I apologize for doing it such injustice with my measly words.

without a doubt, 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

So, as fate would have it I happen to have two copies of this book and I want to give one away to you! And by fate I mean, my lovely husband brought it home for me when  was at the store and he recognized these "Mortal Instruments" words he's heard me say 1 million times. Of course though, I already owned it. But I guess that makes awesome news for you guys! I do have to make this giveaway Canadian only because I am paying for shipping myself, sorry all other out of country followers :(. So if you are from Canada please enter the copter below and one of you will receive a brand new hardcover copy of City of Lost Souls :D Weeee! I am so excited to be sharing this book!




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Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies

Author: Isaac Marion

Publication Date: January 1st 2010

Publisher: Vintage

Genre: Zombies/Post Apocalyptic/Romance

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Synopsis:

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead

My Thoughts: I will admit, and I'm sure you know, that my whole reason fro reading this was because I was planning on seeing the movie in theaters (and I did!) and I really don't like to watch a movie when I know it's based off of a book if I haven't already read the book. Well, I have to say I'm so glad that they made this into a movie, I might have missed it otherwise! It's too funny! I never thought I would say that about a zombie book before!

So why is this funny? Well because it's from a zombie's point of view! R in fact. All he can remember is that he thinks his name started with an R, so that's what he goes by. Not that he has many people to talk to, not really. Zombies don't really talk, they most grunt at each other and a few can get some words out, like R and M, his best friend. Since we're in R's head, we do actually get plenty of coherrant thought's from him, it seems to just be speaking that he has the most difficulty with. R doesn't like being a zombie, not really and he really doesn't like that he has to kill to survive. Because he doesn't just want to die, which can happen, so instead he is forced to kill and eat humans. Brains seem to be like a drug to zombies, it gives them the memories of their victims temporarily when they eat them and since they can't dream and have no memories of their own, it's something they enjoy.

So when R and some other zombies go on a hunt and find some humans, something weird happens and he brings home Julia, disguised as a new zombie. For some reason he couldn't kill her and didn't want anyone else to either. Can zombies really love? Something strange begins to happen to him and he can't figure it out.

Warm Bodies is very enjoyable. There were so many parts that had me laughing at R's antics. There is a bit of "zombie sex" in it, so not really good for younger teens. Although the image that was put in my head had me laughing hysterically (I have a bad sense of humour, but apparently Isaac Marion shares that with me). I enjoyed the writing style and the story is relatively short and quick to read. I read it in less than a day. I will say that the ending in the books is different from the movie in some ways, if you have seen it. Also, the boney's aren't as scary in the book as the movie. I've also just discovered that there is going to be a sequel, so I'll be looking out for that. Isaac Marion has a great writing style which I really enjoyed, so I have to check out more by him. I definitely recommend this one!

Review: Chosen by P.C & Kristin Cast

Chosen

Author: P.C & Kristin Cast

Publication Date: March 4th, 2008

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: YA/Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…

My Thoughts: Blahhh, that's pretty much how I feel after reading this book. I feel like  I could just make that one word summarize completely how I feel about this book.

I had been pleased with Betrayed because it seemed like Zoey was maturing and turning into a much better person. But book #3 here completely dashed all hopes of that for me. I don't think I have ever been so frustrated with a main character before. I mean, I don't know if we're supposed to dislike her, but I don't see how anyone could not. But even when I tend to dislike a character in a book, or think they are just overall a bad person. I still usually respect the depth and work put into the character to make me feel that way. But in this case, I feel Zoey has the emotional range of a carrot, considerably low intelligence, and not to mention extremely selfish.

I am sure I am making a lot of people upset by saying these things because as far as I've seen this series is pretty popular. But keep in mind, this is simply how I feel, and I can provide reasons for feeling this way.

So here is why I don't like Zoey. Let's start with her friends. She has this group of friends who are incredibly nice to her, extremely generous, they go out of their way to help and please her continuously though out the book. And she does jack all for them in return. She is constantly brushing them off, running away from them, being rude to them, and lying to them. This is not how friendships should work and she has done nothing to deserve the kindness shown to her. Then there's the boyfriend(s) issue. I know love triangles are common, and I'm not against them. I'm as much a sucker for them as the next person. But there is a difference between a love triangle, being torn between who you love more, and flat out  cheating, being selfish, and easy. This frustrated me to no end. Not only did I find it to be incredibly poor character, but it got so old and annoying really fast. Every chapter she thinks "oh I really have to break up with one of these guys". Then the next time she sees one of them. She's all over them like flies on stink and completely forgetting about anything except what Zoey wants and what pleases Zoey. Then she will laugh to herself and think " Oh I'm such a ho". Seriously?! And she is always making these little comments to herself, that to me just prove how insensitive and self centered, and ditsy she is. In every chapter she has to remind us she is such a freaking nerd or geek, because she likes harry potter, or because she watched Star Wars. So anyway, that's just some of the reasons I don't like Zoey. I think I've justified myself.

But I still can't say the book is bad. The story line is still OK, although I found this one to be less interesting as the ones before it. I feel like these book have the potential to be so much better than they are. And I am sad that I don't enjoy as much as everyone else seems to. A lot comes to a head at the end of this book, and things aren't really looking the best for Zoey. All I could think though, was that she completely deserved everything, and all her heart ache was pretty much her own fault.  I'm not giving up on this series yet. I still own two more books in the series and I am going to read them and just hope that Zoey's character will develop a decent personality or some maturity. Because as I said, I do like the actual story. But it's really hard to enjoy the book when the main character gets on your  nerves so much.