Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Source: Bought
Stand Alone
Dying sucks
...and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand.
After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.
Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?
But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life.
For real this time.

Review
I think I underestimated this one. I had seen some mixed feelings and negative reviews. So I had low expectations. It deserved higher! I am surprised by how much I loved it. It took some getting used too but I thought it was amazing.

This tells the story of Ember. Since dying and being brought back to life she has the power to kill with her bare hands. All Ember cares about is taking care of Olivia her baby sister. She meets Hayden and is forced to trust his adopted father with not only her life but Olivia's as well.

Ember took some getting used too. For the first half I wanted to knock her face in. She was pretty annoying. But she eventually got less annoying and I enjoyed her. She wasn't the best character but I did like seeing her grow throughout the story. Hayden was by far the amazing character. He made up for what Ember lacked. He was the biggest sweetheart while still being hot. He had an amazing personality. One thing I really liked was that he didn't let Ember walk over him. Ember and Hayden were pretty cute. I liked that they took things slow. One thing that felt kinda off to me was Olivia. She was so important to Ember but after I got to halfway she was hardly in the story.

Yes the cannot touch people thing has been done quite a few times. But, this one was really unique. It was very much it's own book. I loved that it wasn't just one character with powers. I also loved how fast paced it was. There was also lots of suspense. I saw some people say they knew who the bay guys were. I had no idea. It was a huge surprise for me. Overall I loved this with all my heart. The first 100 pages weren't great but the rest of the book made up for it!

Shadowflesh by Shawn Martin Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
 Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
 Source: Author
First book in a possible series
*This was gifted to my by author for review*
Torn from her home and fighting bouts of suicidal depression, seventeen year old Aileen McCormick lands in the small coastal town of Redcliff, North Carolina. Her first day of school promises to be the worst day of her life - until she falls into the arms of Addison Wake. Addison's otherworldly charm and drop-dead gorgeous face leave Aileen breathless, but only for a moment. Grim and painful secrets lurk in his dark soul.
Addison Wake isn't exactly like other boys. Far from it. He's dead and has been for 300 years, locked in an ethereal prison by a lethal enchantress named Donelle. When she hungers, she blesses Addison's tortured spirit with moments of freedom, allowing him to roam the mortal world as Shadowflesh. But that dark blessing comes at a price. He must deliver the souls of five unsuspecting humans to Donelle.
When four dead bodies pop up in Redcliff, Aileen asks herself is her love for the mysterious boy unconditional? Is the love worth the risk? And will she be the next victim?


 Review
This was an interesting read. I really liked the idea of the story. But it took quite awhile to get going. It was a little hard to connect with.

This tells the story of Aileen. Her life has taken a turn for the worst. Now she's in a new house and a new school. She doesn't have high hopes until she falls into the arms of Addison Wake.

It was hard to connect with Aileen. She had moments where I really enjoyed her and vise versa. It kinda felt like she didn't know herself completely. She seconded guessed herself. But I liked how determined she was and strong at times. I felt liked I never fully got to know Addison. At times he played a big role then he would disappear for awhile. I liked how complex his character was. I didn't like how he would say one thing then do another. He said he would stay away from Aileen and then he would do the exact opposite. I didn't get to really connect with these characters but I did enjoy their story.

So I basically knew the overall premise of the story before it ended. Things didn't really unravel until close to the end. I felt like I was playing a waiting game. There would be some fast moments. Towards the end it stayed fast. There was a fair share of action. The concept of the story really interested me. The father I read the more I enjoyed the story. Overall this was pretty good. I wished I could have connected with the characters but that's okay. I'm curious to see what the next book will bring. If your a fan of ghost stories this one is for you!

Waiting on Wednesday: Champion by Marie Lu

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:


Champion by Marie Lu
Expected release date: November 5th, 2013
from  Putnam Juvenile
*Spoilers for Prodigy below*
He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

Do I really need to explain my need for this??? The ending of Prodigy was like the worst two ways a author could end a book put together. As soon as I finished it I wanted there to be another page making it a happy ending. From the synopsis that obviously didn't happen, but I still have faith that the author can at least give the series a happy ending. November come faster!

Top Ten Tuesday (17)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of us will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All that's asked is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get o know your fellow bloggers.

 

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects. To be honest I haven't read many 'issue books'. I'm not sure why. Here's what I could come up with.

 

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green-Cancer is definitely a tough subject. John Green manages to write about it in such beautifully brutal way that is as hard to read as it is to forget.
2. In Honor by Jessi Kirby-With her brothers best friend passed out in the passenger seat Honor sets off on this crazy road trip in the name of her dead brother. Along the way they deal with their grief over losing someone so important to them and the way they do that through the things they did for his memory and for each other were so honest and touching. 
3. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver-The main issue in this book is that in the beginning the main character is not likeable one bit. Then she dies and is forced to relive that day 7 times and throughout them she finds a way to say her goodbyes in the right way, fix what she's messed up, and grows so much as a person.
4. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey-In the midst of her grief when her boyfriend dies Wren finds a way to bring him back and has to deal with the consequences of that. This book was a great way to put a paranormal twist on losing someone you love.
5. The Wake Trilogy by Lisa McMann-This is a dark intense series about a girl who gets sucked into other peoples dreams. You wouldn't guess it as first, but this series deals with physical abuse, absentee and alcoholic parents, inappropriate teachers, and rape. It pretty much has it all and it is so emotional. 
6. Shiver by Maggie Steifvater-When your parents put you in the bathtub and slit your wrists those physical and emotional scars stick with you. It's not a major plot point in the series, but it definitely affects the main characters storyline.

