In my Mailbox: (#12)

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

BOUGHT:

Possession, by Elana Johnson

Blood Red Road, by Moira Young

Chasing Brooklyn, by Lisa Schroeder

BORROWED:

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

Darkness Becomes Her, by Kelly Keaton

Review: The Iron Witch

Author: Karen Mahoney

Series: The Iron Witch #1
Pages: 289
Format: Paperback
Rating: 3/5

Summery:
Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.
When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

Review:
It's really weird, but I don't usually like faery books.  I've read some of the Iron Fey series and I really like that, but I'm just not really into faeries.  And this book was just okay for me.

When I first started it I was like Ok, this has a great story line and is going to be super exciting! but then I kept reading and although it did have a good story line, it wasn't very complicated.  It was actually a really easy read and not really young adult.  There is only one task that has to be completed and that was done in twenty pages.  There weren't any climaxes, and the staging was obvious.  However, I do think it was really good writing, I just wish there was more going on.  And the ending wasn't as exciting or complex as I think it should have been.  In my opinion, the ending should have the reader on the edge of her seat, and that just wasn't an element in the book for me.

I really like Xan.  He sounds really sweet and nice and totally swoon-worthy.  And I like him better than Navin.
I also like Donna.  She's a strong female character and I really like that Mahoney wrote her like that.

All in all, kind of disappointing but a good read none the less.

P.S. I apologize for the short review.  I'm feeling spacey today and this is the best I can throw together. :P

In my Mailbox: (#11)

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

BOUGHT:

Wildefire, by Karsten Knight

We'll Always Have Summer, by Jenny Han

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore

 

GIFTED:

The Nightmare Garden, by Caitlin Kittredge

BORROWED:

The Faerie Ring, by Kiki Hamilton

A Mini-Review for Elemental Reality

Author: Cesya Marae Cuono

Series: Elemental #1

Source: Publisher

Rating: 1/5
Review:
I'm going to make this a really short review.  I didn't make it past 20 pages of this book and I'm writing this to tell you why.  I mean no offense to Cesya Cuono, so please don't take this review the wrong way.  It is my thoughts only and are not meant personally.

I didn't like this book.  I think all the events were too sudden and there wasn't any build to the story.  After 20 pages the main character had already met and formed relationships with two different guys, making a love triangle.  In my opinion, this kind of thing should take time.  The writing wasn't perfect either, though I did laugh a lot.  I put it down because I didn't see any potenial at all and I just couldn't finish.

Giveaway: Elemental Reality

Hello fellow book fanatics!  I've decided to have another giveaway today!!  I'm going to give away ONE PAPERBACK copy of Elemental Reality, by Cesya MaRae Cuono.  And, as an extra bonus, it's SIGNED.  Please make sure you read all the rules carefully and if you have any questions or comments, don't be shy, comment below. :)



MAKE SURE YOU READ THE FOLLOWING RULES VERY CAREFULLY!!

The Rules:

1. There will be one winner. 
2. Giveaway ends on March 15, 2012 @ 11:59 p.m.
3. Must be a GFC follower
4. Must be 13 or older.
5. US resident.  If you're not, no entry (sorry).
6. The winner WILL have to pay for shipping via PayPal.
7. Fill out the form.

Review: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Pages: 338
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

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

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

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

Review:
Oh my God.  Oh my God.  I love this book.  When I started it I didn't think I would like it because Tahereh Mafi had this weird way of writing that I wasn't used to, but wow.  I loved it.  This review is going to be really short because this book is so good.

The story line was amazing.  The writing was amazing.  The idea was amazing.  I mean, how did Mafi even think of this?  It's amazing.  And by half-way finished I had finally gotten used to Mafi's writing and actually really enjoyed it because it got the point across better.  I really don't know how to explain it, but it just really, really worked.  I loved the action, I loved the humor, I loved everything.

I LOVE ADAM.  And I'm serious.  I TOTALLY AM IN LOVE WITH ADAM.  He sounds so cute and caring and just the most perfect guy you could think of.  Why, oh why, can't he be real?
I also really liked Juliette.  She was strong, kick-ass, and really got on Warner's nerves, which I loved.
Speaking of Warner, I HATE HIM.  HATE, HATE, HATE HIM.  He is the most evil person I have read about in a long time and I really, really wish Juliette had killed him.
One of the most funny characters I've read in a while is Kenji.  Gosh, this dude is just so funny.  He's so full of himself and gosh, just the comments he makes, they crack me up.

All in all, hands down the best book I've read this year, and probably the best I'll read all year.  Mafi is amazing.

Review: Bloodrose

Author: Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade #3
Pages: 406

Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
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 unnamanble 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.

Review:
I'm kind of sad this is the last book in the Nightshade series because I actually really enjoyed it.  But I'm also glad I finished it because I got to read Wolfsbane (which I loved) and this book, so it's kind of bitter-sweet.

I have to admit, this book has one of the best story lines I've seen in a while.  There were twist and turns, things I didn't even see coming, and the ending was great.  But it was also really sad (I won't tell).  It had great writing, great action, and another thing I loved about it was the love-triangle.  I know, I know I always say I hate love triangles, but sometimes the book really needs it to make it exciting, and I feel like the love-triangle was perfect for this book.  But what I really liked, and I think Andrea Cremer is a genius for doing this, is Calla putting a hold on both her relationships with Ren and Shay.  It really kept you captivated because she kind of went from one boy to the other, sneaking a private moment, and I LOVED it.

