Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

I've been wanting to read this book for a while now. I kept hoping my library would order it because let's face it, if I bought every book I wanted to read I would need 2 jobs to pay for them! Finally I just requested it to be ordered. My library is so amazing and every time I ask for a book, they always get it for me. It took some time but it came in the other day. And I read it that same day! Obviously, I loved it! Here's my summary:

America Singer is a #5. In this country (Illea-a future version of the U.S.) that means she's one of the lower castes. (There are 8 castes) Her and her family are all different types of artists and they struggle to make ends meet. America is in love with Aspen, a #6, and this is not a good thing. It would mean an even greater hardship for her if they were to ever get married. When America's family receives news of the Selection in the mail they are overjoyed. But America isn't. The Selection is a contest where 35 girls are chosen to compete for Prince Maxon's hand in marriage. America doesn't want to be a princess or live in the castle and she certainly doesn't want to be married to Prince Maxon. She doesn't care about anything except for being with Aspen. But Aspen wants a good life for America and insists she at least sign up. America finally agrees. At least this way she can say to him and her family that she tried. But then suddenly Aspen ends things with America and the worst happens--America is chosen as one of the 35! Overnight her world changes. She has to leave everything behind for a life of fancy gowns and yummy food and being waited on hand and foot in the castle. But at least her family gets paid handsomely for it. America expects to hate Prince Maxon--after all, it's his fault she's trapped there. But instead she finds he's not so bad. They become friends and when Maxon learns America's heart is elsewhere, he agrees to keep her on to help her family and prolong her return home where Aspen has already moved on. But life at the castle isn't all it's cracked up to be. Rebels threaten everyone's lives and some of the girls will stop at nothing to be the next princess. America must learn who to trust, how to stay alive, and more importantly, who it is she wants to be with.

**Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. I love Cinderella-esque stories and The Selection did not disappoint. The description of the United States America lives in and the life she has as well as the life she gets thrown into is well done and interesting. America's family is relatable--her mom the typical lives-vicariously-through-her-daughter type and her dad the pushover. I felt like the love between America and Aspen was real and very much that of an overwhelming first-love. And Prince Maxon was more than I at first thought. He turned out to be a real charmer and viable love interest for America. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, The Elite. (I am about to fill out the card for my library to order it right now!)

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to comment below. I love hearing from you!

My List

So for a while now I've been talking about my "list" of books. The one I keep in my head that has all my favorite books that I could talk about forever and would highly recommend to anyone looking for something new to read. Well, today I decided to put that list down on paper (or in a post anyway). So here it goes. They're separated into categories but are in no particular order. Enjoy!

Favorite Dystopian Books:
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Matched trilogy by Ally Condie
The Fever trilogy by Lauren DeStefano
The Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth

Favorite Fantasy Books:
Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning (adult)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray

Favorite Paranormal Books:
The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Favorite Steampunk:
The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Favorite Historical Fiction Books:
Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septeys
Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli
The Bad Queen by Carolyn Meyer
Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa M. Klein
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Ophelia by Lisa M. Klein

Favorite Science Fiction:
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Origin by Jessica Khoury

Books that make me laugh:
ANYTHING by Jaclyn Moriarty

**ALL things Maggie Stiefvater 
**ALL things Nicholas Sparks (adult)

Favorite Children's Books:
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Favorite Classics:
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen
**ALL things Shakespeare

Honorable Mentions:
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
**these first three because they surprised me in some way
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (adult)
The Birthright books by Gabrielle Zevin (because it's unique and the MC's voice is great)
Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin (adult)
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Trapped by Michael Northrop
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Books that were hard to read but still good:
The Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens (adult)
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (adult)
The Last Survivors trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer

And for fun...

Books I loved as a kid:
The Sweet Valley High books by Francine Pascal
The Babysitters Club books by Ann M. Martin
Are You There God it's me Margaret? by Judy Blume
The Fear Street books by R.L. Stine
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
I Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (total picture book here but still makes me cry)


Well, what did you think? It's long, huh? I'm sure I"ll be continually adding on to it too! Now get to your library or bookstore and get to reading these because they are GOOD!

New Book Releases

I'm a day late! I usually do this post on Monday but I had such a busy Memorial Day that I couldn't work in the time to get on my computer. There's not a whole lot in the way of new YA releases this week but what's coming out looks good! Here we go...

Dare You To by Katie McGarry 
I couldn't find the Goodreads link so here's the Amazon one:
http://www.amazon.com/Dare-author-Pushing-Limits-ebook/dp/B00BED2UE6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369766212&sr=8-1&keywords=dare+you+to

Goddess (Starcrossed #3) by Josephine Angelini 
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7849034-goddess

Of Triton (Of Poseidon #2) by Anna Banks
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15513156-of-triton

Imposter: A Variants Novel by Susanne Winnacker
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17982127-impostor








The Girl with the Iron Touch (The Steampunk Chronicles #2) by Kady Cross
I couldn't find this one on Goodreads either. Here's the Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Touch-Steampunk-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00BED2UB4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369767361&sr=1-1&keywords=the+girl+with+the+iron+touch

My Sister's Reaper by Dorothy Dreyer
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Reaper-Reapers-Rite-ebook/dp/B00CW079T6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369767589&sr=1-1&keywords=my+sister%27s+reaper

Spirit (Elemental #3) by Brigid Kemmerer
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13494365-spirit

Uprising by Jessica Therrien
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Uprising-Children-Gods-ebook/dp/B00CIDRCBM/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369768020&sr=1-8&keywords=uprising






Thanks for stopping by. See you back here tomorrow!

Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

If I were to make a list of my favorite books, (which I think I might actually do one day soon) these would definitely be at the top. By far they are my favorite fantasy books of all time--hands down, no questions asked. Laini Taylor has a way with words like no one else. Just read this excerpt from the back of Days of Blood and Starlight: "She had loved the enemy and saved him. She had set him free. And he had done this. Bitter, bitter, this desolation of angels." Um, yeah, Laini Taylor is awesome! Here's my summary of each book:

Karou is an art student in Prague. She spends her days hanging out with her friend Zuzana and sketching monsters in her art book  She's always disappearing on errands and can speak several languages. What people don't know is that not all of those languages are human and the monsters in her art book are real. Karou has no family except for a few chimaera--part animal part human creatures. She works for Brimstone, running his errands and collecting teeth. With those teeth and a little donated pain, Brimstone performs magic. He resurrects dead chimaera brought over from another world, a world where chimaera and seraphim (angels) have been at war for centuries. The chimaera would be long gone if not for Brimstone's magic. When the portals between the worlds slowly start closing by an unknown enemy, Karou doesn't know what to do. She knows Brimstone isn't telling her something about who she is and her past. Then Karou meets Akiva. He's familiar and beautiful and instantly has her heart. But there's more to him than meets the eye. When things start to spiral out of control and Karou's chimaera friends disappear, Akiva tells Karou what she needs to do. Break the wishbone Brimstone gave her, the one she wears as a necklace. Akiva knows exactly what's going to happen when Karou does because he knows the truth about who she really is. And he knows that the second the wishbone snaps, he'll lose her forever.

Karou has been gone for quite some time. Her human friends Zuzana and Mik don't know if she's alive or dead or better, with Akiva. But Akiva thinks Karou is dead. Broken and just trying to survive each day, he helps his angel siblings kill the remaining chimaera and with them, dreams of a better world. A world without war and hate and death. But that may never happen because someone is killing the angels now. Easily and horrifically and leaving behind taunts--that they have "arisen." This could only mean one thing: someone is still resurrecting the chimaera. When Akiva saves a chimaera and follows him through an unknown portal, he gets a surprise and a wish come true--Karou is alive. And she is the resurrectionist. And worse, she absolutely hates him. With the help of the evil leader of the chimaera, Karou is raising her dead and continuing the war she never wanted part of. But like Akiva, Karou wants to put an end to all these horrors. What she does on her end and what Akiva does on his has the power to change their world. But what they don't know is that it's not only their world they have to worry about anymore. The angel army has discovered the human world and the human weapons and the human worship of angels. Now with a common enemy, Akiva and his rebel angels and Karou and her chimaera may have to put aside their differences and do the right thing. But will it work? And can Karou and Akiva ever find their way back to each other?

**As soon as you are done reading this post you have to go to your bookstore/library and get these books! The world Taylor has created will blow you away while simultaneously drawing you in. The characters are beautiful and magical and the love story is heart-wrenching and breathtaking. The war between the races will make you stop and think and the love each side has for their people will make you smile. Sometimes I would read a sentence and stop and go back and read it again and say "Wow! That was amazing!" The example above is just one of hundreds that fill Taylor's two books. I can't wait for the final installment of the trilogy, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, to hit shelves in April of next year.

Thanks for stopping by! Now go get these books!

Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns and The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

I love fantasy novels. When a writer can successfully build an entirely different world that I instantly get swept away in, that is talent! Rae Carson's GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS trilogy has blown me away with its greatness. I saw the first book in my library not long after I had read Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Fire. I was in the mood for more fantasy and decided to give The Girl of Fire and Thorns a try. I am so glad I did! Here's my summary:

Elisa is a princess. Her older sister, also a princess, is thin and beautiful and smart and will take over their father's kingdom one day. Elisa has never done anything remarkable. She's plain and plump and awkward. But she's also a chosen one. Once in a century one person is chosen to bear the godstone--a jewel in their navel. In order to bring peace and gain power, Elisa's father marries her off to a handsome king from another kingdom. But before Elisa can even make a difference, she is kidnapped by those seeking the power of her godstone. Elisa slowly learns that these people who've taken her aren't really her enemy--they're just people who need her help. Then there's one of her captors, Humberto. He looks at her in a way no man ever has before. The two fall in love but their happiness is short lived for there are even more enemies out there that want Elisa as well. And they will kill her to get her godstone so they can harness its power. Will Elisa be able to stay alive and bring together a country ravaged by war and death? Will her godstone give her the power she so desperately needs to make a difference?

