Waiting on Wednesday: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

****"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:

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Expected publication: March 18th 2014 by HarperCollins/ Balzer + Bray
What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?
Julie Murphy’s SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.
If you don't know about this book we have a problem! This book is going to be the book of 2014. I cannot wait to read it and for everyone else in the world to read it.

Top Ten Tuesday (26)

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 to know your fellow bloggers.

 

This weeks topic is Top Ten Favorite ways to start and/or end a book. This is a tough one. I'm not going to use actual books I'm going to just give y'all an example.

1. Cliffhangers. Me and Cliffhangers have a love/hate relationship. If done well I really enjoy them, if not they bother me.
2. Mystery. I like when a book starts of mysterious. It really makes me get into it.
3. Two characters. I like when it isn't just one character when a book starts or ends. I like that glimpse of the other character.
4. Room for the imagination. I'm going to use Requiem as an example. Everyone hated that ending but I loved it. I like deciding how I want it to end.
5. Things tied up. Yes I like when I can decide but its nice when you aren't left with questions.
6. Unpredictable. I hate when I know exactly how a book is going to end. I want it to surprise me!
7. Exciting. I love when a book ends or starts with a bang.

That's it for me. I couldn't think of any more. Be sure and leave me your picks this week in the comments!

Identified: The Maya Price Story by Faith Mills Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self Published
Source: Author
First book in a possible series
*This was gifted to me by author for review*
Maya Price is a typical eighteen-year-old girl without many worries. Her biggest problems include getting ready to leave her hometown for college, figuring out how to avoid her ever-so-strange stepmother and trying to muddle though her feelings for her best friend, Pete. Yet, one of her last nights in her hometown, she and Pete are in a car accident. A stranger pulls Maya from the accident, leaving Pete behind, and takes her out of this world and into another dimension. Maya soon discovers that she has been taken to a dimension called Leets by a group of people that call themselves shifters. Shifters are of mixed human and onyx blood and have various abilities. These shifters are able to travel between dimensions, control the four elements (fire, earth, wind, water) and the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch and taste). Their leader, Victoria, informs Maya that she, too, is a shifter and that she must choose to join them or risk being sought out by their greatest enemy, a shifter named Leonas. Maya joins Victoria and her ragtag group of rebel shifters at a training camp called Level One. he is teamed up with a group of seven other shifters, including a streetsmart girl named Luz, who is especially adept at controlling fire, her twin sister Espy, and a nervous boy named Lamar, who can manipulate sound better than any other shifter. Together, Maya’s team trains for the battles that will soon be inevitable. However, Maya soon learns that her purpose is not to just move the earth or send water flying into the air. There are rumors of a hidden prophecy and that the prophecy mentions Maya by name. Supposedly, the prophecy says that Maya will one day have to choose a side and will be essential in bringing her chosen ally to power...


Review
I was pretty impressed with this one. I really enjoyed the characters and the concept was really unique. The story was a little complex at times though. 

Maya Price has more to her than she knows. She must leave her family and go to a school for people like her. She must connect with her powers and find a prophecy that is supposedly based around her. 

I liked Maya a lot. But, I felt like we didn't get to see all of her. She had to potential to be insanely fierce. Instead she was just okay. I really wanted more from her because her role in the story is so huge. I liked her dedication to her family. I also liked that she never gave up. Maya had some amazing companions. They made a great addition to the story and I can't wait to see more of them. 

This took me awhile to get into. It has some fast moments but took some time to get there. There was some action but it was pretty much towards the end. I did wish for more in the first half. I liked that I couldn't predict the story. I liked the unique aspects such as the magic and the villains. I think this was a pretty good start to the series. I'm super excited to see where the story goes! 

 

Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Razor Bill
Source: Conference
First book in the Earthbound series
Love, fate, and power collide in this new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike!
Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told. Tavia will soon discover that she’s an Earthbound—someone with the ability to create matter out of nothing—and that she alone holds the key to stopping the Reduciata, an evil society that manipulates global events for its own shadowy purposes. Tavia will ultimately have to make a choice: to come into her powers and save the world from the evil Reduciata or to choose free will and a love of her own.