Those are my (few) picks this week! What were yours? Are their any issue books that are on your list that you think I would like? Tell me in the comments!

Purity by Jackson Pearce Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Little Brown
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
 novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order. Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.
Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.


Review
Goodness this book surprised me! I didn't know what to expect. Then I got the overall premise of the book and was a little scared. But it was handled perfectly! This had a more mature storyline but it never felt over done!

This one tells the story of Shelby. She promised her mom that she would always follow three rules. Since that day, the day her mother passed, she has lived her life by those three rules. She eventually realizes she might have taken the rules the wrong way and must figure out what's right for her!

I know this sounds like a serious read which it was but, there was tons of humor too. Shelby was hilarious! I loved her. I liked how faithful she was. Even when she didn't agree with something she stuck to what she thought was right. She was very determined. I think she really grew throughout the story. I liked that she tried to remain strong. Shelby had some amazing companions. I absolutely adored James. He was a fabulous character. Ruby was also fabulous. Put the three of them together and your in for quite the adventure. I really liked how good friends James and Ruby were to Shelby. The story wouldn't have been the same without them.

This had a serious storyline. Shelby had to deal with the loss of her mother even though some time had passed. But it had more funny moments than serious. I think it was balanced well! The book was pretty much based around Shelby losing her virginity. That makes for some pretty hilarious moments. One thing I really liked was how careful she was. Yes she planned on sleeping with whoever she could but she made sure she was safe. Overall I loved this one. I thought it was a quick, super fun, unique read. I highly recommend!

Giveaway: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Giveaway time! It's been a while since we've had one of these. I have a book that I want to giveaway and we're about to hit 175 followers, so what better time?

I got an ARC of Sarah Dessen's new book at TLA this year, but I've never actually read one of her books. I know, I know. What's taking me so long?! So I figured why not spread the love and decide what one of her many books to read first?

Here's the info on the book in case you don't know:





Release date: June 4th, 2013
Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

Doesn't that sound awesome? Don't you want to have it for yourself? Okay, here's how it's going to work. You'll have from today to the 25th (fingers crossed I can get it to you before it comes out) to tell me what book you think should be my first Sarah Dessen book. Whatever book the winner picks I'll order (probably for my birthday-it's the 27th just in case you were wondering) for myself and send the winner their book. Sounds fair, right? Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sophia Within by Jordana Lizama Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Self Published
Source: Author
First book in a possible series
*This was gifted to me by author for review*
Only time will tell if Sophia, Alec and the world are ready to accept the mission that has been passed down for many generations. This is more than a story of reincarnation. This is a story that never ended following the reign of the Greek gods.
What has been hidden for thousands of years is about to surface in a small New England town. The impact on this rural village is ageless, but only the chosen time travelers know what is happening, the reason it is happening and how to control the outcome.
The Men of Ages have walked the Earth unnoticed since the time of Greek mythology and have kept their ancient war alive by transporting the lead warrior in a most unusual time machine. There is only one way to stop the cataclysmic demise of the human race and Sophia is the answer. But, Sophia is a teenage girl faced with many human and nonhuman desires that create a tortuous path from antiquity to the present day. Love conquers all; or, so it seems.

Review
Greek mythology is one of my favorites. I've never really read a nymph story. I thought this had s really cool concept. The characters mainly Sophia lacked just a bit.

This tells the story of Sophia. A boy named Alec comes into her life and tells her she's in danger. He explains to her that she is a bearer of a nymph and many want to get that nymph out of her. Slowly Sophia starts to remember her past and must rely on Alec to teach her how to protect herself. All the while the world around her is falling apart and she must find a way to stop it.

Sophia lacked as a character for me. I can totally understand not having confidence but questioning constantly how anyone could ever like you is too much. She did get better throughout the story which made me very happy. Now Alec, I really enjoyed. He was so sweet! It was obvious he really cared for Sophia. I loved how he protected her. His family made for some amazing secondary characters. One thing I really liked about this story was how important family was. Sometimes that can left out but it plays a huge role in this story.

This had a lot of back story. It did help me connect with the story but it made it hard to keep up at times. I loved all the Greek aspects of the story. I loved how it was fast paced and action filled. I liked that I didn't know where the story was going. This had some really great aspects. I had trouble putting it down. It was a very enjoyable read for me. I'm excited to see where the story continues. If your a fan of Greek mythology this is for you!