Coming into this book I was totally Team Ren.  I hated Shay because he was so possessive and he just wasn't as sexy as Ren.  But as I read I started liking Shay more and more, until they were about even.  Ren is so sexy and caring, and he really, really loves Calla.  With Shay, I didn't really get those vibes.  But I'm so sad the love-triangle ended like it did (let's just say there wasn't a third person to make it a triangle).

Although I wasn't a huge fan of Nightshade, and Wolfsbane was better, I think that Bloodrose is the best of the series.  And I'm so glad I own it so I can go back and read it again and again whenever I want.

Waiting on Wednesday (#20): Hidden

This is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlites upcoming new releases that we're highly anticipating.

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

Hidden, by Sophie Jordan

Add on Goodreads

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

Release Date: September 11, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: (#16)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it.  You just have to do is:

 (1): Grab your current read.

(2): Open it to a random page.

(3): Share 1 or 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!! 

(4): Make sure you also mention the author and title.

Bloodrose, by Andrea Cremer

Add on Goodreads

#1: "I could hear the Searchers shouting, but I couldn't make out their words over the roar of water pouring into the cavern.  Scrambling to my feet, I started to run toward their voices.  My paws were splashing through ankle-deep water.  It should have been impossible.  Water coming through that tiny cleft in the rock we'de had to worm through couldn't be this foreful.  But somehow it was.  Water that had been at my knees was already at my waist and rising, forcing me to swim.  The cave shuddered again.  Slabs of stone dropped from the ceiling."

#2: "Not jelous of his power, but of that stirring quality in his words.  He was finding himself, his true self.  Last night, I'd believed Shay when he said he wanted to stay at my side.  That he would be my mate.  Watching him now, the distance between us felt immense-he no longer seemed like a Guardian.  He was only the Scion.  What did that mean for me?"

What's your teaser this Tuesday?? :)

Cover Reveal: Hidden

Hidden
by Sophie Jordan
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Number of pages: -----
Format: Hardcover

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!!  When I first saw that the cover was being released I nearly screamed I wa so excited.  It isn't as good as the other two, but it's still pretty pretty. :P

What do you think of this cover?? :)

ARC Review + Giveaway: Rivals

Author: Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur
Series: The Ivy #3
Pages: 365
Format: ARC
Source: Greenwillow
Rating: 2.5/5

Summery:
Decisions, decisions . . .

You’ve survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the state of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don’t succeed, you should probably stop trying), friendships (C-minus, since she and former BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don’t even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threaten to thwart Callie’s resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for—

Grace Lee
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side—and a suitor—has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

Review:
I will admit, I don't like books like this.  I didn't even ask for an ARC of it, Greenwillow just sent me one (THANKS!!).  I haven't read the first two books, I didn't understand what was going on.  I didn't like it enough to give it 3 stars, I was going to give it 2, but then I read the ending.  And you know what I always say about the endings. :)

It was a good idea, don't get me wrong.  But I just didn't like it.  It's totally no one's fault but mine because I just don't like these kinds of books in general.  The plot was good, the idea was good, it had a lot of things going on and a complex plot (which Kunze and Onur still made understandable, and I totally give them credit for that), but the writing was okay.  Again, I just don't like these kinds of books.  It's no one's fault but mine.  I did laugh at a couple things and there were parts that I thought were really imaginative and funny.  The handcuffs I though were a really good idea (I won't tell you any more, you have to read the book :P).

A strong female character is always crucial for me, and I don't feel like Callie fits that description.  I can totally understand her being with Clint, but the things she did before that, I just don't understand, and I don't think a REAL strong female would have done them.
In the beginning, I adored Clint.  He was totally swoon-worthy.  Then came the end.  And let's just say, I hate him now. (Read the book :P)
Gregory was okay for me, not especially hot or swoon-worthy.
I really, really liked Mimi and Vanessa, though.  They were funny, strong, and, to be honest, I liked them more than I liked Callie.

All in all, not my favorite book, but I'm sure that if I liked chic-lit I would love this book.

Huge thanks to Greenwillow for sending me an ARC of this book when I didn't even ask for it. :)

And another huge thanks to Isabella on Goodreads for telling me what the rest of the series was about because, to be honest, I didn't have a clue what was going on.  Thanks dalin' :P
______________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! :)

Today I'm going to giveaway ONE ARC COPY of Rivals, by Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur.  I have read the edition I am giving away and it is in perfect condition.  Please read all the rules below very carefully.  Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my review, and I hope you enter my giveaway.  Feel free to comment below!! :)

Rivals, by Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE FOLLOWING RULES VERY CAREFULLY!!

The Rules:

1. There will be one winner. 
2. Giveaway ends on February 29, 2012 @ 11:59 p.m.
3. Must be a GFC follower
4. Must be 13 or older.
5. US resident.  If you're not, no entry (sorry).
6. The winner WILL have to pay for shipping via PayPal.
7. Fill out the form.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING MY REVIEW AND ENTERING!!  FEEL FREE TO COMMENT BELOW, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!! :):):)