Review:
I feel like I've been waiting forever for this book. Since the first teaser tweet I saw on twitter I was hooked. It's safe to say it met my expectations. I knew it was going to be amazing and it very much was.

This tells the story of Tavia. She's the only survivor of a life changing plane crash. As she tries to put her life back together, she learns there is more to her past than she ever knew.

I loved Tavia! I found it so easy to connect with her. She was a very strong character. She felt very real. I liked how complex she was. I liked that even though she knew she wasn't human, she didn't let that change her. Benson very quickly stole my heart. He was an amazing character. Of course once I gave him my heart he broke it! I really hope he plays a part in the next book so he can win back my heart.

I think fantastic is a good word to describe this storyline. Amazing works too! It was so fast paced. There was tons and tons of action and suspense. It was crazy unique. This book was everything I could have hoped for! This is one of those one sitting reads. I cannot wait to continue this series. If you haven't read this pretty, I oh so highly recommend!

Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

****"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:




Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
Expected release date: April 8th, 2014
from Putnam Juvenile

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.


The Hex Hall series is one of my absolute favorites so of course I want to read this. I'll read anything Rachel Hawkins puts her name on. The synopsis sounds so awesome. Plus it says y'all it. Come on. The cover is super cute and my body is just ready to pet it.

Blog Tour Stop: Sylo by D.J. MacHale

 

Hey guys! We're lucky enough to be taking part in this amazing blog tour! We have a joint review, and a giveaway so be sure and check out all those below!

 

 

Author Bio:

D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: PENDRAGON – JOURNAL OF AN ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE became a New York Times #1 bestseller.
He was raised in Greenwich, CT and graduated from Greenwich High School. While in school, he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm, engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. attended New York University where he received a BFA in film production.
His filmmaking career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials. He also taught photography and film production.
D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, he produced all 91 episodes over 8 years. D.J. also wrote and directed the movieTOWER OF TERROR for ABC’s WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY which starred Kirsten Dunst and Steve
Guttenberg. The Showtime series CHRIS CROSS was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.
D.J. co-created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series FLIGHT 29 DOWN. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on FLIGHT 29 DOWN earned him the Writers Guild of America award for “Outstanding Children’s Script” and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.
Other notable writing credits include the ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL titled SEASONAL DIFFERENCES; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series GHOSTWRITER; and the HBO series ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, BOY DETECTIVE for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.
In print, D.J. has co-written the book THE TALE OF THE NIGHTLY NEIGHBORS, based on his own teleplay and penned the poetic adaptation of the classic Norwegian folk tale EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON. His most current work is the spooky MORPHEUS ROAD trilogy; and a whimsical picture book THE MONSTER PRINCESS.
D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household are two elderly goldfish and a Kitten, Kaboodle.

Author Links:
http://djmachalebooks.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/74046.D_J_MacHale
http://twitter.com/djmachale
http://www.facebook.com/pages/DJ-MacHale/60113313942



Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?
Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.
It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late. 
#1 New York Times bestselling author D.J. MacHale brings his brilliant plotting and breathless pacing to SYLO, the first in this ultimate end-of-the-world adventure trilogy.

Time for our reviews!

This is one of those books where you have no idea what's going on or what to expect. It took me awhile to get into the story but once I did I loved it. It was very well done!

This tells the story of Tucker, Tori, and Quinn. The island they live on has gone into some crazy lockdown. No one knows what is going on. Tucker and his friends are determined to figure things out. The Sylo is a part of the navy and has come to quarantine the island. In their quest to find answers, Tucker and his friends end up on one crazy ride.

Tucker was an amazing main character. As was Tori. They both had really unique personalities you don't see often. They were both quite shy but still strong. Together they made an amazing team. They were determined to find answers and survive. I loved getting to see them grow together as well as individually.  Quinn was awesome too. I can't say much about his character for spoiler purposes.  The Sylo team made a really unique aspect to the story. This also had some great side characters that I hope to see more of in the next book.

This is a very mysterious read. You couldn't predict the plot no matter how hard you tried. Every time I thought I had things figured out, they would go another direction. It did take me awhile to get into but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It was very fast paced and action packed. Once I finished I was dying for more! Overall I thought this was a great read. It was incredibly unique and I cant wait to see where the story goes!