Elisa is a hero. She's saved her people, started making a difference, and has taken control of her destiny. She thinks all of the drama with her godstone is long gone. After all, she fulfilled her destiny, didn't she? If so, then why are there still people after her? Who wants Elisa dead and why? Elisa must figure this out if she has a chance of bringing the kingdoms together and making the changes needed. With a ragtag group of friends, Elisa sets off on a journey to discover her real destiny and how exactly her godstone can help her. Along the way she manages to fall in love again. This time though, it's with the head of her guard. Hector is a friend and he is also royalty. He could be a powerful ally but an even better husband. If Elisa makes it back alive she has some tough decisions to make. One of which is keep Hector close or let him go. What she chooses will surprise you.

**Loved, loved, loved these books! The world Carson has created is magical and interesting and not hard to understand. Her characters are well drawn with fascinating personalities and character arcs that rival Elisa's. The political intrigue and constant threats on Elisa's life will keep you turning the pages. And the romance between her and Hector will have you swooning and rooting for them to GET TOGETHER ALREADY! The ending was so wonderfully surprising that I can't wait for the final installment, The Bitter Kingdom, to come out this August! In the meantime, Carson has two e-novellas set in Elisa's world to tide you over.

Thanks for reading! See you back soon (:

Book Review: Tempest and Vortex by Julie Cross

I bet you can easily guess where I got the desire to read these books. If you said "EW's Shelf Life" you'd be right! It must have been months before Tempest was due to be released when they did an interview with Julie Cross about her first book in the TEMPEST trilogy. When I read the premise I was excited...a time travel love story with government agents and life or death stakes! Sold! Here's my summary of Tempest and Vortex:

19-year-old Jackson Meyer can travel backwards in time. It just sort of happened one day and so now he and his best friend Adam play around with how it works. They discover his "jumps" have no effect on the future and aren't sure why Jackson is the way he is. Jackson and his dad aren't close so he can't ask him and Jackson's mom is dead..as is his sister. He has a girlfriend, Holly, who he is completely in love with but she doesn't know what Jackson can do. One day while in her dorm room, two men rush into the room and shoot Holly. Terrified, Jackson accidentally travels back in time. Further than ever before. And he can't seem to get back. Stuck in 2007, Jackson has no choice but to figure out what is going on with his abilities. He meets Holly all over again and the two fall in love all over again. Jackson slowly starts to learn more about who he is and more importantly, who his father is. In the end he has to make a decision: stay in 2007 or go back to the future and fight these enemies--save Holly or rewrite history?

**Let me just start by saying I love time travel stories. The science of it is baffling but when a writer or show gets it right, I get swept away. I love the idea of being able to change our past or relive our lives. Jackson was such a fun character to get to know. I don't usually read YA books from a boy's POV but I loved reading this one. Jackson was a good kid in love and having fun when suddenly his life was turned upside down and inside out. He wants to do the right thing but first has to figure out what that is. I loved the choices he was faced with and how beautifully written his story and character arc was. 

Vortex picks up a few months after Tempest left off. Jackson has made his decisions about his life and future with Holly and joined forces with a team of experts who are helping him with his abilities as well as training him to fight those who came after him and shot Holly. Jackson spends a good portion of the novel doing said training and making new friends. We don't get to know too much about what's going on with Adam and Holly until the last half of the book. And as much as Jackson doesn't want to use his abilities, he ends up having to when his enemies catch up with him. Then there is the little girl who looks like his dead sister that keeps popping up and warning Jackson about a possible apocalyptic future. Jackson has to figure out who to trust, how to prevent the destruction of the planet, and how to save those he loves. What happens in the end will leave you stunned!

**Vortex started out a little frustrating for me. Cross tried to explain through Jackson exactly how his time travel and "jumps" worked. It totally confused me. But once I got passed that, I really enjoyed what Jackson was now doing with is life. I liked the tough choices he'd made and I really felt how hard it was on him. I felt his sadness and loneliness and determination to fix everything and fight the bad guys. The action was great and the suspense kept me turning the pages. When Adam and Holly came back in, I was blown away. They had definitely changed! The ending tore me up and made me cry. What is going to happen now!? I can't wait to find out!

The title of the final installment of the TEMPEST trilogy hasn't been released but probably comes out early next year. 

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to comment below.

New Book Releases

Got a case of the Mondays? Well, don't worry, I have a fix for you! The release of 8 pretty good looking books! Goodreads links follow. Here we go:

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15805597-the-book-of-broken-hearts

All I Need by Susane Colasanti
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16034187-all-i-need

September Girls by Bennett Madison
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16065555-september-girls

Transparent by Natalie Whipple http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11973377-transparent

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790870-thousand-words

Absent by Katie Williams
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790982-absent

Praefatio by Georgia McBride
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16083022-praefatio

Night School by C.J. Daugherty
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12576579-night-school









Don't they sound like fun summer reads?! Let me know what you think in the comments below.