I didn't really know what I was getting into when I started this book and I'm glad to say that it was definitely unexpected-but in a good way. I loved it.

In the beginning you're introduced to Tucker, someone who is used to falling somewhere around the middle of so, so and exceptional and likes it that way. Then a branch of the U.S. Navy invades and quarantines his island and him and his best friend, Quinn, know there's something more going on than what they're saying. It's up to him, Quinn, and Tori to figure out what's really going on, but knowing too much makes everything much more dangerous for them.

I really liked Tucker as a main character. I loved how all the stuff that happened to him and his friends in this book made him learn to become the hero and fight for what he believed in and cared about instead of letting someone else take the spotlight. He didn't whine and when things got tough he stepped up to the plate. Quinn was his awesome, super smart best friend who was there when Tucker needed him and pushed him into taking action. Tori was great. She was the perfect kick butt girl sidekick that Tucker needed and I really liked how strong she was. I'm excited to see what comes next for her and Tucker.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I got past halfway I flew through it. I never knew what to expect and whenever I sort of had a theory it would get shot out of the water. It made the book like a rollercoaster where I didn't know what was after the next drop. The ending threw me for a loop and made my jaw drop. I'm dying to see where this story goes in the next one. If you're looking for a good mystery with a very unusual situation you should definitely pick this up!







Now that our reviews have convinced you that you simply have to get this book you can enter the giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.......or you can always buy it.

 
Sylo buy links:

    

 

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out the other stops on the Sylo tour by going here.

Blog Tour Stop: Over the Rainbow by Brian Rowe

Hey guys! We have a blog tour stop for you today! Below you will find an excerpt and a giveaway along with the author links and the book information!


A modern re-imagining of The Wizard of Oz!
Zippy Green never meant to fall in love with a girl, but when she does, her ultra-conservative father tries to send her to anti-gay camp. At the Kansas City airport, however, she hides inside a giant suitcase and sneaks onto an airplane headed not to the camp, but to Seattle, where her online love Mira lives. Halfway through the flight, the plane barrels out of control and crashes into the ground, knocking her unconscious.
When Zippy awakens, she finds that most of the passengers have vanished. She doesn’t know what’s happened, but she’s determined to find out. She begins a quest on foot toward Seattle, and along the way, she meets a teenager with a concussion, a homeless man with a heart condition, a child without a shred of bravery, and a terrier named Judy. Together the group discovers that more than two-thirds of the world's population have mysteriously disappeared. But that's only the beginning...
All Zippy wants is to find her Mira, but before she can she has to contend with two outside forces. The first is her homophobic father, who does everything in his power to keep her from the girl she loves. And the second is extinct creatures of all shapes and sizes, including living, breathing dinosaurs, which have replaced the missing population.

Excerpt:

Two hours into my flight to Seattle, I unzipped part of the suitcase and breathed in the cold, stuffy air.

The actual liftoff had been less traumatic than I expected. I had to cover my ears when the engines roared to life, but the speed of the plane and the long climb into the air didn’t impact me any more than if I had been a passenger in coach.

I had no idea if I could pull off the Seattle end of my master plan—I didn't have Mira's phone number and wouldn't be able to call her—but I was ecstatic at the thought of seeing her. She didn’t know I was on my way, of course. She didn’t even know I had been sentenced to gay rehab.

What would Mira say to me if she knew what I was up to? I wished I had access to a laptop and a modem so I could sign onto AOL and instant message her, right there in the cargo area of the Boeing 737. 

I imagined our conversation going like this:

 

zippitydoodah: Hey.

SparkleFlower: Z! Where have you been?

zippitydoodah: Not enough time to explain. I have a surprise for you.

SparkleFlower: Oh I love surprises.

zippitydoodah: Can you be at the Seattle airport in an hour?

SparkleFlower: What? Why?

zippitydoodah: I'm on my way to see you.

SparkleFlower: Shut up.

zippitydoodah: Mira, I'm serious.

SparkleFlower: No you're not.

zippitydoodah: I'm an hour away. I swear!

SparkleFlower: Oh my God. Oh my God, I am freaking out!

zippitydoodah: I am, too. I'm so excited!

SparkleFlower: I have to get ready!

zippitydoodah: Hurry! One more hour!

SparkleFlower: I'm coming. Oh my God, Z. We're finally gonna meet.

zippitydoodah: I know. But before we do there's something I want you to know.

SparkleFlower: Okay, what?

zippitydoodah: I've been thinking it a lot lately.

SparkleFlower: What is it?

zippitydoodah: Mira, I think I might be in lo—

 

The turbulence broke me out of my daydream. I opened my eyes to see a dozen suitcases slide from the right side of the cargo area to the left. I stayed put for a few seconds, but then started tipping over. 
“What the hell?” I whispered.

I didn’t have time to lift my arms to protect myself. The suitcase slammed against a golf bag, then tumbled up against the wall.

“Oww! What! What’s going—”

The plane spun out of control. I screamed, and reached for the zipper, but I was too late. All the suitcases launched toward the ceiling, including mine. I stayed in the air for what seemed like a full minute, then soared back down and crashed against the metal floor.

I started crying, hyperventilating. The plane was barreling toward the ground. I was seconds away from dying, and I didn’t even know why. Had something happened to the engine? The pilot?

The suitcase launched back up toward the ceiling and spun through the air, from the left to the right, and back down again, like I was being bounced around a pinball machine.

I didn’t know if I was safer inside or outside the suitcase, but in my panic I grabbed hold of the zipper and tore it open. I looked out in full for the first time. At least fifty pieces of luggage were getting tossed around the cargo area, like sheets of paper in a wind tunnel.   

The plane barreled to the right and catapulted me from the suitcase down toward the metal floor. A large animal carrier smashed against my shins.

The end was coming, faster and faster, as the plane plummeted. I peered into the carrier to see a little white dog staring back at me.

When I closed my eyes for the final time, two warm tears rolled down my aching cheeks.

“Mira… I love you… I love you… I—”

The plane collided against the Earth, and I launched forward, struck my head against the cargo door, and blacked out.     

Author Web Site: http://brianrowebooks.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/brianroweauthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrbrianrowe

Over the Rainbow on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/16YkcZs

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/04b3c10/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Rouge by Gina Damico

****"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:

Rouge by Gina Damico
Expected publication: September 10th 2013 by Graphia
Lex is a teenage Grim Reaper with the power to Damn souls, and it’s getting out of control. She’s a fugitive, on the run from the maniacal new mayor of Croak and the townspeople who want to see her pay the price for her misdeeds. Uncle Mort rounds up the Junior Grims to flee Croak once again, but this time they’re joined by Grotton, the most powerful Grim of all time. Their new mission is clear: Fix his mistakes, or the Afterlife will cease to exist, along with all the souls in it.　
The gang heads for Necropolis, the labyrinth-like capital city of the Grimsphere. There, they discover that the Grimsphere needs a reboot. To do that, the portals to the Afterlife must be destroyed…but even that may not be enough to fix the damage. Things go from bad to worse, and when at last the fate of the Afterlife and all the souls of the Damned hang in the balance, it falls to Lex and her friends to make one final, impossible choice.

This series is just so fun! I don't read reaper books very often. I'm sad to see this series end but I can't wait to see how it all wraps up!

June Monthly Wrap Up

Hey guys! I know July is already half over. We're a little late with the wrap up this month! But here it is. These videos consist of the books we read this past month, the books we plan on reading this month, and any books coming out this month we're waiting on! Be sure and leave us comments with your TBR and Wrap Ups :).

Top Ten Tuesday (25)

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 to know your fellow bloggers.

This weeks topic is Top Ten Authors Authors Who Deserve More Recognition. This is a harder topic. I'm gonna try and get ten but no promises. I'm gonna try and use books that I recently read.

1. Lauren Kate. This is one of those authors that even if you didn't enjoy her first books, you should try again. Her later books in the Fallen series were really great and Teardrop is going to be an amazing series!
2. Aprilynne Pike. I'm just a huge Aprilynne Pike fan. I think her books are fabulous and they just keep getting better!
3. Jessica Shirvington. I was late to read the Embrace series. It really is an amazing series!
4. Kristin Cashore. A lot of people have read at least Graceling but the rest of her books are amazing as well!
5. Katie McGarry. Pushing the Limits is a book everyone should read! It makes you think differently!

That's all I could think off! Leave me comments with you picks this week!

Keeping Safe the Stars by Shelia O Conner Review

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Publisher: Putnam
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
When crisis hits, a young girl becomes the only one left to take care of her family
Pride, Nightingale and Baby are the Stars. Orphaned and living with their grandfather, Old Finn, in rural Minnesota, the children, like their grandfather, are wary of outsiders. They believe, as Old Finn taught them, in self-reliance.
But then Old Finn falls seriously ill and is taken to the hospital all the way in Duluth, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Pride, as oldest, assumes the lead. Though she makes mistakes, she keeps them afloat; they even earn money for the bus trip to Duluth. But when they finally see Old Finn, he can't walk or even say his own name, and Pride knows her days of keeping safe the Stars are drawing to a close. Self-reliance can't make Old Finn well again. But maybe, just maybe, a secret from Old Finn's past might make a way for them to stay together after all.
A poignant story about family and love, Sheila O'Connor has delivered another extraordinary and mesmerizing tale.

Review
What an adorable read. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this one. I will say it wasn't really what I was expecting but it was still very good. 

This tells the story of three kids. Pride, Nightingale, and Baby. When their only living relative falls ill, they must take care of themselves until someone comes for them. 

These characters were absolutely fabulous. Pride was an amazing leader and caregiver. I loved that she never gave up. Yes, she didn't always make the right choice but she tried and that's what matters. Nightingale was so cute! I loved how smart she was. She knew how to use that brain of hers. She was also very strong. She wasn't going to let her opinions not be heard. Baby might have been my favorite. He was so very cute. These kids had it tough but they made it work. I loved getting to see them grow. 

I didn't know what to expect at all. I expected this to be very adventurous and it was very contemporary. It was an adorable story of the kids every day life. It had some serious moments and some super fun moments. Those poor kids had no one taking care of them. They had to find a way to survive. The story wasn't fast paced but it was very unique as adorable. I think this is a perfect read for younger kids. Older kids will enjoy it too though.

Waiting on Wednesday: Vicous by Victoria Schwab

****"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:





Vicious by Victoria Schwab
Expected release date: September 24th, 2013
from Tor

A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and
superpowers, set in a near-future world.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will.

Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end? 




In case you haven't noticed I hardly ever read anything but Young Adult. Sometimes I'm willing to make an exception. For this I am. I love the authors other books and her writing style is gorgeous. The synopsis sounds so different and interesting. Plus the cover is super cool.

Top Ten Tuesday (24)

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 to know your fellow bloggers.

This weeks topic is Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations. This was a very easy topic for me because there has been so many movies based on books that came out in the past couple years that I have either loved or hated.

 

I decided to split it up into the ones I loved, the ones I didn't, and the ones I'm most excited for.

 

The best:

• Breaking Dawn Part 2-I could put all of them on this list, but this was probably my favorite movie of them all. It captured the story and the emotions and the drama of the book so well. It felt like I was seeing the pages on screen. I also cried harder than I ever have in a movie. Probably 75% of it. I know. I'm strange.
• Harry Potter-These are some of the best adaptions ever and some of the best movies ever. Every time they have a Harry Potter weekend I sit in front of the TV and deal with the same commercials over and over for hours. My favorites are the 3rd one, 6th one, and the last one.
• The Hunger Games-I think this is the most true to the book movie I've seen in a while. All the actors played their parts so well. Plus John Hutcherson. I mean come on.
• The Host-I know some people didn't like this one, but I loved it. The cast and crew did such an amazing job making a sci-fi book that is over 600 pages into a movie that was so much fun to watch. It also helped that the cast was VERY nice to look at ;).

 

The worst:

• Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief-This one is kind of a given. There's a reason the author hasn't even seen it. I could have forgiven them for the not so great casting (other than Logan Lerman of course) if they hadn't completely changed the story. They took out all the stuff that made the series so great.
• Beautiful Creatures-This the only adaption that made me want to walk out of the theatre. I really liked the cast and I would have enjoyed it just as a movie. But the second half was completely different than the book and it broke my heart.

 

The ones I can't wait for:

• City of Bones-I love this series and I've been waiting so long for it to be made into a movie. The cast is fabulous and all the pictures and trailers that have been released look so amazing. I'm a ball of excitement.
• Catching Fire-The first one was on the list of the best so of course I can't wait to see this one. This is my favorite book of the series and there's so many scenes I want to see on the big screen. Plus more Josh Hutcherson.
• Divergent-I don't think I know anyone who isn't excited about this movie. The book was practically made to be a movie. All the pictures that I have seen have blown me away. If you've seen the picture of Four you know exactly what I'm talking about.

So that's my list for this week. What's on yours? Let me know in the comments!

Reveling Eden by Victoria Foyt Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Sand Dollar Press
Source: Publisher
First book in the Save the Pearls series
*This was gifted to me by publisher for review*
Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl. If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her. But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land. Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.

Review
I didn't know much going into this story. It was a little hard to get into. My feelings were very up and down. At times I really liked where things were going, at others I wanted to throw it across the room. 

This tells the story of Eden. She must mate but has no real interest. Unknowingly she messes up her fathers very important experiment. She ends up sucked into the rain forest with someone considered to be a beast and her father. 

I really just wanted to punch Eden sometimes. Yes she was on a world that sucked away any confidence she had. But, that is no excuse. At times it was like she didn't even think! She also had no idea how to properly use her words. She was all over the place and it was terribly hard to enjoy her. Bramford I loved. He was a very interesting character. He reminded me of beast from beauty and the beast. I don't know how he put up with Eden. I hope we see more of him in the next book. 

This had a very unique storyline. It really reminded me of Beauty and the Beast but in a jungle. At times it was all over the place. There was always a lot going on. It had some really unique aspects that I really enjoyed. I loved the jungle setting. I did wish for more background information. It was a pretty fast paced story. Lots and lots of action. Overall this was a pretty good start to the series. It had a few problems but was still enjoyable.

Waiting on Wednesday: Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

 

****"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:

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan
Expected publication: August 29th 2013 by Simon & Schuster
Free from bonds, but not each other
It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.
But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

This is me saying I'm ready for more torture. If you've read Unspoken then you know what I mean. Or if you know how terribly evil this author is. Lets just say she enjoys being evil and torturing us. It really is a good torture though. And my body is ready!

Burning Blue by Paul Griffin Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Dial
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
How far would you go for love, beauty, and jealousy?
When Nicole Castro, the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school, is splashed with acid on the left side of her perfect face, the whole world takes notice. But quiet loner Jay Nazarro does more than that--he decides to find out who did it. Jay understands how it feels to be treated like a freak, and he also has a secret: He's a brilliant hacker. But the deeper he digs, the more danger he's in--and the more he falls for Nicole. Too bad everyone is turning into a suspect, including Nicole herself.
Award-winning author Paul Griffin has written a high-stakes, soulful mystery about the meaning--and dangers--of love and beauty.

Review
My goodness this book was amazing. It did take me awhile to get into but once I did, I couldn't stop. I loved the story so much. The concept was incredibly intriguing and the characters stole my heart. 

This tells the story of Nicole. Someone squirts acid on her face. Jay is determined to find out who and why. As Jay and Nicole grow closer, he finds himself closer and closer to the truth. 

This one is told from Jay's perspective with a few glimpses of Nicole's. Jay was a drop dead amazing character. I loved him so much. I loved that all he wanted was the truth. He didn't plan on falling for Nicole it just happened. I really enjoyed Nicole. She was pretty complex though. Closer to the end it was hard to keep up. Her story kinda ripped my heart out. I liked how much she grew. I thought both Jay and Nicole were amazingly well done. 

I think the best part of this book was the storyline. It had this mystery aspect that kept my on my toes. You honestly have no idea where the story is going. All the twists shocked me. Once I got into the story there was no turning back. The story wasn't incredibly fast paced but it did keep me flipping the pages. Overall I think this is a fabulous read. It's very unique. I really enjoyed it. If your a fan of mystery then you will too!